A pen-based processor needs to be usable to input and edit script like a text-based computer but retain a resemblance to the user of a pad and pencil. The pen-based computer implements input, editing and other manipulation of glyphs including handwritten script, ASCII test, bitmapped images and drawings in a common document, using a compatible internal representation of the data and a simple, consistent set of user control functions. These functions are invoked using an intuitive and interactive set of user gestures which do not distract the user from the task of inputting or editing the document. A two-step gesture method avoids confusion between strokes and command gestures and allows use of similar gestures for different functions within the same and different contexts. The system infers from customary user writing conventions that certain relationships of data are to be preserved and maintains the relationships, subject to user override, during editing. The display document is formatted to contain both lined areas of glyphs that can be edited, including insertion of a moving space into pre-existing document text and word wrapping. Adjoining unlined drawing areas are unaffected by editing of lined area contents.

This invention relates generally to pen-based computer systems and more particularly to an interactive method for entry and editing of script, text and drawings in a document display.
Script refers to handwritten characters and words. Text refers to typewritten characters and words and includes binary-encoded characters such as ASCII text. Drawings refers to hand drawn sketches but can also include imported drawings originally drawn by or on a machine.
Existing pen-based systems use gestures to edit exclusively script or ASCII text (i.e., not both interchangeably or simultaneously). They are limited, moreover, to gestures that by their form, context, or location can be distinguished from the data that they act upon. For instance, free-form gestures applied to ASCII text are recognizable because the ASCII exists in what can be termed a different plane. Free form gestures applied to selected script are recognizable because pen actions following a selection are assumed to be gestures OR because writing applied to a selected area is assumed to be a gesture. Free-form gestures occurring within a gesture sensitive area of the screen are easily recognized. Otherwise, prior systems require an explicit action to initiate gesture recognition especially within script such as selection of text or scrip or keyboard or similar input of a control command. One could alternatively designate a set of unique strokes to define gesture commands, but this approach requires interpretation of all strokes during script entry which is compute-intensive and virtually precludes mixing script, ASCII text and sketches.
Editing of untranslated script in existing systems is typically restricted to opening up space between characters or words, erasing characters or words, and applying enhancements to pieces of script (e.g., underline, bold, etc.). No known prior pen-based system enables script words to be word-wrapped, let alone doing it with mixed script and ASCII text. Developers have probably been reluctant to attempt script word wrap for the following reasons:
Processing strokes consumes a lot of CPU time making it difficult to provide whole screen word wrapping reflow and display in a timely manner.
Strokes consume a lot of memory.
A word wrapping algorithm for handwritten script is unheard of, to say nothing of one that can maintain the user's spacing of strokes (words).
A technique is not available for opening space within a line of script for the user to write additional script and automatically providing more writing space as the user writes (i.e., a "moving" space).
Certain pieces of information that delimit paragraphs and preserve horizontal/vertical whitespace during word wrap must somehow exist within the script document. The common approach to adding this sort of information to a document involves explicitly delimiting paragraphs and specifying whitespace, neither of which is conducive to the free flow of thoughts while writing.
Mixing ASCII and script text with graphics requires a gesture set that functions the same with both types of text and is not confused with script writing or graphics drawing. Mixing ASCII with script text in the same edit plane is not known to have been done before, although systems are known in which a script annotation plane allows users to overlay existing ASCII documents with script comments.
ASCII text editing systems have typically been character-based, using a cursor to control positioning. Script, by its nature, makes character-based editing very difficult. A cursor is not needed with script because of the direct referencing characteristics of a pen. A system that mixes both script and ASCII text must be able to handle the character nature of ASCII as well as the free-form nature of script.
Script is composed of strokes; pen movements captured as the stylus traces a character outline on a digitizing tablet. A script character can contain one or more strokes. Each stroke must be captured and its characteristics maintained in a stroke database. The typical method for this is called the time-order method. The time-order method has limitations, however. This method can lead to misinterpreted characters, depending on how the characters are created. Accordingly, a new approach is required which would eliminate the ordering of strokes merely by the point in time in which they are created.
Another drawback to current art for capturing pen-based stroke data input is the inability of current systems to wrap words and maintain predesignated spacing between words that have wrapped on to a subsequent line. This causes a loss of the user's writing characteristics, resulting in material that is less readable to the person who wrote it. Accordingly, a method is required to maintain predesignated space between words after word wrapping to successive lines occurs.
A system could determine the amount of space between script words by monitoring stroke data input in real time; analyzing the data using pattern recognition techniques, and accordingly developing a method for identifying word separation space. This, however, requires complex software and hardware capability beyond that of the typical pen-based technology commercially available. Accordingly, a method is required which reliably captures word spacing without complex computer analysis of stroke data.
Accordingly, a need remains for a better way to enter, store, manage and edit handwritten script, or preferably script and binary-encoded text, in a pen-based computer system.

Script/binary-encoded-character processing method and system with moving space insertion mode


A flash lamp annealing device comprises a heater plate, a loader, a lamp set and a control circuit. The heater plate heats a wafer to a predetermined temperature. The wafer is loaded on the loader disposed on the heater plate. The lamp set has one or a plurality of lamps to provide the wafer with a power. The control circuit is coupled to the lamp set to control the flash time of the lamp set.

The invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a flash lamp annealing device with a flash time control device.
After the ion-implantation of a wafer, the dopant damages the silicon crystal lattices on the surface of the wafer. To reconstruct the silicon crystal lattices, the wafer must be processed in an annealing procedure. One such annealing technique is known as furnace annealing, which processes the wafers in a batch type process but requires a longer processing period, such as 30 minutes or longer. Another annealing technique is known as Rapid Thermal Annealing, RTA, which reduces the amount of time that a semiconductor device is exposed to high temperatures during processing. Although the processing time required by the RTA is reduced to about 10 second or less, RTA is unsatisfied factor as it uses halogen lamps, which can form an extension with low resistance but the depth of the extension becomes large, such as, over 40-nm.
Flash lamp annealing is a new technology using a Xenon lamp to overcome annealing difficulties at the 65-nm manufacturing process technology node. The Xenon lamp of the flash lamp annealing device heats and maintains wafer temperature at over 900 degrees centigrade for only 0.8 milliseconds, about 1/3000 compared to about 2 seconds required by the present RTA processes. The present limitations of flash lamp annealing comprise process and hardware instability and the narrow process window for engineers to develop advanced processes. Moreover, the flash time is inflexible and the probability of wafer breakage is increased due to acute wafer variation temperature. A flash lamp annealing device with a flash time control device for widening the process window is desirable.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


A high pressure, low porosity wet seal for a substrate in a fuel cell in which the seal is made up of a granular material having a particle size varying from 10 to 0.1 microns in size bonded together with polytetrafluoroethylene to prevent leakage of the gaseous fuel or oxidant from the cell.

In preparing a wet seal to be applied to the edges of a substrate it has been routine to select a particular relatively large particle size for the powder filler used in the impregnation or coating that forms the seal. It has been found that this does not allow adequately dense packing to assure a relatively low porosity. Not only does leakage of the gaseous fuel or oxidant occur but the seal may be still somewhat compressible when the cell components are assembled and may not seal securely against the associated separator plate and associated elements.


There is provided a process for the preparation of a high cis-1,4-polybutadiene with a reduced microgel content wherein a novel catalyst system consisting of (1) a nickel salt of a carboxylic acid, (2) a mixture of triethyl aluminum and an organoaluminum compound having the formula R.sub.3 Al, said mixture having an average composition Et.sub.3-x R.sub.x Al wherein Et is an ethyl group, x is a numeral from 0.1 to 2.9 and R is an alkyl group having 8 to 12 carbon atoms, and (3) a boron trifluoride etherate is used to polymerize 1,3-butadiene in an inert hydrocarbon.

There are prior art methods for the preparation of polybutadienes wherein at least 90 percent of the butadiene units are present in the cis-1,4-configuration and a number of these methods utilize fluoride-bearing compounds with nickel compounds and aluminum compounds as the catalyst system. However, in order to make a stereoregular polymer that is suitable for plastics grade usage, that is, can be used as the impact-imparting component of impact grades of polystyrene, it is important that the polymers have a minimal gel content in addition to being produced with a fairly rapid rate of polymerization since it is economically unfeasible to have a very long polymerization time in a commercial operation.

Preparation of high cis-1,4-polybutadiene with reduced gel


A delaminating coating for use in a thermal transfer system is provided that possesses both delaminating properties and antistatic properties. This delaminating coating can be used on a donor sheet or an intermediate carrying sheet of a thermal retransfer system. The preferred delaminating/antistatic coating is formed from a composition of a vanadium oxide colloidal dispersion.

Thermal transfer systems for thermal imaging utilize a recording method in which a donor sheet, having a colorant (i.e., dye or pigment) layer thereon, and a receptor sheet are brought into contact and heated with a localized heat source, such as a laser or a thermal print head. The heat source directly contacts the backside of the donor sheet. A thermal print head contains small electrically heated elements that can be selectively heated, thereby transferring colorant from the donor sheet to the receptor sheet and forming a desired image. This imaging process can involve either mass transfer of colorant in a binder or state-altered transformation of a dye, as by melting or sublimation of the colorant. In a mass transfer process, the colorant, e.g., dye or pigment, is dispersed within a binder and both the dye and its binder are transferred from a donor sheet to a receptor sheet. In a dye transfer process, the colorant (present on the donor with or without a binder) is transferred without binder by melting, melt-vaporization, propulsive ablation, sublimation, or vaporization to a receptor sheet where the colorant-adheres to or diffuses into an image-receiving layer.
Such thermal transfer systems generally require the use of receptor sheets with certain specific requirements. For example, the thickness, flatness, flexibility, and shape of a receptor sheet are limited, such that the receptor sheet can be used in typical thermal printing devices. Such restrictions limit the applicability of thermal imaging. Thus, there is a need for a thermal imaging process that can transfer an image to an arbitrarily shaped object, such as paper, film, metal, glass, cardboard, etc.
In thermal dye transfer systems, this has been accomplished with the use of an intermediate sheet that can act as both a receptor and a donor. In such a system, a donor sheet, having a colorant layer thereon, and an intermediate carrying sheet are brought into contact and heated with a thermal print head, thereby transferring colorant from the donor sheet to the intermediate carrying sheet and forming an intermediate image. In this way the intermediate carrying sheet acts as a receptor sheet. This intermediate carrying sheet is then typically placed in contact with a final receptor. Under the application of heat and pressure the image is transferred from the intermediate carrying sheet to the final receptor.
The retransfer process for thermal dye-transferred image systems is well known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,906,138 discloses the retransfer process of a sublimation dye from a formed image to a transparent receptor. U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,848 discloses a process for retransferring a thermal dye-imaged layer to an objective body. U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,444 discloses an intermediate dye receptor and a process for retransferring dye images alone out of the dye receiving layer to an objective body. However, the process for transferring a thermal mass-transferred image to an objective body using an intermediate carrying sheet has not been shown. Unlike thermal dye transfer imaging, the colorants and their binder in a thermal mass transfer donor sheet are all transferred upon initial imaging. This makes the retransfer of the formed mass-transferred image to other surfaces theoretically possible because of the presence of a meltable binder in the image. However, such a retransfer has proven to be difficult because of the problems involved in conforming a sheet having a mass-transferred image thereon to an irregular object. Thus, a need exists for a thermal mass transfer system for imaging irregular objects.
Whether a retransfer process involves mass transfer of dye transfer, foreign substances, such as dust, can create areas of noncontact between the donor and receptor sheets or between the donor sheet and the print heads, for example. Such noncontact areas adversely effect the transfer of an image. For example, a single particle of dust can easily get trapped under a print head and streak an image. This detrimental effect can occur whether the transfer occurs via a mass transfer or dye transfer. Generally, foreign substances such as dust are attracted to the donor and/or receptor sheets as a result of electrostatic attraction to built-up electrical charges.
There is a growing interest in the use of antistatic materials and coatings to solve the problems created by the build-up of electric charges, i.e., "static electricity" in various fields of technology, such as the photographic, electronics, and magnetic recording industries. Antistatic materials, i.e., antistats, are electrically conductive materials that are capable of transporting charges away from areas where they are not desired. This conduction process results in the dissipation of the static electricity. In certain situations this results in a decrease in the build-up of dust.
A typical antistatic layer comprises an organic or inorganic conductive material in a binder. The layer dissipates electrical charges by the conduction of charged particles, which can be either ions or electrons. Ionically conductive antistatic coatings are thought to act as electrolytic solutions through which ions are transported under the influence of an electric field. They are typically salts or hydrophilic chemicals that are applied to the surface of an article. As such, they threaten contamination and/or corrosion of material, e.g., electronic components, and may interfere with the function of materials with which they come in contact. Furthermore, being hydrophilic or water soluble, they lack permanence in contact with water. The use of ionically conductive coatings is especially difficult in applications in which the surface coatings must be incident to air. For example, low friction layers, dye donor layers, and dye receptor layers must typically not be overcoated by materials that interfere with their function. Also, the function of ionically conductive antistatic coatings is dependent upon humidity. At low humidity, the coating is not sufficiently conductive to provide rapid dissipation of triboelectrically generated charges, i.e., changes resulting from friction-causing events such as unwinding and handling. Furthermore, at high humidity the coating can become soft, sticky, and can undergo a large volume change.
Preferable antistats for many applications are those that conduct electrons by a quantum mechanical mechanism rather than by an ionic mechanism. This is because antistats that conduct electrons by a quantum mechanical mechanism are generally effective independent of humidity. They are suitable for use under conditions of low relative humidity, without losing effectiveness, and under conditions of high relative humidity, without becoming sticky. Furthermore, such electronically conductive antistatic coatings remain effective when overcoated by, for example, an adhesive layer or a low adhesion layer. A major problem, however, with such electron-conducting antistats is that they generally cannot be provided as thin, transparent, lightly colored or relatively colorless coatings by solution coating methods.
Metal particle, metal oxide particle, or carbon black dispersions can be used to provide electronically conductive coatings via solution deposition methods; however, such coatings tend to be darkly colored and opaque. This is generally not desirable for use in thermal transfer systems. Although there have been many attempts to do so, such as by using defect semiconductor oxide particle dispersions and conductive polymers, there has been very little success in depositing thin, transparent, lightly colored or relatively colorless electronically conductive antistatic coatings.

Thermal transfer systems having delaminating coatings

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


The present invention is an air battery B1 in which a cathode assembly 40, including a porous cathode layer 41, and an anode assembly 30 are disposed on mutually opposite sides of an electrolytic solution layer β. It includes an electrically conductive cathode support plate 42 that supports the porous cathode layer 41 and includes a ventilation area, wherein the porous cathode layer 41 covers the ventilation area and further extends to a non-ventilation area outside the ventilation area, and includes a dense portion 41a at an outer edge part facing the non-ventilation area.

An air battery of this kind is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1 where it is called an "aqueous metal-air battery". The aqueous metal-air battery disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a cathode, a separator and a gel metal anode material, which are enclosed in an outer container made of a laminate sheet including a thermal adhesive resin layer. The aqueous metal-air battery is characterized in that the volume ratio of the anode material in the battery is within the range from 40% to 90%.

Air battery and air battery stack using same


A display device operation method according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps of: operating in a twin mode in which a merge screen obtained by merging a first screen of the display device and a second screen of another display device connected to the display device can be used by linking a plurality of display devices including the display device; displaying a pointer on the first screen; acquiring a user input for the displayed pointer; and performing an operation corresponding to the acquired user input through one or more of the plurality of display devices.

Recently, a digital TV service using a wired or wireless communication network has come into wide use. The digital TV service may provide various services which cannot be provided by an existing analog broadcast service.
For example, an Internet protocol television (IPTV) service, which is a digital TV service, provides interactivity for enabling a user to actively select a type of a program to be viewed, a viewing time, etc. The IPTV service may provide various additional services, e.g., Internet search, home shopping, online games, etc. based on such interactivity.

Display device and operation method thereof


The present invention provides a resistance random access memory structure, including a plurality of word lines in a substrate, a plurality of reset lines coupled to the word lines, a dielectric layer on the substrate, a plurality of memory units in the dielectric layer. Each of the memory units includes a bottom electrode, a top electrode and a resistive thin film between the top electrode and the bottom electrode. The top electrodes of the memory units in a same column e coupled to one of the reset lines and a plurality of the bit lines on the memory units. The bottom electrodes of the memory units in a same row are coupled to one of the bit lines. Because the present invention provides reset lines for Type 1R1D RRAM, it can overcome the non-erasable of the conventional Type 1R1D RRAM.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same, and more particularly to a resistance random access memory ("RRAM") device and method for fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Colossal magneto resistive ("CMR") thin films and oxidation thin films having Perovskite structure are resistance-reversible materials which can be applied to reversible switching process. For colossal magneto resistive thin film, when a positive impulse (voltage) is applied to it, its resistance is programmed to high resistance; when a negative impulse (voltage) is applied, its resistance is programmed to low resistance. For the oxidation thin film having Perovskite structure, when a positive impulse (current) is applied to it, its resistance is programmed to low resistance; when a negative impulse (current) is applied to it, its resistance is programmed to high resistance. Because of their resistance-reversible features, both materials can be applied to memory devices for resistance random access memory ("RRAM"). Furthermore, because the resistance will not change even after the power source has been disconnected, RRAM is a nonvolatile memory device.
FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of a conventional RRAM device. This RRAM device is a Type 1R1D (one resistor one diode) memory device. It includes a word line (N type region) 102 in substrate 100, a plurality of P+ regions 104 and N+ region 106, wherein word line 102 and P+ region 104 constitute a diode. A dielectric layer 114 is set on substrate 100. A plurality of memory units 107 are set in dielectric layer 114, wherein each memory unit 107 includes a bottom electrode 108, a top electrode 110, and a resistive film 112 between the bottom electrode 108 and the top electrode 110. Furthermore, there is a word line contact window 116 in dielectric layer 114. One end of word line contact window 116 is electrically connected to N+ region; the other end is electrically connected to a conducting line 120 on the surface of dielectric layer 114 so that the word line 102 can electrically connects with external circuits. Furthermore, there is a bit line 118 formed on dielectric layer 114 for electrically connecting with top electrode 110 of the memory unit 107.
FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of a conventional RRAM device. This RRAM device is a Type 1R1D (one resistor one diode) memory device. It includes a word line (N type region) 102 in substrate 100, a plurality of P+ regions 104 and N+ region 106, wherein word line 102 and P+ region 104 constitute a diode. A dielectric layer 114 is set on substrate 100. A plurality of memory units 107 are set in dielectric layer 114, wherein each memory unit 107 includes a bottom electrode 108, a top electrode 110, and a resistive film 112 between the bottom electrode 108 and the top electrode 110. Furthermore, there is a word line contact window 116 in dielectric layer 114. One end of word line contact window 116 is electrically connected to N+ region; the other end is electrically connected to a conducting line 116 on the surface of dielectric layer 114 so that the word line 102 can electrically connects with external circuits. Furthermore, there is a bit line 118 formed on dielectric layer 114 for electrically connecting with top electrode 110 of the memory unit 107.
Another conventional RRAM device Type 1R1T (one resistor one transistor) memory device is shown in FIG. 2. This memory device includes a plurality of N+ regions 202 and 204 in substrate 200, wherein N+ region is a common line. A dielectric layer 220 is set on substrate 200. Dielectric layer 220 includes a plurality of memory units 207, a plurality of gate structures (word lines) 212 and a plurality of contact windows 214 and 216. Each memory unit includes a bottom electrode 206, a top electrode 208 and a resistive film 210; each memory unit is set on the surface of each N+ region. Gate structure 212 and N+ regions 202 and 204 constitute a transistor. Contact windows 214 and 216 are electrically connected to the gate structure 212 and the common line 204 respectively so that the gate structure 212 and the common line 204 can connect with the external circuits. Furthermore, there is a bit line 218 formed on dielectric layer 220 for electrically connecting with the top electrode 208 of the memory unit 207.
Type 1R1T RRAM uses the transistor to easily control the reading/programming operations of the memory device. However, the size of Type 1R1T RRAM is too big. If F represents the critical dimension ("CD"), the minimum size of Type 1R1T RRAM is 6 F2.
For Type GRAD RRAM, the minimum size is 4 F2, which is smaller than Type 1R1T RRAM. Hence, Type 1R1T RRAM has a higher integration density. Type 1R1T RRAM uses the diode to control the reading/programming operations. Because the diode only allows to be turned on in one direction, the data in the memory device cannot be erased or reset after being programmed.


An image mosaicking method includes performing pairwise registration of a plurality of tiles (101), determining absolute homographies for each of the plurality of tiles according to the pairwise registration (102B), and performing a blending of the plurality of tiles to obtain a stitched image according to the absolute homographies (103).

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to image editing, and more particularly to an image mosaicking method.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Several applications, such as underwater sea-floor mapping, microscopy, etc., require the mosaicking of images or tiles acquired by a camera as the camera traverses an unknown trajectory in three dimensional (3D) space.
A homography relates the image coordinates of a point in each tile to those of a reference tile provided the image surface is planar. One exemplary approach in such applications is to first perform pairwise alignment of the tiles that have imaged common features (points) in order to recover a homography relating the tile pair and to then find the global set of homographies relating each individual tile to a reference tile such that the homographies relating all tiles pairs are kept as consistent as possible.
Using these global homographies, one can generate a mosaic of the entire scene.

Global error minimization in image mosaicking using graph laplacians and its applications in microscopy


Synthesizer radiating systems providing efficient wideband operation incorporate a radiating element (20a), such as a loop, dipole or whip, which has dimensions which are small relative to wavelength in the radiated frequency band. Energy dissipation is substantially reduced by cycling stored energy back and forth between a radiating element (20a) having a first reactance and a storage element (22a) having the same or opposite reactance, in order to achieve energy efficiency along the lines of a narrowband tuned-circuit antenna. Wideband operation is achieved by synthesizing a representation of an input waveform (at 28) by actively controlling (30) solid-state switching devices (24), responsive to rate control and direction control parameters, which are interactive with the energy transferred between the opposite reactances. Higher efficiencies are achieved by bipolar circuits providing separate positive and negative energy transfer paths between a radiating element and a storage element. Systems as described provide relatively high radiated power levels with broadband operation and reduced power supply requirements, permitting provision of readily transportable units with small antennas for applications in which combinations of size, radiated power, bandwidth, power use and mobility are important.

Since the early days of radio, system designers of radiating systems have been encumbered by antenna size restrictions at operating frequencies below 30 MHz. Resonant antennas, which have a resistive input impedance, are prohibitively large, while smaller antennas are highly reactive and inhibit the transfer of power to radiation energy, especially when a wide bandwidth is required. The terms large and small are used to refer to antenna size relative to wavelength. It has been a long held belief of RF engineers that the bandwidth for efficient energy transfer from the source to a highly reactive load is inversely proportional to the Q of that load. That statement is true when the interface or matching network is restricted to passive components. As will be described, the present invention overcomes that limitation by use of active components to deliver broadband RF power to the real part of a highly reactive load. Although a specific application is the excitation of small antennas, the invention can be useful in other applications where it is desired to provide more effective energy coupling to a high-Q load of any type.
The equivalent circuits of common small antennas are shown in FIG. 1a, which represents a loop antenna, and FIG. 1b, which represents a dipole or whip-type monopole antenna. Antenna designers typically model an antenna with a fictitious resistor called the radiation resistance. Since the only element that can absorb or dissipate power is a resistive element the radiated power, or that absorbed by space, is modeled by the radiation resistance. The value of the radiation resistance and its associated reactance depends on the geometry of the antenna and its dimensions with respect to a wavelength. The ratio of reactance to resistance or Q is given by equation (1). ##EQU1## where .lambda. is the wavelength and L is the physical size of the antenna. For example, a 10 foot antenna operating at 2 MHz has a Q of about 20,000.
Power transfer between a source and a high Q load is difficult because of voltage division between the load reactance and the small load resistance. In the above example, a power amplifier that provided an output at 20,000 volts would only produce 1 volt across the radiation resistance and result in a very small amount of radiated power.
A summary of possible approaches using existing technology is shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b. When high efficiency is desired, the narrowband approach of FIG. 2a can be used. High efficiency is achieved by use of a high-efficiency non-linear power amplifier A feeding a tuner T, which tunes the antenna by using the opposite type reactor in series with the antenna reactance to yield a net reactance of zero at resonance. The reactances can only cancel at one frequency, and the 1/2 power bandwidth, which occurs when the circuit's net reactance is equal to that of the resistance, is equal to 1/Q. With this approach, it is possible to use a non-linear, highly efficient (e.g., class C) amplifier because all higher harmonics caused by the non-linear distortion are filtered by the tuned circuit. In theory, if there were no losses associated with the tuning reactance, it would be possible to achieve 100% efficiency of power transfer at one frequency using this approach. In the aforementioned example at 2 MHz, the 1/2 power bandwidth would be only 100 Hertz.
When, using prior technology, it is desirable to radiate power over a wide instantaneous frequency bandwidth, the approach indicated in FIG. 2b can be used. This approach uses a linear power amplifier A with no tuning reactor. The amplifier could be either class A or the more efficient push-pull class B or class AB. The amplifier must be linear because no filtering of harmonics caused by distortion occurs in this circuit. The efficiency of this approach, using a class B push-pull amplifier, is approximately equal to 1/Q. Given the example of a 10-foot antenna at 2 MHz, a 1000 watt class B push-pull amplifier could deliver over a broad frequency range only 50 milliwatts to radiation.
Efficiency and bandwidth can be traded off using an intermediate approach. That is accomplished by resistive loading (placing a larger resistor in series with the radiation resistance.) The bandwidth is increased because the effective Q of the load is lowered, however, most of the power delivered to the load is dissipated in the series resistor, thereby decreasing efficiency. As a practical matter, almost all circuits have resistive loading which results from either loss in the tuning reactor, and/or, conductor losses in the antenna. If a tuned circuit Q is defined as the reactance divided by all loss resistance, then efficiency and bandwidth can be defined by equations (2) and (3) ##EQU2## where Q.sub.c is the tuned circuit Q. It is assumed that Q.sub.c <<Q.sub.A. In a practical antenna, the highest achievable circuit Q at 2 MHz might be about 500. In the previous example, the bandwidth would be 4 KHz, while the efficiency would be 0.025 (1000 W amplifier delivers 25 W radiation).
In the case of the broadband linear amplifier, most of the power delivered by the DC power source is dissipated by the amplifier output device. Instantaneous power dissipation by any device is defined as the voltage across the device multiplied by the current flowing through it at the same instant in time. The load line of each device in a class B push-pull amplifier is shown in FIG. 3, wherein I represents the device output current and V represents the device voltage. As shown, the CP lines represent control parameter characteristics of the amplifier, V.sub.Q is the bias voltage, V.sub.p is the peak voltage across the device, I.sub.p is the peak device current and L is the load line. The circular load line L occurs when the amplifier drives a reactive load (voltage and current waveforms in quadrature). Throughout most of the cycle, power is dissipated because both voltage and current occur simultaneously in the device. Average dissipation can be computed through integration of the instantaneous power dissipation over 1/2 cycle. The result of that integration is: ##EQU3## where V.sub.Q is the quiescent bias voltage and X.sub.L is the reactance of the load.
If A is the peak amplitude of the sinusoidal voltage waveform, then V.sub.Q =A is the optimum bias, considering power dissipation. ##EQU4## The output power delivered to the real part of the load is found by voltage division between the load reactance and resistance. ##EQU5## Efficiency is approximately equal to the power delivered to the load divided by that dissipated in the source. ##EQU6##
It can be shown that efficiency in this antenna context is limited by conservation of energy. Amplifier output devices that operate in a switch mode (ON: High Current, Voltage=0; OFF: High Voltage, Current=0) theoretically dissipate no power because the instantaneous multiplication of voltage and current is always zero. Class D and E amplifiers use this principle to achieve high efficiency. Such amplifiers are intended for use with resistive loads and use intermediate filter networks in order to eliminate the harmonics that are generated by the switch. The filter network transforms the square-wave type switch output to the desired sinusoidal output waveform.
Attempts have been made in the past to improve the efficiency of the linear amp/reactive antenna combination by using switchmode output devices. As opposed to the class D and class E amplifiers where the switch frequency is equal to the output frequency, a switchmode arrangement may use a switch frequency that is faster than the desired output frequency. A low pass filter can be placed between the amplifier and load. The filter, in effect, averages the switch output voltage. Therefore, it is possible to vary the filter output voltage by adjusting the ratio of ON to OFF times of the switch. This approach is wideband up to a reasonable percentage of the low pass filter cutoff. A possible wideband amplifier/small antenna approach could use this technique in order to synthesize the high voltage at the input terminals of a reactive antenna. However, it has been found that only insignificant efficiency improvements are possible. One explanation addresses the effect of the low pass filter input impedance when driving a reactive load. The input impedance is always reactive at the switch mode frequency. Therefore, the switch current and voltage must be in quadrature (instead of anti-phase) and instantaneous power is always dissipated.
All known attempts at modifying such a filter in order to improve efficiency have been unsuccessful. The result can be attributed to the fundamental principle of conservation of energy. FIG. 4 shows the basic circuit and its waveforms. As shown, a small antenna is connected across the output terminals of a power source P. Since the source output voltage is much larger than V.sub.o across the resistive part of the load L, nearly all the input voltage, or current, is across or through the reactance. Any reactor is an energy storage device with the following amounts of energy stored: EQU E=1/2 CV.sup.2 (capacitor) E=1/2LI.sup.2 (inductor) (9)
As the waveform cycles through its periodic variation, there must be a large peak of stored energy in the reactor. When the waveform cycles back through zero, the stored energy will be equal to zero. Conservation of energy mandates that the peak stored energy cannot disappear. It must either be transferred to another storage media, or dissipated. In the case of the broadband amplifier, where there is no other reactor for storage,it must be dissipated by the power source. In the case of a narrowband, tuned amplifier, energy is transferred to the tuning reactor, which is of the opposite type of reactance from the antenna reactor. When one reactance has peak energy, the other has zero and at intermediate times, the energy is distributed between the two reactors. At all times, the total circuit energy is equal to the peak value, as computed by the peak voltage or current that must be imposed on the antenna load. No energy is dissipated in this ideal case. It is transferred back and forth at the resonant frequency of the tuned circuit. Therefore, this approach is very efficient, but provides only very narrowband operation.
So far as is known, no prior broadband approach has effectively incorporated another reactor for storage of transferred energy. Therefore, the output devices have dissipated the peak energy at a rate of twice each cycle. A limit on the efficiency of a broadband amplifier can be computed from energy considerations. Since power is the rate of energy dissipation, average power can be found by integrating the rate of energy dissipation over a cycle of the output waveform. The result of that computation, where P.sub.D is the dissipated power, is: ##EQU7## A comparison with the class B push-pull amplifier shows that this type of circuit can theoretically perform within 25% (6 dB) of the maximum achievable efficiency.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide radiating systems able to achieve both high efficiency and broad-band operation in conjunction with a high Q circuit and, more particularly, in combination with a small antenna.
It is a further object to provide new forms of synthesizer radiating systems and, more particularly, such systems having a transmit antenna which is interactive with a waveform synthesizer amplifier providing active control of one or more of the direction, rate and level of energy transferred between a radiating element with a reactive characteristic and an energy storage element with either an opposite or a similar reactive characteristic.
Additional objectives are to provide new and improved radiating systems which avoid one or more limitations of prior systems, as well as systems which achieve wider bandwidth operation or improved efficiency, or both, in the coupling of energy to a high-Q load, which may be a radiating element.

Synthesizer radiating systems and methods


A small-sized switch apparatus for switching between signal paths of at least first, second and third frequency bands is capable of handling high-powered high-frequency signals with a relatively low control voltage and is useful in a mobile terminal apparatus. A first signal terminal of a diplexer is connected to an antenna terminal, and a second signal terminal is connected to a high-frequency switch via a filter. A third signal terminal of the diplexer is connected to a high-frequency switch via a second filter. The high-frequency switch has PIN diodes as switching devices, and performs switching between a global system for mobile communications transmission signal and a global system for mobile communications reception signal. The high-frequency switch has three sets of serially connected multi-staged FETs as switching devices, and performs switching between wide-band code division multiple access transmission/reception signals, a digital cellular system transmission signal and a digital cellular system reception signal.

In recent years, mobile communications has developed significantly, and in Europe, mobile communications terminal apparatuses (hereinafter referred to simply as mobile terminals) using several frequency bands and several communications schemes are proposed. For instance, there is UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) which combines GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) using a frequency band of 900 MHz band, DCS (Digital Cellular System) using a frequency band of 1.8 GHz and WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) using a frequency band of 2 GHz.
Because UMTS needs to operate as a mobile terminal of a multi-system with differing frequency bands as well as communications schemes, the circuitry thereof becomes complex, and the increase in the number of components causes the apparatus to become larger and an increase in cost. For this reason, there is a need to reduce the number of components by integrating the circuitry, and to proactively share the components. In particular, since facilitating the sharing of an antenna, which is large in size, greatly contributes to the miniaturization of a terminal, the development of a small-sized switch apparatus is now an important issue in order to switch an antenna between systems.
As a conventional example, there is a switch apparatus for sharing an antenna using a diplexer and a high-frequency switch in a mobile terminal in which GSM and DCS are integrated. Switch apparatuses of this sort include the switch apparatus disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-183780, for instance.
The configuration of such a switch apparatus of the conventional example is shown in FIG. 4. An antenna, which resonates with the frequency bands of both GSM and DCS, is connected to an antenna terminal Tant. A GSM reception circuit is connected to a GSM reception signal terminal Tgsmrx. A GSM transmission circuit is connected to a GSM transmission signal terminal Tgsmtx. A DCS reception circuit is connected to a DCS reception signal terminal Tdcsrx. A DCS transmission circuit is connected to a DCS transmission signal terminal Tdcstx. A diplexer 1 has the combined characteristics of a high-pass filter and a low-pass filter, and mutually separates signals of GSM and DCS with an isolation of approximately 20 dB. A filter 2 attenuates the higher harmonics of a GSM transmission signal. A high-frequency switch 4 switches between transmission and reception of GSM. A filter 3 attenuates the higher harmonics of a DCS transmission signal. A high-frequency switch 5 switches between transmission and reception of DCS.
Here, PIN diodes are used for the high-frequency switches 4 and 5. The PIN diodes come to be in an on state when forward-biased and the impedance drops to approximately several Ω, and comes to be in an off state of high impedance with an inter-terminal capacitance on the order of several hundred fF. In general, in handling large power with a PIN diode, there is a higher probability of causing distortion in signals during transmission when it is in the off state.
In transmitting with GSM, a voltage of 3V is applied to control terminals Tctl2 and Tctl3, and 0V is applied to Tctl1 and Tctl4. As a result, PIN diodes D1 and D2 come to be in the on state, and D3 and D4 come to be in the off state. Thus, it is turned on between the GSM transmission signal terminal Tgsmtx and the filter 2, and the GSM transmission signal is transmitted to the antenna terminal Tant via the high-frequency switch 4, the filter 2 and the diplexer 1. Although part of the GSM transmission signal reaches the high-frequency switch 5, because it is attenuated by 20 dB or more from 33 dB of the GSM standards, only approximately 13 dBm is applied to the PIN diodes D3 and D4 both in the off state, and no distortion occurs even with a reverse-bias potential of a low voltage. In transmitting with DCS, a voltage of 3V is applied to the control terminals Tctl1 and Tctl4, and 0V is applied to the control terminals Tctl2 and Tctl3, but otherwise an explanation of the operation would be the same as GSM transmission.
Thus, the switch apparatus of the conventional example prevents the occurrence of distortion at the PIN diodes in the off state by mutually separating the transmission signals of GSM and DCS with the diplexer 1. It may be said that this is a configuration realizable with a small-sized diplexer by virtue of the fact that the frequencies are widely separated, GSM being in the 900 MHz band, and DCS in the 1.8 GHz band.
However, in order to make it possible to switch between WCDMA in addition to GSM and DCS, because WCDMA is in the 2 GHz band and DCS is in the 1.8 GHz band, and the frequencies are close to each other, there arises a problem in that these two signals cannot be separated with a small-sized diplexer.
Although a method of suppressing the occurrence of distortion by applying a reverse-bias potential of a high voltage to a PIN diode is also conceivable, it would become necessary to provide a voltage transformer apparatus such as a DC—DC converter, and there arises a problem in that the number of components and the cost increase. Therefore, this method is not suitable for a small-sized mobile terminal.
In addition, high-frequency switches such as the high-frequency switches 4 and 5 which use PIN diodes have a problem in their structure such that they are difficult to expand for use in switching between signals of 3 or more systems.
The present invention is provided in order to solve the this problem, and its object is to provide a small-sized switch apparatus capable of handling high-powered high-frequency signals with a relatively low control voltage, which switches between signals paths of at least a first, second and third frequency bands, and a mobile terminal apparatus using same.

Switch apparatus and mobile communications terminal apparatus


A magnetic disc drive device contains a cylindrical hub integrally rotating with a magnetic disc, the cylindrical hub having disc clamp holes defined in an end surface thereof; a motor for rotating the cylindrical hub; and a projecting member formed between the disc clamp hole and the magnetic disc to be clamped in such a manner that the projecting member is extended in the axis direction of the hub on said end surface of the hub.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a magnetic disc drive device, and more particularly to the construction of a hub for clamping and rotating a magnetic disc.
2. Related Art
An example of a conventional magnetic disc drive device, in this case a hard disc drive device, is shown in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, a cylindrical bearing holder 62 is mounted, for example, by press fitting in a boss formed in the center of a frame 60. A shaft 68 is rotatably mounted between lower and upper bearings 66, 66 inside the bearing holder 62. The shaft 68 is fixed in a hole in the center of the base of a cylindrical hub 70, for example, by press fitting whereby the hub 70 is supported in such a manner that the hub 70 can rotate integrally with the shaft 68. The purpose of the hub 70 is to hold a number of magnetic discs 82 which are integrally clamped to rotate together with the hub. The hub has at one end (the lower end in the drawing) a peripheral flange 72 for holding the magnetic discs 82 and has at the other end a number of threaded disc clamp holes 75. A suitable number of magnetic discs 82 are laminated with a suitable number of spacers in such a manner that the spacer is interposed between the magnetic discs 82. A clamper 84 is mounted on top of this stack, and the magnetic discs 82 are clamped to the hub 70 by fixing screws 86 which pass through the clamper 84 and are screwed into the threaded disc clamp holes 75.
A cylindrical drive magnet 76 is magnetized so that a different pole appears alternately in the circumferential direction and is fixed to the inner surface of the hub 70. A stator core 78 is fitted on the outer surface of the shaft holder 62. The stator core 78 has a plurality of salient poles. These salient poles 78 face the inner surface of the drive magnet 76, and a coil 80 is wound around each salient pole.
The drive magnet 76 and the parts which are integral with it make up the rotor of a disc drive motor, and the stator core 78 and the coils 80 make up the stator of this motor.
With this kind of disc drive device, vibration of the hub 70 during rotation is a problem. In particular, as advances are made in high-densification of recorded data, it is essential that the magnitude of the vibrations of the hub 70 in the radial and axial directions be reduced. In order to achieve this requirement, not only is it essential that each individual part be manufactured with a high degree of precision, but also post-assembly machining, in which the surface of the hub 70 is machined after the disc drive device has been assembled, is increasingly becoming necessary.
In post-assembly machining, while the hub 70 is rotated about its own axis, first the upper surface of the flange 72, on which the discs are mounted, is machined, and then the upper end surface of the hub 70 and then the outer surface 73 are machined, as shown in FIG. 4. Because the clamping force exerted by the clamper 84 on the magnetic discs 82 depends upon the height of the outer surface 73, i.e. the height dimension "H" between the upper surface of the flange 72 and the upper end surface of the hub 70, it is necessary to keep variations of the height dimension in a predetermined error range (for example to below .+-.0.05 mm). This is another reason why post-assembly processing is necessary.
In a conventional magnetic disc drive device, the whole upper end surface of the hub 70 is flat, and this whole flat surface has to be post-assembly machined. Therefore, it is necessary to machine the areas around the threaded disc clamp holes 75, because the threaded disc clamp holes 75 are formed in the upper end surface of the hub 70. The waste generated by the post-assembly machining enter the threaded disc clamp holes 75 and enter the motor section containing the stator core 78 and the drive magnet 76, etc. The waste can also get scattered over the magnetic discs 82 on the outside of the hub 70.
Also, in the post-assembly machining process, an axial screw hole 69 is provided in the bottom end of the shaft 68, and a male screw portion 92 of a post-assembly machining boss 90 is screwed into the axial screw hole 69 to couple the post-assembly machining boss 90 with the shaft 68. Thus, the pins 98 of a rotating member 96 are fitted into holes 94 formed in the boss 90 so that the shaft 68 and the hub 70 are rotated together with the rotating member 96. However, there has been the problem of this the post-assembly machining operation entailing a lot of work.

Magnetic disc drive device with hub and clamper assembly for reducing post-assembly machining

Kabushiki Kaisha Sankyo Seiki Seisakusho


A paper product is described that includes a paper substrate having a first surface and a second surface; a coating layer provided on the first surface of the paper substrate, the coating layer comprising a binder component and a pigment component, wherein the weight ratio the binder component to the pigment component is between about 0.25:1 to about 1:1; and wherein the paper product exhibits a gloss of at least about 20 to 75 according to TAPPI T480 om-92, a Print-surf roughness of at least about 0.5 to 2.5 according to TAPPI T555 pm-94, and a density of at least about 12 to 18 according to TAPPI T410 om-93 and TAPPI T411 om-89. A method for manufacturing a paper product is provided.

When coated paper products are folded, there exists a tendency for cracks to develop at the fold. This cracking can be referred to as flex cracking or cracking at the fold. Paper products that are often subjected to folding are often found in magazines, books, bags, and boxes. Flex cracking or cracking at the fold can be either cosmetic or may lead to a complete paper failure at the location of the fold. A cosmetic cracking can be characterized by a small disruption of the coating layer at the location of the fold, making the fold unappealing, especially if the fold is in a heavily inked area.
Factors that effect cracking at the fold include changes in humidity as a result of seasonal changes and the chemistry of the paper substrate, the coating, the ink, and the techniques for processing and manufacture. Cracking at the fold may become more noticeable if heavy colors are used at fold areas.
Several techniques are available for reducing cracking at the fold. One technique involves selecting a latex for the coating layer. Another technique is to increase the moisture in the coated paper. Increasing the moisture level can lead to other coating defects, such as, blister. These techniques are described by Attal, "Ask Dow," It's All About Paper, Vol. 2, Issue 1, April 2001, Page 8.

Coating composition, paper product having flexible coating and method for manufacturing a paper product


A towed cart and implement having a brake assembly enabled for independent application of the cart brake assembly without application of the brakes of prime mover in a burst application of the brake assembly for a predetermined duration. A brake control system includes a display which indicates the capacity of the brake assembly for burst application based on a temperature of a brake assembly component. The temperature may be measured or estimated based on duration and timing of burst brake applications.

Towed carts and trailers are often equipped with a brake assembly that can be applied independently of the brakes on a prime mover or tractor towing the cart or trailer. A need exists to improve such brake assembly to avoid over heating of the brake assembly due to excessive application of the brake assembly while the cart or trailer is being towed.

Cart and implement combination having a brake system


The heat exchanger includes a cool conduit (2,3), a hot conduit (4) and a heat exchanging element (1) arranged between the cool conduit (2,3) and the hot conduit (4). The heat exchanger also includes at least one further conduit (3,2) arranged next to the cool conduit (2,3) or to the hot conduit (4) on a same side of the heat exchanging element (1) as said respective cool or hot conduit. The further conduit is separated from the respective cool or hot conduit by a separator (5) that includes two separating elements (51,52) arranged at a distance to each other and forming a cavity (53) between the two separating elements (51,52). The separator restricts a fluid flow into or in the cavity (53) such as to limit a heat exchange between the further conduit (3,2) and the respective cool or hot conduit on the same side of the heat exchanging element (1).

There exist heat exchanger modules, where two cool fluids are heated by one hot fluid. While one cool fluid shall be heated less than the other, the one fluid is arranged at the already cooled down side of the hot fluid, while the other cool fluid is arranged at the hot inlet side of the hot fluid. These heat exchanger modules are adapted to the heating of the two cool fluids but are not optimized for a heat recovery from the hot fluid.
There are applications known, for example the operation of fuel cells, which provide two exhaust or discharge fluids at elevated temperatures. Heat stored in these fluids is made available for further use through guiding each of the fluids into heat exchangers. Next to the fact that several heat exchangers are costly and require space, these exhaust fluids often are at different temperatures, which has to be taken into account when optimizing a heat exchanging process.
Therefore, there is a need for heat exchangers that take into account disadvantages of the state of the art. Especially, there is need for a heat exchanger that is weight and space saving and allows for reduced production costs.

Multi-flow heat exchanger for exchanging heat between cool fluid and hot fluid


A feedback method in which a notification is received that a transmitting device has scheduled a transmission of data to the receiving device. Antenna feedback is generated in response to receipt of the notification. The antenna feedback is sent to the transmitting device. A mobile device includes a wireless network interface and a processor configured to receive a notification that a transmitting device has scheduled transmission of data to the mobile device, to generate antenna feedback in response to receipt of the notification, and to send the antenna feedback over the interface to the transmitting device.

In wireless communications systems, antenna arrays are used as an efficient means to transmit a large amount of information in a single signal. An antenna array is a group of spaced apart antennas that can work cooperatively to transmit a signal from a transmitting device to a receiving device. When working cooperatively to transmit a signal, an antenna array produces a unique antenna pattern that is more focused on a receiving device than would be a single antenna.
Antenna arrays can produce many different antenna patterns depending on the operating parameters used with individual antennas. The best antenna pattern to use for a particular transmission is variable and depends on factors, such as the nature of the transmission, the type of receiving device, the location and conditions surrounding the transmitting device, the location and conditions surrounding the receiving device, and so on. To enhance the capabilities of antenna arrays, many wireless systems provide mechanisms by which wireless devices can send antenna feedback to base stations. The antenna feedback allows a receiving device to request a particular antenna pattern from a base station.
Current antenna feedback schemes operate such that wireless devices repeatedly transmit antenna feedback to base stations regardless of whether they are receiving data or not. These schemes waste system resources and bandwidth used for this unneeded feedback. Accordingly, an approach is needed that provides for the on demand transmission of antenna feedback from a receiving device to a transmitting device.


Method for forming a single crystal GaN semiconductor substrate and a GaN diode with the substrate is disclosed which forms in a short time period, has a low crystal defect concentration and allows forming a size large enough to fabricate an optical device, the method including either the steps of fast growth of a GaN group material on an oxide substrate to a thickness without cracking and subjecting to mechanical polish to remove a portion of the oxide substrate, and growing GaN again on the grown GaN layer and complete removal of the remaining oxide substrate to obtain a GaN film, or the steps of separating the oxide substrate from the GaN layer utilizing cooling to obtain a GaN film, grown GaN on the GaN film to a predetermined thickness to form a GaN bulk single crystal and mirror polishing it to form the GaN single crystal substrate, whereby a defectless GaN single crystal substrate of a size required for fabrication of an optical device can be obtained within a short time period because fast homoeptaxial growth of a GaN film is allowed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a method for forming a single crystal GaN substrate, and more particularly, to a method for forming a single crystal GaN semiconductor substrate, which allows fast homoepitaxial growth of GaN group materials, and formation of a bulk single crystal GaN substrate, which has a very high quality almost free from crystalline defects, of a size required for growth of thin film in fabrication of an optical device; and a GaN diode fabricated with the single crystal substrate.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In a conventional growth of GaN which is used in fabrication of blue optical device, a sapphire(Al.sub.2 O.sub.3) substrate has been mostly used. However, the significant lattice mismatch (13.8%) and difference(25.5%) of thermal expansion coefficients between gallium nitride and sapphire cause difficulty in growing a good quality thin film. Even if a buffer layer disclosed in JP H4-170390 is employed in the growth of the thin film, the concentration of crystal defects occurring in the grown thin film is 10.sup.9 -10.sup.11 cm.sup.-2, which should be significantly reduced for practical laser diode applications, even though they may not cause any significant problems in LED applications. Although many efforts have been made for reducing the lattice mismatch employing silicon carbide(SiC) or spinnel as the substrate, which have lattice mismatches less than sapphire, the concentration of internal crystal defects in the grown thin film caused by the lattice mismatch could not be reduced significantly. Moreover, the difference of cleavage directions of GaN and sapphire in using a sapphire substrate causes difficulty in the application of a general cleaving method to fabrication of a laser cavity and also to the formation of electrodes on the back side of the sapphire substrate, which is an insulator. This places a limitation in the fabrication of a LED because the electrode formation process becomes complicated.
The requirement for employing a GaN substrate to overcome the aforementioned problems and to grow a large sized bulk single crystal GaN at room temperature equilibrium by an existing crystal growth method has been impossible because GaN has a melting point of over 2400.degree. C. while nitrogen N.sub.2 has an equilibrium vapor pressure of about 100 Kbar at 1,100.degree. C. and 10,000 Kbar at 1,500.degree. C. Recently, I. Gzegory et al. in "J. Phys. Chem. Solids, 56,656(1995)" discloses a solution method conducted at a high temperature and high pressure state of 1,300-1,600.degree. C. and 8-17 Kbar to obtain a thin single crystal plate of a several millimeter size having a good quality with crystal defect concentration of about 100/cm.sup.2, which is still not satisfactory for use as a substrate. Detchprhom et al. in "J. Crystal Growth, 123,384(1993)" discloses a method in which a thick GaN layer is grown by HVPE (Halide Vapor Phase Epitaxy) on a ZnO buffer layer which has a comparatively little lattice mismatch of 2.2% with GaN formed on a sapphire substrate and the ZnO buffer layer is removed to separate bulk GaN single crystal layer from the sapphire substrate, intending to use the bulk GaN single crystal layer as a substrate. However, this method has a limitation in obtaining a good quality substrate of a required size due to the unstable chemical etching of the ZnO layer. T. Okada et al. in "J. J. Applied Physics, 35(5), 1637, 1966" discloses a sublimation method in which powdered GaN is subjected to sublimation into a GaN substrate under an ambient of nitrogen and ammonia, which was found not satisfactory. And, recently, R. J. Molnar et al. in "MRS Symp. Proc. Vol. 423,221, 1996" discloses a method in which about 50 .mu.m thick GaN is grown on a sapphire substrate to form a homoepitaxy. However, as this method also requires a form of heterepitaxy, this method has a limitation in reducing the crystalline defect concentration in a GaN film.

Method for forming GaN semiconductor single crystal substrate and GaN diode with the substrate


The present invention is a system and method for managing content across one or more storage device systems. A typical system according to the present invention includes one or more indexing systems and a set of storage device systems. Each indexing system monitors usage of content stored on the storage systems. Based upon usage of particular content, an indexing system may issue requests such as move, delete or copy to more efficiently utilize the overall storage capacity of the storage system. All indexing systems monitor the servicing of such requests and update stored data concerning the file subject to the request accordingly.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a system and method for managing content over a network of storage devices. More specifically, the invention relates to a network organizational system and method that manages the storage of content across one or more network storage devices.
2. Description of Related Art
Over the past several years, the Internet has experienced explosive growth. A significant portion of this growth relates to the expanded use of the World Wide Web (the Web). The Web is a group of computer on the Internet providing a distributed hypermedia framework for presenting and viewing multimedia documents.
Web pages may contain a variety of multimedia elements and links to other Web pages. Pages are generally constructed using the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) although other document formatting standards may play a role such as Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and Extensible Markup Language (XML)—and its progeny such as the Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL) and the Resource Description Framework (RDF).
Once a page is created, the page resides on a Web server system, or Web site. A particular Web site may host a variety of pages. Client computers can access pages residing on Web sites using a variety of commonly available browser software packages such as Internet Explorer (Microsoft), Netscape (Netscape) or other similar product.
The browser software and the server system communicate with each other using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). The client issues a request for a particular resource on the Web using a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI); typically in the case of an HTML Web page, the URI will be a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). A URL specifically identifies a particular resource such as a Web page on the Web. The URL will indicate the particular computer on the Web on which the desired Web page resides, as well as the location of the desired Web page on that computer.
A browser software on a client computer generates an HTTP request under a variety of user triggered circumstances such as entering a target URL, selecting a link in a currently viewed page, selecting an item from the browser's history list or pressing the home button. In addition, HTTP requests are generated automatically when other discrete resources are included within a retrieved Web page; for instance, a second HTTP request would be generated for requesting and retrieving an image embedded within page retrieved from an initial user triggered HTTP request.
When the Web server indicates in the URL receives the request, the server parses the location information in the URL. Servers utilize a recursive hierarchical directory structure for storing Web available resources. The parsed location information from the request serves as a map by which the server locates the requested resource. The server formats an HTTP response including the requested resource and forwards the response to the requesting client.
With the tremendous proliferation of Web usage, the volume of requests has overburdened single Web servers. As seen in FIG. 1, which illustrates a known server system 180 that deals with this problem utilizing a load balancing server 120 and a cluster 110 of identical Web servers 114, 118 where each servers stores all Web pages for the site. Dynamic content may be available through database server 130 connected to data repository 140. The load balancing server 120 is connected to a local ethernet 154 controlled via a router 154. The system is connected to the Internet 160 through the ethernet 154 and router 154. End users access the server system 180 through end user computers 170.
This solution has several disadvantages. First, all Web servers must redundantly store all pages for the single logical Web site. Second, the load balancing server must deal with the flow through for all communication between the client and the selected server in the cluster.
The same content management issues also occur within the context of mulitmedia content servers having a set of file servers and a set of network attached storage systems. Even in load balancing systems, communications must repeatedly flow through the file servers rather than directly between the client and the data storage systems.
The prior art systems do not support the efficient distribution of multiple simultaneous file requests to a single logical server. Further, they do not provide for establishment of direct communication paths between clients and data storage systems. Finally, current systems usually require redundant storage of all data on each data storage system. The system according to the present invention addresses these disadvantages.

System and method for content management over network storage devices

Fr. Chantou Co. Limited Liability Company


A process for the preparation of 1,2-bis(acyloxyates) comprises acylation of epoxides with carboxylic anhydrides in the presence of a catalytic composition containing a tertiary amine and a carboxylic acid. Preferably, the carboxylic acid is a conjugate acid of the carboxylic anhydride. The carboxylic acid acts as a co-catalyst and its use in conjunction with the tertiary amine significantly increases the rate of reaction and results in higher selectivity. The catalytic composition may be prepared prior to acylation or in situ providing application versatility.

1,2-Bis(acyloxyates) are useful intermediates for organic synthesis. For example, 3,4-diacetoxy-1-butene is used in the production of vitamin A acetate, Paust, J., Pure and Appl. Chem., 63, 45 (1991). The 1,2-bis(acyloxylates) are the bis-esters of 1,2-dihydroxy compounds, or, alternatively, 1,2-diol dicarboxylates. The general formula for such compounds is shown in structure (I). ##STR1##
The preparation of 1,2-bis(acyloxylates) may be by acetylation of epoxides with acetic anhydride in the presence of various forms or combinations of amine catalysts. For example, a study by Shvets and Al-Wahib discloses that 1,2-diacetoxyethane can be prepared from ethylene oxide with acetic anhydride in the presence of pyridine and that the reaction proceeds by the intermediacy of N-(.beta.-acetoxyethyl)pyridinium acetate. The reaction produces yields ranging from 45 to 93.5 percent. The yields decrease with increasing pyridine concentration at 0.05 to 1.00 M. Shvets, V. F. and Al-Wahib, Wahib, I., Kinet. Katal., 16(3), 785-8 (1975).
In another study by Shvets and Al-Wahib the nucleophilic catalysis of ethylene oxide is disclosed. The reaction of ethylene oxide with acetic anhydride is catalyzed by (CH.sub.3 CH.sub.2).sub.4 N.sup.+X.sup.- (X=Cl, Br, I) and proceeds by attack of the halide anion on ethylene oxide to form the 2-haloethyl acetate and (CH.sub.3 CH.sub.2).sub.4 N.sup.+ OAc.sup.-. The latter product continues to catalyze the reaction of ethylene oxide with acetic anhydride and also reacts with the 2-haloethyl acetate so that both processes lead to 1,2-diacetoxyethane. Product yields are typically low when using tetraalkylammonium halides. Shvets, V. F. and Al-Wahib, Wahib, I., Kinet. Katal., 16(2), 425-30 (1975).
As taught by Swindell, the nucleophilic catalysis of an epoxycyclooctane derivative with acetic anhydride catalyzed by 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) and LiCl in tetrahydrofuran produces the corresponding 1,2-bis(acyloxyate) at a 70 percent yield, Swindell, C. S. and Patel, B. P., J. Org. Chem., 55, 3 (1990). Fraser-Reid discloses that the reaction of epoxypyranosides with acetic anhydride catalyzed by (CH.sub.3 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.4 N.sup.+ OAc.sup.- opens the epoxy ring to prepare the corresponding 1,2-bis(acyloxyate), Fraser-Reid, B. and Rahman, Md. A., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 107, 5576 (1985).
Tetraalkylammonium acetates are produced by alkylation of a tertiary amine to form a quaternary ammonium salt in which the counterion is exchanged for acetate. Generally, this process requires isolation or purification of the intermediates. Thus, these types of catalysts are difficult to produce and costly.
The acid catalyzed ring opening of epoxides in the presence of acetic anhydride is also well known. For example, the acetylation of 3,4-epoxy-1-butene in the presence of acetic anhydride produces 3,4-diacetoxy-1-butene as disclosed by Evans, R. M., Fraser, J. B. and Owen, L. N., J. Chem Soc., 248 (1949). A 70 percent yield is obtained when using hydrochloric acid as the catalyst, while only a 39 percent yield is obtained using anhydrous zinc chloride as the catalyst. Another example of a Lewis acid catalyzed ring opening of an epoxide is disclosed by Ali, S. and Bittman, R., J. Org. Chem., 53, 5547, (1988) which describes the diacylation of glycidyl tosylate in the presence of boron trifluoride etherate with a 76 percent yield. These Lewis acid catalyzed acylations give reasonable yields. However, in practice Lewis acid catalysts do not give good process economics on large scale due to catalyst costs and the need to use expensive, corrosion-resistant materials of construction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,199 to Godleski discloses the addition of oxygen nucleophiles to 3,4-epoxy-1-butene catalyzed by ligated Pd(O) to prepare 1,4-disubstituted-2-butenes. However, applying this process for the production of 3,4-diacetoxy-1-butene using acetic anhydride requires additional separation because it predominately produces 1,4-diacetoxy-2-butene. Its application is limited in scope since the substrate must be an epoxide in direct conjugation with a carbon-carbon double bond.
Other processes are commonly used to prepare 1,2-bis(acyloxyates) such as the acetylation of 1,2-diols with acetic anhydride or acetyl chloride. However, when using acetic anhydride, acetic acid is co-produced and must be removed or recycled in the process. With acetyl chloride, an excess of an organic base is generally needed to remove the corrosive hydrochloric acid that is co-produced in the process. In most cases, 1,2-bis(acyloxyates) are prepared from epoxides by acid catalyzed hydrolysis of epoxides to form the corresponding 1,2-dihydroxy derivative followed by acylation of the hydroxyl groups with an equivalent amount of carboxylic anhydride and organic base, such as pyridine or 4-(N,N-dimethylamino)pyridine. This overall process requires two chemical steps and isolation of intermediates.
Thus, there exists a need whereby 1,2-bis(acyloxyates) may be produced from epoxides in a single step process with increased rates of reaction and higher selectivities using relatively inexpensive catalysts, without the need to use corrosion resistant equipment, without the added costs of separating co-products and recovering by-products of the process and without the waste associated with the loss of catalysts. Accordingly, it is to the provision of such improved processes for the preparation of 1,2-bis(acyloxyates) that the present invention is primarily directed.

Process for the production of 1,2-bis (acyloxylates)


A high-frequency electronic device including a dielectric substrate, a first patterned metal layer and a second patterned metal layer is provided. The dielectric substrate has a first region and a second region. The first patterned metal layer is disposed on a first side of the dielectric substrate and corresponds to the first region, wherein the first region and the second region have different etching rates with respect to an etching solution. The second patterned metal layer is disposed on the first side or a second side opposite to the first side of the dielectric substrate.

In recent years, the application of high-frequency electronic device has gained great popularity. However, due to the special features of high-frequency operation, how to reduce the manufacturing cost and at the same time reduce the decay of electromagnetic wave during the propagating process has become a prominent task for the industries.

High-frequency electronic device and manufacturing method thereof


The invention is directed to a woven electrical transmission cable formed with cut zones, body zones and an identification tracer. The cable is formed of an array of longitudinally extending insulated conductor warp wires arranged side by side. A plurality of longitudinally extending synthetic yarns arranged to be substantially parallel with and substantially adjacent one edge of the array of conductive wires. The synthetic yarns are colored a color which distinguishes from the color of the conductor wires. A weft yarn is woven with the array of conductor wires and the synthetic yarns to form the body zone. The weft yarn weaves only with the synthetic yarns to form the cut zones which are arranged in spaced manner longitudinally of the cable. The conductor wires weave with the weft yarn in a two up two down twill weave to form the body zones.

The invention relates to woven electrically transmission cable provided with lateral cut-lines formed along their length to provide individual cables of specific length. The invention particularly relates to stable flat woven electrical transmission cable in which a position identifying tracer is provided.
Flat woven electrical transmission cables are well known as is illustrated by the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,909,508 and 4,159,394 to Ross. In the U.S. Pat. No. 3,909,508 the electrical cable is woven with insulated conductive wires arranged in a parallel array and interlaced with transversely extending picks of weft yarn. In use, the cable of this patent is cut to length and then has the weft pulled back longitudinally of the conductive wires to expose ends thereof which are then connected with connectors. There have been identified two major obstacles with the above described cable. The first obstacle occurs when the cable is cut. The cable has a tendency to become very unstable in the areas of the cut because the cut end of the weft yarn unravels and separates from engagement with the conductor wires. Another disadvantage of the Ross structure is that when the cut length of conductive cable is laid around corners or over long distances, there is a danger that the exposed wire ends and the connector terminals will become reversed.
In the Ross arrangement, the cable is woven continuous without cut lines being formed at spaced intervals. Should cut lines be formed in this cable the weave would become unstable where the weft yarn passes unsecured over the length of the cut line.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,394 to Ross discloses a flat woven electrical conductor which is woven with a longitudinal cut line and which addresses the problems of the weft unraveling when the cable is cut longitudinally. The patent does not address transverse cutting.
The instant invention has for its object to overcome the problems discussed above.
Another object of the invention is to provide a flat woven flexible electrical conductor cable having longitudinally spaced cut lines and in which the body structure of the cable remains stable.
Another object of the invention is to eliminate the tendency of the cut weft end in a cut woven electrical cable to unravel.
Another object of the invention is to provide a stable twill woven electrical cable structure woven without stabilizing warp yarns.
Another object of the invention is to provide a woven electrical cable with edge identifying means.
Another object of the invention is to provide a cut woven electrical cable having plural connector positions at each end and having connector position identifying structure.
Another object of the invention is to provide a continuous twill woven electrical cable woven with spaced cut lines along its length, the cut lines having uncovered conductor wires.
Another object of the invention is to provide a twill woven electrical cable having spaced cut lines along its length and having weft transport yarns which transport the weft yarn across the cut zone.

Woven electrical transmission cable with cut line


An open roof construction for a vehicle comprises a rollo assembly. The rollo assembly comprises a rollo screen and a winding shaft for the rollo screen which is rotatable around a stationary axis of rotation. The rollo screen firstly extends in a first direction, next around a reversal member and finally back in an opposite second direction and ends at a rollo screen edge which is attached to a stationary member. The rollo screen has two longitudinal edges which, when the rollo screen is wound off, are brought into engagement with holding members. The longitudinal edges of the rollo screen each comprise a hooking member insertable into a holding groove and hook behind a narrow entrance thereof. A reversal member is provided with a device acting on at least one of the hooking member and holding groove to enable the hooking member to enter and exit the holding groove.

The discussion below is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Aspects of the invention relate to an open roof construction having a sunscreen comprising a visible portion and a non-visible portion above it. The visible portion is stationary with respect to the sides of the roof opening and the non-visible portion can be unwound at one end and reversed into the visible portion on the opposite end. Thus, the visible portion is stationary, but the length of it varies to open and close the rollo screen. Because of such a stationary position of the rollo screen edge of the visible portion, any connections there also have a stationary position to the stationary part of the open roof construction. This has a positive effect on the life span and reliability of these connections, while allowing to simplify the design of these connections.

Open roof construction for a vehicle and rollo assembly for use therein


A differential limiting apparatus includes a housing 2 rotated by driving force of a driving source, a differential mechanism 3 having a pair of output gears 3A, 3B to distribute the driving force to a pair of output shafts differentially, a clutch 4 disposed directly between the pair of output gears 3A, 3B and having the inner clutch plate 4A and an outer clutch plate 4B as an annular frictional plate to restrict a differential movement of the differential mechanism 3, and an output mechanism 5 driving the clutch 4. The output mechanism 5 includes a first cam 52C moved along an axial direction, and a pushing pin 35 as a transmitting member transmitting the axial movement of said first cam 52C to the clutch 4.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a differential limiting apparatus, and more particularly relates to the differential limiting apparatus having a clutch restricting a differential movement of a differential mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known for a prior differential limiting apparatus to restrict a differential movement of the differential apparatus by connecting between an input shaft and an output shaft of a pair of output shafts, as disclosed in published patent document Tokkai 2007-138983.
This conventional differential limiting apparatus includes a housing rotated with an input shaft, a differential mechanism distributing differentially a rotating force from the housing, a clutch restricting a differential movement of the differential mechanism and a driving mechanism driving the clutch.
The housing includes a front housing comprising a hollow cylindrical body having a bottom and opening to one direction, a rear housing comprising an annular cylindrical body provided on the opening of the front housing. The housing is connected to the input shaft and constructed to rotate by receiving a driving force from a driving source such as an engine of a vehicle.
The differential mechanism includes a ring gear as a pair of output gears respectively connected to the pair of output shafts, a sun gear, planetary gears engaged in mesh with the ring gear and the sun gear. The differential mechanism is accommodated in the housing and constructed to distribute a rotational force from the housing to a pair of the output shafts differentially.
The clutch includes a plurality of outer clutch plates and a plurality of inner clutch plates and the clutch is disposed between an inner surface of the housing and an outer surface of the ring gear. The clutch is constructed to connect the input shaft and one output shaft in order to restrict the differential movement of the differential mechanism when the plural outer clutch plates and the plural inner clutch plates are engaged by friction. The plural outer clutch plates are engaged by spline engagement with the inner surface of the front housing and the plural inner clutch plates are engaged by spline engagement with the outer surface of the ring gear. Each of the plural outer clutch plates and each of the plural inner clutch plates are disposed alternatively with each other.
The driving mechanism includes an electromagnetic clutch, a pilot clutch driven by receiving an electromagnetic force from the electromagnetic clutch, and a cam mechanism transforming a rotational force from the housing to a pushing force toward a main clutch by driving the pilot clutch. The driving mechanism is disposed around peripheries of a pair of output shafts inside the housing. The pushing force is transmitted via a cylindrical portion to a bottom portion of a cylindrical output transmitting member having the bottom portion and a cylindrical portion, and after that transmitted via the cylindrical portion of the output transmitting member to the main clutch in order to connect the outer clutch plates and the inner clutch plates by friction.
In the above-mentioned construction of the prior art, when the driving force from an engine is input into the housing through the input shaft, the housing is rotated around the rotational axis. Upon the rotation of the housing, the rotational force is transmitted to the planetary gear, and after that from the planetary gear to the ring gear and the sun gear. Since the ring gear and the sun gear are respectively connected to each of the output shafts, the driving force from the engine is distributed differentially according to a state of the driving of the vehicle and the differentially distributed torque is transmitted to the right and left output shaft.
In this stage, when the electromagnetic clutch is energized, the pilot clutch starts to be driven by the electromagnetic force of the electromagnetic clutch. At this time, the rotational force of the housing is transformed to a pushing force by the cam when the rotational force from the housing is received by the cam at the driving stage of the pilot clutch. The pushing force is exerted from the output member to the main clutch through the output transmitting member. Then the outer clutch plates and the inner clutch plates relatively approach one another to be contacted by friction, whereby the housing and the ring gear are connected, that is to say the input shaft and the output shaft corresponding to the ring gear are connected to be able to transmit the rotational force so that the differential movement is restricted.
However, in the differential limiting apparatus of the published patent document of Tokkai 2007-138983 as the prior art, it is necessary for the conventional differential limiting apparatus to increase a number of the clutch plates in order to obtain the larger differential limiting force, resulting in a bigger longitudinal size of the whole apparatus if a longitudinal length of the main clutch is longer than a longitudinal length of the planetary gear and a longitudinal length of the flange portion of the ring gear. As a result, a number of the outer clutch plates and the inner clutch plates are limited so that a capacity of the clutch is limited, whereby a sufficiently large differential limiting force cannot be obtained.


An image pickup apparatus (10) includes an image sensor (102) which photoelectrically converts an optical image formed via an image pickup optical system to output image data, an estimator (104a) which estimates a luminance value of a saturated pixel of the image sensor based on a single image corresponding to the image data, a setter (104b) which sets an exposure parameter based on the luminance value, and a controller (107) which performs photography based on the exposure parameter.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus which improves quality of a captured image.
Description of the Related Art
When a bright object is captured by using an image pickup apparatus including s solid-state image sensor, blown-out highlights (luminance saturation) may occur in a captured image. In a region (luminance-saturated region or saturated pixel region) where the luminance saturation occurs, luminance information outside a luminance range of the image sensor (i.e., information relating to a pixel value greater than a saturated pixel value) is lost.
Previously, a method of synthesizing (combining) a plurality of images captured with different exposure values to generate a High Dynamic Range (HDR) image where the luminance range of the image sensor is widened to be captured is known. The exposure value is an index indicating a degree of exposure, which is determined depending on an aperture value of an image pickup system and an exposure time. The plurality of images used for the generation of the HDR image can be obtained for example by HDR bracket photographing where continuous photographing is performed with a plurality of different exposure values.
In this case, in order to obtain a high-quality image where the luminance saturation is sufficiently reduced, an image that is captured with a sufficiently-large exposure value and that is appropriate for a bright object in an angle of view is required. Accordingly, when the HDR photographing (HDR bracket photographing) is to be performed, it is necessary to repeat reading pixel values while previously changing the exposure value and acquire a sufficiently-large exposure value by using a photometry device. In other words, when the HDR photographing is to be performed, it is necessary to prepare to acquire an appropriate exposure value based on the plurality of images or an output value of the photometry device.
Japanese Patent Laid-open NO. 2008-104009 discloses a method of acquiring an exposure value based on a previously-prepared table by using a cumulative pixel value histogram of a previously-captured single image to perform the preparation described above. The literature "CVPRW 2012, JUNE 2012, GRADIENT DOMAIN COLOR RESTORATION OF CLIPPED HIGHLIGHTS" discloses a method of estimating a luminance value based on a single image.
As described above, when the HDR bracket photographing is to be performed, it is necessary to prepare to acquire the appropriate exposure value based on the plurality of images or the output value of the photometry device, and thus it requires time. In this regard, in the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2008-104009, the preparation can be performed based on a single image. However, in the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2008-104009, the exposure value is acquired based on the cumulative pixel value histogram of the single image, and accordingly it is difficult to acquire a sufficiently-large exposure value that is appropriate for a bright object in an image.

Image pickup apparatus, image processing apparatus, image processing method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for improving quality of captured image