An optical information read/write apparatus according to the present invention includes: a light source 1 that emits a laser beam to access an information storage medium optically; a laser driver 51a for supplying drive current to a semiconductor laser as the light source 1; an RE superimposed current generator 51c for adding RE superimposed current to the drive current; a temperature sensor 35 for detecting a temperature around the light source 1; and a control section for switching the values of the RE superimposed current according to the temperature detected.

Optical disks have become very popular as optical information storage media to read data from, and write data to, by optical techniques. In optical disk technologies, data can be read out from a rotating optical disk by irradiating the disk with a relatively weak light beam with a constant intensity, and detecting the light that has been modulated by, and reflected from, the optical disk.
On a read-only optical disk, information is already stored as pits that are arranged spirally during the manufacturing process of the optical disk. On the other hand, on a rewritable optical disk, a recording material film, from/on which data can be read and written optically, is deposited by an evaporation process, for example, on the surface of a base material on which tracks with spiral lands or grooves are arranged. In writing data on such a rewritable optical disk, data is written there by irradiating the optical disk with a light beam, of which the optical power has been changed according to the data to be written, and locally changing the property of the recording material film.
It should be noted that the depth of the pits, the depth of the tracks, and the thickness of the recording material film are all smaller than the thickness of the optical disk base material. For that reason, those portions of the optical disk, where data is stored, define a two-dimensional plane, which is sometimes called an "information storage plane". However, considering that such an "information storage plane" actually has a physical dimension in the depth direction, too, the term "information storage plane" will be replaced herein by another term "information storage layer". Every optical disk has at least one such information storage layer. Optionally, a single information storage layer may actually include a plurality of layers such as a phase-change material layer and a reflective layer.
To read data that is stored on a recordable optical disk or to write data on such an optical disk, the light beam always needs to maintain a predetermined converging state on a target track on an information storage layer. For that purpose, a "focus control" and a "tracking control" are required. The "focus control" means controlling the position of an objective lens perpendicularly to the information storage layer such that the focus position of the light beam is always located on the information storage layer. On the other hand, the "tracking control" means controlling the position of the objective lens along the radius of a given optical disk such that the light beam spot is always located right on a target track.
Various types of optical disks such as DVD (digital versatile disc)-ROM, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD-R, DVD+RW and DVD+R have become more and more popular these days as storage media on which a huge amount of information can be stored at a high density. Meanwhile, CDs (compact discs) are still popular now. Currently, next-generation optical disks, including Blu-ray disc (BD), which can store an even greater amount of information at a much higher density, are under development, and some of them have already been put on the market. Furthermore, optical disks with a plurality of information storage layers, which are stacked one upon the other to increase the amount of data that can be stored in a single optical disk, have also been developed.
The light beam to irradiate the information storage layer of an optical disk is emitted from a semiconductor laser diode as a light source. If an optical disk is irradiated with a laser beam emitted from a semiconductor laser diode, then part of the laser beam that has been reflected from the optical disk will enter the semiconductor laser diode. Such a returning beam will decrease the stability of laser beam emission from the semiconductor laser diode, thus increasing noise components in the laser beam intensity and preventing the information stored on the optical disk from being read accurately. This is a problem.
As a means for solving such a returning beam problem, a drive method in which RF current with a frequency of 250 MHz to 350 MHz is superimposed on the drive current for the semiconductor laser diode (which is called an "RF current superimposition method") has been adopted. An optical information read/write apparatus that adopts the RF current superimposition method is disclosed in Patent Documents Nos. 1 and 2, for example.                Patent Document No. 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 07-93794 (see Paragraphs #0016 through #0048 and #0063 through #0065 and FIGS. 1 and 5)        Patent Document No. 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 07-320292 (see Paragraphs #0035 through #0064 and #0075 through #0094 and FIG. 1)

Optical disk drive with temperature based control of RF superimposed current


A process and an apparatus for removal of radon from indoor air. The process having the step of contacting indoor air with an adsorbent, that is a silver-exchanged zeolite. The apparatus for the removal of radon from indoor air comprises a silver exchanged zeolite.

Poor indoor air quality in homes and office buildings has been recognized as a primary factor which leads to respiratory problems in people. Radon is a primary contributor and levels above four pico-curies per liter (4 pCi/l) have been statistically shown to increase the risk of cancer in individuals. Current EPA efforts are directed to reducing levels of radon below 4 pCi/l and have set target levels of 0.4 pCi/l which is approximately the level in atmospheric air.
Radon gas, which is a radioactive decay by-product of radium, constantly seeps from subterranean radium deposits and out through the surface of the earth's crust, into the atmosphere surrounding the earth. It has a relatively short half-life, in the order of four days. Thus, the radon gas concentration never reaches significant levels upon escaping into the earth's atmosphere. Without confinement, radon gas does not reach sufficient concentration levels, e.g., above 4 pCi/l to pose a human health hazard. When an enclosed structure, such as a building, e.g. a dwelling, or office building, is located in an area of significant radon effluence, as often exists in various parts of the United States, the radon seeps into the structure through cracks or other openings in parts of the foundation, basement or other parts of the building that are in contact or near contact with the earth. If there is an inadequate exchange of interior and exterior air within the building, significant radon concentrations can develop within a building, which are above current governmental limits, e.g., above 4 pCi/l.
There have been significant developments in methods for the detection of radon in an enclosed building or structure and for removal of radon from such building. Representative patents illustrating systems to purify indoor air to remove these various impurities in buildings such as homes, office buildings, etc. include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,764,187; 4,801,800; 4,849,111; 6,440,196; 6,342,191; 6,338,830; and 6,658,894; all of which are incorporated herein by reference.


CMOS image sensor pixel sensor cells, methods for fabricating the pixel sensor cells and design structures for fabricating the pixel sensor cells are designed to allow for back side illumination in global shutter mode by providing light shielding from back side illumination of at least one transistor within the pixel sensor cells. In a first particular generalized embodiment, a light shielding layer is located and formed interposed between a first semiconductor layer that includes a photoactive region and a second semiconductor layer that includes the at least a second transistor, or a floating diffusion, that is shielded by the light blocking layer. In a second generalized embodiment, a thin film transistor and a metal-insulator-metal capacitor are used in place of a floating diffusion, and located shielded in a dielectric isolated metallization stack over a carrier substrate.

The invention relates generally to pixel sensor cells, methods for fabrication thereof and design structures for fabrication thereof. More particularly, the invention relates to back side illuminated pixel sensor cells intended for use in global shutter mode, with enhanced light shielding.
Solid state sensors are popular optoelectronic components that find use in various technology applications, including in particular imaging technology applications. Particularly common are solid state sensors that are used as active light capture and imaging elements within digital cameras.
Solid state image sensors may be fabricated using any of several semiconductor technologies for the active light capture and imaging elements. Charge coupled devices are known as more traditional solid state image sensor light capture and imaging elements. Complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) devices provide yet another semiconductor based active light capture and imaging element for use within a solid state image sensor. Solid state image sensors predicated upon CMOS semiconductor devices are generally desirable insofar as such CMOS based solid state image sensors may consume less power in comparison with other types of solid state image sensors.
While solid state image sensors in general, and CMOS image sensors more particularly, are desirable within the optoelectronic component fabrication art, solid state image sensors in general; and CMOS image sensors more particularly, are not entirely without problems. In particular, performance enhancements, such as charge transfer performance enhancements, and spurious light immunity enhancements, are often desirable within solid state sensors in general and solid state image sensors more particularly, in order to assure accurate and timely charge transfer and imaging characteristics.
Two interesting types of CMOS sensors which have seen a lot of attention recently are back side illuminated sensors and global shutter sensors. Back side illuminated sensors receive their light from the bottom or back side of the wafer. For this reason, there is no interference to the incoming light from the metallization which is on top of the silicon. This can yield high quantum efficiency and high angular response. Global shutter image sensors can operate in a mode to expose the entire array simultaneously, thereby eliminating image motion artifacts. In global shutter image sensors, the charge collected in the photodiode in each pixel must be stored on a capacitor within the pixel after the exposure and before the readout. This capacitor must be shielded so that incidental light does not add to the stored charge during the readout time. This is accomplished by a light shield which is usually created by a metal layer above the diffusion connected to or comprising the capacitor, and an electron shield comprised of a potential barrier made by ion implanting dopant underneath the diffusion connected to or comprising the capacitor. The back side illuminated imager technology is not often combined with the global shutter imager technology due to the difficulty of creating a light shield which is effective at preventing back side light from adding to the charge stored on the capacitor.
Various solid state sensor structures and designs, and methods for fabrication thereof, are known in the optoelectronic art.
Foe example, Hawkins, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,817, teaches a cost effective method for fabricating a backside image sensor. This particular method may be characterized as a layer transfer method that includes the use of a sacrificial substrate as well as a subsequently affixed carrier substrate.
In addition, Speckbacher et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,852,322, teaches another image sensor and method for fabricating the image sensor. This particular image sensor includes backside electrode contacts within the image sensor.
Further, Malinovich et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,965, teaches an economically manufacturable backside illuminated image sensor. This particular backside illuminated image sensor uses a glass layer lamination method.
Still further, Aebi et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,285,018, teaches a pixel sensor cell that allows for low light operation. This particular pixel sensor cell uses a photocathode generated electron bombardment of an active pixel sensor.
Still further, Savoye, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,489,992, teaches a charge coupled device image sensor having a large field of view. This particular image sensor uses a short focal length lens.
Finally, Costello et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 7,005,637, teaches an electron bombardment image sensor with enhanced performance. This particular electron bombardment image sensor uses a selective area backside thinning.
Solid state sensors, including charge coupled device (CCD) image sensors and further including in particular complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors, are likely to be of continued interest and continued importance as solid state sensor technology advances. Thus, desirable are solid state sensors, methods for fabrication thereof and design structures for fabrication thereof, as well as related component sub-structures, that provide for improved performance, including image discrimination.

Pixel sensor cell including light shield


The functions of a mainframe environment are expanded by leveraging the functions of an open environment. A second storage of an open system externally connected to a first storage of a mainframe system comprises a second main volume of an open environment generated in association with a main logical device of the second storage, and a second sub volume of an open environment generated in association with a sub logical device of the second storage; the first storage comprises a first main volume of a mainframe environment generated in association with the main logical device of the second storage, and a first sub volume of a mainframe environment generated in association with the sub logical device of the second storage; when the first storage receives a data processing request from a host, the first storage reflects the processing request in the second storage and completes the processing; and when the first storage receives an execution request of a prescribed function, the first storage causes the second storage to execute the function.

Conventionally, there is the technology described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (Translation of PCT Application) No. 2014-507693 (PTL 1) regarding the data processing of a storage system. This Publication provides the following description: "A storage system includes a memory area, a cache memory area, and a processor. The memory area stores temporal relation information indicating a temporal relationship of a data element, which is stored in the cache memory area and is to be written in a logical area, and time of snapshot acquisition performed to a main volume. The processor determines whether the data element of the cache memory area is a snapshot constituent element based on the temporal relation information regarding the data element of the cache memory area to be written in the logical area of a write destination pursuant to a write request designating the main volume. When the processor obtains a positive determination result, the processor saves the data element in a sub volume for retaining a snapshot image having the snapshot constituent element as its constituent element, and thereafter stores the data element to be written in the cache memory area."

Storage system and data processing method


A video wall, having screens, cables, synchronization detection modules and a central control unit. The cables are operative to carry image data to be displayed on the screens. The synchronization detection modules are coupled between the screens and the cables for detection of a feature symbol. The central control unit collects detection results from the synchronization detection modules, and the detection results are utilized in the adjustment of the image data before cable transmission. In this manner, image display synchronization between the screens is achieved. The synchronization detection modules may be implemented as connectors, each having a first end connected to a screen and a second end connected to a cable.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video wall, and in particular, relates to image display synchronization between different screens of a video wall.
2. Description of the Related Art
A video wall typically consists of multiple screens. The screens may have different specifications, e.g., various resolutions or different sizes, or different image sources and so on. For synchronization between the screens, the difference between the cables (e.g., the different cable lengths or the cable diameters and so on) conveying image data to the screens should be considered. It is important to operate the different screens synchronously for smooth image display on a video wall.


Herbicidally active 4-nitro-substituted N-(tetrazol-5-yl)-, N-(triazol-5-yl)- and N-(1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)arylcarboxamides

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the technical field of herbicides, especially that of herbicides for selective control of broad-leaved weeds and weed grasses in crops of useful plants.
2. Description of Related Art
The compounds 4-nitro-N-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)benzamide 3-chloro-4-nitro-N-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)benzamide are known from WO 2004/080480 A1 and WO 2003/027081 A1 as chelating ligands for use in pharmaceutical insulin preparations. U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,792 describes the antiallergenic activity of 2-methoxy-4-nitro-N-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)benzamide. Zhurnal Organicheskoi Khimii (1965), 1(12), 2236-2244 mentions the compound N-(1-methyl-1H-tetrazol-5-yl)-4-nitrobenzamide.
The herbicidal activity of the abovementioned compounds is not disclosed in these publications.
The compounds 2-chloro-N-(1-methyl-1H-tetrazol-5-yl)-4-nitro-benzamide and 2-chloro-4-nitro-N-(1-propyl-1H-tetrazol-5-yl)-benzamide are known under the CAS Nos. 638147-55-4 and 639050-55-8. A herbicidal activity of these two mentioned compounds is not disclosed.
The non-prior-published European patent application with earlier priority No. 10174893 discloses N-(tetrazol-5-yl)- and N-(triazol-5-yl)benzamides which bear a variety of substituents in position 4 of the phenyl ring, but no nitro group. The non-prior-published European patent application with earlier priority No. 11159115 describes N-(1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)arylcarboxamides which bear a variety of substituents in position 4 of the phenyl ring, but no nitro group. However, the herbicidal activity and/or the crop plant compatibility of the compounds specified in these publications is not always adequate.

Herbicidally active 4-nitro-substituted N-(tetrazol-5-yl)-, N-(triazol-5-yl)-, and N-(1,3,4-0XADIAZOL-2-yl)aryl carboxylic acid amides

Abstract: There are described 4-nitro-substituted N-(tetrazol-5-yl)-, N-(triazol-5-yl)- and N-(1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)arylcarboxamides of the general formula (I) as herbicides.

Abstract: In this formula (I), X, Y and W are radicals such as hydrogen, organic radicals such as alkyl, and other radicals such as halogen. A is N and CY. Z is a tetrazolyl, triazolyl or oxadiazolyl radical


An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of heads each of which discharges liquid droplets, a base member to hold the heads arranged thereon, and a liquid supply member provided on each head to extend in a direction in which the heads are arranged, and to form a common channel for distributing and supplying liquid to the heads. The liquid supply member includes a first supply opening to receive ink in the liquid supply member, a second supply opening to supply ink to the head, and an annular seal member and provided between the liquid supply member and the head to connect the first and second supply openings by sealing a connection portion between the liquid supply member and the head.

Image forming apparatuses include, for example, a printer, a facsimile machine, a copier, a plotter, and a multifunctional machine combining several of the functions of these apparatuses. As an image forming apparatus using a liquid discharge recording method that uses a recording head that discharges ink liquid droplets, for example, an inkjet recording apparatus is known.
Image forming apparatuses using the liquid discharge recording method perform image formation (hereinafter used as a synonym for recording, imaging, and printing) by discharging the ink droplets from the recording head onto a sheet being conveyed. Herein, such sheet is not limited to paper but includes any material to which the ink droplets and other liquids can adhere, such as an OHP (overhead projector) sheet, and is referred to also as a recorded medium, a recording medium, recording paper, a recording sheet, and so forth.
Image forming apparatuses using the liquid discharge recording method can be divided into serial-type image forming apparatuses which form an image by discharging liquid droplets from a recording head that moves in a main scanning direction, and line-type image forming apparatuses which form an image by using a line-type recording head that discharges liquid droplets while the head remains stationary.
As an example of the image forming apparatus as described above, a line-type image forming apparatus is known, as described above, which includes a line-type recording head including nozzle arrays arranged to cover the full width of the sheet being conveyed. The line-type recording head used in this case includes, for example, a plurality of short heads that themselves include arrays of nozzles for discharging liquid droplets, and which are arranged in the nozzle arrangement direction. This type of recording head is referred to as a multiple array head.
In the multiple array head as described above, ink is supplied to the plurality of heads. Further, ink is supplied to respective heads of the multiple array head from an ink tank generally through a flexible supply tube.
Since ink is supplied to the multiple array head through the flexible supply tube as described above, an equal number of the supply tubes is necessary, resulting in a complex tube system. Accordingly, it is not easy to assemble and maintain the tube system because of such complex tube arrangement.
Further, the supply tube must be released when changing the head, risking scattering ink and allowing air to get into an ink supply path. Further, ink may leak from a connecting portion between the supply tubes, and so-called slow-air-leak may occur, in which air leaks out gradually.


An electric discharge machining apparatus includes a power supply, an electrode gap formed from an electrode and a workpiece, a current limiting resistor connected between the power supply and the electrode gap, switching elements that turns on and off application of a voltage from the power supply to the electrode gap, an inductance element connected in series between the switching elements and the electrode gap, and a control unit that controls the switching elements. The control unit causes the switching elements to perform ON/OFF operations according to a switching pattern having an on-pulse time width (ΔTon) in which a voltage of the electrode gap can reach a voltage value of the power supply in an on-pulse time and a pause time width (ΔToff) equal to or longer than a time width (Δtic) of a discharge current flowing during the capacitor discharge and shorter than a cycle (ΔTso) of the self-excited oscillation.

An electric discharge machining apparatus is an apparatus that performs machining of a workpiece by generating arc discharge between a machining electrode and the workpiece. In the electric discharge machining apparatus, a power source (a machining power supply) for generating the arc discharge is necessary. Concerning the configuration of the machining power supply, there have been various configurations.
Among the configurations, there is known a capacitor discharge system that makes use of electrode-gap capacitor capacitance present in parallel to an electrode gap. A basic configuration is configured by a power supply, a current limiting resistor, and electrode-gap capacitor capacitance. When a capacitor element is connected to the electrode gap in parallel, the electrode-gap capacitor capacitance is capacitance obtained by combining mechanical stray capacitance between an electrode and a workpiece and the capacitance of the capacitor element. When the capacitor element is not connected to the electrode gap in parallel, the electrode-gap capacitor capacitance is mechanical stray capacitance between the electrode and the workpiece.
In the basic circuit, first, when the electrode-gap capacitor capacitance is charged from the power supply via the power supply limiting resistor, an electrode-gap voltage rises. When the electrode-gap voltage exceeds a discharge start voltage, dielectric breakdown occurs. Electric charges accumulated in the electrode-gap capacitor capacitance are used as discharge energy. The electrode-gap voltage drops to arc potential according to electric discharge. An electric current flows by the discharge energy stored in the electrode-gap capacitor capacitance. In this case, because an electric current from the power supply is limited by a current limiting resistance value, a ratio of the electric current from the power supply is extremely small in the electric current flowing to the electrode gap at the start of electric discharge. Therefore, when the electric charges stored in the electrode-gap capacitor capacitance are exhausted, it is difficult to continue the electric discharge any more. Thereafter, when the electric discharge ends and insulation recovery occurs, an electric current flows to the electrode-gap capacitor capacitance again from the power supply via a charging resistor, and the electrode-gap voltage rises.
A phenomenon in which ON (electric discharge) and OFF (non-electric discharge or open) are repeated according to the behavior of the electric discharge itself is called self-excited oscillation. In the self-excited oscillation, a discharge current is specified by the electrode-gap capacitor capacitance. However, by inserting a switching element between the power supply and the electrode gap, the discharge current can also be specified by switching.
Patent Literature 1 mentions that, in an electric discharge machining power supply circuit, a variable resistor and a switching element, and a current suppression resistor having a resistance value sufficiently larger than a resistance value of the variable resistor are connected in parallel between a direct-current voltage source and a machining electrode, the switching element is turned on when machining is stably in progress, and the switching element is turned off when the machining becomes unstable. Consequently, according to Patent Literature 1, when the machining becomes unstable, supply energy between the machining electrode and a workpiece is reduced to suppress occurrence of an electric discharge phenomenon. Therefore, it is possible to reduce electric discharge in a side surface direction and secondary electric discharge that occurs via machining powder. It is possible to attain stabilization of electric discharge machining and improvement of machining speed.
Patent Literature 2 mentions that, in a wire electric discharge machining apparatus, a direct-current power supply and an electrode gap, in which a workpiece and a machining electrode are arranged to be opposed to each other, are full bridge-connected by four switching elements and a group pulse pattern is supplied to the switching elements in one diagonal arm among the four switching elements to switch the switching elements. In this case, when detecting electric discharge on the basis of a signal from an electrode-gap state detection circuit, a control unit sets a pulse pause time after electric discharge detection longer than a pulse pause time during non-electric discharge. When further detecting a state in which electric discharge tends to continue and lead to disconnection of a wire, the control unit sets a pulse pause time longer than the pulse pause time after the electric discharge detection. Consequently, according to Patent Literature 2, a pause time of a group pulse is controlled according to an electric discharge state during electric discharge. Therefore, it is possible to prevent concentration of the electric discharge and attain stabilization of machining and improvement of machining speed.
On the other hand, it is also possible to adjust ON and OFF of self-excited oscillation by inserting an inductance element and a capacitor element in a power supply circuit other than a resistor.
Patent Literature 3 mentions that, in a wire cut electric discharge machining apparatus, a variable resistor is provided in a wiring before a contact of an electromagnetic switch and an inductance element is provided in a wiring extended from the contact of the electromagnetic switch to a workpiece. Consequently, according to Patent Literature 3, a circuit that supplies very small electric discharge energy to a machining gap is configured by the variable resistor and the inductance element. The inductance element also plays a role for cancelling a stray capacitor component in the wire.


A magnetoresistance effect element comprises a magnetoresistance effect film including a magnetically pinned layer whose direction of magnetization is pinned substantially in one direction, a magnetically free layer whose direction of magnetization changes in response to an external magnetic field, and a nonmagnetic intermediate layer located between the pinned layer and the free layer; and a pair of electrodes electrically connected to said magnetoresistance effect film to supply a sense current perpendicularly to a film plane of said magnetoresistance effect film. The intermediate layer has a first layer including a first region whose resistance is relatively high and second regions whose resistance is relatively low. The sense current preferentially flows through the second regions when the current passes the first layer. Alternatively, the concentration of oxygen in the first layer may have a two-dimensional fluctuation, and a first region where the concentration of oxygen is equal to or higher than 40 atomic % and a second region where the concentration of oxygen is equal to or lower than 35 atomic % may be provided in the first layer.

This invention relates to a magnetoresistance effect element, a magnetic head, a magnetic reproducing apparatus, and a magnetic memory and more particularly, to a magnetoresistance effect element which has a structure where a sense current is passed perpendicularly to a film plane of the magnetoresistance effect film, and to a magnetic head using the same, a magnetic reproducing apparatus and a magnetic memory.
In a certain kind of ferromagnetic substance, a phenomenon in which, resistance changes according to strength of an external magnetic field is known, and this is called the "magnetoresistance effect." This effect can be used for detection of an external magnetic field, and such a magnetic field detecting element is called "the magnetoresistance effect element (it is also hereafter called "MR element")."
Such a MR element is industrially used in a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus, and used for read-out of information which is stored in a magnetic recording medium, such as a hard disk and magnetic tape, (for example, IEEE MAG-7,150 (1971)), and such a magnetic head is called a "MR head."
In recent years, in a magnetic recording and reproducing device with which these MR elements are used, especially in a hard disk drive unit, the magnetic storage density is increased. As a result, the recording bit size on the medium becomes smaller, and the quantity of leaking magnetic flux from the recording bit, i.e., a signal magnetic field, is being smaller.
Therefore, it is becoming indispensable to realize a MR element which has a higher S/N ratio and higher sensitivity by obtaining a resistance rate of change at a lower magnetic field. This development serves as important base technology for improvement in storage density.
Here, "high sensitivity" means that an amount of resistance change (Ω) per unit magnetic field (Oe) is large. A MR element having a larger MR changing rate and being excellent in the soft magnetic characteristic becomes more sensitive. In order to realize a high S/N ratio, it is important to reduce a thermal noise as much as possible. For this reason, it is not desirable that resistance of the element itself becomes large. For example, when using as a reading sensor for a hard disk drive, a resistance of about 5 ohms–30 ohms is desired as the element resistance in order to realize a good S/N ratio.
From the background, it is becoming common to use the spin valve (spin-valve) film which can obtain big MR rate for a MR element used for a hard disk drive.
FIG. 12 is a conceptual diagram which illustrates the sectional structure of a spin valve film. That is, the spin valve film 100 has the structure where a ferromagnetic layer F, a non-magnetic layer S, a ferromagnetic layer P, and an antiferromagnetic layer A are laminated in this order. Two ferromagnetic layers F and P which sandwich the non-magnetic layer S therebetween are magnetically uncoupled.
Magnetization of one ferromagnetic layer P is fixed in one direction by an exchange bias which is applied from the antiferromagnetic layer A. A magnetization of the ferromagnetic layer P is made rotatable easily by external magnetic fields (signal magnetic field etc.). By an external magnetic field, only magnetization of the ferromagnetic layer F can be rotated, and thus, the relative angle of the magnetization direction of two ferromagnetic layers P and F can be changed. As a result, a large magnetic resistance effect can be acquired (Phys. Rev. B, Vol. 45, 806 (1992), J. Appl. Phys. Vol. 69, and 4774 (1991)).
Here, the ferromagnetic layer F is called a "free layer", a "magnetic field reception layer", or a "magnetization free layer" in many cases. The ferromagnetic layer P is called a "pinned layer" or a "magnetization fixed layer." The non-magnetic layer S is called a "spacer layer", an "interface adjusting intermediate layer", or a "intermediate layer."
In the case of a spin valve film, magnetization of the free layer F, i.e., a ferromagnetic layer, rotates easily even in a lower field. Therefore, a raise in sensitivity is possible and it is suitable for MR element for MR heads.
To such a spin valve element, in order to detect change of resistance by a magnetic field, it is necessary to pass a "sense current."
Conventionally, a sense current is generally passed in parallel to the film plane, and resistance of a parallel to the film plane is measured. This method is generally called the "CIP (current-in-plane)" system.
In the case of a CIP system, it is possible to acquire about 10–20% of value as a MR rate of change. In the magnetoresistance effect head of the shield type currently used, since a spin valve element is used in the plane form almost near a square, resistance of MR element becomes almost equal to the plane resistance value of MR film.
Thus, in the case of the spin valve film of a CIP system, it becomes possible by setting a field resistance value to 5 ohms–30 ohms to acquire the good S/N property.
Resistance of this level can be realized comparatively easily by making thickness of the whole spin valve film thin. For this reason, at present, the spin valve film of a CIP system is generally used as a MR element for MR heads.
However, in order to realize information reproduction with high storage density which exceeds 100 Gbits/inch2, it is expected that the value which exceeds 30% as a MR rate of change is needed. However, it is difficult to acquire the value which exceeds 20% as a MR rate of change by the conventional spin valve film. Therefore, it has been a big technical subject for further improvement in the storage density how this MR rare of change can be increased.
From such a viewpoint, the spin valve which inserted the "electronic reflective layer" into the pinned layer or the free layer in the CIP-SV film is proposed in order to increase MR rate of change. As the electronic reflective layer, an oxide, a nitride, a fluoride, or a boride can be used.
For example, an electronic reflective layer can be inserted into the pinned layer and the free layer, respectively. By a spin valve film, if electronic scattering takes place at the interface of each layer, a mean free path will decrease, and MR rate of change will decrease. On the other hand, by providing the electronic reflective layer ER to reflect electrons, the mean free path of electrons is made to increase, and it becomes possible to obtain large MR rate of change.
Moreover, in the case of this structure, the probability that an electron will pass through the interface of a magnetic layer/nonmagnetic layer also goes up by reflecting electrons. For this reason, it becomes possible to acquire the same effect as the case in an artificial lattice film, and MR rate of change increases.
However, also in this structure, since all electrons may not pass through the interface of a magnetic layer/nonmagnetic layer, there is a limit in increase of MR rate of change. For this reason, it is substantially difficult to realize large MR rate of change which exceeds 20% and a practical amount of resistance change of 5 ohms–30 ohms in the CIP-SV film which has the electronic reflective layers.
In contrast to this, a magnetoresistance effect element of a structure of passing sense current perpendicularly (current perpendicular to plane: CPP) to a film plane in the artificial lattice where magnetic layers and non-magnetic layers are laminated is proposed as a method of obtaining large MR which exceeds 30%, (hereafter called a "CPP type artificial-lattice").
With a CPP type artificial lattice type magnetoresistance effect element, electrodes are provided in the upper and lower sides of the artificial lattice where the ferromagnetic layers and the non-magnetic layers are laminated by turns, respectively, and sense current flows perpendicularly to the film plane. With this structure, the probability that sense current will cross a magnetic layer/non-magnetic layer interface becomes high. Therefore, it becomes possible to acquire the good interface effect, and big MR rate of change is obtained.
However, in such a CPP artificial lattice type film, it is necessary to measure a resistance perpendicular to the film plane of the artificial lattice SL which consists of a laminated structure of very thin metal films. This resistance will generally turn into a very small value. Therefore, with the CPP type artificial lattice, it has been an important technical subject to enlarge resistance as much as possible. Conventionally, it was indispensable to make the connected area of the artificial lattice SL and Electrodes EL as small as possible, and to increase the number of laminations of the artificial lattice SL, and to increase the total thickness, in order to enlarge the resistance.
For example, when pattering of the form of an element is carried out at 0.1 micrometer×0.1 micrometer, if Co layers (thickness:2 nm) and Cu layers (thickness:2 nm) are laminated 10 times by turns, the total thickness becomes 20 nm and the resistance of about 1 ohm may be obtained. However, the resistance is not large enough.
If it is considered from a viewpoint of resistance, it is indispensable to make it the artificial lattice type instead of a spin valve type, in order to obtain sufficient head output and to use as a good reading sensor for hard disks in a CPP type structure.
On the other hand, to use MR element for a MR head, it is necessary to control the magnetization of a magnetic layer and measure an external magnetic field efficiently. At the same time, it is required to form each magnetic layer into a single magnetic domain so that a Barkhausen noise etc. may not occur. However, as mentioned above, it is needed to laminate a magnetic layer and a non-magnetism layer repeatedly by turns in order to earn resistance, and it is technically very difficult to control magnetization by CPP type MR element individually to such many magnetic layers.
Moreover, when using MR element for a MR head, it is necessary to make the magnetization rotate very sensitively to a small signal magnetic field to that a large MR rate of change is obtained. For that, it is necessary to increase the signal magnetic-flux density in a sensing portion, so that a larger amount of magnetization rotations are obtained by the same magnetic-flux density. Therefore, it is necessary to make the total Mst (magnetization×film thickness) of the layers where magnetization rotates by an external magnetic field small. However, with a CPP type MR element, in order to earn resistance, it is necessary to laminate magnetic layers and non-magnetic layers repeatedly by turns. For this reason, Mst increases and it becomes difficult to raise the sensitivity to a signal magnetic flux.
Thus, in spite that MR rate of change in a case of a CPP artificial lattice type film exceeds 30%, the sensitivity needed as a MR sensor for magnetic heads is not obtained.
On the other hand, adopting a CPP system in the spin valve structure using FeMn/NiFe/Cu/NiFe, FeMn/CoFe/Cu/CoFe, etc. is also considered.
That is, a sense current is perpendicularly passed to a film plane to the laminated structure which has spin valve structure. However, in such CPP type SV structure, in order to enlarge resistance, it is necessary to thicken Thickness of a magnetic layer to about 20 nm. Even in such a case, a resistance rate of change is only about 30% in 4.2K, and is predicted that only about 15% of resistance rate of change of the half may be obtained in room temperature.
That is, by the spin valve film of a CPP system, only about 15% of MR rate of change is obtained. And Mst of a free layer must be enlarged. Therefore, sensitivity required as a MR sensor for heads may not be obtained.
As explained above, various structures, such as a spin valve of a CIP type spin valve film, a CPP type artificial lattice, and a CPP type, are proposed. However, the present magnetic storage density is continuing the rise of an annual rate of 60% or more, and the further output increase will be needed from now on. However, the spin valve film which can be used with high storage density which exceeds 100 Gbits/inch2 at present and which has suitable resistance and the large amount of MR change, and serves as high sensitivity magnetically is difficult to realize.

Magnetoresistance effect element having a nonmagnetic intermediate layer having a two-dimensional fluctuation of resistance


The method is for transmitting data identifying a valve of a wheel to a receiver on board a vehicle. The method includes, excitation of the valve, transmission by the valve of a frame including at least a code identifying the valve, and reception of the frame by the on-board receiver. The reception includes a refreshing of a memory range contained in the receiver by the data from the frame received. The method the includes a reading operation, by a diagnostic instrument, of the most recent data contained in the memory range, and an operation of writing to an area of memory dedicated to storing identifier codes, by a diagnostic instrument, of at least part of the data read including an identifier code. The writing operation is carried out after validation by an operator.

Currently, checking the tire pressure of the wheels of a vehicle is done using systems employing at least one transmitter which is located at the valve of a wheel and allows the user to be informed about the tire pressure of the wheel via an on-board receiver and/or a computer. The communication between the transmitting valve and the on-board receiver is carried out using a valve identifier. In addition, for the on-board receiver to be able to determine the wheel bearing the transmitting valve, it is necessary to associate a valve with a wheel. This association must be repeated each time there is a change of wheel or of a valve on the vehicle.
The document FR 2 819 613 discloses a method for matching an identifier of a valve of a wheel of an automotive vehicle with an identifier of this wheel. Such a method necessitates associating an identifier with each wheel and using a way, for example tables, for matching a wheel identifier and a valve identifier.
The total number of identifiers to be manipulated according to the method disclosed in the aforementioned document is therefore twice as large as the number of valves, which adds to the complexity of manipulating the identifiers. In addition, this necessitates a larger memory in the on-board receiver. Finally, such a method requires the on-board receiver to learn a determined number of identifiers, which requires a significant time lapse.

Method and system for transmitting an identifier of a valve of a wheel of a vehicle to a receiver on board this vehicle


During an update technique, an update for the software application is received from a provider of the software application. Then, update information is either received from the provider or is generated. This update information specifies an update relationship between the update and at least a previous version of the software application. Next, inventory information associated with a portable electronic device is accessed (such as whether the previous version of the software application is currently installed on the portable electronic device). In response to the accessed inventory information, an identifier associated with the update is dynamically generated, and the update and the dynamically generated identifier are provided to the portable electronic device. Using the dynamically generated identifier, an application management system or the operating system installed on the portable electronic device determines whether an update workflow is executed.

The present disclosure relates to techniques for updating a software product. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to techniques for providing an update for a software application to a portable electronic device.
Thanks in part to a large and growing number of portable electronic devices, such as cellular telephones, and the associated mobile software applications, portable electronic devices are becoming increasingly popular computing platforms. However, in spite of this market success, the fragmentation of the market and the diversity of users are also making it increasingly difficult to support these software applications. For example, the diversity of hardware and software configurations in portable electronic devices, even within a given model or platform, is making the process of installing and updating software applications increasingly challenging.
The updating of mobile software applications is typically managed by a platform-specific mobile application manager (which is henceforth referred to as an 'application management system'). While the details of the updating process are also often platform dependent, when deciding whether to install an update for a software application, the application management system in a portable electronic device typically checks the application identifier and version number associated with the software application. In particular, when a software application is submitted for installation, the application management system checks the application identifier and version number to determine if it is a 'recognized' new version that can update a previous version of the software application. For example, in a recognized update scenario, a software application a1 is an update to software application a0 if they have the same application identifier and if the version number of software application a1 is greater than the version number of software application a0 (i.e., their version numbers have an ordinal relationship).
If the application management system recognizes the software application as a new version of a previously installed software application, the user is then typically requested to 'approve' the update. Once user approval is received, the application management system executes an update workflow, which involves: removing (or uninstalling) the previous version of the software application; installing the new version of the software application; and, as needed, preserving, removing or transforming data associated with the previous version of the software application for use by the new version of the software application.
The application identifier and version number used by the application management system are typically specified by the application developer when the software application is built or published. However, it can be difficult or impossible for the application developer to specify the application identifier and version number for a given software application in such a way that results in update workflows being performed in the wide variety of portable electronic devices in which a previous version of this software application is installed. This problem is particularly challenging in several important use cases.
For example, it is currently impossible for an application developer to publish a software application as an update to two previously published software applications that had different application identifiers. Thus, if the application developer first created two software-application variants with functionality tailored to different cellular network operators or carriers, there is currently no way to subsequently publish a single version of the software application as an update to both of the previously published variants. Similarly, it may be difficult or impossible for the application developer to publish a single software application as an update to both 'light' and 'full' versions of the software application, or to publish an 'enterprise' version of the software application as an update to both 'professional' and 'premium' variants. Alternatively, it is difficult (if not impossible) for the application developer to publish two software-application variants (for example, for different languages or different geographic locations), either of which can be used to update an earlier version of the software application, because both variants would have to share the same application identifier, which may not be acceptable by software-application distribution channels, such as mobile-application stores.
In these circumstances, a new version of a software application may not be recognized as an 'acceptable' update by the application management system. As a consequence, after downloading the new version of the software application, a user may be forced to try to manually remove the previous version of the software application. In such cases, the data associated with application version being updated may not be accessed by the new version because the two applications are 'seen' as unrelated by the operating system and, therefore, have different data-protection domains. This creates a significant usability problem, which can degrade the user experience, and which makes it more difficult and expensive for application developers to support software updates.

Dynamic application identifier for use in an update workflow


A method for controlling wedge variation in a glass ribbon includes flowing molten glass over converging sides of a forming vessel, drawing a glass ribbon from a root of the forming vessel, measuring the wedge variation over at least a portion of the width of the glass ribbon, adjusting a tilt of the forming vessel and a temperature near a weir of the forming vessel based on the measured wedge variation to decrease the wedge variation over the width of the glass ribbon, and re-measuring the wedge variation over the portion of the width of the glass ribbon.

As glass substrates are used in a greater number of applications, the ability to control various attributes of the glass has become increasingly important. In particular, maintaining specified thickness attributes of the glass sheet is important for many consumer device applications, since variations outside of the specifications can impact the fit of the glass substrate and/or the final overall size of the device.
Conventionally, downdraw processes are used to manufacture a glass ribbon that can be singulated into discrete glass sheets. Flow and temperature variations in the molten glass from which the glass ribbon is formed can result in glass defects, such as variations in the sheet thickness and other effects. As such, controlling the flow and temperature of the glass can be used to minimize variations in the thickness of the glass ribbon. However, conventional methods that compensate for long term variations in the thickness of the glass ribbon can amplify short term variations in the thickness of the glass ribbon, resulting in increased manufacturing losses and production costs.
Accordingly, alternative methods for controlling the thickness in a glass ribbon are needed that address both long term and short term variations in the thickness to reduce thickness variations in glass sheets formed from the glass ribbon.

Methods for controlling the thickness wedge in a glass ribbon


An object of the present invention is to secure good communication quality in a small-housing portable radio in which an antenna system having two antenna elements for providing for multi-frequency-bands is built. A substrate on which a high-frequency circuit and an earth plate are mounted and an antenna system is built in the housing of a portable radio device. A shorter coil element of two coil elements is set so that the direction of the antenna current is vertical to one side of a substrate and the longer coil element is set so that the direction of the antenna current is parallel with the side. Therefore, it is possible to set two coil elements in a small space in a housing after setting the substrate while directions of the antenna currents of the coil elements are orthogonal to each other (while mutual interference between the elements is small). Therefore, it is possible to secure good communication quality even for a small-housing portable radio device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a built-in-type antenna system to be mounted on a portable radio device such as a cell phone, and more particularly, to an antenna system having two elements for providing for multi-frequency-bands (hereinafter referred to as multibands).
2. Description of the Prior Art
When using a built-in-type antenna system for a compact portable radio device such as a cellphone, a mounting method thereof becomes a problem. Particularly, in the case of an antenna system having two elements for providing for multibands, its mounting method becomes a problem because the occupying portion of the system requires a large area.
Various methods are considered to mount an antenna system having two elements for providing for a multiband in the housing of a portable radio.
For example, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, methods for proximity-arranging two antenna elements are considered.
In FIG. 6, two coil elements 111 and 112 having element lengths different from each other are horizontally arranged. In FIG. 7, two coil elements 111 and 112 having element lengths different from each other are arranged so that they are vertically superimposed. Moreover, in FIG. 8, a coil element 111 and a linear element 132 having element lengths different from each other are horizontally arranged. Arrows in FIG. 6 to 8 show directions of antenna current.
When proximity-arranging two elements, these arrangements as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 are advantageous for a circuit because it is possible to join one ends of these two elements and unite feeding points into one. However, in any case of FIGS. 6 to 8, because two elements are arranged in the same direction, there is a problem that communication performance is deteriorated due to the mutual interference between the elements.
To solve the above problem, a method for arranging two elements at positions as separate from each other as possible in a housing is also considered. However, this method is disadvantageous for a circuit because it is difficult to unite feeding point into one.
To solve the above problem, an antenna system is proposed in which two elements are proximity-arranged so that central axes of the elements become orthogonal to each other (refer to Patent Documents 1 and 2).
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-31721
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-319816

Antenna system and portable radio device


A method for detecting the invalid access to a computer network is disclosed. The method preferably operates in a computer network having computer servers operating on different operating systems and a plurality of computer devices. Each computer device is managed by a computer server at the operating system level. The computer network includes a plurality of information databases that contain information associated with the users and with the computer devices of the computer network. On each computer server, the method, system, and program generates a set of identifying files for each computer device managed by the computer server. All sets of identifying files from the plurality of computer servers are next gathered into a unique central violation database. Links are created between each set of identifying files and the plurality of information databases in order to determine a level of network access violation for each computer device. Violation messages for each computer device are generated based on the level of network access violation.

In today's wide network enterprise, security has become a major concern to prevent unauthorized access to the many computer systems of the network. Computer systems within one business site are typically connected using a Local Area Network (LAN) and a Network Administrator is responsible for keeping the network up and running properly. As local area networks (LANs) continue to proliferate, and the number of personal computers (PCs) connected to LANs continue to grow at a rapid pace, network security becomes an ever increasing problem for network administrators. As the trend of deploying distributed LANs continues, this provides multiple access points to an enterprise network. Each of these distributed access points, if not controlled, is a potential security risk to the network. Among these risks, a virus attacks strongly impacts all IT infrastructures by the very fast spreading of the virus. A specific kind of virus is the well-known 'Worm'; one which makes use of security loopholes in operating systems and spreads from one system to another via networks through the standard TCP/IP ports 137, 139 and 445. Another risk is the volunteer attack and the unauthorized access to protected resources (also using spoofing).
Log files and other accounting mechanisms can be used to track users and their activities. Using log files and audit information is known as passive detection since these rely on a passive analysis set of data. The system administrators are responsible for reviewing the operating system security event logs to determine if a system attack or breach of security has occurred. Some known products allow administrators to review those logs, such as Tivoli Risk Manager from the Assignee and GFi LANguard S.E.L.M. from GFI Software Ltd.
Tivoli Risk Manager is based on a framework infrastructure allowing cross operating system availability (OS/2, Windows, Linux and AIX) to report the alerts on a centralized console. This solution offers the possibility for the administrator to create the appropriate relationships between various security alerts. However, the relationships concerning the Netbios invalid attempts between different operating systems are not deeply analyzed and do not relate to external databases.
GFi LANguard S.E.L.M. is a security event log monitor that collects all security events in one central database, creates reports and custom filters. This solution suffers from the limitation of operating on one Operating System only, namely Windows, thereby leaving attacks possible for others operating systems.
More generally, all existing solutions leave administrators with receiving a large number of false warning messages that compel spending a lot of time manually analyzing those messages and sorting out the non relevant violations from the true ones.
Therefore, there is a need for a solution that overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks. The present invention offers such solution.

System and method for detecting invalid access to computer network

International Business Machines Corporation


Fault tolerance is improved in a computing system which includes one or more computing machines by (i) executing a control thread or other control program in conjunction with a fault tolerance software system running on at least one of the machines, and (ii) initiating via the control program a test script program which sends one or more requests to a monitored program. The test script program also processes corresponding responses to the one or more requests, and generates a return value utilizable by the control program to indicate a failure condition in the monitored program. The computing system may be configured in accordance with a client-server architecture, with the fault tolerance software system and the monitored program both running on a server of the system. The test script program is preferably implemented in an object-oriented programming language such as Java, such that one or more components of the test script program comprise a base class from which one or more other components of the test script program are generatable for use with the monitored program.

A number of commercial software-based fault tolerance products are known in the art. These include Microsoft Cluster Server (MSCS), available from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash., USA, and Legato Automated Availability Manager, available from Legato Systems Inc., www.legato.com. Another known system is the Software-Implemented Fault Tolerance (SwiFT) system, available from Avaya Inc. of Basking Ridge, N.J., USA, and described in greater detail at http://www.research.avayalabs.com/project/swift. Such systems typically operate in a distributed computing environment that includes multiple computers or other computing machines. For example, a client-server environment is one type of distributed computing environment in which fault tolerance systems are utilized.
The above-noted conventional fault tolerance systems typically include a failure detection component and a failure recovery component. The failure detection component determines if a monitored application, process or other program has terminated, aborted or otherwise failed. For example, in the above-noted SwiFT system, a monitoring process referred to as watchd serves as the failure detection component. The recovery component initiates recovery actions in the event that a failure is detected by the failure detection component. A given recovery action may involve restarting the program on the same machine or another machine. As is well known, a program may be restarted from its initial starting point or via rollback to a designated checkpoint subsequent to its initial starting point.
One common technique for failure detection involves monitoring messages and other signals from the operating system of a given machine to determine if a program on that machine has failed. Another technique involves periodic polling of the program to determine if the program is still "alive." Other techniques focus on monitoring of the program environment or resource consumption. With techniques of this type, a failure may be indicated if a set of resources currently being consumed exceeds a threshold or if a set of available resources needed for proper operation of the program decreases below a threshold. Still other failure detection techniques involve modification of the program being monitored. An example of this type of technique is the insertion of a "heartbeating" mechanism in a program, with the mechanism being monitored by another program external to the monitored program.
There are a number of significant drawbacks associated with the conventional failure detection techniques identified above. For example, these techniques are unable to provide adequate detection of certain types of failures, such as program hangs and performance degradation. Although certain fault tolerance software systems, such as the MSCS system, support the creation of custom libraries to augment failure detection, the application program interfaces (APIs) and processes required to create these libraries can often be unduly complicated. Moreover, such custom libraries generally must be created uniquely for each specific application, process or other program that is to be monitored.
A need therefore exists for an improved fault tolerance software system that can detect a wider range of failures than conventional systems, while avoiding the complexities associated with creation of custom libraries.

Fault tolerance software system with periodic external self-test failure detection


Rotating anode X-ray tubes degrade over time because of the action of the electron beam altering the surface of the focal spot area of a rotating anode. This causes a degradation in a resulting object image, when the source is used in an imaging application. An X-ray tube housing assembly is discussed which allows the correction of such effects. In particular, an additional beam of the X-radiation, which is not used for imaging, may be used to correct such effects.

In rotating anode tube X-ray sources electrons are accelerated between a cathode and the rotating anode across a kilo-Volt potential difference so that they impact onto the focal track of the rotating anode. In the process, X-rays are generated, which are said to emanate from a "focal spot" at the point of electron beam impact on the rotating anode. Due to the energy dissipated in the impact, the rotating anode's surface may be modified in the process, and small pits and cracks may begin to appear.
As a consequence, the X-ray yield and spectrum of the tube may change over the course of its lifetime, which may have an impact on the application in which the tube is used. The trend in modern X-ray tube applications is for the instantaneous power applied to the rotating anode to increase, commensurately with the increase of the gantry speed (in a CT system).
Furthermore, the shrinking of the detector cells and the focal spot (to allow better spatial resolution), and the widening of the anode angle (for widened detector coverage) lead to an increased power density at the focal spot of rotating anode X-ray tube. The rate of alteration of the rotating anode's surface caused by the electron beam is only likely to increase in the future.
In US 2009/0067578 A1, a rotating anode is described with a structure comprising slits, which can be detected if a structure placed on the anode passes the focal spot. Thus, properties of the focal spot can be determined from changes of the detected signal during operation of the X-ray tube.


In a method for identifying a table of contents in a document (10), text fragments are extracted (12) from the document. There are identified (20, 30, 34, 38): (i) a substantially contiguous group of text fragments as table of content entries and (ii) a different group of text fragments as linked text fragments linked with corresponding table of content entries. During the identifying, a number of text fragments that are candidates for identification as linked text fragments is reduced based on at least one reduction criterion (130). The identified table of contents entries and linked text fragments (110) are validated based on at least one validation criterion (162) related to distribution of the linked text fragments.

The following relates to the information storage and processing arts. It finds particular application in conjunction with cataloging of legacy documents in a marked-up format such as extensible markup language (XML), standard generalized markup language (SGML), hypertext markup language (HTML), or the like, and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the following is amenable to other like applications.
There is interest in the information storage and processing arts in converting document databases to a common structured format that is structured based on document content so as to facilitate searching, document categorizing, and so forth. Some suitable structured document paradigms include XML, SGML, HTML, or so forth.
The content of unstructured documents is sometimes arranged by a table of contents that sets forth a document structure employing chapters, sections, or so forth. Thus, there is interest in developing methods and apparatuses for extracting the table of contents from the document, and using the extracted table of contents as a framework for structuring the document.
Some existing methods and apparatuses for extracting tables of content from unstructured documents rely upon detecting document headings having distinctive font sizes, boldfacing, or so forth that can be detected and associated with table of contents entries. If the unstructured document is paginated, then table of contents extraction may rely upon each section indexed in the table of contents starting on a new page. However, this approach can be problematic if the paginated document includes header information at the top of each page.
The reliability of existing table of contents extraction algorithms can be relatively good, but is less than perfect. Algorithms for identifying a table of contents and associated links to chapter headings, section headings, or so forth can generate incorrect linkages, missed table of content entries, or so forth. For example, the content of a heading may be repeated in the body of the chapter or section, creating ambiguity as to which portion of content should be linked. Complex documents may include multiple copies of the table of contents, for example one copy in each volume of a multi-volume document. In such cases, there is a possibility that the extraction algorithm may incorrectly cross-link between the table of content entries. If the source document is an optically scanned document processed by optical character recognition (OCR), then the resulting electronic document may include textual errors that can lead to erroneous linkages.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need in the art for improved methods and apparatuses for enhancing the robustness of table of contents extraction techniques.

Table of contents extraction with improved robustness


The system, which is especially suitable for use as a bar code scanner trigger which allows for hands-free scanner operation and non-contact triggering of the scanner by the operator, in one embodiment, comprises a switch and a switch actuator, with the switch mounted proximate to a movable part of the body, and the switch actuator located on the movable part of the body, which part is movable so as to move the switch actuator and switch to within a predetermined proximity of one another and thereby actuate the switch, which will actuate the electronic equipment switched thereby. After the switch has been actuated, moving the part of the body with the switch actuator thereon so as to move the switch actuator and switch beyond a predetermined proximity of one another will deactuate the switch, and thereby deactivate the electronic equipment switched thereby. In an exemplary embodiment, the switch actuator is disposed upon a finger via a switch actuator mount in the form of a glove, and the switch is disposed upon the back of the hand at a point proximate to the finger so that extending a finger as in a pointing motion actuates the switch, thereby activating the equipment and further so that retracting the finger deactuates the switch. In other embodiments multiple switches and switch actuators may be used in conjunction with multiple fingers or digits, and/or with predetermined patterns or combinations of switch actuations required to activate the electronic equipment.

Operating electronic hardware typically requires some sort of manual contact with a switch or other actuation means. For portable hardware, it is desirable to provide a switch which may be operated by a slight articulation of the hand, so that the hand remains largely free for other tasks, such as grasping objects, etc. It is also desirable to provide a switch which prevents operator fatigue by requiring very little force to actuate. Such use of portable hardware involves the use of a laser bar code scanner in a warehouse, when an operator of a scanner may wish to carry or wear a portable scanner.
One approach has been to mount the switch and switch actuator near, but not actually on, the hand or fingers, and actuate the switch by direct pressure from the fingers. This first approach may be thought of as an "off-hand" approach; it typically uses a "button" switch with a switch actuator in the form of a `button cap` and with a switch actuator such as an extension lever sometime connected thereto. Since the "off-hand" switch is not actually on the hand or fingers, it does not require cumbersome wiring about the fingers. However, the system of the offhand approach is susceptible to inadvertent actuation; to prevent this it is necessary to mechanically bias the switch so that actuation requires deliberate exertion. Actuating (e.g., pressing) the button may be difficult; repeatedly actuating such a switch may lead to operator fatigue.
Another common approach been to locate the switch and switch actuator, not merely near the hand or fingers, but actually upon the hand or fingers, along with the switch actuator, if any, also mounted thereupon. This approach may be termed an "on-hand" approach. Such a switch is typically actuated via certain hand movements which move the switch actuator and thereby actuate the switch. While this `on-hand` approach allows easy mounting of the switch, e.g. on a ring or glove, these switches are difficult to remove due to wiring connected to the fingers and hand, and are difficult to use without unintentionally actuating the switch via ordinary hand movements of normal hand use.
The present invention features a new approach, which may be thought of as a hybrid between the on-hand and off-hand approaches, is taken by the system according to the present invention, in which the switch is located near, but not on, the movable extremity (e.g. the hand) while the switch actuator is located, not merely near, but on, the movable extremity (e.g. hand). This provides all the advantages associated with both on-hand and off-hand systems, but does not provide any of the disadvantages of either on-hand or off-hand systems. The system according to the present invention provides a way of locating the switch near the hand, thereby avoiding the need for cabling to the hand, while providing wireless switch actuator on the hand, thereby eliminating the disadvantages associated with hand mounted switches, such as removal difficulty and unintentional switching by ordinary hand movements.

Non-contact actuated trigger apparatus for bar code laser scanner


The invention relates to a wave power unit with a floating body (1), a submerged station (2) and flexible connection means (3) connecting the floating body (1) to the submerged station (100). The submerged station (100) has a stator 5 (5) and a moving part (6). According to the invention the flexible connection means (3) is provided with a damper (12). The damper (12) is arranged to absorb tensile forces in the flexible connection means (3). The invention also relates to a use of such a wave power unit and to a 10 method for producing and supplying electric energy.

Wave movements in the sea and in large inland lakes constitute a potential source of energy that has scarcely been exploited so far. However various suggestions have been made to use the vertical movements of the sea for producing electrical power in a generator. Since a point on the sea surface makes a reciprocating vertical movement it is suitable to use a linear generator to produce the electric power.
WO 03/058055 discloses such a wave power unit where the moving part of the generator, i.e. the part that corresponds to the rotor in a rotating generator and in the present application called translator, reciprocates in relation to the stator of the generator. In that disclosure the stator is anchored in the sea bed. The translator is by flexible connection means, such as a wire, cable or a chain connected to a body floating on the sea. The present invention, however, is not limited to a wave power unit, in which the generator is a linear generator, but applies also to a conventional rotating generator. A wave power unit with a rotating generator is disclosed in WO/058054.
The floating body is by a wire connected to the moving part of the generator, i.e. the translator of a linear generator or the rotor of a rotating generator. When the floating body moves up and down, the wire does the same and transmits a force to the moving part of the generator such that it reciprocates or rotates. At such operation the wire will alternating be exposed to tensile forces and zero forces. The zero forces mainly occur at the ends of the reciprocating movements, but might also occur during the movement as such. When the wire is unloaded it might slack. When thereafter the force at either end of the wire begins to stretch the wire, initially a quick acceleration occurs until the wire is stretched and starts to take up the force. The result is that the wire at the end of this acceleration almost instantly alters from being unloaded to be exposed to a very high load, amplified by the dynamic effect at the sudden retardation. This is harmful to the wire and entails the risk of breakage of it.
A similar problem may be present in wires connecting the floating body to a stationary part of the submerged station as will be explained later.

Wave power unit, a use of a such and a method of producing electric energy


A disk drive includes a rotatable data storage disk, a transducer, an actuator, and a servo burst demodulator. The disk includes a servo burst pattern thereon within a single servo sector. The transducer is configured to generate a read signal from the servo burst pattern. The actuator is configured to position the transducer relative to the disk. The servo burst demodulator is configured to generate a position error signal from the contributions of the servo burst pattern to the read signal, and is configured to generate a fly height signal from the contributions of the servo burst pattern to the read signal. The position error signal is indicative of a radial location of the transducer relative to the disk. The fly height signal is indicative of a height of the transducer from the disk.

A simplified diagrammatic representation of a disk drive, generally designated as 10, is illustrated in FIG. 1. The disk drive 10 includes a data storage disk 12 that is rotated by a spindle motor 14. The spindle motor 14 is mounted to a base plate 16. An actuator arm assembly 18 is also mounted to the base plate 16.
The actuator arm assembly 18 includes a transducer 20 (or head) mounted to a flexure arm 22 which is attached to an actuator arm 24 that can rotate about a pivot bearing assembly 26. The actuator arm assembly 18 also includes a voice coil motor (VCM) 28 which moves the transducer 20 relative to the disk 12. The spindle motor 14, and actuator arm assembly 18 are coupled to a number of electronic circuits 30 mounted to a printed circuit board 32. The electronic circuits 30 can include, for example, a digital signal processor (DSP), a microprocessor-based controller and a random access memory (RAM) device.
Although a single disk 12 is illustrated in FIG. 1, the disk drive 10 may instead include a plurality of disks. For example, FIG. 2 illustrates a disk stack 15 that includes a plurality of disks 12, each of which may have a pair of data storage surfaces 36. The disks 12 are mounted on a cylindrical shaft and are designed to rotate about axis 38. The spindle motor 14 as mentioned above, rotates the disk stack 15.
Referring now to the illustration of FIGS. 1-3, the actuator arm assembly 18 includes a plurality of the transducers 20, each of which correspond to one of the disk surfaces 36. Each transducer 20 is mounted to a corresponding flexure arm 22 which is attached to a corresponding portion of the actuator arm 24 that can rotate about the pivot bearing assembly 26. The VCM 28 operates to move the actuator arm 24, and thus moves the transducers 20 relative to their respective disk surfaces 36. The transducers 20 are configured to fly adjacent to the disk surfaces 36 on air bearings.
FIG. 4 further illustrates one of the disks 12. Data is stored on the disk 12 within a number of concentric tracks 40 (or cylinders). Each track is divided into a plurality of radially extending sectors 42 on the disk 12. Each sector 42 is further divided into a servo sector 44 and a data sector 46. The servo sectors 44 of the disk 34 are used to, among other things, accurately position the transducer 20 so that data can be properly written onto and read from the disk 12. The data sectors 46 are where non-servo related data (i.e., user data) is stored and retrieved. Such data, upon proper conditions, may be overwritten. Unlike information in the data sectors 46, the servo sectors 44 should not be overwritten or erased during normal operation of the disk drive 10.
To accurately write data to and read data from the data sectors 46 of the disk 12, it is desirable to maintain the transducer 20 at a relatively fixed position with respect to a centerline of a designated track 40 during writing and reading operations (called a track following operation). To assist in controlling the position of the transducer 20 relative to the tracks 40, the servo sectors 44 contain, among other things, servo information in the form of servo burst patterns that include groups of servo bursts, as is well-known in the art.
A servo burst pattern 50 that includes first, second, third and fourth servo bursts A, B, C and D, respectively, is shown in FIG. 5. The servo burst pattern 50 can be located at, for example, radial locations n−1 to n+4, and are drawn in a straight, rather than arcuate, fashion for ease of depiction. The servo bursts A, B, C, D are accurately positioned relative to each other. Although not illustrated, the servo sector 44 may also include a write/read (W/R) recovery field, an automatic gain control (AGC) field, a synchronization field, a sector number field, and/or a cylinder number field.
During the manufacturing process of the disk drive 10, a servo-track writer ("STW") (not shown) can is used to write the servo bursts A, B, C, D onto each of the servo sectors 44 of the disk 34. In FIG. 5, the distance (d) between each pair of horizontal grid lines represents ½ of the servo track pitch. Additionally, as depicted in FIG. 5, the transducer 20 has a width approximately equal to one-half of the servo track width. The transducer 20 is shown to be misaligned from the track centerline 48 of track n−1 to more clearly illustrate an example of its width.
As the transducer 20 is positioned over a track, it reads the servo information contained in sequential ones of the servo sectors 44 of the track as a read signal. The servo information is used to generate position error signals as a function of the misalignment between the transducer 20 and the track centerline 48. The position error signal is provided to a servo controller that performs calculations and outputs a servo compensation signal which controls the voice-coil motor 28 to position the transducer 20 relative to the track centerline 48.
When the transducer 20 is positioned exactly over the centerline 48 of track n, approximately one-quarter of the A burst will be read followed by one-quarter of the B burst, and their amplitudes will be equal in the read signal. As the transducer 20 moves off-track (i.e., off of the track centerline), the amplitude of one burst will increase while the amplitude of the other burst will decrease, depending on the direction of misalignment. Accordingly, the radial position of the transducer 20 relative to the tracks can be determined based the servo information in the read signal from the servo bursts A, B, C, D.
While reading and writing data on the disk 12, the transducer 20 rides above the disk surface on a cushion of air (known as an air bearing) that is created by the movement of the disk 12 under the transducer 20. The distance of the transducer 20 from the disk 12 while riding on the air bearing is referred to as the "flying height" of the transducer 20. Transducer "sliders" are generally used that have the requisite aerodynamic qualities to produce the "lift" needed to hold the transducer 20 away from the disk 12. In general, the performance and/or operation of the disk drive 10 can become degraded if a proper flying height of the transducer 20 is not maintained. For example, the read signal can become unreliable if the actual flying height of the transducer 20 is considerably higher than a nominal flying height, and undesirable contact of the transducer 20 and disk 12 can occur if the flying height is too low. Fly height can vary from one transducer 20 relative to disk surfaces within the disk stack 15, and can vary based on radial position of the transducer 20, air density (ambient temperature) and transducer 20 temperature.

Disk drive that generates a position error signal and a fly height signal from a servo burst pattern


An antenna with a concentrated magnetic field has a main coil and at least one pair of auxiliary coils. Each of the main coil and each auxiliary coil has at least one coil conductor. Each one of the at least one coil conductor has a virtual reference plane. The at least one pair of auxiliary coils are mounted around the main coil and an included angle is formed between the virtual reference plane of each coil conductor of each auxiliary coil and that of each coil conductor of the main coil. Lines of magnetic field generated by each coil conductor of each auxiliary coil concentrate the lines of magnetic field of the main coil to orient to a corresponding virtual reference plane of the main coil, thereby solving the magnetic leakage and EMI easily occurring outside the zone of active transmission for conventional coils using electromagnetic induction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna and more particularly to an antenna capable of concentrating radiating directions of lines of magnetic field.
2. Description of the Related Art
Rapid technological development allows rechargeable batteries to be used in wide range of products ranging from compact portable electronic products to electric cars/motorcycles. Electric power used to drive those products surely reduces environmental pollution and the clean power can be easily available to users. However, batteries are usually charged by wired battery chargers and the wired battery chargers from different manufacturers oftentimes differ from one another and are usually not interoperable because of incompatible connectors thereof.
In this regard, latest technique employs a wireless charging means to charge a battery. With reference to FIG. 9, an electronic product or an electric car/motorcycle has a wireless receiver 71 mounted thereon and a wireless power supply 72. The wireless power supply 72 has a RF (Radio Frequency) power amplifier 721 and a transmitting antenna 722. The wireless power supply converts an AC power into a DC power. The DC power is converted into electromagnetic waves by the RF power amplifier 721 and is transmitted to the wireless receiver 71 through the transmitting antenna 722. The wireless receiver 71 has a receiving antenna 711 and a rectifier 712. The receiving antenna 711 receives the electromagnetic waves and the rectifier 712 converts the electromagnetic waves into a DC power to charge an embedded battery. Although the electromagnetic induction between the transmitting and receiving antennae 722, 711 attains the wireless charging objective and gets rid of the operational inconvenience arising from the incompatible issues of the wired battery chargers and their connectors. Besides, magnetic leakage easily occurs if the transmitting and receiving antennae 722, 711 are not aligned to each other so that the efficiency of wireless power transmission is therefore reduced.
With reference to FIG. 10, a magnetic field distribution diagram of a ring coil 73 is shown. When the ring coil 73 is energized by current (I), according to the Ampere's right hand rule, the transmitting ring coil 73 will create a magnetic field (B). The lines of the magnetic field radiate outwards from the center of the ring coil 73 and return back to the center of the ring coil 73. With reference to FIG. 11, a schematic diagram of the distribution of magnetic field of wireless power transmission is shown. The two ring coils 73 are oppositely mounted. A zone of active transmission is formed between the ring coils 73, and two zones of inactive transmission are respectively formed around the distal outer edges of the ring coils 73. As being uniformly distributed, certain lines of magnetic field of the ring coils also pass through the zones of inactive transmission. When large current flows through the ring coils 73, electromagnetic interference (EMI) may arise from strong magnetic field distribution generated in the zones of inactive transmission.
With reference to FIG. 12, a network analyzer 81 is connected to a transmitting loop antenna 85 and a receiving loop antenna 84 through two respective impedance matching devices 83, 82. The network analyzer 81 sends a power signal to the transmitting loop antenna 85 via a first port (Port1) of the network analyzer 81, and the power signal is received by the receiving loop antenna 84 and is outputted to a second port (Port2) of the network analyzer 81. The network analyzer 81 analyzes parameters (S11, S21) by the received signals from the first port and the second port to obtain efficiencies of wireless power transmission of the loop antennae 84, 85.
However, when wirelessly transmitting power, the transmitting and receiving antennae 722, 711 of the wireless power supply 72 and the wireless receiver 71 or the ring coils 73 must be aligned to each other to avoid magnetic leakage during electromagnetic induction. Otherwise, magnetic leakage will occur and the efficiency of wireless power transmission is lowered. Additionally, surrounding electronic products are prone to the drawback of EMI because of the strong magnetic field distribution generated in the zones of inactive transmission in the electromagnetic field.
With reference to FIG. 13, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,227,504 entitled "Gate antenna device", a powered coil 91 and four powerless coils 92 on an integrated circuit (IC) constitutes a gate antenna. The powered and powerless coils 91, 92 are rectangular and planar. The powerless coils 92 are perpendicularly connected with four edges of the powered coil 91 to constitute a box with one side open. When the powered coil 91 is energized to generate electric wave signals, the powerless coils 92 will generate induced current due to electromagnetic induction so as to concentrate the electric wave signals generated by the powered coil 91 and to radiate the electric wave signals toward the open edge or the X axis. The powerless coils 92 formed around the powered coil 91 can concentrate the electric wave signals of the powered coil 91 instead of radiating the electric wave signals to all directions. However, as the powerless coils 92 generates power from the electromagnetic induction of the powered coil 91, part of the electrical wave signals of the powered coil 91 are consumed by the electromagnetic induction and the intensity of the electric wave signals of the powered coil 91 is therefore reduced.
From the above-mentioned descriptions, the transmitting antenna 722 of the wireless power supply 72 is prone to magnetic leakage and the wireless charging efficiency is lowered. Moreover, the issue of EMI arises from a strong magnetic field distribution generated in the zones of inactive transmission of the electromagnetic field. Despite the concentrating capability of electric wave signals, the powerless coils 92 of the gate antenna concentrate electric wave signals from the electromagnetic induction of the powered coil 91, certain electric wave signals of the powered coil 91 are consumed and the intensity of entire electric wave signals is also lowered.

Antenna with a concentrated magnetic field