A mold-clamping mechanism in which top and bottom tie bars extend between a pressure-receiving platen and a fixed platen fixed to a bed, a movable platen is movably attached to the tie bars, a toggle link extends between the movable platen and the pressure-receiving platen, the movable platen is moved toward the fixed platen by the toggle link, and a mold is clamped by the movable platen and the fixed platen. The pressure-receiving platen includes a bottom part surrounding a central cavity, and a ceiling part for joining respective top ends of left and right wall parts provided upright from both ends of the bottom part. An opening via which the cavity communicates with the outside is provided to the bottom part and the ceiling part.

An injection molding apparatus has as main components a bed, a mold-clamping mechanism mounted to the bed, and an injection machine mounted to the bed. A molded article is obtained by clamping a mold through use of the mold-clamping mechanism and injecting a resin material into the mold from the injection machine.
Mold-clamping mechanisms of various designs are known (see Japanese Patent No. 5426142, for example).
The structure of a pressure-receiving platen disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 5426142 is illustrated in FIG. 12 hereof. As illustrated in FIG. 12, in a tailstock 200 corresponding to a pressure-receiving platen, a portion corresponding to a ceiling part is configured from a horizontal beam 202 of a forward rectangular part to which toggle link connecting parts 201 are integrally provided, a horizontal beam 203 of a rearward rectangular part, and a load-transmitting bottom part 204 for joining the beam 202 and the beam 203. A bottom part disposed below the ceiling part has the same structure.
A force applied to the horizontal beam 202 of the forward rectangular part is transmitted through the load-transmitting bottom part 204 to the horizontal beam 203 of the rearward rectangular part. The horizontal beam 202 of the forward rectangular part, the load-transmitting bottom part 204, and the horizontal beam 203 of the rearward rectangular part are integrally formed, and rigidity thereof is therefore ensured. A reduction in wall thickness in the vicinity of the load-transmitting bottom part 204 also reduces the weight of the tailstock 200.
The conventional pressure-receiving platen is thus structured so as to have increased rigidity in order to withstand the force applied thereto via a toggle link. Specifically, the conventional pressure-receiving platen has the structure of a pressure-receiving platen 206 not having an opening, such as is illustrated in FIG. 8B described below. This pressure-receiving platen 206 can be considered to be a both-ends supported beam supported at both ends thereof by tie bars 207, 207.
When the force from the toggle link is applied to the center of the both-ends supported beam (pressure-receiving platen), the center flexes. Both ends are simply supported, and therefore incline in conjunction with the deformation of the center. The tie bars 207, 207 at this time are inclined at the same angle as the ends. At this time, the pressure-receiving platen is fixed to the bed, the inclination on the bottom-part side of the pressure-receiving platen is small, and the inclination on the ceiling-part side of the pressure-receiving platen is large. In a mold-clamping apparatus of a type in which force is transmitted via a toggle link, it is important for the stretching of the tie bars to be uniform, and the difference in inclination described above leads to a difference in the stretching of each tie bar. Inclination of the tie bars is therefore preferably reduced.
Conventionally, the rigidity of the pressure-receiving platen is increased in order to reduce inclination of the tie bars. Rigidity increases as wall thickness is increased, but this approach adds to the weight of the pressure-receiving platen, and the cost of the mold-clamping mechanism increases.
However, while reduction in cost of the mold-clamping mechanism is sought, there is a need for a mold-clamping mechanism structure capable of reducing inclination of the tie bars while being lighter in weight.


A calendar watch comprises a calendar corrector setting wheel disposed on the dial side of a main plate and mounted for oscillation about a center of rotation within a second domain to correct a date indicator and a day corrector. The calendar watch also comprises a date normalizing device disposed on the dial side of the main plate for normalizing the date indicator within a third domain, a day indicator normalizing device for normalizing a day star within the second domain or the third domain, and a date indicator driving device and a day indicator driving device having a center of rotation within a fourth domain. A setting lever and a yoke are disposed on a side of the main plate opposite from the dial side.

The present invention relates to a calendar watch having a date indicator and a day indicator.
A conventional calendar watch has had a main plate which constitutes a base of a movement and a change-over mechanism such as a setting lever and a yoke has been disposed on the dial side of the main plate. A calendar mechanism has been also disposed on the dial side of the main plate.
Here, the movement means a mechanical body including a mechanical structural and operational parts of a watch. A calendar watch is composed of the mechanical body and casing parts.
Further, a gear train mechanism, an escape speed governor, an automatic winder and the like have been disposed on the side opposite from the dial of the main plate, i.e. on the front side, in the conventional mechanical calendar watch.
A date indicator driving wheel has been incorporated rotatably into a pin of the main plate and has been fixed by a flat screw in the conventional calendar watch.
Further, a date indicator maintaining plate has been fixed to the main plate by a flat screw in the conventional calendar watch.
Further, a foot of the dial has been fixed to the main plate by a horizontal screw or an eccentric pin in the conventional calendar watch.
Further, the pin has been provided on the main plate to hold the position of a day jumper for normalizing a day star in the conventional calendar watch.
Accordingly, the prior art calendar watch has had the following problems:
(1) Because the change-over mechanism overlaps with the calendar mechanism on the dial side of the main plate, the movement becomes large or thick. PA0 (2) Because the date indicator maintaining plate is fixed to the main plate by the flat screw, the head of the screw protrudes out of the upper face of the date indicator maintaining plate, increasing the thickness of the movement. PA0 (3) Because the foot of the dial is fixed to the main plate by the horizontal screw or the eccentric pin, a space for providing the horizontal screw or the eccentric pin is required, increasing the size or thickness of the movement. PA0 (4) The pin for holding a height of the day jumper from the main plate needs to be provided on the main plate, so that the movement becomes large to maintain the space. PA0 (1) a small and thin calendar watch; PA0 (2) a thin structure for fixing the date indicator maintaining or support plate firmly to the main plate; PA0 (3) a small structure for fixing the dial firmly to the main plate; and PA0 (4) a small and simple structure for holding the height of the day jumper from the main plate without providing any pin.


A display input apparatus comprises a display portion and a touch panel portion. When the touch panel portion accepts a first operation, the display portion sets a screen in current display as a shift start screen, sets a one-more downward layer screen than the shift start screen as a shift target screen, and gradually shifts the display screen from the shift start screen to the shift target screen. Besides, when the first operation is continued on the touch panel portion, if there are a plurality of downward layer screens that are screens on a one-more downward layer than the shift target screen, the display portion displays a list screen that represents the plurality of downward layer screens in the same screen.

The present disclosure relates to a display input apparatus and an image forming apparatus that includes the same.
Conventionally, as a display input apparatus, an operation panel is known which is installed in image forming apparatuses such as a multi-functional machine and the like. Such an operation panel accepts setting operations for functions such as a copy function, a fax function and the like that are incorporated in an image forming apparatus. For example, when accepting a setting operation for an incorporated function, the operation panel displays a screen for accepting the setting operation.
An image forming apparatus such as a multi-functional machine has a plurality of functions for which a setting value can be changed. Accordingly, there is a case where a screen for accepting setting operations for incorporated functions has a tree-like layer structure for every function.
In this case, the operation panel first displays the uppermost layer screen. For example, the uppermost layer screen is a screen that accepts a selection operation for selecting a desired function of the plurality of functions. And, upon accepting a selection operation on the uppermost layer screen, the operation panel shifts to the next layer screen where to accept a necessary setting operation. Here, for example, the operation screen accepts a setting operation for setting a value for an incorporated function. In the meantime, even thereafter, if there is a screen on a layer more downward than the screen in current display and it is necessary to accept a setting operation on the screen, the operation panel repeats a shift to downward layer screens and acceptance of setting operations on the screens after the shifts.
Usually, the screen displayed by the operation panel is provided with a screen switchover button for switching the display screen to a one-more downward layer screen. And, if the screen switchover button in the screen is operated, the operation panel switches the display screen to the one-more downward layer screen.
Here, there is a case where a user wants to confirm what a first downward layer screen on a one-more downward layer than the screen in current display is like. In this case, by operating the screen switchover button (which corresponds to the first downward layer screen) disposed in the screen in current display, it is possible to confirm the first downward layer screen (possible to display the first downward layer screen).
However, in a case where the user wants to confirm a second downward layer screen on a still one-more downward layer than the first downward layer screen, it is necessary to additionally operate a screen switchover button (which corresponds to the second downward layer screen) disposed in the first downward layer screen; accordingly, the number of operations increases, which is onerous and inconvenient for the user. Especially, in a case where there are a plurality of the second downward layer screens and the user wants to confirm two or more screens of the plurality of the second downward layer screens, it is necessary to repeat, many times, the operation for switching from the first downward layer screen to the second downward layer screen and the operation for returning from the second downward layer screen to the first downward layer screen; accordingly, the convenience becomes worse.

Display input apparatus and image forming apparatus having the same


The present disclosure is drawn to a stylus nib, which includes a polymeric core structure having a plurality of channels formed within the polymeric core structure along a longitudinal axis thereof. The polymeric core structure can be internally lubricated or impregnated with a lubricating material. The tip portion of the nib can be shaped to interface with a drawing surface.

A stylus is a pen-shaped instrument that can be used to input commands, data, text or artwork into an electronic device. The versatility of the stylus can be dependent on a variety of factors. For example, the type of nib or writing tip employed by a particular stylus can affect the versatility of the stylus. Additionally, different nibs can be made of various materials and can have various dimensions, which can render a particular nib more or less suitable for particular tasks. In some cases, a stylus body can be used with the nib as a generic body that facilitates grasping of the stylus by a user.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


The present invention features an apparatus for quantifying the effects that colored light therapies and treatments have upon an individual. The apparatus features an imagescope console that bathes a patient in different light colors, patterns, sequences, hues, tints, etc. A physiological monitoring unit monitors the bodily functions of the individual as the various colored light treatments are applied. A computer analyzes the monitored data, and produces a printout, or an electrostressogram, which details the quantitative effects of the light therapies. The electrostressogram can be faxed or otherwise transmitted to medical offices, and/or satellite communicated from spacecrafts and interplanetary space station to Earth for screening, preventing, diagnosing, and treating medical illnesses caused by stress.

It has been known for many years that individuals are physically and psychologically affected by different light frequencies, colors, strobe lights, flashing lights, light intensities, daily light duration and light deprivation. Recently, members of both the medical and pharmaceutical research realms have been conducting experiments and developing new light therapies in conjunction with drugs in the treatment of disease. For example, in the treatment of tumors, light is being used to activate substances that cause necrosis of the tumorous tissue. Light is also being used to activate drugs that are therapeutic, as well as to eliminate side effects of certain drug therapies.
It is believed by many today, including the inventors, that stress is a root cause or foundation of many human ailments and debilitating conditions. It is a significant part of the present invention to prevent and treat stress by improved colored lighting techniques and equipment. The quantitative measurement of the effects of colored light therapies, as well as which color light treatments work best for a given individual, are important parts of the present invention. The exact dosage of colored light in the treatment of painful symptoms is critical and, therefore, must be quantified.
One of the major drawbacks of past colored light-therapy treatments has been the inability to quantitatively measure the effects that these therapies and regimens have upon the patients being treated. Treated individuals have experienced and felt a therapeutic difference during light therapy; many have been positively affected. However, to date it has not been possible to definitively and quantitatively determine the exact effects attributable to colored light treatments.
While it has been known for some time that individuals respond differently to colored light-therapy, the various treatments have, therefore, been conducted on an experimental, subjective, and sometimes hit-and-miss basis. This was particularly the case when such colored light therapies were combined with drug treatments, in order to relieve stress, as well as other, painful and related ailments. Different drugs were tried until the right drug and the right dosage fit a particular individual and situation, as the nervous system reacts differently to different dosages of colored light and drugs.
The present invention seeks to provide a means of measuring and recording both the physiological and psychological effects of colored light upon an individual. Such measurements quantify the effects that a particular treatment has upon the level of an individual's stress. Therefore, the inventive system provides the means by which specific colored light therapies can be scientifically and medically legitimized in the treatment and reduction of stress.
The current invention is a system that marries the colored light-testing machine, or, imagescope, of the aforementioned patent, with an apparatus that both physiologically monitors and records. This new apparatus will be referred to hereinafter as an "electrostressograph" (ESG). Individuals are treated with varying light colors, frequencies and patterns; the resultant physiological effects are then measured and recorded. In 1his fashion, what effect(s) the experimental colored light therapies and light treatments are having upon an individual can now be scientifically determined. With the aid of the electrostressograph, medications can now be tested to determine the efficacy of a particular type of drug upon a stress level being experienced by an individual.
A major component of the electrostressograph can comprise a glove to be worn by the patient during a particular colored light therapy or light treatment. The glove contains electrodes for measuring various bodily functions, such as temperature, skin conduction, blood pressure, etc. The patient may also be connected to an electromyelograph, an electroencephalograph, an electrocardiograph, an evoked-potential device, etc. A physiological monitoring system for analyzing the signals received from the electrodes can be a Johnson & Johnson (Model I-330) system, comprising modality modules that interface with, and which are controlled by, a computer.
An imagescope is used to bathe the patient with light of different colors, intensities and patterns. The same computer that controls the modality modules is also programmed so as to provide several different colored light-therapy sequences or treatments. A peripheral printer connected to the computer produces a printout, or, "electrostressogram," during the treatment. The computer is programmed to receive many different kinds of scientific, medical data. The computer processes this data in order to provide a diagnostic and therapeutic overview in both the diagnosis and the treatment of many physical and mental illnesses.
The imagescope may take the form of a multicolored television console, having a central mirror that can be attached to the surface thereof. The colored console can issue many different shades or patterns of color. The multicolored console can also comprise a cathode ray tube, around which an indwelling mirror is positioned. The imagescope can be designed as a colored, light-therapy stand, as is explained hereinafter.
A remote control can be manually used to change colors (i.e., white, red, orange, brown, green, yellow, blue, purple and gray, and other patterns of colors), as well as patterns thereof. The console's color intensity can be manually adjusted by the remote control. However, it may be more convenient to control the colored light sequence by the computer, since its software contains routines that automatically adjust colored light bathing, intensities and patterns. A strobing or flashing of color sequence is also contained in the routine.
Working the computer pad or keyboard, a doctor or technician sits behind the patient. The doctor or technician controls the remote control for changing the colors, and designates a color light-control sequence by typing the instructions into the computer keyboard.
The patient sits in a chair in front of the imagescope. Electrodes from the sensing system are attached to the patient, as aforementioned, who is enclosed in a curtained, light-free space, and is receiving only colored light that is emitted from the imagescope.
A remote-controlled camera or camcorder is perched atop the imagescope console and directed towards the patient's face, as the patient's facial expressions are photographed and recorded during "imageoscopy" testing. Data of pupillary reactions to the colors tested are also observed and recorded by the camera, as are changes in respiration. The sensing system can detect changes in blood pressure and store the data in computer memory, as well as provide a printout, or, electrostressogram.
The final printout, or electrostressogram, contains all of the sensed and recorded data, along with analyses thereof. Therapies are thus fashioned, using various forms of psychological therapies and/or drug treatments that are measured according to the color light sequences designated by the electrostressograph equipment. Certain tints of colors can be analyzed for their effects upon a patient's stress level. Drugs that have a calmative effect can be equated to different medications that neutralize specific amounts of stress in the patient. Correct color dosing can be established by measuring the quantitative decrease in stress that each color dosage has upon a patient. In this respect, the electrostressograph provides a means of properly dosing with colored light and/or drugs that was heretofore unavailable in the treatment of stress and related problems.

Quantifying stress reduction and medical treatment as a result of colored light therapies


A method for controlling transmit power in a wireless communication system are disclosed. The method comprises determining a first transmit power of at least a first type of subframe which is higher than a maximum allowed average output power of the radio base station, and a second transmit power of at least a second type of subframe which is lower than the maximum allowed average output power. An average transmit power by which the radio base station transmitted an amount of subframes during a preceding time period is determined. Moreover, a maximum allowed power for a subsequent subframe based on the determined average transmit power and the maximum allowed average output power is determined. Finally, at least one type of subframe to be allowed for the subsequent subframe based on the determined maximum allowed power for the subsequent subframe and at least the first and second transmit power is determined.

The Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) is one of the 3G mobile communication technologies designed to succeed GSM. 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) is a project within the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) to improve the UMTS standard to cope with future requirements in terms of improved services such as higher data rates, improved efficiency, lowered costs etc. The Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) is the radio access network of a UMTS system and Evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN) is the radio access network of an LTE system. The complete cellular system that comprises an LTE system (and thus E-UTRAN) is denoted Evolved Packet System (EPS). A radio access network typically comprises user equipments (UE) wirelessly connected to base stations (BS), commonly referred to as NodeB in UTRAN and eNodeB in E-UTRAN. Each BS serves one or more areas each referred to as cells.
One of the hot topics for future developments of cellular systems is heterogeneous networks. Heterogeneous networks are networks with a mixed deployment of cells of widely different sizes, such as macro cells, micro cells, pico cells, and femto cells. The cells may either cover overlapping areas, e.g., when the area covered by a pico cell is also covered by a macro cell, or they may complement each other's coverage. Smaller cells, such as pico cells, will typically be overlapping with other cells. They will be used, e.g., to provide increased capacity at locations with dense user populations and high traffic volumes, so called hotspots, or to provide improved coverage, e.g., in terms of better channel quality at certain indoor locations.
Deploying small base stations to enhance capacity or coverage seems to be an appealing way for operators to overcome the cumbersome of finding and leasing new macro sites. The main characteristics of these small base stations are that they are smaller in size compared to a typical macro site, easily installed, e.g. they can be attached to lamp posts, walls, etc., and their transmit power is often lower compared to the transmit power of a macro site.
One issue with the deployment of these small base stations is at what extent they can offload macro sites or how large areas they can cover. Simulations with various channel models have shown that this coverage area is typical small to medium compared to the coverage area of a typical macro site. Additionally, the benefits of cell-area splitting gains are usually marginal and deployment of the small base stations does not pay off. One way to increase the coverage area of a small base station is to apply a cell selection offset (CSO) to the cell selection algorithm and thus steer more users to the small base station. This is illustrated in FIG. 1, wherein the small base station 110 have a relatively small coverage area constituting a pico cell 120 due to its low transmit power. A number of UEs 130a are connected to the macro site 140. Some UEs 130b will connect to the small base station 110, thereby offloading the traffic from the macro cells 150. By applying CSO, i.e. by biasing handover decisions between the different base stations such that some UEs 130c are handed over to the small base station earlier than usual, load is shifting from the macro site 140 to the small base station 110. As this corresponds to an expansion of the range of the small base station, this feature is typically referred to as "range expansion".
One potential problem with applying a CSO to the cell selection algorithm is that users in the cell range extended (CRE) area 160, so called CRE users, might be interfered heavily from the macro site in the downlink. This results in a very low downlink Signal-to-Interference Ratio (SIR). This in turn may lead to that users in the CRE area will experience problems in demodulating control and/or data signals, leading to lower performance. One way to mitigate this is to apply muting restrictions in the macro layer. Using so called Almost Blank Subframes (ABS), macro cells are muted, in a static or dynamic way, in order to reduce interference to pico users in the CRE area.
By doing that, protection of both data and control channels of CRE users takes place.
There are mainly two problems with the ABS solution. Firstly, by muting the macro base station precious macro capacity is sacrificed in order to favor transmissions of the small base stations. Secondly, muting the macro base station only helps CRE users when the interference from the macro is what limits their performance. If a low signal strength from the own small base station in comparison with thermal noise is the limiting factor, it does not help to reduce macro interference. Furthermore, in the case of dynamic ABS coordinated scheduling between the macro site and the small base station is required in order for the macro site to be able to mute its transmission at the same time as the small base station schedules its CRE users.
Simulation results have shown that the loss of useful signal power for the CRE users is more important than the interference originating from the near-by macro site. In addition to that, simulations have shown that while increasing the CSO and steering more users to the small base station layer, macro interference becomes less and less important due to the fact that macro utilization drops.

Methods and arrangements for controlling transmit power in a radio base station


A capacitor element configured to mount a semiconductor element thereon includes a base. A capacitor part is provided on the base. The base is made of a resin whose coefficient of linear expansion is adjusted in accordance with a coefficient of linear expansion of the semiconductor element mounted on the capacitor element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to capacitor elements, manufacturing methods therefor, and substrates for semiconductor devices having capacitor elements.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, in semiconductor devices, operating frequencies of semiconductor elements thereof are becoming higher. Based on this, it is becoming necessary to stabilize power supply voltages supplied to the semiconductor elements. In order to deal with this necessity, a structure has been proposed in which a capacitor element is provided in a substrate (semiconductor device substrate) for a semiconductor device on which substrate a semiconductor element is mounted.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional semiconductor device 10. The semiconductor device 10 has a structure in which a semiconductor element 12 is mounted on a semiconductor device substrate 11. The substrate 11 has a structure in which a capacitor element 14 is provided inside a substrate body 13. The capacitor element 14 has a structure in which a film 16 made of a dielectric material is formed on a top surface of a silicon substrate 15, and a conductive film 17 is formed on the film 16 (refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2001-274034, for example).
The capacitor element 14 has the structure in which the silicon substrate 15 serves as the base. Hence, when forming a through-hole in the silicon substrate 15, it is necessary to perform dry etching, wet etching, or laser processing, for example, which results in a further process in manufacturing. In addition, since the silicon substrate 15 is a semiconductor, it is necessary to form an insulating film on the inside surface of the through-hole and the top surface of the silicon substrate 15 before filling the through-hole with Cu, for example, so as to secure insulation. This also results in a further process in manufacturing.
When the thickness of a silicon substrate is reduced, the strength is decreased and cracking tends to occur. Hence, it is difficult to reduce the thickness. Here, the base is the silicon substrate 15. Thus, the thickness of the capacitor element 14 cannot be reduced, and the thickness of the substrate 11 is increased for that amount.
The capacitor element 14 is arranged at a position distant from a semiconductor element mounting surface of the substrate 11. Thus, the conductive channel between the semiconductor element 12 and the capacitor element 14 is long, and the inductance thereof is high. Hence, in a case where the operating frequency of the semiconductor element 12 becomes higher, there is the possibility that stabilization of power supply voltage supplied to the semiconductor element 12 becomes difficult due to the inductance.

Capacitor element, manufacturing method therefor, semiconductor device substrate, and semiconductor device


A device including an input port configured to receive an input signal is described. The device also includes an output port and a structure, which structure includes a tunneling junction connected with the input port and the output port. The tunneling junction is configured in a way (i) which provides electrons in a particular energy state within the structure, (ii) which produces surface plasmons in response to the input signal, (iii) which causes the structure to act as a waveguide for directing at least a portion of the surface plasmons along a predetermined path toward the output port such that the surface plasmons so directed interact with the electrons in a particular way, and (iv) which produces at the output port an output signal resulting from the particular interaction between the electrons and the surface plasmons.

The present invention relates to surface plasmon devices and methods of making such devices and, more specifically, to surface plasmon guided wave devices whose optical frequency response is not limited by RC time constant.
One of the disadvantages of conventional electronic devices based on electron charge oscillation is that they cannot operate at terahertz frequencies or higher due to time constant limitations. In tunneling junction devices, for example, the speed of the device is limited by the fact that the outer conductive layers of the tunneling junctions act as parallel plate capacitors. Coupled with the internal and external resistance to current flow, the RC time constant constrains the speed of the tunneling junction device. Thus, only very small devices, which have correspondingly small capacitance, can be operated at optical frequencies of 1013-1015 Hz.
One way to circumvent the RC time constant limitation and get optical frequency response from these devices is to use traveling waves. In metal-insulator based structures, such as metal-insulator-metal tunnel junctions, surface plasmons provide such a solution. Surface plasmons are TM electromagnetic modes which propagate along the interface between two materials having dielectric constants of opposite signs, such as the interface between a metal and a dielectric material or the interface between a metal and a semiconductor. The use of surface plasmons as a means of transferring and manipulating electromagnetic energy in a device is advantageous because the electromagnetic energy is tightly confined when in the form of surface plasmons. Therefore, small, compact devices for controlling electromagnetic energy are enabled by taking advantage of the properties of surface plasmon propagation.
Research into devices based on surface plasmon transmission has focused on devices formed of semiconductor materials and on devices formed of metal-insulator combinations. Studies on semiconductor structures have centered mainly on resonant tunneling diode structures based on multiple quantum wells. For example, Korotkov et al. examine the theoretical possibility of lasing from double quantum well (or triple-barrier) heterostructures.1 Korotkov et al. describe the use of radiative, interwell transitions (i.e., inelastic tunneling between adjacent quantum wells) to achieve lasing. Korotkov et al. also suggest the minimization of absorption of terahertz radiation in doped gallium-arsenide by using periodically-spaced p+ and n+ doped injection layers.
Whereas the paper of Korotkov et al. is based on theory, Drexler et al. discuss experimental behavior of a semiconductor triple-barrier resonant tunneling diode (RTD) with a bowtie antenna.2 Drexler et al. observed evidence of stimulated absorption and emission of terahertz fields in the I-V curve of their experimental device, indicating photon-assisted tunneling (which they interpret as stimulated absorption of photons) in the RTD. Drexler et al. further suggest that the device may be adopted to design tunable quantum detectors and radiation sources in the terahertz radiation range.
An approach toward attaining gain in solid state plasmas in semiconductor structures is discussed by Kempa et al.3 The article of Kempa et al. discusses the possibility of attaining growing coherent plasma oscillations (i.e., plasma instability or stimulated emission of plasmons) using quantum well structures with the aim of fabricating a terahertz source based on the resulting gain. By interpreting the experimental and theoretical nonlinearity of the I-V curve of their semiconductor devices, Kempa et al. assert the presence of population inversion and predict the achievement of stimulated emission of plasmons using their semiconductor structure scheme if the structure is optimized.
Estimated gain in a triple barrier (i.e., double quantum well) RTD structure is discussed by Asada et al.4 By separating the photon absorption and stimulated emission peaks from the total current curve in the I-V characteristics of the device, Asada et al. estimate the net stimulated emission rate of the tunneling electrons as a function of bias voltage. Thus, Asada et al. calculate the estimated intersubband terahertz gain and predict that high gain is possible in the device by increasing the current density in the device as well as by using thin barriers.
A surface plasmon quantum cascade (QC) laser based on chirped semiconductor superlattices has been demonstrated by Tredicucci et al.5 The surface plasmon QC laser of Tredicucci operates at a wavelength of λ˜19 μm, and relies on guided surface plasmon modes at a metal-semiconductor interface to effectively confine the infrared wavelength light. The surface plasmon QC laser is operable up to a maximum temperature of 145 K.
Semiconductor-based devices have several drawbacks. Due to their crystalline nature and the fact that deposited semiconductor layers must epitaxial, semiconductor-based devices are relatively expensive to fabricate and very difficult to integrate with other optoelectronic devices. In addition, semiconductor carrier concentration is limited to <1020 cm−3, which is about 1000 times lower than in metals. One consequence of the lower carrier concentration is that the plasma frequency is reduced from optical frequencies to millimeter wave frequencies, so that optical waves cannot be carried by semiconductor surface plasmons. Another consequence is that the device bandwidth is reduced due to transport resistance. Still another consequence for amplification and emission devices is that the increased resistance would limit the output intensity and increase heating.
An alternative to semiconductor-metal structures is the use of a metal-insulator interface to confine the surface plasmons. Metal-insulator layers are relatively inexpensive to manufacture in comparison to semiconductor-based systems. As the oxides of metals are generally used as the insulator materials, structures including metal-insulator interfaces are straightforward to fabricate compared to the epitaxial growth techniques for semiconductor layers. Due to the high carrier concentration in metals and the extremely short transit time of tunneling electrons, metal-insulator-metal (MIM) tunneling junctions are potentially useful in devices for optical frequency electronics.
Research on surface plasmons in MIM devices published in the 1970's and 1980's focused largely on developing an understanding the properties of point contact tunneling junctions, which were shown to detect infrared and millimeter wave radiation, and on light-emitting tunneling junctions, which give off a broad spectrum of spontaneously-emitted visible and infrared radiation.
An emitter based on the MIM diode structure is disclosed by Lambe et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,920.6 The emitter of Lambe includes a strip of metal, with an oxide formed thereon, and a second metal strip crossing the first metal strip and oxide, thus forming an MIM structure at the intersection of the two metal strips. The top surface of the second metal strip is roughened such that the second metal strip is rendered slightly porous. By applying a current across the two metal strips, Lambe et al. achieve light emission from the excitation of surface plasmons in the tunneling junction due to inelastic tunneling of electrons. In other words, the emitter of Lambe et al. is essentially a broadband emitter in the visible spectrum with the light being emitted from the roughened surface of the MIM junction.
The emitter as described in Lambe et al. has a number of drawbacks. One such drawback is the relatively inefficient spontaneous emission process of surface plasmons in single-insulator MIM diodes. For example, Volkov and Chuiko estimate the efficiency of this transition to be ˜10−4.7 To improve the spontaneous emission efficiency, Aleksanyan et al. investigated insulator structures with one or more quantum wells in which the quantized energy levels inside the potential wells limit the available tunneling states to those for inelastic tunneling in which a surface plasmon is generated.8 A problem with embodiments in the literature devices based on multiple quantum well structures is the non-uniformity of the barrier and quantum well layers. As another approach, Belenov et al. demonstrated enhanced light emission in evaporated MIMIMIM triple-barrier diodes over single-barrier diodes.9 However, Belenov et al. attribute the increased light intensity to increased scattering in the films with additional layers. It is submitted that traditional thin film deposition techniques, such as evaporation, are not well suited for growing very thin (<5 nm) uniform layers of amorphous materials due to the difficulty in controlling the uniformity of layers. Another drawback of the Lambe device is the inefficient output coupling of surface plasmon waves to optical radiation. In their device, and most others in the literature, surface roughness is used to transform the confined surface plasmon wave in the MIM junction into radiation. This approach has the disadvantages that the optical power must traverse the thickness of the top metal layer before radiating into free space, which is a lossy process. Furthermore, for some applications, surface roughening is a rather uncontrolled method to couple out the light as the light will tend to radiate equally into the hemisphere above the device.
Several researchers also theorized the possibility of stimulated emission of surface plasmons in MIM diodes. For example, Siu et al. discuss the possibility of stimulated electron tunneling in a point contact MIM diode structure.10 Siu et al. assert the existence of stimulated electron tunneling due to surface plasmon excitation in the point contact MIM structure as demonstrated in the negative differential resistance exhibited in theoretical calculations and in preliminary observations using high resistance, small area tungsten-on-gold point contact diodes. However, Siu et al. do not suggest practical applications for the phenomenon. As another example of theoretical research, Drury and Ishii discuss stimulated emission of surface plasmons in metal-insulator-metal diodes and suggest their use as coherent optical sources.11, 12 Also, Aleksanyan et al. and Belenov et al. theorized on the amplification of surface plasmons in MIM junctions by stimulated emission.8, 13, 14, 15 Aleksanyan et al. and Belenov et al. analyzed double- and triple-barrier structures, predicting near unity quantum efficiency in structures with two quantum wells (triple barrier) such that the plasmon-producing transition was due to the inelastic tunneling between quantum levels in these two wells. In one report, Belenov et al. discuss experimental results from a Au—Al2O3—In2O3—Al2O3—In2O3—Al2O3—Ag diode, showing a slight peak in the luminescence output corresponding to a peak in the current-voltage curve (a region of negative differential resistance).15 They do not, however, show definitive amplification of surface plasmons. Xie also considers stimulated emission and absorption of surface plasmons in MIM transition metal type like junctions.16 While Xie shows that stimulated emission of surface plasmons is theoretically possible in MIM devices, the material selection in the MIM diode as discussed in the article is very limited. Namely, the collector of the MIM diode in the article of Xie is required to be a transition metal, the insulator layer must be very thin (around 10 Å), and the stimulated emission only occurs at wavelengths longer than λ˜10 μm. Further, Xie restricts the outer metal layers of the MIM to single crystal metals. However, Xie does demonstrate the possibility of obtaining large gain from such devices and suggests that such a structure might be useful as an amplifier or emitter in the infrared region, although Xie does not discuss the possibility of gain in the visible or other spectra. Xie further suggests that the electron tunneling can be used as a pumping mechanism in plasmon devices with micro-dimensions, although he does not propose specific ways in which such devices might be implemented.
None of the above cited references discuss specific device structures, for example, for optical amplifiers or lasers, such as the configuration of input and output optical couplers or of resonant cavity design, but discuss only the electronic structure of the tunneling junction. Furthermore, none of the above references suggest methods for producing the necessary thin, uniform barrier and well layers for these devices.
Several researchers have proposed optical modulators based on the coupling of light with surface plasmon waves. In nearly all cases, reflected or waveguided light is attenuated by coupling into the surface plasmon mode, and this coupling is controlled by changing the index of refraction of a dielectric layer adjacent to the metal film. Thus, a fairly strong electro-optic effect is required (Δn˜10−3-10−2) to operate the optical modulator. For example, Schildkraut proposed a reflection modulator in which light internally reflected within a prism can couple to a thin metal film on the backside of the prism by means of an electro-optic material adjacent to the metal film.17 With an electro-optic material of second order susceptibility (e.g., 2×10−7 esu), Schildkraut reports that a 100 volt signal modulates the optical reflectance from 0.00 to 0.84. As another example, Jannson et al. disclose a high-speed light modulator in U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,788, which includes a buffer and an electro-optic material sandwiched between two metal electrode layers, positioned adjacent to and separated from an optical waveguide (such as an optical fiber).18 A surface plasmon wave is generated on the metal electrode adjacent to the optical waveguide by evanescent wave coupling. Applying a voltage across the electro-optic material changes the index of refraction of the material and thus the strength of the surface plasmon coupling. The optical intensity within the optical waveguide is therefore modulated in the device of Jannson.
As another example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,034,809 Anemogiannis discloses an optical plasmon wave attenuator and modulator structures in which the output optical power is attenuated or modulated by controlling the amount of coupling between a guided optical signal and a separately generated surface plasmon wave.19 Anemogiannis further considers the phase matching conditions for the coupling wave vectors to achieve efficient attenuation and modulation. Similarly, Janunts and Nerkararyan also proposed a modulator in which light is incident on a metal film through a prism coupled into a surface plasmon wave in the metal and which, in turn, radiates into an optical mode in a dielectric waveguide.20 Coupling of the light into the waveguide is controlled by an electro-optic material on top of the metal film and dielectric waveguide. Again, large changes in index of refraction, Δn>0.001, are required to produce modulation.
All of the aforementioned modulators require the use of a suitable electro-optic material, such as a non-centrosymmetric crystal or nonlinear polymer. This requirement adds cost to device fabrication and limits device integration with other optoelectronic devices. In addition, these specialized materials generally require large voltages (10-100 V) to attain the necessary refractive index change for modulation.
The present invention provides surface plasmon devices which is intended to reduce or eliminate the foregoing problems in a highly advantageous and heretofore unseen way and which provides still further advantages.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

The Regents of the University of Colorado, A Body Corporate


Disclosed is a non-transitive casino game which utilizes a group of non-transitive gaming devices, One embodiment uses dice. Accordingly, each pair of dice has advantage over one other pair of non-transitive dice in the group. Each pair of dice has a different color to allow a banker or dealer to identify the hierarchy of the dice. In a table game version, a player first selects one pair of non-transitive dice from a group of non-transitive dice. A dealer then selects one of the remaining pair of the non-transitive dice. The dealer's selection ensures the dealer dice have a better than fifty percent advantage over the player-selected dice, neglecting any ties. A game comprises the player rolling the player-selected dice and the dealer rolling the dealer selected dice three successive times. Each of the player roll outcomes are compared to the corresponding dealer roll outcomes. Players are able to wager on either the player or dealer, and on a number of ties and other related outcomes. Another embodiment employs non-transitive card decks. The method of play is exactly the same as in the dice embodiment, except that the card decks must be shuffled after every card is dealt.

As gaming continues to enjoy widespread acceptance, casinos are increasingly in need of new games of chance to retain and attract patrons. While electronic gaming devices (e.g., slot machines) attract the most attention, many players prefer the skill requirements and personal interaction of live gaming. Thus, live gaming continues to be an integral component to the success of any casino.
Heretofore, the overwhelming majority of table games have utilized playing cards to facilitate the underlying wagering game. For example, Blackjack, Let it Ride®, Three Card Poker and Caribbean Stud Poker each utilize playing cards. The only popular dice game utilizing dice is craps. Pai Gow is a game which uses dice but only for determining the first player to receive the cards. Unfortunately, the craps table requires a large amount of space and the game itself can be intimidating to non-experienced players. For example, craps offers a myriad of wagers based on the outcomes of single rolls and a plurality of successive rolls. Moreover, craps is fast-paced which puts additional pressure on non-experienced players.
A familiar drawback to current table games is the absence of a large, winnable payout. While Caribbean Stud Poker and Let it Ride® have large potential payouts for poker hands like a straight flush and royal flush, the chances of obtaining these hands are so remote that it becomes almost irrelevant to serious players. Additionally, the large payout wagers have very significant house edges.
Consequently, there continues to be a need for new live table games that are fast-paced, simple to play and that have attainable, and large winnable payouts with reasonable house advantages. Advantageously, the new non-transitive game is designed to be played on a conventional Blackjack type table. Two detailed embodiments are offered, one using non-transitive pairs of dice, the other, non-transitive decks of cards.


To provide an image display device of the type use while worn on the head without giving a strange impression when used in everyday life.

Head mounted displays (HMDs), which are used while worn on the head to place a video screen in front of each eye of the user, find applications in various fields including the field of virtual reality. Typical HMDs are designed in the shape of a frame of goggles or large glasses that block but outside light and force the user to see only the HMD's pictures. With an HMD used, the user can view images irrespective of the direction he or she faces but then again it gives the user visual isolation from the surrounding environment.
In recent years, small image display devices have been proposed that allow users to view images along with the surrounding environment by means of presenting the images in a certain part of the field of vision. Such image display devices are not designed for image presentation only. Instead, the main purpose of it is to aid the everyday life. Images that are displayed are letters and numeric characters unlike the conventional HMDs.
For example, Japanese patent laid-open document (JP-A-7-209600) proposes an image display device having a liquid crystal display (LCD), a reflecting mirror, an ocular lens and other components contained within a single housing which is attached to a glasses or sunglasses frame. The housing is placed on top of either right or left lens of the glasses over the outside surface of it. An image that is displayed on the LCD is directed to one eye of the user in a diagonal down direction through the reflecting mirror, the ocular lens, and the lens of the glasses.
The image display device disclosed in the aforementioned reference is designed so that it is attached to the glasses, which spoils its appearance. Therefore, the use of an image display device as above in everyday life gives a strong impression of something strange to those around the user.
An object of the present invention is to provide an image display device of the type used while worn on the head without giving a strange impression when used in everyday life.

Abstract: An image display device 1 includes a main body 10 that can be worn on the head of a user, ad a display unit 20 for displaying a predetermined image in such a manner that the image is blurred or beyond the vision of the user when the user wearing the main body 10 on his or her head looks straight ahead, and that the user gets a clear vision of the image when the user moves his or her eyes away. The display unit 20 includes a pair of display units for the right and left eyes which are provided on or in the main body 10 at a position that cannot be seen from anyone other than the user.


Systems and techniques for recognizing and distinguishing between different containers in which products to be sold by weight may be placed before purchase. A point of sale terminal includes devices for capturing and evaluating information relating to the presence, absence and identity of container type indicia whose presence characterizes a container as belonging to a particular type having a particular weight. Containers in which products may be placed are given appropriate indicia. When an item is to be sold by weight, the item is weighed and a weight reading is received. Information relating to the presence, absence and identity of indicia characterizing a container type is captured and evaluated, and if a container bearing such indicia is identified, the container weight is subtracted from a weight reading to obtain a net weight for the products.

Retail sales, especially supermarket sales, include many sales of products by weight. Many items are placed in containers after selection by customers but before checkout. The weight of such a container when unloaded is known as the tare weight. Placing a loaded container on a scale to produce a weight reading generates a gross weight reading. The gross weight is the tare weight, that is, the weight of the empty container, plus the weight of the product or products. The tare weight must be subtracted from the gross weight to yield the net weight of the product or products being sold.
Containers may include plastic bags, paper bags, for example, for ground coffee or bulk candy, plastic trays, for example, for salads, and the like. For example, a supermarket may provide plastic bags in which customers may place produce, plastic containers in which customers may place salad bar or deli purchases, and the like. In order to comply with legal weight and measure requirements, retailers must deduct the tare weight of a container in which products sold by weight are placed from the gross weight on which the total price of the products is based. However, numerous different types of containers may be used, having different weights, and customers may place the same kinds of products in different kinds of containers having different weights. In addition, some customers may place a particular type of item, such as bananas or bell peppers in a container for purchase, while other customers may purchase such items without placing them into containers.
Many retailers simply deduct a container weight from all purchases of products sold by weight. However, if a customer does not place the products in a container, the retailer's practice of automatically deducting tare weight reduces the retailer's revenue because the retailer is deducting a container weight when no container is actually present. If the checkout transaction is performed by a retailer employee, it is possible to manually deduct the weights of the various containers, but this process adds time and complexity to the transaction. For low priced products in particular, the labor expense incurred in identifying a container and deducting its weight may be greater than the savings achieved. Consequently, in such cases, an automatic deduction in every case may be appropriate. In the case of a customer operated transaction, such as self checkout, the customer may be significantly inconvenienced if required to respond to questions about whether or not a container is being used and to determine and provide identification of the type of container being used.

Methods and apparatus for automatically determining and deducting weight of containers for products


A method for manufacturing and grading OLED devices is described, comprising the steps of: a) manufacturing OLED devices having a plurality of pixels; b) measuring pixel brightness and uniformity variation of each of the OLED devices prior to burning-in the OLED devices; c) correcting the pixel brightness and uniformity variation of each of the OLED devices prior to burning-in the OLED devices; d) grading each of the corrected OLED devices prior to burning-in the OLED devices; e) burning-in OLED devices graded as acceptable prior to burning-in the OLED devices; f) measuring burned-in pixel brightness and uniformity variation of each of the burned-in OLED devices; g) re-correcting the pixel brightness and uniformity variation of each of the burned-in OLED devices; and h) grading each of the re-corrected, burned-in OLED devices. The present invention has the advantage of providing improved yields in manufacture of OLED displays having acceptable uniformity and thereby reducing the cost of manufacturing an OLED display.

Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) have been known for some years and have been recently used in commercial display devices. Such devices employ both active-matrix and passive-matrix control schemes and may employ a plurality of pixels. The pixels are typically arranged in two-dimensional arrays with a row and a column address for each pixel and having a data value associated with the pixel value. However, such displays suffer from a variety of defects that limit the quality of the displays. In particular, OLED displays suffer from non-uniformities in the pixels. These non-uniformities can be attributed to both the light emitting materials in the display and, for active-matrix displays, to variability in the thin-film transistors used to drive the light emitting elements.
Referring to FIG. 2, in a current manufacturing and grading process, the OLED devices are first manufactured. This manufacturing step 100 involves, e.g., the preparation of a substrate, typically glass, the formation of electrodes and other electronic components on the substrate, the deposition of organic material layers, the addition of a second electrode, the encapsulation of the device, followed by singulation, packaging, and the attachment of electrical connectors. After the OLED device is manufactured, its performance is measured 110 to ensure that the light-emitting elements of the OLED device are working properly. Some faults may be present, for example stuck-on or stuck-off pixels, dark or bright pixels, and other non-uniform pixels. The OLED device may or may not meet the standards of the application for which it is intended so it is graded 120. If the OLED device does not meet the specification standards of the application, a repair 130 may be attempted. If the repair is not possible, the display is discarded 140. If it can be repaired, the repair is performed and the device tested 110 again.
If the OLED device does meet the application standards, it is a good device, and is subsequently burned-in 150 by illuminating the OLED device over a period of time with a burn-in pattern, for example a flat-field image. This burn-in process is necessary to ensure a stable operation of the device when it is first used in an application. Following burn-in, the device performance is again measured 160 and re-graded 170. If the device does not meet the specification at this point, it is discarded 180. If it does meet the specification, it may be shipped to a customer 190.
This process is effective but suffers from a high rejection rate. Some faults in light emitters may be compensated using a variety of means taught in the art. For example, copending, commonly assigned U.S. Ser. Nos. 10/858,260, 10/869,009 and 10/894,729 describe various means to detect and correct for some faults found in OLED devices. Other methods, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,414,661 B1 entitled "Method and apparatus for calibrating display devices and automatically compensating for loss in their efficiency over time" by Shen et al issued 20020702 describes a method and associated system that compensates for long-term variations in the light-emitting efficiency of individual organic light emitting diodes in an OLED display device by calculating and predicting the decay in light output efficiency of each pixel based on the accumulated drive current applied to the pixel and derives a correction coefficient that is applied to the next drive current for each pixel. The compensation system is best used after the display device has been calibrated to provide uniform light output. This patent provides a means for correcting the non-uniformities through the use of a look-up table.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,473,065 B1 entitled "Methods of improving display uniformity of organic light emitting displays by calibrating individual pixel" by Fan issued 20021029 describes methods of improving the display uniformity of an OLED. In order to improve the display uniformity of an OLED, the display characteristics of all organic-light-emitting-elements are measured, and calibration parameters for each organic-light-emitting-element are obtained from the measured display characteristics of the corresponding organic-light-emitting-element. The calibration parameters of each organic-light-emitting-element are stored in a calibration memory. The technique uses a combination of look-up tables and calculation circuitry to implement uniformity correction.
All of these correction schemes require uniformity and/or performance calibration information to be effective. However, the art does not teach manufacturing processes that provide a means to obtain the uniformity and/or performance calibration information in order to optimize the manufacturing process and thereby reducing the cost and improving the yield of the manufactured product.
There is a need, therefore, for an improved method of providing uniformity and reducing manufacturing costs in an OLED display manufacturing process.

Method and apparatus for uniformity and brightness correction in an OLED display


A rasp is formed for removing material at a cut edge of a structure, such as drywall cut to size. Unlike prior drywall rasps, the rasp of the invention is formed with a rigid, channel-shaped grip defining a generally U-shaped, downwardly facing, concave inner channel surface. A rectangular section of expanded metal that forms a grid with a multiplicity of grid openings delineated from each other by a lattice of intervening metal strips is placed into the channel-shaped backing or grip. Lips at the lower extremities of the channel walls are bent upwardly and inwardly to clamp the sheet of expanded metal against the inner surface of the grip. The sheet of expanded metal is thereby permanently secured against the inner surface of the grip. The sheet of expanded metal is bent to conform to the interior surface of the grip. The channel-shaped structure of the rasp is then run along the cut surface of a structure to be finished so as to abrade away material therefrom. Because the rasping element is disposed against the concave, channel-shaped, inner surface of the grip, there is a minimal likelihood of accidental contact between the expanded metal abrading element and anything other than a narrow edge of sheet material purposely inserted into the channel-shaped structure of the rasp. The rasp thereby greatly reduces the likelihood of accidental injury to the user.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a unique construction of a rasp of the type used for smoothing a cut edge of material, such as a cut edge of gypsum board. The invention also relates to a method of smoothing a cut edge of material, such as gypsum board.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the building trade, gypsum board, sometimes referred to as wallboard or drywall, is utilized extensively as the primary surfacing material forming the interior walls and ceilings of buildings. Although sold in other sizes, the wallboard is most often sold commercially in four foot by eight foot rectangular sections. Very frequently these sections must be cut to size to fit into corners and to accommodate window and door openings. Wallboard is typically cut to size using a conventional box cutter or utility knife.
In cutting wallboard it is very important not to cut the sheet of material too small, as this would leave gaps that require an extensive amount of time and labor to fill. As a consequence, drywall installers often tend to cut the wallboard pieces slightly oversize and then reduce the size slightly along the cut edge.
One implement that is widely utilized commercially for removing material from a cut edge of wallboard is an article known as a wallboard rasp. A conventional wallboard rasp is formed of two major components, namely a handle and an abrading element. The handle is very often fabricated from wood and is formed as a generally rectangular block, typically about six or seven inches in length, about two inches in width and one inch in thickness. A shallow trough is formed lengthwise down the center of the underside of the block while a pair of longitudinally extending narrow slots or crevices are formed along the sides of the block. The crevices are designed to receive the longitudinal edges of the abrading element.
The abrasive portion of the abrading element may be formed of an expanded metal sheet. Such an expanded metal abrasive sheet is formed from a thin sheet of metal in which a multiplicity of short slits are cut in parallel rows. The ends of the slits are offset from each other in adjacent rows. The sheet metal is then pulled laterally from opposite sides in a direction perpendicular to the alignment of the slits. This causes the slits to open and for the metal between the slots to twist so that the narrow strips of metal between the slits are twisted through large acute angles relative to their original alignment prior to expansion of the metal. The final orientation of the metal strips approaches an orientation perpendicular to their original coplanar alignment. The resulting structure bears somewhat of a resemblance to a screen, but has sharp metal edges facing outwardly at large acute angles relative to the plane of expansion of the metal sheet.
To create the abrasive element of a conventional wallboard rasp a section of the expanded metal sheet is cut to a size slightly shorter than the length of the wooden block handle and wide enough to cover the underside of the wooden block handle and extend a short distance up its sides. Sheet metal angles are then spot welded to the longitudinally extending side margins of the sheet of expanded metal. The spot welds connect the side margins of the sheet of expanded metal to one leg of each of the metal angles. The other leg of each metal angle is directed inwardly into one of the two narrow slots on the opposite sides of the wooden block handle. The abrasive element is thereby secured to the underside of the wooden block handle, but extends over the longitudinal edges of the underside at the transition between the underside and the side walls of the block.
A conventional wallboard rasp is constructed and used in a manner quite similar to a conventional sanding block. That is, the user grips the smooth upper portion of the wallboard rasp and runs the exposed edges of the expanded sheet metal section across a cut edge of wallboard. The sharp, exposed edges of the expanded sheet metal section are sharp enough to abrade away both the paper on the outer surface of the wallboard, and also the gypsum interior. The cut section of wallboard can then be abraded to the desired size and the cut edge of the wallboard will be smoothed in the process.
Conventional wallboard rasps perform their intended function quite adequately. However, they are also the source of many painful injuries. Since the expanded metal abrasive element is wrapped over the outer edges of a supporting block, there is a considerable exposure of sharp surface area that creates painful injuries with only light contact to the skin of a user. As a consequence, users must proceed slowly and carefully when utilizing this implement. Even so, many injuries result.
Furthermore, the transversely cut ends of the expanded metal present an additional source of injury. While the sheet of expanded metal forming the abrasive element is normally cut to a length slightly shorter than the supporting wooden block that serves as a handle so that the ends of the wooden block extend longitudinally beyond the ends of the expanded metal abrading element, the ends of the abrading element are still quite dangerous. This results from cutting the sheet of expanded metal to size. When the strips of metal that form the lattice to create a multiplicity of grid openings in the expanded metal are cut, short barbs are left that project outwardly at the cut ends of the expanded metal sheet. These barbs can sometimes become bent forwardly and project beyond the end of the underside of the wooden block handle. This exposure creates a considerable safety hazard. The ends can be capped with a folded over marginal strip of metal which is spot welded to encase therewithin the cut barbs at the ends of the sheet of expanded metal. However, this adds to the cost of fabrication of the product.
A further safety hazard is presented by the exposed longitudinal edges at the bottom of a conventional wallboard rasp. In such a conventional structure the sheet of expanded metal is wrapped at right-angles about the supporting wooden block at the longitudinal edges of the underside of the wooden support block. Due to the reflex angles through which the expanded metal sheet is bent, the longitudinally extending edges of the wallboard rasp at the transition between the underside and side walls of the tool are particularly dangerous due to their significant exposure. Even though users normally handle the tool with gloves, any abrasive contact between the exposed portions of the expanded metal rasp element and the fabric of the glove can cause the expanded metal to easily slice through the glove and create painful injuries. The incidences of injuries utilizing conventional wallboard rasps has been frequent enough so that many wallboard installers will not use them, even though they perform their intended function quite admirably.


A valve lockout device includes a body having a mount portion that defines a passageway. A cover positioned adjacent to the body defines a cover portion adjacent the mount portion thereby inhibiting access to the passageway in the mount portion. A position control arm extends through at least one of the body and cover, the position control arm defines a valve engagement portion and an adjustment portion. A lock aperture is formed in at least the other of the body and cover through which the position control arm extends. An adjustment member is positioned adjacent at least one of the body and the cover, the adjustment member defines an adjustment member aperture aligned with the lock aperture and is configured to engage the adjustment portion of the position control arm. Coupling the lock aperture and the adjustment member aperture inhibits relative movement of the body, cover, and adjustment member.

The present invention relates to valve lockout devices, and more particularly to a valve lockout device that is capable of being coupled to a mount and adjusted to accommodate a variety of valve configurations.
Valve lockout devices are used to prevent changing the state of a valve, such as between a closed position and an opened position. For instance, a valve lockout device may be used to lock a valve in a fully closed position while a technician performs repair or maintenance on a component (e.g., a turbine) that is downstream of the locked-out valve. The valve lockout device provides a visual and a structural impediment to altering the state of the valve by, for instance, blocking access to the control handle of a valve or structurally restricting the physical movement of the control handle.
Designing a robust valve lockout device is challenging when the valve lockout device is required to alternately engage and effectively lockout more than one size and/or type of valve. For example, a three inch ball valve having a rectangular bar valve handle establishes distinct design requirements when compared to a six inch butterfly valve having a circular handwheel—a single valve lockout device is unlikely to provide an adequate solution to such unique styles of valves.
In light of at least the above, a need exists for a valve lockout device that is capable of adjusting to and locking out a variety of valve configurations.


A plug-in pump is provided for an internal combustion engine having a receiving bore in the cylinder block to accommodate the plug-in pump. The plug-in pump includes a pump plunger and a spring-loaded roller tappet driven by a cam of a camshaft. The longitudinal axis of the plug-in pump lies transversely in relation to the camshaft axis and at a distance from it, so that the longitudinal axis of the plug-in pump, seen in the direction of turn of the camshaft, lies in front of the camshaft axis.

The invention relates to a plug-in pump for an internal combustion engine.
A plug-in pump of this kind is known from EP 0 543 301 A1 (especially FIG. 2) whose pump part and actuating part plug into a receiving bore in the cylinder block of an internal combustion engine. The pump part that has a pump piston in the pump housing is structurally separate from the actuating part with the roller tappet that is driven by the cam, but the pump and actuating part have an operating connection with one another. The lengthwise axis of the plug-in pump runs transversely to the axis of the camshaft and intersects the camshaft axis at its imaginary extension.
This camshaft also has cams that actuate the charge-changing valves of the internal combustion engine by push rods adjacent to the respective receiving bores of the plug-in pump of each cylinder.
The goal of the invention is to recover space in the cylinder block in its lengthwise extent by special positioning of the cam-driven plug-in pumps, while simultaneously improving the running behavior and/or the alignment of the rollers of the roller tappets that are guided in a lengthwise displaceable manner and, simultaneously with this special positioning, also to simplify installation and removal of the plug-in pumps in order to minimize the cost of repair resulting from normal wear.
These and other goals have been achieved according to the present invention by providing a plug-in pump for an internal combustion engine with a receiving bore provided in the cylinder block for the plug-in pump, said pump comprising a pump part with a pump piston guided in a pump housing and an actuating part with a cam-driven and spring-loaded roller tappet, and with a lengthwise axis of said pump extending transversely to a camshaft axis, piston guides for intake and exhaust valves of each cylinder being adjacent to the receiving bore of the plug-in pump, wherein an imaginary extension of the lengthwise axis of the plug-in pump at a distance from the camshaft axis such that the imaginary extension of the lengthwise axis of the plug-in pump intersects a plane that runs perpendicularly through the camshaft axis below the camshaft axis, the pump part and the actuating part being combined into a unit by a sleeve that fits around both parts and is inserted into the receiving bore, with the roller tappet being guided in the sleeve in a lengthwise displaceable manner.
By virtue of the positioning of the plug-in pumps according to the invention, whose lengthwise axes are located on their imaginary extensions at a specific distance from the camshaft axis and intersect a plane that runs perpendicularly through the axis of the camshaft below the camshaft axis, a greater distance from the cylinder axis and a closer spacing of the pushrod guides of the intake and exhaust valves is achieved so that the amount of space occupied lengthwise by the cylinder block can be reduced since the spacing of the cylinders arranged in line can be reduced. At the same time that space is gained, weight is reduced.
The pump part and actuating part of the plug-in pump according to the invention are combined in terms of design in a module by a sleeve that surrounds both parts and plugs into the receiving bore so that the pump part and actuating part can be removed in simple fashion from the cylinder block or can be plugged into the cylinder block as a one-piece element. Thus, the parts that are subject to wear are located in the plug-in pump and not in the cylinder block. No finishing work is required in the cylinder block when there are signs of wear. The unit is designed so it can be tested.
The special guidance of the roller tappet in the sleeve produces a form of protection against twisting that is not subject to difficulties.
By virtue of the special arrangement of the plug-in pump relative to the camshaft on the one hand and the special mounting of the roller tappet in the sleeve on the other, an alignment of the roller with the roller tappet is achieved that permits a much improved and/or more stable running behavior.
Although a cam-tappet system with a roller tappet for an injection pump is known from DE 40 40 937 A1, in which the roller axis is offset, this offset arrangement serves exclusively to prevent twisting.
A plug-in pump is known from DE 42 27 853A1 in which a thin-walled sliding sleeve is located between the roller tappet of the cam drive that can move back and forth in a bore in the block of the internal combustion engine. The rotational position of the roller tappet is secured by a pin and groove connection.
An advantageous improvement on the invention is obtained by the special arrangement of the fuel supply and the special design of the fuel connection in the critical area of two adjoining block parts.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Plug-in pump for an internal combustion engine


A fuel supply pump includes a housing, a camshaft and a cam ring. The camshaft is rotatably supported in the housing. The cam ring is supported around a cam portion of the camshaft such that the cam ring is rotatable with respect to the cam portion. A washer member is provided between an axial end face of the cam portion and the housing, so that the cam portion and the camshaft is axially aligned. A bearing is circumferentially inserted between the end face of the cam portion and the cam ring. An axial end face of the cam ring defines oil grooves, so that lubricating oil flows from a cam chamber into a gap, which is formed between the cam portion and the bearing. Lubricating oil is sufficiently supplied to the periphery of the cam portion, so that the camshaft can be protected from seizure in the fuel supply pump.

A fuel supply pump compresses fuel fed from a fuel tank, and pressurizes the fuel, so that the pressurized fuel is supplied to a fuel injecting apparatus. In a conventional fuel supply pump disclosed in JP-A-2002-310039 shown in FIG. 9, a fuel supply pump 50 has a camshaft 54, a cam ring 55 and a plunger 56. The camshaft 54 is rotatably arranged in a housing 51. The camshaft 54 has a cam portion 542. The cam ring 55 is rotatably arranged on the outer periphery of the cam portion 542 such that the cam ring 55 is rotatable with respect to the cam portion 542, so that the cam ring 55 vertically reciprocates. The plunger 56 connects with the cam ring 55 such that the plunger 56 vertically reciprocates in conjunction with the cam ring 55. The end portion of the plunger 56, which is opposite to the connecting portion between the plunger 56 and the cam ring 55, is inserted into a pressure chamber 52, into which high-pressure fuel is introduced. When the plunger 56 reaches the top dead center of the plunger 56, fuel introduced into the pressure chamber 52 is pressurized, and the pressurized fuel is supplied to the fuel injecting apparatus.
The outer circumferential periphery of the cam portion 542 defines an oil groove 543. Low-pressure oil, which flows into a cam chamber 53, is introduced into the oil groove 543 as lubricating oil. The lubricating oil is entirely distributed from the oil groove 543 to the outer circumferential periphery of the cam portion 542. Thus, seizure between the cam portion 542 and the cam ring 55 is restricted.
In the conventional fuel supply pump 50, washer members 60 are respectively provided between the axial end faces of the cam ring 55 and flat faces of the housing 51 that oppose to the axial end faces of the cam portion 542. Each washer member 60 aligns the camshaft 54 in the axial direction. In this structure, clearance, which is formed between each axial end face of the cam ring 55 and the opposing axial end face of the corresponding washer member 60, is formed to be small. When the clearance is small, an amount of lubricating oil introduced from the cam chamber 53 into the clearance becomes small, and the lubricating oil may not be entirely distributed over the outer circumferential periphery of the cam portion 542. In this case, seizure may occur and the fuel supply pump 50 may be damaged.

Fuel supply pump having inner lubricating groove


A star coupler for serial bus systems operates in compliance with the carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) method. The star coupler connects a plurality of individual bus systems to corresponding T-drivers and associated logic circuits, so that arbitration is performed within the total bus system in which all individual bus systems are included. Feedback suppression is used to assure unidirectional data flow, while error detection is combined with switching logic to disable faulty individual bus systems without affecting the other connected individual bus systems.

Serial bus systems are known from the Controller Area Network Standard Draft ISO/DIS 11 898 (identified herein as "CAN standard") or by the Standard ISO 11519 Vehicle Area Network (VAN) and CAN low speed serial data communication).
One disadvantage of these available bus systems is that a permanent fault, for example a short circuit, leads to the total loss of the entire bus system. The more parties connected to a bus, the more parties are affected by a total loss. A further disadvantage is that each connected party also represents an interference point of irregularity, which causes reflections. The transmission security of the bus is degraded by these reflections. The more parties connected to the bus, the greater the degradation. As a result, the transmission reliability of the bus is determined, among other factors, by the number of parties.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a serial bus system which avoids the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art.

Serial bus system using bitwise arbitration for independently communicating with and controlling individual bus systems


Current Voltage and Capacitance Voltage (IV and CV) measurements are critical in measurement of properties of electronic materials especially semiconductors. A semiconductor testing device to accomplish IV and CV measurement supports a semiconductor wafer and provides a probe for contacting a surface on the wafer under control of an atomic Force Microscope or similar probing device for positioning the probe to a desired measurement point on the wafer surface. Detection of contact by the probe on the surface is accomplished and test voltage is supplied to the semiconductor wafer. A first circuit for measuring capacitance sensed by the probe based on the test voltage and a complimentary circuit for measuring Fowler Nordheim current sensed by the probe based on the test voltage are employed with the probe allowing the calculation of characteristics of the semiconductor wafer based on the measured capacitance and Fowler Nordheim current.

1. Field of the Invention
This patent relates generally to the field of electrical characterization of materials and structures and, more particularly, to a non-destructive testing device and method for characterization of semiconductor materials using combined C-V and I-V testing using atomic force probing. It also pertains to the use of multiple probes on a semiconductor device at the nanoscale in order to enable new, novel combinations of measurements of current, charge, and capacitance.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well known that in the processing and fabrication of semiconductor structures, it is advantageous to measure their performance and properties as early as possible. Furthermore is also well known that parameters such as impurity density and dielectric properties are critical in modern semiconductor devices. The ability to measure these properties on real devices dimensions on the nanoscale is also of great benefit.
There are many methods for accomplishing these measurements. One of these methods for measuring device properties is Capacitance Voltage spectroscopy or CV. Another common measurement is Current Voltage spectroscopy or IV. IV spectroscopy is accomplished by biasing one or more nodes of a structure and measuring the resulting current flow into those nodes. IV is used to great effect in all levels of device characterization and there are a multitude of instruments design to measure current called source-measurement units or SMU's. Measurements in the range from fempto-amps (fA) to milli-amps are useful. To reach the smallest fA current levels, special techniques of guarding and shielding are required while careful attention needs to be paid to leakage currents and interference from noise sources.
Typically instrumentation for measuring CV requires sufficient size of the capacitor plates such that the measured capacitance is on the order of 10's to 100's of picofarads. The structures must be of a size to provide this much capacitance as shown in the basic Capacitance equation:C=εA/T
Where T is the spacing between the plates, A the area of the plates and s the dielectric constant of the insulator material between the plates. For Semiconductor and electronic materials the material to be measured usually will include the semiconductor as one of the plates and either poly silicon or metal as the second though certainly it is understood that simple material substitution is implied in this disclosure and that constructions other than the parallel metal oxide silicon structure referred to at present arc not beyond the scope of this disclosure. For a structure with a very thin 5 nanometer nitrided oxide insulator and a maximum capacitance of 10 picofarads, the implied size of a square plate would be about 375 μm on a side. The standard method for measuring such a capacitance is to deposit a plate of this area onto a dielectric and then connect a probe to a pad of this size. It is undesirable to construct such test structures on wafers thereby effectively sacrificing them. Furthermore, the deposition process may adversely affect the properties of the device to be measured and therefore make enable the desired measurement.
One method to overcome the requirement of sacrificing wafers or affecting the properties of the device under test is to incorporate the test structure into the normal process of the wafer. Though effective and of great value in detecting the properties, test structures are typically only available for measurement after full processing of the wafer is complete. Furthermore, if local properties of a length scale on the order of much less than the 10 picofarad structure discussed above, then it is advantageous to have a method where the area required for the measurement is a few microns or less. In this case, the capacitance measured will be on the order of fempto farads to atto farads, a reduction of 3 to 6 orders of magnitude.
The present invention is directed at enabling measurement of electrical properties without the required construction of probing pads or the need to wait for complete processing of test structures in order to record said performance. The signal to noise ratio of the measurement is adversely affected by reduction of the sampled area. It is the subject of the present invention to employ novel probe design, novel instruments design, and novel combinations of measurement results in order to overcome the orders of magnitude reduction of signal resulting from the smaller sampled area.

Apparatus and method for combined micro-scale and nano-scale C-V, Q-V, and I-V testing of semiconductor materials


Devices and methods for stimulating nerves, such as peripheral nerves are described. Some devices can include small cross-section lead bodies having one or more electrodes in the round distal portion, the electrodes having a substantially planar surface within the distal portion of the lead which is suitable for placement through a cylindrical needle intended to access a spinal region of a patient. Some lead electrodes are covered with a hydrophilic coating at least about 0.001 inches thick. The hydrophilic coating may include a steroid and/or a GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) agonist which can elute or diffuse over time, away from the electrode.

Implantable leads, typically having externally exposed ring or band electrodes can be used to deliver electrical stimulation to surrounding tissue and/or to sense electrical energy produced by the surrounding tissue. Such leads are often implanted, for example, within the epidural or intrathecal spaces of the spinal column, along peripheral nerves, within the brain, and about the heart. Electrical stimulation of the spinal cord has been shown to be effective in relieving intractable pain in some patients. Such electrical stimulation can reduce or eliminate the use of pain relieving drugs. Examples of some leads may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,721,604; 6,981,314; 6,216,045; and 5,483,022, herein incorporated by reference.
One such lead is formed of polymeric material, for example, polyurethane or silicone. The lead can be nominally 1 mm in outer diameter and about 20 cm in length. A typical lead may have a series of electrodes formed as bands or rings disposed in a spaced apart relationship in a lead distal region. The distal region of the lead can be introduced, for example, into the epidural region for use in stimulation of the spinal column. The lead proximal region may have a corresponding set of band or ring connectors or terminals, one for each corresponding electrode in the distal region. Each proximal region terminal can thus be connected to one distal electrode in a typical configuration.
The terminals can be used to couple the proximal end of the lead to a lead extension, which can in turn be coupled to an implantable pulse generator (IPG). The lead extension can provide added length to extend the reach of the lead to a more distantly placed IPG. In some embodiments, the lead extension is between about 20 and 50 cm in length.
The lead typically has a lumen extending from the proximal end through to the distal region, with the lumen being dimensioned to accept a stiffening member or stylet. The lead, commonly formed of a polymeric material and being very small in cross section, is typically very floppy and not pushable. With a stylet or stiffening member inserted, the lead gains the needed pushability, and can be advanced into and up the spinal column to the desired location.
Current neurostimulation leads often use polished platinum electrodes having relatively large surface areas. Leads are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,103,837; 5,324,324; 5,345,933; 4,044,774; and 5,265,608, herein incorporated by reference. Typical percutaneously inserted leads can use ring electrodes that wrap around 360 degrees. This is often wasteful, as energy is delivered to tissue that is not intended to be stimulated. Such wasted energy may lead to shortened battery life. This can also lead to side effects such as pain in those tissues.
What would be desirable are leads that can be percutaneously inserted and provide directional stimulation.


An iris diaphragm actuator includes a magnetic position sensing structure, at least one driving element and a light intercepting element. The magnetic position sensing structure includes a magnetic element and a magnetic sensor relatively disposed. The driving element connects and drives the magnetic element or the magnetic sensor to perform a rotating motion with respect to a rotation center such that the distance and angle between the magnetic element and the magnetic sensor are changed so as to obtain a substantially linear relation between a magnetic flux sensed by the magnetic sensor and the position of the magnetic element. Also, an arrangement method of a magnetic position sensing structure is disclosed.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a magnetic position sensing structure and an arrangement method thereof. In particular, the invention relates to a magnetic position sensing structure for an iris diaphragm actuator and an arrangement method thereof.
2. Related Art
Technological advances lead to higher demands for image capturing and processing. Conventionally, the iris diaphragm using a magnet and a magnetic position sensor to convert the magnetic flux sensed by the magnetic position sensor into a voltage output signal. However, a linear relation can not be obtained between the magnetic flux (or voltage) and the position of the magnet owing to inappropriate arrangement of the structure. Therefore, it is necessary to use a nonlinear driving device or a calibration method to adjust to obtain a linear relation, which increases the complexity and the cost of the structure. Alternatively, a plurality of magnets are applied in changing so as to adjust the magnetic flux sensed by the magnetic position sensor into a linear relation. However, this also increases the complexity and the cost of the structure.
FIGS. 1A and 1B show a conventional magnetic position sensing structure using a magnet 11 and a Hall sensor 12. When the magnet 11 moves along a motion direction, the distance "d" decreases and the magnetic flux density increases. However, the magnetic flux density and the distance "d" have a nonlinear relation.
FIGS. 2A and 2B show another conventional magnetic position sensing structure using a magnet 11 and a Hall sensor 12. When the magnet 11 moves along a motion direction, the distance "d" decreases and the magnetic flux density increases. However, the magnetic flux density and the distance "d" also have a nonlinear relation.
FIGS. 3A and 3B show a magnetic position sensing structure using two magnets 11 and a Hall sensor 12. When the Hall sensor 12 moves along a motion direction, the relation between the magnetic flux density and the distance "d" is more linear than the previous two examples in FIGS. 1A and 2A. However, because there are required more magnets, this results in a more complex structure and higher cost.
FIGS. 4A and 4B show a magnetic position sensing structure using four magnets 11 and a Hall sensor 12. When the Hall sensor 12 moves along a motion direction, the relation between the magnetic flux density and the distance "d" is more linear than the previous two examples in FIGS. 1A and 2A. However, even more magnets are used, and likewise, it has a more complex structure and higher cost.
It is therefore an important subject to provide an iris diaphragm actuator, a magnetic position sensing structure, and an arrangement method thereof that have simple structures, easy manufacturing processes, high production yield, low product costs, and no product variations.

Iris diaphragm actuator, magnetic position sensing structure and arrangement method thereof


A mechanism is provided for context-aware irritation of a micro-processor. At each executed phase in a set of phases of a test case being executed on a set of micro-processors, a determination is made of a set of characteristics associated with the given executed phase of the test case. Based on the set of determined set of characteristics associated with the given executed phase, a determination is made of an irritation to be executed alongside the given executed phase of the test case. The determined irritation is then executed alongside the given executed phase of the test case.

The present application relates generally to an improved data processing apparatus and method and more specifically to mechanisms for a tightly-coupled context-aware irritator thread creation for verification of microprocessors.
Modern microprocessors have complex designs in terms of an underlying micro-architecture, such as superscalar execution, simultaneous multithreading (SMT), numerous cores packed into a single integrated circuit (IC) chip, or the like. Sharing of hardware resources in these micro-architectures occur at different levels within various micro-architectural buffers such as Level 1 (L1), Effective-to-Real-Address Translation (ERAT), Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB), Load Miss Queue (LMQ), Load and Store reorder queues, issue queues, or the like, as well as in various execution unit areas shared among all threads of a same core. Generally, at the IC chip level, Level 2 (L2) and Level 3 (L3) caches tend to be dynamically shared among different cores on a same IC chip. There is also a complex coherency protocol to manage data integrity across accesses from multiple cores and across multiple chips.

Tightly-coupled context-aware irritator thread creation for verification of microprocessors

International Business Machines Corporation