A method, a system, and a computer program product are provided. In various embodiments, an object is stored within a first data storage system resource indicating a dependency on a second data storage system resource, wherein the dependency requires collocation of the first data storage system resource and the second data storage system resource. An action applied to any one of the first data storage system resource and the second data storage system resource may be controlled based on the dependency.

Present invention embodiments pertain to multiple site components, which should be collocated for performance reasons. In particular, present invention embodiments pertain to storing dependency information within an object of a data storage system resource to control operations, wherein the dependency information indicates at least one other data storage system resource that should be collocated with the data storage system resource.
Systems, including but not limited to enterprise content management (ECM) systems and case manager (CM) systems, often require multiple data storage system resources to be functionally linked. For example, one records management application built on top of an ECM system uses two data repositories: a first data repository for record source documents and a second data repository for a file plan. Similarly, one case management application built on top of a CM system uses two data repositories: a first data repository to store designs for case management solutions and a second data repository that includes active case instances for a deployed solution.
When executing an application such as the records management application or the case management application, nothing prevents an administrator from creating or moving a data storage system resource such as, for example, a data repository, in or to a geographical region that is different from a geographical region of one or more other data repositories that support the application. Additional overhead for coordinating transactions across data storage system resources in different geographical regions could result in increased latency, timeouts, degraded application performance, poor user experiences, and additional support costs.
A common approach to compensate for moving a data storage system resource includes monitoring performance counters and/or use reports regarding performance issues. Initial attempts at compensation included placing dire warnings in documentation regarding performance implications of moving individual site components to remote locations. However, performance-related documentation is often maintained separately from administrative or provisioning documentation, and is consulted reactively, after an issue has been reported.
Other approaches such as, for example, grouping virtual machines and moving a virtual machine as a unit are too coarse-grained: some applications may tolerate remote site components, while other applications may not, and both such applications may reside on a single server.
Existing cloud and cluster management software for managing servers or services provide dependency management. For example, some cluster management software permits dependency relationships to be established between resources such as filesystems and server software in a cluster. However, administrators must have an understanding of the dependency relationships of the cluster management software and the dependency relationships are configured external to the cluster management software (i.e., components have no knowledge of each other).

Dependencies between site components across geographic locations

International Business Machines Corporation


An optical device may include a fiber or waveguide that is intended to be coupled to another waveguide having a significantly larger/smaller cross-sectional size. As such, two wedge shaped waveguides may be positioned atop a tapered waveguide. The dual wedge design may allow for shorter taper lengths and smaller final waveguide cross section dimensions.

Efficient light coupling between an optical fiber and a silicon waveguide is highly desired for silicon based photonic device and circuit applications. Due to the high refractive index contrast of silicon waveguide systems, obtaining good fiber-silicon waveguide coupling is very challenging particularly for small silicon rib waveguides.
Often is the case that an optical device includes a fiber or waveguide that is intended to be coupled to another waveguide having a significantly larger/smaller cross-sectional size. For example, a planar lightwave circuit (PLC) can have a waveguide on the order of four microns in height to be coupled to an optical fiber with a diameter of about ten microns. One way to couple a port of a relatively large waveguide to a port of a significantly smaller waveguide is by forming a tapered waveguide structure to couple the two waveguides.
In one type of taper, similar to that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,478 to Harpin et al., the taper at one end has a height or diameter of about the same size as a larger waveguide to which it is to be coupled. At the other end, the taper typically comes to a point. The sides of the taper are typically straight so that the taper has a wedge-like shape, with the wider part of the taper being at the end of the waveguide. This end of the taper is used to couple the taper to the larger waveguide. The interior end of the taper serves as a termination, which along with the narrowing shape of the taper helps force light to propagate from the wide end of the taper to the smaller waveguide (or from the smaller waveguide to the wide end of the taper).
FIG. 1 shows a tapered rib waveguide, sometimes referred to as a "cheese wedge" taper waveguide 100 similar to that shown in Harpin et al, mentioned above. The waveguide 100 may be formed on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate comprising an insulation layer 102 and a silicon layer 104. The waveguide 100 generally comprises a tapered section 106 and a final waveguide or rib section 108, shown divided by illustrative line 111. The tapered section 106 comprises a lower taper 110 and an upper, generally wedge shaped taper 112. The upper taper 112 and lower taper 110 include an input facet 114 which may be integrally formed. The lower taper 110 gradually tapers down over length "L" to match the size of an output waveguide 116 in section 108. The upper taper 112 may taper to a point 118 to be generally wedge shaped. This type of waveguide taper 100 may be used to provide high coupling efficiency (coupling loss <1 dB/facet) between a standard fiber (with a modal diameter of ˜9 μm) coupled at the input facet 114 and silicon waveguide 116 with a width or height of ˜4–5 μm.
As the refractive index contrast is larger for silicon waveguides as compared to optical fibers, a larger taper input facet 114 may be needed for better coupling. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, if a larger input facet 114 of 13×13 μm is called for, it may be difficult to obtain efficient coupling to waveguides 116 smaller than W×H=2.5×2.5 μm with a reasonable taper length (e.g., L=1–2 mm).
Referring to FIG. 2 there are shown modeling results for taper loss for a 2 mm long taper (L) for different final rib waveguide sizes (W) 116. The graph shows that the loss for the standard cheese wedge taper 100 increases with decreasing the final waveguide dimension. When the waveguide dimension W is smaller than 2.5×2.5 μm, the loss is larger than 1 dB/facet. Further, loss increases quickly with further decreasing the final waveguide 116 dimension. Since these small waveguides (1–2.5 μm) are often used for the high density silicon photonic integrated circuits and for better laser diode to silicon waveguide coupling, such losses may be unacceptable.

Dual “cheese wedge” silicon taper waveguide


A system and method for determining the lifetime of a capacitor element, specifically a capacitor element comprising a solid electrolyte that undergoes oxidation, is provided. The system and method utilize a capacitor element comprising an anode body, a dielectric, and a solid electrolyte, and may also comprise other stages of the production of a capacitor. The system and method provide an estimation of the life of the capacitor while considering the oxidation of the solid electrolyte.

Electrolytic capacitors (e.g., tantalum capacitors) are increasingly being used in the design of circuits due to their volumetric efficiency, reliability, and process compatibility. For example, one type of capacitor that has been developed is a solid electrolytic capacitor that includes a tantalum anode, dielectric layer, and conductive polymer solid electrolyte. Certain types of conductive polymer electrolytes (e.g., PEDT) are highly sensitive due to the tendency of such polymers to be oxidized. The capacitance of polymer capacitors degrades over time due to oxidative processes that are temperature dependent. It is often beneficial to have an estimate or model of the expected degradation to anticipate such degradation. However, due to the large lifetimes of these capacitors at operating temperatures, determining the lifetime of capacitors at such low temperatures is often not practical.
Previous methods of determining the life of the capacitor use the "20 degree rule" shown by the following:
                              L          x                =                              L            0                                          b                                                            T                  0                                -                Tx                            20                                                          (        9        )
where L0 is the life of the capacitor at temperature T0, Lx is the life of the capacitor at Tx, and b is a factor for how the degradation is temperature dependent. Factor b varies based on the type of capacitor. For example, factor b may range from 1 to 10, with 10 indicating that the capacitor is very temperature dependent. Generally, if there is more protection of the solid electrolyte in the capacitor, L0 will be higher.
However, the 20-degree rule is a simplified rough tool that does not reflect the physical chemical background of capacitor degradation.
As such, a need exists for an improved technique for determining the lifetime of solid electrolytic capacitors and anticipating future degradation.

Lifetime determining technique for a solid electrolytic capacitor and system for the same


A safety system for a motor vehicle having a sensing arrangement (11) providing sensor signals related to the surrounding environment of the vehicle, at least one safety means (13, 14, 15) for an occupant of the vehicle, and a control means (22) adapted to control the safety means (13, 14, 15) depending on signals from the sensing arrangement (11). The safety system (10) has an environment classifying means (23) adapted to classify the surrounding environment of the vehicle into different predetermined categories on the basis of signals from the sensing arrangement (11), and to adjust the control means (22) depending on the vehicle environment category determined by the environment classifying means (23).

In safety systems for motor vehicles, means for detecting subjects in front of the vehicle, for example pedestrians, bicyclists and/or animals, are known. However, such detection means are still susceptible to false detections which cause irritations of the driver and, more important, a user disbelief in the safety system, and, even more seriously, missed detections causing the system to fail to warn the driver. Furthermore, such detection means generally consume large processing capacities which is one reason for limited detection reliability.
The object of the invention is to provide a safety system for a motor vehicle with a high detection reliability and reduced probability of false detections.
In accordance with this invention, the classification of the surrounding vehicle environment into different categories allows adjusting the safety system depending on the determined vehicle environment. In particular, an algorithm for detecting a subject in front of the car may be optimally chosen or adjusted depending on the detected vehicle environment which leads to an increased detection reliability and less false detections. Furthermore, the invention allows the deactivation of algorithms in the control means which are considered irrelevant for the determined vehicle environment, which contributes to an effective use of processing resources and thereby to increased detection reliability.
The different predetermined categories of vehicle environment may comprise city environment, non-city environment, rural environment, highway environment, etc. Also sub-categories of these categories are possible. Preferably the environment classifying means is adapted to classify the vehicle environment at least into a city environment and a non-city environment.
Preferably the safety means is adapted to provide safety-related information to a vehicle occupant. A particular advantageous application of the invention relates to providing an animal warning to a vehicle occupant if an animal is detected in front of the vehicle. In such application, the environment classifying means is preferably adapted to determine a city environment of the vehicle. The animal detection means of said safety system is then preferably deactivated if a city environment is determined by the environment classifying means, because the probability of vehicle-animal collisions is assumed to be zero in a city environment. As a result, any false detection of a wild animal in a city environment is prevented. Furthermore, the processing resources saved due to deactivation of animal detection can be assigned to other processes, for example pedestrian detection, the reliability of which can thereby be further enhanced.
Furthermore, the environment classifying means is preferably adapted to determine a rural or non-city environment of the vehicle. The animal detection means of said safety system is then preferably activated if a rural or non-city environment is determined by said environment classifying means.
Other predetermined states than complete animal warning deactivation and activation may be selectable in the control means. In general, the control means is adjustable to one of a plurality of predetermined states depending on the determined vehicle environment.
In a preferred embodiment the environment category is determined on the basis of image data provided by an imaging means of said sensing arrangement. The imaging means may comprise one or a plurality of cameras directed to the area in front of the vehicle, in particular optical or infrared cameras. The vehicle environment category may then be determined from the detected image by using image analysis techniques, for example pattern recognition techniques which are known in principle in the art. Other methods for distinguishing between the predetermined vehicle environment categories may be employed.
The environment category may also be determined on the basis of vehicle data provided by one or more vehicle mounted sensors, for example the vehicle speed and/or yaw rate. For determining a city environment, for example, the fact may be used that the vehicle in the average travels slower and/or with a higher probability of turning in a city environment. Therefore, using the known velocity and/or yaw rate from a past time window classification of the vehicle environment into a city or non-city environment is possible.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of this invention, a combination of image data provided by an imaging means and vehicle data provided by at least one of vehicle sensor is used to determine the environment category. For example the image data may be used to determine the environment category and the vehicle data may then be used to confirm the detected environment category, which enhances the reliability of the detected vehicle environment category.

Vehicle environment classifying safety system for a motor vehicle


Memory devices are described along with methods for manufacturing. A memory device as described herein includes a first electrode and a second electrode. The memory device further includes a diode and an anti-fuse metal-oxide memory element comprising aluminum oxide and copper oxide. The diode and the metal-oxide memory element are arranged in electrical series between the first electrode and the second electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to metal-oxide based memory devices.
2. Description of Related Art
One-time programmable (OTP) memory is used in integrated circuits for a variety of nonvolatile memory applications. OTP memory is typically implemented using charge storage, fuse, or anti-fuse techniques.
Anti-fuse type memory is programmed by applying a voltage pulse across a dielectric or other high resistance material to induce breakdown and form a low resistance current path through the material. Various materials including silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon-oxynitride, aluminum oxide, and hafnium oxide have been proposed for use in anti-fuse type memory. Typically programming voltages of 10 V or more are needed, which increases the complexity of circuitry for memory devices employing these types of materials. In addition, the breakdown process can take a relatively long time (for example greater than 1 microsecond) and require a large current, resulting in relatively slow programming speeds and high power consumption.
It is therefore desirable to provide high density anti-fuse type memory devices having relatively low programming voltages and fast programming times.

Aluminum copper oxide based memory devices and methods for manufacture


Methods and apparatuses are provided for facilitating remote data processing. A method may include accessing content represented by data having a first size. The method may further include preprocessing the data to generate reduced data having a second size being smaller than the first size. The method may additionally include causing the reduced data to be sent to a remote data processing apparatus configured to process the reduced data to derive data related to the content. Corresponding apparatuses are also provided.

The modern computing era has brought about a tremendous expansion in computing power as well as increased affordability of computing devices. This expansion in computing power has led to a reduction in the size of computing devices and given rise to a new generation of mobile devices that are capable of performing functionality that only a few years ago required processing power that could be provided only by the most advanced desktop computers. Consequently, mobile computing devices having a small form factor are becoming increasingly ubiquitous and are used for a wide variety of purposes.
For example, many mobile computing devices now have built in digital cameras capable of capturing high quality multimedia content. Given the convenience of portable devices capable of capturing media content, many users now have large content libraries. In this regard, the quantity and the variety of digital content captured and stored by computing devices has greatly increased in recent years and is expected to continue to dramatically increase in the years to come.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for facilitating remote data processing


A graphics processing device has an image data storing unit for storing image data, a graphic data storing unit for storing graphic data, a coordinate inputting unit for inputting coordinates, a display unit for displaying the image data and the graphic data, and a graphic operation processing unit for processing the image data and the graphic data. The graphic data are processed with reference to the image data displayed on the display unit by designating a control point. The designation of the control point is made to allow its image characteristic point recognizing section to set a predetermined region in the neighborhood of an input point inputted for the graphic operation, to recognize a shape of an image in the predetermined region, decide a characteristic point of the image corresponding to the shape of the image recognized, and to deliver the characteristic point of the image as the control point to a control point inputting unit.

The present invention relates to a graphics processing device and, more particularly, to a graphics processing device, such as a computer-aided design (CAD) device or the like, having an additional function of recognizing and extracting a characteristic point of an image to be referenced for the graphic operation to be carried out by a graphic operation processing function.
Heretofore, pictures drawn on paper have been inputted into a graphics processing system as image data by means of an image scanner or the like. The image data are then displayed on a display screen through the graphics processing system and the operator has manually inputted through a pointing device or the like by tracing the image data on the screen.
For example, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication (Kokai) No. 62-269,276/1987 discloses an interactive graphics input system in which a picture is scanned by an image scanner and inputted into a computer as image data, which in turn are displayed on a display screen while superposing center line image data on the image data. The graphics are input as vector data by designating the positions required for the graphics on the display screen by means of a coordinate designator.
In converting the image data into the graphics data (coordinate points data) such as vector data, for example, in the manner as described hereinabove, the center data for the center or center line of the image are first given, and then necessary data such as an end point, branch point or corner point as the characteristic point of the image are selected from the center data, and such necessary data are inputted. In this case, in the conventional technique, the characteristic points have been inputted while the center data are superposed on the image data on the display screen. Hence, the display screen is forced to become so complicated that the operator has failed to select necessary data in an efficient way.
For instance, in the conventional technique, when the image data are converted into vector data as the graphic data for the characteristic point of a transversely lying, inverted L-shaped linear graphic form as shown in FIG. 5, the center point data 51 are first given from the image data 50 and, while both the center point data 51 and the image data 50 are displayed on the screen, the corner point 52 is selected from the center point data as the characteristic point and the graphic data are inputted by designating the corner point 52 as the characteristic point of the image.
As described hereinabove, however, the conventional graphics operation method in which the graphics data (vector data) are inputted requires the picture to be inputted as the image data to thereby give the center point data, followed by manually selecting the corner point 52 on the display screen in order to designate the characteristic point. Hence, the operation should be carried out twice in order to obtain the graphics data so that this operation for obtaining the graphics data is quite complicated. Further, the inputting is implemented manually so that the characteristic points may not ways be designated in an accurate fashion, and thus the graphics data inputted may cause an error.


An electromotive camshaft adjuster for adjusting the angle of rotation of the camshaft (14) of an internal combustion engine relative to the crankshaft thereof is provided. The camshaft adjuster includes a triple-shaft gear mechanism, which has a driving wheel (2, 2a′) that is fixed to the crankshaft and is embodied as a sprocket or a synchronous belt wheel, an output part which is fixed to the camshaft, and an adjustment shaft (18, 18′) which is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a rotor of an electric adjustment motor, having a stator that is fixed on the internal combustion engine. In order to keep the effort for producing the adjusting gears relatively low, the triple-shaft gear mechanism is preferably constructed as a swashplate or single eccentric internal gear drive (1, 25), the effort for production thereof being minimized by forming the same in a non-cutting manner, reducing the number of components, and inexpensively adjusting or compensating the backlash.

The invention relates to an electromotive camshaft adjuster for adjusting the angle of rotation of the camshaft of an internal combustion engine relative to the crankshaft thereof.
Electromotive camshaft adjusters are distinguished by quick and exact camshaft adjustment for the entire operating range of the internal combustion engine. This also applies for a cold start and a restart of the internal combustion engine after stalling.
Electrical camshaft adjusters are comprised of an adjustment mechanism connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the camshaft and an electromotive adjusting drive, which is fixed to the adjusting shaft and whose motor shaft attaches to the adjusting shaft of the adjusting mechanism rotating at the camshaft rotational speed.
For the most part, the following triple-shaft gear mechanisms are used as the adjustment mechanism:
Swashplate (or Wobbleplate) Drive.
These drives have a simple construction. Their ability to be manufactured in mass production, however, has not been clarified. In addition, they are susceptible to tolerances, and the manufacture of the teeth parts is associated with high costs, because these parts have to be manufactured with cutting methods due to high loading and for reasons of accuracy.
Double Eccentric Internal Gear Drive.
This type of drive is very functional and quiet running, but generates considerable costs due to the number of components.
Planetary and Cycloid Gears (So-Called Harmonic Drive Gears).
The latter is described in DE 40 227 35 A1, in which an electromotive camshaft adjuster for adjusting the angle of rotation of an internal combustion engine relative to the crankshaft thereof is disclosed, with a triple-shaft transmission, which has a crankshaft-fixed drive wheel constructed as a sprocket or synchronous belt wheel and a camshaft-fixed driven part and also an adjusting shaft, which is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the rotor of an electric adjustment motor and whose stator is fixed to the internal combustion engine.
This cycloid gear drive is distinguished by low installation space and high function reliability, but requires a large construction expense.
The invention is based on the objective of constructing a triple-shaft gear mechanism for an electromotively driven camshaft adjuster, which provides a relatively low manufacturing expense.


An imaging lens includes an aperture stop and an optical assembly which includes: in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens element with a positive refractive power having a convex aspheric object-side surface and a concave aspheric image-side surface; a plastic second lens element with a positive refractive power having an aspheric object-side surface and a concave aspheric image-side surface; a plastic third lens element with a positive refractive power having aspheric object-side and image-side surfaces; a fourth lens element with a negative refractive power having a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface; a plastic fifth lens element with a positive refractive power having a convex aspheric object-side surface, a concave aspheric image-side surface and more than one inflection point. The imaging lens satisfies the following conditions: 0.3<(R5+R6)/(R5−R6)<1.15 and 1.2<TL/ImgH<1.65.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging lens, and more particularly to a miniaturized imaging lens applicable to electronic products.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the development of high-standard mobile devices, such as, smartphone, tablet computer and so on, small imaging lens system with high image quality has become the standard equipment, and with the popular of social networks, more and more people like to take photographs or take selves and share with others, therefore, there's an increasing demand for angle of view and image quality. The imaging lens disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,335,043 and 8,576,497 are all provided with five to six lens elements in order to provide wider angle of view, which, however, causes large distortion and long total track length. The imaging lens disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,248,713 and 7,446,955 are capable of wide-angle shooting by using a first lens element with a negative refractive power and three to four lens elements with refracting power, however, the total track length of these imaging lens is also too long. The imaging lens disclosed in TW Appl. No. 101,131,585 has a wide angle of view, however, the aperture value is small (higher f-number), it cannot obtain better image quality in a dark shooting environment, and the aperture stop is located behind a second lens element, the track length of the lens system will too long or a dark corner will be formed on an image plane. The imaging lens disclosed in TW Appl. No. 102,109,885 has a larger aperture value (lower f-number), however, the angle of view is smaller than 80 degrees.
The present invention been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems.


An apparatus and method for switching waveguides between T switch and a bypass waveguide. The apparatus comprises a housing having a first, second and third housing port and a waveguide rotor, having a first and second rotary position. The waveguide rotor includes a first T waveguide, having a first and second T port, for connecting the second and third housing ports in the first rotary position, a second T waveguide having a third and fourth T port, for connecting the first and fourth housing ports in the first rotary position and a bypass waveguide, having a first and second bypass port, for connecting the first and second housing ports in the second rotary position. The first and second rotary positions are alternately selectable by rotating the waveguide rotor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for electromagnetic waveguides, and in particular to systems and methods for switchable electromagnetic waveguides in spacecraft.
2. Description of the Related Art
In spacecraft applications, the payload architecture may comprise Traveling Wave Tube Amplifiers (TWTAs) interconnected in redundancy rings to improve the overall system reliability. The redundancy rings allow a changeover of TWTAs without a service interruption. Switchable waveguides may be used in the design of such redundancy rings to switch the TWTA connections.
One such switchable waveguide is a T switch. When engaged, a T switch opens two straight waveguide paths which cross and connect pairs of opposite ports. Using a T switch, a redundant TWTA downstream can be switched into service without interfering with other paths in the power circuit. Known coaxial T switches are not capable of handling high power as hollow waveguides. Furthermore, high power coaxial T switches cannot be made as compactly as hollow waveguide switches.
Another kind of switchable waveguide is an R switch. R switches include a single straight waveguide path and two bypass waveguide paths. Either the straight waveguide or the bypass waveguides may be engaged at any time.
Furthermore, in the design of spacecraft, there are certain constant desirable objectives, which tend to vary only in emphasis for any particular application. These include reducing the mass and size of spacecraft components, reducing the time required to build components, improving the manufacturability, and of course, reducing component cost.
There is a need in the art for smaller, lighter, simpler and cheaper devices and methods for switching and combining electromagnetic signals. Particularly, there is a need for a switch combining the functionality of both a T switch and an R switch in a single compact device.
The present invention satisfies these needs.
To address the requirements described above, the present invention discloses an apparatus and method for switching electromagnetic radiation conducted through waveguides that is lighter, simpler and less costly than prior art devices.
A waveguide switch of the present invention comprises a housing having a first, second, third and fourth housing port and a waveguide rotor, having a first and second rotary position. The waveguide rotor includes a first T waveguide, having a first and second T port, for connecting the first and fourth housing ports in the first rotary position, a second T waveguide having a third and fourth T port, for connecting the second and third housing ports in the first rotary position and a bypass waveguide, having a first and second bypass port, for connecting the first and second housing ports in the second rotary position. The first and second rotary positions are alternately selectable by rotating the waveguide rotor.
A method of switching waveguides of the present invention comprises rotating a waveguide rotor including a first T waveguide having a first and second T port, a second T waveguide having a third and fourth T port and a bypass waveguide having a first and second bypass port, to a first rotary position in a housing including a first, second, third and fourth housing port, whereby the first and second T ports connect the first and fourth housing ports and the third and fourth T ports connect the second and third housing ports. And rotating the waveguide rotor to a second rotary position, whereby the first and second bypass ports connect the first and second housing ports.
The H-plane offset waveguide transition of the present invention allows a ridged guide with a width of approximately xc2xd the standard xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d dimension to connect to a transition step, while offset completely to one side. The short wall of the ridged guide is approximately centered when mated to the transition step. The mirror image configuration has the ridged waveguide slid completely over to the other edge of the transition step. Effectively, two different waveguides on two different planes in a rotor can be switched to a common housing port.
One embodiment of the present invention uses the H-plane offset waveguide transition to combine the functionality of a T switch and an R switch in a single compact switch. The three standard paths of an R switch waveguide layout in a waveguide rotor, a straight waveguide (hereinafter referred to as a xe2x80x9cT waveguidexe2x80x9d) and two bypass waveguides, are disposed on a first plane in the rotor. When rotated into position, they connect to the first section of the vertically positioned transformer openings in the housing, the housing ports.
The final crossed connection required for the T switch function, via a second T waveguide, is disposed on a plane below the standard R switch configuration and substantially orthogonal to the other T waveguide. The second T waveguide is also double-ridged. This entire configuration fits into the same compact rotor volume presently used in the standard R switch. When rotated into position, this double-ridged T waveguide connects to the second section of the housing ports.
The H-plane offset transitions allow lighter, simpler and more inexpensive devices and methods for switching and combining electromagnetic signals than presently known in the art. Combining these functions in a single unit reduces the switch mass as well as the harness and interconnecting waveguide lengths.

H-plane offset transitions in a switchable waveguide

Abstract: The method comprises rotating a waveguide rotor including a first T waveguide having a first and second T port, a second T waveguide having a third and fourth T port and a bypass waveguide having a first and second bypass port, to a first rotary position in a housing including a first, second and third housing port, whereby the first and second T ports connect the first and fourth housing ports and the third and fourth T ports connect the second and third housing ports. And rotating the waveguide rotor to a second rotary position, whereby the first and second bypass ports connect the first and second housing ports.


A game apparatus displays game space on a display means, and the game space includes a first area and a second area which interrupts continuity of a movement of an object in the first area. A user sets a moving route within the game space by means of a touch pen. The collision, that is, the object moves along the route. Assuming that the object moves to a next point position on the route, when the next point position where the object will enter the second area is set, the computer corrects the next point position to a target position within the first area, and then moves the object thereto.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a game program and a game apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a game apparatus and a game program therefor for which an object moves along a route designated by a user within a game space including a first area, such as a floor, a ground or the like and a second area where continuity of the movement of the object in the first area is interrupted, such as a wall, another floor or a ground different in height, or a pond (water surface) or the like.
Description of the Related Art
One example of a game of such a kind is known by a non-patent document 1 ("The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass" product instructions", Nintendo Co. Ltd., Jun. 23, 2007) is known. In the background art, an object like a boomerang shown in a non-patent document 2 (http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ds/azej/penaction/03.html (URL for introducing the non-patent document 1 game)) moves along a trace or route that a user sets within a game space. Here, when the route contacts an obstacle like a wall, the boomerang returns to a player character ("Link") without moving along the route when the boomerang arrives at the contacted position.
However, the non-patent document 2 only introduces that the boomerang can be used, and a movement of returning the boomerang is not actually described.
Depending on the land (geometry) of the game space, in some cases, it is difficult to accurately set a route only within the first area without extending to the second area. For example, in a case of a narrow passage sandwiched between walls, a narrow bridge spanning a river, etc., the user may set the route in the second area, such as the wall, the river as well as on the first area, such as the passage, the bridge, etc. in such a case, in order to move the object as the user intended, the user may have to set the route repetitively under certain circumstances. Or, the user has to set the route within the game space with meticulous care.

Game program and game apparatus for correcting player's route within a game space


A tool (150) of this invention assembles stackable elements (52, 54 and 56) to form a multiple conductor connector (50). A holding bracket assembly (100) is incorporated in the tool (150) to prohibit undesirable movement of the lowermost connector element (52) and to maintain alignment of the various elements of the connector (50) during the connectorization process. In accordance with the present invention, at least one protrusion (112) is manipulated into physical engagement with a side portion of the lowermost connector element (52). The protrusion (112) is spring-loaded and includes a sharp, tapered edge constructed of hardened material which provides a position-securing force to the connector (50) by becoming embedded into the side portion of the lowermost connector element (52). In addition, a second protrusion (110) is aligned opposite each of the sharp protrusions (112) and capable of providing an additional position-securing force to a second side portion of the lowermost connector element (52).

A number of different devices are available for use in the communications industry to connect corresponding conductors of two cables at a splice location. As the number of conductors to be connected together in any one application increased, the industry resorted to multiple contact connectors. Examples of such multiple contact connectors are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,158 which issued Dec. 31, 1974 in the names of Henn, et al., and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,635 which issued Nov. 13, 1973, in the names of D. R. Frey, et al., and which are expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The particular type of multiple contact connectors referenced above have received tremendous acceptance throughout the communications industry. It has been estimated that over two billion pair splice connections are made each year by the telephone industry. Furthermore, a large number of such connections are made with the type of connectors disclosed in the above-identified patents.
The multiple contact connector disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,158 is commonly referred to as a stackable connector and includes an index strip and a connector module. The connector module includes a plurality of metallic contact elements each having oppositely disposed conductor-receiving slots. In use, an installer positions an index strip in an assembly tool and insulated conductors from a first group transversely of the index strip in a plurality of conductor-receiving grooves. The conductors are seated in the grooves after which a connector module is positioned above the index strip and secured thereto which causes the conductors to be moved into conductor-receiving slots of the contact elements which extend below the module. Conductors of a second group which are to be spliced to those of the first group are inserted into conductor-receiving grooves of the connector module and the tool is operated to seat those conductors in upper conductor-receiving slots of the contact elements.
Various types of tools have been utilized to assembly the conductors to a connector. As may be apparent, such tools must be portable and uncomplicated, yet capable of imparting sufficient forces to the conductors to secure them to the connector within the associated tight-fitting recesses, as well as being capable of severing excess lengths of the conductors. Notably, U.S. Pat. No. 4,148,138 which issued on Apr. 10, 1979, in the name of Becker, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,644 which issued on Aug. 11, 1981, in the name of E. H. Petree and U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,402 which issued on May 24, 1983, also in the name of E. H. Petree, satisfy the above-stated requirements for assembling multiple contact stackable connectors. In general, each of these patens disclose a hand-operated tool which automatically positions a tool head with respect to each stage of assembly of a stackable connector to control the application of forces required at each stage during the connectorization process. It should also be noted that cam-activated hydraulic systems are also presently used to assembly multiple contact stackable connectors. An example of such a hydraulic tool is the 890E Cam-Draulic Tool disclosed in an AT&T marketing brochure dated March, 1989.
More specifically, the aforementioned tools incorporate a holding bracket configured to secure and align an index strip portion of the stackable connector relative to the tool. For an acceptable splice to be created between the multiple conductors, the alignment of the connector module relative to the index strip throughout the process is critical.
In the above-described tools, the connectorization process involves moving the connector module and its associated conductors toward a stationary index strip. Due to all the various movements involved, the index strip is subjected to a variety of forces during connection. Such forces often cause the index strip to move relative to the connector module and/or cap, which as stated earlier, is highly undesirable. Some existing tools have attempted to prevent movement of the index strip by incorporating a spring-activated plate within the holding bracket. The plate may be slidably positioned over a ledge on the base of the index strip, thereby discouraging upward movement of the index strip during operation of the tool.
However, the plate of the holding bracket disclosed in the above-identified prior art does not adequately prohibit all undesirable motion of index strip. The prior art seemingly does not include means to alleviate the lateral swaying, bowing or rocking motion to which the index strip is often subjected. Therefore, a sought-after holding bracket should sufficiently restrict all motion of the index strip relative to the tool. In addition, the sought-after holding bracket should be rugged and uncomplicated since tools for assembling multiple contact connectors and conductors are often operated in manholes, on telephone poles, in crowded central offices or other awkward operating environments.

Method for securing index strip and cutter-presser tool


A laminated dielectric block (3) is formed by laminating dielectric sheets (31) each having a conductive film formed on its one surface so as to constitute at least one filter (2). A radiation element (1) is provided so as to fix to the laminating dielectric block, wherein one electrode of the filter is electrically connected to the radiation element. The other electrode (22) of the filter is connected to a feeding terminal electrode (4) provided mounting face B (a face opposing to a circuit board) of the laminated dielectric block through a via-contact (33) and a wiring (34), not being exposed to the side face. As a result, an antenna with built-in filter of the structure where even if it is mounted on a circuit board, interference between an electronic circuit on the circuit board and the feeding terminal electrode of the antenna is prevented to improve the isolation characteristic and transmitting or receiving characteristic.

An antenna is conventionally configured to be capable of receiving or transmitting only a signal of a desired frequency band via a filter such as a band pass filter. Conventionally, the filter individually manufactured has been externally connected to an antenna for use. Recently, an antenna with built-in filter wherein an antenna and a filter are integrated has been developed for eliminating a troublesome work of matching an antenna and a filter or for meeting a demand of downsizing an electronic device.
As shown by a partially perspective explanatory view and its sectional explanatory view of FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrating one example of a state where an antenna with built-in filter 85 is mounted on a circuit board 86, the antenna with built-in filter 85 as described above has a laminated dielectric block 83 obtained by laminating dielectric sheets having a conductive pattern formed thereon for forming a capacitor or inductor that composes a filter and by sintering the resultant. A radiation element 81 is formed on the front face of the laminated dielectric block 83. One electrode of the filter is electrically connected to the radiation element 81, while the other electrode is connected to a feeding terminal electrode 84 provided at the outer face of the laminated dielectric block 83 so as to be able to be connected to a transmit-receive circuit that is an external circuit.
As shown in FIG. 7B in which the sectional explanatory view of FIG. 7A is illustrated, in the conventional antenna with built-in filter of this type, a wiring film 834 is extended to an end section to be drawn out from the other electrode of the filter 82 made of a conductive pattern on which an inductor or capacitor is formed, and after forming the laminated dielectric block 83, the feeding terminal electrode 84 is connected to the wiring film 834 exposed to its side face, whereby the feeding terminal electrode 84 is formed so as to go up to the back face (mounting face of the circuit board 86) from its side face. This feeding terminal electrode 84 is directly connected to a feeder 862 of the circuit board 86 by a soldering.
As described above, in the conventional antenna with built-in filter, the other electrode of the filter is drawn to the side face of the dielectric block 83 and the feeding terminal electrode 84 is provided from the side face of the dielectric block 83 to the mounting face (the face opposing to the circuit board on which the antenna is mounted, i.e., back face) so as to be connected to the drawn wiring film 834. Therefore, the case is likely to occur where radio wave received and transmitted by the radiation element 81 is directly picked up by the feeding terminal electrode 84 on the side face of the dielectric block. Further, an antenna is recently configured to be capable of receiving and transmitting a signal of two or more frequency bands by a cellular phone, i.e., an antenna is recently configured to not only receive and transmit a signal for cellular but also receive a signal of GPS (Global Positioning System) or to be used for Blue-tooth antenna for wireless LAN by a cellular phone. Therefore, signals of two or more frequency bands are likely to be fed to the feeding terminal electrode 84.
On the other hand, formed on the circuit board 86 having the antenna with built-in filter 85 mounted thereon are electronic circuits such as a receiving circuit or transmitting circuit connected to the feeder 862, in which a low noise amplifier not shown is included on the receiving side. In the case where reception and transmission are performed in two or more frequency bands, these electronic circuits are formed for each frequency band. The feeding terminal electrode and these electronic circuits are electromagnetically coupled, with the result that the noise or a signal of the other frequency band picked up by the feeding terminal electrode interferes directly with the circuits on the circuit board, thereby entailing a problem of deteriorating (increasing noise) isolation property (meaning that the coupling between each other is small) or reducing transmit-receive characteristic.
The present invention is accomplished to solve the aforementioned problem, and aims to provide an antenna with built-in filter that is designed to downsize by integrating a filter, made by laminating dielectric sheets, and a radiation element, wherein a mutual interference is not caused between an electronic circuit on a circuit board and a feeding terminal electrode of the antenna even if the antenna is directly mounted on the circuit board, thereby being capable of enhancing isolation property and improving transmit-receive characteristic.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mounting structure of an antenna with built-in filter mounted on a circuit board so as to be suitable for preventing a mutual interference between the antenna and an electronic circuit, when this antenna with built-in filter is mounted on the circuit board.


A method and apparatus for aligning a CVD showerhead, comprising engaging a showerhead stem clamp with a showerhead stem outside of a process chamber of the CVD system. An alignment fixture is provided, and a plurality of spacer discs are positioned between the showerhead suspended from a top plate of the CVD system and heated platen. Nuts supporting the showerhead to the top plate are loosened, therein permitting the showerhead to move vertically within the process chamber. The process chamber is closed and the top plate is lowered, wherein the showerhead contacts the plurality of spacer discs. The alignment fixture is engaged with the showerhead stem clamp, therein fixing a vertical position of the showerhead with respect to the top plate, and the top plate is raised. The position of the of the showerhead is then fixed with respect to the top plate via a plurality of standoffs, an adjustment bracket, a threaded rod, and a plurality of nuts.

Semiconductor processing typically involves the formation of various layers over a semiconductor wafer or substrate. One particular process involves a formation of an oxide layer over the substrate, wherein the oxide layer is generally deposited via chemical vapor deposition (CVD). A typical chemical vapor deposition system comprises a heated chamber, wherein various components require precise positioning within the chamber. One such component is what is referred to as a "showerhead", wherein the showerhead disperses one or more gases across a wafer positioned on a heated platen. The showerhead disperses gases in a predetermined manner over the wafer at a predetermined pressure and temperature.
A typical showerhead is seen in the Sequel CVD system manufactured by Novellus Systems, Inc. of San Jose, Calif. In the Sequel CVD system, a plurality of showerheads is positioned within a process chamber, wherein the process chamber is generally evacuated during processing of wafers. The process chamber comprises a heated platen on which a plurality of wafers are placed, and wherein the plurality of showerheads are positioned above the plurality of wafers to introduce process gases which generally form the desired layer (e.g., an oxide) over the wafers. Accuracy in the positioning of the plurality of showerheads is important in maintaining process uniformity. Variations in the positions of the showerheads can be seen over time, especially when maintenance to the system is performed.
Accordingly, the showerheads are typically positioned within the chamber and the position is controlled by what is called a "crush ball test", wherein a plurality of balls of foil (e.g., balls of aluminum foil) are placed within the chamber between the platen and the showerheads, and the system is evacuated and placed in conditions similar to actual processing conditions, wherein the balls of foil are subsequently "crushed" between the showerheads and the platen. Once the process conditions are achieved, the crushed balls of foil are removed from the chamber, and a vertical position of the showerheads (e.g., a spacing between the bottom surface of the showerhead and a top surface of the platen) is thus determined by a measurement of the crushed balls of foil using calipers or the like by an operator of the system. The vertical position and alignment of the showerheads are accordingly adjusted based on the measurement of the crushed balls of foil.
The crushed ball measurement has several problems associated therewith. For instance, the measurement of the balls of foil can vary from operator to operator, wherein each operator may apply a differing amount of pressure in measuring the thickness with the calipers. Further, due to the generally delicate nature of the foil used in the measurement, errors in measurements are quite common, due to the removal of the foil, the measurement thereof, and the location of the measurement on the crushed ball of foil.
Thus, an improved method and apparatus for improving showerhead alignment in a CVD system is desirable.


A cell carrier arrangement for cultivating adhering cells having at least two blanks connected with one another. The blanks are separated by a gap and are made of flat material, wherein at least one of the blanks is produced from a material which is permeable for a respective treatment medium of cells.

The invention relates to a cell carrier arrangement for cultivating adhering cells.
There is already known, for example, a reactor for performing biological in vitro processes in which a carrier shaft is placed rotatably in a cylindrical reactor vessel (DE-OS 39 32 633). This carrier shaft possesses several disk-like holding sieves attached to it, each of which are filled with a bead polymerizate, which serves as carrier for cell cultures. This known reactor has an expensive design. In addition, real or natural conditions for the growing of cell cultures are not assured.
The object of the present invention is to provide a cell carrier arrangement which is suitable in an optimal way for treatment, especially also cultivation, of biomaterial, and especially of cells, as well as also for observation and recording of the behavior of cells, as well as for the production of biomass.
To achieve this object, a cell carrier arrangement including at least two blanks connected with one another, which between them form at least one gap or gap-like area and are a flat material, and at least one of the two blanks is produced from a material which is permeable for a respective treatment medium for the cells.


A driving circuit which can drive an LCD apparatus without causing the residual image phenomenon is disclosed. The driving circuit has a polarity-inverting circuit for converting input video signals into polarity-alternating signals. The polarity-inverting circuit has input-output characteristics which are at least partially non-linear. The input-output characteristics are linear in the positive region, and non-linear in the negative region, or non-linear in the positive region, and linear in the negative region.

1. Field of the invention
This invention relates to a driving circuit for a liquid crystal display apparatus, and more particularly to a driving circuit for a liquid crystal display apparatus in which thin film transistors are used as switching elements.
2. Description of the prior art
FIG. 6 shows a driving circuit for driving an active matrix type LCD apparatus 1 in which thin film transistors (TFTS) are arranged as switching elements in a matrix form. The driving circuit shown in FIG. 6 comprises a source driver 2, a data driver 3, a controller 4, and a polarity-inverting circuit 5. When a DC voltage is applied to the liquid crystal in the LCD apparatus 1, electrochemical reaction occurs in the liquid crystal, thereby deteriorating the liquid crystal. In order to prevent such deterioration from occurring, the driving circuit is provided with the polarity-inverting circuit 5 so that the LCD apparatus 1 is AC-driven.
The polarity-inverting circuit 5 generally comprises an amplifier, an inverter which inverts the polarity of the output of the amplifier, and a switching circuit which alternatingly selects either of the outputs of the amplifier and inverter to output the selected output. The polarity-inverting circuit 5 converts input video signals into polarity-inverted signals (AC signals). FIG. 7 shows gray scale video signals. For example, the polarity-inverting circuit 5 converts the video signals of FIG. 7 into polarity-inverted signals shown in FIG. 8.
When the LCD apparatus I displays the same time for a long period of time, the pattern is "memorized" in the liquid crystal, with the result in that some extent of time is required to completely distinguish this memorized pattern. Even when another pattern is to be displayed, therefore, this memorized pattern also appears as a residual image on the apparatus 1 (i.e., the residual image phenomenon occurs). This residual image phenomenon greatly impairs the image quality.

Driving circuit for producing varying signals for a liquid crystal display apparatus


A system and method for filtering sediment from water prior to disposal. According to some aspects, water is provided to a trough which feeds a settling pool via a port. The settling pool may comprise one or more blocks disposed in one or more corresponding channels which restricts flow of the water. In some embodiments, this restriction of flow may cause sediment to collect on a bottom of the settling pool and/or residual oil to collect on a surface of the water. The residual oil may be pumped or skimmed from the surface and the water may be pumped from the settling pool into one or more external holding tanks. The one or more blocks may then be removed from the settling pool and the sediment may be collected via a frontloader or other device accessing the sediment via an access ramp formed in the settling pool.

Oil and gas reservoirs are usually found in porous rocks, which also contain saltwater. This saltwater, which accompanies the oil and gas to the surface, can be disposed in two ways: 1) Returned by fluid injection into the reservoir where it originated for secondary or enhanced oil recovery; or 2) Injected into underground porous rock formations not productive of oil or gas, and sealed above and below by unbroken, impermeable strata. Saltwater disposal wells use this second method to manage and dispose of saltwater. Saltwater produced by a reservoir typically also includes sediment and impurities that can harm a saltwater disposal system, e.g., by clogging valves, expediting normal wear and tear on parts, and otherwise damage fluid processing systems.


A method and a system is disclosed for policy-based control of a communication network having a distributed architecture, including at least one heterogeneous communication network, which network elements provide for registering events, sending notifications of the occurrence of events and enforcing a policy upon said events if certain conditions are met, wherein the PEP 604 serves as a server towards a PDP 607, being a client By applying the method and system of the invention, multiple Stakeholders, having each at least one Policy Decision Point 607, can influence policy enforcements carried out at a Policy Enforcement Point 604.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method for policy-based control of a communication network having a distributed architecture, including at least one heterogeneous communication.
2. Description of Related Art
In an open services market, network operators will have to provide highly secure, open, standard interfaces to their networks.
Policy-based control of a network is a recent approach to meet these requirements by distribution of functionality among network components and simplifying linking the distributed functionality to one another by employing policies. Policies are statements that dictate what policy enforcements and behaviours are permitted and on which events (hereinafter called Events) in a computer- or telecommunications network. A network administrator may define a set of policies governing the network.
According to the state of the art there are methods and systems developed for policy enforcement and policy management. Policy management and policy evaluation is e.g. currently drafted by a Parlay Policy Management Working Group of the Parlay Group, which is a multi-vendor consortium formed to enable the development of applications that operate across multiple, networking-platform environments by developing open, technology-independent application programming interfaces (APIs). The Parlay Policy Management Working Group (PPMWG) is set up to maintain and enhance the Parlay Policy Management and -Evaluation APIs that enable management of policy domains within the network which domains are firstly independent of network architectures and secondly independent of transport/application protocols. The draft of the PPMWG on policy management covers the composition of policies and the latest contributions also describe policy evaluation.
One example of policies being applied is that currently, networks may provide different services to clients by employing the aforementioned policy management methods. These networks rely on traffic handling mechanisms of the network elements that are transferring data. These elements are mostly switches, routers, proxies and protocol gateways. Such protocol gateways have for instance been defined in Parlay. Also examples of these elements are "Common Service Enablers" and "Other Service Enablers" as defined by OMA. An enabler (Enabler), in this context, is a logical entity that offers certain services. Its services may typically be invoked by means of an interface.
The traffic handling mechanisms include mechanisms that determine to which flow traffic belongs, and queuing mechanisms by which resources may be assigned to a particular flow. Network elements that support traffic handling mechanisms are also referred to as Policy Enforcement Points (PEPs) because they are able to apply policies to the traffic transferred by them.
In addition, network elements must support mechanisms by which their traffic handling functionality can be executed or configured. Typically, PEPs are associated with some form of Policy Server, also known as a Policy Decision Point (PDP). Typically, a PDP supports one or more commonly known configuration protocols, such as Common Open Policy Services (COPS), which is a protocol between a PEP and a PDP, where the PEP requests a decision from the PDP. For top-down provisioning, a PDP may use COPS-PR to push top-down configuration information to associated PEPs. COPS-PR is an extension to COPS where the PDP contacts a PEP.
Some PEPs may include PDP functionality locally. Others may invoke the PDP functionality from a separate Policy Server. In this way PEPs and PDPs work together to apply policies, acting on policy data related to e.g. business to business configuration, privacy, security and authorisation, that are typically stored in some form of register database (hereinafter called Register).
The described state of the art specifications consider the PEP a client and the PDP a server. An example of this approach is the aforementioned COPS protocol. The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) is further developing COPS. COPS may be applied in a client/server model for supporting policy control over quality of service signaling protocols, but may in general be applied to any other situation with distributed control. The policy framework illustrated in the COPS specification describes the entities PEP and PDP and the mechanism for the PEP to initiate a relation establishment with a PDP. It also describes messages for the interaction between the PEP and the PDP. The model is based on the server returning decisions to policy requests, wherein the PEP sends a request to the PDP to become its client and wherein the PDP as server decides whether or not to accept the PEP client.
Other models that refer to policy management are described in e.g. the Policy Core Information Model (RFC3060), which defines in Unified Modeling Language notation, the classes that a policy may be composed of (policy, policy rule, policy rule Event, policy rule Action); and Radius (RFC2138) and Diameter, which may be used to request decisions regarding network access.
Systems according to the current art comprise a PEP sending out a decision request to a PDP when a specific Event occurs at the entity implementing the PEP. The PEP sends information about the Event or a pointer to such information to the PDP. The PDP evaluates the Events against policy and decides the appropriate policy enforcement. Subsequently the PDP returns its decision on how the PEP must act on the Event to the PEP and the PEP carries out (enforces) the decision taken by the PDP.
Other standards like Radius do not cover the establishment of the Client/Server relationship or the PEP/PDP relationship or do not cover the exchange of Event notification and policy enforcement capabilities of the PEP. Event notification Capability in this context means the capability to notify Events that are occurring, such as a request for access to the network, a request for resource usage or a request for any other service. Policy enforcement capability in this context means modification by the PEP of such service request, (partial) refusal of such service request and/or performing other policy enforcements by the PEP that can be suggested by the PDP.
The current approach by systems, policy models, framework and standards, which considers the PEP a client of the PDP server has inherent limitations, and especially lack:                Possibility for Multiple Stakeholders (hereinafter called Stakeholders) such as operators, application developers, vendors, governmental organizations, end-users or service providers, to subscribe to PEP capabilities outside their service domain; and        An easy way for defining policies to be enforced by PEPs without having to first register the capabilities of the PEP.

Method and system for policy-based control in a distributed network


Multiphase signal generation circuitry receives input signals that are out-of-phase with one another by a quadrature delay (e.g., 90°), and generates output signals that are out-of-phase with one another by half of the quadrature delay. A first input signal may be provided to a first delay circuitry, which is then input to a first phase interpolator. The first delay circuitry is also input to second delay circuitry, which also generates an output that is input to the first phase interpolator. The first phase interpolator outputs a first output signal. The second delay circuitry is input to third delay circuitry, which in turn is input to a second phase interpolator with a second input signal that is out-of-phase with the first input signal by the quadrature delay. The second phase interpolator outputs a second output signal that is out-of-phase with the first output signal by the half of the quadrature delay.

The present disclosure relates generally to wireless communication, and more specifically to signal modulation.
In a wireless communication device, a transceiver may use quadrature amplitude modulation to transmit and receive data. To do so, the transceiver may generate multiple phases of a local oscillator signal (e.g., having in-phase and quadrature components). However, generating these phases of the local oscillator signal may result in excessive noise and/or power consumption.


The invention relates to a compressor-heat exchanger unit for a heating-cooling module for a motor vehicle, in which at least one fluid serving as a coolant flows, comprising a compressor device for compressing the first fluid, at least one heat exchanger device that has at least one first circuit for the first fluid to flow through and a second circuit for a second fluid to flow through, this heat exchanger unit being arranged in the fluid stream after the compressor device, characterized in that the first fluid is guided at least partially in flow channels of the first circuit that at least partially enclose the compressor device.

The invention is based on a priority patent application DE102012100856.6 which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The invention relates to a compressor-heat exchanger unit, in particular to a compressor-heat exchanger unit for a heating-cooling module for a motor vehicle, and to a heating-cooling module having a compressor-heat exchanger unit of this kind, and to a method for operating a heating-cooling module having a compressor-heat exchanger unit of this kind.
In known heating-cooling modules for a motor vehicle, a refrigerant is passed through a refrigerant circuit, wherein this refrigerant circuit generally has at least one compressor, a gas cooler, an internal heat exchanger, an expansion member, an evaporator and a compensating header. These components are connected by refrigerant-carrying tubes, generally in the stated sequence, wherein heat is removed from the refrigerant in the condenser/gas cooler and supplied to the refrigerant in the evaporator. By means of this heat transfer, temperature control especially of the interior of a motor vehicle, of a battery, of a drive motor and/or of an electronic system for the motor vehicle is performed indirectly.
Taking conventional heating-cooling modules for a motor vehicle as a basis, EP 1 990 221 A1 proposes a heating-cooling module in which a condenser/gas cooler, an evaporator and an internal heat exchanger are integrated in such a way that they form a closed unit. This is intended to achieve lower assembly costs and to reduce the length of the installed refrigerant tubes. Here, the "cold" elements in the refrigerant circuit of the heating-cooling module are integrated into a closed unit.

Compressor-heat exchanger unit for a heating-cooling module for a motor vehicle


An atomic orbital based memory storage is provided that includes a plurality of surface atoms forming dangling bonds (DBs) and a subset of the plurality of surface atoms passivated with spatial control to form covalent bonds with hydrogen, deuterium, or a combination thereof. The atomic orbital based data storage that can be rewritten and corrected as needed. The resulting data storage is also archival and capable of high data densities than any known storage as the data is retained in a binary storage or a given orbital being passivated or a dangling bond (DB). A method of forming and reading the atomic orbital data storage is also provided. The method including selectively removing covalent bonds to form dangling bonds (DBs) extending from a surface atom by hydrogen lithography and imaging the covalent bonds spatially to read the atomic orbital data storage.

The integration of molecules into electronic devices is a topic of increasing interest as the end of the current silicon technological roadmap draws even closer. Molecules can exhibit an array of properties, which can add specific functionality to a given device. Many applications of molecular electronics have been both proposed and demonstrated, including their use as sensors, as diodes, and even in the physical actuation of molecule-based logic structures. There is a particular focus on the integration of molecules on silicon surfaces to complement and enhance existing technologies. The benefit of a complementary approach to augment rather than replace silicon is that the vast knowledge and infrastructure currently available need not be abandoned altogether. The reactivity of a number of molecules with the silicon surface has been studied to date including simple cases like hydrogen, or more complex alkenes. By partially passivating the silicon surface with hydrogen, the reactivity of certain sites on the surface was found to change. With a fully hydrogen-passivated surface, it was later shown that it was possible to remove hydrogen atoms in particular geometries to spatially control reactions with single molecules in chemical molds. In an advanced demonstration, a single site tailored to react with phosphine molecules was created on a hydrogen-passivated silicon surface. By then exposing the surface to phosphine gas, the reaction at the site enabled the controlled placement of a single phosphorus dopant atom to create a single atom transistor and two coupled qubits.
Studying site-selective chemistry on silicon such as this is a lucrative avenue to gain a better understanding of reaction mechanisms and dynamics at the single molecule level, as well as to test the reliability of theoretical predictions of tailor-made reactive sites. The reaction pathway for hydrogen molecules on the silicon surface for instance was highly debated between the inter-dimer and intra-dimer pathways. It was eventually shown that the inter-dimer pathway was the dominant one, corroborated by theoretical calculations, which predicted it to be barrierless. These results relied on the observation of many naturally occurring sites on the surface using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). With progress in hydrogen lithography on the hydrogen-passivated silicon surface (i.e. the removal of hydrogen atoms), it is now possible to reliably create arbitrarily complex sites on the surface, including both the inter- and intra-dimer sites. Given the ability to now intentionally create both types of sites in the same area, the debate might have been settled sooner. This further opens the possibility of studying the effect of nearby surface defects and charged species on the reactivity of otherwise identically created sites. Local variations are an important consideration at the nanoscale as defects can cause non-uniform electrostatic landscapes, which can affect the behavior of atomic-scale devices.
Typical STM-based dynamics studies, to observe the motion and state of molecules or sites, are somewhat limited, however, as they involve sequential scans over an area. Real-time observations are difficult because the intervals between scans are often many seconds to minutes apart. Further, there is the influence of the STM tip as it scans over the entire area, which can deposit material or strongly influence any local dynamics due to the injection/removal of charge. The latter aspect can complicate the interpretation of the amount of local charge in an area or structure on the surface. It is possible to determine the exact charge of defects with an STM in specific systems, through careful analysis and comparison to theory. Other techniques to measure the charge of defects and structures include using an atomic force microscope (AFM), where observations can be made almost free of fields.
Interest in atomic memory has been reignited with foundational work on chlorine-passivated Cu(100), establishing a sophisticated scanned probe architecture to create a kilobyte of memory from surface vacancies, without the need to vertically manipulate atoms. (Kalff et al.) The memory operates near 77 K, where it remains stable for at least 44 hours. (Ibid) There are several key features of dangling bond (DB)-based memories that allow us to push atomic-scale storage even further than this already substantial progress. Patterned DB structures exhibit improved thermal stability, remaining stable for an additional 400 K above liquid nitrogen temperature. (McEllistrem et al., Schwalb et al.) The maximum storage density of memory blocks can be increased by 32%, as DBs can be placed in close proximity to one another. In addition to density, the number of available bits is not predetermined at the time of sample preparation. (Kalff et al.) DBs can now be created or removed as needed using hydrogen lithography (HL) and hydrogen repassivation (HR) (assuming a sufficient supply of hydrogen atoms), theoretically allowing the entire hydrogen-terminated surface to be written to. Creating additional vacancies/bits in the Cu(100) system is currently not possible without damaging the STM tip. (Ibid) Furthermore, a semiconducting substrate as opposed to a metallic one opens the possibility of interfacing with integrated electronics, whether at the atomic-scale or using more conventional nanofabrication.
Thus, there exists a need for a device to store information in the DBs extending from a surface. There further exists a need to be able to rewrite such storage or correct archival errors therein.

Lithography for editable atomic-scale devices and memories

The Governors of the University of Alberta


A system for growing silicon crystal structures includes a housing defining a growth chamber and a feed system connected to the housing for delivering silicon particles to the growth chamber. The feed system includes a container for holding the silicon particles. The container includes an outlet for discharging the silicon particles. The feed system also includes a channel connected to the outlet such that silicon particles discharged from the container flow through the channel. The feed system further includes a separation valve connected to the channel and to the housing. The separation valve is configured such that a portion of the feed system rotates relative to the housing.

In the production of single silicon crystals grown by the Czochralski (CZ) method, polycrystalline silicon is delivered into and melted within a crucible, such as a quartz crucible, to form a silicon melt. A puller lowers a seed crystal into the melt and slowly raises the seed crystal out of the melt, solidifying the melt onto the seed crystal. In the continuous Czochralski method, a continuous flow of polycrystalline silicon is delivered into the crucible to maintain the silicon melt at a substantially constant level. The flow of polycrystalline silicon particles into the crucible must be precisely controlled to control the purity and quality of the formed single silicon crystals. A housing encloses the crucible and defines a growth chamber.
At least some known systems for forming single silicon crystals include a feed system attached to the housing for delivering the polycrystalline silicon particles to the crucible. However, the polycrystalline silicon particles may be contaminated by the feed systems as the particles are delivered to the crucible. Moreover, the feed systems may not deliver the polycrystalline silicon particles to the crucible at a flow rate sufficient to match the continuous extraction of melted silicon.
In some crystal growing systems, the feed systems must be detached from the housing for maintenance and loading of the feed systems and/or for maintenance of the crucible. However, detaching the feed systems reduces the productivity of the systems. For example, detaching or reattaching the feed systems may cause vibrations that disturb the formation of the single silicon crystals. Therefore, at least some crystal growing systems are shut down while the feed systems are detached and reattached. Also, complicated engineering and several hours of labor may be required to disassemble and reassemble the feed systems due to the weight and size of the feed systems.
Thus, there exists a need for a more efficient and effective system to deliver a precise and continuous flow of polycrystalline silicon particles to a crucible.
This Background section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.


A method and an apparatus for repeatedly erasing the ink-carrying layer of a printing form which is covered by an image and is suitable for offset printing. An erasing device directs a jet of pressurized medium at an angle of less than 90.degree. against the surface of the printing form on which the image is applied. A relative movement is carried out between the printing form and the erasing device, so that the image elements of the ink-carrying layer are removed over the entire surface of the printing form. The pressurized medium is preferably water.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for repeatedly erasing an ink-carrying layer from the surface of an image-containing printing form which is usable for offset printing.
2. Description of the Related Art
As proposed, for example, in German Patent 39 17 844 owned by the instant assignee, a direct image application, in this case by means of a thermo-transfer method , is conventionally carried out by applying on a hydrophilic aluminum plate organic substances which influence in accordance with the image the manner in which the ink is carried. The substances are applied on portions of the surface of the printing form by means of an image point transfer unit in accordance with a digital image information. For this purpose, a thermo-transfer foil is used which has on its side facing the printing form a thermo-sensitive coating. By applying energy, the oleophilic image elements are dissolved or removed from the coating, transferred to the printing form and are anchored as an ink-carrying layer on the surface of the printing form.
However, the ink-carrying layer can also be anchored on the surface of the printing form as an image by means of the ink-jet process or by means of an electrostatic process utilizing a toner.
In addition to the hydrophilic aluminum plate, it is also possible to use as the printing form a printing cylinder with a cylinder jacket of ceramic material, or a solid ceramic or glass cylinder can be used.
As is readily apparent in the use of printing cylinders, it should be possible to repeatedly use the printing forms to which the image is applied directly. For this purpose, the printing forms to which the image has been applied in the above-described manner must be regenerated, i.e., the material forming the printed areas must be removed or erased and it may additionally be necessary to subject the surface of the printing form to a treatment to render it hydrophilic.
Previously used methods of erasing the subject on the printing form, such as softening, vaporizing, decomposing, burning of the image elements, frequently have the disadvantage that the method is carried out in several stages which means that the method is cumbersome and the surface of the printing form is subjected to a high mechanical or abrasive load.
In addition, erasing of the surface of the printing form is usually carried out after the printing process. Thus, initially the inking device and the damping device are turned off and the remaining residues of the printing ink on the form cylinder are removed by means of cleaning devices which are conventionally used in machines of this type.
German application P 41 23 959.8 discloses a method of regenerating printing forms to which an image is applied directly and which are suitable for offset printing, in which the image on the surface of printing forms is erased and the surface is rendered hydrophilic without damaging or attacking the surface and which is comparatively simple.
The method described in the German application makes it possible to reactively erase organic substance particles or components on the surface of the printing form which had been applied thereon by means of ink-jet methods, electrostatic methods as well as thermo-transfer methods.

Method and apparatus for erasing the ink-carrying layer from the surface of an image-containing printing form


An electric circuit breaker device includes in a housing, an igniter, a rod-like projectile, and a conductor portion configured to form a portion of an electric circuit disposed in a cylindrical space formed in the housing; and an insulating closed space formed between a second end portion of the housing and the conductor portion. The conductor portion is a plate portion having first and second connection portions at opposing ends and a cut portion in an intermediate portion between the first and second connection portions. A surface of the cut portion is orientated orthogonal to the housing axial direction; the rod-like projectile is disposed aligned with a surface of the cut portion in the housing axial direction; and a width (W1) of the insulating closed space and a width (W2) of an end portion of the rod-like projectile have relationships W1>W2 and W1−W2≤0.25 mm.

An electric circuit breaker device that breaks an electric circuit is used to prevent significant damage when an abnormality occurs in an electric circuit or a system including the electric circuit of a vehicle, an electric home appliance, or the like. Electric circuit breaker devices for electric circuits of electric vehicles are becoming increasingly important. A known electric circuit breaker device includes, in a housing, an igniter, a projectile (piston), a conductor, and the like (US 2005/0083164 A, US 2005/0083165 A, US 2012/0234162 A, JP H11-232979 A, JP 2014-49300 A, JP 2016-85947 A, JP 2014-49300 A).
In US 2005/0083164 A, US 2005/0083165 A, metal, ceramic, and polymer are cited as examples of the material of a housing, and it is stated that a specific polymer is preferred (US 2005/0083164 A pages 2 to 3, US 2005/0083165 A page 2).
In JP H11-232979 A, a casing 13 is made of stainless steel (paragraph number 0011).
In JP 2014-49300 A, a case 30 has electric insulation properties, and is formed of a high-strength material (e.g., resin material) (paragraph number 0034). As can be seen from FIG. 1 and the like of US 2005/0083164 A, US 2005/0083165 A, and JP 2014-49300 A, when a polymer material (resin material) is used, a housing (casing) must be thick to ensure the required strength. When a casing 13 made of stainless steel is used, the mass is increased and an insulation case 14 is required to be a part of the assembly. This increases the complexity of the structure and assembly.
The technology of JP 2016-85947 A obtains an effect not found in US 2005/0083164 A, US 2005/0083165 A, US 2012/0234162A, JP H11-232979 A, and JP 2014-49300A by reinforcing a resin housing using a metal cylinder.
In the technology of JP 2014-49300A, an arc extinguishing chamber 32 is provided for extinguishing arcs caused when conductors conducting electricity are separated (claims).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Isolated anti-cancer peptides are disclosed which are characterized by the amino acid sequences TLTSGGGAIALPPSMAAPPLGPVAPLTGAIHAPTXG; TLSTATGGAIPPVAAMPPGLVAPTHGPAIHP; CCATSGPCGAVMILTPHLTA; MTLTTGSGAIAPAMPPGLPPHTGAIHAPM; and NXVPVSVEGYXQITLDSITX and a significant in vitro binding affinity for gp96. The peptides exhibit anti-tumor, anti-cancer activity in vivo. Also disclosed is an isolated antiviral peptide is characterized by the amino acid sequence GDEPLENYLDTEYF and a significant in vitro binding affinity for HIV-1 gp 120 and gp 41, and human CD4 cells. The peptide exhibits anti-retroviral activity in vivo, particularly anti-HIV-1 activity.

Pepsin is a proteolytic enzyme produced in the mucosal lining of the stomach and acts to degrades protein, together with chymotrypsin and trypsin. During digestion, these enzymes, each of which is effective in severing links between particular types of amino acids (e.g. phenylalanine, tryptophan and tyrosine), collaborate to break down dietary proteins to their components, i.e., peptides and amino acids.
Current studies indicate that immune protection against cancer requires the generation of a potent cellular immune response against a unique tumor antigen expressed by a malignant cell. Thus, successful immune protection would first require identifying a unique antigen in the tumor cells (tumor specific antigen) and then inducing a potent T-cell response targeted to the tumor antigen. These tumor-associated antigens, however, would still be recognized by immune cells as 'self' molecules, and so no true activation of the immune system would occur. Thus, two obstacles in targeting these tumor-associated molecules as a vaccine include the unresponsiveness of the immune system to 'self' molecules, which restricts its ability to generate potent cellular immune responses, and preventing the generated immune response from being directed to normal cells that express the target antigen.
Proteins that show promise in overcoming these problems include heat shock proteins (HSPs). HSPs include a collection of ubiquitously expressed cytoprotective proteins, which are expressed by cells under conditions of cell stress, such as increased temperature, viral infection and oxidative stress. Certain HSPs have been shown to have immunomodulatory effects, such as the induction of cytokines and the promotion of cell activation and maturation (see, Pockley A G, Lancet 363 (9382) 469-476 (2003)).
For example, Zheng et al. (2001) report that cell surface targeting of HSP gp96 induces dendritic cell maturation and antitumor immunity as demonstrated by the expression of immune factors such as interleukins and certain cell surface antigens (e.g., CD40, CD80 and MHC class II antigens). It has been known for some time that heat shock proteins bind peptide and that heat shock proteins purified from cells chaperone a large number of peptides derived from the cells from which they are isolated. This is the so-called 'antigenic repertoire' of that cell. Studies have demonstrated that immunizing mice with HSP70, HSP90 and gp96 isolated from murine tumor cells induces anti-tumor immunity and tumor-specific cytolytic T-cells. These studies also show that the immunity results from tumor-derived peptides associated with the heat shock protein rather than from the heat shock proteins themselves. More recently, studies reported the use of calreticulin, HSP110 and grp170 in heat shock protein-based cancer immunotherapy. Specific immunogenicity of tumor-derived heat shock protein preparations have been studied in relation to fibro sarcomas, lung carcinoma, prostate cancer, spinal cell carcinoma and melanomas in mice and rats of different haplotypes. These studies included chemically-induced tumors, UV-induced tumors, and spontaneous tumors. Heat shock proteins show promise in that preparations isolated from a given cell may be associated with a range of peptides, including self and antigenic peptides and in that HSP-peptide complexes are highly immunogenic.
Certain heat shock proteins demonstrate "superantigen" activity. They are capable of activating large numbers of T-lymphocytes in a major histocompatibility complex-restricted manner. This polyclonal activation of certain T-cell subsets may be responsible for some of the immunomodulatory effects. These components have been reported to stimulate immune responses to certain neoplasms and may be involved in the pathogenesis of certain autoimmune diseases.
Gp96 is a HSP of particular interest. Gp96 is a 96 kDa glycoprotein localized to the endoplasmic reticulum, which can also be found at the cell surface. Gp96 is released into the extra cellular space during necrotic cell death and activates dendrite cells and macrophages by realizing inflammatory cytokines and inducing dendrites cells to mature. Gp96 has the ability to transfer antigenic peptides for their MHC-class I-restricted presentation and allows gp96 to function as an efficient messaging system alerting the immune system of an infection. This includes the receptor-mediated uptake of gp96 by dendrite cells. The receptor is CD91, which is known as the α2 macroglobulin (α2M) receptor expressed on phagocytes. The presentation of gp96-associated peptide by antigen-presenting cells ("APC's") is induced by α2 macroglobulin. Gp96 is bound by CD91 on dendrite cells and internalized. Gp96 induces the expression of co-stimulatory molecules and the release of interleukin 12 (IL-12) and tumor necrotic factor α ("TNFα") by the APC.
Certain infections, such as by the human immunodeficiency virus, have also presented challenges in targeting the disease-causing organism and neutralizing it. Typically, infection with the human immunodeficiency virus, HIV-1, eventually causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and an associated syndrome, AIDS-related complex (ARC). Neutralizing this virus has proved difficult, largely because its structure obstructs immune system access to viral epitopes and its genetic material is highly variable. Accordingly, researchers have been seeking prophylactic and therapeutic methods for preventing or controlling HIV which are not dependent upon antibody-mediated immunity.
The HIV retrovirus replicates in certain immune system cells, specifically the CD4+ subset of T-lymphocytes (pre-Th cells arising in the thymus). In the usual course of a cell-mediated immune response to an intracellular pathogen such as a virus, dendritic cells (antigen-presenting cells) carrying antigen fragments and secreted cytokines activate these CD4+ T-cells. Activated cells, called T-helper or Th cells, in turn secrete their own cytokines and stimulate macrophages. CD4+Th cells also propagate cellular immune response by binding chemotactic cytokines (chemokines, CCs) to their CC surface receptors. It is by this route that HIV-1 infection of these cells is enabled because, in addition to binding chemokines, these CC receptors act together with the CD4+ surface glycoprotein as co-receptors for HIV-1 and mediate entry of the virus into the CD4+Th cell. There, the virus usurps the native genetic material for viral replication while destroying cell functions essential for building immunity; the increasing destruction of these cells appears to be responsible for the eventual collapse of the cell-mediated immune system often seen in terminal AIDS patients.
It has been recognized that denying entry into CD4+ cells to the HIV-1 virus could at least slow the progress of the infection and alleviate, if not cure, the disease and/or its symptoms. The complex mechanism by which the virus crosses the cell membrane has been widely investigated. Broadly, the entry of human immunodeficiency virus into, for example, CD4+ Th1 cells (T-helper type 1 cells), is dependent upon a sequential interaction of the gp120/gp41 subunits of the viral envelope glycoprotein gp160 with the CD4+Th1 cell surface glycoprotein and the cell surface receptor CCR5. On binding of gp120 with its cell surface binding sites, a conformational change in the latent gp41 subunit through an intermediate state to an active state is initiated, inducing fusion of the viral and cellular membranes and transport of the virus into the cell (Weissenhom et al., Nature, 387:426-30 (1997)).
Accordingly, numerous binding experiments have been conducted in an effort to find antiviral ligands that will effectively compete with the HIV-1 for CD4+ gp and/or CCR5 binding sites, or that will preferentially block gp120 and/or gp41 binding domains. In one example, a reported structure (X-ray crystallography) comprising an HIV-1 gp120 core complexed with a two-domain fragment of human CD4 and an antigen-binding fragment of a neutralizing antibody that blocks chemokine-receptor binding, is said to reveal a CD4-gp120 interface, a conserved binding site for the chemokine receptor, evidence for a conformational change on CD4 binding, the nature of a CD4-induced antibody epitope, and specific mechanisms for viral immune evasion, "which should guide efforts to intervene" (Nature 393 (6686):632-1, 1998). Also, it has been shown that inhibition of the change in structure of gp41 from its intermediate to active state with peptides used as competitors for critical cell receptors may reduce viral load, and that while gp120 masks epitopes on the gp41 subunit in its latent state, gp41 may be vulnerable to neutralizing antibodies in its transient or intermediate state (Molecular Membrane Biology 16:3-9, 1999).

Inactivated pepsin fragments for modulating immune system activity against human malignant tumor cells