The physical memory of a computer may not be directly accessable to the operator during the operation of a program due to the operational requirements of the operating system. Direct access to the physical memory of the computer during such operation may be possible through the aliasing of the physical memory locations and the creation of virtual alias addresses which will then give operator the necessary control to directly access any memory location thereby permitting the debugging of the program.

Debuggers or debugging computer programs are used by computer programmers to methodically work their way through or into specific regions of a particular program that has been written. The programmers are then able to make alterations and corrections so that the program will operate and function properly without either giving erroneous results or becoming locked up such that it cannot continue.
Debugging programs, commonly referred to as debuggers, can, in effect, override normal operation and operational controls of a program so that the operator may look into or get into a program or the storage locations in which the program is stored. This allows the programmer to control the step-by-step operation of the program being debugged and also allows the programmer to inspect the contents of any particular memory location in physical memory to ensure that the proper values are stored in that location as well as giving the programmer direct access to that location to make alterations or corrections. Using a debugger, a programmer may get into the inner workings of an operating system, an application program or device driver programs. Device driver programs which interface between the application program and an input/output device, such as a printer, disk file or other device which provides signals to the program and receives signals and commands from the program controlled processor to perform some function.
There exists more than one kind of debugger program. Once such type is a kernel level debugger. This type of debugger is embedded into the operating system with which it functions and allows the programmer access to the operating system and higher level programs, such as application programs or device driver programs, that are running with the operating system.
A second type of program for debugging is a separate stand-alone debugging program or debugger such as the present invention and allows the debugging of computer programs without having to load the kernel level spin of the operating system. This is desirable because bugs found in programming on what may be referred to as the retail level of the operating system (the level ultimately delivered to the customer) may be permuted or be masked when running on the kernel level spin of the operating system. This may be due to the fact that when the debugger portion of the kernel level spin is added, there are sufficient changes made in the program environment to cause the base program no longer to reflect its operation as it exists in the retail level.
Where the debugger program is not embedded in the operating system, any bugs in the program being debugged or any problems with that program are more readily identifiable and correctable because it is running in its natural environment, the retail spin or level of the operating system.
Kernel level debuggers integrated into the operating system program have built in hooks or interrupt intercepts to allow the computer programmer to monitor events as a program operates.

Dynamic physical address aliasing during program debugging


In a known method in which a cooling pipe that is fixed and rigid is used, variation in a distance from the center of an exhaust heat pipe to the outer surface of a thermoelectric conversion module, variation in the radius of curvature of the curved surface of a cooling pipe, and other factors produce a gap between the outer surface of the thermoelectric conversion module and the inside surface of the cooling pipe. The gap prevents the achievement of desired cooling performance and the improvement of power generation efficiency.

In the present industrial society, an enormous amount of waste heat, which corresponds to 60% or more of the total amount of supplied primary energy, is exhausted to the natural environment mainly from factories, power plants, ironworks, automobiles, buildings, illuminators, ships, and so on. It is estimated that 75% or more of the waste heat is exhausted in the forms of hot water and gas that have a temperature of 250° C. or less. Thermoelectric power generation refers to generating power from such wasted and discharged heat. The thermoelectric power generation is therefore highly useful for protecting the Earth's environment. The waste heat is generally transferred through exhaust heat pipes such as cylindrical exhaust pipes and cylindrical wastewater pipes. In order to utilize the waste heat simply and efficiently as a heat source for the thermoelectric power generation, a thermoelectric conversion module needs to be flexible so as to be capable of being in contact with a curved outer surface of an exhaust heat pipe. Heat sources for the thermoelectric power generation have low temperature, and resultant temperature differential is small. This makes power generation efficiency low. Therefore, a module has to have low internal resistance in order to function as a power generation module. Thus, a module needs to include a large number of low-resistance thermoelectric elements mounted in an area as small as possible, and to be manufacturable at a low cost with good mass productivity. Further, in order to provide the thermoelectric elements with a largest possible temperature differential, a mounting substrate and other components of the module need to have low thermal resistance, and the module needs to have low contact thermal resistance when mounted to a pipe. Japanese Patent No. 5228160 discloses an example of known flexible thermoelectric conversion modules.

Thermoelectric conversion module, method for producing same, thermoelectric power generation system, and method for producing same

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion module of the present invention includes two flexible substrates each made of a thin resin film and having mounting lands formed thereon, and a plurality of thermoelectric elements mounted on the mounting lands at high density, wherein one of the two flexible substrate has a plurality of slits to make the module easy to bend.


A direct acting solenoid actuator includes an armature and associated push pin that are suspended from certain fixed solenoid components, such as a pole piece and/or flux sleeve, by a fully floating cage of rolling elements. The fixed solenoid component may comprise a pole piece and/or a flux sleeve. The pole piece may include stops to limit movement of the cage of rolling elements in the axial direction.

Direct acting solenoid actuators are often used to control fluid pressure in a variety of systems, including clutch mechanisms and other devices in an automobile. Direct acting solenoid actuators employ an armature mechanism that drives a fluid control element, such as a spool, a spring-biased four-way proportional flow control valve, a poppet valve and the like in various hydraulic control applications. Typically, the armature is connected to, and drives, a push pin that engages the fluid control element to this end.
A change in the electrical current supplied to the solenoid results in a change in fluid pressure. Ideally, a given input current corresponds to a single pressure, independent of whether the input current is increasing or decreasing. For example, consider a solenoid that is initially at high pressure (20 bars) at zero current. When a 0.5 Amp current is applied, the pressure drops to 12 bars. Ideally, if the current is increased to 1 Amp, and then decreased back down to 0.5 Amps, the pressure will again be 12 bars. Thus, a pressure value can be determined for each value of the current, independent of whether the current is increasing or decreasing.
In reality, a number of factors contribute to hysteresis in solenoid actuators. Hysteresis describes the difference in output for a given input when the input is increasing versus decreasing. In a direct acting solenoid actuator, friction between the armature and the armature sleeve, as well as debris in the hydraulic fluid surrounding the armature, may prevent the armature from sliding smoothly in response to the induced magnetic field. This may result in different values of pressure for a given current, depending on whether the current is increasing or decreasing. As such, the reliability of the actuator decreases, and the direction of the current (increasing or decreasing) must be taken into account when selecting a current for achieving a desired pressure.
Thus, there is a need for direct acting solenoid actuators that reduce or minimize hysteresis during operation while improving robustness to contamination in the form of foreign matter in the hydraulic fluid.


The invention relates to bicycle work stands for making repairs and changing and mounting tubeless tires. There is provided a one-sided wheel work stand with a pivotal upper wheel bracket which allows the user to work unobstructed on the wheel and then acts as a device to lay the wheel flat for better sealing. In related embodiments, the work stand is configured to assist a user in adapting 32 mm 15 QR axle hubs and in truing a bicycle wheel while attached to the work stand.

More and more companies are moving towards incorporating tubeless bicycle tires in their bicycle designs. Major sponsors of the Tour De France are now showing off their new tubeless wheels. However one of the major challenges to transitioning to tubeless tires is the need for adding additional sealant to the tires during installation and regularly about every two to six months.
In addition, purchasing work stands for each wheel repair or service need gets expense as bicycle wheels need truing adjustments or the type of wheel and hub may not always fit with the stand that a user has to service a specialty made wheel.
Therefore there is a need in the industry and by avid cyclists for a work stand that will address the various service and repair needs of cycle wheels.


Provided herein are dynamic flux nucleic acid sequence amplification methods. The dynamic flux nucleic acid sequence amplification methods described herein are capable of amplifying nucleic acid sequences within a narrow temperature range. In some aspects, the disclosure provides for real-time dynamic flux nucleic acid sequence amplification methods.

Very few developments in the history of science have had such a profound impact upon human life as advances in controlling pathogenic microorganisms. It was not until the late 19th and early 20th centuries that the work of Pasteur and Koch established microorganisms as the cause of infectious diseases and provided strategies that led to rational prevention and control strategies. The sulphonamides were among the first groups of compounds discovered to suppress microorganism infections, and though little was known about their mechanism of action, the discovery stimulated a massive hunt for more effective antibiotic compounds. The isolation of an impure but highly active preparation of penicillin by Florey and Chain in 1940, and the subsequent success of penicillin diverted additional scientific effort towards the search for antibiotics, leading to the discovery of approximately 3,000 named antibiotics. However, despite rapid progress in the discovery of new compounds, only 50 of the named antibiotics have met with clinical use, and even fewer are commonly used in treating microorganism diseases.
The initial effectiveness of antibiotics against microorganism infections has been partly offset by the emergence of strains of microorganisms that are resistant to various antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance has proven difficult to overcome because of the accelerated evolutionary adaptability of microorganisms, the increasing overuse of antibiotics in the clinic, and lack of patient compliance in completing prescribed dosing regimens. Resistance issues have made many otherwise curable diseases, such as gonorrhea and typhoid, difficult to treat. In addition, microorganisms resistant to vancomycin, one of the last broadly effective antibiotics, are becoming increasingly prevalent in hospitals.
New antibiotic compounds are constantly being developed to keep infectious microorganisms at bay, and an understanding of the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance has proven valuable in the development process. Advances in genomics allow researchers to identify biochemical pathways that are susceptible to inhibition or modification, and to rationally design drugs targeted against such pathways. Many drugs exert a therapeutic effect by binding to a microorganism protein and modifying its structure and/or function. In such cases, microorganisms can develop immunity by physical modification of the target protein in a manner that interferes with drug binding or activity. For example, resistance to the antibiotic erythromycin in several microorganisms results from a variation of the 505 ribosome subunit that causes a reduced affinity of ribosomes for erythromycin. Since a protein's structure/function is determined by its primary sequence, which is in turn determined by the sequence of the nucleic acid encoding the protein, nucleic acid sequence variations associated with drug resistant phenotypes are useful diagnostic indicators of drug resistance.
While methods have been established to identify nucleic acid sequence variations in microorganisms, existing techniques are limited by the requirement for foreknowledge of the particular mutations or other variations being used as diagnostic indicators. As a result, known screening procedures often overlook newly developed and/or uncharacterized sequence variations associated with drug resistance or other characteristics of interest.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for fast, affordable, and reliable methods for detecting both known and unknown nucleic acid sequence variations having diagnostic utility, including mutations associated with drug sensitivity and/or drug resistance patterns in a wide variety of organisms, such as yeasts, viruses, fungi, bacteria, parasites and even humans.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Dynamic flux nucleic acid sequence amplification


A stackable and nestable crate apparatus particularly adapted for the transport and storage of easily breakable products, such as potato chips, or the like, includes an open topped container body of unitary molded plastic construction. A lid extends across the open top of the container body and is mountable thereon at various selected elevations to vertically support an overlying, stacked crate apparatus at a level suitable for the size of the product housed within the supporting crate apparatus. The front and rear walls of the container body are appropriately recessed to permit relative sliding movement between adjacent, stacked crates. The peripheral dimensions of the lid are correlated with respect to those of the interior of the container body to enable ready access to the product within a crate apparatus when slidably extended from the stack and to permit the lid, when rotated, to be readily received within the container body in order to accommodate nesting of empty crates.

The present invention relates to a stackable and nestable crate apparatus for use in the transport and storage of upstanding bags containing food product of a brittle, easily breakable nature, such as potato chips, pretzels, or the like. More particularly, the invention relates to crate apparatus of the concerned type including a lid cooperative with a molded plastic container body to permit adjustment of the lid position depending upon the size of the bags housed within the container body.
It is well known to employ covered crate apparatus for the transport of goods. Such apparatus is commonly constructed from cardboard in which the fold in the cardboard along the edge of the case portion serves as a hinge. Cases of this type are undesirable in that, being made of cardboard, they are subject to rapid deterioration, particularly when they are exposed to wet conditions. Also, such cases are prone to fail due to the repeated bending of the cardboard hinge. An additional disadvantage results, moreover, from the fact that case apparatus of this type, in order to effectively contain product in bags of variable sizes, must either be produced in several sizes, thereby increasing the magnitude of the inventory which must be maintained or, alternatively, must be dimensioned to accommodate bags of the greatest contemplated size whereupon, when bags of smaller size are shipped, an amount of empty excess volume must be tolerated.
It is to the amelioration of these problems, therefore, to which the present invention is directed.


The present invention relates to articles and methods involving porous materials (e.g., membranes) which may interact with species, such as biological molecules, cells, etc., whereby the species may adhere to or become immobilized with respect to a surface of the porous material or an adhesion layer coating the porous surface. The porous material may be capable of attaching species with control over the positioning and spatial distribution of the species across the surface of the material. Such articles and methods may be useful in, for example, biological assays, biological sensors, or in the culturing of biological cells.

Cell-based devices have been used in many high-throughput pharmaceuticals testing systems to study cell behavior, including cell growth, cell migration, and cellular response to agents such as toxins, pathogens, drugs, or other cells. The use of materials such as membranes within cell culture environment has furthered the development of cell-based devices that may find use in various applications. Many systems employ the use of polymer membranes, wherein cells may adhere to the surface of the membrane or within the pores of the membrane, and their behavior may be studied. For many known polymeric membranes, both pore size and pore distribution may be difficult to control, limiting the ability to accurately monitor cell behavior. One method of achieving greater control of pore size and distribution may be to utilize multiple layers of polymeric membranes, resulting in composite membranes having increased thickness (e.g., at least 40 microns) and decreased flexibility. This may be detrimental to studies involving, for example, interaction between cells on opposite sides of the composite membrane. Conversely, polymeric membranes having decreased thickness often are characterized by undesirably poor mechanical strength. Additionally, it may be difficult to control and monitor the adherence of cells to many conventional polymeric membranes. While cells may adhere to the pores, they may also adhere to locations in between pores, which may prevent the growth ordered tissue, or otherwise be undesirable for certain applications.
Accordingly, improved methods and materials are needed.

High throughput cell-based assays fabricated with integrated silicon and cell culture technologies

Agency for Science, Technology and Research


An ice crampon comprises a metal body composed of a head and a heel connected by flexible connecting means formed by at least one flexible cord after passing through length adjustment notches. These notches form part of a notching system securedly attached to the body of the crampon, so that the longitudinal adjustment of the cord is adapted to the shoe size, independently from the fixing means of the crampon.

The invention relates to an ice crampon comprising a metal body composed of:                a front part or head and a rear part or heel connected to said head by flexible connecting means collaborating with an adjustment system for adjusting the length of the crampon,        and fixing means for attaching the crampon to the sole of a shoe.

Ice crampon with improved longitudinal adjustment


A method of fabricating flash erasable programmable read only memory. A substrate having an isolation structure is provided. A tunnel oxide layer and a floating gate layer are formed in sequence over substrate and are patterned. An ion implantation is performed and a first doped region is formed in the substrate. An oxidation step is performed to form a first oxide layer over the substrate. A nitride/oxide layer and a control gate layer are formed in sequence over the substrate. The control gate layer, the nitride/oxide layer, the first oxide layer, and the floating gate layer are patterned until the substrate is exposed. An ion implantation step is performed to form a common source region and a drain region in the substrate. Spacers are formed over the sidewalls of the control gate layer, the nitride/oxide layer, the first oxide layer, and the floating gate layer. A self-aligned silicide step is performed to form silicide layers over the control gate layer, the common source region, and the drain region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor fabricating method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of forming an erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM).
2. Description of the Related Art
EPROM, an acronym for Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory, is the memory circuit that is most often used in computer and electronic products. One of its advantages is that neither the program, nor the data stored in the EPROM, are not lost under normal conditions. If there is a need to erase the stored program and data, it is simply exposed to an ultraviolet light source for a specified period of time. In this way, the EPROM can be reprogrammed again. However, the EPROM erase operation wipes out all the stored data residing within. Therefore, whenever a data update is required, every bit of data must be rewritten back to the EPROM, which is rather time-consuming. Technology for a flash EPROM was developed by Intel Corporation. The data does not need to be erased completely. Instead, the characteristic of the flash EPROM is to erase data block by block. Hence, the time for reprogramming a flash EPROM is reduced.
FIG. 1 is a top-view layout showing a conventional flash EPROM. In FIG. 1, the conventional flash EPROM includes an isolation structure 101, a floating gate layer 103, a control gate 105, a common source region 106, and a drain region 107.
FIGS. 2A through 2C are schematic, cross-sectional views of a portion of a semiconductor device showing the conventional steps of fabricating a flash EPROM. The (I) of each figure is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along line I--I. The (II) of each figure is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along line II--II. The (III) of each figure is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along line III--III.
In FIG. 2A, a P-type substrate 100 having a shallow trench (STI) 101 therein is provided. A tunnel oxide layer 102 and a floating gate layer 103 are formed in sequence over the substrate 100, after which the tunnel oxide layer 102 and the floating gate layer 103 are patterned.
In FIG. 2B, a first isolation layer 104 and a control gate layer 105 are formed in sequence over the substrate 100. The control gate layer 105, the isolation layer 104, the floating gate layer 103, and the tunnel oxide layer 102 are patterned.
In FIG. 2C, an ion implantation step is performed to form a common source region 106 and drain regions 107 in the substrate 100. Spacers 108 are formed over the sidewalls of the control gate layer 105, the isolation layer 104, the floating gate layer 103, and the tunnel oxide layer 102. Then, a self-aligned silicide step is performed to form silicide layers 109 on the control gate layer 105, the common source region 106, and the drain region 107.
However, it is difficult to form the silicide layer 109 on an abrupt-step structure (show in FIG. 2B (II)) in the conventional process, in which the resistance of common source region 106 is increased. In FIG. 2A (II), the surface of the tunnel oxide layer 102 and the floating gate layer 103 is higher than the surface of substrate 100. Therefore the surface over the substrate 100 is not flat. In FIG. 2B (II), an abrupt-step surface 113 is formed after patterning the control gate layer 105, the isolation layer 104, the floating gate layer 103, and the tunnel oxide layer 102. In FIG. 2C (II), it is difficult to perform a self-aligned silicide step on the surface of an abrupt-step structure 114 to form the silicide layer 109 thereon. Therefore, the resistance of the common source region 106 is increased.

Method of fabricating flash erasable programmable read only memory


A data transmission circuit has a push-pull circuit including first and second MOS transistors, sequentially connected in series between a first power source potential node and a second potential node, to which a first data signal and a second data signal defined as an inverted signal of the first data signal are respectively supplied, an output capacitance connected between the second power source potential node and a connecting node between the MOS transistor and the second MOS transistor which serves as an output node of the push-pull circuit, a transfer gate connected to the output node of the push-pull circuit, a first inverter connected to the output node of the transfer gate, and a second inverter connected to the first inverter to form a feedback loop, whereby the data are transmitted by a low quantity of consumed electric power.

The present invention relates generally to a data transmission circuit for connecting an output circuit for outputting data to an input circuit to which input data is supplied, and more particularly to a data transmission circuit used in a semiconductor integrated circuit of a data path and a memory, etc.
FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram showing a conventional data transmission circuit.
The data transmission circuit illustrated in FIG. 7 is constructed of an inverter INV and a clocked inverter CKINV that are serially connected between an output circuit 1 for outputting data and an input circuit 2 for receiving data, and an output capacitance Cout connected between an output node a of the inverter INV and a potential node Vss.
Control signals CNT and /CNT (the symbol "/" prefixed to the signal name hereinafter implies a logical inversion) are supplied to the clocked inverter CKINV, whereby the data transmission circuit is switched ON/OFF according to the necessity. The data is thus transmitted between the output circuit 1 and the input circuit 2.
In the conventional data transmission circuit shown in FIG. 7, however, a voltage applied to the node a oscillates at a full amplitude with the data output from the inverter INV, and the electric power consumed in the data transmission circuit is proportional to a square of a voltage amplitude. Accordingly, if an activation rate of the data outputted from the output circuit 1 is high, the problem is that a charging/discharging process at the output capacitance Cout is repeated, which leads to a consumption of large electric power.
Furthermore, the control signal CNT becomes "0", and accordingly the data transmission circuit is switched OFF, at which time an electric potential of an output node b of the clocked inverter CKINV, i.e., the electric potential of an input node b of the input circuit 2 comes to an electric potential between a "1" level signal potential and a "0" level signal potential of the data signal with the result that the node b is brought into a floating state. As a result, a through-current flows between a first power source potential node Vdd and a potential node Vss of an input gate circuit within the input circuit 2, and, because of a multiplicity of data transmission circuits being used in the semiconductor integrated circuit of the data path and the memory etc, this causes an increase in the consumption of the electric power.


A differential drive for use on a vehicle to control the transfer of torque between the front and rear axles of a vehicle. The differential drive includes a rotatably driven differential housing supported in a housing. The differential drive also includes a differential gear set arranged and supporting in the differential housing. The differential gear set has at least two side shafts gears and at least two differential gears. The differential drive also includes a torque distribution device having a viscous transmission. The viscous transmission has an inner hub and an outer casing. The inner hub is connected to a first side shaft. The outer casing is connected to one of the side gears. The viscous transmission also connects the output of the first side shaft to one of the side shaft gears.

The present invention relates to differential drives for a motor vehicle, and more particularly, relates to a speed sensing torque transfer device for use in a vehicle.
The differential drive is well known in the motor vehicle industry. The differential drive is used in conjunction with the transmission and drive shaft or propeller shaft (prop shaft) to turn the automotive vehicle wheels at different speeds when the vehicle is going around a curve, to differentiate the speed of each wheel individually and to provide the proper amount of torque to each wheel in slipping, turning or other road to wheel conditions.
In a traditional torque on demand drive train layout of an automotive vehicle, there is a primary driven front/rear axle and a secondary driven hang-on axle that is connected via prop shaft or drive shaft and a torque transferring coupling to the primary driven axle. The torque transfer coupling is usually directly in front of the secondary driven axle. The axle differential creates the division of power or torque to each side shaft of the axle. The primary driven axle also includes a differential which divides the necessary power to the side shaft of each front axle and then the wheels. The division of torque between the front and rear axle is completed by the torque transfer coupling which is a separate unit on the drive train system and requires spacing for its housing and other related parts. A current state-of-the-art passive torque transfer coupling for an automotive vehicle is located between the primary and secondary driven axles of the vehicle and can generally consist of a viscous coupling, gear rotor coupling, or any other passive speed sensing device. The viscous coupling unit senses slip conditions of the wheels, monitors current driving conditions of the vehicle and distributes torque to each wheel or axle as necessary.
A passive torque transfer system provides flexibility in the distribution of torque between the axles in an all-wheel or four-wheel drive automotive system. Generally, a passive speed sensing device will provide traction control through a smooth and progressive torque transfer to the wheel or axle with the greatest traction potential. The viscous coupling is a well known passive speed sensing device that operates according to principles of fluid friction and thus is dependent on speed differences. Furthermore, the viscous coupling has great flexibility in its design parameters thus allowing it to achieve desired torque characteristics with relation to traction and handling. The viscous coupling is a self contained unit that does not need electronics or remote sensors to operate. All of these passive speed sensing torque drive systems are located in a separate housing usually directly in front of the rear differential.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a device to simplify, reduce the weight and required space of a passive speed sensing torque distribution device for use in an automotive vehicle.
One object of the present invention is to provide an improved torque distribution device. Another object of the present invention is to provide a torque distribution device that includes a viscous transmission that runs at axle speed, which will reduce imbalance issues in the transaxle.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to reduce and minimize the packaging requirements in the prop shaft area of the automotive vehicle.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a differential that includes a viscous transmission that runs in oil and also reduces the effort for bearings and seals while improving the cooling of the differential.
A further object of the present invention is to reduce the number of interfaces in the drive train while also reducing the weight and cost of the drive train assembly.
Still a further object of the present invention is to integrate within the existing axle housing the viscous transmission to control the torque between the front and rear axles.
To achieve the foregoing objects the differential drive for use on a vehicle includes a rotatably driven differential housing supported in a housing. A differential gear set arranged and supporting in the differential housing. The differential gear set including at least two side shaft gears and at least two side gears. A torque distribution device having a viscous transmission. The viscous transmission having an inner hub and an outer casing. The inner hub being connected to a first side shaft. The viscous transmission also includes an outer casing that is connected to one of the side shaft gears. The viscous transmission connects the output of the first side shaft to one of the side shaft gears.
One advantage of the present invention is a new and improved torque distribution device for a vehicle.
A further advantage of the present invention is that the torque distribution device uses a viscous transmission that runs at axle speed which reduces imbalance issues on the drive train.
A further advantage of the present invention is the reduced or minimized packaging requirement in the prop shaft area of the motor vehicle.
Yet a further advantage of the present invention is the inclusion of the viscous transmission that runs in oil to reduce the effort for bearings and seals while also improving the cooling within the differential.
A further advantage of the present invention is to reduce the number of interfaces and reduce the weight and costs of distributing torque to the drive train system.
A further advantage of the present invention is the integration within the housing of the viscous transmission for the torque distribution device.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent description and appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Integrated viscous transmission in a differential


A data object can be represented based on multiple “tags” (e.g., multiple signatures provided as a cluster of signatures based on multiple tags of a data model). Essentially, the representation of the data object need not necessarily reflect the entire data object but it can provide a useful indication (or a signal) (e.g., “s40={computer vision, image analysis, tracking, detection, 3d}”), In addition, a data representation provided (e.g., signature or cluster of signatures) can represent multiple data objects. However, a data object can be represented by multiple tags (e.g., signatures) as well. Also, multiple tags can be used to collectively represent a data object. The tags can provide information in an organized and logically structured manner. For example, a cluster signature can be provided with strings of one or more words (e.g., keywords) concatenated with logical operators (e.g., AND, OR, NOT).

A data object (or an object) can include information (or data). Typically, information (or data) can be provided as textual information (or textual data). By way of example, textual information (or textual data) can be represented by a string of characters which may be encoded in computer-readable format (e.g., American Standard Code for information Interchange (ASCII). Computers can understand numbers, so an ASCII code can be provided as a numerical representation of a character such as 'a' or '@' an action of some sort A data object can, for example, be written text in a language readable by a human (e.g., a user profile, resume, a job) provided (e.g., encoded, generated, stored) in various known computer-readable formats (e.g., txt, pdf, html, json, web document).
Today, data and its usage in computing environments and systems has become prevalent in virtually all aspects of business and personal life. Moreover, usage of various forms of data is likely to continue to grow even more rapidly and more widely across all aspects of commerce, social and personal activities. As such, it is apparent that techniques for representation of data are very useful.

Generating and using multiple representations of data objects in computing systems and environments


A fastener for securing a circuit board to a chassis or another circuit board of an electronic appliance in a spaced relationship by a predetermined fixed distance. The fastener comprises a plunger having an inverted pyramid-shaped head and a rod extending downwardly from said head, and a fastener body including an isolating member having at the center thereof an opening for receiving said plunger therein and a pair of locking members located at the opposite ends of said isolating member with a pair of support plates interposed therebetween. When the plunger is inserted into the fastener body, the locking members are expanded outwardly by the plunger so that a circuit board and a chassis or another circuit board are secured to each other in a predetermined spaced relationship.

This invention relates to a fastener for securing a circuit board to a chassis or another circuit board of an electronic appliance in a spaced relationship by a predetermined fixed distance from each other.
Electronic appliances often employ means for securing a circuit board to a chassis or another circuit board in a spaced relationship by a predetermined fixed distance from each other. FIG. 1 shows an exemplary one of such means wherein a hollow tubular member a is interposed between a circuit board A and a chassis B and a bolt b is fitted in and extends through the hollow of the tubular member a and fastens the circuit board A and the chassis B to each other with a nut c screwed thereon. Another exemplary means is shown in FIG. 2 wherein a hollow tubular member a is interposed between a circuit board A and a chassis B and a pair of bolts b are screwed into the opposite end portions of a threaded hollow of the tubular member a to fasten the circuit board A and the chassis B to each other. The two means described above commonly have a drawback that, since the head d of the bolt b or each of the bolts b is projected to the outside of the circuit board A, the head d frequently contacts with some part on the circuit board A to cause short-circuiting. The means also have a common drawback that much time is required for assembly using the same. Such a means as shown in FIG. 3 is also conventionally employed wherein a head d of such a bolt as described above is accommodated in an accommodating member e so as not to be projected to the outside of a circuit board A. The means, however, has drawbacks that such an accommodating member e for accommodating the head d of a bolt is required in addition to a hollow tubular member a and that a step of producing the accommodating member e is additionally required, resulting in increase in production cost.
Recently, such an isolating fastener as shown in FIG. 4 has been proposed and is now in practical use. A fastener of the type shown is superior to the conventional isolating members described above in that the production cost is comparatively low because it is formed by integral molding of a synthetic resin material and that a circuit board A can be secured to a chassis B in a spaced relationship by a predetermined fixed distance only by fitting the opposite end portions of the fastener into perforations in the circuit board A and the chassis B, and accordingly the operation efficiency is high. With the fastener of the type described just above, fixation of the same to the circuit board A only makes use of resiliency of fixing fingers h which are provided at the top of the fastener and normally resiliently urged outwardly or upwardly from the position shown in FIG. 4 while fixation to the chassis B is attained by a wing band g and a plurality of contact elements i provided at lower portions of the fastener. Accordingly, the fastener has a drawback that it cannot stand use for a long period of time and it is particularly unsuitable for use with an electronic appliance of an aircraft or a car.


A superconductor cable includes a superconductive cable core (1) and a cryostat (2) enclosing the same. The cable core (1) has a superconductive conductor (3), an insulation (4) surrounding the same and a shielding (5) surrounding the insulation (4). A layer (3b) of a dielectric or semiconducting material is applied to a central element (3a) formed from a normally conducting material as a strand or tube and a layer (3c) of at least one wire or strip of superconductive material is placed helically on top. The central element (3a) and the layer (3c) are connected to each other in an electrically conducting manner at the ends of the cable core (1).

WO 00/39813 discloses a superconductor cable which comprises a tubular carrier on which a first layer of superconductive strips is wound.
The first layer is surrounded by a dielectric, on which a second layer of superconductive strips is wound.
The superconductive strips are located within a metallic layer.
In the case of this superconductor cable, the first layer serves as a phase conductor and the second layer as a return conductor. The phase conductor and the return conductor run coaxially in relation to each other.
On the second layer there is a further layer of copper strips, which serve as stabilization in the event that the cooling of the cable fails or a short-circuit occurs. The copper strips are in direct contact with the metallic layer in which the superconductor material is located.
A number of conductors constructed in this way are located in a cryostat, which insulates the superconductors from externally occurring heat.
The disadvantage of this conductor design is that the direct contact of the conductor of superconductive material with the conductor of normally conducting material and less than optimum stranding of the various layers cause losses to occur in the cable.


A hard disk drive prevents a data read error by optimizing a bias current supplied to an MR-element. Signal patterns of given amplitudes are written in a data area of the recording media, and sample-and-hold values of a read signal in the above signal patterns are read and stored while changing the bias current supplied to a selected MR-element. The stored sample-and-hold values are searched to select a sample-and-hold value equal to the amplitude of the signal patterns written in the data area, and the bias current supplied to the MR-element is determined as an optimal value to obtain the selected sample-and-hold value. The optimal value of the bias current may be written in a maintenance area of the recording media and is then read upon power up of the hard disk drive.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magneto resistive (MR) head, and in particular, to a technique for optimizing an MR-bias current by measuring an amplitude of a signal read through an MR-head.
2. Description of the Related Art
A magnetic disk storage, such a hard disk drive, normally employs an MR-head, with an increase in the storage capacity. The MR-head is composed of a thin film head and a MR-sensor for data reading. The MR-sensor changes a resistance according to a change of the magnetic flux from a storage medium, and the change of the resistance is expressed as a read signal. Further, the MR-sensor is provided with a bias current to express the change of the magnetic flux as the read signal. The bias current supplied to the MR-head should be set such that the read signal should be linear with respect to the change of the magnetic flux. Improper setting of the MR-bias current may cause asymmetry and baseline shift of the read signal.
When the MR-bias current is set to an optimal value, the positive and negative pulses of the read signal from the MR-sensor are symmetrical with respect to the base line. However, when the MR-bias current is improperly set, the base lines are shifted up and down, causing an asymmetry of the read signal and a signal component adjacent to the shifted base line may be erroneously considered to be normal data, resulting in a data read error.
The following patents each disclose features in common with the present invention but do not teach or suggest the specifically recited technique for optimizing the MR-bias current in accordance with the present invention:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,719,716 for METHOD OF AND DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC BIAS CONTROL issued to Suzuki, U.S. Pat. No. 5,719,719 for MAGNETIC DISK DRIVE WITH SENSING CURRENT ADJUSTMENT OF MR HEAD issued to Tsuyoshi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,291 for VOTAGE MEASUREMENT CIRCUIT FOR A MAGNETORESISTIVE HEAD INSTALLED IN A DISK ENCLOSURE issued to Contreras et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,831,782 for METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING OPTIMAL BIAS CURRENT TO A MAGNETIC HEAD issued to Kohno et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,086 for DYNAMIC TRANSDUCER BIASING SIGNAL AMPLIFYING CIRCUITRY issued to Harr, U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,080 for BIAS SERVO LOOP FOR MAGNETO-RESISTIVE READ/WRITE HEAD issued to Ottesen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,309,295 for METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BIASING A MAGNETO-RESISTIVE HEAD issued to Bailey et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,411 for MAGNETIC RECORDING AND REPRODUCING APPARATUS WITH REPRODUCING HEAD OF MAGNETORESISTIVE TYPE HAVING CONTROL OF MAGNETIC BIAS LEVEL issued to Nishiyama et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,054 for METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MINIMIZING THE ERROR RATE OF A DIGITAL RECORDING SYSTEM BY PREDICTING THE OPTIMAL BIAS CURRENT issued to Youngquist et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,967 for METHOD OF AUTOMATICALLY OPTIMIZING THE RECORDING BIAS FOR A VIDEO SIGNAL, AND ARRANGEMENT FOR CARRYING OUT THE METHOD issued to Mederer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,602 for ELECTRICAL CALIBRATION ARRANGEMENTS issued to Crick et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,179 for AUTOMATIC RECORDING BIAS CURRENT SETTING APPARATUS issued to Inami et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,253 for MAGNETIC RECORDING AND REPRODUCING DEVICE issued to Kamei et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,273 for TAPE RECORDING APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH A BIAS CONTROL DEVICE issued to Ishii et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,297,730 for MAGNETIC RECORDING AND REPRODUCING DEVICE issued to Kakowaki et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,094 for METHOD AND APPARATUS DETECTING AND SETTING OPTIMUM TAPE RECORDING BIAS issued to Ohtake et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,311 for RECORDING BIAS SETTING DEVICE FOR A MAGNETIC RECORDING AND REPRODUCING APPARATUS issued to Ohkawara, U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,979 for BIAS LEVEL SETTING CIRCUIT FOR TAPE RECORDERS WITH STAIRCASE HIGH FREQUENCY SIGNAL issued to Kitamura et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,245,265 for AUTOMATIC TAPE BIAS ADJUSTING AND SIGNAL COMPENSATION RECORDING AND REPRODUCING APPARATUS issued to Kogure et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,313 for BIAS CURRENT SETTING APPARATUS IN A MAGNETIC RECORDING AND REPRODUCING APPARATUS issued to Mouri, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,153 for DIGITALLY CONTROLLED AUTOMATIC BIAS CIRCUIT FOR MAGNETIC RECORDING issued to Tin.

Technique for optimizing MR-bias current


A photogrammetry target (cube or other shape of known dimension with reference points in known relation to each other) is placed on or in close proximity to a surface for which surface profile and/or surface strain are to be measured. Identifiable reference points are applied to the surface of interest, and multiple images of the surface with photogrammetry target are taken. At least some of the reference points on the photogrammetry target and the surface of interest must be visible in each image. The surface profile and/or surface strain are determined from the images based on the reference points therein. The determination is made by determining two-dimensional coordinates for each visible reference point in each image, correlating the two-dimensional coordinates for the images, determining, for each image, a distance between a vantage point for obtaining the image and the photogrammetry target, and determining, for each image, three-dimensional coordinates for each visible reference point on the surface of interest based on the correlated two-dimensional coordinates and the determined distance. The images are obtained by a digital camera, and the surface profile and/or surface strain determination is made by a computer.

1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to characterizing object surfaces. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for vision-based determination of surface profile and/or surface strain.
2. Background Information
In the past, vision-based approaches to surface profile and/or surface strain measurements have focused on the problem of automating such measurements. However, an emphasis has not been placed on the portability of equipment used to make such measurements. Such equipment has been stationary, since knowledge of the vantage points from which images of the surface of interest are obtained is needed. Such stationary systems may not be practical for some purposes.
Thus, a need exists for an improved vision-based approach to surface profile and/or surface strain measurement with portable equipment.

Method and apparatus for determining surface profile and/or surface strain


A water-cooled skid pipe suitable for supporting metal shapes such as billets, blooms and slabs in a metallurgical reheat furnace. The skid pipe has a base member, a pair of upwardly extending, converging side members and an apex member connecting the uppermost portions of the side members, all such members defining a passageway therethrough suitable for conducting a fluid. A pair of shoulders extend outwardly of the junction of each side member and the apex member, which shoulders and apex member receive the slag which is deposited by the metal shapes onto the skid pipe and prevent the slag from migrating into the seam between the skid pipe and a surrounding insulator. The shoulders further protect any suitable insulator, which can be applied around the base member and converging side members, from direct contact by the metal shape thereby substantially minimizing the impact of the metal shape upon the insulator. The metal shape can be supported directly by the apex member or by a skid member secured atop the apex member. The invention can be used outside a furnace as an improved structural support member.

In the steel mills and related metallurgical industries, it is customary to form a basic metal shape often called a slab, billet or bloom which is ultimately worked into another form or shape before it leaves the mill. In order to rework the basic shape, it is frequently necessary to reheat the shape in order to make it more malleable during the reworking procedure. A typical metallurgical furnace includes a complex network of vertical and horizontal water-cooled pipes which support an additional network of horizontal circular water-cooled skid pipes which have wear-resistant metal strips along their upper surfaces over which the shapes, in the case of a pusher-type furnace, can be pushed through the furnace during the reheat procedure.
During furnace operations, the movement of the metal shapes along the skid pipes causes large amounts of stress and bending forces to be applied directly to the skid pipe. These forces in combination with the high temperature environment frequently cause the failure or serious degradation of portions of the skid pipe system within the furnace thereby necessitating the shutdown of the furnace for repairs.
The skid pipe, which conventionally includes a circular water-cooled pipe, a refractory around the pipe and some sort of a wear-resistant strip or skid secured to the top of the pipe, must simultaneously provide sufficient support for the metal shapes being pushed across the skid, sufficient resistance to vibrations and coupling effects or moment forces, permit a sufficient flow of cooled water through it to maintain the skid pipe system at a sufficiently low operating temperature, and retain a refractory around the skid rail, excepting the actual skid itself, which reduces heat loss from the furnace into the pipe.
The industry today generally utilizes a skid pipe comprising a circular water-cooled pipe, a metal skid which is welded to or otherwise attached to the top of the circular pipe and a heavy pre-fired ceramic brick refractory which encompasses a majority of the water-cooled pipe. The industry has unsuccessfully attempted to secure the heavy pre-fired ceramic brick around the circular pipe by welding metal studs to the pipe which project outwardly of the pipe into corresponding recesses within the refractory. The procedure for welding the studs to the pipe is tedious and expensive, while at the same time requiring a vast expenditure of labor in order to apply the refractory to the water-cooled skid pipe. High temperature slag tends to collect on the upper portion of the water-cooled pipe as the slag falls or is scraped from the overhead metal shape. Hence, the slag encroaches into the seams between the refractory and the pipe and quickly causes the refractory to fall from the skid rail system. Furthermore, the vibrations caused by the passing of the metal shapes over the skid rails is transmitted along and throughout the skid pipe system which causes the brittle ceramic tiles or pre-fired ceramic brick to fracture and/or to break the metal studs from the pipe, the result in any event being that the water-cooled skid pipe quickly becomes uninsulated and the source of a tremendous energy loss in the furnace.
The use of refractory cements to reinforce and protect the seams or margins between the sections of a refractory or between the refractory and the water-cooled pipe have further proved less than desirable inasmuch as the vibrations cause the brittle cement to fracture and fall from the skid rail in a brief period of time.
Although various shapes of the water-cooled skid pipe have been tested and used, such as, for example, elliptically-shaped, triangular-shaped, teardrop-shaped skid rails and the like, these shapes have been utilized in order to reduce the "shadow effect." The shadow effect is a phenomenon in the metallurgical reheat furnace which results from those portions of the metal shapes which are in contact with the cooler metal skid on the skid pipe which in turn draws a disproportionate amount of heat from the corresponding surface of the metal shape and deposits that heat into the cooling water within. The various shapes of water-cooled pipe which have been utilized in skid pipe systems, however, have in no way resolved the fundamental problem encountered; that is, increasing the ability of the skid pipe to withstand the vibrations, moments and forces exerted upon it during operation and the preventing of slag from migrating into the seams between the skid pipe and insulator thereby causing the the surrounding refractory quickly to be parted from the water-cooled skid pipe thereby permitting unacceptable amount of heat to be transferred into the flowing water and forever lost outside the furnace.


This invention relates to a binary fluid burner device with burner units combined which functions as if it were a single large-capacity burner, in which small-capacity burner units are combined and mounted on a single burner head to form an integral burner device, and the flames from the burner units are integrated.

In the U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 969,544, filed Dec. 14, 1978, as an invention related to the present invention, by Shigemori Otani, one of inventors of the present invention, "A burner for combustion apparatus" is disclosed.
The above-mentioned prior invention provides a so-called "Multistage pulverizing system" wherein as shown in FIG. 1a, an end is closed by a conical portion 2, an inclined surface 3 is provided with a number of fuel oil outflow ports 4 through which the fuel is jetted in a string-like manner, the fuel is broken up into atomized forms in the primary air passing through the orifice, and the fuel deposited on the inclined portions 3, 3' and 3" is in the form of a film and is broken up in a film-like manner at apex side portions 2' and 2" of the conical portion. That is, the prior invention relates to a burner in which even if pressure of the primary air for pulverization is low, the fuel can be extremely pulverized, that is, good atomization can be achieved. The use of the burner in accordance with the prior invention results in the quantity of fuel oil per hour, 200-300 l/hr, which means a considerable increase in the quantity of fuel oil at low pressure and under the conditions of good atomization as compared to conventional binary fluid atomizing burner, 10-20 l/hr, and binary fluid atomizing core burner (slit burner), 50-100 l/hr.
However, with the recent demand of larger type industrial furnaces and boilers, it has been required to further develop extremely large capacity binary fluid burners of more or less 1,000 l/hr in the quantity of fuel oil.
The present invention has been achieved to fulfill such a demand as noted above and provides a burner device which functions as if it were a single large-capacity burner wherein the characteristic of the burner disclosed in the above-mentioned prior U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 969,544 is used so that the burner comprises burner units, which are plurally combined on the surface of a burner head.
The burner device in accordance with the present invention has the advantages as follows:
(a) The burner of the present invention is that a plurality of "A burner for combustion apparatus" as disclosed in the U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 969,544 are combined as burner units to form a burner device which functions as if it were a single large-capacity burner. With this arrangement, good pulverization can be achieved with about 10% of the theoretical quantity of air for combustion, and good combustion performance may also be attained. As compared to prior arts in which only the desired number of independent burners are provided, the burner of the present invention is possible to control, adjust and manage the flames very easily since flames from burner units are in the form of a compound flame at first sight.
(b) Since an orifice for supplying only the primary air is disposed instead of inserting burner units into a central portion of the surface of the burner head, the deposition of oil drops on the surface of the bed board may be avoided, and accordingly, no scale-like carbon flour is deposited.
(c) The length and spread of the flame may be considerably adjusted by adjusting lateral movement of the burner units and orifices or by varying the angle of a frustum of the furnace head surface.
(d) It is possible to control generation of nitrogen oxide.
(e) In addition, also in precipitators of liquid pulverizing and atomizing type, spray dryers and humidifying apparatuses, it is possible to make the best use of characteristic of the present invention to anticipate effects similar to those mentioned above.

Binary fluid burner device with burner units combined which functions as if it were a single large-capacity burner


An information processing device according the invention includes: a first interface used for communication via a network; a second interface used for communication with an information display device; an identifier acquisition unit that acquires an identifier specifying the information display device; an address storage unit that stores an address indicating location of a management device on the network; a mode information acquisition unit that acquires mode information indicating whether an operation mode of the information display device specified by the identifier acquired by the identifier acquisition unit is a server-linked mode or a stand-alone mode; a first transmission unit that transmits a request including a request to transmit management information specifying a content displayed in the information display device and the identifier, to the management device via the first interface when the mode information indicates the server-linked mode; a first receiving unit that receives the management information transmitted from the management device in response to the request transmitted by the first transmission unit, via the first interface; a second transmission unit that transmits a request to transmit the management information, to the information display device via the second interface when the mode information indicates the stand-alone mode; and a second receiving unit that receives the management information transmitted from the information display device in response to the request transmitted by the second transmission unit, via the second interface.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a technique of managing information including documents and images.
2. Related Art
An information management system using an information display device called electronic book or electronic paper is known. In the information management system of this type, a technique of managing information by using a network is known in response to requests by plural users to share information or to browse information at different places in an office.
JP-A-2001-222525 discloses a mechanism of collectively storing confidential documents of a corporation by using a server device managed by an external company which has signed up a contract with that corporation. JP-A-2002-132774 discloses a user-participation electronic book publication system. With this system, a user can edit electronic book data existing in a host computer. The edited data is distributed to other users as well. Plural users can thus share the data. JP-A-2005-222468 discloses a content editing system. With this system, a content is produced by a privileged user as a chief editor and other users.
For all the techniques described in JP-A-2001-222525, JP-A-2002-132774 and JP-A-2005-222468, accessibility by the information display device to the server such as the host computer connected to the network is a prerequisite. That is, in an environment where the information display device cannot access the server, browsing, editing and operation of information cannot be carried out.

Information processing device, information processing method and information management system


Previous solutions to the problem of maintaining up-to-date network device addressing, fail to provide systems or processes that efficiently share and obtain addressing information of networking devices in a given network. By contrast, and to that end, various implementations disclosed herein include systems, methods and apparatuses that generate a registry request message, where the registry request message includes a first portion characterized by a first write privilege and a second portion characterized by a second write privilege different from the first write privilege. The systems, methods and apparatuses convey the registry request message to a shared contact point network entity, and obtain a response message addressed from the shared contact point network entity, where the response message includes peer addressing information corresponding to one or more peer network devices associated with the aforementioned systems, methods and apparatuses.

As a business organization grows and spreads out to geographically separated branch locations, the associated information technology (IT) network infrastructure often also changes. One aspect of changing IT network infrastructure is the desire to establish and maintain a secure private network among computing machines associated with the business organization. In many cases, private networks between branch locations are established over public networks. One example of this networking technique is site-to-site virtual private network (VPN) deployment. To set up and maintain these private networks, various networking devices such as routers, switches and security appliances are utilized. Deployment of these private networks involves the often-complicated task of configuring these various networking devices to operate and communicate together in the network. A networking device associated with a respective branch location has addressing information used by other networking devices to establish a private network, but this addressing information is variable and out of the control of the network device. For example, to establish a private network over public networking infrastructure, a networking device may use an Internet service provider that provides the networking device with unpredictable and inconsistent addressing information.
In accordance with common practice the various features illustrated in the drawings may not be drawn to scale. Accordingly, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity. In addition, some of the drawings may not depict all of the components of a given system, method or device. Finally, like reference numerals may be used to denote like features throughout the specification and figures.

Global contact-point registry for peer network devices


A method for establishing two-way communications between a host system and a device when the address of the device is initially unknown. The host system submits a job to a device with the job including address and other information required for the device to respond with the device""s address. Once the host system has the device address, the host system and the device can establish bi-directional communications. In a print job, a print job language (PJL) command known as SOCKETPING is used to transmit the information between a print client and a printer. The SOCKETPING command includes fields for host system address family, protocol, address, and port as well as extensions to define job status reporting parameters. The printer responds to the SOCKETPING command with the necessary address information for the printer and job status reports as specified in the SOCKETPING extensions.

The present invention is directed to a network printing system, and, more particularly, is directed to a method and print job command for establishing two-way communications with a remote printer having an unknown address and for requesting information from the remote printer.
As the size of networked systems increases from a few connected computers located near each other to several thousand machines of various types and sizes scattered at great distances from each other, the demands on the network printers also increase. Additionally, the ability of host systems to communicate interactively with the network printers becomes increasingly important.
A printer is a peripheral device that can be shared on a network connected to a print server. Also, a printer can directly connect to the network by including a network interface card or the network interface in the printer which allows the printer to run its own print server software and function as a regular network node. In a typical Windows environment, for example, the network printer is a one-way printer. For a one-way printer, the only communication path is from the host computer to the printer without any ability for the printer to notify the host computer of the job status such as whether the print job has been successfully completed.
Typically, networks utilize printers treated as shared resources connected to the networks via print servers. Recently developed software programs have become available allowing the host systems or computers to communicate interactively with the network printers. With this capability, host resident printing software can accomplish tasks such as determining the configuration of the device automatically and reporting the status of a print job back to the submitting host or client system. Unfortunately, interactive or bidirectional communication with the network printer is not always possible. Printing has traditionally been oriented around delivering print jobs to a printer, rather than enabling interactive communication with the host that submitted the print job. Often, because of the manner in which the printer is coupled to the host system, the host may only submit jobs to the printer. Additionally, while the spooler resident on the host system can sometimes access printer status information, it may not provide a way for other host based printer software, such as the printer driver, for example, to communicate bi-directionally with the printer.
Typically, the network printer is a stand-alone peripheral device which is tasked to perform in an increasing number of network and non-network communication environments. In order for two devices to communicate, it is necessary that both parties support the same protocols and know how to find each other through some sort of address information. A printer and an interested host machine can both support the same protocol, but the printer may still be unable to communicate with the host because they lack knowledge of each other""s address information.
Conventionally, printer address information is obtained by host software by inspecting the host system. In a Windows environment, for example, the host system maintains a registry of system information. This registry contains entries that describe each printer connection point (subsequently referred to as a port). The information maintained in these entries further depends on the type of printer connection point or port. However, the entry format associated with each type of port type is different. For some port types, it is possible to determine the network address information necessary to communicate bi-directionally with the printer; for other port types, the determination of the printer address information is difficult or impossible. For example, when the format of the data entry for the port type is not known, it is impossible to determine the address information for the associated printer. Also, when the port refers to a remote print server, it is impossible to obtain the printer address information unless some provision has been made by the remote print server to make the address information available to connected host or client systems.
Presently, host systems or print clients obtain print job status by periodically polling the printer. After the print job is sent to the printer, a job status agent, e.g., DocWise, is invoked to monitor the status of the job. This agent periodically checks the status of the print job by sending PML or SNMP requests to the printer. Although not typically used, such an agent could use SNMP traps to obtain asynchronous status updates; however, the number of print clients that can register for traps is limited which makes the use of traps unreliable.
The present practice of polling the printer to obtain job status presents several disadvantages. First, polling generates unnecessary network traffic. The job status agent may send SNMP requests to the printer only to determine that the status of the printer has not changed. If a print job ends abnormally, the job status agent may remain active continuing to poll even though the job it is polling for no longer exists. Second, polling results in delayed notification of job status. The job status agent only finds out about status changes when SNMP or PML requests are made to the printer. If the job agent only samples job status once a minute, it may be a long as a minute before the agent is notified of a change in the job status. Increasing the polling rate can reduce this problem; however, increasing the polling rate exacerbates the problem of unnecessary network traffic. Third, the use of traps to obtain asynchronous notification of job status changes is troublesome because of the limited number of print clients that can register for traps. Finally, in order to poll the printer for job status, the job agent must know the printer address.
What is therefore needed is a method and means of establishing direct two-way communication between a print client and a printer, and providing a request for print job status and other printer information from the printer without the need to periodically poll the printer.
In a preferred embodiment, the present invention may be implemented as a method to provide a network printer with the address of a print client to establish direct, two-way communications between the print client and the printer. Once two-way communications between the print client and the printer have been established, the print client and other interested parties may receive print job status directly without the use of a job status agent polling the printer or creating unnecessary network traffic.
In another preferred embodiment, the present invention may be implemented as a method of establishing two-way communication between a host system and a device in a network wherein one-way job submission communication between the host system and at least one device has been provided. In such a system, typically, the device address initially is unknown to the host system. In fact, the host system may only be aware of the address of a first server in a string of servers. The host system submits a job to a device with the job including information describing the host system""s address. The job may be a typical job submitted in the course of the host system""s routine operations, or, preferably, the job may be a special job containing only the information and instructions enabling the device to contact and respond to the host system after the device receives the special job. Once the device receives the job, it responds to the host system at the specified address and provides the host system with the device address thus allowing two-way communications to be established between the host system and the device.
In another preferred embodiment, the job submitted by the host system will include instructions requiring the device to perform other actions in addition to responding to the host system with the device address. For example, the additional instructions may require the device to report job status and/or device status to the host system. The instructions may also designate other destinations for the device to report to in addition to the host system.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.

Method and apparatus for establishing two-way communication with a remote printer


An image forming apparatus and method includes receiving a plurality of addresses for transmitting mail including URL of a web page provided by the image forming apparatus, transmitting the mail including the URL of the web page to the plurality of addresses, and delivering, in response to a download request from an external apparatus via the web page indicated by the URL, to the external apparatus a setup file of a device driver for the image forming apparatus registered in a storage region of the image forming apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to a technique for managing a setup file of a device driver for an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, printers have become popular in company offices, and thus many people can easily perform printing. To perform printing from a personal computer (PC), a printer driver that controls printing and generates print data needs to be installed in the PC.
The printer driver is typically prepared for each operating system (OS) of the PC or each printer to be used, and is provided in a storage medium such as a compact disk read only memory (CD-RO) or a floppy disk (FD) packaged with the printer. Further, an administrator can typically acquire the latest version of the printer driver by downloading it from a web site provided by a printers' manufacturer.
Furthermore, an acquired printer driver and setting information to be used for installation are stored in a storage apparatus that is shared via a network, and a storage location is announced to general users so that the general users can use the printer. Based on the announcement, the general users install the printer driver onto the PC according to the information acquired from the storage location.
In recent years, it has become common for image forming apparatuses to deal with a plurality of printer drivers, such as LIPS, LIPSX, PCL, and etc., and thus one image forming apparatus can simultaneously operate the plurality of printer drivers.
Moreover, in recent years, utility software can change an initial state (standard setting value) after the printer driver has been installed, thereby providing a customized printer driver, which can be more conveniently used by the user.
As a conventional method for installing the printer driver, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-092158 discusses a technique where an administrator generates setting information that an installer refers to as a definition file, and then the definition file and the installer are browsed from an execution file (hereinbelow, referred to as a "setup driver" to discriminate from the printer driver).
Further, a plurality of generated setup drivers is uploaded into the image forming apparatus, and then the user can directly install the printer driver from the image forming apparatus. As a conventional technique, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-55124 discusses a technique where, when a resource of a network information peripheral device is changed, the change of the resource is automatically provided to the user who manages the resource and is affected by the change of the resource, such as an information processing apparatus.
However, even when the administrator generates the setup driver and notifies the users, all users do not always install the printer driver.
According to the conventional method for notifying the user of the resource change, since the user who has accessed the image forming apparatus is notified, a user who has downloaded the printer driver and a user who has not are not discriminated from each other. Thus, the resource change is also notified to the user who has not downloaded the printer driver.
As a solution, a method for memorizing users to whom a setup driver has been delivered in the image forming apparatus may be used, and notifying the users who have actually downloaded the setup driver among those users.
However, the users may include the user who has received a notification of the resource change by a method different from a usual method and has happened to download the printer driver. Since such a user is not a user that has been memorized (i.e., a user whose notification address is not registered in the image forming apparatus), the user cannot receive the notification of the resource change by the above-described method.
As described above, an appropriate system has not been established with which the user using the image forming apparatus can download the setup file of the device driver for the image forming apparatus.

Image forming apparatus, and control method thereof


A transmitter in an optical communications system includes a digital signal processor for processing a data signal to generate a sample stream encoding successive symbols in accordance with a constrained phase modulation scheme having a constellation of at least two symbols and a modulation phase constrained to a phase range spanning less than 4π. A digital-to-analog converter converts the sample stream into a corresponding analog drive signal. A finite range phase modulator modulates a phase of a continuous wavelength channel light in accordance with the analog drive signal, to generate a modulated channel light for transmission through the optical communications system. A receiver in the optical communications system includes an optical stage for detecting phase and amplitude of the modulated channel light and for generating a corresponding sample stream, and a digital signal processor for processing the sample stream to estimate each successive symbol of the modulated channel light.

For the purposes of understanding the present disclosure, it is useful to consider a representation of the total optical E-field E(t) as a vector confined to a plane and emanating from a fixed origin, where the length of the vector gives the amplitude of the E-field at any instant (t), and the direction of the vector gives the phase of the field at any instant (t). Within this construction, we consider two basis sets. The first basis set is a Cartesian coordinate system centered on the E-field origin. In this Cartesian representation, the total E-field E(t) is decomposed along the orthogonal Real (Re) and Imaginary (Im), or, equivalently, In-phase (I) and Quadrature (Q), directions. The second basis set is a polar coordinate system, again sharing its origin with that of the E-field vector. In this polar representation, the E-field is decomposed into vector length (S) and phase angle (φ) relative to the Re-direction. These two basis sets are related by a non-linear transformation, in a manner well known in the art. In each of these representations, the time-sequence of loci of the end-point of the E-field vector may be referred to as a trajectory of the E-field.
The present disclosure discusses modulation formats and signals in which the state (e.g. amplitude and/or phase) of the signal at any instant depends on the state of the signal both before and after that instant. For example, the present disclosure discusses a Constrained Continuous Phase Modulation (C-CPM) scheme, in which the state of the modulated signal corresponding to a given symbol depends not only on the value of that symbol, but also on the values of the symbols that precede and follow it. Modulation formats and signals that display this characteristic may be referred to as having "memory".
In the optical communications space, various techniques are used to synthesize an optical communications signal for transmission. FIG. 1 illustrates a dual-polarization transmitter known in the art, which is designed to transmit two data signals on respective orthogonal polarizations of an optical wavelength channel. The laser 2 generates a narrow-band continuous wave (CW) optical carrier 4 having a desired wavelength. A beam splitter (or power divider) 6 separates the carrier 4 into a pair of linearly polarized CW lights, which are supplied to a respective E/O converter 8 which operates to modulate the amplitude and/or phase of the CW light to generate a respective polarization signal 10 based on one or more drive signals S(t) generated by a driver circuit 12 based on a respective input data signal x(t) and y(t). The two polarizations signals are then combined using a polarization combiner 14 to yield a polarization multiplexed optical communications signal 16 for transmission to a receiver.
In the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 1, each E/O converter 8 is provided a nested Mach-Zehnder (MZ) modulator known in the art. This arrangement enables the transmitter to utilize a variety of modulation and encoding schemes, to obtain high spectral efficiency and data transmission speeds. For example, transmitters using optical coherent modulation formats such as dual polarization multiplexed Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (DP-QPSK) and a nested Mach Zehnder E/O modulators constructed using Lithium Niobate (or Indium Phosphide) have recently enabled transmission rates exceeding 40 Gbps (Giga-bits-per-second) per optical wavelength channel over geographical distances of several hundred kilometers. A limitation of these transmitters, however, is that the optical components, particularly the E/O converter 8, are expensive.
Techniques that enable high speed communications with low-cost optical components remain highly desirable.

Constrained continuous phase modulation and demodulation in an optical communications system


An input device, comprising an input interface, an adjustable capacitor, a memory and a processor, wherein the input interface is abutted with the adjustable capacitors; the memory is electrically connected with the adjustable capacitor and the processor, respectively, the input interface is used for generating pressing signals after being physically pressed so as to change the capacitance of the adjustable capacitor, the adjustable capacitor is used for correspondingly responding to the pressing signals of the input interface and outputting the capacitance changing signals, the memory is used for receiving the capacitance changing signals of the adjustable capacitor and finding corresponding output signals from the look-up table pre-stored in the memory; and the processor is used for receiving the output signals of the memory and feeding back the first input signal or the second input signal.

Along with the development of modern electronic technology, electronic products are gradually getting deeper into people's lives. The daily lives of people are accompanied by all kinds of electronic products, such as telephones, mobile phones, notebook computers and remote controllers.
The input devices of the electronic products mentioned above play an especially important role. The input device in the prior art, no matter whether it was a resistance type or a capacitance type, almost only outputs the corresponding operating signals when being touched. In other words, once a user touches the touch-type input device, the touch-type input device outputs a control signal to a terminal device for the corresponding operation rather than judging if it is a mistaken touch signal. As a result, when using the touch-type input device, the user needs to enable the hands per se to be suspended in the air to prevent the wrists or palms from touching or being placed on the touch region of the touch-type input device resulting in misoperation. Thus, the operational convenience of the touch-type input device is reduced.
Firstly, the input device in the prior art mainly adopts a thin-film switch as the component for pressing the switch. When a key is pressed, the key moves downwards and applies pressure to the thin-film switch to drive breakover of the thin-film switch per se and to convert a physical mechanical input signal into an electronic input signal, thereby realizing input operation. However, breakover cannot be realized without repeated mutual contact between the polar plates of the mechanical key switch, so mutual frictional loss of the polar plates results, the key reliability is reduced and the service life is shortened. Meanwhile, cost is increased as materials with good electric conductivity such as gold and silver need to be arranged on the surfaces of the polar plates for improving the pressing sensitivity.
Compared with the prior art, the input device and the input operation method thereof provided by the invention have the beneficial effects that:
As the memory and the processor feedback input signals based on the capacitance changing signals of the adjustable capacitor, misoperation caused by mistakenly touching the input device by the operator can be avoided, and the input operation reliability of the input device is accordingly improved. Furthermore, as the operator can place their fingers on the input device in a most comfortable way which accords with human engineering when using the input device, the input operation convenience of the input device is guaranteed.
Secondly, as the distance or the direct-facing area between the coupled polar plates of the adjustable capacitor is delivered and adjusted through mechanical pressing, frictional loss between the polar plates is avoided, the reliability of the adjustable capacitor is guaranteed efficiently, and the product yield and the service life are improved.
In addition, as the polar plates of the adjustable capacitor are coupled, touch between the polar plates is unnecessary, no friction exists, a good conductor with relatively high cost is unnecessary, and the cost is further reduced.

Input device and input operation method thereof


An information processing apparatus is provided with a executable instruction extracting unit which is reconfigured by means of a executable instruction extracting unit reconfiguration unit with reference to a compressed/executable instruction correspondence table optimized for the respective executable program, which has been made up with an compressed instruction. The compressed instruction is extended into the corresponding executable instructions by means of the executable instruction extracting unit as reconfigured.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to an information processing apparatus provided with an optimized executable instruction extracting unit for extending a compressed instruction into the corresponding executable instructions in accordance with the instruction code of a target executable program.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of control systems with embedded microcomputers, the size of instruction code in the memory of a processor can influence the production cost of the entire system. A smaller size of instruction code in the memory has an advantage in costs. The technique of compressing the executable instructions and extending the compressed instructions is one for techniques of reducing the size of instruction code in the memory.
In the case of the executable instructions, each instruction as pointed by an address register and fetched from the memory is latched by an instruction register and transferred to an instruction decoding unit through a multiplexer in order to decode the executable instructions.
On the other hand, in the case of the compressed instructions, each instruction as pointed by the address register and fetched from the memory is extended into the corresponding executable instructions and then transferred to the instruction decoding unit through the multiplexer in order to decode the executable instructions.
In accordance with xe2x80x9cIntel Architecture Optimization Manualxe2x80x9d, 1997, Intel Corporation, a xe2x80x9cmacro-instructionxe2x80x9d stored in the instruction memory of the processor as discussed therein is generally extended into a plurality of corresponding xe2x80x9cmicro-opsxe2x80x9d. Furthermore, in accordance with xe2x80x9cTMS320C3x User""s Guidexe2x80x9d, 1997, TEXAS INSTRUMENTS, two instructions of xe2x80x9cMPYI3xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cADDIY3xe2x80x9d for example are compressed as a compressed instruction xe2x80x9cMPYI3| |ADDIY3xe2x80x9d by imposing restrictions upon the usage such as the restrictions upon the usage the range of the register number available within the register field in the instruction format.
Such a compressed instruction of this kind is generated by compressing an instruction sequence which frequently occurs in the instruction codes of many application programs. However, in the actual case, there are a variety of application programs. Namely, while the compressed instruction set as defined by one processor is effective for a specific type of application program, it frequently becomes ineffective for another type of application program.
In order to improve the shortcomings, it has been contemplated to change the processor for the respective application program under question in order to make use of the compressed instruction set as optimized for the application program. However, it is ineffective to use different processors for different application programs. This is because the programmers are requested to understand the basic architecture of the processor and the software development environment each time as a new processor is employed. On the other hand, it is frequently the case that there is no processor available supporting the compressed instructions which a user desires. This is because many processors are designed in order to support the compressed instructions suitable for major application programs of which a substantial output of copies are expected.
As explained above, in the case of the prior art information processing apparatuses, the compressed instruction set is fixedly defined for each system. For this reason, while the compressed instruction set as defined in the system is effective for a specific type of application program, it becomes ineffective for another type of application program. In this case, there is the disadvantage that the use of compressed instructions can no longer improve the performance of the system.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus having a compact storage region required of an executable program with a reduced number of instructions constituting the executable program.
Particularly, the information processing apparatus in accordance with the present invention is characterized by provision of a executable instruction extracting unit for extending a compressed instruction into a plurality of corresponding executable instructions, and a reconfiguration unit for reconfiguring and optimizing the executable instruction extracting unit suitable for the executable program.
In accordance with the present invention, the executable instruction extracting unit is reconfigured for the respective target program so that the number of the constituent instructions can be suppressed, resulting in compaction of the storage region for storing the target program.

Information processing apparatus provided with an optimized executable instruction extracting unit for extending compressed instructions


A method for attaching a rear frame suspension module to an existing vehicle that will operate on the existing automotive engine, heating, and cooling system. The rear frame suspension module supports passengers sitting straddled in a front to back position to give an existing vehicle a motorcycle-like appearance. The rear suspension module can be attached and removed from an existing automobile front frame suspension module. The resulting wider front structure of the vehicle makes for safer riding compared to a two wheel motorcycle. Vehicle maintenance can be done at most automotive repair shops.

A conventional automobile is easy to drive compared to a two-wheel conventional motorcycle and has climate control features for hot and cold weather compared to a two-wheel motorcycle with no climate control feature system. A conventional motorcycle also has disadvantages relative to an automobile when it is used for basic transportation rather than for sport. For example, the motorcycle is unstable, whereas a conventional four-wheel passenger automobile has always had a wide base for stability. While traveling at a very low speed, the operator must place one foot on the roadway and exert physical effort to prevent a sideward toppling of the motorcycle. This problem is eliminated when the rear frame suspension module disclosed herein is installed to a front suspension of an existing automobile having a wide base.
The vehicle will have a combined motorcycle and automobile appearance and have all of the advantages of a conventional automobile as mentioned above and will be supported by one wheel or two wheels. The rear frame suspension module is attached at the frame rails with welds or bolts to the existing front frame rails suspension module. The operator and passenger(s) will sit in a straddled position.