A pin box for connecting a trailer to a tow vehicle includes a hollow receiver tube attached to a pair of support beams positioned on opposite sides of the receiver tube. A forward mounting bracket for attaching the pin box to a frame of the trailer is disposed between the two support beams. The mounting bracket is fixedly attached to both support beams. A second mounting bracket is attached to the ends of the support beams opposite the receiver tube. The pin box also includes a hitch connector that is slideably engageable with the receiver tube. The hitch connector may be positioned within the receiver tube at a plurality of discrete predetermined locations. An attaching means is provided for securing the hitch connector to the receiver tube at each of the predetermined locations. The hitch connector may be configured to include a king pin connector or a gooseneck connector. Differently configured hitch connectors may be interchangeably connected to the receiver tube.

Various hitches and hitch connectors have been previously devised for attaching a trailer to a tow vehicle, such as a receiver type hitch, a 5th wheel hitch, and a gooseneck hitch. Receiver type hitches are positioned at the rear of the tow vehicle and typically attach to either the vehicle's bumper or frame. A hitch attached to the vehicle's frame generally has a higher load carrying capacity than a hitch attached to the tow vehicle's bumper. Receiver type hitches include a mechanism for releasably attaching a ball connector to the hitch. This enables differently sized ball connectors to be used interchangeably with the same hitch. The trailer includes an appropriately configured coupler sized to match the size of the ball connector attached to the hitch. The trailer can be releasably attached to the tow vehicle by properly engaging the coupler with the ball connector connected to the hitch.
For towing large heavy trailers a different hitching mechanism may be needed for stable and safe towing. A wide variety of different hitching mechanism for towing heavy loads have been devised. Two such hitches are commonly known as a gooseneck hitch and a 5th wheel hitch. They are typically used for towing relatively large trailers, such as a recreational trailer, horse trailer, utility trailer, and the like. A typical 5th wheel setup a pin box suitably attached to an underside surface of the trailer. Attached to pin box is a hitch connector commonly known a king pin connector. The pin box is generally cantilevered from a front end of the trailer. This is done to provide sufficient clearance between the tow vehicle and the trailer, particularly when negotiating turns.
A wide variety of vehicle types may be used as the tow vehicle, including a conventional pick-up truck, flatbed truck, tractor truck, or the like. In the case of a pickup truck, the hitch is generally attached to a bed of the vehicle. It is generally desirable to position the hitch either over or slightly forward of a rear axle of the tow vehicle. This provides for more stable towing of the trailer than if the hitch were positioned behind the rear axle.
A gooseneck hitch setup is similar in some respects to a 5th wheel. The gooseneck hitch is generally positioned on the tow vehicle at substantially the same location as a 5th wheel hitch. The gooseneck hitch itself, however, differs significantly from a 5th wheel hitch. A gooseneck hitch typically consists of a ball hitch suitably attached to the tow vehicle. In the case of a pickup truck, the ball hitch is generally attached to the floor of the bed. The gooseneck ball hitch is typically positioned lower on the tow vehicle than a 5th wheel hitch. The gooseneck connector attached to the pin box on the trailer includes a suitably configured connector affixed to the end of the gooseneck. The gooseneck connector can be releasably engaged with the ball hitch on the tow vehicle.
Generally speaking, a trailer having a king pin connector can only be connected to a tow vehicle having a 5th wheel hitch, and trailers incorporating a gooseneck hitch can only be connected to a tow vehicle that has an appropriately configured ball hitch. This limitation often creates problems in situations where it is desirable to use the same vehicle to tow multiple trailers incorporating different hitch arrangements. For example, if the tow vehicle has a 5th wheel hitch and the trailer to be towed has a gooseneck connector, the user would be required to proceed with the time consuming task of removing and replacing the 5th wheel hitch with a gooseneck ball hitch. Not only is this process time consuming, but it also results in the added expense of having two different types of hitches on hand.
In an attempt to overcome some of the problems associated with having multiple trailers utilizing different hitching devices, various adapters have been-previously devised. The majority of the adapters convert a king pin connector to a gooseneck connector. The adapter is typically configured to attach directly to the trailer's existing pin box. Such an arrangement may, however, compromise the structural integrity of the pin box since the pin box may not have been designed to carry the additional mechanical load that may result from using the gooseneck adapter. The additional load is due in large part to the increased torsional moment applied to the pin box as a result of increasing the distance between the pin box and the hitch connector. Because of these and other limitations of existing hitch mechanisms, it is desirable to develop a pin box assembly that will allow various types of hitch connectors, such as a gooseneck connector and a king pin connector, to be used interchangeably with the same pin box.

Pin box assembly having interchangeable hitch couplers


A current reference circuit has a band gap voltage generating circuit, a voltage buffer, a voltage-to-current converting circuit and an auto-tuner. The band gap voltage generating circuit generates a band gap reference voltage. The voltage buffer generates a first bias voltage and a second bias voltage. The voltage-to-current converting circuit generates a source current in response to a tuning voltage. The auto-tuner generates the tuning voltage to maintain a transconductance. Thus, the current reference circuit may automatically adjust the transconductance, so that the current reference circuit may supply the source current that is stable against temperature and process variations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a current reference circuit. More particularly, the present invention relates to a current reference circuit having a voltage-to-current converting circuit with an auto-tuning function.
2. Description of the Related Art
A current reference circuit supplies a bias current to an operational amplifier, a filter, an analog-to-digital converter, a digital-to-analog converter, etc. In general, a current reference circuit includes a reference voltage generating circuit that generates a reference voltage and a voltage-to-current converter that converts the reference voltage into a current. In designing a semiconductor integrated circuit using a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process, the reference voltage is generated by a band gap circuit that is stable against temperature variation. The reference voltage generated by the band gap circuit is usually called a band gap reference voltage. One approach to the band gap reference voltage generating circuit has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,931,718 by Heinz Zitta.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing a conventional voltage-to-current converting circuit. The conventional voltage-to-current converting circuit has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,316.
Referring to FIG. 1, the voltage-to-current converting circuit includes an operational amplifier 2, an NMOS transistor 9 and a resistor R. A reference voltage VREF is applied to a line 1 connected to a positive input terminal of the operational amplifier 2. An output line 3 of the operational amplifier 2 is connected to a gate of the NMOS transistor 9. A negative input terminal of the operational amplifier 2 is connected through a feedback loop 6 to a source of the NMOS transistor 9. The source of the NMOS transistor 9 is also connected to one terminal of the resistor R, and the other terminal of the resistor R is connected to a ground GND. An output current IO is applied to a drain of the NMOS transistor 9 through a line 5. The voltage-to-current conversion may be achieved by maintaining the reference voltage VREF across the resistor R using the operational amplifier 2. By definition, the reference voltage VREF on the line 1, which is connected to the positive input terminal of the operational amplifier 2, also occurs at a node 8. The output current IO may be represented by an expression of VREF/R.
However, since a resistance value of the resistor R is easily affected by variations in manufacturing process and operational temperature, accuracy of the voltage-to-current converting circuit shown in FIG. 1 may be degraded. When the resistance value of the resistor R varies due to the variations in process and temperature, the output current IO also varies so that the semiconductor integrated circuit using the output current IO may malfunction.
Thus, there is a need for a voltage-to-current converting circuit and a current reference circuit capable of supplying stably a current independent of the variations in process and temperature.

Current reference circuit with voltage-to-current converter having auto-tuning function


Creation of a digital ISDN server for distribution and interactive services in video telephony, which can be used for a great number of video telephones including video telephones of different designs. Provision of video and audio signals with different formats and different transmission rates for different video telephones. Signalling of a terminal (TN1, . . . , TNp) is provided by the server for each requesting video telephone, where coded video and audio signals of different transmission rates and different formats are provided according to the design of the video telephone. These are available either in real time or are downloaded from corresponding storage media. In addition, an interactive control can be implemented.

A distribution service for video telephones is known from the ITU-T recommendation H.331. More precisely, it defines the functionality of the distribution service (broadcast service). Such a distribution service establishes the coding process whereby the video and audio signals are encoded. The signalling parameters are established as well.
A so-called video phone server is also known in the state of the art. This ISDN server offers a number of services to a caller. A caller calls the ISDN server via a conventional ISDN-H.320 video phone and is able to select information. Up to 1000 different services are offered in this case. This video phone server provides 9.times.2 B-channels.
The function of storing the incoming information is also known. In this case a TV program to be currently transmitted is stored and can be transmitted with time-delay. Accordingly a caller can either request previously stored messages or call up messages that were transmitted in real time.
A larger version of this video telephone server may contain 15.times.2 channels. A disadvantage of such a server is that only 30 video phones can access the server at the same time, and that only video telephones which operate in accordance with the H.320 standard are able to access this server (from: Interactive Video Telephony by Prospects of the Telsis Company, Copyright 1995 Telsis, received via CeBit '96).

Alcatel Alsthom Compagnie Generale d'Electricite


A sealing element for a leadthrough (10) for passing of conduits (40) through constructional components (50), has a flexible tubular body (14) rotatable along its longitudinal axis (L) that serves as a rotational axis, and on at least first axial end (12) of which, a securing element is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a leadthrough for passing conduits such as, e.g., tubular conduits, cables, or cable channels through constructional components such as, e.g., ceilings and walls, and having a jacket tube, and relates, in particular, to a sealing element of the leadthrough.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Leadthroughs of the type described above are installed during the formation of a constructional component such as a wall or ceiling, or is inserted thereinto subsequently, after the wall or ceiling has been formed. In particular, the leadthrough can be cast into a concrete wall or a ceiling or, alternatively, subsequently, necessary openings are drilled, sawed, or cut. Preferably, such leadthroughs are provided with a fire protection function. From the time of installation or casting of the leadthrough in a constructional component and installation of a conduit through the leadthrough, there already exists a need in fire protection. Further, it is important with such leadthroughs to insure their inner tightness against gaseous media, such as, e.g., a flue gas.
U.S. Patent Publication US 2004/0016190 discloses a device for passing conduits and which includes a jacket tube and a base part connected with the jacket tube. The base part has a receiving space for firestop means and which surrounds the through-opening. As the firestop means, an intumescent mass, which expands in case of fire and closes the opening, is used. Between the firestop means and a shoulder, an annular, a diaphragm-shaped sealing of an elastomeric material is provided. The seal has an opening smaller than the through-opening of the jacket tube.
The drawback of the known device consists in that the internal tightness against gaseous media such as air or flue gas is very small and, therefore, gastightness should be insured with additional measures which increase the assembly costs and make the leadthrough more expensive.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a sealing element for a leadthrough for passing conduits through constructional components and which would provide an improved gastightness in the mounted condition of the leadthrough, with a conduit passing therethrough.

Leadthrough and a sealing element for the leadthrough


A phosphorous pentoxide producing method includes forming a kiln bed using feed agglomerates with a calcium-to-silica mole ratio of less than 1.0 and maintaining a bed temperature at or above 1180° C. along at least 50% of the bed length without exceeding 1380° C. along the entire bed length. Less than 10% of the agglomerates' phosphate input to the kiln remains in the kiln residue as phosphate. Another method includes maintaining a bed temperature at or above 1180° C. along a portion of the bed length and establishing a bed surface-to-volume ratio multiplied by a time for bed heat up to 1180° C. of less than 50 minutes-ft2/ft3.

One known method for producing phosphorous pentoxide (P2O5, usually present as the dimer P4O10 in the gas phase) involves processing raw material agglomerates containing phosphate ore, silica, and coke in the bed of a rotary kiln to chemically reduce the phosphate ore and generate gaseous phosphorus metal (P4) and carbon monoxide (CO) off gas to the kiln freeboard where they are burned (oxidized) with air to provide heat for the process. It may be referred to as the kiln phosphoric acid (KPA) process. The oxidized phosphorus metal is a phosphorus oxide (normally, P4O10) which can be scrubbed from the kiln off gases with a phosphoric acid (H3PO4) solution and water to make a suitable phosphoric acid product.
KPA process chemistry is similar to another process known as the furnace acid process for manufacture of phosphoric acid. In the furnace process, the raw materials are heated and partially melted. An endothermic reduction reaction is carried out in one vessel called the electric furnace where the heat is supplied by the use of electric resistance heating in the bed. The phosphorus metal is recovered from the off gas of the furnace with cold water sprays as liquid phosphorus metal which can be transported to another vessel called the burner where it generates considerable heat while being burned with air. The resulting phosphorus oxide is absorbed in water to make a concentrated, high purity phosphoric acid.
The electric furnace in the furnace process does not use the heat generated from burning phosphorus metal that arises in the burner vessel. Also, the electric furnace does not use heat from burning the carbon monoxide that it generates. Although widely used in the last century for producing phosphoric acid, the cost of electricity as compared to the cost of sulfuric acid resulted in shutdown of most of the furnace acid plants in favor of another process known as the sulfuric acid process for making phosphoric acid.
If the heat generated in burning the off gasses from the furnace process reduction reaction could be utilized to provide the heat requirements of the reduction process, thereby replacing electrical heating, then economies might be realized. Converting the furnace process carbon reductant to carbon dioxide might generate sufficient heat, if used efficiently, to replace all the heat added by electricity in the furnace process. A vision of such potential motivated many researchers over the years to develop concepts where heat integration could be realized. The following references describe the various attempts: Levermore (U.S. Pat. No. 2,075,212), Lapple (U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,235,330 and 3,241,917), Saeman (U.S. Pat. No. 3,558,114), Megy (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,351,809 and 4,351,813), Hard (U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,384), and Park (U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,466). All of the described processes use a rotary kiln with a reducing bed and an oxidizing freeboard and are collectively within the realm of KPA processes.
A kiln within a kiln concept forwarded in the Levermore patent addressed the heat integration issue in a reasonable conceptual way, but was not practical because no material of construction for the inner kiln was available. The Levermore process heated up the agglomerated solids containing phosphate ore, silica, and carbonaceous material and conducted the endothermic reduction reaction in an inner kiln held inside an outer kiln. The P4 and CO off gases from the reduction reaction in the inner kiln passed between the outside wall of the inner kiln and the inner wall of the outer kiln, where air was admitted to oxidize the P4 and CO, generating sufficient heat to supply the requirements of the inner kiln. The heat then passed through the outside wall of the inner kiln.
The Lapple and Megy patents recognized that a separate oxidizing freeboard and reducing bed could be maintained in a kiln without a separating wall, but failed because of melting problems during the phosphate reduction reaction. Lapple and Megy specify a calcium-to-silica mole ratio in the feed to the kiln greater than 1.0.
The Park patent describes a process requiring ore with less silica than is cheaply available and a very hot kiln operation that has not appeared attractive enough to encourage commercialization to date.
The process in the Saeman patent involves carrying out the rotary kiln reduction reaction in a molten slurry, contained within the shell of the kiln protected by freezing a layer of solids on the inside of the kiln wall. This process has been abandoned.
The process in the Hard patent showed promise and a continuous pilot plant based on a 33 inch diameter by 30 feet long kiln was operated under the direction of the present inventor in the early 1980's. The results were published in Leder, et al., A New Process for Technical Grade Phosphoric Acid, Ind. Eng. Chem. Process Des. Dev., 1985, 24, 888-897, but the process was abandoned as his teachings were not complete enough to show how to carry out an economic commercial process. The pilot plant yields were low, with a maximum yield of 72% when run in a commercial mode without bedding coke, and 86% when a large amount of bedding coke was used. Other problems included: 1) throughput rates that were low which indicated a high capital cost requirement for the process, 2) high temperature of operation (greater than 1435° C.) to reach high yields, which put the operation close to melting problems and required higher silica admixtures in the kiln feed than desired for commercial operation, and 3) high maintenance problems. The high temperature and partial oxidation of carbon from the kiln solids resulted in transfer of significant amounts of fluorine, sodium, potassium, and sulfur to the kiln off gas, producing deposits in the back end of the kiln and off gas lines, contamination of the product acid, and extra costs associated in scrubbing acidic gases from the process. The off gases from the process were reducing requiring the added cost of an after burner. The combination of these problems was such that no one has attempted to commercialize the Hard process even though it has now been over twenty years since the pilot plant was operated.
As may be appreciated from the previous difficulties described above, the KPA process may be improved further.


Provided is a dynamic control (dycon). A dycon is a conventional control coupled with a dedicated display means, coordinated by data processing. Preferably, the dedicated display means is affixed to the control. A dycon has one, and only one, dedicated display means which depicts information for only that particular dycon. A dycon's dedicated display means has one, and only one, mechanical control for which it displays meaning. Information displayed on the dedicated display means assigns a current meaning to the dycon. A dycon may have many meanings over a period of time as indicated by the many variations in what is displayed for the dycon.

Data processing systems, such as those associated with computers, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), and many other electronic devices, are increasingly becoming embodied on a variety of devices. Semiconductor technology and electronics technology is enabling the production of smaller and faster systems with less moving parts. Many manufacturers strive to find ways to minimize the size of their systems while maximizing functions provided. Mechanical parts such as buttons, switches, sliders, levers, dials, knobs, and the like, also add complexity to manufacturing. Minimizing the number of mechanical controls used to operate a particular device allows minimizing device size and eliminating movable parts which can become damaged. However, minimizing user controls often implies lessening function.
Many data processing systems are equipped with a display which serves as a monitor of processing to facilitate a user interface. A display is dynamic and allows rich visual communications to the user. The display represents the current state of the data processing system at some particular time. Many user controls, for example those of a keyboard, may have been used to reach a particular image on a single display. An electronic device such as a PDA may be difficult to use because so many controls use a common display.
What is required is an improved system and method for providing a rich set of mechanical control function with a minimal set of mechanical controls, while ensuring little complexity of usability.


An apparatus for synchronizing data between DBMSs has a first DBMS and a second DBMS. The second DBMS has a storage for persistently storing data items in a form of a storage structure, i.e. database. The second DBMS has also a second data storage for persistently storing data in a form of a sequential order, i.e. a transaction log. The data to be synchronized from the first DBMS to the second DBMS is analysed and based on the analyzing, it is decided how to persistently store the data between the first and the second data storage in the second DBMS. There can be decided how to store the data between the first and the second data storage. The characteristics of the data to be stored may influence on the storage between the first and the second data storage. Thus, the storage depends on the actual data to be stored.

Apparatus for persistently storing data such as a database management system (DBMS) can be a facility for storing large volumes of data and allowing multiple users to access and manipulate the data in an efficient and controlled fashion. Databases are traditionally considered as a large collection of (mainly disk-resident) shared data, managed and accessed by the DBMS.
Thus a database management system (DBMS) can, for example, be an entity, which comprises one or more databases and/or data management systems, whereby the system is responsible for reading the data structures contained in the database and/or data management systems and for changing these data structures.
A database can be a searchable and updateable information storage structure, which comprises one or more data objects, and the use of which is controlled by the DBMS. The structure may for example comprise index trees and data pages that may be accessed through the index trees.
A data object or data item may, on one hand, be an information structure, which can comprise other data objects or such data objects, which can be construed as atomary data objects. For instance, in a relational database data objects represent tables comprising rows. The rows comprise columns, which are typically atomary data objects. A tuple can mean the data item that may contain other objects as elements, e.g. a tuple may be one row containing single customer's data in a "customer" table of a database.
A database operation can be an event, during which data objects of the database are read from the database, during which data objects are modified, during which data objects are removed from the database, and/or during which data objects are added to the database. A set of database operations acting on the data objects is called a transaction. The transaction may comprise one or multiple operations. The transaction can also comprise other transactions.
A page in database environment can, for example mean a collection of data objects. A page may contain zero, one or multiple data objects. At maximum, the page may contain all data objects of the storage.
A database table can be a collection of zero or more data objects referred to as table rows, each having one or multiple data items referred to as column values. A checkpoint is a process where altered pages are written from one storage unit, such as RAM to another storage unit such as Disk. Typically, the end-result of a checkpoint is a snapshot of a database on the disk.
A transaction log can be a sequential storage of transaction data committed in the database. The transaction log is typically used for recovering committed data after re-starting a database management system after abnormal shutdown.
Two or more datababase management systems can be arranged to exchange data with each other. One such mechanism is data synchronization, where data is transferred from one database management system to at least one other database management system to make the data of the databases at least partially similar upon completion of the data transfer.
Database management systems should be optimized for two different aspects of performance. On one hand, the DBMS should be able to provide a relatively fast access to the data of the database. On the other hand, the server should be able to provide relatively high performance for writing data to a persistent storage. In addition to performance optimisation, the DBMS should possibly be able to recover data from different kinds of error situations, such as abnormal shutdown of the DBMS.
Such a known distributed database management system is shown in FIG. 1, to provide one known solution for this optimization challenge of the DBMS 20, where upon data synchronization, data from a first DBMS 10 is transferred to a second DBMS through a network connection and the second DBMS writtes the data into two different storage files in the second DBMS: database file(s) 22 and transaction log file(s) 23. To provide relatively quick access to data, the data is typically organized in the database files 22 in a tree-structure or some other, preferably searchable data structure. The most recently accessed and/or modified parts (database pages) of the database are kept in the cache memory 21 of the DBMS 20. When data item is inserted into the database, its location in the storage structure is determined e.g. by the key value of the data item. For this reason, data written to a database in a single transaction may reside in any number of different locations inside the database storage structure. On the other hand, a database log file, i.e. the transaction log file 23, contains the data of the committed transactions in a sequential order.
FIG. 1b shows another known distributed database management system. In this example, the data synchronization between the DBMSs is implemented in a separate application software process 16 that maintains a network connection to both the first and the second DBMS. To synchronize data between the DBMSs, the application reads data from one DBMS and writes it to the second DBMS.
FIG. 2 shows a transaction 100 containing data items 101-105 read from the first DBMS needed to synchronize some data between the first and second DBMS, a database storage structure 200 containing database pages 201-207 and transaction log file 300 containing pages 301-307.
FIG. 3 shows a known situation where during data synchronization the transaction 100 from the first DMBS is committed and thus made persistent on the storage device. The data elements 101-105 of the transaction should be written to the persistent storage media such as hard disk as efficiently and quickly as possible. In known cases, this means that the data must be written sequentially into the pages 301-307 of the transaction log file 300 as data values 101″-105″. The data is also written into the cached pages 202-207 of database storage structure 200 as data values values 101′-105′ but those pages may not be written to the database files 22 of a storage device until later. In this known system, high degree of efficiency is achieved because disk storage devices are much more efficient when writing data into sequential sectors on the disk instead of writing data into more random locations on the disk, e.g. to a tree-structure. The cached data of the database storage structure 200 is made persistent later at a checkpoint. A checkpoint can mean a routine in the DBMS software that writes all "dirty" pages, i.e. pages of the database storage structure that have been modified in-memory, to the persistent storage. Checkpoints are basically the occasions when data is written from the cache memory of the DBMS to the database files. However, some dirty database pages may be written to the disk also outside of a checkpoint when cache becomes too full of these dirty pages.
The FIG. 4 explains the data storing during data synchronization, e.g. a write transaction execution, method 400 known from the prior art. Some data read from the first DBMS 10 is received at the second DBMS and this begins a new write transaction in the step 401. The second DBMS receives from the first DBMS 10 or from a data synchronization application that reads data from the first DBMS a request to add a row to the database or delete a row from the database in the step 402. The server adds the data of the row to the transaction log in the step 403. If the operation was the last one of the transaction in the conditional step 404, the transaction is committed which means that the data of the new data of the transaction log is written to the transaction log file 23 in the step 405. At some point, the server may determine that a checkpoint is needed in the conditional step 406. The checkpoint process writes all the dirty pages of the cached part of the database storage structure to the database file(s) in the step 407. The server is now ready to continue executing transactions in the step 408, or terminate the transaction processing related to data synchronization in the step 409.
Transaction log files can be used for recovery from abnormal shutdowns. If a DBMS process is terminated abruptly, not all data of the database may be found in the database file(s). The DBMS guarantees that the database file(s) contain(s) all those transactions that were committed in the database when the most recent checkpoint was done. However, the DBMS also guarantees that the data of the transactions committed to the database since the checkpoint is stored persistently in the transaction log files. To recover from an abnormal shutdown of the database, the DBMS applies to the database all those committed transactions that are newer than the most recent checkpoint from the transaction log files. This is called a roll-forward recovery process and it brings the database back to the state where it was before the abnormal shutdown. FIG. 5 illustrates the roll-forward recovery process 500 as known in prior art. The process reads 501 a transaction's data from the transaction log, applies 502 the data into the database storage structure, checks 503 if there are additional transactions in the transaction log and completes 504 the recovery process when all transactions have been processed.
The down side of the known dual storage method and system for persistently storing data during data synchronization is that it may cause some overhead especially if the volume of the data of a transaction is large. In traditional DBMS synchronization systems, data volume of a single transaction has usually been in a range of few hundred bytes or at maximum few kilo-bytes. That small volume of data is written immediately to the transaction log file to guarantee persistence. The database files may be updated much later, along with data accumulated from other committed transactions. This way, server may optimize its performance by postponing the update of the database files to a point of time when the operation can be done more efficiently as there is more data that can be written to the database files at the same time.
Thus in the known data synchronization method and system, the data is written to the storage files of the second DBMS twice or more. This overhead has been justifiable by the performance gains achieved by the known method and system. However, the emergence of larger volume data as a data type, e.g. media data, managed by a DBMS and synchronized between DBMSs has made the overhead problem more significant in the data synchronization process. Transaction log is still needed for data recovery purposes but the performance penalty of using the logging when synchronizing transactions containing large volumes of data has grown high. Writing small volume of data twice to the disk storage does not cause a significant overhead especially because the second write may write data of multiple transactions to the disk at the same time. On the other hand, writing several megabytes or even gigabytes of data in one transaction causes a significant overhead, as the storage device must write a large amount of data twice to the disk concurrently. This happens because the large volume of data of the transaction does not fit in the cache memory of the DBMS and the data must thus be written immediately to the database files to prevent the cache from becoming full. This very often means that maximum synchronization performance of the DBMS that manages larger data volumes is severely degraded.
As it is important to guarantee persistence of the data of all committed transactions while synchronizing data between DBMSs, it is important to improve the data storage method and,system so that the performance overhead of using the DBMS for synchronizing transactions containing larger volumes of data stays at a tolerable level.

Apparatus, system and method for persistently storing data in a data synchronization process


The invention relates to a fabrication apparatus for fabricating a layer structure comprising at least a patterned first layer on a substrate. A layer structure (6) with an unpatterned first layer is provided on the substrate. A protective material application unit (8) applies protective material at least on parts of the provided layer structure for protecting at least the parts of the provided layer structure (6), an ablation unit (12) ablates the unpatterned first layer through the protective material such that the patterned first layer is generated, and the protective material removing unit (15) removes the protective material (9). This allows fabricating a layer structure for, for example, an OLED without necessarily using a technically complex and costly photolithography process. Moreover, ablation debris can be removed with removing the protective material, thereby reducing the probability of unwanted effects like unwanted shortcuts in the OLED caused by unwanted debris.

A layer structure for an OLED generally comprises a patterned anode and a cathode, wherein organic layers are sandwiched between the patterned anode and the cathode. The anode is patterned by using photolithography. This makes the layer structures, especially for small product series, an expensive component, because photolithography has been developed for very high accuracy and fine pattern resolution which makes it an expensive process.

Fabrication apparatus for fabricating a layer structure


A surgical stapler for placing lateral lines of staples and making an incision, all through an endoscopic tube, includes an anvil member which is mounted to the distal end of an elongated housing. A tubular collar disposed around the arm of the anvil member is movable to a distal position to bias the anvil member and a cartridge assembly into cooperative alignment, thereby clamping body tissue to be fastened between the anvil member and cartridge assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to surgical stapling apparatus, and more particularly to a surgical stapler for mechanically effecting a plurality of lines of stitching or ligating staples in body tissue.
2. Background of Related Art
In some surgical operations it is necessary to adjoin two hollow body organs alongside each other, generally with their longitudinal axes parallel to each other, and to effect a longitudinal cut through the contacting circumferential walls of the two organs so that the two organs constitute a single hollow chamber along the length of the cut. Correspondingly, the circumferential portions of the two adjoining organs on each lateral side of the cut must be sutured by at least one line of "stitches" in order to maintain the integrity of the union.
Instruments for this purpose can comprise two elongated fingers which are respectively insertable into each organ from an open end thereof, the two fingers thereby having between them the two adjoining walls of the organs. Typically, one of the fingers carries a disposable cartridge housing a plurality of staples arranged in at least two lateral rows while the other finger comprises an anvil for curling the staple legs into hook form upon their being driven against the anvil. The stapling operation is effected by a pusher which travels longitudinally along the cartridge carrying finger extending into one organ, with the pusher acting upon the staples to place rows of staples in body tissue. Immediately behind the pusher and laterally positioned between the staple rows is a knife which severs the facing adjoining walls of the two organs to thereby longitudinally open the two organs to each other between the rows of staples.
One such instrument is disclosed in Bobrov et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,079,606). The instrument disclosed therein comprises an apparatus for simultaneously making a longitudinal incision and applying a row of staples on both sides of the incision. A further improvement is disclosed in Green (U.S. Pat. No. 3,490,675).
A later development disclosed in Green (U.S. Pat. No. 3,499,591) applies a double row of staples on each side of the incision. This is accomplished by a cartridge assembly wherein a cam member moves within a guide path between two sets of staggered staple carrying grooves. Staple drive members located within the grooves each have two staple pusher plates, and sloping surfaces disposed within the guide path so as to be contacted by the longitudinally moving cam and be driven along the groove to effect ejection of two staples.
Other instruments use similar structure to mechanically suture and divide organic tubular structures such as, for example blood vessels. With these instruments, the tubular structure to be sutured and/or divided is inserted between the jaws of the cartridge, the cartridge jaws close and a pair of pushers advance and suture the organic structure in two spaced locations with a pair of surgical fasteners. Where dividing is desired, a blade comes forward and divides the tubular structure at a position intermediate the pair of fasteners. Such instruments are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,740,994 and 3,955,581, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
These above-mentioned instruments comprise upper and lower frames or replaceable cartridges which must be assembled before use, and disassembled after use. Such instruments have been used successfully in surgical operations requiring the placement of gastrointestinal anastomosis, and ligating and dividing tubular structures but they require the surgeon to have direct manual access to the operation site.
However, in laparoscopic procedures surgery is performed through a small incision, and in endoscopic procedures surgery is performed through narrow endoscopic tubes inserted through small entrance wounds in the skin. Up to now there have been no instruments for placing lateral staple lines in laparoscopic or endoscopic procedures. Nor has there been any instrument suitable for placing lateral lines of staples and cutting tissue therebetween in laparoscopic or endoscopic procedures.
Because endoscopic procedures are more common than laparoscopic procedures, the present invention shall be discussed in terms of endoscopic procedures and apparatus. However, use herein of terms such as "endoscopic", "endoscopically" and "endoscopic portion", among others, should not be construed to limit the present invention to a stapling and cutting apparatus for use only in conjunction with an endoscopic tube. To the contrary, it is believed the present invention may find use in any procedure where access is limited to a small incision, including but not limited to laparoscopic procedures. Also, as used herein the terms "fasteners" and "staples" shall be treated equivalently. Unless otherwise stated, the term "cartridge assembly" shall include at least the cartridge itself and staples or fasteners and staple drive members disposed therein.
3. Objects of the Invention
Accordingly, it is one object of the present invention to provide a surgical stapling apparatus.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a surgical stapling apparatus which can adjoin hollow body organs alongside each other.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a surgical stapling apparatus which can be used endoscopically.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a surgical stapling and cutting apparatus which can be used endoscopically.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a surgical stapling apparatus which sutures and divide tubular structure endoscopically.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a surgical stapling apparatus having replaceable cartridge assemblies.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a surgical stapling apparatus with replaceable cartridge assemblies which deactivate after firing.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a surgical stapling apparatus wherein the knife is prevented from making multiple cutting passes through the tissue.
These and further objects and advantages are achieved by providing a surgical stapling apparatus insertable through a small incision or narrow tube for driving surgical fasteners into body tissue and cutting the body tissue between rows of staples.

Apparatus and method for placing staples in laparoscopic or endoscopic procedures


Methods are provided for preparing intermediate moisture vegetables. In one embodiment, this invention relates to a method for preparing intermediate moisture vegetables, said method comprising (1) predrying the vegetables to a moisture content of less than about 5 percent, (2) applying a low viscosity infusion cocktail comprising water, a polyhydric alcohol, and salt to the predried vegetables, (3) equilibrating the predried vegetables and infusion cocktail for at least about 30 minutes to provide the intermediate moisture vegetables, and (4) and packaging the intermediate moisture vegetables; wherein the infusion cocktail contains essentially no sugars or saccharides. When cooked, these intermediate moisture vegetables provide appearance, texture, and taste similar to that provided by high quality cooked individually quick frozen vegetables.

Dried packaged convenience foods or mixes, such as, for example, soups, casseroles, salads, and the like, are popular. Such foods or mixes frequently contain various types of dehydrated vegetables (generally with water activities of less than about 0.5) along with other food components. Unfortunately, such dehydrated vegetables, when cooked, tend to rehydrate slowly, require long cooking times, and generally do not resemble fresh vegetables in terms of color, texture, and/or nutrition. In addition, dried vegetables tend to fracture easily during handling and distribution resulting in large amount of powdery fines and an undesirable, unnatural appearance. One of the alternatives to dried vegetables is infused or intermediate water activity vegetables by infusing blanched vegetable with a low-Aw infusion mixture and followed by drying the infused vegetable to an Aw below about 0.9, and more typically below about 0.6. The accumulated thermal effect during conventional infusion and subsequent drying steps, especially in presence of reducing sugars or other saccharides, renders significant quality loss in infused vegetables. The sugars and other saccharides used in conventional infused intermediate moisture vegetables also impart undesirable candy-like appearance and surface stickiness.
Numerous attempts have been made to prepare infused and/or dehydrated vegetables having improved properties. U.S. Pat. No. 3,623,893 (Nov. 30, 1971) used super-atmospheric pressures (i.e., 200 to 4000 psi) to infuse foods, including vegetables, with an aqueous infusion cocktail containing propylene glycol, potassium sorbate, glycerol, and salt. Of course, the use of such high pressures would involve high capital expense if such a system were used commercially.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,745,027 (Jul. 10, 1973) provided a method for cooking vegetables in an infusion mixture containing, for example, glycerol, salt, propylene glycol, potassium sorbate, and water. For example, diced carrots cooked for 15 minutes in the infusion mixture and then soaked for 6 hours in the infusion mixture were reported to have "acceptable eating qualities and microorganic stability."
U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,969 (May 23, 1989) provides improved dried green vegetables using an infusion cocktail containing a polyhydric alcohol, a sugar, an alkaline buffering system or agent (i.e., sufficient to obtain a cocktail pH of about 6 to 8), an inorganic bittering agent (e.g., KCl and/or MgCl2), a surfactant, salt, and an anti-oxidant (e.g., vitamin E, tocopherol, BHA, BHT, or mixtures thereof). After treatment with the infusion cocktail, the vegetable pieces are dried to a water activity of about 0.3 to 0.85 at a temperature of less than about 135° F. The resulting dried green vegetables are reported to have superior color retention for extended time periods even at room temperature storage, superior texture upon rehydration, and excellent rehydration rates.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,693 (Aug. 7, 1990) provides a process for preparing intermediate moisture vegetables. In this process, vegetables are blanched or cooked, preferably using a microwave oven, and then partially dried (i.e., water content of 45 to 55 percent). The dried vegetables are then dry mixed with salt (and optionally sodium glutamate if the vegetables are not cooked using a microwave oven); an anti-mycotic agent can also be added.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,609 (May 5, 1992) provides a method for producing intermediate moisture vegetables wherein the vegetables are partially dehydrated to a moisture content of 26 to 60 percent and then stored in an oxygen free atmosphere.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,925,395 (Jul. 20, 1999) provides a method for preserving vegetables whereby the vegetables are treated with a preservative solution containing water, calcium ions, and optionally ascorbic acid or erythorbic acid. The resulting vegetables are then stored at a non-freezing temperature less than 20° C. If stored at ambient temperatures, microbial contamination is possible.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,527 (Dec. 12, 2000) provides a method and apparatus for infusing fruit, including vegetables, using an infusion cocktail containing sugar wherein the flowrate and infusion cocktail are controlled such that the fruit or vegetables are exposed to progressively higher concentrations of sugar of a level only sightly higher than the sugar content of the fruit or vegetables being infused.
More recently, U.S. Pat. No. 6,403,134 (Jun. 11, 2002) provides a method for preparing intermediate moisture vegetables by (a) infusing vegetables with an antimicrobial infusion cocktail at a temperature of greater than about 50° F. for about 15 to about 180 minutes, wherein the antimicrobial infusion cocktail comprises an aqueous solution of (1) a water-soluble, predominantly lower molecular weight, low sweetness carbohydrate, (2) a polyhydric alcohol, (3) salt, (4) a non-inorganic sweetness depressant agent, and (5) nisin-containing whey derived from a nisin-producing culture; (b) collecting the vegetables and removing excess antimicrobial infusion cocktail; (c) drying the collected vegetables to a water activity of about 0.5 to about 0.9 to form the intermediate moisture vegetables; and (d) packaging the intermediate moisture vegetables.
Although these methods can provide improved intermediate moisture vegetables, there remains a need for even further improvements. The present method provides such improvements. Indeed, the present method allows the preparation of intermediate moisture vegetables which are shelf stable and which have significantly improved organoleptic properties. In taste tests, the present intermediate moisture vegetables were often ranked as good as or even better than cooked frozen vegetables, including high quality individually quick frozen (IQF vegetables).

Process for preparing intermediate moisture vegetables


In the tool body (2), a tool support (4) for a cutting-plate holder (6) is mounted capable of fine radial movements. To compensate for imbalance, a balancing device (30) is provided which has at least two weight bodies (20, 21) movable in opposite circumferential directions within the tool body (2) in essentially the same plane. In certain embodiments, each of the two weight bodies (20, 21) forms approximately one-fourth of a circular ring.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to boring heads for rotary tools, and, in particular, to boring heads with imbalance compensation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Boring heads are used primarily for machining close tolerance bores. Since, due to their construction, they are not rotationally symmetrical, they will be imbalanced to a greater or lesser degree. This imbalance has a negative effect on the vibrational behavior of the tool and therefore on the boring process. Such imbalance reduces the dimensional and shape precision as well as the surface quality of the bores. The development of increasingly hard and more heat-resistant cutting materials and the demand for shorter machining processes have resulted in increasingly higher rotation speeds and with it an increased need to avoid imbalance.
German patent application DE-C-35 10 259 discloses a boring head, in which imbalance compensation is provided by two weights that are installed on the circumference of the tool head, connected to a cable line, and movable in opposite directions by means of a graduated ring. The weights have the shape of semicircular disks that are capable of pivoting in opposite directions about a common pivot point by means of pull lines affixed to them leading to direction-changing bolts. This imbalance compensation device occupies a relatively large space vertically and is expensive to install and maintain. In addition, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,074,723 and 5,263,995 teach boring heads that have, for imbalance compensation, two weights designed as rings that move independently of one another. Here, too, the arrangement of the rings one above the other requires a relatively large space.
Finally, German patent application DE-C-42 42 063 discloses a boring tool in which a weight is automatically moved by a lever arm independently of the diametral movement. In a boring head intended to be used with bit supports of different weight, automatic imbalance compensation is unsuitable.
An objective of the present invention is to provide a boring head that makes imbalance compensation possible in a relatively simple manner and that can be produced economically. Further aspects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows.


A system and method for tracking a spherical ball is presented. A system includes grayscale conversion logic configured to convert an input image into a grayscale image. Motion detection logic detects motion of the ball in the grayscale image and generates a motion likelihood image output. Template matching logic template matches the input image and generates a template likelihood image output indicating where the ball is in the grayscale image. Color matching logic color matches the ball to the input image and generates a color space likelihood image. Fusion logic produces a final fused likelihood image output based on the motion likelihood image output, template likelihood image output and color space likelihood image output. Ball localization logic generates a ball location value and a confidence based on finding an optimal value in the final fused likelihood image output.

1. Field of Invention
The current invention relates generally to apparatus, systems and methods for processing images. More particularly, the apparatus, systems and methods related to detecting moving objects in images. Specifically, the apparatus, systems and methods provide for detecting moving objects that are regularly shaped objects in images.
2. Description of Related Art
As far back as the earliest recorded history it is clear that humans appreciate participating and viewing games and sporting events. Many of today's sports were practiced by the Ancient Egyptians, who set the rules and regulations for them. Inscriptions on monuments indicate that they practiced wrestling, weightlifting, long jump, swimming, rowing, shooting, fishing and athletics, as well as various kinds of ball games. Ancient Egyptian kings, princes and statesmen were keen on attending sports competitions, which they encouraged and provided with the necessary equipment.
Drawings on pharaonic monuments tell us that several thousand years ago; the Egyptians had laid down basic rules for games, chosen a neutral referee, a uniform for players, and a means of announcing the winners by awarding them different collars. Both winner and loser were met with ovation, the first for his superiority and the latter for his sporting spirit.
Ancient Egyptians played a game that is similar to our present-day hockey. Drawings on tombs at Beni Hassan in Menia Governorate show players holding bats made of long palm-tree branches, with a bent end similar to that of the hockey bat. The hockey ball was made of compressed papyrus fibers covered with two pieces of leather in the shape of a semicircle. The ball was dyed in two or more colors.
Drawings of this sport are found on the Saqqara tombs, five thousand years old. The ball was made of leather and stuffed with plant fibers or hay, or made of papyrus plants in order to be light and more durable. It was seldom used for more than one match. Each team throws the ball to the other at the same time. Players can either be on their feet or on top of their teammates' backs while exchanging balls.
Another sport that was historically very popular was the gladiator games that reached their peak in the Roman Empire. The term gladiator is the Latin word gladiator for "swordsman" that was derived from the Latin word for sword: "gladius". The gladiator was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their legal and social standing and their lives by appearing in the arena. Most were despised as slaves, schooled under harsh conditions, socially marginalized, and segregated even in death.
Irrespective of their origin, gladiators offered spectators an example of Rome's martial ethics and, in fighting or dying well; they could inspire admiration and popular acclaim. They were celebrated in high and low art, and their value as entertainers was commemorated in precious and commonplace objects throughout the Roman world.
The games reached their peak between the 1st century BCE and the 2nd century CE, and they finally declined during the early 5th century after the adoption of Christianity as state church of the Roman Empire in 380, although beast hunts (venationes) continued into the 6th century. People enjoyed viewing these and other sports in giant stadiums designed to give everyone a good view. Today sporting events are still viewed in large stadiums and arenas where the best viewing seats are sold for the highest prices. Video displays are now often used to provide for replays and allow views in more distant seats the opportunity to better view a sporting event. However, some sporting action is fast and might not be viewed well by all spectators. What is needed is a better way of viewing graphical content such as sporting event content

Method for moving-object detection tracking identification cueing of videos

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.


The invention is directed to an optical transmission system employing an electro-absorption modulator operative that absorbs energy from light received from a source of light and modulates the received light with information signals received from a source of information and outputs the modulated light signal to an optical transmission line, and employing apparatus that controls the level of light signals provided by the source as a function of a control signal having a level proportional to the level of the absorbed energy.

The output power of a DFB laser is typically stabilized by setting the laser bias current to a reference point that corresponds to the laser "backfacet" current. The backfacet current may be derived by coupling photodiode to the backfacet light. This scheme is adequate only if there is a strong correlation between the backfacet light and forward light that is coupled into the fiber optic cable. In photonic-integrated circuits (PICS), the laser may be coupled to other optical devices, for example, a Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (SOA), Electro-Absorptive Modulator (EAM), etc., which potentially reduces the correlation between the laser back facet power and the power that the laser outputs to a coupled fiber.

Automatic power control for a wavelength selective EML module


A method detects whether a signal is present on each of a plurality of video inputs. The method positively indicates to a user whether a signal has been detected on each of the plurality of video inputs.

Display devices, such as projectors and flat-panel displays, display image data that is received from video source devices, such as DVD players, cable TV and satellite TV set-top boxes, video cassette players or recorders, and the like. As such, display devices have one or more video inputs that are receptive to connecting cables. The connecting cables connect the video source devices to the display devices in accordance with a predetermined format or form factor, such as s-video, component video, composite video, VGA, HDMI, and DVI.
When a display device is not functioning as expected, such as when a user expects it to be displaying image data from a given video source device and the display device is not displaying the image data, many different potential causes of the problem have to be examined. The connecting cable from the video source device to the display device may be defective, the video source device may be defective, or the display device itself may be defective, for instance. Each potential cause of the problem should be examined and ruled out, until the actual cause of the problem is discovered. However, ruling out potential causes of the problem can be difficult for the average user to accomplish.

Positively indicating to user whether signal has been detected on each video input

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


In a motor with permanent magnets and a motor system, the value .alpha. produced by dividing, by the induced voltage constant ke, the product of the inductance Lm of the motor itself or the inductance Ls of the motor system in the d-q coordinate system is selected to meet a predetermined condition. The range of rotational speeds in which the motor can be operated while maintaining a predetermined output under field weakening control can be widened. If a condition is established to determine a ratio by which the rated rotational speed under normal operating conditions is multiplied into a rotational speed under field weakening control, then conditions for a motor or a motor system that can be used can be determined.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a synchronous motor with permanent magnets which is suitable for operation under equivalent field weakening control, and a motor system including such a synchronous motor.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
BASICS AND APPLICATIONS OF BRUSHLESS SERVOMOTORS, published by General Electronic Publishing Company, describes the technology given below, in Chapter 6, Section 2, Control of Brushless Servomotor, and Chapter 6, Section 4, Equivalent Field Weakening Control.
Alternating currents flows through a brushless servomotor, and the relative speed of axes (d-, q-axes) rotating in synchronism with the alternating currents is zero, simplifying an equation model.
According to a model based on the d/q-axis conversion proposed by Coulomb, the voltage and current of a brushless motor are related to each other as described by the equations (1) below. ##EQU1## EQU Te=3/4.times.(number of poles).times..phi.id=J.omega.m+B.omega.m+Tl
where
Ra: Armature resistance, PA1 La: Armature inductance, PA1 J: Motor inertia, PA1 .phi.: Magnetic flux (constant) of permanent magnets, PA1 .omega.m: Motor angular velocity, PA1 B: Coefficient of viscous friction, PA1 p: d/dt, PA1 Vd: d-axis voltage, PA1 Vq: q-axis voltage, PA1 id: d-axis current, PA1 iq: q-axis current, PA1 Te: Output torque, and PA1 Tl: Load torque.
Generally, the q-axis current iq is controlled so that it is zero. Therefore, the d-axis current id becomes the motor current. Since the values pLa id and pLa iq are zero under the normal condition, the voltages Vds, Vdq at the terminals of the motor are expressed by the following equations (2): EQU Vds=Ra id-.omega.mLa iq+.omega.m.phi., EQU Vdq=Ra iq+.omega.mLa id (2).
The field of a brushless servomotor with permanent magnets cannot be controlled because the field current cannot be varied. The voltage of the armature increases in proportion to the speed of the rotor. When the armature voltage exceeds the maximum voltage of a voltage source PWM inverter, the motor cannot operate at a speed higher than the speed corresponding to that voltage.
The equivalent field weakening control process which reduces the field intensity based on the armature reaction makes it possible to rotate the motor at higher speed.
According to the torque equation (1) and the equations (2), if the q-axis current iq is iq=0, then the motor terminal voltage increases in proportion to the motor angular velocity .omega.m and the d-axis current id, i.e., the instantaneous torque. Therefore, the equivalent field weakening control process is carried out by controlling the q-axis current iq.
FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings shows voltage vectors under the normal condition.
In FIG. 1, V0 represents the motor terminal voltage when the q-axis current iq is iq=0.
When the q-axis current iq is fully controlled, the motor terminal voltage V can be equalized to the maximum output voltage Vmax of the voltage source PWM inverter, as shown in FIG. 1.
The motor current should be lower than an allowable maximum current Imax. Therefore, the maximum output torque should be limited in its magnitude when the motor operates at high speed.
FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings shows current vectors indicating the path a motor current i follows when the output torque of the motor is maximum. FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawings shows the relationship between the torque, the output, the voltage, and the motor speed that are required for the motor to operate under the field weakening control.
If the motor angular velocity .omega.m exceeds a value .omega.m1 (FIG. 3), then the motor terminal voltage V is held to Vmax by controlling the q-axis current iq. The maximum output torque is reduced by reducing the d-axis current id.
If the motor angular velocity .omega.m exceeds a value .omega.m2, then the q-axis current iq is held to Iqmax.
If the motor angular velocity .omega.m exceeds a value .omega.m3, then the d-axis current id, i.e., the output torque Te, becomes zero. The motor angular velocity .omega.m3 at this time is the allowable maximum rotational speed of the synchronous motor with permanent magnets.
Various motors have been operated according to the equivalent field weakening control process. As a result, it has been found that the motors have widely different ranges of rotational speeds that can exceed the output (hereinafter referred to as "rated output") at the maximum rotational speed (hereinafter referred to as "rated motor speed") under normal operating conditions, the ranges of rotational speeds being representative of a ratio k by which the rated motor speed can be multiplied into the rotational speed.

Synchronous motor with permanent magnets and motor system


A thermally conductive protective film or layer is applied to the backside surface of a semiconductor wafer prior to a subsequent dicing operation performed on the wafer to singulate the wafer into diced semiconductor chips, during which the thin thermally conductive film minimizes and prevents chipping and cracking damage to the wafer and diced chips. During subsequent electrical operation of a diced chip, the thin thermally conductive film functions as a thermal conductor to dissipate and conduct away to a heat sink any heat generated during operation of the chip.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the processing, fabrication and usage of semiconductor chips and wafers. More specifically, the present invention applies a thermally conductive protective film or layer to the backside surface of a semiconductor wafer prior to a subsequent dicing operation performed on the wafer to singulate the wafer into diced semiconductor chips, during which the thin thermally conductive film minimizes and prevents chipping and cracking damage to the wafer and diced chips. During subsequent electrical operation of a diced chip, the thin thermally conductive film functions as a thermal conductor to dissipate and conduct away to a heat sink any heat generated during operation of the chip
After the fabrication of integrated circuits on a wafer, the wafer is diced by a sawing operation, during which the edges of the chips are subject to damage by chipping or cracking. Pursuant to the present invention, a thin film or layer of a thermally conductive material, such as a metal filled epoxy, is applied to the backside of a silicon wafer prior to a dicing operation. The thin film or layer prevents any chipped or cracked silicon from breaking off dies that are diced from the wafer, and also functions as a thermal conductor to conduct away and dissipate any heat generated during subsequent electrical operation of the chips.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
As is well known in the semiconductor industry, a chip is a miniaturized electronic circuit that is mass-produced, generally along with a large number of other chips on a fabricated wafer of a semiconductor material such as silicon. The electronic circuits on a chip typically include transistors and other electronic and electrical components. State of the art manufacturing techniques are now capable of generating millions of components on a chip smaller than a fingertip. Each wafer is typically fabricated with a large number of chips, and after fabrication, the wafer is diced or cut to singulate the wafer into separate individual dies having individual chips thereon.
In a typical prior art dicing operation, a semiconductor wafer is supported by a tape applied to the backside of the semiconductor wafer that is opposite to the device or active side of the semiconductor wafer. The backside tape is supported by an outer metal hoop frame, with the wafer being suspended on the backside tape generally in the center of the metal hoop frame. The dicing saw generally can comprise a diamond wheel having a thickness of approximately 70 microns and a V shaped circumferential cutting edge. A full thickness semiconductor wafer may be diced or cut by several successively deeper cuts or passes through the full thickness wafer. The dicing operation is generally performed from the device side of the wafer through to the backside of the wafer because the dicing cutting wheel can cause chipping and cracking damage to the backside (far) surface of the wafer, particularly during the last cutting pass through the backside of the wafer and partially into the backside tape. Accordingly, it is desirable to have any damage caused by the dicing saw to be to the backside of the semiconductor wafer rather than to the device or active side of the semiconductor wafer.
The thickness of the wafer is also a factor in the amount of damage caused to the wafer during the dicing operation, and each pass of the dicing cutting wheel creates cracks and chips in the wafer. The wafer is diced and singulated into a plurality of individual dies still supported on the backside tape, and the good dies are then identified and are picked off and separated from the backside tape by a picking tool, frequently operated with the assistance of a vacuum for removal of the separated good dies. Speed is an important consideration in performing the dicing operation, the picking operation, and any subsequent packaging and shipping operations. The good dies are frequently packaged in a slotted carrier container, and the picking and shipping operations can also cause additional cracking and chipping of the silicon of the separated good dies.
The chipping and cracking of silicon at the backside surface of semiconductor chips has been a continuing, ongoing problem during dicing operations performed on full thickness semiconductor wafers. Possible solutions to alleviate the chipping and cracking problems have included the use of different dicing saws, different dicing conditions, backside processes and the application of dicing tapes, and the solutions have helped alleviate the problems to some extent. However, the solutions have not totally alleviated the chipping and cracking problems that occur during dicing, picking and shipping operations performed on the chips.
The prior art has disclosed the application of a thin film to a wafer backside prior to a dicing operation to minimize and prevent chipping and cracking damage to the wafer and chips during the dicing operation. However, the prior art has not appreciated that the same thin film can also function as a thermal conductor to conduct away and dissipate any heat generated by the chip during subsequent electrical operation of the chip.

Application of a thermally conductive thin film to a wafer backside prior to dicing to prevent chipping and cracking

International Business Machines Corporation


An upper support for a suspension system manufactured by preparing a first intermediate product including an inner rigid member, a first outer rigid member and a first elastic body for elastically connecting the inner and first outer rigid members. The first intermediate product is then placed within a mass of a non-compressible fluid. A second elastic body and a resonance member are then assembled with the inner and first outer rigid members, so as to prepare a second intermediate product having a fluid chamber filled with the fluid and defined between the first and second elastic bodies. The second intermediate product is then removed from the mass of the non-compressible fluid, and a second outer rigid member having an attaching portion mounted, in the atmosphere on the second intermediate product.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an upper support used in a suspension system of a motor vehicle which is constructed for easy assembling with improved efficiency, and to a method of manufacturing the upper support.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In a conventional suspension system of a motor vehicle, a generally cylindrical upper support is interposed between the body of the vehicle, and a piston rod of a shock absorber which is linked with an axle or arm for supporting vehicle wheels. Such an upper support is adapted to prevent input vibrations received from the wheels through the shock absorber, from being transmitted to the vehicle body, for example. The upper support usually includes a cylindrical inner rigid member to which the piston rod of the shock absorber is fixed, a cylindrical outer rigid member which is disposed radially outwardly of the inner rigid member and fixed to the vehicle body, and an elastic body interposed between the inner and outer rigid members for elastically connecting the two members.
To meet a recently increasing requirement for high-grade cars having improved vibration-isolating capability, there has been proposed a fluid-filled cylindrical upper support which contains a non-compressible fluid. The assignee of the present application has proposed such a fluid-filled upper support as disclosed in laid-open Publication No. 2-114506 of unexamined Japanese Utility Model application. The upper support disclosed therein has an annular fluid chamber filled with a non-compressible fluid, which extends between the inner and outer rigid members, in the circumferential direction of the upper support. The upper support further includes an annular resonance member which is accommodated in the fluid chamber to substantially divide the chamber into two sections, and a fluid passage through which the fluid flows between the two sections upon application of a vibrational load between the inner and outer rigid members. The thus constructed upper support exhibits a sufficiently high vibration-isolating capability, based on resonance of the fluid flowing through the passage.
In the upper support of the above type, the inner and outer rigid members and the elastic body are usually prepared independently under the atmosphere and then assembled in a mass of the non-compressible fluid for filling the fluid chamber, as disclosed in the above-indicated publication. Thus, the filling of the fluid chamber with the fluid is accomplished by assembling the inner and outer rigid members and the elastic body within the fluid means.
The outer rigid member usually has an integrally formed mounting bracket in the form of an outward flange extending radially outwardly of the outer circumferential surface thereof, and its outer dimensions are inevitably increased. Therefore, it is cumbersome to handle the outer rigid member within the fluid mass, and the assembling of the conventional upper support including the outer rigid member is a difficult job for the worker.
The upper support is usually assembled such that the inner rigid member is connected with the piston rod of the shock absorber and the outer rigid member is fixed to the vehicle body. Therefore, these rigid members must be manually positioned for a predetermined circumferential or angular relationship for connection to the shock absorber and vehicle body, and this manual positioning within the fluid mass is cumbersome Thus, the assembling of the conventional upper support cannot be automated.

Upper support for suspension system having two outer rigid members, and method of manufacturing the same


Execution of condition-based instructions is facilitated. A condition-based instruction is obtained, as well as a confidence level associated with the instruction. The confidence level is checked, and based on the confidence level being a first value, a predicted operation of the instruction, which is based on a predictor, is unconditionally performed. Further, based on the confidence level being a second value, a specified operation of the instruction, which is based on a determined condition, is conditionally performed.

One or more aspects relate, in general, to processing within a computing environment, and in particular, to execution of condition-based instructions within such an environment.
Many types of instructions are used in a computing environment in order to perform certain tasks and to control the environment. One type of instruction is a condition-based instruction, in which performance of the instruction depends on a particular condition. This condition may be set by yet another instruction. For instance, with a Load on Condition instruction, provided in the z/Architecture offered by International Business Machines Corporation, a load is performed based on a condition code having one value (which is set by another instruction), and no load is performed based on the condition code having another value.
Further, in other condition-based instructions, one datum is selected based on one value of a condition, and another datum is selected based on another value of the condition.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


The invention relates to a polyacrylate which as a result of a polymerization process has a broad, bimodal molecular weight distribution. These acrylate pressure-sensitive adhesives are preferably processed from the melt. The low molecular weight fraction lowers the flow viscosity, while the high molecular weight fraction results in the achievement of a high shear strength, following appropriate crosslinking, for the acrylate pressure-sensitive adhesive.

Within the field of pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs), ongoing technological developments in the coating process mean that there is a continual need for new developments. In the industry, hotmelt processes with solvent-free coating technology are of increasing importance for the preparation of PSAs, since the environmental regulations are becoming ever greater and the prices of solvents continue to rise. Consequently, solvents are to be eliminated as far as possible from the manufacturing operation for PSA tapes. As a result of the associated introduction of the hotmelt technology, the requirements imposed on the adhesives are becoming every more stringent. Acrylate PSAs in particular are the subject of very intensive investigations aimed at improvements. For high-end industrial application preference is given to polyacrylates, on account of their transparency and weathering stability. As well as these advantages, however, these acrylate PSAs must also meet exacting requirements in respect of shear strength and bond strength. This profile of requirements is matched by polyacrylates of high molecular weight and high polarity with subsequent efficient crosslinking. The drawback with these high-shear-strength, polar PSAs, however, is that they are unsuited to the operation of hotmelt extrusion, since, as a result of the high flow viscosity, high application temperatures are necessary and, moreover, the molecular weight of the polymer is reduced by shearing within the extruder. This damage significantly lowers the level of adhesive performance. The bond strength and the tack are generally low, since the glass transition temperature is relatively high because of the polar fractions in the adhesives. The shear strengths in particular of hotmelt-coated acrylate PSAs drop significantly in comparison to the original solvent-coated PSA. At the present time, therefore, various concepts are being investigated with the aim of reducing flow viscosity and hence of facilitating the extrusion coating of these PSAs.
One very important concept is the targeted adjustment of the molecular weight distribution for the purpose of improved processing. Bimodal molecular weight distributions assist easier processing, since low molecular weight fractions lower the flow viscosity while high molecular weight fractions raise the shear strength. Bimodal molecular weight distributions are generally produced by means of targeted blending. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,014 polyolefin blends are prepared by this method and processed in a hotmelt process. The general drawback of this method is that in two process steps the polymers, first, must be prepared, with their different average molecular weight, and subsequently must be mixed. A process for such blending of polyolefins is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,863,665 and 5,773,155. It is also necessary here to introduce a relatively large amount of energy in order to mix the systems with one another, since the miscibility of polymers with one another is relatively poor, because of their long polymer chains.
Furthermore, bimodal molecular weight distributions have been disclosed for starch degradation in polyacrylate dispersions (U.S. Pat. No. 6,084,018, U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,813, U.S. Pat. No. 5,705,563). There is no connection here, though, neither with the elastomer nor with an operation of hotmelt extrusion.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,619,979 and 4,843,134 describe a preparation process for the solvent-free polymerization of acrylates. Here, in a specific polymerization reactor, highly branched polymers were prepared. Drawbacks are the high gel fraction formed during the polymerization, which although allowing a bimodal molecular weight distribution makes it impossible to coat such a material, and the low conversion of the polymerization, resulting in the need to remove acrylate monomers from the system again, an operation which is relatively costly and inconvenient. Since acrylate PSAs are generally composed of two or more comonomers, and these comonomers possess different boiling temperatures and vapor pressures, this is a very costly and inconvenient process.
It is an object of the invention to avoid the drawbacks which exist in the prior art and to provide a broad, bimodally distributed polyacrylate having good hotmelt processing properties while retaining good adhesive properties. The polyacrylate ought preferably to have a low residual monomer content.
This object is achieved by a polymerization process according to the main claim, and also by a polyacrylate and its use according to the coindependent claims. Advantageous developments of the invention are characterized in the dependent claims.

Bimodal acrylate pressure-sensitive adhesive compounds


A method of sending a self-signed certificate from a communication device, the self-signed certificate being signed by the communication device. The method includes: receiving a communication in relation to establishing a session from a second communication device in proximity to said communication device, outputting on an output device of said communication device a certificate hash of the self-signed certificate or an address of where to obtain the certificate hash, and sending the self-signed certificate to said second communication device. The method may also include sending a broadcast message to announce a presence of the communication device.

In a chain of trust scheme, certificates are often trusted based on the validity of "higher ranking" certificates. At the highest level of certificates, there is typically a root certificate or self-signed certificate which provides the ultimate in attestation authority in the chain of trust scheme.
In some existing conventional systems, root certificates are generally pre-installed in an operating system, pushed through operating system auto-updates or through corporate policy controls. The end-user typically is not involved in installing root certificates on their computer. Such systems may not permit the user to readily transfer root certificates to create new or temporary secure relationships.
Additional difficulties with existing systems may be appreciated in view of the detailed description below.
Like reference numerals are used throughout the Figures to denote similar elements and features.

Method of sending a self-signed certificate from a communication device


Systems, engines, user interfaces, and methods allow a user to select a group of images, such as digital photographs, and assign to the group of images the name of a person who is represented in each of the images. The name is automatically propagated to the face of the person, each time the person's face occurs in an image. In one implementation, names and associations are shared between a browsing mode for viewing multiple images at once and a viewer mode, for viewing one image at a time. The browsing mode can provide a menu of candidate names for annotating a face in a single image of the viewer mode. Likewise, the viewer mode can provide annotated face information to the browser mode for facilitating name propagation. Identification of a person's face in multiple images can be accomplished not only by finding similarities in facial features but also by finding similarities in contextual features near the face in different images.

Face annotation is very important in the management of digital photo albums, because it provides information about who is in the photos and thus can help users organize and manage their digital albums. Although there are already many commercial products that try to assist with electronic photo album annotation, they all require human annotations, a tedious task very few users will perform.
Most conventional products offer a degree of image management for digital photo albums, but the image management is similar to the file management, which is based on the name, size, date/time and other properties of the image files. Face annotation is not provided. Only manual annotation of images is provided in conventional products.
In one conventional product, faces in photos are detected automatically by a face detector and if a user would like to annotate the faces, the conventional system calculates a candidate list of names from which the user annotates each face. The candidate list can be calculated according to a face's similarity with already annotated faces. The user might accept one of the recommendations, or instead enter a new name for the face. In a typical scenario, if a user desires to label a face, the user moves a mouse onto the face, and a candidate name list pops up to provide one or more recommendations.

Efficient propagation for face annotation


An electronic trading marketplace (ETM) communicates with interfacing modules interfacing directly with order management systems (OMS's) at trading institutions. The interfacing modules automatically transmit orders from the OMS databases to the ETM and update the OMS databases in response to orders executed at the ETM. Traders can communicate with the ETM to anonymously negotiate trades of securities.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to securities trading and in particular to electronic commerce marketplaces and order management systems for supporting securities trading.
2. Background Art
Although computers are heavily used to facilitate trading of securities, manual intervention is still required at certain steps in the trading process. For example, most traders at institutional investment management firms record their orders to purchase or sell securities in computerized order management systems (OMS's). However, one or more traders at each firm must manually review the orders in the OMS and attempt to fill the orders by contacting one or more market intermediaries. Typically, the traders transmit the orders in the OMS by telephone or separate data entry links to registered broker-dealers for the securities, to electronic marketplaces that trade the securities, or to other market intermediaries. Accordingly, manual effort is required to actually execute the orders in the OMS.
One problem arising from this manual effort is that institutional traders cannot execute trades involving large quantities of securities without adversely affecting the market price of the securities. For example, institutional traders often need to trade large quantities of securities due to the continuing need of investment managers to respond to changes in market conditions by altering the contents of their investment portfolios. As these portfolios increase in size due to increased investor activity, the corresponding quantity of securities to be traded in order to achieve a similar portfolio balance also increases. Market impact costs, or adverse costs resulting from the institutional traders' activities, rise in such circumstances because locating parties with whom to trade such large quantities of securities becomes more difficult for the market intermediaries.
Moreover, if the market intermediaries become aware that an institutional firm wants to, say, sell a large block of a particular equity security, this awareness is likely to lower the sale price that the institutional firm can obtain due to the normal processes of supply and demand. The effect is also likely to be exacerbated by speculation from others with knowledge of the order as to why the particular investor wishes to sell such a large quantity of the security. Similarly, if market intermediaries become aware of the fact than an institutional firm wants to buy a large block of a particular equity security, this awareness will likely increase the purchase price that the institutional firm will have to pay. This adverse effect on price is further exacerbated by the fact that traditional market intermediaries trade for their own accounts.
One strategy commonly employed by institutional traders to offset market impact costs is to spread out trade orders for a large quantity of a security into small orders each handled by a different market intermediary, sometimes over several trading days. Of course, this strategy brings about its own problems in that the market price can change significantly during this extended trading period due to the unforeseeable activities of others.
Another strategy that may be employed is to spread the orders for the security among one or more electronic marketplaces. However, the traders must manually transmit each order to the electronic marketplaces using a telephone or a separate data entry link. The fact that the traders need to perform these extra steps, which include duplicate entry of basic order data already recorded in the OMS, causes many traders to use these electronic marketplaces infrequently, and to supply the marketplaces with only a small subset of the total orders. As a result, these electronic marketplaces often lack the liquidity required by a trader to timely execute orders.
The lack of integration between the OMS and the electronic marketplaces also poses problems when an institutional trader wishes to trade a particular security simultaneously within an electronic marketplace and, for example, over the telephone with a traditional broker. For example, some electronic marketplaces attempt to find matches at only specific time intervals. If a trader wishes to buy 100,000 shares of IBM, and has placed an order for half that amount in an electronic marketplace, the trader will not know how much, if any, IBM stock was purchased until after the next scheduled match attempt. In the meantime, the trader potentially could have purchased more than 50,000 shares from a broker over the phone at a better price.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an electronic trading marketplace that does not require any manual intervention by traders or other parties, offers anonymity, and offers a high amount of liquidity.

Electronic securities marketplace having integration with order management systems