Methods and correspondent nodes to filter IP communications through firewalls in scenarios where dynamic pinholes are created to ensure an appropriate level of security is disclosed. The invention is based on creating a secure and authorized anchor for communications where all the communications are routed through before a firewall performs the packet filtering. A Translator Gateway (TrGW) switches addresses in the header according to a stored Mapping Table and an interface between a CPS (or a SIP proxy) and the TrGW. This interface allows the CPS to request the TrGW to provide bindings data between IP addresses upon session initiation, the TrGW to provide the bindings data to the CPS and the CPS to release the bindings at session release. The firewall accepts incoming packets whose IP address belongs to the pool of addresses of the TrGW. Thus any incoming packet that does not correspond to an existing call will be dropped at the TrGW, and a valid packet will go through the firewall which will verify that the packet is not a malformed message or other attack.

Recently, communication networks have widely spread and are used in every day life by many users. Among such communication networks, so-called packet switched communication networks find increasing attention. Packet switched networks transmit/receive data in units of packets. A packet consists of a header carrying control information such as (among others) for example a packet's address information (source/destination) as well as of a payload section carrying the actual data such as voice or the like.
Various protocols exist for such packet switched communication. For the purpose of the present invention, however, as an example of such protocols, IPv4 and/or IPv6 are described (which are versions of the well known Internet Protocol IP). Notwithstanding this, other packet switched protocols are useable in connection with the present invention. Also, non-packet switched protocols can be used in connection with the present invention, as long as the source/destination are identifiable by means of addresses.
Communication networks normally form part of a communication network system in which networks of plural operators cooperate with each other. Also, an individual network may consist of plural so-called domains of a network with the network as such being operated by a network operator, but the domains being e.g. controlled by a respective third party (different from the network operator), being operated on a different protocol, or having a different address space definition, or the like. Thus, for the purpose of the present invention, when communication networks are concerned, it is not distinguished between different networks or different domains, but communication networks are intended to cover all possible alternatives of the above outlined network constitution. Rather, a communication network could be regarded as a communication network system.
In connection with such communication networks or network systems, respectively, security issues become more and more important.
Normally, a communication is established/ongoing between two terminals. A communication originating terminal is referred to as first terminal or user equipment UE, and a communication destination terminal is referred to as correspondent node CN or second terminal. Of course, in a bidirectional communication, the correspondent node CN also acts as a user equipment UE when responding to the originating terminal. Technically, there need not be any difference between the terminals, but nevertheless, the terminals may be different from a technical point of view. Any difference, however, does not matter as long as the terminals are adapted to communicate with each other by means of the intermediate communication network.
In case a communication is or has been established between two terminals, the communication is identified by the source and destination addresses of the terminals. Also, as the communication may involve different contents or types of traffic to be exchanged between the terminals such as real-time traffic and non-real time traffic, a respective traffic is associated to a respective port. A port or port number thus represents a refinement of the address information used in the communication.
Unused addresses or even port numbers, however, constitute a possibility for attackers to establish a fraudulent or misbehaving communication to a user's terminal who does not actually wish to have such a communication.
Therefore, security issues in communication networks become more and more important. So-called firewalls FW play an important role for guaranteeing security in communication networks. A firewall can thus be regarded as a filtering node in a communication network which filters un-authorized traffic and prevents such traffic to reach a terminal which did not authorize such traffic to be received.
This invention is related to such security issues and filtering nodes or firewalls, respectively. It is more particularly related to the dynamic configuration of pinholes in firewalls and to the support of real-time services in communication. The expression "pinhole" as used in the present invention denotes a temporarily valid permission for a specific traffic to reach a specific terminal, which permission is granted or rejected by the firewall. An open pinhole thus represents the granted permission, whereas a closed pinhole represents the rejected permission.
In many frameworks of communication networks, there is the need to dynamically open and close pinholes in firewalls. For example, SIP (Session initiation protocol) established communications require pinholes to be dynamically created for the media stream (i.e. UDP/RTP for real-time services (User datagram protocol, real time protocol), TCP (transmission control protocol) for Instant Messaging) to pass through the firewall and for data packets to be exchanged between the communicating nodes (originating terminal and correspondent node terminal). These pinholes should then be removed (i.e. closed) at the termination of the communication to avoid possible attacks.
Subsequently, the architecture and more particularly the network entities as well as the interfaces that have been introduced and adopted in 3GPP (3rd generation partnership project) networks for the interworking of IPv6 with IPv4 domains are briefly described with reference to FIG. 1. This shows that the present invention as described in the following sections does not introduce new entities but re-uses an existing communication network architecture and the thus adopted framework in an innovative way.
The architecture as illustrated in FIG. 1 has been recently adopted in 3GPP for the interworking of IPv6 and IPv4 domains. However, this description serves as an example only and the present invention is not limited to Ipv4/IPv6 domains but is intended to cover also situations in networks within a single domain. Also, the functionality of the entities and interfaces that have been introduced are briefly outlined.
The subsequent sections will then explain how the present invention re-uses the currently already existing infrastructure in an innovative way to solve the firewall traversal problem.
Now, as is derivable from FIG. 1:
The current interworking architecture relies on a Translator Gateway: The TrGW is a gateway that converts the IP headers as needed, more generally, converts or translates address information included in the packets to be transmitted.
The current interworking architecture also relies on an IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) Application Layer Gateway (ALG): The IMS ALG's functionality is to provide the necessary application function for SIP/SDP protocol stack in order to establish communication between IPv6 and IPv4 SIP applications (Session Initiation Protocol/Session Description Protocol).
The IMS ALG receives an incoming SIP message from CSCF nodes (Call state control function, there are defined a S-CSCF, Serving CSCF and an I-CSCF, Interrogating CSCF) or from an IPv4 SIP network domain (CSCF's such as a (proxy) P-CSCF, S-CSCF, or I-CSCF are also referred to as SIP server in this application). This domain can be an external domain but may also be an internal domain of the communication network. The IMS ALG then changes the appropriate SIP/SDP parameters, translating the IPv6 addresses to IPv4 addresses and vice versa. Note that for the present invention, the protocols IPv4/IPv6 are only examples and other protocol transitions are conceivable.
The IMS ALG modifies the SIP message bodies and the headers that include the IP address. The IMS ALG will request NA(P)T-PT (Network Address (and Port) Translation-Protocol Translation) to provide the bindings data between the different IP addresses (IPv6 to IPv4 and vice versa) upon session initiation, and will release the bindings at session release. The NA(P)T-PT is thus a kind of a stateful translator and maintains an IPv6/IPv4 mapping table.
An Ix interface between the TrGW and the IMS ALG has also been introduced and adopted. Such interface shall allow:
the IMS ALG to request the NA(P)T-PT to provide the bindings data between the different IP addresses (IPv6 to IPv4 and vice versa) upon session initiation,
the TrGW to provide the bindings data to the IMS ALG, and
the IMS ALG to release the bindings at session release.
Furthermore, FIG. 1 depicts a user equipment UE operating based on IPv6 (which communicates with a correspondent node (not shown) CN operated based on IPv4. Also, a Proxy-CSCF (P-CSCF) is illustrated which receives a "first hop" signaling information from the user equipment UE when initiating a communication or session. The I-CSCF and S-CSCF can be regarded as a so-called call processing server CPS which represents an example of a communication management node. Additionally, a domain name server DNS and home subscriber server HSS form part of the architecture. The above described entities are mainly involved in the signaling and communication management as indicated by the dotted line which indicates signaling traffic, whereas the payload data is transmitted from the user equipment UE via the IP-CAN (IP Connectivity access network) through the translator gateway TrGW towards the communication partner, i.e. the correspondent node (not shown), as indicated by the bold line denoted "bearer" in FIG. 1.
As persons skilled in the art are considered to be familiar with the general architecture and the entities/nodes with the individual functions thereof, a further detailed description is omitted here.
Firewalls filter IP packets based on filtering rules, typically considering the source and destination IP addresses, the protocol type and/or the port numbers. In order to avoid attacks, firewalls are configured with filtering rules. Such rules include static rules (e.g. to stop TCP flooding or specific protocols) and dynamic rules (pinholes). Several applications require dynamic pinhole configuration in the firewall. As an example, SIP communications require dynamic creation/removal (i.e. opening/closing) of pinholes in the firewall for the media stream to pass the firewall while blocking attacks (UDP flooding, etc.) More generally, UDP (user datagram protocol) based applications require dynamic pinholes to be opened/closed when the communication starts/stops. Note that the description of SIP serves as an example only and that other protocols may also be used in connection with the present invention, such as e.g. WAP (Wireless Application Protocol), or the like.
Hitherto, several solutions have been proposed for dynamic pinhole control in firewalls, which are briefly introduced below:
1. The Use of Fake UDP Packets:
According to this approach, the user equipment UE sends a dummy UDP packet and the firewall FW opens the pinhole based on such packet. However, there is no way for the firewall FW to determine when the pinholes should be closed (since UDP communication does not have a session establishment/tear down as TCP does). Alternatively, the user equipment UE can send dummy UDP packets to create the pinhole in the firewall FW and will maintain sending such dummy UDP packets by a periodic transmission of such packets. Such method however presents two major problems: (1) the user equipment UE does not have any knowledge concerning timers of the state created in the firewall FW and (2) this may result in a high number of bytes to be sent over the wireless link, thus wasting resources.
2. The Use of a Firewall FW Which is Aware of e.g. SIP:
A SIP aware FW which will parse the SIP signaling and open/close the pinholes as required. This, however, requires SIP signaling to be visible at the firewall, while, however, SIP compression may be applied (e.g. in 3GPP and 3GPP2 IMS) and the firewall FW may not be capable to decompress it. Moreover, this solution gives too much control to the firewall FW, and the network operator at least partly looses control (whereas it is generally preferable to maintain the control in one's own products and/or networks). Finally, this solution cannot be applied when IPsec (Internet Protocol (IP) security) or TLS (transport layer security) encryption is applied to protect the SIP.
3. The Use of an Interface Between the Firewall FW and the Application Server (e.g. SIP Server in IMS):
Although such interfaces are being defined (e.g. MIDCOM in IETF (MIDCOM: Middlebox Communication as being under definition by IETF, Internet Engineering Taskforce), they are still in an early specification stage, the standardization work may require some time and their availability in products is far away, whereas systems (e.g. IMS) need to be deployed before the firewall FW will support such interfaces. Moreover, although this solution allows for the control to be in a manufacturer's products (e.g. SIP server), the deployment is not fully independent from products from other companies.
4. A Signaling Protocol from the Terminal UE to the FW in Order to Perform Configuring of the FW:
The TIST protocol (topology insensitive service transversal), the CASP protocol (cross application signaling protocol) and other contributions are suggesting a signaling protocol from the terminal opening and closing the necessary pinholes in the firewalls in the network. These methods are however still individual drafts and it will take a very long time before such solutions will become standardized.


A score keeping display apparatus includes a three-sided, generally triangular scoring display tier, each side of the display tier including two sets of dual character displays and two sets of LED indicators associated with each of the displays. The scoring display tier is supported on the upper end of a vertical post which is anchored at an opposite end to a base control unit. The base control unit is connectable to a power supply and contains a battery, battery charger, control circuit board, mini displays replicating the display tier, and control switches for operating the scoring display.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a score keeping display apparatus and, more specifically to a portable electronic scoreboard having a multi-sided scoring display supported approximately 6 feet above a base control unit having means thereon for controlling the scoring display.
2. Description of the Related Art
Virtually all spectator sports provide for scoring displays to indicate a current score, games, or match status as well as other pertinent information. At some facilities, where a large number of spectators are normally present to watch a single event, a large, expensive and highly sophisticated scoring display system is usually permanently installed so that it is viewable by everyone in the facility. In an indoor facility, such as in an arena, the display is usually multi-sided and supported from the rafters or ceiling structure so that it is maintained near the center of the arena, above the playing area. Scoreboards of this nature are usually used during college and professional basketball and hockey games. Even larger facilities, such as football and baseball stadiums, use very large, permanently installed electronic scoreboards for displaying a wide assortment of information to the crowd.
Other sports, such as volleyball, are not suited for such large scoring displays. This is particularly the case in the instance of a volleyball tournament wherein a number of different games are being played simultaneously on one facility, such as a large gymnasium, convention hall, or arena. Presently, the most commonly employed method of volleyball score keeping involves the use of a manually operated display comprising a plurality of display cards which are individually flipped over retaining rings to display a next successive number on the next card. Keeping score in this manner has proven to be time-consuming and inconvenient for scorekeepers, players, and spectators. Further, because conventional volleyball score keeping displays are usually only one-sided, and sometimes two-sided, they are not easily viewable by all players and spectators.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a portable electronic scoreboard which is particularly suited for volleyball score keeping and which includes a highly visible, multi-sided scoring display supported at a height of at least 6 to 8 feet above the ground.


Conducting polymer nanowires can be doped with analyte-binding species to create a nanowire that has a different conductivity depending on the presence or absence of the analyte.

Recent advances in electronic detection based on nanowires (NWs) and nanotubes (NTs) has revolutionized our ability to provide label-free and real-time, yet sensitive and selective detection of a wide range of chemical and biological species using the NW or NT as the gate of a planar field effect transistor (FET). (Cui, Y. et al., Science, 293:1289-1292 (2001)) Unlike two-dimensional FETs, one-dimensional nanowires avoid the reduction in conductance changes caused by lateral current shunting to the point that even single-molecule detection is possible. The selectivity of the nanosensors can be further enhanced by modification with specific bioreceptors such as antibodies. For example, silicon nanowire (SiNWs) functionalized with biotin was used for highly sensitive, real-time and label-free detection of anti-biotin antibody. (Cui, Y. et al., Science, 293:1289-1292 (2001)). Similarly, human autoantigen (UTA) functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNT) were applied for label-free, sensitive and real-time detection of anti-UTA antibody. (Chen, R. J. et al., PNAS, 1000:4984-4989 (2003)) The suggested mechanism for the resulting high sensitivity is the extremely sensitive modulation of the electrical conductance/resistance of the NWs and NTs brought about by the changes in the electrostatic charges from surface adsorption of various molecules. The binding of analytes to the NWs or NTs leads to the depletion or accumulation of carriers in the "bulk" of the nanometer diameter structure and increases the sensitivity to potentially a single molecule.
While these reports demonstrated the power of nanoengineered materials as biosensors, the fabrication methods employed are seriously limited. The techniques of manipulating individual carbon nanotube onto pre-patterned electrodes by an atomic force microscope, (Roschier, L. et al., P., Appl. Phys. Lett., 75:728-730 (1999)) random dispersion of suspended carbon nanotubes onto prepatterned electrodes (Tans, S. J. et al., Nature, 393:49-52 (1998); Bezryadin, A. et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 80:4036 (1998)) and lithographically patterning catalyst (as carbon nanotube nucleation sites) on electrodes (Franklin, N. R. et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., 81:913-915 (2002); Guillorn, M. A. et al. Appl. Phys. Lett. 81:2860-2862 (2002)), while adequate for demonstrating the operational characteristics of individual devices, have low throughput and limited controllability and hence unattractive for scaling up to high-density sensor arrays. More importantly, surface modifications, typically required to incorporate bioreceptors, have to be performed post-synthesis and post-assembly. Attempts to improve fabrication controllability using either electric field alignment (Smith, P. A. et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., 77:1399-1401 (2000); Duan, X. et al., Nature, 409:66-69 (2001)) or fluidic alignment followed by e-beam lithography have been reported. (Cui, Y. et al., Science, 293:1289-1292 (2001); Huang, Y. et al., Science, 294:1313-1317 (2001)) However, no report to-date has demonstrated the ability to assemble these nanomaterials into a functional sensor circuit and to individually address each nanostructured sensing elements with the desired bioreceptor, a requirement necessary for the successful fabrication of nanosensor arrays.

The Regents of the University of California


A dual position pilot operated valve assembly having a main piston, with a valve member, reciprocable within a valve body, wherein the valve body is adapted for sealingly mating with a valve seat and passage located intermediate the valve body inlet and outlet ports, the valve body having a cylindrical adapter secured to an open end thereof and housing a secondary piston, reciprocable therein, with an axial stem depending from the second piston bottom surface and extending through the adaptor to the first piston cavity for intermittent contact therewith; and an end cap secured to and closing the adapter and having an inlet port interconnected with a source of high pressure control gas and respective first and second conduits leading to the main and secondary piston bore cavities, with an adjustment mechanism controlling the degree of opening/closing of the valve assembly. Several methods of operation are also set forth.

In the refrigeration industry particularly in the industrial refrigeration field, there remains a need to provide valving, specifically in the refrigeration evaporator configuration thereof, that opens and/or closes only part way in order to minimize, or better yet, prevent liquid hammer or vapor propelled liquid from damaging the system and causing undue piping stress.
The dual position pilot operated valve assembly of the present invention is based upon and includes the main body assembly of a known commercial gas powered suction stop valve of type CK-2 shown in Bulletin 50-12B and available from the Refrigerating Specialties Division, of the Parker Hannifin Corporation headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A. the CK-2 valve requires an additional solenoid of smaller capacity to be installed in parallel in order to slowly release defrost pressure from the evaporator and reduce the possibility of hydraulic shock. The noted CK-2 valve and its associated parallel solenoid suffers from the disadvantage that when an electric power failure happens to occur during a defrost cycle, the solenoids close and the main valve opens immediately, thus creating the potential for undesired hydraulic shock. While this disadvantage is also encountered in the dual position valve assembly to be described hereinafter by controlling the leakage rate around the secondary piston thereof controls the rate at which the valve assembly responds to the supply or cessation of high pressure control gas to the top of this piston. Thus, by controlling this leakage rate and/or the volume above this piston can slow the rate of response such that, incase of such a power failure the defrost cycle hydraulic hammer can be largely mitigated.
The patent literature includes a large number of valving devices that use multiple power pistons and representative ones thereof include: U.S. Pat. No. 2,596,036 to MacDougal; U.S. Pat. No. 2,745,254 to Malkoff; U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,748,571 and 2,763,130 both to Henderson; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,707 to Ni. However, none of these prior art structures teach or suggest the unique features of the present invention.

Dual position pilot operated valve assembly


A method for fabricating an optical disk master including fabricating a precursor formed from a substrate including at least one layer of metallic material and having at least one protuberance or indentation guiding track; preparing the precursor by superposing on the substrate at least one layer of a first material and a second material different from the first material; eroding at least a portion of a surface of one of the materials to only allow to subsist one of the materials at a site of the guiding tracks; depositing on the surface a reactive resin; personalizing the precursor by structuring the reactive surface as a function of information specific to the master to locally eliminate the reactive resin; performing etching zones of the second material at a site of unmasked guiding tracks; and eliminating subsisting deposits of resin and the first material outside of the zones where it is covered by the second material.

The fabrication of masters, usually called "mastering", consists of integrating on an intermediary support personalization information intended for industrial pressing optical disks. The quality of the master determines the quality of the final product. This operation is performed in the state of the art by long, painstaking solutions, employing complex equipment, the employment of which is often centralized with specialized suppliers who perform for multiple industrial corporations the pressing of personalized masters. These masters are then used for pressing polycarbonate disks. They are in the form of nickel wafers bearing the information to be reproduced in the form of microreliefs forming by molding disks of approximately 150 nanometers in thickness and 0.4×0.3 μm for DVDs and 0.8×1 μm for CDs.
WO 99/18572, for example, describes a method for the fabrication of a pressing master for production of optical disks. This method consists of applying a photoresist on the plate of a pressing master, then of structuring the photoresist film applied in this manner. This structuring step consists successively of sublimating locally and heating the photoresist film prior to subjecting it to a supplementary exposure step in the range of ultraviolet to short wavelength, prior to its final thermal treatment. The effective dose of this supplementary exposure step ranges between 4·10−4 and 5·10−2 J/cm2.
Also known are solutions for disk etching on a unit basis. WO 00/08643 describes, for example, a pre-etched substrate for a memory disk that can be recorded by a magnetic, magneto-optical or optical phase transition stress. This pre-etched substrate comprises a support having at its surface a surface layer made of a reflective material and making it possible to obtain an optically polished surface and at least one recordable surface. These layers comprise a succession of micropits and/or grooves representing a preforming signal.
It would therefore be advantageous to provide a method for the fabrication of masters compatible with use for industrial pressing by polycarbonate molding and not merely by a unit basis etching, while simplifying the fabrication of the masters and avoiding the recourse to an initial support made of glass and multiplication of the steps that results therefrom.

Method for the fabrication of an optical disk master


A microelectromechanical system package includes a chip carrier, a first microelectromechanical system chip, a silicon cover, a layer of metal, a plurality of first bonding wires and a sealant. The first microelectromechanical system chip is positioned on the chip carrier and has an active surface, and an active area on the active surface. The layer of metal is formed on the upper surface of the cover. The first bonding wires electrically connect the active surface of the first microelectromechanical system chip to the chip carrier. The sealant is formed on the chip carrier to encapsulate the first microelectromechanical system chip and the first bonding wires.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a microelectromechanical system package and the method for manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a wafer-level microelectromechanical system package and the method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional microelectromechanical system package 100 includes a substrate 110 and a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device 120 disposed on the substrate 110. A cover 130 is disposed on the substrate 110 to cover the MEMS device 120. A peripheral edge of the cover 130 is electrically connected to the substrate 110 by a conductive adhesive, solder, or the like 140. The cover 130 includes an outer cup 132a formed from a conductive layer of material such as copper, stainless steel, aluminum, or an alloy thereof. The cover 130 further includes an inner cup 132b. The inner cup 132b is also made of a conductive layer. An inner lining 150 is formed on the interior side of the inner cup 132b. The inner lining 150 is primarily formed by conductive material. The inner lining 150 protects the MEMS device 120 from electromagnetic interference.
The above-mentioned package 100 has the advantage of being able to shield the MEMS device 120 therein from external electromagnetic interference. However, the mass production of such packages 100 is difficult. Moreover, the package 100 has a large profile and therefore its application is quite limited.
Accordingly, there exists a need to provide a method for manufacturing a microelectromechanical system package to solve the above-mentioned problems.


A sampling circuit for current transformer includes a current sensing unit, a rectification unit, a sampling unit and a switching unit. The rectification unit is electrically connected to the current sensing unit. The sampling unit is electrically connected to the rectification unit and outputs a first signal. The sampling unit includes an energy leakage device and a switching device. The switching device is electrically connected to the energy leakage device in parallel, and is turned on or off according to a second signal and a third signal. The switching unit is electrically connected to the sampling unit, and is turned on or off according to the second signal.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a sampling circuit for a current transformer.
2. Related Art
With the development of technologies, the current transformer (CT) has been commonly used in various electronic products, such as a power supply, a detector, or a transformer. The current transformer can be roughly divided into an AC-to-DC kind and a DC-to-DC kind according to the transformation method.
In the current technology, the AC-to-DC or DC-to-DC current transformer obtains the current signal by a phase-locked and frequency-locked method. However, when the inputted AC or DC power has an abrupt fluctuation, the current transformer can not operate until the correct phase and frequency is judged. During the idling period, the power still needs to be provided, so the filter capacity needs to be increased. Therefore, the space and cost of the product are both increased.
Besides, the DC-to-DC current transformer normally operates in the first quadrant, and therefore an additional period is necessary for leaking the energy of the current transformer in order to avoid the saturation: Accordingly, the 100% duty cycle can not be reached.
Therefore, it is an important subject to provide a sampling circuit of a current transformer so that the filter capacity needn't be increased when the inputted AC or DC power has an abrupt fluctuation, and thus the space and cost of the product will not be increased, and the 100% duty cycle can be reached.

Sampling circuit for a current transformer


A longitudinal member is configured to transmit a part of a collision load occurring in a vehicle head-on collision to a suspension cross member by way of a front portion, a bending portion, and a rear portion. A lower arm, a portion of which is co-fastened to a vehicle body together with a fastening portion, is configured to transmit another part of the collision load occurring in the vehicle head-on collision to the fastening portion from the front portion. Accordingly, the rear end of the sub frame can be properly detached from the vehicle body in the vehicle head-on collision even in a case in which any weak portion extending in a vehicle width direction may not be provided.

The present invention relates to a front vehicle-body structure of a vehicle which comprises a pair of right-and-left front side frames extending substantially in a vehicle longitudinal direction at a front portion of the vehicle and a sub frame provided below the front side frames and supporting a pair of right-and-left suspension lower arms which constitute part of a vehicle suspension.
Conventionally, a structure in which collision energy occurring in a vehicle head-on collision is absorbed by deformation of front side frame is known. Further, a structure in which a sub frame supporting a vehicle suspension, a steering mechanism, a power train and others are provided below the front side frames is known. Herein, the sub frame comprises a sub-frame body portion and a pair of extension portions extending forward from the sub-frame body portion, which functions so as to absorb the collision energy secondarily.
In the structure equipped with the sub frame, it may be preferable that a rear end of the sub frame be detached from a vehicle body during a period from a middle stage to a final stage of the vehicle head-on collision in order not to block the smooth deformation of the front side frame. Accordingly, it is also known to provide a weak portion extending in a vehicle width direction at a specified position of the sub frame which is located just in front of a fastening portion to fasten the rear end of the sub frame, which can bend a portion near the rear end of the sub frame in the vehicle width direction, thereby pulling out a fastening member (bolt) (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2011-162158).
Herein, it may be considered that the structure equipped with the extension portion of the sub frame for the secondary collision-energy absorption is combined with the structure disclosed in the above-described patent document, which is applied to a small type of vehicle. However, the small type of vehicle generally has a narrow vehicle width, so that an attachment point of a suspension lower arm constituting part of a vehicle suspension to the sub frame is located at an inward position in the vehicle width direction. Accordingly, it may be necessary to configure such that the above-described extension portion of the sub frame circumvents the suspension lower arm.
However, this may cause a problem in that the direction of a collision load occurring in the vehicle head-on collision which is transmitted from the extension portion to the sub-frame body portion slants so greatly inward relative to the vehicle longitudinal direction that a sufficiently-large load enough to bend the portion near the rear end of the sub frame in the vehicle width direction for proper detaching of the sub frame's rear end from the vehicle body could not be transmitted by way of the extension portion.
Moreover, in a case of the small type of vehicle having the narrow vehicle width, a light weight of the vehicle may be especially required by reducing the number of parts reduction or the like. Consequently, a space of the above-described fastening portion of the sub frame may be so limited that the above-described weak portion extending in the vehicle width direction could not be provided properly in some case.


Described herein are methods of identifying compounds which modulate the activity of the cytoskeletal system. The methods are rapid, convenient and sensitive. Preferably, the method is used to identify lead compounds that can be used as therapeutics, diagnostics and agricultural agents. Generally, test compounds are added to two cytoskeletal components which bind to one another, to determine whether the binding is affected by the test compound. Wherein the binding is affected, a compound which modulates the cytoskeletal system is identified.

The cytoskeleton constitutes a large family of proteins that are involved in many critical processes of biology, such as chromosome and cell division, cell motility and intracellular transport. Vale and Kreis (1993) Guidebook to the Cytoskeletal and Motor Proteins New York: Oxford University Press; Alberts et al. (1994) Molecular Biology of the Cell, 788-858). Cytoskeletal proteins are found in all cells and are involved in the pathogenesis of a large range of clinical diseases. The cytoskeleton includes a collection of polymer proteins, microtubules, actin, intermediate filaments, and septins, as well as a wide variety of proteins that bind to these polymers (polymer-interacting proteins). Some of the polymer-interacting proteins are molecular motors (myosins, kinesins, dyneins) (Goldstein (1993) Ann. Rev. Genetics 27: 319-351; Mooseker and Cheney (1995) Ann. Rev. Cell Biol. 111: 633-675) that are essential for transporting material within cells (e.g., chromosomal movement during metaphase), for muscle contraction, and for cell migration. Other groups of proteins (e.g., vinculin, talin and alpha-actinin) link different filaments, connect the cytoskeleton to the plasma membrane, control the assembly and disassembly of the cytoskeletal polymers, and moderate the organization of the polymers within cells.
Given the central role of the cytoskeleton in cell division, cell migration, inflammation, and fungal/parasitic life cycles, it is a fertile system for drug discovery. Although much is known about the molecular and structural properties of cytoskeletal components, relatively little is known about how to efficiently manipulate cytoskeletal structure and function. Such manipulation requires the discovery and development of specific compounds that can predictably and safely alter cytoskeletal structure and function. However, at present, drug targets in the cytoskeleton have been relatively untapped. Previous studies have been directed towards drugs that interact with the cytoskeletal polymers themselves (e.g., taxol and vincristine), and towards motility assays. Turner et al. (1996) Anal. Biochem. 242 (1): 20-5; Gittes et al. (1996) Biophys. J. 70 (1): 418-29; Shirakawa et al. (1995) J. Exp. Biol. 198: 1809-15; Winkelmann et al. (1995) Biophys. J. 68: 2444-53; Winkelmann et al. (1995) Biophys. J. 68: 72S. In general, the studies on polymerization and motility were preliminary research studies performed in an effort to define the existing mechanisms of these actions. Although the cytoskeletal system has been characterized to some extent, studies have not focused on the binding interactions of the polymers such as microtubules and actin with various polymer binding proteins such as molecular motors with a specific goal of identifying and characterizing modulators of such interactions that could have biopharmaceutical and bioagricultural relevance. In particular, there is still a need in the art to identify compounds which can be used to manipulate the cytoskeletal system, particularly in regards to modifying the binding characteristics of the cytoskeletal components to one another. In particular, there is a need in the art to identify compounds that modulate the cytoskeletal binding interactions which can be used as therapeutics and/or diagnostics, as well as compounds which can be used in the bioagriculture field (e.g. as pesticides). It is noted that virtually no effort has been directed to finding agents (e.g. drugs) that target cytoskeletal proteins that bind to the different filaments and which are expected to provide targets of greater specificity and thereby provide fewer unwanted side effects when targeted with various modulators.
The invention herein provides convenient and rapid methods for identifying compounds not previously known to modulate cytoskeletal function. In particular, this invention provides assay methods that include methods for measuring binding interactions between cytoskeletal polymers and cytoskeletal polymer-binding proteins that can be applied to high-throughput screening to identify small molecules that modify this interaction. The methods described herein include methods that provide high sensitivity and can be used in complex mixtures, including, but not limited to crude cell extracts.

Assays for detecting modulators of cytoskeletal function

The Board of Trustees of The Leland Stanford Junior University


Apparatus for draining waste matter from a container includes a bucket-like vessel with an opening in the bottom, and a glove secured to the bottom opening. The glove fits over an upwardly extending lip which extends about the circumference of the bottom opening. The glove may be secured to the lip by a hose clamp and the like, so that a tight seal is established. The clamp also allows replacement of the glove as needed.

A problem which arises in draining containers, such as plumbing drain traps, oil pans and the like, is the spillage of fluids contained within the containers when they are drained. For example, when a bath tub is unable to drain due to a blockage in the trap in the drainage piping, waste matter in the trap typically splashes onto the plumber or other user and the surrounding fixtures or floor during removal of the trap drain plug and drainage of the trap, thus requiring clean-up.
An additional problem is that frequently the container plugs contain bolts, washers or other things which may become lost if allowed to fall to the ground or floor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,776 to Kovach discloses a flexible fluid drainage bag which is configured to be secured to the bottom surface of a crank case of an automobile by magnets. The device includes a glove-like pouch to permit manual grasping for removal and replacement of the crank case drain plug. However, the device is not easy to control during use because the bag is flexible. Moreover, if the magnets fell off of the oil pan during use, the contents of the bag could spill. Also, the device would be difficult to use for plumbing drain traps and the like, where there may not be sufficient metal surface for attachment of magnets.
For all of these reasons, there is a need for an apparatus which is easy and convenient to use in a variety of applications such as for draining plumbing traps, oil pans and the like, and which prevents spillage when draining.
Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for draining containers and the like.
Another object is to provide a device which catches and contains waste matter released from a container or the like when a drain plug is removed and the container is drained. A related object is to prevent splashing of the waste matter onto the surrounding environment or user of the device during the draining process.
A further object of the invention is to provide a container draining device which can be used in a wide variety of applications in plumbing, vehicle maintenance and the like, and is easy and convenient to use.
Still another object is to provide a container draining device in which parts such as a leakproof glove or hose clamp can be removed and replaced easily.

Apparatus for draining containers and the like


A semiconductor device comprises a substrate having a stepped upper major surface, an emitter layer of a semiconductor material provided on the stepped upper major surface of the substrate and having a corresponding stepped upper major surface, a base layer provided on stepped upper major surface of the emitter layer and comprising a plurality of channels of carriers and a plurality of control regions for controlling the passage of carriers through the control regions, and a collector layer of a semiconductor material provided on the base layer for collecting the carriers that have passed through the channels. Each channel extends from the emitter layer to the collector layer, and at least one channel and one control region are provided adjacent with each other in correspondence to each step of the upper major surface of the emitter layer.

The present invention generally relates to semiconductor devices, and in particular to an improvement of high-frequency power semiconductor devices such as permeable base transistors or static induction transistors having a vertical channel of carriers, but not limited to these.
Permeable base transistors or static induction transistors are promising semiconductor devices that are capable of operating at high frequencies with a large output power. On the other hand, these devices have various fabrication problems because of the peculiar device structure.
FIG. 1 shows the essential part of a permeable base transistor disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,629.
Referring to FIG. 1, the transistor comprises an n.sup.+ -type GaAs substrate 11 on which an n-type GaAs layer 12a is grown. The GaAs layer 12a is made unconductive by the ion implantation of protons except for a part 13 that is used for the emitter of the permeable base transistor. Thereby, the rest of the GaAs layer 12a acts as the device isolation region.
On the GaAs layer 12a, a tungsten base layer is deposited with the thickness of less than about 2000 .ANG., and the tungsten layer is patterned by a photolithographic process to form a base structure 14 wherein a number of fingers 14a are formed to extend parallel with each other along the top surface of the emitter region 13. Further, another n-type GaAs layer 12b is deposited on the GaAs layer 12a to bury the base structure 14, and a groove 12c is formed in the GaAs layer 12b to expose a part of the tungsten base structure 14.
The GaAs layer 12b is rendered unconductive by the ion implantation of protons except for a collector region 15 that is located in the layer 12b to oppose the emitter region 13 across the base structure 14, and a base electrode 17 and a collector electrode 18 are provided respectively in contact with the base structure 14 and the collector region 15. It should be noted that the base electrode 17 is provided along the sloped surface of the groove 12c to contact with the base structure 14 exposed at the bottom part thereof. Further, an emitter electrode 16 is provided on the bottom surface of the substrate 11.
Typically, the base structure 14 has a thickness of less than 1000 .ANG. as already described, and the fingers 14a are separated from each other by 0.32 .mu.m for example. The electrons are transported vertically from the emitter region 13 to the collector region 15, passing through a channel region 20 formed between adjacent fingers 14a of the base structure. Thereby, the electrons experience the electric field that is formed by the base structure 14 in response to a base voltage applied thereto.
As the thickness of the base structure 14 in the vertical direction can be easily reduced to less than 2000 .ANG. at the time of deposition of the tungsten layer, the transistor of FIG. 1 has an excellent high frequency characteristic. Further, the device is characterized by the large number of channels that is formed between the fingers 14a of the base structure 14. Thereby, a large output power can be obtained while maintaining the small lateral size of the base structure 14. About the permeable base transistor, reference should be made to IEEE MTT-S Digest, 1988, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The static induction transistor has a structure substantially identical with that of FIG. 1 except that the base structure 14 is formed of an p-type semiconductor material, and the emitter region 13, the collector region 15 and the channel region 20 are all formed from an undoped or lightly-doped n-type semiconductor material. About the static induction transistor, reference should be made to Nishizawa et al. (Nishizawa, J. I., et al., IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, vol.ED-22, No.4, p.185, 1975), which is incorporated herein by reference.
In the foregoing permeable base transistors or static induction transistors, there exists a problem in that the fabrication of the device is difficult because of the complex device structure, particularly the base structure 14, and associated therewith, there is another problem in that impurities tend to be incorporated in the critical part of the device during fabrication. It should be noted that the base structure 14 has to be embedded between the GaAs layer 12a and the GaAs layer 12b, after depositing and patterning the tungsten layer on the GaAs layer 12a. This means that the device has to be removed from the deposition apparatus to the atmospheric environment for photolithographic patterning. Thereby, contamination of the surface of the layer 12a by atmospheric impurities such as carbon or oxygen is inevitable and such impurities cannot be removed perfectly even after a meticulous cleaning process.
FIG. 2 shows such impurities 19 in the case of the device wherein the base structure 14 is formed directly on the top surface of the GaAs layer 13, and FIG. 3 shows the impurities 19 in the device wherein the base structure 14 is formed in a groove 13a formed on the top surface of the GaAs layer 13. In these examples, the impurities 19 exist in the channels 20 of the electrons, and because of this, the passage of the electrons through the channels 20 is inevitably affected by the impurities. These impurities may for example form the deep impurity levels in the channels 20 that in turn cause the modification of the band structure such as the formation of depletion regions within the channels 20. Further, the impurities may cause the scattering of the carriers passing through the channels 20.

Method for fabricating a semiconductor device having a vertical channel of carriers


Provided are an air cell that has a reduced environmental impact and has favorable discharge characteristics as well as a patch equipped with the air cell. An air cell of the present invention includes, an outer case, which contains a positive electrode having a catalyst layer containing a catalyst and a binder, a negative electrode containing a metal material, a separator, and an electrolytic solution. The electrolytic solution is an aqueous solution with a pH of 3 or more and less than 12. The separator has an air permeability of 10 sec/100 ml or more, or the positive electrode has a porous sheet made of carbon as a current collector. A patch of the present invention includes the air cell of the present invention as a power supply.

The application of air cells has recently been needed in increasing number of fields, the air cells having a positive electrode formed of an air electrode in which manganese oxide, carbon, or the like is used as a catalyst, and having a negative electrode in which a metal material, such as zinc-based particles including zinc particles, zinc alloy particles, and the like, is used as an active material, and accordingly, there is demand for various improvements to the air cells.
One such required improvement to air cells is to reduce their environmental impact. Although application of air cells to power supplies of various types of sensors for use with the body, such as a body temperature patch, golf head velocity sensors, and the like has recently been attempted, in such uses, replacement of air cells that have been completely discharged is usually performed by ordinary users themselves, and therefore, it is assumed that used air cells are also disposed of by ordinary users. For this reason, for example, air cells that are mainly applied to such uses are required to have a reduced environmental impact so that the air cells can be disposed of safely and with no significant influence on the environment without going through a special process or the like.
In current air cells, aqueous solutions of hydroxides of alkali metals, such as an aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide, which is strongly alkaline, for example, are widely used as electrolytic solutions (Patent Document 1 etc.). On the other hand, depending on the type of the metal material that is used for the negative electrode, there are cases where an aqueous solution with a lower pH (an aqueous solution of sodium chloride, etc.) is used as the electrolytic solution of an air cell (Patent Document 2 etc.), and it is also conceivable to reduce the environmental impact of an air cell through such approaches.


A three-dimensional cavity surface emitting laser structure and a fabrication method thereof which are capable of effectively controlling the characteristic of the transverse mode by applying independent electrical field to a side wall of an active region and concentrating a current flow along, inside of the active region. The structure includes a protrusion portion of a bottom mirror region formed on a substrate, an insulation film formed in a sidewall of a laser post having an active region extended from the protrusion and a top mirror region, and a sidewall metal mirror layer electrically separated from n-type and p-type electrodes for independently applying an electric field.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a three-dimensional cavity surface emitting laser structure and a fabrication method thereof, and in particular, to an improved three-dimensional cavity surface emitting laser structure and a fabrication method thereof which are capable of enhancing a current injection efficiency and controlling a transverse mode by electrical fields applied on a metal mirror layer formed in a sidewall of a cavity and a current injection electrode and by adjusting a current injection path.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
In the conventional three-dimensional cavity laser device, since a metal mirror layer formed in a sidewall of a laser post contacts with a current injection electrode, it is impossible to independently generate electrical fields on a sidewall of a cavity. In addition, the sidewall metal mirror layer covers a part of the top mirror region. However, the sidewall metal mirror layer is not formed on a sidewall of an active region due to an electrical isolation problem. Therefore, it is impossible to provide a function of a sidewall reflector on the active region in which an optical resonance is most active.

Three-dimensional cavity surface emitting laser structure and fabrication method thereof

Electronics And Telecommunications Research Institute


A test signal is generated and supplied to a signal processing circuit for making frequency conversion. A signal outputted from the signal processing circuit is detected to generate a detected signal including a detected positive signal corresponding to the positive signal of the test signal and a detected negative signal corresponding to the negative signal. And the level of the detected positive signal and the level of the detected negative signal are compared to output the comparison result indicating which level is higher. Further, an offset correction signal for making a level difference between the detected positive signal and the detected negative signal within a preset permissible range is generated, based on the comparison result, and offset correction of the test signal or modulated signal supplied from the outside is made in accordance with the offset correction signal.

In a transmitter provided for a communication system or communication terminal, a base-band signal including user data is converted into a radio frequency signal by a signal processing device having a mixer and a power amplifier, and transmitted after amplifying the signal power, as needed.
Herein, if a DC (Direct Current) shift component exists in the base-band signal inputted into the mixer, the mixer outputs a radio frequency (RF: Radio Frequency) signal including a carrier leak caused by the DC shift component.
When the carrier leak occurs, the signal waveform of the radio frequency signal outputted from the mixer is deviated from the ideal waveform, deteriorating the EVM (Error Vector Magnitude: Modulation Accuracy) of the radio frequency signal.
Therefore, a spectrum analyzer was conventionally employed to monitor the frequency spectrum of the radio frequency signal and detect whether or not the carrier leak was contained in the radio frequency signal. And when the carrier leak was detected, an offset adjustment was made to minimize the DC shift component in a base-band circuit for generating the base-band signal, for example.
The relationship between the DC shift component of the base-band signal and the carrier leak contained in the radio frequency signal to be transmitted will be described below in detail.
The mixer mixes the inputted base-band signal and a local signal of predetermined frequency generated by a local signal generator to convert the base-band signal into the radio frequency signal. The radio frequency signal that is frequency converted by the mixer is amplified by a power 15 amplifier, and transmitted from an aerial wire (antenna device). Then, an ideal transmitting signal Pout without DC shift component can be represented in the following expression (1).Pout=A(t)·sin(ωt)  (1)where A(t) denotes the base-band signal, and sin(ωt) denotes the local signal. A frequency spectrum of this transmitting signal Pout is shown in FIG. 1. The transverse axis of FIG. 1 represents the frequency and the longitudinal axis represents the power of signal component SGNL at each frequency.
Herein, it is supposed that the base-band signal inputted into the mixer is an I/Q (In-phase/Quadrature-phase) signal. If this I/Q signal contains a DC shift component B, the transmitting signal Pout is translated into the following expression (2).Pout=A(t)·sin(ωt)+B sin(ωt)  (2)
As will be apparent from the expression (2), the carrier leak B sin(ωt) caused by DC shift component B appears in the transmitting signal Pout.
FIG. 2 shows an example of the frequency spectrum of the transmitting signal Pout containing the carrier leak caused by the DC shift component B.
The transverse axis of FIG. 2 represents the frequency and the longitudinal axis represents the power of signal component SGNL at each frequency.
The transmitting signal Pout contains the carrier leak CRLK caused by the DC shift component B, which is superimposed on the normal signal component SGNL, as shown in FIG. 2. It is well known that such carrier leaks caused by the DC shift component deteriorates the EVM of the radio frequency signal used in the communication system and degrades the communication quality, as described above.
It is well known that the carrier leak is similarly caused by the DC shift component in the circuits such as a power amplifier, a phase converter and a frequency selector, for example, other than the mixer provided for the signal processing device, whereby the carrier leak caused by the DC shift component in the circuits other than the mixer also degrades the communication quality. Thus, it is necessary to make the DC shift component ideally zero to suppress a degradation in the communication quality in the communication system.
In the conventional communication system as described above, this carrier leak was detected using the spectrum analyzer, and the offset adjustment was made by the base-band circuit to minimize the carrier leak, suppressing the carrier leak.
A negative feedback amplifier of the Cartesian loop type that operates stably by adjusting the DC shift component inputted into a quadrature modulator to reduce a degradation in the communication quality was proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-136048.
By the way, when the carrier leak is not measured using the spectrum analyzer, it is instead necessary to have a detection circuit for detecting the power of the DC shift component contained in the transmitting signal. Generally, a well-known wave detector circuit is used for this type of detection circuit. However, there is a problem that the wave detector circuit can only correctly detect a signal having a certain power or more due to fluctuating circuit parameters.
FIG. 3 shows the input/output characteristics of the typical wave detector circuit. The transverse axis of FIG. 3 represents the input power of the wave detector circuit and the longitudinal axis represents the output power of the wave detector circuit.
The typical wave detector circuit has output power that does not change until the input signal reaches a predetermined power P1, and outputs a signal whose power depends on the input signal provided that the input signal exceeds power P1, as shown in FIG. 3.
The DC shift component is usually smaller than the power of the base-band signal, and often has a smaller value than the predetermined power P1 as shown in FIG. 3. Therefore, to directly detect the DC shift component with the wave detector circuit having an input/output characteristic as shown in FIG. 3, it is necessary to amplify a signal to detect the object with a high gain amplifier and supply it to the wave detector circuit. In particular, when the power of the radio frequency signal is detected, a power amplifier for a high frequency signal is required, resulting in a problem that the configuration of the detection circuit becomes complex. Also, if the detection circuit is provided with the high gain power amplifier for a high frequency signal, there is a problem that the circuit scale will become larger, and the power consumption will increase.


Provided are a method and device for operating an internal combustion engine having exhaust-gas recirculation, the method and device allowing a diagnosis of an exhaust-gas recirculation cooler during normal operation of the internal combustion engine. In this context, a variable characteristic of the functioning of the exhaust-gas recirculation cooler is monitored. The variable characteristic of the functioning of the cooling device is ascertained as a function of a measured value. The variable characteristic of the functioning of the exhaust-gas recirculation cooler is specified on the basis of an intact exhaust-gas recirculation cooler. The ascertained value of the variable characteristic of the functioning of the exhaust-gas recirculation cooler is compared to the predefined value. An error is detected when the ascertained value of the variable characteristic of the function of cooling device deviates from the specified value.

Methods and devices for operating an internal combustion engine having exhaust-gas recirculation are well-known. In this context, it is also known that a cooling device can be provided in an exhaust-gas recirculation line for cooling the recirculated exhaust gas. Since the cooling device in the exhaust-gas recirculation line has an effect on the exhaust-gas emissions of the internal combustion engine, the legislature requires, in the case in which the internal combustion engine drives a vehicle, that the cooling function of the cooling device be monitored within the scope of an on-board diagnosis. Above all, the monitoring is necessary in order that the American OBDII limit values for exhaust-gas emissions can be satisfied.
German Patent No. 100 03 060 describes a monitoring function, which evaluates the dynamic response of temperature sensors in the time and frequency ranges on the basis of control actions of an exhaust-gas recirculation valve. In this context, it is problematic that extreme control actions of the exhaust-gas recirculation valve can lead to undesired torque changes and additional pollution from emissions. Since the inertia of the temperature sensors causes the action to last relatively long, during this time complex coordination is necessary between other operating modes, such as NOx-catalyst regeneration, etc., which also act on the exhaust-gas recirculation valve.

Method and device for operating an internal combustion engine having exhaust-gas recirculation


Speech translation apparatus includes first generation unit generating first text representing speech recognition result, and first prosody information, second generation unit generating first para-language information, first association unit associating each first portion of first text with corresponding first portion of first para-language information, translation unit translating first text into second texts, second association unit associating each second portion of first para-language information with corresponding second portion of each second text, third generation unit generating second prosody-information items, fourth generation unit generating second para-language-information items, computation unit computing degree-of-similarity between each first para-language information and corresponding one of second para-language-information items to obtain degrees of similarity, selection unit selecting, from second prosody-information items, maximum-degree-of-similarity prosody information corresponding to maximum degree, fifth generation unit generating prosody pattern of one of second texts which corresponds to maximum-degree-of-similarity prosody information, and output unit outputting one of second texts which corresponds to maximum-degree-of-similarity prosody information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a speech translation apparatus for receiving a spoken original language and outputting a spoken target language equivalent in meaning to the original language, and a speech translation method and program for use in the apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, research into elemental technologies such as speech recognition, machine translation and speech synthesis has progressed, and speech translation systems are now being put into practical use, which combine the technologies to output a spoken target language when receiving a certain spoken original language.
In most speech translation systems, an original-language text acquired by recognizing input speech in an original language by speech recognition is converted into a target-language text equivalent thereto in meaning, and speech in the target language is output utilizing speech synthesis.
In the above speech recognition, a text as a recognition result is generated mainly using the feature of phonemes contained in input speech. However, speech also contains prosody information, such as accents and intonations, which not only imparts constraints on language information concerning accents and/or structure, but also expresses information (para-language or phatic-language information) other than language, such as the feeling or intent of speakers. The para-language information enables enriched communications between speakers, although it does not appear in the text as the recognition result.
To realize more natural communication via speech translation systems, a scheme has been proposed in which para-language information expressed by prosody is reflected in output speech as a translation result. For instance, a scheme has been proposed in which a machine translation unit and speech synthesis unit require, when necessary, a speech recognition unit to supply prosody information (see, for example, JP-2001-117922 (KOKAI)).
Suppose here that English speech, "Taro stopped smoking <emph>surely</emph>" (the portion between the tags <emph>and </emph> is emphasized), is input to, for example, an English/Japanese speech translation system, with "surely" emphasized, pronounced with a greater volume or more slowly. In this case, the above-mentioned existing schemes enable the English/Japanese speech translation system to output a Japanese translation result, i.e., </emph>," with a Japanese word group,  corresponding to "surely," emphasized, pronounced, for example, with a greater volume.
However, when a conventional speech synthesis scheme is used, natural and appropriate emphasis of a to-be-emphasized portion cannot always be realized. For instance, in a synthesis target Japanese sentence  the Japanese word  (pronounced in 'pittari')" has an accent core "pi," and hence it is natural to speak the word with a higher pitch. Thus, since in natural speech, the word  is spoken with a higher pitch, even if the next Japanese word  is spoken with a higher pitch to emphasize it, this word will not be so conspicuous. In contrast, if the volume or pitch of the word  is greatly changed to emphasize it, natural speech cannot be realized.
Namely, the prosody of sentences are produced based on both accents and intonations, and the to-be-produced prosody pattern of an emphasized portion is modified by the prosody pattern of the words around an emphasized word.
Further, in JP-2001-117922 (KOKAI) mentioned above, to make prosody information on an original language correspond to prosody information on a target language, examples of translation rules recited along with prosody information are disclosed. As described above, to always produce a translation that enables the speech synthesis unit to produce appropriate and natural prosody, it is necessary to consider the influence of information indicating, for example, the ambient words or syntax structure. However, it is difficult to write translation rules covering all these things. Further, writers of translation rules must be familiar to the prosody production patterns employed in the speech analysis unit.
In summary, the above-described conventional schemes have the following problems:
1. There are texts which it is difficult even for known prosody producing schemes considering to-be-emphasized portions to translate so that only to-be-emphasized portions are emphasized appropriately and naturally.
2. In machine translation, it is difficult to establish translation rules for outputting translation results that enable natural prosody to be produced by a later prosody producing process.
3. In machine translation, if a target-language text as a translation result is converted into emphasized syntax, using para-language information concerning the original language, which is an emphasized portion can be informed. In this method, however, the equivalence in meaning between the original language and target language may well be degraded. Accordingly, it is natural that emphasis information contained in the prosody of input speech is expressed as the prosody of a target-language speech.

Speech translation apparatus, method and computer readable medium for receiving a spoken language and translating to an equivalent target language


A point-of-sale order system utilizes a relatively non-obtrusive transmitter-receiver device which includes a microphone for receiving order information and a speaker for receiving confirmation of the order information. The system utilizes voice recognition software in order to control processing and data flow during order taking operations, and to receive order information from the server in real time during interaction with the customer. A relatively limited database of recognizable words define computing commands and order information. An audible feedback is provided to the server which is relatively unobtrusive, and which provides the server with a positive indication that the order information has been fully and correctly received and processed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to point-of-sale order systems, and in particular to point-of-sale order systems which find particular utility in restaurant or other food service applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
All service businesses, including but not limited to the food service and restaurant industry, have made significant technological advancements in the last five years. The industry in general recognizes that throughput equates directly to profitability. Many service businesses, including restaurants, entice customers with guarantees of prompt service. Any delays in taking and filling the customer order results in a degradation of service and a loss of business. Most service businesses, including restaurant or other food service businesses, have migrated from a cash register system to a computer-implemented register and order system. In order to minimize the "bottleneck" associated with computer implemented register order systems, many restaurants have begun utilizing handheld devices which include keypads or touch screens which allow the waiters or waitresses to directly enter order information during interaction with the customer. One significant disadvantage of these systems is that the server is frequently distracted during the customer dialog and focuses more on the entry of information into the device than with customer contact. All together, this results in a less than satisfactory experience for the customer. Eye contact and customer interaction is necessary in order to generate customer loyalty and ensure repeat business. The present invention is directed to a relatively non-obtrusive point-of-sale order system which maximizes customer contact, while allowing the servers to place the orders during customer interaction, and thus avoid the bottlenecks and associated delays of the prior art systems.

Point-of-sale customer order system utilizing an unobtrusive transmitter/receiver and voice recognition software


This invention relates to powder metallurgy, more specifically, to composite material production methods, and can be used for the production of copper base binders for diamond tools used in the construction industry and stone working. The copper binder comprises the following components (wt. %): Copper (30-60), iron (20-35), cobalt (10-15), tin (0-10.5), tungsten carbide (0-20) and an alloying addition. According to the first variant the alloying addition is a nanopowder having a specific surface area 6-25 m2/g, which is present in an amount of 1-15% wt. According to the second variant the alloying addition is a nanopowder having a specific surface area of 75-150 m2/g, which is present in an amount of 0.01-5% wt. The binder possesses a high wear resistance without the essential increase in the required sintering temperature, as well as high hardness, strength and impact toughness.

Known is a diamond tool binder (RU 2286241 C2, publ. Jul. 7, 2006) comprising a metal selected from the group of iron of the Periodic Table of the Elements, titanium carbide and a metal/metalloid compound. Said binder further comprises zirconium carbide to increase binder strength and diamond grain binding.
Disadvantages of said known binder are the use of expensive and noxious cobalt, a reduced cutting speed for highly reinforced concrete and a shorter tool life.
The prototype of the invention disclosed herein is a diamond tool binder (RU 2172238 C2, publ. 2001.08.20, cl. B24D 3/06) comprising a copper base and tin, nickel, aluminum and ultrafine-grained diamond additives.
Disadvantages of said material are insufficient wear resistance, hardness, strength and impact toughness.
The object of this invention is to provide diamond tool binders having a higher wear resistance without an essential increase in the required sintering temperature, as well as higher hardness, strength and impact toughness.

Copper based binder for the fabrication of diamond tools

Federal State Budgetary Institution <Federal Agency for Legal Protection of Military, Special and Dual Use Intellectual Activity Results>

National University of Science and Technology “MISIS”


An article of fishing tackle comprising an open compartment, preferably in the form of a cone having an aperture through which a fishing line can pass and being adapted to be mounted on a fishing line above a hook, the density of the article being little different from water so that during casting and retrieval it moves to a position adjacent the hook to protect the bait on the hook and the hook but when the hook is in the water it moves away from the hook to enable fish to strike the hook.

This invention relates to fishing tackle and in particular to improvements in fishing tackle which can aid a fisherman when casting and can also be valuable in avoiding snagging of lines.
When casting, and particularly casting long distances either manually or by the use of a compressed air casting device, fisherman often have problems in ensuring that the bait remains on the hook, and this is particularly the case where bait which is inherently soft is used.
For this reason it may often be necessary to use a firm bait and, on occasions to tie the bait to the hook even though the particular form of bait may not be the most satisfactory for the purpose concerned and, where the bait is tied onto the hook, where the finished appearance of the bait is definitely unnatural.
Fishermen also have difficulties, particularly when fishing in areas where there are obstructions, such as a build up of seaweed in ocean fishing or snags or the like in river or lake fishing as, when they attempt to recover their lines, the hooks and/or the sinker can often be caught by the obstruction and on occasions the only way to recover the line is to deliberately effect the breakage of a trace or the line above the trace, where a particularly strong trace is being used, and thus recover the line without the hooks and/or sinkers attached thereto.
It is the object of the present invention to provide an article of fishing tackle which minimizes both of these problems.


A method may include thermally joining at least one of a non-round functional component to a shaft and a cam to a camshaft, elastically compressing the functional component during introduction of a round through-opening, and creating a through-opening which is not round when the functional component is unstressed and at least minimizes an asymmetrical deformation of the shaft after the thermal joining of the functional component to the shaft.

During joining of non-round, asymmetrical functional components, in particular during thermal joining of cams (pump cams or valve actuation cams) to camshafts, deformation of the tube, that is, the shaft can occur in the region of the functional components, that is, in the region of the cams, owing to the transverse press fit and the associated overlap between the cam bore and the camshaft tube diameter. In the case of bearing points which are arranged adjacently to the functional components, this can result in deviations from the round shape, which lie outside specifications for good bearing. In such cases, the bearing points may have to be subsequently ground after the functional components have been joined, which however represents an additional manufacturing step, since the shaft has already been ground previously. The additional manufacturing step is not only complex and time-intensive, but also expensive.

Method for thermally joining non-round functional components to a shaft


An accelerator pedal device is fixed through a housing to a car body. By pedaling on an accelerator pedal arm supported pivotally by the housing, the accelerator pedal arm and a interlocking member rotationally move integrally, and by a torsion spring provided between an accelerator pedal arm and a interlocking member, press force is applied to a detection part provided in the housing. The press force is output as an electric signal from the detection part through a controller to a drive part, whereby opening of a throttle valve is controlled.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cable-less accelerator pedal device adaptable to a vehicle, and more particularly to an accelerator pedal device including a detecting unit detecting a pedaling amount of an accelerator pedal.
2. Description of the Background Art
In a vehicle such as an automobile, conventionally, in place of an accelerator pedal device using an accelerator cable that connects a throttle valve for controlling the volume of intake air inspired in an internal combustion engine and an accelerator cable, a cable-less accelerator pedal device has been adopted, which electrically detects the pedaling amount of the accelerator pedal and controls an opening amount of the throttle valve.
In this accelerator pedal device, a rotation angle sensor is provided on a rotation shaft that functions as a supporting point of the rotational operation of the accelerator pedal, the pedaling amount of the accelerator pedal detected by the rotation angle sensor is converted into an electric signal, thereafter the electric signal is transmitted through a control part to a drive source, and the drive source controls an opening amount of the throttle valve whereby the volume of the intake air inspired in the internal combustion engine is controlled.
In this case, in such the accelerator pedal device, a return spring member for returning the accelerator pedal to a full closing position thereof is provided. When a driver lowers pedaling force onto the accelerator pedal, the accelerator pedal is returned by elastic force of the return spring member to the full closing position that is an initial position of the accelerator pedal (refer to, for example, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication JP-A-11-343882).
On the other hand, in the accelerator pedal device that controls the opening amount of the throttle valve by the conventional accelerator cable, when the driver depresses on the accelerator pedal against the elastic force of a return spring provided on the throttle valve, reaction force is produced, and sliding resistance by the accelerator cable is generated when the driver treads on-and-off the accelerator pedal. In the cable-less accelerator pedal device, the return spring member is provided in place of the return spring provided on the throttle valve, whereby the reaction force when the driver treads on the accelerator pedal is produced. However, the sliding resistance by the accelerator cable is not generated when the driver tread the accelerator pedal on-and-off.
As a result, when the driver changes a vehicle from a vehicle adopting the conventional accelerator pedal device to a vehicle adopting the cable-less accelerator pedal device, the driver feels differences in operation of the accelerator pedal. Therefore, the cable-less accelerator pedal device adopts a hysteresis generation mechanism that causes intendedly resistant feeling resemblant to the sliding resistance by the accelerator cable (refer to, for example, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication JP-A-2002-283872)
In the JP-A-11-343882, it is necessary to provide the rotation angle sensor for detecting the pedaling amount of the accelerator pedal (that is, the rotation amount thereof) so as to be coaxial with the rotation shaft that supports the accelerator pedal. Therefore, there is a problem that the dimension in the width direction that is nearly orthogonal to an axis of the accelerator pedal in the accelerator pedal device increases, which makes the size of the accelerator pedal device large. Specifically, the width dimension near the rotation shaft in the accelerator pedal device increases.
Further, the rotation angle sensor is provided, for example, between the accelerator pedal that is a rotary part in the accelerator pedal device and a body that is a fixed part. Therefore, there is required adjustment works such as position-matching with the accelerator pedal and the body. Therefore, there is a problem that the attachment work of the rotation angle sensor becomes complicated, which causes the increase of the manufacturing pedals of the accelerator pedal device. Particularly, in case that a Hall element type sensor is adopted as the rotation angle sensor, when a magnetic (for example, permanent magnet) provided for the accelerator pedal is detected by the Hall element, there is a problem that detection accuracy lowers because of position mismatching between the magnetic and the Hall element that is a detection part and unsteadiness in the radial direction that is nearly orthogonal to the rotary direction.
Further, since the rotation angle sensor converts the pedaling amount of the accelerator pedal into the rotation angle (rotation amount), it must have rotation stroke according to the rotation amount of the accelerator pedal. Therefore, there is fear that in the accelerator pedal having large rotation amount, the rotation angle sensor will be made large correspondingly, and the structure of the rotation angle sensor will be complicated.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.