In a valve timing control device, a control means is configured to carry out feeding one of retarding and advancing chambers with a hydraulic pressure upon starting of the engine; actuating one of first and second disengaging mechanisms to cancel the engagement of one of first and second projectable members with the corresponding one of first and second engaging portions; feeding the other of the retarding and advancing chambers with a hydraulic pressure to turn a vane member in a housing within a range determined by each of the first and second engaging portions; and actuating, while the vane member is under the rotational movement within the range, the other of the first and second disengaging mechanisms to cancel the engagement of the other of the first and second projectable members with the corresponding one of the first and second engaging portions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a valve timing control device of an internal combustion engine, that variably controls an open/close timing of engine valves (viz., intake and/or exhaust valves) in accordance with an operation condition of the engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, various valve timing control devices have been proposed and put into practical use particularly in the field of automotive internal combustion engines.
One of them is shown in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application (Tokkai) 2002-357105.
The valve timing control device of the publication generally comprises a vane member that is rotatable about its axis relative to a housing between the most retarded position and the most advanced position. For rotating the vane member in retarding or advancing direction, there are defined between the vane member and the housing retarding and advancing chambers. That is, when the retarding chambers are fed with a hydraulic pressure, the vane member is turned in a retarding direction thereby to retard the open/close operation of engine valves (viz., intake and/or exhaust valves), while when the advancing chambers are fed with the hydraulic pressure, the vane member is turned in an advancing direction thereby to advance the open/close operation of the engine valves.
The valve timing control device further comprises a rotation restricting means that restricts rotation of the vane member from a center position to the most retarded position or the most advanced position in a given condition.
The rotation restricting means comprises retarding and advancing pins that are retractably installed in respective holding bores formed in the vane member, retarding and advancing recesses that are formed in the housing and sized to receive leading ends of the retarding and advancing pins respectively, biasing springs that are respectively installed in the retarding and advancing recesses to bias the pins in a direction to project outward that is toward the retarding and advancing recesses, push back chambers that are respectively defined by the retarding and advancing recesses to push back the pins toward the holding bores against the biasing springs when fed with a hydraulic fluid and a hydraulic pressure control means that controls the pressure of the hydraulic fluid in accordance with an operation condition of the engine.
When the engine is stopped, the push back chambers are suppressed from being fed with the hydraulic fluid and thus, the retarding and advancing pins are projected into the corresponding retarding and advancing recesses due to the force of the biasing springs. With this, the vane member is held or locked at the center position.
While, when, after staring of the engine, the same is brought a predetermined operation condition, both the push back chambers are fed with a hydraulic fluid thereby to disengage the retarding and advancing pins from the corresponding recesses, and the vane member is turned in the retarding or advancing direction in the above-mentioned manner in accordance with the operation condition of the engine.

Valve timing control device of internal combustion engine


Provided are techniques for comparing names. A first phrase score is obtained by comparing a name phrase in a first name to a name phrase in a second name. A second phrase score is obtained by comparing another name phrase in the first name to another name phrase in the second name. An overall score is generated based on the obtained first phrase score and the obtained second phrase score. The overall score is updated based on comparing features of the first name with features of the second name.

Data storage systems typically break personal names into multiple parts (i.e., parse the personal names) and store these parts in different fields, which may be labeled with terms such as "given name," "middle name," "surname," etc. Such a parsed name may be referred to as a fielded name, and parts of the name may be referred to as terms. Record retrieval systems then compare members of the same field to each other to determine which names are a match for a query. For example, a search for a database record with the name-related fields "GivenName=Mary", "Surname=Smith" would compare "Mary" to terms stored in the field named "GivenName" and "Smith" to terms stored in the field named "Surname."
Fielded names contribute to match failures in searches based on name because there is not always a strict correspondence between the terms used in a name and the fields into which the terms are parsed. This is especially true when names from various linguistic and cultural origins are stored in a system designed around one name model. For example, a typical male name in Saudi Arabia is made up of a person's given name, his father's name, his grandfather's name, and a family or tribal name. Western data storage systems may store names in the following fields: "given name," "middle name," and "surname". In such systems, the given name portion of the Saudi Arabian name corresponds to the given name field found in the Western data storage systems. Other parts of the Saudi Arabian name may be distributed across the available fields in various ways in different data storage systems. When a name search is done, the inconsistent fielding may lead to there being no corresponding name parts within the same fields as those of the query.
Some search systems allow multiple parses of the names to be compared, and then searching on each of the possible parses. For example, "Islam Azam Muhammed Metwali" might be variously represented as "Metwali, Islam Azam Muhammed," "Muhammed Metwali, Islam Azam," and "Azam Muhammed Metwali, Islam." While this strategy may reduce the chance that relevant names will be missed altogether, it also tends to increase the number of false positives returned by a search. For example, "Mohammedi, Islam Baahi" would be allowed by the third parse, even though it is not a variant form of "Islam Azam Muhammed Metwali." This approach also requires multiple comparisons, which increases search times.
Other systems match on tokens rather than names, then return the full names containing the matching tokens. A token may be described as a space-delimited sequence of characters representing a word in a name. In these other systems, returned names may be sorted for presentation based on various filtering or relevance criteria. The sorting criteria may be based on factors other than token similarity. For example, in one system, a search on "Fernando Gomes" with no further qualifying information returns "Fernando Jose Ferreira Gomes" and "Fernando Gomes da Gama," as the top two out of twenty matching names, ahead of the exact match "Fernando Gomes," and then also returns "Paulo Francisco Gomes Fernandez" ahead of "Fernando Luciano Gomes de Mendezes," even though the latter name is more similar to the query.

Determining similarity of unfielded names using feature assignments

International Business Machines Corporation


A vehicle having an internal combustion engine, a transmission having multiple gears and a transmission input shaft, and a recuperation system for recovering electrical energy, the recuperation system being configured for changing a speed value of the internal combustion engine during a gear change from an actual gear into a setpoint gear to a speed value of the transmission input shaft in the setpoint gear.

Vehicles having an internal combustion engine may be equipped with a recuperation system, which in connection with an electrical storage (battery) allows a recovery of excess kinetic energy. For this purpose, an electric machine is operated in generator mode when the brake pedal is operated, so that kinetic energy of the vehicle is converted into electrical energy and stored in the battery. Excess kinetic energy also occurs in the vehicle during switching operations, when switching from a lower gear to a higher gear. In the engaged state, the crankshaft speed of the internal combustion engine corresponds to the speed of the transmission input shaft. When shifting into a higher gear, the speed of the transmission input shaft is reduced consistent with the change of the transmission ratio. The speeds of the internal combustion engine and of the transmission input shaft are synchronized presently after the switching operation by the clutch engagement, a certain proportion of the kinetic energy always being lost as frictional energy.


A disk drive includes a gear transmission system disposed with a casing. The gear transmission system includes first and second gears, a driving plate having a right serrated portion meshed with the first gear, and a left serrated portion disposed adjacent to and facing the third gear. Rotation of the second gear in clockwise and anti-clockwise directions alternately results in movement of the driving plate in left and right sides of the casing, which, in turn, results in engagement and disengagement of the third gear with the left serrated portion of the driving plate, alternately. The driving plate further has an open-ended slot formed at the left end of the driving plate and adjacent to the left serrated portion in such a manner to provide resilience when the left serrated portion is engaged with the third gear.

Among all the data storage solutions, the optical disks are becoming more and more important for backing up data and exchanging information because the optical disks have many advantages including a high storage capacity, easy to handle and carry, and a long preserving time for the stored data. Till now, the optical disk drives can be found all around such as in desktop computers, laptop computers, DVD players, and even some instruments or electronic products with built-in microprocessors.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, perspective and exploded views of a conventional optical disk drive are shown to include a lower casing half 2, an upper casing half 6 coupled to the lower casing half 2 to form a casing 1, a chassis 4 disposed within the casing 1 for carrying a pick-up head thereon, a front panel 3 fixed to and covering the front open end of the casing 1, and a disk tray 5 disposed within the casing 1 above the chassis 4.
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, top and perspective views of the lower casing half 2 are shown to include a gear transmission system 10 for driving the disk tray 5 (see FIG. 2) between an extended position, in which, the disk tray 5 extends outwardly from the casing 1 via an entrance-and-exit slot formed through the front panel 3, and a retracted position, in which, the disk tray 5 retracts inwardly into the casing 1 via the entrance-and-exit slot. The gear transmission system 10 includes a first gear 12, a gear transmission unit 101, and a driving plate 13. The first gear 12 is disposed within the lower casing half 2. The gear transmission unit 101 includes a driving motor 11, a second gear 14 fixed co-axially on an output shaft of the driving motor 11, and a third gear 15 coupled to the second gear 14 via a plurality of transmission gears in such a manner that rotation of the second and third gears 14, 15 results in movement of the disk tray 5 between the extended and retracted positions. The driving plate 13 is disposed within the lower casing half 2 and extends in a transverse direction relative to a longitudinal axis of the lower casing half 2. The driving plate 13 is movable along the transverse direction to left and right sides of the lower casing half 2 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). The driving plate 13 has a right serrated portion 131 meshed with the first gear 12, and a left serrated portion 132 disposed adjacent to and facing the third gear 15. The third gear 15 is further operably associated with the disk tray 5 in such a manner that rotation of the third gear 15 in clockwise and anti-clockwise directions alternately results in movement of the disk tray 5 to the retracted and the extended positions and movement of the driving plate 13 to the left and right sides of the lower casing half 2.
When the disk tray 5 is in the extended position (not shown), the driving plate 13 is moved to the left side of the lower casing half 2, the first end 1311 of the right serrated portion 131 is meshed with the first end 121 of the first gear 12, and the first end 1321 of the left serrated portion 132 is not engaged with the third gear 15 (see FIGS. 3, 4 and 7A). In the same manner, when the disk tray 5 is in the retracted position (not shown), the driving plate 13 is moved to the right side of the lower casing half 2, the second end 1312 of the right serrated portion 131 is meshed with the second end 122 of the first gear 12, and the second end 1322 of the left serrated portion 132 is engaged with the third gear 15 (see FIGS. 5, 6 and 7A).
In the aforesaid conventional disk drive, the left serrated portion 132 is not constantly meshed with the third gear 15. The left serrated portion 132 is started to engage with the third gear 15 in the midway of the inletting process of the disk tray 5 so that the engagement between the first end 1321 and the third gear 15 could be improper. Thus, jamming of the left serrated portion 132 with respect to the third gear 15 may occur. Moreover, after completing inletting process of the disk tray 5, the second end 1322 of the left serrated portion 132 is engaged with the third gear 15, the third gear 15 would apply a force on the second end 1322 which may cause the broken of the tooth of the second end 1322.

Gear transmission system for an optical disk drive


Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing function-parallel firewalls are disclosed. According to one aspect, a function-parallel firewall includes a first firewall node for filtering received packets using a first portion of a rule set including a plurality of rules. The first portion includes less than all of the rules in the rule set. At least one second firewall node filters packets using a second portion of the rule set. The second portion includes at least one rule in the rule set that is not present in the first portion. The first and second portions together include all of the rules in the rule set.

Firewalls remain the frontier defense for securing networks that are vital to private industry, government agencies, and the military. They enforce a security policy by inspecting and filtering traffic arriving at or departing from a secure network [3, 21, 22]. Meaningful inspections often involve a complex process, and if firewalls are to remain effective, they must adapt to constantly changing network demands, technology, and security threats.
As firewall technology evolves to meet new demands and threats, it must continue to act transparently to legitimate users, with little or no effect on the perceived network performance. The networks between two communicating machines should be invisible, especially if traffic requires specific network Quality of Service (QoS), such as bounds on the packet delay, jitter, and throughput. The firewall should process the legitimate traffic quickly, efficiently, and never violate the desired QoS. Unfortunately, the firewall can easily become a bottleneck, given increasing traffic loads and network speeds [12, 14, 18, 20, 21]. Packets must be inspected and compared against complex rule sets and tables, which is a time-consuming process. In addition, audit files must be updated with current connection information. As a result, current firewalls have difficulty maintaining QoS guarantees. Since a firewall can be overwhelmed with traffic, it is also susceptible to Denial of Service (DoS) attacks [21]. Such attacks merely overload/saturate the firewall with illegitimate traffic. Audit files and state tables quickly fill available storage space and legitimate traffic queued behind suspicious traffic encounters long delays. Legitimate users notice poor network performance, and, in the worst case, the secure network is disconnected from the outside world.
Inspecting traffic sent between networks, a firewall provides access control, auditing, and traffic control based on a security policy [3, 21, 22]. The security policy is a list of ordered rules, as seen in Table 1, that defines the action to perform on matching packets. A rule r can be viewed as a k-tuple (r[1], r[2], r[3], . . . , r[k]), where r[i] is specified as a variable length prefix.
TABLE 1Example Security Policy Consisting of Multiple Ordered RulesSourceDestinationNo.Proto.IPPortIPPortAction1TCP140.*** 80accept2TCP150.**120 80accept3TCP140.**130 20accept4UDP150.***3030accept5*****deny
In the examples described herein, rules will initially be represented as the 5-tuple (protocol, IP source address, source port number, IP destination address, destination port number). Fields can be fully specified or contain wildcards '*' in standard prefix format. For example the prefix 192.* would represent any IP address that has 192 as the first dotted-decimal number. In addition to the prefixes, each filter rule has an action, which is to accept or deny. An accept action passes the packet into or from the secure network, while deny causes the packet to be discarded. Rules are applied in order to every arriving packet until a match is found; otherwise, a default action is performed [21, 22].
Unfortunately, security policies may contain anomalies, such as a packet that matches multiple rules, where the matching rules specify conflicting actions. Security policy anomaly detection and correction is the subject of continued research [13, 21] and is not the focus of the present subject matter. Given the type of security policy required, rule sets can become quite large and complex. Security can be further enhanced with connection state and packet audit information. For example, a table can be used to record the state of each connection, which is useful for preventing certain types of attacks (e.g., TCP SYN flood) [21, 22].
Traditional firewall implementations consist of a single dedicated machine, similar to a router, that sequentially applies the rule set to each arriving packet. However, packet filtering represents a significantly higher processing load than routing decisions [15, 18, 22]. For example, a firewall that interconnects two 100 Mbps networks would have to process over 300,000 packets per second [21]. Successfully handling this high traffic becomes more difficult as rule sets become more complex [4, 14, 22]. Furthermore, firewalls must be capable of processing even more packets as interface speeds increase. In a high-speed environment (e.g. Gigabit Ethernet), a single firewall can easily become a bottleneck and is susceptible to DoS attacks [4, 7, 10, 12]. An attacker could simply inundate the firewall with traffic, delaying or preventing legitimate packets from being processed. Building a faster single firewall is possible [8, 15, 18, 19, 20]; however, the benefits are temporary (traffic loads and interface speeds are increasing); it is not scalable; it is a single point of failure; and it is generally not cost-effective for all installations.
A data-parallel firewall (or firewall sandwich) where each firewall node implements an entire firewall rule set is another approach to increase the speed of processing traffic [4, 12, 14, 22]. As shown in FIG. 1, the system consists of multiple identical firewalls 100 connected in parallel. Each machine implements the complete security policy and arriving packets are distributed across the machines for processing in parallel [4]. A packet distributor 102 implements a load balancing algorithm to distribute different packets to different firewall nodes. How the load-balancing algorithm distributes packets is vital to the system and is typically implemented as a high-speed switch in commercial products [11, 12]. Although data-parallel firewalls achieve higher throughput than traditional firewalls [4] and have a redundant design, they have difficulty maintaining QoS across networks. For example, legitimate traffic can encounter delays if it is queued behind traffic that requires more processing. Under these circumstances, users notice poor network performance, which is growing concern as more network applications require QoS assurances. Furthermore, stateful inspection requires all traffic from a certain connection or exchange to traverse the same parallel machine, which is difficult to perform at high speeds [14]. Therefore, new firewall architectures are needed to meet the demands of future networks and the challenges of increasing security threats.

Method, systems, and computer program products for implementing function-parallel network firewall


The present invention relates to a method for simulating image quality improvement of an image display device, in which the image display device to be tested is made to display an optimized picture quality with a simplified process by applying simplified simulation program and device; and a device therefor. The method for simulating picture quality improvement of an image display device includes the steps of selecting at least one input image data from a list of plurality of test image data by using a file input/output interface unit of a simulation tool, selecting at least one image processing algorithm from a list of a plurality of image processing algorithms by using an image control interface unit, applying the at least one image processing algorithm selected thus to the at least one input image data to convert the at least one input image data by using an algorithm application control unit, comparing and determining at least one output image data converted and forwarded thus to the input image data, and analyzing characteristics of the output image data by using a resultant image analysis and control unit.

Field of the Disclosure
The present invention relates to improvement of simulation efficiency of an image display device, and more particularly, to a method for simulating image quality improvement of an image display device, in which the image display device to be tested is made to display an optimized picture quality with a simplified process by applying simplified simulation program and device; and a device therefor.
Discussion of the Related Art
As flat display devices on the rise currently, there are liquid crystal display devices, field emission display devices, plasma display panel devices, light emitting display devices, and so on. Owing to their excellent resolutions, color representations, and picture qualities, the flat display devices are applied to notebook computers, desktop monitors, mobile terminals, and so on, actively.
It is recent trend that a greater variety of flat display devices are developed for displaying images of higher picture qualities and higher resolutions to meet users' requirements and happiness intensity.
All of different image display devices already developed, image display devices developed newly, and image display devices having different upgraded functions are put into test processes for setting the image display devices to display optimized picture qualities before determined as a final product, respectively.
In other words, in a development step of the image display devices, simulation is made such that the image display devices under test are set to display different images by applying different image processing algorithms for making the different image display devices to display optimized picture qualities, respectively.
However, in order to perform the simulation in the related art, there have been inconveniences in that individual hardware is required for driving each of the image display devices to be tested, and a still image or a video to be used in the test is required to input to the hardware, or an image processing algorithm to be used in the test is required to apply to the hardware.
That is, in the related art simulation of the image display devices to be tested, since it is required to apply the images or the different image processing algorithms to be used in the test to the hardware which is to be applied to each of the image display devices, costs and time caused thereby is very high to impair both simulation efficiency and product development efficiency.

Simulation method for improving picture quality of image display device and a simulation device therefor


The present disclosure relates to a blood sugar meter system with a wireless communication module, and more particularly, to a time synchronization method between a blood sugar meter system with a wireless communication module synchronized with a cellular network such as a global system for mobile communication (GSM)/code division multiple access (CDMA) network and the cellular network. The present invention provides a blood sugar meter system with a wireless communication module applying a time synchronization scheme including: a global system for mobile communication (GSM)/code division multiple access (CDMA) network transmitting network identity and time zone (NITZ) information; and a blood sugar meter metering user's blood sugar data, wherein the blood sugar meter synchronizes a network time according to the NITZ information with an internal time of the metered data and transmits the metered blood sugar data to a server connected to the GSM/CDMA network.

In general, a wireless communication terminal in a blood sugar meter system based on an asynchronous transmission mode receives local time zone information (i.e., standard time of a specific region) from a local base station of a public land mobile network (PLMN) and receives changed local standard time information from a corresponding local base station if the wireless communication terminal moves to another time zone. Thus, a wireless communication terminal user has to adjust the reference time of the wireless communication terminal in person.
In order to resolve inconvenience that the wireless communication terminal user in the mobile communication system based on the asynchronous transmission mode has to adjust the reference time of a mobile communication terminal in person as described above, there is a method of receiving network identity and time zone (NITZ) information from the PLMN to update the reference time of the wireless communication terminal.
The wireless communication terminal in the wireless communication system based on the asynchronous transmission mode receives the NITZ information from the PLMN in the following cases: 1) when the wireless communication terminal registers with the PLMN, 2) when the wireless communication terminal moves to another local time zone, 3) when the local time zone of the PLMN is changed, 4) when the network identity of the PLMN is changed, and 5) when the wireless communication terminal sets up a call with (accesses) the PLMN.
According to the method of updating the reference time of the wireless communication terminal in the wireless communication system based on a typical asynchronous transmission mode, when the NITZ information is received form the PLMN as described above, a message "NITZ information has been received. Do you want to change the system time of the wireless communication terminal according to new NITZ information" is displayed on the screen of the display unit of the wireless communication terminal, and then when a user of the wireless communication terminal inputs a command to change the system time of the wireless communication terminal (selects a 'yes' key), the wireless communication terminal reboots and automatically updates the system time of the wireless communication terminal based on the new NITZ information.
However, the method of updating the reference time in the wireless communication module based on the typical asynchronous transmission mode as described above has a limitation in that it involves inconvenience of use because a device including the wireless communication module has to be rebooted in order to automatically update the reference time of the wireless communication module according to the new NITZ information.
Also, a blood sugar meter with the wireless communication module focuses on the function of transmitting blood sugar metering data and ignores the actual effective components of the metered blood sugar metering data.
In particular, when there is a certain difference between when blood sugar is metered and when a metering value is transmitted, and when several times in the same country such as North America have certain differences, a metered time varies depending on where a user is, and when information on a time difference between where a server collecting blood sugar metering data is and where a blood sugar meter is used is not checked, management becomes complex.

Blood glucose monitoring system having wireless communication module to which time synchronization method is applied


The invention provides methods of treating and preventing loss of tissue vascularization that can occur, for example, upon aging.

In the United States and Western Europe, cardiovascular disease and its associated maladies, dysfunctions and complications are a principal cause of disability and the chief cause of death. One specific entity significantly contributing to this pathophysiologic process is atherosclerosis, which has been generally recognized as the leading health care problem both with respect to mortality and health care costs. The American Heart Association estimates that 953,110 persons died of cardiovascular diseases in 1997 (41.2 percent of all deaths), more than the number of mortality for cancer (539,377), accidents (95,644) and HIV (16,516) combined. Furthermore, the American Heart Association calculates that close to a quarter of the population of the United States suffers from one or more forms of cardiovascular disease. Moreover, the medical costs associated with coronary heart disease are estimated at $95 billion dollars a year. Gonzalez & Kannewurf, 55 (19) American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy S4-7 (Supp. 1, 1998).
Atherosclerosis is a disease characterized by the deposition of fatty substances, primarily cholesterol, and subsequent fibrosis in the inner layer (intima) of an artery, resulting in plaque deposition on the inner surface of the arterial wall and degenerative changes within it. The ubiquitous arterial fatty plaque is the earliest lesion of atherosclerosis and is a grossly flat, lipid-rich atheroma consisting of macrophages (white blood cells) and smooth muscle fibers. The fibrous plaque of the various forms of advanced atherosclerosis has increased intimal smooth muscle cells surrounded by a connective tissue matrix and variable amounts of intracellular and extracellular lipid. At the luminal surface of the artery, a dense fibrous cap of smooth muscle or connective tissue usually covers this plaque or lesion. Beneath the fibrous cap, the lesions are highly cellular consisting of macrophages, other leukocytes and smooth muscle cells. Deep in this cell-rich region may be areas of cholesterol crystals, necrotic debris and calcification.
If allowed to progress, the disease can cause narrowing and obstruction of the lumen of the artery, diminished or occluded blood flow and, consequently, ischemia or infarction of the predominantly affected organ or anatomical part, such as the brain, heart, intestine or extremities. The result can be significant loss of function, loss of cellular substance, emergency medical and/or surgical procedures, and significant disability or death. Alternatively, the arterial wall can be severely weakened by the infiltration of the muscular layer with the lipid (cholesterol), inflammatory white blood cells, connective tissue and calcium, resulting in soft and/or brittle areas which can become segmentally dilated (aneurysmal) and rupture or crack leading to organ, limb or even life-threatening hemorrhage.
Ischemic heart disease is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in the population over the age of sixty-five. Sullivan, L. W. 1990. Healthy people 2000. N Engl J Med. 323:1065–1067; Wei, J. Y. 1992. Age and the cardiovascular system. N Engl J Med. 327:1735–1739; Association, A. H. 1993–1995. Heart and stroke facts statistical supplement/1994–1996. Dallas, Tex.: The Association. Elucidation of the cellular and molecular pathways that are impaired with aging is critical to the development of specific strategies to prevent and reduce the pathology of cardiovascular disease associated with advancing age.
In younger individuals, myocardial ischemia induces the development of a collateral vasculature supply that partially protects the cardiac tissue from subsequent coronary events. Hirai et al. (1989) Circulation. 79:791–796; Ejiri et al. (1990) J Cardiol. 20:31–37; Kodama et al. (1996). J Am Coll Cardiol. 27:1133–1139; Banerjee et al., (1993) Int J Cardiol. 38:263–271. However, angiogenesis is impaired in older heart and peripheral vascular beds. Hudlicka et al. (1996) J Vasc Res. 33:266–287; Isoyama (1994) Drugs Aging. 5:102–115; Tomanek et al. (1990) Am J Physiol. 259:H1681–1687; Anversa et al. (1994) Am J Physiol. 267:H1062–1073; Azhar et al. (1999) Exp Gerontol. 34:699–714; Rakusan et al. (1994) Cardiovasc Res. 28:969–972; Rivard et al. (1999) Circulation. 99:111–120; Reed et al. (2000) J Cell Biochem. 77:116–126. The etiology of the impaired angiogenic activity in the senescent heart and within aging blood vessels is not known. In fact, despite recent advances in our understanding of the molecular pathways regulating angiogenesis during embryonic development, the mechanistic alterations in angiogenic function in the senescent vasculature are not well understood.
The etiology of atherosclerotic plaques is similarly a matter of debate and uncertainty. Much research in recent years has focused upon the molecular pathways of cholesterol deposition and upon altering serum lipoprotein concentrations for achieving therapeutic effect. Goldstein et al., Science 292: 1310–12. There has been speculation that the replicative senescence of vascular endothelium plays a role in the etiology of atherosclerosis. Chang et al., 1995 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 92:11190–94. Moreover, studies show that telomere length can determine the lifespan of cells. Bodnar et al., 1998 Science 279: 349–53. In addition, cells with a morphology similar to senescent cells co-localize with mature atherosclerotic plaques. Osamu et al., 1989 Am. J. Pathol. 135: 967–76. However, methods for grafting young vascular endothelial cells into an old animal have been unavailable.
Therefore, new approaches are needed for counteracting the age-associated changes in angiogenic pathways and the repair of endothelium within senescent vascular tissues.

Endothelial precursor cells for enhancing and restoring vascular function


An image signal processor of a printer is provided. The image signal processor of the printer includes a first memory, a second memory, a multiplexer for selectively and alternately outputting image data to the first memory and the second memory according to a memory select signal, a printer controller for outputting the memory select signal and the image data representing gray scales in a pixel by a predetermined number of gray scale representation bits to the multiplexer, a memory controller controlled by the printer controller for controlling the data output of the first memory and the second memory so that as much image data as the number of gray scale representation bits is alternately output from the first memory and the second memory, a data converter controlled by the printer controller for converting an amount of image data equal to the number of the gray scale representation bits into drive data represented by a set number of bits and outputting the image data, a data repeater for repeating the transfer of the image data alternately output from the first memory and the second memory to the data converter according to the memory select signal, and a drive signal generator for receiving the drive data and driving an optical scanning unit. According to the image signal processor, the time required for transferring data is reduced for image data of lower resolution displayed by gray scales of binary data of less than eight bits such as four bits or two bits than in image data of higher resolution displayed by gray scales of binary data of eight bits in a pixel due to a smaller amount of information to be transferred.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image signal processor for a printer, and more particularly, to an image signal processor for a printer which converts image data represented by gray scales of an arbitrary number of bits per pixel to a drive signal for an optical scanning unit.
The present application is based upon Korean Application No. 97-41624, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional color printer includes a reset unit 15, optical scanning units 16, developers 17, a dryer 18, and a transferring unit 20 which are spaced apart from each other by predetermined distances and are adjacent to the circulation path of a photosensitive belt 14 circulated around three rollers 11, 12, and 13. A printer controller 25 reads print data input from the outside through a communications cable and converts the print data into a bit signal suitable for engine control. An engine controller 26 outputs a drive signal corresponding to the bit signal to the optical scanning units 16.
The printer controller 25 reads the print data and outputs the print data as data consisting of a binary bit which, in turn, is sensed by the engine controller 26. The engine controller 26 generates a drive signal corresponding to the data value of the binary bit and outputs the drive signal onto the optical scanning units 16. The optical scanning units 16 scan light corresponding to the drive signal on the photosensitive belt 14 which circulates past the reset unit 15. An electrostatic latent image is then formed on the photosensitive belt 14 by the scanned light. The electrostatic latent image is developed by a developing solution supplied from the developers 17. A color image is formed on the photosensitive belt 14 by the optical scanning units 16 which scan light having different color information and the developers 17 which develop the color information with developing materials corresponding thereto. The color image formed on the photosensitive belt 14 is then passed by the dryer 18 before being transferred onto a transferring roller 21 in which a portion thereof rotates in contact with the photosensitive belt 14 through the continuous movement of the photosensitive belt 14. The image on the transferring roller 21 is then transferred to a print medium 23 by the rotation of the transferring roller 21 and a pressing roller 22 which advances the print medium 23 by rotating in contact with the inserted print medium 23 therebetween.
The engine controller 26 includes a plurality of memory devices for temporarily storing received data (not shown in the drawing) and a drive signal generator for generating the drive signal to the optical scanning units 16. The drive signal generator is designed to receive data in eight-bit units for a pixel so as to generate a drive signal corresponding to gray scale information of 256 shades in a pixel.
However, in a conventional image signal processor for a printer, the printer controller 25 converts print data having less than 256 gray scales in a pixel (e.g., 16 gray scales in a pixel) into data represented by eight bits for a pixel and outputs the data to the engine controller 26. As a result, the conventional image signal processor takes longer to transfer data since data rows are unnecessarily increased with respect to print data represented by gray scales of less than eight bits.


A multiple channel sample port for an airway adaptor, which includes a substantially spherical projection with a plurality of inlet tubes and an outlet, which is designed to be placed substantially within the main channel of the airway adaptor through an opening in the side wall of main channel of the airway adaptor. The outlet is connected to, or integrally formed with, one end of a substantially cylindrical chamber. The opposite end of the substantially cylindrical chamber is adapted to be connected to a gas analyzer. When a pressure reduced below atmospheric pressure is applied at the gas analyzer, gas flows from the main channel of the airway adaptor into the inlets of the substantially spherical projection, through the spherical projection into the substantially cylindrical projection, and from thence to the gas analyzer.

The present invention relates to an airway adaptor with a sample port, and, more particularly, to an airway adaptor with a sample port which includes an air collector with multiple inlets.
For purposes of description, the discussion herein is focused on airway adaptors for use with human patients, it being understood that the present invention is not limited in scope only to use with patients and can beneficially be used in various other contexts.
Airway adaptors are generally used to collect gas samples for analysis, particularly from the exhaled breath of hospitalized patients who require a breathing apparatus, such as patients under anesthesia or those patients on life support systems. Typically, an endotracheal tube extends from such a patient to a breathing apparatus, carrying gases to the patient and the exhaled breath of the patient away from the patient. The adaptor connects the section of the endotracheal tube leading from the patient to the section leading to the breathing apparatus. The adaptor may be in the shape of a "T", such that these adaptors are also known as "T-pieces". The top or cross-piece of the "T" is a tube, through which gases travel to the patient, and through which the exhaled breath returns from the patient. The other part of the "T" is a port which projects from the wall of the tube, and is used to collect samples of the gas flowing through the tube. Alternatively, the adaptor may be in the shape of an elbow, such that this type of adaptor is also called an "elbow piece". The tube in these adaptors forms the elbow, and the port again projects from the wall of the tube.
In either type of adaptor, the port is connected at its other end to a gas analyzer. A sidestream of the patient's exhaled breath flows through the port, to the gas analyzer to be analyzed. The results of this non-invasive analysis provide an indication of the patient's condition, such as the state of the patient's pulmonary perfusion, respiratory system and metabolism.
The accuracy of this non-invasive analysis of exhaled gases depends on the ability of a sampling system to move a gas sample from the patient to the gas analyzer while maintaining a smooth, laminar flow of gases, such that there are as few alterations to the waveform and response time of the gases as possible. The waveform of the gas is critical for accurate analysis. As gas travels from the patient to the gas analyzer, it moves in a wave. The composition of gases changes throughout this wave, defining the waveform. These changes can occur within 10-100 msec, and give important information about the condition of the patient. Internal mixing of the gas sample, or alterations in the waveform, reduces the accuracy of the analysis of the sample by the gas analyzer, and reduces the amount of information obtained from that analysis.
Internal mixing of the gas sample and alterations in the waveform both slow the response time. As each gas travels in a wave, the wave has peaks, or high concentrations of gas. The response time is the time elapsed between the appearance of the base of a peak and the appearance of the peak itself. A fast response time indicates that the peaks are relatively tall and narrow, and that the peaks have not broadened since the gas was exhaled from the patient. Since the accuracy of the gas analysis, and the information obtained from that analysis, depend upon the waveform remaining substantially unaltered, a fast response time is desirable.
Merely stabilizing one of these factors is not sufficient for the accurate analysis of a gas sample. Alterations in one of these factors tend to affect the other factors, multiplying the changes to the gas sample, and exponentially reducing both the accuracy of the gas analysis, and the amount of information obtained from that analysis. For example, mixing of the gas tends to slow the response time. Thus, it is crucial that the airway adaptor alters these factors as little as possible.
A significant obstacle to preventing these alterations to the gases, and hence to obtaining an accurate gas analysis, is that the exhaled breath of such patients frequently contains substances which can block or clog the sampling apparatus, such as liquid or solid secretions, or mixtures thereof, including mucous, saliva and condensed water. Therefore, the airway adaptor must include means for separating the desired exhaled gases from these solids, liquids, or mixtures thereof. These separating means are placed in either the tube or the port of the airway adaptor. However, such means are also subject to blocking or clogging, which can reduce the pressure of gases traveling through the airway adaptor to the gas analyzer. Such a pressure drop may cause numerous alterations to the gas sample, including alteration of the waveform, mixing of the gas, and alterations in gas concentration, all of which reduce the accuracy of the gas analysis, and the amount of information obtained from that analysis. The concentration of the gas is particularly affected by changes in pressure, since gas concentration is directly dependent on the pressure of the gas, and is usually presented in units of millimeters of mercury. Hereinafter the term "pressure drop" refers to a decrease in the pressure exerted by the gas itself.
The need for an accurate analysis of the gas, as well as the overall demands of human gas analysis, dictate the required features of an airway adaptor. First, the gases should be separated from the liquids, solids or mixtures thereof, while maintaining a smooth, laminar flow of gases, and without a production of substantial pressure drops, or an alteration in the gas waveform. Second, minimal added void volume should be present in the adaptor or sample port, which might cause mixing of gases. These characteristics are critical for accurate sample analysis and for obtaining maximum information from the analysis, since mixing of gases, disruption of the smooth, laminar flow of gases, or alterations in the waveform of the gases can produce significantly inaccurate results, as described above. Furthermore, pressure drops tend to exacerbate gas mixing, reductions in gas flow rate, and alterations of gas waveform, and should therefore be avoided.
Further features are dictated by the demands of human gas analysis. The airway adaptor employing a means of separation should be low maintenance; that is, it should not require frequent cleaning or replacement. Also, the airway adaptor should be easy to use. Unfortunately, currently available adaptors have serious flaws. These less viable adaptors can be easily distinguished from the present invention, which successfully meets the requirements.
These previously known adaptors have often included a filter in the sample port for separating gases from liquids, solids and combinations thereof. Other such adaptors have filters or baffles in the tube of the airway adaptor. However, none of these filter-based constructions solves the inherent tendency of hydrophobic, porous materials to substantially increase the pressure drop of the gas as it crosses the filter, interfering with the waveform and reducing the accuracy of the sample analysis. Furthermore, such a pressure drop tends to increase over time, as patient secretions and condensed water collect on or in the filter. For example, a simple flat filter with a relatively small surface area, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,014 to Buck et al., is easily covered with patient secretions or condensed water, which accelerates this drop in pressure.
Increasing the diameter of the filter so that it is larger than the sample port diameter, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,573 to Parnoff et al. (hereinafter referred to as "Parnoff"), reduces the rate at which such a filter may become blocked. However, in order to avoid adding void volume to the sampling apparatus, the design of the Parnoff airway adaptor has the filter lying against the tube wall, which increases the tendency of the filter to become covered with condensed water or patient secretions.
The surface area of the filter can be increased without increasing the diameter, if the shape of the filter is altered from flat to dome-like or conical, as described in both Parnoff and PCT Application No. US 90/04353 to Wo. However, the dome must have thick walls in order to maintain its shape under pressure, which encourages the mixing of gases, since the flow rate is sharply reduced by the thickness of the walls. Furthermore, the thickness of the walls adds void volume to the sample apparatus. Finally, the filter membrane must have a small pore size to prevent the entry of condensed water and other liquids, which further interferes with the smooth, laminar flow of gases, and increases the pressure drop.
A filter or baffle can be added to the tube of the airway adaptor itself, rather than to the sample port, which may reduce added void volume. For example, an inner lining of the airway adaptor itself can be made permeable only to gas, so that gas escapes to the sample tube, while liquids and solids are trapped in the adaptor. In this sense, the tube itself is the filter, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,055 to Thorne et al. Alternatively, a baffle may be placed in the tube of the adaptor, rather than a filter, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,708 to Labuda et al. However, condensed water which collects on the walls of the tube of the airway adaptor quickly fills this type of baffle, after which the baffle is no longer effective. Filled baffles are heavy, and tend to put a strain on the connections between the airway adaptor and the endotracheal tubing. These baffles also introduce further amounts of void volume. Furthermore, neither configuration solves the inherent tendency of filters and baffles to become blocked. Indeed, these adaptors may themselves become blocked by liquid or solid material, with a potentially adverse effect on the patient.
Alternatively, a backflush device can be used to remove liquid or solid material which is blocking the filter, as in U.S. Pat. No. 5.042,522 to Corenman et al. However, such a device still does not solve the problem of the decrease in gas pressure as the gas crosses the filter, nor the related problem of slow response times.
Clearly, filters are not an adequate solution due to the inherent flaws in their performance. It is known in the literature to construct an adaptor which does not rely on filters for separating gases from liquids, solids or mixtures thereof. E.P.C. No. 0275105 to Spacelabs, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as "Spacelabs") describes an adaptor which does not use any kind of filter or filter-like device. The tube of the adaptor of Spacelabs has two chambers, connected by radial channels extending from the inner chamber to a chamber which is in the form of an annular channel. This annular channel is formed in a section of the adaptor with a constricted diameter. The gases flow from the inner chamber through the radial channels to the annular channel, and from the annular channel to the port.
The adaptor of Spacelabs is not an adequate solution to the problems above. Airflow through the airway adaptor may be compromised, since the diameter of the adaptor is constricted. Furthermore, the port of the adaptor of Spacelabs will tend to suck in water or other liquids if the port is not kept upright. Keeping the port upright is unrealistic in a hospital environment, since the adaptor may be incorrectly installed by hospital staff, and since patients may move, which can cause the tube and the port to rotate, requiring frequent repositioning of the adaptor.
The present invention also does not rely upon a filter to separate gases from liquids, solids or mixtures thereof. Thus, the present invention is not subject to the inherent flaws of adaptors which rely upon filters. Furthermore, the present invention can be easily distinguished from, and is greatly superior to, the adaptor of Spacelabs, since the present invention alters the structure of the port of the airway adaptor, rather than of the entire adaptor. The internal structure of the adaptor of the present invention is completely different from that of the adaptor of Spacelabs, and does not compromise airflow through the adaptor, nor does the port of the present invention need to be kept upright for optimum efficacy. Thus, the present invention is easier to install and to maintain, particularly since the airway adaptor of the present invention can be freely rotated in a variety of orientations, and still maintain its efficiency.
Thus, none of the above previously known configurations successfully fulfills the criteria for an airway adaptor listed above. The present invention does fulfill these criteria successfully, in a form which is clearly and easily distinguishable from the above previously known configurations.
There is thus a widely recognized need for, and it would be highly advantageous to have, an airway adaptor which does not reduce gas pressure or flow rate, or alter the gas waveform, which does not easily become blocked or clogged, which has minimal added void volume, yet which is easy to use and does not require frequent repositioning or maintenance, and which is freely rotatable, so that it is efficient in a variety of orientations.


A flux according to the present invention includes a phosphine oxide. It is thereby possible to provide a flux capable of improving solder wettability, a resin flux cored solder including the flux, and a solder paste including the flux.

Examples of a solder composition used for joining electronic parts to an electronic circuit board such as a printed wiring board include a solder paste in which solder alloy powder and flux are mixed together, and a resin flux cored solder formed of a thread-shaped solder alloy inside which flux is filled. As the flux included in these solder compositions, widely used is a resin-based flux including a natural resin such as rosin or a synthetic resin, an activator, a solvent, or the like.
As a joining base material of, for example, an electronic circuit board to which electronic parts are joined, a metallic material such as copper or a copper alloy has been conventionally used since solder easily adheres to such a material. However, there has been a problem that copper and copper alloys are expensive and have poor mechanical strength. In recent years, therefore, a metallic material such as 42 Alloy (Fe-42Ni), Kovar (Fe-29Ni-17Co), or iron has been frequently used as the joining base material. These metallic materials are lower in cost and more excellent in strength but poorer in solder wettability than copper and copper alloys. Thus, in the case where a metallic material such as 42 Alloy that is difficult to be soldered (hereinafter referred to also as a hardly-joinable base material) is used, the solder wettability is improved by use of a flux including an activator including a large amount of halogen components and having high activity (Patent Literature 1).
However, there have been problems that use of a flux including a halogen-based activator having high activity is likely to cause occurrence of corrosion in a portion to be soldered, and causes emissions of harmful substances such as dioxin at the time of disposal of soldered boards. Thus, it has been required to improve the flux in terms of its composition. For example, Patent Literature 2 discloses a technique of improving solder wettability of a steel plate on which tin plating or the like is applied, using a flux including a rosin-based resin, a non-halogen-based activator, a solvent, and an amine-based compound.

Flux, resin flux cored solder, and solder paste


Disclosed is a method and apparatus for enabling an authorized receiver station to decrypt encrypted information broadcast by a transmitter station, and for decrypting the information within the authorized receiver station. The method includes steps of storing a predetermined Subscription Key value in the authorized receiver station and, using the predetermined Subscription Key value, generating a Decryption Key value. In a next step the transmitter station broadcasts a signal which includes the encrypted information. After the broadcasted signal is received at the authorized receiver station, the authorized receiver station performs a predefined algorithm. The predefined algorithm uses the generated Decryption Key value to decrypt the encrypted information from the received signal.

Owing to the high degree of efficiency that communications satellites can provide while relaying information between transmitter stations and receiver stations or terminals, communications satellites have often been employed in various types of commercial applications, enabling users of the receiver stations to be provided with a wide variety of broadcast information (e.g., voice, video and/or data). In some commercial applications (e.g., cellular telephone applications, satellite television applications, etc.), access to broadcast information is often restricted to particular, authorized receiver stations (i.e., receiver stations that are recognized as being allowed to have access to broadcast information, often in exchange for a fee), and non-authorized receiver stations are prevented from obtaining access to the broadcast information, via some known technique. For example, one known technique for restricting access to broadcast information involves broadcasting the information in an encrypted form, and, prior thereto, providing only authorized receiver stations with the capability of decrypting the information. Unfortunately, however, conventional systems employing encryption techniques tend to be arduous and expensive to implement, and, in at least some of these systems, the encrypted information can often be easily decrypted using an appropriate decryption algorithm in a non-authorized receiver station. It can therefore be appreciated that it would be desirable to provide a communication system that overcomes these problems, and which prevents non-authorized receiver stations from obtaining access to broadcast information, while enabling authorized receiver stations to obtain access to the broadcast information.

Broadcast data access controller communication system


A multiple-opening container is configured to facilitate the simultaneous opening of two or more material containing compartments, thus allowing for the material contents within the multiple containing compartments to be suitably mixed upon pouring into another container. As a result of the simultaneous opening and pouring ability facilitated by the multiple-opening container, the time for mixing of multiple materials, such as beverages, fluids, powders or other like contents, can be suitably reduced. In addition, the de-carbonization and/or deterioration or other side affects caused from pre-mixing of the contents can be eliminated. In accordance with another exemplary embodiment, engagement portion can comprise a snap clip and a ring portion configured for sealed coupling to a material containing compartment. Second compartment can be suitably filled within beverages or other materials, and then positioned within the container portion and sealed or otherwise coupled by the engagement portion.

Even with a wide variety of beverage choices being presently available for consumers, many individuals still choose to prepare mixed drinks for consumption. In many instances, the mixed drinks are made from the pouring of two or more desired beverages from two or more separate containers. While such a mixing practice is generally acceptable in instances when time is not critical, such as within the home or other casual settings, such practices are not desirable within a restaurant and/or bar environment wherein delays can potentially mean loss of revenues. Moreover, the supplying of various mixers, as well as managing the recipe for mixing a particular concoction, can be difficult for the average consumer to achieve on many occasions. For example, to provide for some carbonated and/or alcoholic drinks, a consumer must keep available numerous mixers and alcohols, even if only a small portion of each are needed.
While some products are offered in a premixed format, the premixing of many products leaves the resulting beverage with a less than desirable taste. For example, premixing of various mixers, such as juices, sodas and tonics, with alcohols, such as vodkas, gins and the like, can result in loss of the carbonation of the mixer, as well as potential deterioration of the alcohol.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A touch screen having a capacitive touch-sensitive pad overlaying a display area incorporates one or more slide features each having conductive plates. The conductive plates are located outside the display area of the touch screen and are powered via one or more connections to existing touch sensor circuitry comprising the touch-sensitive pad. The slide features of the touch screen do not obstruct a user's view of the display screen and, when compared to conventional touch screen slide features, reduce the circuitry required for detecting and/or processing a slide touch.

Touch screens may be implemented in a device by overlaying a touch-sensitive pad (typically of a capacitive type) over a surface of a display screen. The display screen displays information to a user, and the touch-sensitive pad receives input by detecting the user touching the touch-sensitive pad. Capacitive touch-sensitive pads generally comprise sensors that detect a user's touch by sensing a capacitance between the user's finger and one or more of the touch sensors. The touch (i.e., capacitance) detected by the touch-sensitive pad is received as a user input that is interpreted by the device in accordance with several variables and/or conditions relating to the user's touch. Some of these variables and conditions may include the content displayed on the screen, the status of the device, the location of the touch, the duration of the touch, and combinations thereof. In order to determine some of these variables and conditions, some touch screens implement features that detect a particular type of user touch. One such example is a slide feature that is used to detect a continuous user touch moving across the surface of the touch screen.
One way to implement a slide feature in a touch screen is to designate a particular area over the display portion of the touch screen as a location for sensing the slide touch. However, this obstructs the user's view of the display screen or reduces the effective area for displaying content on the screen. Another solution for implementing a slide feature is to increase the surface area of the touch-sensitive pad to extend beyond the display area of the touch screen. In this implementation, the slide feature may be implemented using touch sensors located outside the display area of the touch screen. Although this solution does not obstruct the user's view of the display screen, the additional touch sensors require additional I/O lines for interfacing the additional touch sensors, which significantly increases the circuitry required to detect and process a user touch.


According to an exemplary embodiment, a serializer includes upper and lower shift registers configured to perform a load function where parallel input data is loaded from a parallel input bus and a shift function where the parallel input data is shifted to an output register. The upper shift register is configured to perform the load function while the lower shift register performs the shift function, and the lower shift register is configured to perform the load function while the upper shift register performs the shift function. An output register is configured to alternately receive the parallel input data from the upper shift register and the parallel input data from the lower shift register. The upper and lower shift registers and the output register can comprise scan flip-flops.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally in the field of electrical circuits and systems. More particularly, the invention relates to electrical circuits and systems utilized in conversion of parallel data into serial data.
2. Background Art
A serializer can be used to convert low-speed data on a parallel input bus into high-speed data on a serial output. The parallel input bus includes multiple channels, which are sequentially selected by the serializer so as to transfer the data from the parallel input bus to the serial output. Conventional serializers typically include various features, which result in a slow conversion speed, high power consumption, and/or large size. Furthermore, many conventional serializer designs are not scalable and require substantial redesign when the number of channels of the parallel input bus is varied.
Conventional serializers typically convert the low-speed data into the high-speed data in multiple stages. For example, the parallel input bus can have sixteen channels where the low-speed data is converted by one stage into mid-speed data on four channels, which is then converted into the high-speed data on the serial output. However, designing a serializer with multiple stages can be result in a larger, slower, and/or more complicated design. Furthermore, these designs are typically not scalable, consume high power, and/or can be undesirably large. Conventional serializers may also place synchronization or re-time flip-flops and multiplexers or other combinational logic in a data conversion path of the serializer, thereby reducing conversion speed and increasing the size of the serializer. Some serializers may require a phase shifter to generate a signal for controlling selection of the channels in the serializer. However, the phase shifter can be difficult to design and is typically not scalable. Also, some serializers may utilize current mode logic (CML) for the conversion. While CML may be fast, additional circuitry may be required to convert from a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) signal to a CML signal, thereby increasing the size of the serializer. Furthermore, CML requires a constant bias current resulting in high power consumption.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a serializer that can have high conversion speed, low power consumption, and small size while being scalable to accommodate variation in the number of channels of the parallel input.


A speech coding system is provided where input speech is coded by finding via an evaluation computation a code vector giving a minimum error between reproduced signals obtained by linear prediction analysis filter processing, simulating speech path characteristics, on code vectors successively read out from a noise codebook storing a plurality of noise trains as code vectors and an input speech signal and by using a code specifying the code vector. In the speech coding system, the noise codebook includes a delta vector codebook which stores an initial vector and a plurality of delta vectors having difference vectors between adjoining code vectors. In addition, provision is made in the computing unit for the evaluation computation of a cyclic adding unit for cumulatively adding the delta vectors to virtually reproduce the code vectors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a speech coding system for compression of data of speech signals, and more particularly relates to a speech coding system using analysis-by-synthesis (A-b-S) type vector quantization for coding at a transmission speed of 4 to 16 kbps, that is, using vector quantization performing analysis by synthesis.
2. Background of the Related Art
Speech coders using A-b-S type vector quantization, for example, code-excited linear prediction (CELP) coders, have in recent years been considered promising as speech coders for compression of speech signals while maintaining quality in intracompany systems, digital mobile radio communication, etc. In such a quantized speech coder (hereinafter simply referred to as a "coder"), predictive weighting is applied to the code vectors of a codebook to produce reproduced signals, the error powers between the reproduced signals and the input speech signal are evaluated, and the number (index) of the code vector giving the smallest error is decided on or determined and sent to the receiver side.
A coder using the above-mentioned A-b-S type vector quantization system performs processing so as to apply linear prediction analysis filter processing to each of the vectors of the sound generator signals, of which there are about 1000 patterns stored in the codebook, and retrieve from among the approximately 1000 patterns the one pattern giving the smallest error between the reproduced speech signals and the input speech signal to be coded.
Due to the need for instantaneousness in conversation, the above-mentioned retrieval processing must be performed in real time. This being so, the retrieval processing must be performed continuously during the conversation at short time intervals of 5 ms, for example.
As mentioned later, however, the retrieval processing includes complicated computation operations of filter computation and correlation computation. The amount of computation required for these computation operations is huge, being, for example, several 100M multiplications and additions per second. To deal with this computational complexity, even with digital signal processors (DSP), which are the highest in speed at present, several DSP chips are required. In the case of use for cellular telephones, for example, there is the problem of achieving a small size and a low power consumption.

Speech coding system having codebook storing differential vectors between each two adjoining code vectors


A magnetization reversal device includes a ferromagnetic 12 body which is provided in an interconnection of a non-ferromagnetic dot 11 so that a part or a whole of the ferromagnetic dot is three-dimensionally buried in the interconnection of said non-ferromagnetic dot, and a spin injection source 13 which generates a spin-polarized pure spin current without a flow of charges, and which is provided in the interconnection of the non-ferromagnetic dot 11 to be in contact therewith so that the interconnection of the non-ferromagnetic dot serves as a common electrode, and the pure spin current flows into the ferromagnetic dot 2 through the interconnection of the non-magnetic body by the spin injection source 13 due to a diffusion current, to thereby reverse magnetization of the ferromagnetic dot 12. By injecting the pure spin current, using this planar structure, it is possible to easily carry out the magnetization reversal of the ferromagnetic dot 12 even if it is a thick film ferromagnetic dot without being subjected to limitation of a spin diffusion length.

In late years, although miniaturization of CMOS transistors advance, it is concerned about the miniaturization being near to the limit. Therefore, before the limit of the miniaturization of the CMOS transistors can be defeated, it is necessary to develop a new feature element based on a different operation principle.
A magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM) having a magneto tunnel junction (MTJ) as a basic structure (see: Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2) is a high performance energy-saving element utilizing a non-volatility of a ferromagnetic dot, and research and development for a practical use are carried out as one of major candidates of next-generation electronic devices (see: Non-Patent Document 3).
A magneto tunnel junction (MTJ) element, which is an important component of the MRAM, realizes a large magnetoresistance variation (TMR ratio) of several hundred percentages at room temperature due to quality improvement of MgO tunnel barrier and development of a high spin polarization material (see: Non-Patent Documents 4 and 5). Therefore, a reading technique, which is one of the basic operations of the MRAM, is meeting necessary performance. On the other hand, at present, as a writing technique, there is a magnetization reversal method (a spin torque method) based on a spin polarization current (see: Non-Patent Document 6).
Nevertheless, as shown in FIG. 13, a spin injection method using a present layered structure, in which an injection of spins is only one-dimensionally carried out, is theoretically applicable to only a very thin film electrode of a ferromagnetic layer having a thickness less than a spin diffusion length (on the order of several nm). Therefore, an accumulation magnetic energy decreases with miniaturization of an element size (=improvement of an integration degree), and spin in stability due to thermal fluctuation becomes a large problem. In addition, a Joule heat is generated due to a flow of charges raiding on a spin current. For this reason, a limitation, in which a material featuring a small saturation magnetization and a small friction efficiency must be used for an electrode, and which is different from optimization of spin conductivity in the MTJ, occurs, resulting in decline in a reduction of the magnetoresistance charge which is needed in a reading.
In not only the MRAM but also all high function spin devices, it is strongly desired that both improvement of spin thermal disturbance durability and low power consumption in a writing operation can be realized without incompatibility while maintaining high element performance (spin device performance).
The inventors have taken notice of a planar structure featuring high flexibility as an element structure, and have carried out researches on a method of generating a spin current without a flow of charges (which is defined as a pure spin current), and a method of controlling the spin current ((see: for example, Non-Patent Document 7).
FIG. 14 is a view showing a pure spin current. In the upper section of FIG. 14, spin-polarized electric currents are defined as usual electric current on which spin currents are ridden, flows of charges corresponding to a number of electrons (three electrons (e) in FIG. 14 occur, and spin currents including a ↑spin (two in FIG. 14) and a ↓spin (one in FIG. 14) flow in the same direction so that a compensated spin current is generated. On the other hand, in the lower section of FIG. 14, pure spin currents including a ↑spin electron (one in FIG. 14) and a ↓spin electron (one in FIG. 14) flow in the reverse directions to each other due to a diffusion current so that flows of charges are compensated with each other (zero), to thereby cause flows of electrons carrying only spin angular momentum. Since these pure spin currents are conducted due to diffusion from a nonequilibrium state to an equilibrium state, a concept of the generation and control on the pure spin currents is different from that of the flows of charges conducted in an electric field. The inventors have found a spin absorption effect by which the pure spin currents efficiently flow into a ferromagnetic dot featuring a strong spin relaxation (see: Non-Patent Document 8).
Also, the inventors have developed an element structure as shown in FIG. 15 (FIG. 15(A) is an SEM image, and FIG. 15(B) is a concept view thereof), and have proved that it is possible to carry out a magnetization reversal of a fine ferromagnetic dot of permalloy by injecting only the pure spin currents into the fine ferromagnetic dot of permalloy without any electric currents being made to directly flow thereinto (see: Non-Patent Document 9).
Further, the inventors have developed a control method of electrically rotating an accumulation spin vector by carrying out spin injections, using plural terminals (see: Non-Patent Document 10).

Magnetization reversal device, memory element, and magnetic field generation device

Kyushu University, National University Corporation


A method for determining the longitudinal loading acting on a beam, such as a rail of a railway track subjected to longitudinal loading and, in particular, for determining the neutral temperature of railway tracks. The beam is energized longitudinally in the acoustic frequency range, and the level of magnetic Barkhausen noise at the surface of the energized region is measured. Measurements of the magnetic Barkhausen noise are taken for different longitudinal stress states and used for plotting the calibration curve of the magnetic Barkhausen noise as a function of longitudinal stress, the Barkhausen noise being measured at least at three points on the face of the built-in beam, and the calibration curve is used for determining the longitudinal loading on the cross-section in question using weighted averaging. The neutral temperature of the railway track is then calculated considering the modulus of elasticity, coefficient of thermal expansion and temperature of the rail.

The invention relates to a method and equipment for determining the longitudinal loading acting on a beam, such as on a rail of a railway track subjected to longitudinal loading and for determining more particularly the neutral temperature of railway tracks, by energizing the beam longitudinally in the audio-frequency range and measuring the level of Barkhausen noise at the surface of the energized region. Further subject of the invention is an equipment serving for implementing the proposed method.
In the elements used in the construction of track structures lower or higher residual stresses are present due to processes of manufacturing. Further mechanical stresses are added to these residual stresses by dead weight and installation. From the points of view of loadability and fatigue of structural parts, the overall resultant of all these stresses are to be taken into account. However, to find the balance of forces acting on a structure, the force arising in each individual element has to be determined.
The task of determining the forces acting in the various beams of a lattice truss or in a rail of a continuously welded railway track is not a simple technical problem. Application of destructive test methods is not expedient, because, for instance, in the case of a railway track such a test would require setting of scotch blocks.
In a welded track the sleepers prevent displacement of rails through the track fastening elements. After the rails have been clamped, any temperature change causes a thermal stress in the rails due to restriction of dilatation. The temperature at which the thermal stress in the tested cross-section of a rail is zero is termed neutral temperature. It is important that the neutral temperature be in the vicinity of the average of expectable highest and lowest rail temperatures. Should the discrepancy from that average be large, at low temperatures rail ruptures, at high temperatures rail buckling may occur.
In a given cross-section of a rail, stresses may be present even at neutral temperature, resulting from production technology (e.g. due to uneven quenching rate) or installation activities (bending of rails). Characteristic of these stresses is that their resultant referred to the entire cross-sectional area is zero.
For a given cross-sectional area the neutral temperature can be determined from the resultant of stresses arising in the given cross-section.
Non-destructive methods are based on the measurement of a physical characteristic correlated with the stress state of the section of material investigated. A common feature of all such methods is that the correlation is always associated with the actual stress state, and is dependent on the structure of the material concerned (chemical composition, texture, etc.)
The texture of metal and its residual stress depend on the applied manufacturing technology, while the distribution of residual stress may be subject to considerable changes in the course of service--especially during the early years of operation--in a way depending on the location of rails within the track and on the duty imposed on them.
One of the known non-destructive methods is based on the stress-dependence of the level of magnetic Barkhausen noise (Pashley, R. L.: Barkhausen effect--an indication of stress, Materials Evaluation, Vol. 28, No. 7, pp. 157 to 161, 1970).
Magnetic reversals taking place in ferromagnetic materials generate high-frequency electromagnetic and acoustic response signals termed Magnetic Barkhausen Noise. The level of noise depends on the structure of material and its stress state. The stress test performed by measuring the Barkhausen noise is based on the correlation existing between the level of Barkhausen noise and the stress state of the material. Application of Barkhausen noise to stress-state measurements is described in Patent Specification U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,976 and in an international patent application No. PCT/US89/01539. Common feature of the two proposed methods is that the correlation existing between noise level and stress state of a material is determined on a test piece taken from the original component or on a metal sample having a structure identical with the original by means of performing a so-called calibrating measurement.
For measuring the Barkhausen noise, the magnetic polarity of the material is periodically reversed, generally by applying an energizing field of sinusoidal or triangular shape alternating at a frequency between 10 to 100 Hz, causing emission of a high-frequency electromagnetic response signal. The response signal is detected generally by a measuring coil, typically in a frequency band ranging from a few 100 Hz up to a few 100 kHz.
For the measurement of magnetic Barkhausen noise devices of several types are available (e.g. STRESSCAN type device offered by the US firm AST. or STRESSTEST type of the Hungarian firm METALELEKTRO).
A further non-destructive method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,405,160 according to which a specimen is magnetically excited at different points and the acoustic Barkhausen noise induced thereby is detected. By applying numerous different both positive and negative (compressive and tensile) loadings a calibration diagram can be drawn and using this calibration diagram the stress can be defined at each individual point.
This known method can be used for evaluation of the loading of a beam under laboratory conditions only. The reason for this lies in that the local maximum of the dependence of the acoustic Barkhausen noise versus stress is at the zero value of the stress, i.e. two, a positive and a negative, stress values belong to the same value of the noise. In order to be able to differentiate the (positive or negative) sense of the stress each measuring point has to be exposed both to positive and negative as well as zero stress. So as to expose each measuring point to zero stress an additional loading has to be applied onto the beam which causes a stress greater than the sum of residual stress caused by manufacture and the stress caused by ordinary loading.
Applying an additional load on a built-in beam is not allowable as being dangerous on one hand, nor can it be practically carried out on the other.
Detecting acoustic Barkhausen noise is influenced by a number of conditions, e.g. the geometric of the specimen, the resonances and reflections inside the specimen and depending on the geometry, surface roughness, contamination and corrosion of the specimen, and acoustic coupling of the sensor for detecting the Barkhausen noise to the specimen. These influences can in practice not be taken into consideration if a built-in beam is tested.
Because of the above conditions, this known method cannot be used to determine the loading of a built-in beam.

Method and device for determining the neutral temperature of welded tracks


In a method of forming contact holes in an interstage insulation layer having a thick portion on the semiconductor substrate in which a first contact hole leading to the substrate surface is to be formed and a thin portion on an electrode in which a second contact hole leading to the electrode is to be formed, a positive-type resist layer is formed on the interstage insulation layer. Then first and second portions of the resist layer which are aligned with the first and second contact holes to be formed are exposed to light, and thereafter the resist layer is heated, thereby making the exposed first and second portions insoluble in a developer. Thereafter, the first portion of the resist layer is exposed to light and then subjected to a developing treatment to form an opening in the first portion of the resist layer. Using the resultant resist layer as a mask, the interstage insulation layer is subjected to an etching process to etch the first portion (thick portion) thereof by a predetermined thickness so as to have substantially the same thickness as that of the second portion (thin portion) of the same. Thereafter, the second portions of the resist layer are exposed to light and then subjected to a developing treatment to form openings in the second portion of the resist layer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of forming contact holes in a semiconductor substrate and simultaneously in an electrode formed on the substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, to produce a semiconductor element, a second conductive type impurity is implanted into a first conductive type semiconductor substrate, and then diffused in it, thereby forming impurity regions. These impurity regions serve as active regions, passive regions, and/or resistor elements
In a field effect transistor, the impurity regions are used as a source region and a drain region Further, an insulation layer of a predetermined pattern is formed on the substrate, for defining an element-forming region. A thin gate oxide layer is formed on the element-forming region, a gate electrode is formed on the oxide layer, and an interstage insulation layer is formed on the resultant structure. A wiring layer is formed on the interstage insulation layer, and connected to the electrode through a contact hole formed in the interstage layer.
The upper surface of the interstage insulation layer can be leveled or flattened by etch back method developed in recent years, so that a wiring layer formed thereon has no stepped portions, thereby preventing the wiring layer from being disconnected and hence enhancing the reliability of the semiconductor element
The interstage insulation layer, however, does not have a uniform thickness since it has a flat upper surface For example, that portion of the layer which extends between the upper surface of the layer and that of the substrate is thicker than that portion of the same which extends between the upper surface of the layer and that of the electrode formed above the substrate.
Now, a conventional method of forming contact holes of a field effect transistor will be explained with reference to FIG. 1A-1E. As is shown in FIG. 1A, a plurality of element-forming regions 3 are defined in a first conductive type (e.g. p-type) silicon substrate 1 by forming a selective oxide layer 2 for isolating elements on the substrate 1. The element-forming regions 3 each have a surface region in which a second conductivity type (e.g. n-type) impurity difference region as a source region 101.sub.1 and a second conductivity type impurity diffused region as a drain region 102.sub.2 are formed. Gate oxide layers 4, gate electrodes 5, and an interstage insulation layer 6 are formed on and above the element forming regions 3. The upper face of the layer 6 is leveled or flattened by etch back method, on which a positive-type resist layer 7 is formed, as is shown in FIG. 1B. A mask 8 is placed over the layer 7, and ultraviolet light 9, indicated by the arrows in FIG. 1B, is applied to the layer 7 through the mask 8 by means of an aligner (not shown). Then, the layer 7 is developed, thereby forming openings 10.sub.1 and 10.sub.2 for impurity diffused regions and an opening 11 for a gate electrode. Subsequently, as is shown in FIG. 1D, the interstage insulation layer is etched by RIE (Reactive Ion Etching) with the use of the resist layer 7 as a mask, thereby forming therein contact holes 12.sub.1 and 12.sub.2 which reach the impurity diffused regions 101.sub.1 and 101.sub.2 and a contact hole 13 which reaches the electrode 5. As can be understood from FIG. 1D, the electrode 5 is also etched to some extent. That is, it has a depression 14 (FIG. 1E). This is because that portion of the interstage insulation layer 6 which extends between the upper surface of the layer and that of the substrate is thicker than that portion of the same which extends between the upper surface of the layer and that of the electrode formed above the substrate.
As is described above, in the conventional method, over-etching occurs when contact holes are simultaneously formed in those portions of the interstage insulation layer which have different thicknesses. To avoid this, it is considered that contact holes for gate electrodes are formed by means of a lithography process different from that in which contact holes for impurity regions are formed. In this case, however, the number of the required processes is increased.
There is another method to avoid over-etching. As is shown in FIG. 2, a resist thin film 15 for preventing over-etching is formed on that portion of the resist layer 7 which is aligned with the thin portion of the interstage insulation layer 6 (in which the contact hole 13 is to be formed). In this method, however, another lithography process is required for forming the resist thin film 15, and further a mask may not be placed in a desired position when the film 15 is formed.


The present disclosure relates to a continuous extrusion process for producing a celluloid article including several steps and a celluloid article prepared by the continuous extrusion process.

Historically, celluloid was often seen as the first plastic matter of industrial relevance. Contemporary to the fast industrialization of late 19th century and early 20th century, it rapidly became a workhorse material for commodity products. Its origin and production are found in the following patents:
Charles E. When, "Method of Shaping Pyroxylin, Celluloid, And Like Materials", U.S. Pat. No. 1,461,299, dated Jul. 10, 1923.
William G. Lindsay, "Process of Making Sheets of Pyroxylin Compound" U.S. Pat. No. 1,468,820, dated Sep. 25, 1923. The ancestor of celluloid, Parkesine, was developed by an Englishman named Alexander Parkes in 1862. He discovered that a mixture of cellulose treated with nitric acid and different solvents had thermoforming abilities. Unfortunately, the lack of plasticizer in its formulation resulted in a material that would crack over time making high scale production impossible. This was until John Wesley Hyatt discovered that camphor was a natural solvent for nitrocellulose making the material the first thermoplastic produce on an industrial level (see U.S. Pat. No. 88,663, dated Apr. 6, 1869, antedated Mar. 25, 1869). Hyatt decided to name his disclosure "celluloid".
Due to its thermoforming and combustion characteristics, celluloid is a very interesting product for the armament industries. Mortar increment made of celluloid sheets has been used as a container for propellants.
There are two processes currently used in order to produce celluloid sheets on an industrial scale: The block method, in which a uniform block of celluloid is cut into thin individual sheets, and the lacquer method in which the celluloid is dissolved in lacquer, spread on a conveyor belt and dried.
As explained above, the bloc method consists of making a block of celluloid followed by cutting into sheets. Typically, there are six main steps: mixing using a sigma blade mixer, plastifying using a "roll-mill" apparatus, blocking, cutting, drying and final shaping.
Using a sigma blade mixer, the nitrocellulose and camphor are mixed together in the presence of ethanol and acetone is added in order to be able to mix the dough thoroughly and ensure no undissolved nitrocellulose remains. The mixed dough is split in fractions and moved to a "two roll-mill" heated where every fraction is processed individually using a two roll mill and piled on top of each other to form a thick celluloid carpet. The thick carpet is moved to a jacketed heated press. Heat and pressure are applied on the material for between 8 and 12 hours typically. The resulting block is cooled down and oscillated back and forth on a hydraulic table equipped with a knife. The knife cuts a thin slice of the block each time as the block is passing underneath.
In order to reach the correct solvent ratio the sheets are suspended on a rack and dried in a room using hot air blowers. The sheets are piled on top of each other and placed in a multiple deck press where they are heated for 40 minutes to soften the celluloid sheets and make sure that they come out straight and flat. An optional cutting step is performed to give the final dimensions to the sheet.
The block method has several disadvantages, primary among them is the fact that it can only be carried out as a batch process. This results in slower production and higher costs.
The lacquer method is a method of celluloid production that is performed by first dissolving the raw material (nitrocellulose, camphor, optional stabilizer, etc.) in solvent and pouring the solution in a continuous strip on a conveyor belt where the solvent is removed leaving a clear continuous sheet of celluloid at the end of the conveyor.
This method is a continuous process and is inherently more efficient than the block method above. However, the lacquer method also bears several disadvantages including: the thicknesses of the sheets are less consistent than the block method. Depending on the thickness of the celluloid sheets, there will be residual solvents in the final product which can result in end-user processability problems. In addition, the amount of solvent that needs to be recovered is much higher than with the block method and if a foaming agent is required, the uniformity of the foaming agent concentration in the celluloid lacquer cannot be predicted.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,920 describes and teaches a process for the production of extrusions formed of compositions based on plasticized nitrocellulose and a method of continuous production of propellant extrusions based on nitrocellulose gelled with an explosive oil and with a screw-extruder for carrying out such a method.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,979,762 describes and teaches batch compounding process for preparing pyroxylin (nitrocellulose) sheets where the pyroxylin is in the form of a colloidal gel of bread-dough stiffness and extruded through an orifice and formed into a soft web containing a considerable amount of solvent.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0242794 describes and teaches a polymer composition, including celluloid, including a melt-processed polymer compounded with a colour stabilizer and a silver-based antimicrobial agent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,210 describes and teaches a method for producing plastically bonded propulsion powders or explosives by means of an extruder consisting of two co-rotating or counter-rotating screw shafts and a forming head.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0079031 describes and teaches a methodology where solids including acrylic gum/guanidine nitrate, oxidizing filler and additives, and liquids are separately introduced into a twin-screw mixer-extruder, conveyed and kneaded to form a paste, degassed and extruded in the form of rods.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,171,095 describes and teaches an extrusion apparatus used for extruding plastics such as pyroxylin (nitrocellulose) into solid block forms which are subsequently adapted to provide patterns, designs and colour effects.
Thus there exists a need for a continuous extrusion process for preparing cost-effective celluloid of various geometries having uniform properties. Further, other desirable features and characteristics of the inventive subject matter will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the inventive subject matter and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the inventive subject matter.

Continuous celluloid twin screw extrusion process

General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems—Canada Valleyfield, Inc.