A Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM), which divides a CW laser beam into two optical portions, is biased at a 180.degree. phase difference between the two optical portions. An RF signal and an LO signal are simultaneously applied to one of the optical portions of the laser beam to produce phase changes between the two optical portions. The two optical portions of the laser beam are then recombined into an optical output beam, which is detected by a photodetector. The photodetector generates a photocurrent, which contains a component at a beat frequency--i.e., the frequency difference between the RF and LO frequencies. The waveform of the photocurrent component at the beat frequency is substantially the same (except for amplitude and a fixed phase shift) as the waveform of the RF signal.

A Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) conventionally functions as a "high-fidelity" electrical-to-optical modulator--i.e., as a device for converting electrical signals to optical signals. Ordinarily, an MZM is operated at a bias so that an input voltage signal applied to the MZM modulates the amplitude of a continuous wave (CW) laser beam passing through the MZM. The amplitude-modulated laser beam is then detected by a photodetector, which produces a "high-fidelity" photocurrent signal (i.e., an electrical current output signal) that is substantially distortionless with respect to the input voltage signal.
The input voltage signal applied to the MZM to modulate the amplitude of the CW laser beam is typically a radiofrequency (RF) signal. The output signal from the photodetector (i.e., the photocurrent signal) is said to be distortionless with respect to the RF input signal--i.e., the MZM functions as a "high-fidelity" electrical-to-optical modulator--when the waveform of the photocurrent signal is the same as the waveform of the RF input signal. High-fidelity operation of the MZM is achieved by biasing the MZM to operate in a linear range in which the photocurrent signal varies substantially linearly with respect to the RF input signal.
It had not been recognized in the prior art that an MZM (or any other type of interferometric modulator) operating outside the linear range would have practical utility. Specifically, it was not realized in the prior art that an interferometric modulator such as an MZM operating outside the linear range could be used to advantage for photonically mixing electrical signals.

Photonic mixer for photonically multiplying two electrical signals in two optically interconnected interferometric modulators operated at modulation outside the linear range


Techniques are described for employing a graph-based analysis to determine a configuration of datasets to be stored on data storage systems in a data warehouse environment. Associations between datasets may be determined based on the parsing of join statements or other types of statements in jobs that are executed on the data storage systems. A graph may be generated that describes the associations among datasets. A greedy breadth-first traversal of the graph may be performed to determine sets of associated datasets. A utilization metric describing a weight of storing the datasets may be determined and employed to identify a data storage system on which to store a set of associated datasets, given the storage and processing capacity of the data storage system.

Online businesses and other organizations may store large amounts of data related to their operations. In some cases, an online business may store terabytes, peta bytes, exabytes, or more of data describing products, transactions, customers, vendors, online activities of customers, and so forth. The storage and processing of such a large amount of data may involve a large number of hardware and software resources. In some cases it may be difficult to maintain storage efficiency and processing efficiency as the amount of stored data and the number of resources increase.
Certain implementations and embodiments will now be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying figures in which various aspects are shown. Aspects may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the implementations set forth herein. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout this disclosure.

Storage configuration in data warehouses


A high-voltage MOS transistor is produced in a low-voltage CMOS process without adding extra process steps for producing the high-voltage MOS For. The high-voltage MOS transistor is to be used as an analog line driver and is produced on tho same silicon area as low voltage AD/DA-converters. Hereby, the low-voltage and the high-voltage design block are directly compatible with each other, e.g. have the same threshold voltages, which simplifies the design of the total solution.

The invention relates generally to a CMOS process and more specifically to a method of producing a high-voltage MOS transistor in a CMOS process.
In ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) systems, data are transferred at high speed from a central office to subscribers on existing telephone lines.
In the central office, there is a separate ADSL line card having an analog front end comprising e.g. high-speed AD/DA converters, line drivers and receivers.
To achieve required performance concerning speed and signal-to-noise ratio, the line driver has to work with a supply voltage above 10V. At the same time, modern mixed signal technologies, using submicron channel length, have to be used for the AD/DA part. Such technologies can normally not operate above 5V. Therefore, the line driver is implemented on a separate chip using bipolar technology, while the remaining part of the analog front end is implemented in an ordinary CMOS technology suited for modem AD/DA-design.
If extra process steps were added to the standard CMOS process, it would of course be possible to include the line driver on the same chip as the rest of Me analog front end, but such a process would be more complicated and more expensive compared to the standard technology. It could e.g. be done using a BiCMOS process, i.e. a process including both bipolar and CMOS transistors, where the bipolar pan is optimized for the line driver. However, as mentioned above, such a process is more expensive and complicated compared to a single CMOS process.
It could also be implemented using a dual gate CMOS process, which includes CMOS devices with two different gate oxides. A thicker gate oxide will then be able to handle the higher voltage. Such a process will of course also be more complicated Furthermore, it will be hard to obtain the necessary performances for ADSL using such types of MOS devices because a thicker gate oxide decreases the performance at high frequency.
A further way would be to add an LDMOS device to the process, where the channel length and the threshold voltage are set by adding an extra p-doped region inside the n-well. Extra process steps are then needed and the low-voltage devices and the high-voltage device will get different threshold voltages.
The object of the invention is to implement all necessary functions for the analog front end on the same chip, i.e. including also the line drivers, by using an ordinary CMOS process flow suited for low voltage mixed signal design.
This is attained in that the design of the MOS transistor is modified in such a way that the process includes high-voltage MOS transistors with similar frequency performance and with the same threshold voltage as the low voltage n-channel MOS transistor. The high voltage MOS transistor is added without any extra mask steps or other steps to the process flow. Instead, the voltage is distributed inside an extended field region consisting of the same n-well dopants as is formed for the low-voltage PMOS transistor.
Hereby, in the same CMOS process, a high-voltage MOS transistor will be produced together with a low-voltage NMOS transistor and a low-voltage PMOS transistor on the same substrate. Further, the supply voltage for the low-voltage transistors can then be decreased without changing the breakdown voltage capability for the high voltage transistor.
The invention will be described more in detail with reference to the appended drawing on which FIGS. 1-12 illustrate different steps in a CMOS process according to the invention.


A photonic semiconductor device and method are provided that ensure that the surface of the device upon completion of the SAG process is planar, or at least substantially planar, such that performance of the subsequent processes is facilitated, thereby enabling higher manufacturing yield to be achieved. A photonic semiconductor device and method are also provided that ensure that the isolation region of the device will have high resistance and low capacitance, without requiring the placement of a thick dielectric material beneath each of the contact pads. Eliminating the need to place thick dielectric materials underneath the contact pads eliminates the risk that the contact pads will peel away from the assembly.

An electroabsorption modulator (EAM) is a photonic semiconductor device that allows the intensity of a laser beam traveling through it to be controlled via an electric voltage. The principle of operation of the modulator is based on applying an electric field to cause a shift of the material absorption threshold toward longer wavelengths. A laser beam with a wavelength longer than that of the absorption threshold will either be transmitted without applied electric field or absorbed by applied electric field. A typical EAM has a waveguide structure and electrodes for applying an electric field in a direction that is perpendicular to the modulated light beam. In order to achieve a high extinction ratio, EAMs typically include a quantum well structure in the core of the waveguide. Due to the Quantum-Confined Stark Effect (QCSE), the quantum-well structure provides a strong shift of the absorption threshold at low electric fields. EAMs based on QCSE are capable of operating at relatively low voltages and at very high speeds (e.g., gigahertz (GHz)), which makes them suitable for use in optical communications systems.
A distributed feedback laser (DFB) is a laser in which the entire cavity is made up of a periodic refractive-index structure that functions as a distributed reflector at the lasing wavelength, and contains a gain medium. An EAM can be monolithically integrated with a DFB on a single chip to form an electroabsorption modulated distributed feedback laser (EML) device that is capable of operating as a data transmitter. EML devices have been proposed that operate at high data rates (e.g., 10 gigabit per second (Gb/s)) in the 1550 nanometer (nm) and 1310 nm ranges. There are many difficulties that must be overcome in order to manufacture large volumes of these devices with high yield.
FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional top view of a known EML device 2 comprising a DFB 3 and an EAM 4. The DFB 3 and the EAM 4 each have metallic contact pads 5 and 6, respectively. One end facet 7 of the EML device 2 comprises a highly-reflective (HR) or anti-reflective (AR) coating. The other end facet 8 of the EML device 2 comprises an AR coating. An inter-contact isolation region 9 electrically isolates the DFB 3 and the EAM 4 from each other. The lines labeled 11 A and 11 B represent a straight reverse-mesa ridge structure 11 that extends across the DFB 3, the isolation region 9, and the EAM 4. The lines 13A and 13B delineate the channels located on either side of the ridge waveguide structure 11, which are created when the ridge waveguide structure 11 is formed.
The EML device 2 has trenches 12A and 12B formed therein to remove defect areas that exist after a surface area growth (SAG) process has been used to grow a multiple quantum well (MQW) structure, as described below in more detail with reference to FIG. 2A. The trenches 12A and 12B are generally uniform in width through the DFB 3, the EAM 4, and the isolation region 9. The trenches 12A and 12B are generally in parallel with and run alongside the reverse-mesa ridge structure 11.
FIG. 2A illustrates a cross-sectional view of the EML device 2 shown in FIG. 1 along the A-A′ cross-section shown in FIG. 1. The different semiconductor layers that make up the EML device 2 are as follows. An n-type (001) Indium Phosphide (InP) material 21 is used as the substrate for the assembly 2. The substrate 21 has an n-type InP buffer layer 22 formed thereon. A MQW active region 23 is grown on top of the buffer layer 22 by a process known as Selective Area Growth (SAG). A p-type InP spacer layer 25 is grown on top of the MQW layer 23. A p-type Indium Gallium Arsenide Phosphide (InGaAsP) etch-stop layer 26 is grown on top of the spacer layer 25. Another p-type InP spacer layer 27 is grown on top of the InGaAsP etch-stop layer 26. A p-type InGaAsP grating layer 28 is grown on top of the spacer layer 27. A grating layer 28 is selectively etched in the DFB portion 3 to form a periodically varying refractive index region 31, which provides a filter for the laser spectrum in a desired wavelength value. A p-type InP infill 29 and cladding layer 32 are re-grown on top of layer 28. A p-type InGaAs contact layer 33 is then grown on top of the cladding layer 32.
FIG. 2B illustrates a cross-sectional view of the DFB portion 3 of the EML device 2 along the E-E′ cross-section shown in FIG. 2A. After the contact layer 33 is grown, a silicon oxide (SiO2) dielectric mask 34 represented by mask portions 34A, 34B and 34C is deposited on the top of the contact layer 33 and a wet chemical etch process is performed to etch the contact layer 33 and the cladding and infill layers 32 and 29.
FIG. 3 illustrates an enlarged view of the DFB portion 3 of the EML device 2 along the E-E′ cross-section shown in FIG. 2A after the chemical etching process has been performed. When the chemical etch process is performed, the device 2 etches relatively quickly in the (001) plane, but relatively slowly in the (111) plane, causing the waveguide ridge 35 to be formed with lateral (111) facets 36 thereon, having an angle, ω, between the (001) and (111) facets that is typically about 54.7 degrees. This ridge configuration is commonly referred to as a reverse-mesa ridge configuration due to the fact that the top of the ridge is wider than the base of the ridge.
FIG. 4A illustrates a cross-sectional view of the DFB 3 shown in FIG. 2A along the E-E′ cross-section prior to the layers of the MQW active region being grown using the SAG process. Prior to performing the SAG process to grow the MQW active region, a dielectric mask pattern comprising a plurality of rectangular mask portions 54A and 54B are deposited on top of the substrate 21, leaving openings 22 in which to grow the MQW active region.
FIG. 4B illustrates a cross-sectional view of the DFB 3 along the E-E′ cross-section shown in FIG. 2A after the layers making up the MQW active region 23 have been grown. The layers 23 are grown only on the areas of the surface of the substrate 21 that are exposed through the mask pattern 54A and 54B.
FIG. 4C illustrates a cross-sectional view of the EAM 2 along the E-E′ cross-section shown in FIG. 2A after the mask pattern 54A and 54B has been removed. After the mask pattern 54 has been removed, it can be seen that the surface is essentially non-planar. This non-planar surface is difficult to work with in performing the additional processes described above with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B, e.g., growing the p-type InP spacer layer 25 on top of the MQW layer 23, growing the p-type InGaAsP etch-stop layer 26 on top of the spacer layer 25, growing the p-type InP spacer layer 27 on top of the InGaAsP etch-stop layer 26, growing the p-type InGaAsP grating layer 28 on top of the spacer layer 27, forming the periodically varying refractive index region 31 in the grating layer 28, etc., up through and including the formation of the reverse-mesa ridge structure 35. Because of the difficulties of working with the non-planar surface that results after the SAG process has been performed, the resulting assemblies may have performance problems, which will typically result in reduced manufacturing yield and increased costs.
With reference again to FIG. 1, it is important for the isolation region 9 between the DFB 3 and the EAM 4 to have high resistance and low capacitance. One technique that is used to provide the isolation region 9 with high resistance is to perform ion implantation in order to implant ions in the isolation region 9 to increase its resistance. One disadvantage of this technique is that it increases process complexity, which increases costs. Another disadvantage of this technique is that it is not always effective at providing the isolation region 9 with a sufficiently high resistance, which can lead to performance problems, and consequently, to reduced yield and increased costs.
A technique that is sometimes used to provide the isolation region 9 with decreased capacitance involves depositing a thick dielectric material underneath the contact pads 5 and 6. One disadvantage of this technique is that it increases process complexity, which increases costs. Another disadvantage of this technique is that it sometimes results in the contact pads 5 and 6 failing to adhere to the EML device 2. In other words, the pads 5 and 6 can peel away from the assembly 2, resulting in performance problems, and consequently, in reduced yield and increased costs.
Accordingly, a need exists for a photonic semiconductor device, such as an EML device of the type described above, for example, that is capable of operating at high speeds (e.g., 10 GB/s) over a wide temperature range in the 1310 and 1550 nm windows. A need also exists for a method for manufacturing such a device in such a way that manufacturing yield is kept relatively high and costs are kept relatively low.

Integrated photonic semiconductor devices and methods for making integrated photonic semiconductors devices

Avago Technologies Fiber IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.


A developer cartridge of an image forming apparatus includes a cartridge frame having a developer chamber holding a developer therein, and a developer discharging port, a developer conveying unit rotatably installed on the cartridge frame to agitate and move the developer towards the developer discharging port, and an elastic damper to change the size of a developer discharge space defined by the vicinity to the developer discharging port according to a developer delivery pressure of the developer conveying unit. The damper contracts to increase a size of the developer discharge space and reduce the developer delivery pressure, when the developer delivery pressure increases above a normal pressure in the developer chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to an image forming apparatus having a removable developer cartridge, and more particularly, to a developer cartridge to supply a developer, and an image forming apparatus having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an electrophotographic image forming apparatuses, such as copier, printer, multi-function unit, or facsimile, includes a photosensitive medium on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a developing device to developing an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive medium with a developer, a transfer device to transfer the developed image onto a printing medium, and a fusing device to fix the transferred image into the printing medium.
A color image forming apparatus having a removable developer cartridge generally includes a plurality of color developer cartridges removably mounted on a main body to supply developers of different colors. Accordingly, an expired developer cartridge can be replaced with a new one.
A removable developer cartridge for use in an image forming apparatus generally includes a cartridge frame that includes a developer chamber and a developer discharging port, a developer conveying unit such as an auger which is rotatably mounted on the cartridge frame to agitate developer within the developer chamber and convey the developer towards the developer discharging port.
The image forming apparatus also includes a main body having a driving unit to rotate the auger of the developer cartridge, and a developer conveying duct to connect the developer discharging port of the developer cartridge with the developing cartridge.
As the developer cartridge is mounted on the main body of the image forming apparatus, the auger and the driving unit are connected with each other by a coupling, and as a result, the auger rotates as the image forming apparatus starts an operation. The rotation of the auger agitates the developer within the developer chamber of the developer cartridge, causing the developer to be conveyed towards the developer discharging port. Accordingly, the developer is discharged through the developer discharging port and supplied to the developing cartridge to be used in a developing process.
Because the amount of developer to discharge through the developer discharging port during the auger's conveying of developer is limited, toner sometimes accumulates and hardens particularly in a developer discharging space that can be defined as the vicinity to the developer discharging port, causing the auger to be locked and subsequently interrupting supply of the developer.
Particularly when the developer distribution within the developer cartridge is unbalanced due to an impact exerted during shipping, or when a developer cartridge is exchanged, the delivery pressure reaches a maximum value. Because of the limited absolute quantity of developer to discharge through the developer discharging port, auger is highly likely to be locked, causing interruption of developer supply.
The above problems may be lessened by decreasing the amount of developer being conveyed. However, this would be disadvantageous especially when an image consumes a relatively large amount of a developer, because a system would not be directly printing but wait until the developer is sufficiently supplemented. As a result, the images requiring a large amount of a developer are frequently printed with interruptions.
It has been suggested that an oppositely-spiraling wing be added to an end of the auger to reduce a developer delivery pressure. Although this may be effective in temporarily increasing the developer delivery pressure, the auger can be locked by the hardened developer formed inside a developer cartridge, and ability to supply the developer is also deteriorated than a conventional cartridge.

Developer cartridge with deformable member, and image forming apparatus having the same


Systems and methods are provided for managing electronic tokens associated with an account. A system may include a memory storing instructions and account information associated with an account, and a processor configured to executed the stored instructions to: access information associated with one or more electronic tokens associated with the account, wherein the information includes one or more token settings, receive, via a network, information for a transaction request including a first token; analyze the received information to determine whether at least one rule in the one or more token settings is violated, responsive to a determination that at least one rule is violated, transmit an indication that the transaction request is denied, and responsive to a determination that no rules are violated, detokenize the transaction request.

The Internet of Things has rapidly expanded into nearly all facets of daily life. Recently, electronic devices have begun transmitting account information, replacing traditional plastic cards with magnetic stripes. For example, many organizations now use near field communication and wireless transceivers to receive account information from smart phones, to conduct payment transactions, grant access to secure areas, or identify an individual associated with the smartphone. Generally, the smartphone transmits the account information or a randomly-generated number to complete a transaction.
Current systems include security measures to protect from fraud or theft, if the smartphone is stolen or lost. But when an electronic device or traditional card is lost or compromised, the account issuer must close the account, open a new account, and issue a new account number to prevent fraud or identity theft. In the meantime, fraudulent activity can occur when an unauthorized individual has the actual account information. Once the issuer closes the account, a new account is opened with new sensitive account information.
In view of the shortcomings of current systems, an improved system and method for controlling and communicating account information is desired.

Systems and methods for managing electronic transactions using electronic tokens and tokenized devices


An imitated fireworks bulb set for Christmas tree decoration includes a plurality of imitated fireworks bulbs, a plug head having a transformer therein for electrical power supply, and an elongated electrical wire for electrically connecting the imitated fireworks bulbs to the plug head so as to connect the imitated fireworks bulbs together and provide electrical power to each of the imitated fireworks bulbs. Each of the imitated fireworks bulbs includes a bowl-like transparent shell, a casing connected to the transparent shell to form a container body, a hanger affixed to a top end of the casing, and an imitated fireworks generating device installed within the casing for rendering a plurality of optic fiber sticks disposed inside the transparent shell to provide fireworks like flashing effect at their light emitting tips.

The present invention relates to decorative articles for Christmas tree, and more particularly to an imitated fireworks bulb set for Christmas tree decoration which can provide fireworks like flashing effect
Every Christmas, people spend a lot of money for decorating their Christmas tree simply because it is a special day for the whole family. However, it is impossible for anyone to play fireworks at home to celebrate the Christmas. Therefore, it would be an amazing idea to provide a kind of imitated fireworks bulb for decorating the Christmas tree.
It is well known in the decorative arts that optic fiber such as thermoplastic, coated glass, organic polymer materials can transmit light over flexible path. Numbers of devices such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,022 and 4,025,779 are equipped with the optic fibers to form all kinds of decorative lamp for desktop decoration. However, none of them can provide fireworks like flashing effect. Even though some of the optic fiber decorative lamps take use of a colorful rotating light filter disc that divides the disc surface into numbers of sections with different colors, they can merely provide a color changeable effect that the light beam emitting ends of the optic fibers can change lighting color periodically. Moreover, since the color change only depends on the sequence of the color sections on the filter disc, the users may soon feel tired of the predictable color change.
Besides, both the motor and the light bulb will generate plenty of heat, so that heat dissipation is one of the essential topics of designing the optic fiber decorative lamp. For the conventional desktop decorative lamp, the heat problem can simply solve by forming holes on the bottom wall of the housing. Since the holes formed at the bottom which sits on the desk and those desk top decorative lamps has relatively large size, it does not exist a light beam emitting problem. But, as a decorative article to be hanged on a Christmas tree, the heat dissipation problem becomes an unsolved difficulty.

Imitated fireworks bulb set for Christmas tree decoration


A first entity having a first set of tagged data and a second entity having a second set of tagged data share data that is selected based on a set of common tags present in both the first and second sets of tagged data. The set of common tags is determined using a private set intersection protocol that, in many examples, preserves the privacy of the two entities. In an embodiment, each entity identifies a set of data objects associated with the set of common tags, and another private set intersection protocol is performed to identify a set of common data objects available to both entities. Each entity provides, to the other entity, those data objects associated with the set of common tags that are not in the set of common data objects available to both entities thereby providing a matching set of data objects to both entities.

Information sharing is an important aspect of personal computing today. Many users have access to multiple devices that allow them to collect and share information. It is not uncommon for a user to have a personal computer, a work computer, a tablet computer, a cell phone, and an Internet-connected car. These devices allow the user to collect photographs, sound clips, video, text messages, tweets, and social media posts throughout their daily life, and share them with friends and family. As the amount of information collected and shared increases, it can become increasingly difficult to determine what to share and who to share that information with.


Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media are described for normalizing HMDA data. In one exemplary embodiment, a computer-implemented method of normalizing HMDA data comprises receiving HMDA data including at least one of HMDA data reports and loan-level public HMDA data, the HMDA data having information that varies as a function of time; correcting errors in the HMDA data; normalizing the HMDA data across any variation in the information; summarizing the normalized HMDA data; and outputting the summarized and normalized HMDA data to an application for analysis.

The Home Mortgage Disclosure Act ("HMDA") was enacted by Congress in 1975 and requires certain financial institutions (e.g., lenders) to publicly disclose data about housing-related loans and applications for such loans. The publicly-disclosed data ("HMDA data") may be used to: (a) determine whether financial institutions are serving the housing needs of their communities; (b) assist in directing government officials and private investors to areas that may need investment; and (c) identify possible discriminatory lending patterns and thereby assist regulatory agencies in enforcing compliance with antidiscrimination statutes.
Since HMDA was enacted, there have been periodic changes to the HMDA data required to be disclosed by the financial institutions. For example, initially, a financial institution was only required to disclose data related to the geographic location of originated and purchased home loans. Today, HMDA data has been expanded to include data about denied home loan applications; the race, sex, and income of the applicant or borrower; and the price data for some loans. Accordingly, with some exceptions, a financial institution is required under HMDA to report the following data:
(a) the loan or application, such as the type and amount of the loan made
(or applied for) and, in some circumstances, its price;
(b) the disposition of the application, such as whether it was denied or resulted in an origination of a loan;
(c) the property to which the loan relates, such as its type (single-family, multi-family, etc.) and location (including the census tract);
(d) the applicant's ethnicity, race, sex, and income; and
(e) the sale of the loan, if it was sold.
In addition to the changes in the requirement of data to be disclosed by HMDA, there has also been changes to the required format of the disclosed data. An example of a change in the required format is reflected in the disclosure of the property location information, which is reported using census tract information provided by the federal government. Census tracts may vary with each census reporting year. Accordingly, because the same property location may appear in different census tracts depending upon which census data is used, it is difficult to compare HMDA data for years that use, for example, the 1990 census tracts with HMDA data for years that use the 2000 census tracts.
The number of loans and applications each year that require the public disclosure of HMDA data is in the tens of millions. Financial institutions are required to disclose HMDA data annually, in a predefined format, to the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council ("FFIEC"). The FFIEC consolidates and summarizes the HMDA data received from the different financial institutions and subsequently releases this data annually to the public via a publicly accessible database or through distribution of the HMDA data on a storage media, such as a Digital Versatile Disk (DVD).
The version of the HMDA data released to the public is loan-level HMDA data that is depersonalized so that information relating to the borrower or property can no longer be identified. In addition, the FFIEC may also release to the public summaries of the loan-level HMDA data in order to make the large amount of loan-level HMDA data manageable and useable. For example, a summary report may be published for each mortgage lender by metropolitan statistical area ("MSA"), another summary report may be published that aggregates lender data for each MSA, and yet another summary report may be published for the entire United States. MSAs are defined by the White House Office of Management and Budget ("OMB") and comprise a list of geographic components (e.g., counties or towns) surrounding an urbanized area. An example of an MSA as defined by the OMB is the "Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area."
Because HMDA reporting requirements and formats have changed over the years and because the public HMDA data is only published on an annual basis, it is difficult for an analyst to conduct an in-depth analysis of this data. In particular, it is difficult to perform any cross-year analysis of the HMDA data. Moreover, mergers may also complicate analysis of HMDA data. For example, when a financial institution acquires another financial institution, the HMDA data for years preceding the acquisition will only reflect the acquired institution's relationship to the loan. The HMDA data published by the FFIEC is not updated to reflect the acquiring institution's relationship to the loan.
Thus, direct analysis of HMDA data may take inordinate amounts of time, typically requiring computer code to be written each time a specified analysis is undertaken. No existing application or tool effectively reduces the processing requirements for working with HMDA data so that data analysis may be conducted without writing new computer code and within user-friendly time constraints.
HMDA data may also be linked to and processed with other relevant data sets such as U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development ("HUD") data, lender data, and geographic reference data. However, no centralized processing mechanism exists that integrates HMDA data with other data sets, or allows for user-friendly visualization and processing of HMDA data and other data sets.
In addition, government-sponsored enterprises ("GSEs"), such as the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) and the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) may have HUD goals they are required to meet. These goals may include serving under-served area families, such as families in economically depressed areas where lenders tend to shy away from doing business. Another goal may be serving a certain percentage of low-income families, defined by having an income below a certain percentage of the average income for the area. No tool presently allows GSEs or other users to capture migrational patterns or other trends that allow the GSEs to project a business strategy that will help them achieve these HUD goals.
Systems and methods consistent with the present invention address the difficulties discussed above and allow for user-friendly processing of HMDA and other data.

Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for analyzing HMDA data


A cornhole training apparatus for simulating practice scenarios involving a blocking bag positional near a hole on a cornhole game board. The cornhole training apparatus comprises a blocking bag mounting structure configured to engage the cornhole gameboard surface. The blocking bag mounting structure comprises a horizontal band and a pair of cornhole board engaging members. The pair of cornhole board engaging members are oppositely disposed at either end of the horizontal band and configured to extend around and engage the sides of the cornhole gameboard to hold the blocking bag mounting structure in place. A blocking bag is attachable to the horizontal band to simulate a cornhole bag obstructing the hole.

Cornhole is a lawn game where players take turns throwing sixteen ounce bags at an inclined slanted wooden platform. The game targeting structure or platform, known as a board, has a circular aperture near the far end of the board for receiving a successfully tossed bag. A bag tossed into the hole is credited with three points, while a bag that lands and stays on the board surface the board is awarded one point. The game is won when a team or player reaches or exceeds a score of twenty-one by means of cancellation scoring. In cancellation scoring, the points of one player or team cancel out the points of their opponent. Cancellation scoring allows only one player or team to score in each inning.
Each set of bags consist of four bags which are distinguishable from the other, typically by color. Although bags were originally filled with corn kernels giving the game its name, bags are now typically filled with a plastic resin or similar granular material to maintain a consistent weight and shape. The bags are approximately six inch by six inch fabric covered bags weighing between approximately 15.5 to 16.5 ounces.
Each board is approximately two feet wide and four feet long with a six inch hole centered nine inches from the top of the board. Each board is angled or inclined so that the top edge of the board playing surface is elevated by a pair of legs twelve inches above the ground. The foot of the board rests on the ground with the bottom edge of the board playing surface between three and four inches above the ground. Two boards are placed so that the bottom edges of the boards are approximately twenty seven feet apart, with the holes separated by approximately thirty three feet which forms a court. Bags are tossed from a rectangular area directly to the left or right of a board without a player stepping past the bottom of the board during a toss.
Cornhole matches are broken down into frames of play known as innings. Each player tosses or pitches four bags, alternating teams between each throw to complete an inning. A player must deliver the bag from either the left or right rectangular area directly to the left or right of a board known as a pitcher's box without stepping outside of the box. Opponents never throw from the same pitcher's box during a frame.
A bag must either be tossed through the hole or land on the board to score points. The bags can be tossed directly into the hole, slide into the hole after hitting the board, or be knocked into the hole by another bag on a different toss. Bags touching the ground before landing on the board are removed from the board prior to continuation of play and not worth any points. Scoring is done by cancellation (e.g., if one player scores six points in the frame and the other player scores four points in the same frame, the first player receives two points). The game ends when a player or team reaches or exceeds twenty one points.
The game has become very popular and competitive. Gameplay strategy varies by player and skill level. It is not uncommon for professional players to slide all of their bags into the hole if no bag blocks the path in each inning. Defensive strategies have been developed to slow down game play or force opponents to make tactical decisions. One common defensive strategy employs using a blocking bag. The player throws a bag to intentionally rest in front of the hole instead of scoring. This forces an opponent to attempt to either slide through the blocker bag into the hole, throw another blocker behind the first blocker bag, or attempt a riskier "airmail" shot over the blocker bag (throwing directly through the hole without first touching the board). The airmail shot is typically more difficult to achieve than a sliding shot.
Accordingly, there is a great need for a way for cornhole players to improve their playing skills. There is also a need for a way for teach players how to deal with a blocking bag. Similarly, there is a need for a training tool that replicates a blocking bag in place on a cornhole board. Further, there is a need for an adjustable training aid to simulate scenarios where blocking bags are placed at different positions on a cornhole board.
In this manner, the improved system of the present invention accomplishes all of the foregoing objectives, thereby providing an easy solution for improving cornhole playing skills. A primary feature of the present invention is a training apparatus for use with a cornhole board. The present invention allows a user to replicate a scenario where a blocking bag is in place on a cornhole board in front of the hole. Finally, the improved training apparatus of the present invention is capable of allowing a player to simulate different blocking bag scenarios to improve their cornhole skills and create a practice platform for airmail type shots.


Numerous implementations of variable motion control devices and methods of use thereof. The devices and methods provide variable output to such output devices as vehicles. The variable motion control devices are locatable between output devices and power sources, such as in vehicle transmission applications between the engine and driveline, wherein an output of a power source is input into the device, which, in turn, provides a variable output to the vehicle drive line or other output application.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to variable motion control devices and methods of use, such as for providing a variable output vehicle transmission and other applications, wherein an output from a power source is input into the device, which then provides a variable output to the output application, such as a vehicle.
2. Background of the Technology
There remains an unmet need for variably transmitting the output of a power source to an output device, such as a vehicle or other output device, including where either a fixed or generally uniform input or a variable input is used to generate a variable output therefrom.

Variable motion control devices for transmission and other implementations and methods of use thereof


Disclosed are a supercharger and a carbonated water mixing device. The supercharger includes a housing. An accommodating cavity is formed in the housing, the housing is provided with a gas-liquid inlet and an outlet communicating with the accommodating cavity, an impact interface is provided in the accommodating cavity, and the gas-liquid inlet is configured for a gas-liquid mixture to enter the accommodating cavity and impact on the impact interface.

Carbonated water is a common and popular beverage, which is mainly produced by dissolving large amounts of carbon dioxide in water. In the related art, carbonated water is produced by mixing in pressure tanks. It is necessary to inject carbon dioxide or liquid with a preset pressure into the pressure tank in advance, and then inject high-pressure liquid or carbon dioxide at the carbonated water mixing device to use high-pressure shock to dissolve carbon dioxide in the liquid. This production method has high requirements on shock pressure such as water level or gas pressure, and is not convenient to use, and the high-pressure shock method is prone to the risk of the pressure tank being punched open or exploding.
The foregoing description is to provide general background information and does not necessarily constitute prior art.

Supercharger and carbonated water mixing device


A hydraulic controller includes an actuator for electrically controlling the hydraulic pressure, a hydraulic-pressure sensing part for sensing an actual value of the hydraulic pressure in the actuator, and an ECU for controlling the actuator. The ECU includes a fundamental hydraulic-pressure value command part for carrying out setting and command of a fundamental hydraulic-pressure command value, a feedforward control part for calculating through an inverse filter a first target hydraulic-pressure command value in accordance with the fundamental hydraulic-pressure command value, a feedback control part for calculating a second target hydraulic-pressure command value in accordance with the sensed actual value of the hydraulic pressure and the fundamental hydraulic-pressure command value, and a target control-amount determination part for determining a target control amount of the actuator in accordance with the first and second target hydraulic-pressure command value, wherein the ECU controls the actuator in accordance with the determined target control amount.

The present invention relates to a hydraulic controller, and more particularly, to a controller for a hydraulic actuator for electrically controlling the hydraulic pressure.
As is disclosed in Japanese document P2000-85554A, in the controller for a hydraulic actuator for electrically controlling the hydraulic pressure, typically, judder resulting from hydraulic vibrations is avoided by arranging a hydraulic damper independently of the hydraulic controller wherein the hydraulic damper produces hydraulic pressure of opposite phase to that of the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic controller, thus restraining hydraulic vibrations. However, this solution requires arrangement of hydraulic damper independently of the hydraulic controller, leading to increasing the size and manufacturing cost of the system.

Hydraulic controller and control method with pressure and oil-condition sensing and failure


An air-conditioning apparatus has a heating only temporary operation mode in which, in changing from a heating main operation mode to a heating only operation mode, when an outside air temperature is at or above a predetermined temperature, at least one of heat exchangers functioning as a condenser in the heating main operation mode continues functioning as the condenser, and the refrigerant is not supplied to the intermediate heat exchanger functioning as an evaporator in the heating main operation mode and a cooling only temporary operation mode in which, in changing from a cooling main operation mode to a cooling only operation mode, when the outside air temperature is at or below a predetermined temperature, at least one of heat exchangers functioning as the evaporator in the cooling main operation mode continues functioning as the evaporator, and the refrigerant is not supplied to the intermediate heat exchanger functioning as the condenser in the cooling main operation mode.

There is an air-conditioning apparatus in which a heat source unit (outdoor unit) is arranged outside a construction and indoor units are arranged inside the construction, such as a multi-air-conditioning device for buildings. A refrigerant circulating in a refrigerant circuit in such an air-conditioning apparatus transfers (removes) heat to (from) air to be supplied to a heat exchanger in an indoor unit, thereby heating or cooling the air. The heated or cooled air is sent to an air-conditioned space so that the space is heated or cooled.
As a heat source side refrigerant for use in such an air-conditioning apparatus, a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC)-based refrigerant is used in many cases. As the heat source side refrigerant, a refrigerant using a natural refrigerant, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), has also been proposed.
As an air-conditioner, one configured to include a plurality of indoor units, each of which is capable of selecting heating operation or cooling operation is proposed (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). The technique described in Patent Literature 1 has a cooling only mode, in which all indoor units perform cooling operation, a heating only mode, in which all indoor units perform heating operation, a heating main mode in simultaneous cooling and heating as simultaneous cooling and heating operation with the larger heating load, and a cooling main mode in simultaneous cooling and heating as simultaneous cooling and heating operation with a larger cooling load. The technique described in Patent Literature 1 switches between the heating only mode and the heating main mode in simultaneous cooling and heating or between the cooling only mode and the cooling main mode in simultaneous cooling and heating by switching one of a plurality of four-way valves.
There also exists an air-conditioning apparatus having another configuration typified by a chiller system. In such an air-conditioning apparatus, a heat source unit arranged outside a room generates cooling energy or heating energy, a heat exchanger arranged inside an outdoor unit heats or cools a heat medium, such as water or an antifreeze solution, the heat medium is transported to a fan coil unit, a panel heater, or the like that is an indoor unit arranged in an air-conditioned space, and cooling or heating is performed (see, for example, Patent Literature 2).
There also exists a heat source side heat exchanger called an exhaust heat recovery chiller in which four water pipes are connected between a heat source unit and an indoor unit, cooled water and heated water and the like are simultaneously supplied, and cooling or heating can be freely selected in the indoor unit (see, for example, Patent Literature 3).
There also exists an air-conditioning apparatus in which a heat exchanger for a primary refrigerant and a heat exchanger for a secondary refrigerant are arranged in the vicinity of each indoor unit and the secondary refrigerant is transported to the indoor unit (see, for example, Patent Literature 4).
There also exists an air-conditioning apparatus in which two pipes are connected between an outdoor unit and a branch unit including a heat exchanger and a secondary refrigerant is transported to an indoor unit (see, for example, Patent Literature 5).

Air-conditioning apparatus with multiple operational modes


A picture displaying apparatus comprises a storing unit storing a plurality of pictures, a displaying unit displaying the picture, an aimed region designating unit designating a partial region on the picture as an aimed region, an image cutting-out unit cutting-out the aimed region from each of the pictures as an aimed region picture, and a display controlling unit displaying the aimed region picture on the displaying unit. The display controlling unit comprises a superposed picture forming unit superposing a plurality of the aimed region pictures to form a superposed picture, and a visual effect controlling unit displaying each of the aimed region pictures forming the superposed picture at a predetermined transparency on the displaying unit. Even when a specific picture is retrieved in a large amount of pictures in the same or almost the same form, visual retrieval is possible readily and certainly without decreasing the retrieval efficiency.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image displaying apparatus, an image displaying method, an image displaying program and a computer readable record medium containing the image displaying program suited to successively display image data of a plurality of pictures on a screen of a display or the like.
2) Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, there is a technique wherein a plurality of pictures (for example, documents, photographs or the like) are read out by a picture reading apparatus such as a scanner or the like and converted into electronic data, and the obtained picture image data of the plural pictures (hereinafter, referred simply to as pictures) are successively displayed on a display unit such as a display or the like as if pages are turned over, whereby the user can visually retrieve a specific picture (hereinafter referred to as a picture to be retrieved) in the image data of the plural pictures.
In relation to the above technique, there have been proposed approaches wherein pictures are displayed at high speed in order to improve the picture retrieval efficiency (refer to patent documents 1 through 3 below).
For example, there is proposed in the patent document 1 an approach wherein pictures is thinned out or the fineness (resolution) of the picture is set to a predetermined fineness to decrease the volume of the picture, whereby the display speed for the picture is improved. In the patent document 2, there is proposed an approach wherein the resolution for pictures is degraded, whereby the display speed for the pictures is improved.
In the patent document 3, there is proposed an approach wherein picture expansion of only a specific area showing a characteristic of a picture to be retrieved (that is, a specific picture desired to be obtained in retrieval) is designated when arbitrary pictures are displayed at high speed, the other areas are displayed blank, and pictures on which only the specific area is expanded are displayed on a display unit to carry out retrieval.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. HEI 8-077195
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-270299
[Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. HEI 7-271819
The approaches disclosed in the above patent documents 1 and 2 can be applied when a specific picture is retrieved in a plurality of pictures having clear differences in appearance that one can recognize at a glance. However, when a specific picture is retrieved in a plurality of analogous pictures in the same or almost same form such as slips in the same form, for example, it is difficult to retrieve the specific picture among them because the analogous picture are turned at high speed. In such case, the approaches disclosed in the patent documents 1 and 2 do not allow easy retrieval of a picture that is a target in retrieval.
when a specific slip is retrieved in a plurality of slips in the same form, that is, when a slip put a specific date or a slip in which one of items is corrected is retrieved in a plurality of slips in the same form, it becomes difficult to retrieve the target slip if the plural slips are turned at high speed using the approaches disclosed in the above patent documents 1 and 2. Further, if the slips are turned at a speed exceeding the redraw rate (the so-called refresh rate), there can occur the so-called frame drop that a picture is changed to the next picture before display of the picture is not yet completed, which causes difficulty in visual retrieval.
The approach disclosed in the above patent document 3 simultaneously displays a plurality of pictures having only a specific area which shows a characteristic part of a picture to be retrieved on a display unit, thereby retrieving the picture that is the target in retrieval in the analogous plural pictures in the same or almost the same form without being disturbed by the other similar portions of the plural pictures.
Since the approach disclosed in the patent document 3 simultaneously displays a plurality of pictures on the display unit to allow the user to visually retrieve a picture, the user has to move his/her eyes to visually retrieve the picture that is the target in retrieval in a plurality of pictures. For this, the retrieval speed largely depends on the user, the visibility of the user degrades as compared with the approach wherein the user fixes his/her eyes on one position to retrieve, which causes a danger that the user overlooks the image to be retrieved.
When the user retrieves a large amount of pictures, the load on the user is increased. In order to improve the efficiency of retrieval, it is alternatively possible to increase the number of pictures simultaneously displayed on the display unit. However, when the number of pictures simultaneously displayed is increased, each picture displayed on the display unit is decreased in size, which leads to degradation of the visibility.

Picture displaying apparatus, picture displaying method, picture displaying program, and computer readable record medium containing the picture displaying program


A gate wire and a storage electrode wire extending in a transverse direction are provided, and a data wire extending in a longitudinal direction intersects the gate wire and the storage electrode wire. A plurality of pixel electrodes and a plurality of TFTs are provided on pixel areas defined by the intersections of the data wire and the gate wire. The storage electrode wire is interconnected by a plurality of storage electrodes connections provided on the pixel areas. In this way, a common bar disposed between gate pads and a display area is omitted or has reduced width. Therefore, the fan-out areas becomes to have sufficient size to reduce the resistance difference between the signal lines.

A Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin film transistor array panel, and in particular, a thin film transistor array panel including a fan-out area provided with connections for connecting a wire and a pad between a display area and the pad area.
B Description of Related Art
A thin film transistor (TFT) array panel is used as a circuit panel for independently driving pixels of a display device such as an LCD and an organic electroluminescence (EL) display device. The TFT array panel includes a scanning signal wire or a gate wire transmitting scanning signals and an image wire a data wire transmitting data signals, a plurality of TFTs connected to the gate wire and the data wire, a plurality of pixel electrodes connected to the TFTs, the gate insulating layer covering and insulating the gate wire, and a passivation layer covering and insulating the TFTs and the data wire. The TFTs include the gate electrodes, which are portions of the gate wire, a semiconductor layer forming channels, the source electrodes and the drain electrodes, which are portions of the data wire, the gate insulating layer, the passivation layer, and so on. The TFTs are switching elements for transmitting and blocking the data signals to be supplied to the pixel electrodes from the data wire in response to the scanning signals from the gate wire.
A plurality of driving ICs for applying driving signals to gate lines and data lines are connected to the TFT array panel. The driving ICs are connected to the gate lines and the data lines through a plurality of pads, and the pads are gathered in narrow areas for connection to the driving ICs. On the contrary, the distances between the gate lines or the data lines on a display area, which are determined by the size of pixels, are larger than the distances between the pads. Accordingly, there are a plurality of areas between pad areas and the display area, where the distances of the signal lines increases, and the areas are called fan-out areas. The existence of the fan-out areas results in the difference in the length between the signal lines, and thus the difference in the RC delay between the signal lines. The difference of the RC delay differentiates images to deteriorate image quality.
The fan-out area occupies a narrow area and is located between the display area provided with a plurality of pixels and edges of the panels. When a common bar connecting a plurality of storage electrode lines and applying a common voltage to the storage electrode lines are disposed between the display area and the pad areas, the common bar occupies a portion of the areas to be assigned to the fan-out areas. As the fan-out areas are narrower, the curved angles of the signal lines in the fan-out areas are larger to increase the difference in the length between the signals lines and the width of the signal lines is smaller. Accordingly, the difference in the resistance between the signal lines on the fan-out areas is amplified.
This problem is much severe for a COG (chip on glass) type LCD. The pitch, i.e., the distance between output pins of a COG chip is about 45 microns, which is very small compared with the pitch of 100 microns between output pads in TAB (tape automatic bonding) type. Therefore, the curved angles of the signal may be much increased.

Thin film transistor array panel with common bars of different widths