The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for fabricating a novel lid for use in frozen dessert containers. The apparatus has an interchangeable mandrel for wrapping a strip to form a rim of the lid to a predetermined configuration such as a super-ellipse. The invention allows for registered offset printing of the rim of the lid. The invention also allows for use of a single material for an entire frozen dessert container. The lid manufactured from the process and apparatus may be composed of a fiberboard material with a polyethylene coating thereon. The process and apparatus allows for the cost-effective fabrication of a frozen dessert container having a non-circular cross-section.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the fabrication of a container lid. Specifically, the present invention relates to the fabrication of a container lid for utilization in conjunction with a cup to form a frozen dessert container.
2. Description of the Related Art
Packaging has progressed from being solely a containment means for a particular product, to being the primary means for marketing a product. This progression now demands that every possible space on a package be utilized for marketing. However, fabrication techniques might render such use of space for marketing either technologically or economically unfeasible.
In the packaging of ice cream, the industry has been unable to overcome this problem. Specifically, in the packaging of ice cream in cups with lids, the industry has been unable to utilize a portion of the lid for advertising, and has been for the most part locked into using a circular cup for the packaging of ice cream in cups. The reason for this limitation to a circular cup is the fact that the lid may only be manufactured in an efficient manner as a circular lid. An example of such packaging for ice cream is the TETRA CUP.RTM. ice cream container available from Tetra Pak Hoyer of Pleasant Prairie, Wis.
In a typical process, the lid is manufactured from a spiral wound tube where three strips of paper are glued and tightly wound together to form a rim portion of the lid. Then, a circular disc is "punched" into the rim portion and glued thereto. This fabrication process limits the lid to having a circular cross-section.
In order to overcome this problem in a cost effective manner, the use of plastic rims have been put forth by the industry which allows for various shapes. However, these plastic rims do not overcome the problem with the need to utilize the space for marketing, and also plastic rims are more costly than paperboard rims.
Another concern with lids is the strength and support of the lid, and more specifically the engagement between the disc and the rim. Although the circumferential flange of the disc is glued to the rim, this does not always provide adequate strength to prevent the disc from becoming disengaged from the rim during processing.

Process and apparatus for fabricating a container lid with an inwardly folded rim


An image scanner having a driving mechanism to synchronize the movement of a transmission-mode light source and a carriage mounted therein an image pickup device is disclosed. The driving mechanism includes a driving motor and two transmission devices both connected to the driving motor. One of the transmission devices connects the carriage to the motor. The other transmission device penetrates through the scanning platform at an upper end where an upper cover and a lower housing of the scanner housing are pivotally connected to connect the transmission-mode light source to the motor. Thereby, the two transmission devices are simultaneously driven by the motor to move the carriage and the transmission-mode light source synchronously.

The present invention relates to an image scanner, and more particularly to an image scanner which includes a single driving device to synchronously move a transmission-mode light source and an image pickup device located on opposite sides of a scanning platform.
For an image scanner for scanning a reflective document such as a photo or a paper document, the light source 14 is generally enclosed in a carriage 15 together with an image pickup device including a mirror set 16, a lens device 17 and a charge-coupled device (CCD) 18, as shown in FIG. 1A. The light from the light source 14 is reflected off of the document 10 and received by the image pickup device 16, 17, 18 to realize the image data of the document. By moving the carriage 15 across the document 10 placed on a scanning platform 20 to be scanned, a scanning operation, so called as a reflection-mode scanning, is performed. The light source 14 is referred as a reflection-mode light source herein. Owing to the integration of the light source 14, mirror set 16, lens device 17 and CCD 18 in the carriage 15, only one driving device 12 is required to move the light source and the image pickup device across the document. The driving device 12 generally includes a motor 191 and plural gears 192.
On the other hand, for an image scanner for scanning a penetrative document such as a negative film, a projecting film or a slide, the image pickup device including the mirror set 16, lens device 17, and CCD 18 is enclosed in the carriage 15, and the light source 13 is disposed opposite to the carriage 15 relative to the scanning platform 20, as shown in FIG. 1B. The light from the light source 13 penetrates through the document 10 and received by the image pickup device 16, 17, 18 to realize the image data of the document. By moving the carriage 15 across the document 10 placed on the scanning platform 20 to be scanned, a scanning operation, so called as a transmission-mode scanning, is performed. The light source 13 is referred as a transmission-mode light source herein. Owing to the separation of the light source and the image pickup device, one driving device 11 is required to move the transmission-mode light source 13, and another driving device 12 is required to move the carriage 15.
For a dual-mode image scanner, a transmission-mode scanning or a reflection-mode scanning is performed optionally. For sharing a single image pickup device which is relatively expensive, both of the transmission-mode and the reflection-mode light sources are required, as shown in FIG. 1C. In the conventional dual-mode image scanner, the two driving devices 11 and 12 are used to move the transmission-mode light source 13 and the reflection-mode light source 14 which is mounted in the carriage 15 together with the mirror set 16, the lens device 17 and the CCD 18, respectively. According to the type of the document 10 to be scanned, either one of the transmission-mode light source 13 and the reflection-mode light source 14 is energized. When a transmission-mode scanning is performed, it is necessary for the transmission-mode light source 13 to be synchronously moved with the carriage 15 in order to allow the light emitted therefrom and penetrating through the document 10 to precisely reach the mirror set 16 and further the lens device 17 and the CCD 18. In other words, it is important to perfectly synchronize the movement of the light source 13 with that of the carriage 15. However, such a synchronizing operation is not easy to achieve. Further, owing to the presence of two driving devices including motors 191 and gears 192, the image scanner may be undesirably bulky.
For reducing to a single driving device, a driving mechanism as shown in FIG. 2 is suggested to simultaneously move the transmission-mode light source and the carriage. Similar to the image scanner of FIG. 1, the reflection-mode light source (not shown) is mounted in a carriage 25 which is moved by a driving device. In this image scanner, two guiding slots 211 beside the scanning window 29 are created, and two connecting rods 212 are provided. The two opposite connecting rods 212 penetrate the slots 211 and connect the transmission-mode light source 23 to the carriage 25. With the driving of a motor and gears (not shown, with reference to FIG. 1), the carriage 25 transmits the light source 23 connected therewith through the connecting rods to move synchronously. Therefore, only one set of driving motor and gears is required, and no misalignment problem will occur. U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,072, which is incorporated herein for reference, also describes a similar driving mechanism to synchronize the movement of the transmission-mode and the reflection-mode light sources.
The image scanner of FIG. 2, though omitting one set of motor and gears to possibly reduce the thickness of the scanner housing, requires additional width to create the two guiding slots. Furthermore, the presence of the guiding slots renders contaminants such as dusts to have a chance to enter the lower housing where the important optical devices are accommodated.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a dual-mode image scanner, in which a single driving device is used to synchronize the movement of a transmission-mode and a reflection-mode light sources without creating any long slots beside a scanning window.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a transmission-mode image scanner, in which a single driving device is used to synchronize the movement of a light source and an image pickup device enclosed in a carriage precisely and conveniently.
According to the present invention, an image scanner includes a scanning platform for placing thereon a document to be scanned, a housing including a lower housing, and an upper cover pivotally connected to the lower housing at an upper end of the scanning platform, a transmission-mode light provider accommodated in the housing for providing a light signal for the document to be scanned, an image pickup device accommodated in said housing at a side of the scanning platform opposite to the transmission-mode light provider for receiving an image signal from the document in response to the light signal, and converting the image signal into an electronic signal, and a driving device connected between the transmission-mode light provider and the image pickup device for synchronously moving the transmission-mode and the image pickup device.
According to the present invention, the driving device includes a driving element for simultaneously providing a driving force for the transmission-mode light provider and the image pickup device, a first transmission device connected between the driving element and the image pickup device for moving the reflection-mode light provider in response to the driving force, and a second transmission device connected between the driving element and the transmission-mode light provider for moving the transmission-mode light provider in response to the driving force.
According to the present invention, the first or the second transmission devices penetrates through the scanning platform at the upper end, depending on the positions of the transmission-mode light provider, the image pickup device, and the driving element.
For example, if the transmission-mode light provider is located in the upper cover, and the driving element and the image pickup device are located in the lower housing, then the first transmission device are located in the lower housing, and the second transmission device penetrates through the scanning platform at the upper end.
Preferably, the driving element is a motor.
Preferably, the second transmission device includes a roller mounted in the lower housing beneath the upper end of the scanning platform, and driven to rotate by the motor, a first pulley mounted in the upper cover above a lower end of the scanning platform opposite to the upper end, and a cyclic transmission line penetrating through the scanning platform, attached thereto the transmission-mode light provider, hitching the first pulley and the roller, and rotating with the roller with the aid of the first pulley for moving the transmission-mode light provider across the scanning platform.
Preferably, the cyclic transmission line is made of a flexible material. More preferably, the second transmission device further includes two second pulleys arranged between the roller and the first pulley and adjacent to the upper end of the scanning platform for sustaining thereagainst the cyclic transmission line when the upper cover is lifted. Particularly preferably, the cyclic transmission line is inserted thereinto a section of buffering device, e.g. a stretching spring element, for improving the tensile strength thereof so as to minimize vibration of the transmission-mode light provider resulting from the driving force.
Preferably, the image pickup device is mounted in a carriage which is connected to and moved by the first transmission device.
If the image scanner further includes a reflection-mode light provider to function as a dual-mode image scanner, the reflection-mode light provider is preferably mounted in the carriage.
The types of the transmission-mode light provider and the reflection-mode light provider may vary.
In an embodiment, the transmission-mode light provider includes a first lamp energized to provide the light signal for the document when a transmission-mode scanning operation is performed, and the reflection-mode light provider includes a second lamp energized to provide the light signal for the document when a reflection-mode scanning operation is performed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,072 provides an example for these types of transmission-mode and the reflection-mode light providers.
In another embodiment, the transmission-mode light provider includes a first lamp energized to provide the light signal for the document when a transmission-mode scanning operation is performed, and the reflection-mode light provider includes a mirror set reflecting light from the first lamp to the document as the light signal when a reflection-mode scanning operation is performed. A pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/007,641, which is assigned to the same assignee as the present application and is incorporated herein for reference, provides an example for these types of transmission-mode and the reflection-mode light providers.
In a further embodiment, the reflection-mode light provider includes a second lamp energized to provide the light signal for the document when a reflection-mode scanning operation is performed, and the transmission-mode light provider includes a mirror set reflecting light from the second lamp to the document as the light signal when a transmission-mode scanning operation is performed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,895,914, which is incorporated herein for reference, provides an example for these types of transmission-mode and the reflection-mode light providers.

Image scanner having driving mechanism to synchronize movement of transmission-mode light source and image pickup device


An LED controller is used with a video source and at least one LED unit, and includes a control signal generator and a driver. The control signal generator performs pulse width modulation based on a first clock signal, a second clock signal and a data signal, which is generated by the video source, to generate at least one control signal. The first and second clock signals are independent of a vertical synchronization signal that is generated by the video source. The driver generates, based on the at least one control signal, at least one drive signal that is related to light emission of the at least one LED unit.

Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional light emitting diode (LED) controller 11 receives a vertical synchronization signal (VSYNC), a horizontal synchronization signal (HSYNC) and a data signal (DATA) from a video source 12. The vertical synchronization signal (VSYNC) carries image frequency information. The horizontal synchronization signal (HSYNC) carries line frequency information. The data signal (DATA) carries brightness information and delay information. The conventional LED controller 11 performs pulse width modulation based on the vertical synchronization signal (VSYNC) and the data signal (DATA) to generate a control signal (CS), and generates a drive signal (DS) based on the control signal (CS) for driving a current source 13 to provide a current signal to an LED unit 14, so the LED unit 14 emits light when the current signal has a non-zero magnitude.
Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, in particular, a pulse width of the control signal (CS) corresponding to a (p+1)th frame is determined by a period of the vertical synchronization signal (VSYNC) corresponding to a pth frame and by the brightness information of the data signal (DATA). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, when the period of the vertical synchronization signal (VSYNC) is decreased while the brightness information of the data signal (DATA) is unchanged, a duty cycle of the control signal (CS) initially increases from a target value and then decreases back to the target value, resulting in a flicker of the LED unit 14. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 3, when the period of the vertical synchronization signal (VSYNC) is increased while the brightness information of the data signal (DATA) is unchanged, the duty cycle of the control signal (CS) initially decreases from the target value and then increases back to the target value, resulting in a flicker of the LED unit 14.

LED controller, LED control device and LED control method


A nitrogen oxide absorbing material, comprising a hollandite-type complex oxide having main metal elements comprising minimally of aluminum and tin, or zinc and tin, and a method of using that nitrogen oxide absorbing material comprising the steps of contacting the nitrogen oxide absorbing material with a gas containing nitrogen oxides. The method of reducing the adsorbed nitrogen oxides on the nitrogen oxide absorbing material includes the steps of releasing the nitrogen oxides from the nitrogen oxide absorbing material, and of reducing the released nitrogen oxides with a three way catalyst or other nitrogen oxide reducing catalysts.

The development of a method for decomposing or removing nitrogen oxides or other harmful pollutants in the exhaust gas from automotive vehicles has been increasingly demanded due to environmental pollution. A three way catalytic converter, for removing carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides concurrently, is a practical catalyst for purification of the exhaust gas. Cordierite coated with gamma-alumina or other heat resistant carrier supporting Pd, Pt, Rh or other noble metal is for general use.
However, in a lean-burn engine and a diesel engine, which are operated under the condition of high oxygen concentration the three way catalytic converter is ineffective because the noble metals are poisoned with excess oxygen. Although zeolites have been studied as the catalyst serving under the condition of high oxygen concentration, their structures easily break under the hydrothermal conditions. Oxide catalysts superior in heat resistance have also been studied, however, they are insufficient in catalytic activity for their practical use.
On the other hand, in thermal power plants or other fixed combustion equipments, nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gas containing excess oxygen are reduced by the oxide catalyst with ammonia as a reductant. Because ammonia has toxicity, a safety problem is created when this system is utilized for automotive vehicles or other moving combustion equipments or the fixed combustion equipments installed in an urban area.
Recently, a method of removing nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gas containing excess oxygen was developed. In the method, nitrogen oxides are absorbed by an absorbent in the lean-burn region or in the presence of excess oxygen, and nitrogen oxides are desorbed and reduced by means of the three way catalyst in the rich-burn region or in the vicinity of the stoichiometric air/fuel ratio.
Known absorbents of nitrogen oxides are complex oxides of the Ba--Cu--O system and the Mn--Zr--O system. However, a material having better and stable absorbability even at high temperatures is demanded.

Material for absorbing nitrogen oxides comprising hollandite-type complex oxide


The object of the invention is to provide a back-up method for information for setting a system control apparatus by which externally back up data can be used even if version up of or addition of a function to firmware is effected and the back up data can be edited manually. An encoder unit 14 for converting a form of firmware information for internal setting 12 into an apparatus definition file 17 of the text form and a decoder unit 13 for converting the apparatus definition file 17 of the text form into the form of the firmware information for internal setting 12 are provided in a system control apparatus 11, and the form of the firmware information for internal setting 12 is converted into the apparatus definition file 17 of the text form by the encoder unit 12 and the apparatus definition file 17 of the text form is up-loaded into and backed up by a back-up apparatus 16, whereafter, when necessary, the apparatus definition file 17 of the text form of the back-up apparatus 16 is converted into the form of the firmware for internal setting information 12 by the decoder unit 13 and down-loaded into the system control apparatus 11.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a back-up method for externally backing up firmware information for internal setting of a system control apparatus of the embedded type.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a system control apparatus of the embedded type, in externally backing up the information of the firmware for internal setting of the apparatus, conventionally the information for setting the apparatus is backed up by an external back up apparatus in the same binary data form as the form of the internal information of the apparatus.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a setting information back-up system for a system control apparatus of a conventional example. Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 41 denotes a system control apparatus, 42 information for internal setting of the apparatus, 45 a communication unit, 46 an apparatus information back-up apparatus, and 47 a back-up file.
The information for internal setting 42 of the system control apparatus 41 is up-loaded into the back-up file 47 of the apparatus information back-up apparatus 46 via the communication unit 45, and when necessary, the back up data are down-loaded into the internal information for internal setting 42 of the system control apparatus 41 by the reverse route.
With the prior art, it is a first problem that it sometimes becomes impossible to use the back up data by version up of the firmware. The reason is that, by the version up of the firmware, the form of the information for internal setting of the apparatus is changed or the memory allocation is changed.
It is a second problem that the back up data cannot be edited manually. The reason is that the back up data have the same form as the information for internal setting of the apparatus and cannot be recognized visually by a human being.
Further, it is a third problem that, when a function is added to the apparatus, it sometimes becomes impossible to use the back up data. The reason is that the information for setting the apparatus is backed up in the same binary data form as that of the internal information of the apparatus.


A motion transmitting remote control assembly (10 and 110) comprising a flexible motion transmitting core element for transmitting motion and a conduit for movably supporting said core element along a longitudinal axis. An adjustment means allows a change in the length of one of the core element and the conduit along the longitudinal axis thereof. The assembly is characterized by the adjustment means including a support member (26, 126) and a rotary member (30) supported by the support member (26, 126) at a support axis for rotation about the support axis in response to the change in the length to thereby minimize the longitudinal length of the adjustment means. A spring (32) interacts between the support member (26, 126) and the rotary member (30) for resisting the rotation of the rotary member (30) relative to the support member (26, 126). A cam element (34) coacts with a cam surface (36) in the rotary member (30) for rotating the rotary member (30) in response to the change in the length.

Remote control assemblies of the type to which the subject invention applies are used extensively in automotive vehicles for adjusting vents, mirrors, throttle controls, and various other devices. The overall length of such assemblies frequently vary during the installation process. Once installed, it is frequently necessary for the length of the core element or the conduit to change. More specifically, during the operation it frequently occurs that the input control member can be moved a greater distance than the output control member, in which case the conduit or core element must adjust in length to accommodate the overtravel. For example, a door handle on a vehicle may impart 30 millimeters of travel to a core element to move a door latch but wherein the movement of the door latch is limited to only 25 millimeters.
Adjustment mechanisms are known to the art which accommodate the change in the length or overtravel of either the core element or the conduit, the conduit length may include the length of a fitting or ferrule or other equivalent support structure. Such mechanisms generically include a spring which acts longitudinally along the assembly which consumes a length of the assembly. Such an assembly for adjusting the length of the core element is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,556 granted Jan. 3, 1995 and assigned to the assignee of the subject invention. Such an assembly for adjusting the length of the conduit is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,428 granted Nov. 10, 1992 and assigned to the assignee of the subject invention. It is frequently necessary to minimize the length occupied by the length adjustment mechanism.

Pivot-arm overtravel in a motion transmitting remote


Apparatus and methods are provided for making a beverage or providing a liquid. First and second liquids may be mixed to form a mixed liquid. The mixed liquid may be passed through a frothing head and/or may be combined with a coffee product and optionally dispensed into a cup. Examples of first and second liquids can include, but are not limited to various dairy products, enzymes and flavoring liquids. According to one example implementation, a first liquid is a reduced fat milk, such as skim milk, and a second liquid is whole milk, thereby enabling the creation of dairy product varieties including one percent and two percent milk to be created by the appropriate mixture combination of the skim milk and whole milk.

The production of beverage milks combines the operations of clarification, separation for the production of lower fat milks, pasteurization, and homogenization. While the fat content of most raw milk is 4% or higher, the fat content in most beverage milks has been reduced to 3.4%. Lower fat alternatives, such as 2% fat, 1% fat, or skim milk (<0.1% fat) are also available in most markets. These products are either produced by partially skimming the whole milk, or by completely skimming it and then adding an appropriate amount of cream back to achieve the desired final fat content.
Milk is a major ingredient in espresso and cocoa-based gourmet beverages, specifically cappuccino, mocha, hot cocoa, and latte beverages, both hot and iced. One method for producing cappuccino and latte beverages is through the use of super-automated brewing equipment. These machines come equipped as two-step or one-step machines, referring to the number of steps required by the operator to produce the milk/espresso beverage. Two-step machines require the operator to first hand steam the milk component and then combine the milk with espresso that is produced automatically by the machine or with cocoa. One-step machines automatically steam and combine the milk component with automatically produced espresso.
A major limitation of existing available one-step machines is the variety of milk that is available to the consumer. Machines currently available can only handle one milk variety due to limitations in milk storage, plumbing, and recipe programming capacity.
In the North American market in particular this creates a problem and major limitation for the commercial viability of these one-step machines because the educated coffee consumer has become accustomed to choosing between, skim, 1%, 2%, and whole (3.4%) milk. Retailers typically steam milk by hand in order to offer this variety of milk to their customers. This results in slower customer service, product inconsistency and more milk waste.


A multiple-cylinder engine for a planing water vehicle includes an operation control device which changes the number of deactivated cylinders step by step in response to an engine speed when the engine speed exceeds a preset speed. The operation control device can have a plurality of cylinder deactivation order maps used for instructing an increment order of cylinders which are deactivated step by step when the engine speed exceeds the preset speed. The operation control device can exchange one of the cylinder deactivation order maps which is currently used for another one of the maps in accordance with an operation state of the engine.

1. Field of the Inventions
The present inventions relate to multiple-cylinder engines, and more particularly to engines having an operation control device which changes the number of deactivated cylinders.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some known planing-type water vehicles include systems which disable respective cylinders of their engines. For example, these systems can be used to prevent over-revolution of the engine of a planing-type vehicle when the vehicle is operating in a planing state. Such a system is described in Japanese Patent Document JP-A-2002-371875.
The over-revolution state does not occur frequently in the engine of an ordinary automobile. However, because a water inlet opening for a jet pump of a planing-type water vehicle can rise out of the water and be exposed to the air, the jet pump can suck air in and relatively often cause the over-revolution state of the associated engine.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Multiple-cylinder engine for planing water vehicle


A metal cleaning composition comprising EDDS is described. Preferably, the compositions comprise optical isomers of EDDS, such as (s,s)EDDS. The compositions are particularly well suited for cleaning iron, zinc, aluminum, and copper. De-icer compositions comprising EDDS are also described. Also disclosed are processes for using the compositions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the use of a compound. In particular, the present invention relates to the use of ethylene diaminedisuccinic acid "EDDS".
2. Description of Related Art
In some applications it is desirable to clean metal surfaces, such as in the automotive and aeronautical industries, and in applications such as metal machining and forming, as well as in the preparation of circuit boards and integrated circuits.
Many of the metal cleaning compositions used contain, as their active agents, acids. However, whilst the acids may remove the external layers of dirt, grease, unwanted paint and the like, they can remove some or all of the protective metal oxide layers and, in doing so, make the cleaned metal more prone to corrosion. This is very undesirable.
There is therefore a need to have a metal cleaner that is non-corrosive, i.e. will not remove the metal's protective oxide layer (see for example Business Communications Company Inc. Report C.173 page 20, June 1993).
Generally, the corrosiveness of a solution can be measured in terms of anodic breakdown potential (mV) of the metal oxide layer. The higher the anodic breakdown potential (ABDP), the less the metal will corrode during and after treatment with the metal cleaner.
Ideally, metal cleaners should have ABDP values of at least 200 mV. Preferably, for the cleaning of aluminum it is desirable that the metal cleaners should have ABDP values of at least 400 mV.
Two of the commonly used metal cleaners are ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) and gluconic acid (GA). However, there are problems associated with these metal cleaners. In this regard, under certain conditions EDTA has an ABDP value of 0 mV for aluminum and copper, two metals which are often in need of cleaning; whereas gluconic acid has an ABDP value of 0 mV for zinc, copper and aluminum.
Further ABDP values for these two metal cleaners are presented later in Tables 1-3.
There is therefore a need for metal cleaners that are not corrosive, i.e. have a low-corrosive effect on the metals.
The present invention seeks to overcome the problems associated with the prior art metal cleaners.

Metal cleaning and de-icing compositions


An information processing apparatus is provided in which, if a plurality of users alternately use manipulation devices, who is to execute a manipulation input through which manipulation device can be guided in an easy-to-understand manner. An information processing apparatus connected with a plurality of manipulation devices to receive manipulation inputs from a plurality of users is configured to hold allocation information for allocating each of the plurality of manipulation devices to each of the plurality of users and display, on a screen of a display apparatus, a guide image including information for identifying a user before change and information for identifying a user after change if, in the allocation information, a user to whom any one of the plurality of manipulation devices is allocated is changed.

In playing a turn-based multiple-player participatory game for example, a plurality of users may alternately execute input operations on one information processing apparatus. In this case, if the number of manipulation devices connected to the information processing apparatus is smaller than the number of users, it is necessary that the plurality of users alternately use the manipulation devices. In such a situation, the information processing apparatus may display a guide which of the users is to execute a manipulation input next.


A mobile terminal and an apparatus and method for processing an alert message of a mobile communication terminal, are discussed. The apparatus includes at least one module for generating at least one alert message and outputting the generated alert message, and a controller for selectively displaying the outputted alert message on a second display unit according to a type of a task being executed on a first display unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for processing an alert message of a mobile communication terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a mobile communication terminal is a device for allowing a user to wirelessly page and be connected with another party for communication any time anywhere through switching control by an MSC (Mobile Switching Center) while moving in service areas covered by base stations (BSs). With the mobile communication terminal, data communication performed in symbols, numbers and characters and multimedia communication including image signals as well as voice communication can be available.
Most of the recently developed mobile communication terminals include an external or internal camera, with which a subject image can be received, and thus, video as well as a still image can be transmitted on a real time basis, providing wider utilization range such as video call.
A display unit of the related art mobile communication terminal will now be described with reference to FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an opened state of a related art mobile communication terminal.
As shown in FIG. 1, the related art mobile communication terminal includes a first display unit 10 directed to a user when the mobile communication terminal is opened, and a second display unit (not shown) directed to the user when the mobile communication terminal is closed. The first display unit is located on an inner side of a flip body 12, whereas the second display unit is located outside the terminal on the outer side of the flip body 12. Thus, at any given point of time, the user can see only the first or second display unit.
The first display unit 10 displays and performs functions selected by a user, for example, call communication, message transmission/reception, still image and video shooting, a mobile game, video call, when the mobile communication terminal is opened. The second display unit displays state information of the mobile communication terminal provided to the user, for example, radiowave reception strength, setting of vibration or bell sound, alarm setting, battery capacity, current time and date, when the mobile communication terminal is closed.
The first display unit 10 cannot fully display and execute multiple tasks simultaneously. For example, when the user executes a video operation on the first display unit 10 and a call is received at the same time, a call notification/image appears partially by overlapping with the video being displayed and a portion of the video is hidden. As a result, the tasks being executed on the first display unit 10 interfere with each other.
As mentioned above, as for the related art mobile communication terminal, the first and second display units are installed on the opposite sides of the flip body and only one of the first and second display units is used according to the opening or closing of the mobile communication terminal, resulting in a problem that the display units cannot be effectively used simultaneously.

Apparatus and method for processing alert message of mobile communication terminal


A device for wirelessly and remotely actuating a trigger of a weapon. The device includes a transmitting portion and a receiving portion. The transmitting portion selectively generates a signal wirelessly and remotely that is received by the receiving portion, and when activated thereby, the receiving portion selectively engages and actuates the trigger of the weapon.

A. Field of the Invention
The embodiments of the present invention relate to a device for actuating a trigger of a weapon, and more particularly, the embodiments of the present invention relate to a device for wirelessly and remotely actuating a trigger of a weapon.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for devices for actuating a trigger of a weapon have been provided in the prior art that will be described below in chronological order to show advancement in the art, and which is incorporated herein by reference thereto. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention in that they do not teach a device for wirelessly and remotely actuating a trigger of a weapon.
(1) U.S. Pat. No. 499,315 to Borchardt.
U.S. Pat. No. 499,315 issued to Borchardt on Jun. 13, 1893 teaches an automatic shooting rest for breech loading small arms, adjustable in all directions, and including a movable support for the arm moving rearwardly under the recoil thereof, and a bolt-shifter connected to the support and actuated during its movement to open the breech of the arm, and a trigger-finger connected to the support and actuated by the forward movement thereof to fire the gun.
(2) U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,860 to Auger.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,860 issued to Auger on Mar. 22, 1977 in class 42 and subclass 94 teaches a lower base and an elongated generally horizontal support member oscillatably supported from the base for angular displacement about a generally horizontal axis. The support member extends in a direction transverse to the axis of oscillation thereof and includes structure spaced above its axis of oscillation for removably stationarily supporting a long gun therefrom with the long gun extending longitudinally of the support member. Adjustment structure is operatively connected between the base and the support member for infinite angular adjustment of the support member relative to the base throughout at least a limited sector of adjustment. In addition, an electric-motor-driven structure for removable support from a long gun supported from the support member and includes features for operative association with the trigger of the associated long gun, whereby the trigger may be gradually actuated without causing vibration of the long gun.
(3) U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,743 to Horn et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,743 issued to Horn et al. on Jun. 29, 1982 in class 89 and subclass 37 B teaches a gun mount for light automatic weapons, including an upper mount having cradle apparatus for the detachable attachment of the weapon thereto, and a lower mount having a circular track and being adapted to be attached to a vehicle in such a manner that the upper mount is rotated about the vertical axis of the circular track. The cradle is pivotable about a horizontal weapon traverse axis. Aiming apparatus includes a rigid periscope having fixed reflecting mirrors with its eyepiece located below the circular track and whose sight radius is coupled with the traverse motion of the weapon about the weapon traverse axis. The aiming apparatus is about a sight axis that is parallel to the horizontal weapon traverse axis and is attached to a blinder having surface areas that are rotationally symmetrical to the sight axis. A connecting rod having one end pivotable about a first traverse axle parallel to the sight axis and is rigidly connected to the blinder and the other end of the connecting rod is articulated about a second traverse axle on the cradle. The sight axis, the weapon traverse axis, the first traverse axle, and the second traverse axle form the corners of a parallelogram.
(4) U.S. Pat. No. 5,761,954 to Dvorak.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,761,954 issued to Dvorak on Jun. 9, 1998 in class 73 and subclass 167 teaches a device for measuring the entire profile of a firearm's trigger performance. This device may be either hand held or permanently mounted. The device may be connected to a sensor for sensing strike of the firing pin and connected to a computer for graphically and numerically displaying data relating to the firearm's performance. The device is capable of calculating key firearm performance parameters, including lock time and roughness of the trigger profile.
(5) U.S. Pat. No. 6,694,963 to Taylor.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,694,963 issued to Taylor on Feb. 24, 2004 in class 124 and subclass 32 teaches a paint ball gun including a touch-activated trigger system. The touch-activated trigger system preferably can cause the initiation of a firing operation of the paint ball gun in response to contact with human flesh or a specialized glove.
(6) U.S. Pat. No. 7,047,863 to Hawkes et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,047,863 issued to Hawkes et al. on May 23, 2006 in class 89 and subclass 37.04 teaches a powered aiming platform for pointing devices, such as firearms, illumination devices, or sensing instruments, remotely controlled by a hand-controller device, with video feedback of the aiming position and audio feedback of the exact direction and speed of positioning movements. The system overcomes the safety and accuracy limitations of manual and conventional remotely-controlled aiming mechanisms, thereby allowing operators to point devices accurately and quickly with predictable, precise control. In the case of firearms, the system maintains a steady position after repeated firing.
(7) U.S. Pat. No. 7,137,220 to Bradley, Jr.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,137,220 issued to Bradley, Jr. on Nov. 21, 2006 in class 42 and subclass 119 teaches a collimating scope for attachment to a rifle so that the scope has an objective lens that is positioned above the barrel of the rifle and an ocular lens that is below the barrel of the rifle and that is proximate the opening of the barrel. A grip extends downwardly from the scope and has a trigger thereon that is mechanically connected to the trigger of the rifle for firing the rifle from the trigger on the grip. A pair of braces, one for the torso of a user, the other for a thigh of the user in order to rest the scope and its attached rifle on the back of a user so that the user may lie prone and below the rifle and be able to scope a target and fire the rifle from this position.
(8) Canadian Patent Number 1099969 to Jackson.
Canadian Patent Number 1099969 issued to Jackson on Apr. 28, 1981 in class 89 and subclass 36 teaches an auxiliary firing mechanism used to actuate a tripper for a gun trigger, including a remote actuator connected to the tripper by an elongated connector, such as a cable, that is moved by the cooperable action of a control member and a rotatably and axially movable actuator member of the actuator. Camming surfaces of the control and the actuator member of the actuator move the control member from a first position to a second position against a spring bias thereof in order to actuate the tripper and thereby trip the gun trigger whereupon the camming surface of the actuator member moves out of engagement with the camming surface of the control member in order to allow the control member to be moved back to the first position by its spring bias. Axial and rotational movement of the actuator member then again engages the camming surfaces of the control and actuator members in preparation for another actuation of the tripper. A manually movable lever, which preferably has a foot pedal, rotates the actuator member to provide the tripper actuation.
(9) Japanese Patent Number 03071217 to Tsunesada.
Japanese Patent Number 03071217 issued to Tsunesada on Aug. 28, 2003 teaches apparatus arranged that the user pulls the trigger by attaching a bellow to the front end of a pipe held in his mouth instead of using other parts (fingers) of his body and expanding the same.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for devices for actuating a trigger of a weapon have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the embodiments of the present invention as heretofore described, namely, a device for wirelessly and remotely actuating a trigger of a weapon.

Device for wirelessly and remotely actuating a trigger of a weapon


The present invention describes a communications system that utilizes frequency division multiple access (FDMA), code division multiple access (CDMA), and time division multiple access (TDMA) techniques for providing efficient use of frequency spectrum while supporting a large number of transmitters/users (2-6). Many users of the communications system share a common frequency band, but each transmit their respective message bursts (50) at different and specific times via a TDMA technique. To facilitate synchronization of the TDMA technique, each transmitter of the system is synchronized to a common timing reference (1) thereby abating the need to maintain synchronization between the transmitters (2-6) and receivers (8-12) of the system. Each TDMA message is then transmitted via a spread spectrum technique by multiplying (82) the message burst to be transmitted by a pseudo-random sequence of ones and zeroes (84) and transmitting such spread spectrum message burst for reception by one or more receivers within the system.

This invention relates to a multiple access communication systems and, in particular, to a communications system utilizing frequency division, code division and time division multiple access techniques for providing efficient use of frequency spectrum while supporting a large number of transmitters sharing a common frequency band by having all transmitters synchronized to a common timing reference.
Frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems involve assigning each user a specific frequency for its respective transmission. Accordingly, a high number of users within an FDMA system requires a large frequency band. For example, if ten users are desired within an FDMA system, ten separate and independent frequencies would be required.
Time division multiple access (TDMA) systems involve multiple users sharing a common frequency but each user transmits at a specific time and only for a predetermined time period. Accordingly, each TDMA user does not transmit continuously but only in its specific time slot. Therefore, for ten users within a TDMA system, each one would transmit only one-tenth of the total transmission time. Furthermore, since each user within a TDMA system is transmitting only a portion of the time, each user will be required to transmit at high rates over a shorter time interval as the number of users increase. TDMA systems also require some form of synchronization between the transmitter and its respective receiver.
Code division multiple access (CDMA) systems involve each user transmitting at the same time and at the same frequency. Further, CDMA systems perform spread spectrum techniques by multiplying the transmit sequence by a pseudo-random pattern of ones and zeros of which the receiver to receive the transmitted sequence knows. However, while CDMA systems have a "soft-capacity" in that additional users may be added with only slight system degradation, such systems are not efficient when transmitting only short bursts of data at low duty cycles.
Hence, there exists a need for an improved communications system for providing efficient use of frequency spectrum while supporting a large number of transmitters sharing a common frequency band by having all transmitters synchronized to a common timing reference and, thus, not requiring synchronization between transmitters and receivers.

System and method for multiple access short message communications


In a computer system having at least two processors, each processor having an associated memory, the processors being coupled to one another through an interface unit by means of a bus, hardware semaphores to regulate access to shared resources are disclosed. Each semaphore is one bit wide and can be written to obtain the desired state. When reading the semaphore, if the contents is a one, then a one is returned. If the content is zero, a zero is returned but the semaphore is automatically reset to one.

This invention is in the field of multi-processor digital computer systems. In particular, it relates to the synchronization of communication between a plurality of processors.
In the multi-processor environment, various resources can be accessed by each of the processors. For example, input/output devices such as printers and CRTs may be used at different times by each and every processor.
In certain situations, the use of certain resources, if these resources are accessed concurrently by different processors, can result in errors due to data coherency. For example, if a general purpose register is used as a counter and if two different processors read, increment and write the register at the same time, the count in the register will be incorrect.
For resources where utilization by multiple processors can create data coherency problems, some method to synchronize and control access to the resource must be implemented. Although software "Test and Set" flags exist, they are not without drawbacks. In particular, as each setting and testing of the flag requires the processor to obtain busmastership, a great deal of time is spent gaining busmastership for a relatively simple task. This wasted time can add up quickly in a multi-processor environment. A method and apparatus which can coordinate access to resources between the multiple processors in a minimum amount of time and without requiring extensive additional hardware or software is therefore desirable.

Hardware semaphores in a multi-processor environment


An encryption method and decryption method are provided. The encryption method divides an electronic file into a plurality of message blocks, wherein the message blocks have a sequence. The encryption method sets a checking vector as the last message block. The encryption method performs the following steps on each message block according to the sequence: generating an input block, deriving an output block by encrypting the input block by an encryption key, and deriving an encrypted block by applying XOR operation to the output block and the previous message block, wherein the input block is equivalent to applying XOR operation to the message block, the output block corresponding to the previous message block, and the message block before the previous one. The encryption method generates an electronic encrypted file by concatenating the encrypted blocks. The decryption method performs a series of operations corresponding to the above operations.

In one-on-one secure communications, a message can be transmitted securely only when confidentiality, integrity, and source authentication are all satisfied during the communication. The confidentiality means that the contents of the message will not be obtained by a third party during the transmission. The integrity means that the message receiving party must be able to ensure that the received message contents are consistent with the message contents transmitted by the transmitting party, i.e., the message contents are not tampered. The source authentication means that the message receiving party must be able to authenticate that the message is indeed transmitted by the expected transmitting party.
In network communications, a symmetric encryption/decryption method is usually used as a mechanism of the secure communication. The transmitting party and the receiving party reach an agreement on a key in advance and then the transmitting party encrypts the message to be transmitted into an encrypted file by using the key and a symmetric encryption algorithm. After receiving the encrypted file, the receiving party decrypts the encrypted file by using the same key and a symmetric decryption algorithm corresponding to the symmetric encryption algorithm so as to obtain the message transmitted by the transmitting party previously.
If the data size of the message to be encrypted by the transmitting party is greater than one block that can be processed by the symmetric encryption algorithm, a block operation mode must be adopted together. The block operation mode is adopted to connect individual message blocks in a safe way to protect some message blocks from being revealed or being additionally attacked. A cipher block chaining (CBC) mode is one of the block operation modes, the encryption mechanism and the decryption mechanism of which are respectively shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.
As shown in FIG. 1A, the encryption mechanism of the CBC mode is to divide the electronic file M to be transmitted into a plurality of message blocks m1, m2, m3, m4, . . . , mt of the same size and perform encryption on each of the message blocks m1, m2, m3, m4, . . . , mt individually. Specifically, for the first one of the message blocks (i.e., the message block m1), the encryption mechanism firstly performs an exclusive OR (XOR) operation on the message block m1 and an initial vector IV and then performs an encryption operation E on the result of the XOR operation by using the symmetric encryption algorithm and a key K so as to generate an encrypted block c1 corresponding to the message block m1. For each of the other message blocks (i.e., the message blocks m2, m3, m4, . . . , mt), the encryption mechanism firstly performs the XOR operation on the message block and an encrypted block corresponding to a previous message block thereof (i.e., encrypted blocks c1, c2, c3, c4, . . . , ct-1) and then performs the encryption operation E on the result of the XOR operation by using the symmetric encryption algorithm and the same key K so as to generate an encrypted block (i.e., encrypted blocks c2, c3, c4, . . . , ct). Finally, the encryption mechanism concatenates the encrypted blocks c1, c2, c3, . . . , ct to generate an electronic encrypted file C.
As shown in FIG. 1B, the decryption mechanism of the CBC mode divides the electronic encrypted file C received into a plurality of encrypted blocks c1, c2, c3, c4, . . . , ct of the same size and performs decryption on each of the encrypted blocks c1, c2, c3, c4, . . . , ct individually. Specifically, for the first one of the encrypted blocks (i.e., the encrypted block c1), the decryption mechanism firstly performs a decryption operation D by using a symmetric decryption algorithm corresponding to the symmetric encryption algorithm and the same key K and then performs an XOR operation on the decryption result and the initial vector IV so as to generate the message block m1 corresponding to the encrypted block c1. For each of the other encrypted blocks (i.e., the encrypted blocks c2, c3, c4, . . . , ct), the decryption mechanism also firstly performs the decryption operation D by using the symmetric decryption algorithm and the same key K and then performs an XOR operation on the decryption result and a previous encrypted block thereof (i.e., the encrypted blocks c1, c2, c3, c4, . . . , ct-1) so as to generate a message block (i.e., the message blocks m2, m3, m4, . . . , mt). Finally, the decryption mechanism generates the electronic file M by concatenating the message blocks m1, m2, m3, . . . , mt.
The symmetric encryption/decryption algorithm can satisfy the requirements of the aforesaid confidentiality but can not satisfy the requirements of the integrity. Specifically, even if the electronic encrypted file is tampered by an attacker, the receiving party can still perform the decryption operation on the tampered electronic encrypted file after receiving it. For example, if the aforesaid electronic encrypted file C (which comprises the encrypted blocks c1, c2, c3, . . . , ct) is tampered into an electronic encrypted file C′ (which comprises encrypted blocks c1′, c2, c3, . . . , ct) by the attacker, the receiving party can still decrypts the electronic encrypted file C′ into an electronic file M′ (which comprises message blocks m1′, m2′, m3, m4, . . . , mt), as shown in FIG. 1C. However, in most cases, the receiving party can not determine whether the message obtained by decryption (e.g., the electronic file M′) is true. Especially when the message that would be transmitted by the transmitting party is a program or a message that can not be recognized by the server or the people, the receiving party can not be aware of any abnormity of the message obtained by decrypting the tampered electronic encrypted file.
If the security requirements for integrity can not be achieved, then the source authentication can not be satisfied as a consequence. Specifically, the attacker may select any random number as the electronic encrypted file and transmit it to the receiving party by personating the transmitting party. The receiving party will decrypt the electronic encrypted file received (i.e., the random number selected by the attacker) into a plain text by using the key and the symmetric decryption algorithm. The receiving party can not be aware of any abnormity of the electronic encrypted file received and the plain text obtained by decryption because the receiving party is not able to perform the integrity verification. The main reason is that the key is owned by both the transmitting party and the receiving party, so the receiving party will consider the plain text obtained by decryption as being transmitted by the transmitting party although, actually, the electronic encrypted file is transmitted by the attacker. As can be known from this, the source cannot be authenticated in cases where the integrity requirements cannot be satisfied by the symmetric encryption/decryption algorithm.
As a solution to the aforesaid problem, a plurality of methods may be adopted. For example, a solution in which the transmission is performed by adopting the secure sockets layer (SSL)/transport layer security (TLS) mechanism is shown in FIG. 1D. The transmitting party and the receiving party reach an agreement on two keys K and Km in advance. When the transmitting party wants to transmit an electronic file MS to the receiving party, the transmitting party firstly performs a message authentication code (MAC) operation MAC on the electronic file MS by using the key Km to generate a message authentication code z1. Then, the transmitting party concatenates the electronic file MS and message authentication code z1 and performs an encryption operation E on the concatenation result by using the symmetric encryption algorithm and the key K to generate an electronic encrypted file CN. After receiving the electronic encrypted file CN, the receiving party firstly performs a decryption operation D by using the symmetric decryption algorithm and the key K and obtains an electronic file MD and a message authentication code z2. Then, the receiving party performs the message authentication code operation MAC on the electronic file MD by using the key Km to generate a message authentication code z3. Subsequently, the receiving party performs a comparing operation CMP on the message authentication code z3 and the message authentication code z2 obtained by decryption. If the result of the comparing operation CMP is that the message authentication code z3 is the same as the message authentication code z2, it indicates that the electronic file MD is not tampered during the communication and is consistent with the contents of the electronic file MS transmitted by the transmitting party. However, if the result of the comparing operation CMP is that the message authentication code z3 is different from the message authentication code z2, it indicates that the electronic file MD obtained by decryption has been tampered during the communication.
The "MAC-then-encrypt" method adopted by the aforesaid SSL/TLS mechanism is capable of satisfying the three basic security requirements of confidentiality, integrity and source authentication simultaneously because an agreement has been reached on the two keys K and Km in advance. A plurality of methods of calculating the message authentication code is available in the conventional art. A common method is to use a keyed-hash message authentication code (HMAC) created by a hash function. Another method is to use a cipher block chaining message authentication code in combination with the CBC mode (CBC-MAC). The calculating efficiency of the HMAC is determined by the hash function adopted. To satisfy the security requirements, the hash algorithms usually adopted are SHA-1, SHA-2 and the like. However, the calculating efficiencies of these relatively complex hash algorithms are quite approximate to that of the common advanced encryption standard (AES). On the other hand, in terms of the CBC-MAC, although only the last block of the encrypted file is used as the output, the entire input data is encrypted once during the calculating process. In other words, the calculating efficiency of the CBC-MAC is equivalent to that of the block encryption algorithm adopted.
Accordingly, when the MAC-then-encrypt method is adopted, the calculating time to be taken is double that would be taken when the message authentication code is not adopted. The extra time is taken to calculate the message authentication code. When the message to be encrypted has a very large data size, the doubled time to be taken is still a non-ignorable burden for general applications. Accordingly, an urgent need exists in the art to provide a solution capable of reducing the time cost while satisfying the three basic security requirements of confidentiality, integrity and source authentication.

Block encryption method and block decryption method having integrity verification


Systems and methods are disclosed herein to provide logic block slice architectures and programmable logic block architectures along with control logic architectures in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. For example, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a programmable logic device includes a plurality of programmable logic blocks, with at least one of the programmable logic blocks having at least a first, a second, and a third logic block slice of different logic block slice types.

A programmable logic device, such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA), may be used in a wide variety of applications. For example, a programmable logic device (PLD) offers the advantage of being reprogrammable in the field (e.g., while on the circuit board in its operational environment) to provide the desired functionality.
A typical PLD includes a number of programmable logic blocks (e.g., also referred to in the art as configurable logic blocks, logic array blocks, or programmable function blocks). The programmable logic block architecture may be generally categorized as having a slice-based structure or a block-based structure. A slice may provide, for example, a 2-bit slice structure (e.g., two 4-bit lookup tables (LUTs) plus two registers), with the programmable logic block formed by two slices. A block may provide, for example, eight or more 4-bit LUTs and associated registers, with the programmable logic block formed by the block structure.
A drawback of the conventional PLD is that the programmable logic block architecture is often not optimized for the desired application. For example, the programmable logic blocks are generally homogeneous with each having the same one or two slices or each having the same block structure. Consequently, the programmable logic block architecture is not optimized for the desired application and results in unused resources, larger than necessary die size, and inefficient scaling for providing a larger number of LUTs within the PLD. As a result, there is a need for improved programmable logic block architectures for PLDs.

Programmable logic device architecture with multiple slice types


A tire pressure control device configured to be arranged in a vehicle includes a processing unit, a linking assembly, an air compressor, a drive switch assembly, a tire pressure measurer, and an inflation assembly. The linking assembly is connected to a wheel driving shaft of the vehicle and can be driven along with the rotation of the wheel driving shaft so as to drive the air compressor to generate a compressed air that is stored in a gas storage cylinder. The processing unit can control an air valve switch assembly of the inflation assembly to be open according to a tire pressure data measured by the tire pressure measurer so that the compressed air in the gas storage cylinder enters the tires of the wheels to increase the tire pressure of the wheels.

Generally, driving a vehicle with insufficient tire pressure at high speeds can result in a high risk of an accident. Therefore, several types of tire pressure measurers have been developed and made available on the market, so that users can be aware of tire pressure statuses of the vehicle in real time through devices such as mobile phones.
However, the tire pressure measurers only provide a tire pressure data to users. In practice, even if the users are made aware that the tire pressure of the vehicle is insufficient through the tire pressure measurers, they may not be able to address the tire pressure deficiency in real time, so that the vehicles are still driven with insufficient tire pressure.


A semiconductor device having bonding pads on a semiconductor substrate includes: an upper copper layer that is formed on the lower surface of the bonding pads with a barrier metal interposed and that has a copper area ratio that is greater than layers in which circuit interconnects are formed; and a lower copper layer that is electrically insulated from the upper copper layer and that is formed closer to the semiconductor substrate than the upper copper layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device having bonding pads for wire bonding, and to a method of fabricating the semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
When forming bonding pads over copper interconnects in semiconductor devices of the prior art that employ copper interconnects, the bonding portions are in some cases provided at positions that are shifted from above the copper interconnects (refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-15516, pp. 4-5, FIG. 2).
FIG. 1 is a sectional structural view showing an example of the construction of a semiconductor device of the prior art. Referring to FIG. 1, a plurality of copper pads are provided on copper interconnects 700 that are formed on semiconductor substrate 10, uppermost layer aluminum interconnect 730 being formed over uppermost layer copper pad 710 with barrier metal 720 interposed. Bonding portion 735 of uppermost layer aluminum interconnect 730 is at a position that is shifted with respect to copper interconnect 700. As a result, stress that occurs when bonding is exerted upon passivation insulation film 740 and interlevel dielectric film 750 that underlie bonding portion 735. The influence of stress upon copper interconnect 700 during bonding can thus be reduced and the exposure of copper interconnects 700 on the surface can be prevented.
Nevertheless, the above-described semiconductor device of the prior art has several drawbacks.
First, because this is a construction in which bonding portions are provided at positions that are shifted with respect to the copper interconnects, the area of the bonding pads is greater than for a case in which the bonding portions are provided immediately above the copper interconnects, and this construction therefore tends to increase chip size.
Further, if a low-k film that has a lower relative dielectric constant than an oxide film is present below the bonding portion, the load of a needle during probing or bonding depresses the bonding pads and may cause cracks in the interlevel dielectric film that underlies the bonding pads or may cause film to peel in the bonding pads.

Semiconductor device with bonding pad support structure


A one-piece solid phase extraction article to be used in solid phase extraction analysis, a filtration funnel comprising the one piece solid phase extraction article, and a method of use of the article. The article, device and method provide for improved analysis of hexane extractable material by eliminating the standard use of polar solvents to pre-condition the sorbent materials. The one-piece solid phase extraction article comprises water wettable monomeric phase type sorptive material embedded within a porous matrix. The water wettable monolithic polymeric sorptive material may be a hydrophilic polymeric gel, such as functionalized C-18 sorbent material, and the porous matrix may be fibrous matric, such as a glass fiber. The one-piece solid phase extraction article may further comprise one or more pre-filtration layers which do not contain the sorptive particles.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The invention pertains generally to sample testing products and techniques, and more specifically to an improved solid phase extraction filtration disk and a method for its use.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hexane Extractable Material (HEM) is a method-defined analyte based on the procedures set forth in Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") Method 1664. This method is used in the EPA's survey and monitoring programs of surface and saline waters and industrial and domestic aqueous wastes under the Clean Water Act; the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act; the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act; and other EPA regulatory programs to determine the levels of n-hexane extractable material (oil and grease) and n-hexane extractable material that is not adsorbed by silica gel (non-polar material). Extractable materials include relatively non-volatile hydrocarbons, vegetable oils, animal fats, waxes, soaps, greases, and related materials.
EPA Method 1664 is based on liquid-liquid extraction. Simply, after extracting the oil and grease from the sampled water into a solvent, generally n-hexane, the n-hexane is evaporated and the total mass of material remaining is measured and reported as Hexane Extractable Material (HEM), or Silica Gel Treated Hexane Extractable Material (SGT-HEM). Differentiating HEM from SGT-HEM requires separate sample preparation by the technician. Further, the technician must ensure that there is no water present and all the n-hexane is evaporated, as the presence of either will result in over-reporting the HEM content of the sample. This means one measurement can take up to 48 hrs. Thus, EPA Method 1664 is both labor intensive and time consuming.
In general, modification of a method-defined analyte method is not allowed. EPA Method 1664, however, does list provisions allowing for some performance-based modifications, provided those changes do not degrade method performance or alter the chemistry of the method. In such a revision, the EPA allows solid phase extraction of the HEM from water using disks or cartridges, followed by the elution of the HEM from the disks or cartridges with n-hexane. The n-hexane is then evaporated from the sample and the remaining material is weighed to determine the HEM. SGT-HEM is determined by re-dissolving the HEM in n-hexane to perform the silica gel treatment. Thus, the revised EPA Method 1664 not only reduces the amount of solvent required, but also reduces the time required to perform the test.
Generally, the art of separation science, which involves extraction and chromatography, has two main objectives. One is high yield extraction and recovery of a targeted analyte and the other is a rapid rate of extraction and elution. A specific type of extraction used for separation is solid phase extraction, also known as SPE. SPE is a method of sample preparation that removes and concentrates an analyte from a liquid sample by absorption or adsorption onto a disposable solid phase medium. This is followed by elution of the analyte with a solvent appropriate for analysis.
SPE can be carried out using extraction disks which include particle loaded membranes of various diameters as the extraction medium. For example, one such disk comprises a membrane that includes sorbent particles (e.g., C-8 and C-18 bonded silica particles) immobilized in a web of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) microfibrils. Another exemplary disk includes a web of glass microfibers impregnated with chemically bonded silica sorbents such as C-18 aliphatics. For general use, these SPE disks can be supported on a glass or polymer frit in a standard filtration apparatus using vacuum to generate the desired flow of sample through the disk.
Currently, for SPE to work correctly in a method such as EPA Method 1664, the C-18 silica material in the extraction disk must go through a pre-conditioning process using a polar solvent such as methanol. Such disks are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,391,298. The methods to fabricate existing extraction disks are also described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,538,634 and 6,475,340. However, the use of a polar solvent can lead to unacceptable modifications to EPA Method 1664. Thus, the technician must be extremely vigilant to remove all of the polar solvent from the extraction disk, yet keep the disk wetted, prior to performing the analytical method. That is, the disk must be pre-conditioned by solvent and remain wet before the addition of testing sample or the test may become out of compliance. While experienced technicians can master this technique and automated extraction systems provide more consistency and control, there is potential for error using such a pre-conditioning step.
To solve this problem, the Applicants have developed an SPE extraction disk, a testing system utilizing this extraction disk, and a method for testing under EPA Method 1664 that does not require pre-conditioning with a polar solvent. This eliminates any potential of a co-solvent coming into contact with the sample and non-compliance because of such.

Hydrophilic activated sorbent extraction disk


A reinforced molded body of ceramic, which is to be fired, is produced by adding ceramic fibers to a matrix of ceramic. The ceramic fibers are composed of silicon, nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon, the carbon and the oxygen having a total content of at most 10 weight % and having respective contents at a ratio ranging from 0.08 to 2.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of reinforcing a molded body of ceramic by adding ceramic fibers and a reinforced molded body of ceramic which is produced by such a method, and more particularly to a method of reinforcing a molded body of ceramic by adding ceramic fibers which will not adversely affect the firing characteristics of the molded body of ceramic and a reinforced molded body which is produced by such a method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Sintered bodies of ceramic are generally produced by molding a powder of ceramic into a molded body (green body) of desired shape and then firing the molded body. Since ceramic materials are difficult to machine once fired, they are molded into desired shapes before firing.
There have been known various processes for producing a molded body of ceramic. Among the presently available processes are a process of pressing a powder of ceramic with a die assembly, a process of injection-molding a ceramic material, a slip-casting process for casting a ceramic slurry or slip (or a kneaded mixture of resin or the like) into a plaster mold, and a cold isostatic pressing process of compacting a powder of ceramic with a rubber press. For producing molded bodies which are relatively thin or complex in shape, it is preferable to employ a slip-casting process, an injection-molding process, or a process using a doctor blade.
According to the slip-casting process, a ceramic material is ground into a powder, the powder is dispersed in water, producing a slurry or slip. The slurry is then poured into a plaster mold, and the water of the slurry is absorbed into and passed through the plaster mold, thereby forming a molded body (green body) of ceramic powder.
Ceramics of silicon nitride (Si.sub.3 N.sub.4) are finding wide use as substitutes for metallic materials because they are highly resistant to heat, highly mechanically strong, highly hard, and relatively lightweight. Since ceramics of silicon nitride are generally difficult to sinter, it has been customary to add a sintering additive of yttrium oxide (Y.sub.2 O.sub.3), aluminum oxide (Al.sub.2 O.sub.3), or the like and powders of other additives to a powder of silicon nitride, produce a molded body from a slurry of such a mixture according to the slip-casting process, and then fire the molded body.
However, a molded body of ceramic which is produced according to the slip-casting process does not have a sufficiently large mechanical strength and hence tends to break because the bonding strength between the particles of the ceramic powder is not necessarily large even if a binder is added to the ceramic powder. The molded body of ceramic is liable to shrink and crack due to dehydration and drying thereof in the plaster mold. For these reasons, it has been difficult to manufacture thin or complex molded bodies of ceramic without the danger of breaking or cracking.
The inventors have proposed a process of generating fibers of silicon (Si), nitrogen (N), carbon (C), and oxygen (O) by thermally decomposing polysilazane, and adding the generated fibers to a ceramic material to increase the mechanical strength of a molded body of ceramic, as disclosed in Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 4-238874. It has been found, however, that while the molded body of ceramic is being fired, some of the fibers are lost on account of different fiber compositions, leaving pores in the fired body. If a large amount of such fibers is added to a ceramic material, then the fired body of ceramic will contain many pores, resulting in a reduction in the mechanical strength of the fired body.

Method of reinforcing molded body of ceramic and reinforced mold body of ceramic


An image processing method includes: obtaining an image that includes a ball image and a cone image; obtaining an estimate of a center of the ball image; converting the image to a converted image using a processor based at least in part on the estimate of the center of the ball image, wherein the converted image comprises a converted ball image that looks different from the ball image in the image, and a converted cone image that looks different from the cone image in the image; identifying the converted ball image in the converted image; and analyzing the converted ball image to determine a score that represents an accuracy of the estimate of the center of the ball image.

A radiation oncology treatment system must be properly calibrated to ensure that the radiation beams accurately target the treatment volume. Calibration of the radiation isocenter is one of the quality control procedures to determine the accuracy of the treatment system. In short, the radiation isocenter is the point in space where radiation beams intersect when the gantry rotates around the gantry rotation axis. More specifically, the point where the central radiation beams intersect is a small volume that looks geometrically similar to a sphere or an ellipsoid, and the center-of-mass of this volume is the radiation isocenter. The radiation isocenter differs from the mechanical isocenter; the radiation isocenter is the point in space through which the central beam of radiation passes, whereas mechanical isocenter is the point where the targeting optical beams intersect (or where the gantry rotation axis and the collimator rotation axis intersect). When properly calibrated, the targeting optical beams of the treatment system that are used to target the radiation beams at intended target should intersect at radiation isocenter, but the two isocenters do not necessarily coincide.
Traditionally, the radiation isocenter is found by exposing radiographic film with a star shot pattern. The film is placed so that the beam enters through the edge of the film when it is irradiated from several gantry angles with a small field. The rotation axis of the gantry, running perpendicularly through the film, is marked. The middle lines of the three radiation beams, shown as stripes on the film, form a triangle when they intersect in the film center. The smallest circle which fits inside the triangle (all three beams have to intersect the circle or at least touch it) is usually called the radiation isocenter circle. Its size (diameter or radius) can be used to determine a quality parameter of the linac.
An alternative to find the radiation isocenter is the Winston-Lutz test (WL test), which characterizes specific aspects of Clinac treatment beam dose distribution error based on treatment beam test images. The Winston-Lutz test is becoming more widely adopted as the test for geometric positioning accuracy of the Clinac for its simplicity and similarity to the actual treatment: the cone represents the beam-shaping elements (e.g., the collimator), and the ball represents the tumor, located nominally at isocenter. The WL test if performed by having a lead ball on a rod is held in place and aligning the center of the lead ball with the targeting optical beams. The lead ball is then exposed to film or digital imager in different combinations of the gantry angles and the table angles. The isocenter is then calculated by locating the center point of the image of the ball, which is done by using conventional method of finding the mid point of the ball image via a ruler.
The Winston-Lutz test has many drawbacks, however. The beam scattering and penumbra effects will cause an unavoidable blurring of the image edge thus resulting in uncertainty of the true edge of the ball image and the calculated eccentricity. The resolution of the film and digital imager must also be high (˜0.1 mm) in order to accurately find the edge of the ball image under magnification. In addition, visually estimating the image edge is susceptible to random noise present in the image, especially in conventional films.


Embodiments of the present invention provide fastening devices adapted to couple to rigid members and which may further include attachment features for coupling items to the rigid member.

Lounge chairs, such as those found at beach resorts, swimming pools, and home patios, are often used simultaneously with towels. The towels are used for various reasons including, but not limited to, cushioning and comfort, as a barrier to hot plastic or metal heated by the sun, as a moisture absorber, or as a way of occupying a chair while away. These uses typically require the towel be placed over the chair in a draped fashion.
Towels, through body movement or natural occurrences, do not normally stay in their desired position. Breezes or body movements such as standing up, flipping from one side to another, sitting up, shifting weight, or leaning over to reach for another object are frequent, notorious causes of towel displacement. This displacement often requires the user to rearrange the towel back to its intended position. As reoccurrences become more frequent, the user may often become frustrated and annoyed.
Further, it is often the case where a person using a lounge chair or a public restroom has items with them that they would like to keep readily accessible, such as cell phones, but are not so equipped given the nature of their environment. Further, it is desirable to have a clip adapted to couple to a rigid member, such as a railing on a boat, and be further able to couple various items to the rail, again such as cell phones, fishing tackle, and the like.

Coupling apparatus with accessory attachment


A flexible circuit board and a method for production thereof in which in cases where elastic wiring in movable parts is required, the wiring can be made to expand and contract with a simple arrangement, and the circuit board is excellent in weight and size reduction, and breaking or disconnection and exfoliation of a wiring layer do not take place easily, even in cases where the circuit board is deformed in a repeated manner. The flexible circuit board which has an insulating film made of a thermoplastic resin, a wiring layer formed on the insulating film, and an insulating layer made of a thermoplastic resin and formed on the wiring layer. A spiral part shaped into a spiral shape is provided in at least a part of the flexible circuit board, and the flexible circuit board is constructed to be expandable and contractable, and/or torsionally deformable in the spiral part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flexible circuit board and its method for production method. More specifically, the invention relates to a flexible circuit board and a method for production thereof, in which the flexible circuit board can be used for connection between component parts which are mounted on various kinds of electronic equipment such as communication and visual equipment, etc., as well as automotive vehicles, aircrafts, robots, etc., or can be used for amounting circuit board with components mounted thereon, in particular for parts, such as movable parts of robots, etc., on which elasticity (expansion and contraction property) is required.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, development of robots is remarkable, and robots capable of performing a variety of motions are appearing. In addition, with respect to wearable electronic equipment which can be fitted or attached to a human body or clothing, a many variety of such equipment are developed. Many electric wires for supplying electric power or for transmitting signals are used in these robots and wearable electronic equipment, but in general, an electric wire is constructed such that it has a copper wire as a core, with its outer periphery covered by an insulating material, so the electric wire itself has almost no elasticity. For this reason, it is necessary to arrange an electric wire while providing a margin so as not to obstruct the motion of a robot or a human body, which becomes an obstacle to the design of devices and practical use in many cases.
Accordingly, in the past, there has been a demand for electric wires which are constructed to be elastic or expandable and contractable, in order to avoid such an obstacle to the design of devices as well as practical use. In particular, in equipment such as a front line humanoid type robot, a power assisted device which is worn or fitted on a human body so as to assist muscular power, many electric wires for operating end motors by way of multiple degree of freedom joints, respectively, and many electric wires for transmitting signals from various kinds of sensors arranged at end points are wired, and in order to enhance the degree of freedom of wiring in the multiple degree of freedom joints, the demand with respect to those electric wires which are constructed to be elastic or expandable and contractable is increasing more and more. Here, note that a related technique is disclosed in a first patent document, as listed below.

Flexible circuit board and its method for production


In a decanter centrifuge, which comprises an outer drum (1) and an inner drum (5) concentric therewith, the two drums being rotatable at different speeds around a common center axis, the inner drum (5) carries several blades (6, 7) arranged to convey axially in the outer drum (1) sludge having settled on the inside of the drum. The blades (6, 7) are placed in parallel blade rows, each of which extends in a certain pitch along a first helical line (9, 10) around at least part of the center-axis. Each one of the blades extends along a second helical line (29c), which has a pitch opposite the pitch of the first helical line (9, 10). The distance between the rows of blades is substantially larger than the distance between two adjacent blades in one and the same row. Possibly, the inner drum may be provided with only a single row of blades.

A conventional decanter centrifuge for the above defined purpose usually comprises a rotatable drum and a sludge conveyor arranged therein. The sludge conveyor is rotatable at a speed differing from that of the drum and is adapted to convey the formed sludge axially towards a number of outlet openings in the drum. The sludge conveyor may have one or more conveying members extending helically and continuously several turns around the rotational axis of the drum.
It has proved difficult by means of a conventional decanter centrifuge of this kind to compress the sludge formed at the surrounding wall of the outer drum as effectively as would be desired and, simultaneously, to accomplish an axial transportation thereof in the drum. Thus, owing to the axial transportation of the sludge, an agitation thereof occurs, so that it is remixed with the liquid continuously flowing through the drum in a direct contact with and radially inside of the sludge. Hereby, the desired departure of liquid from the sludge is not obtained and the sludge, therefore, when leaving the decanter centrifuge has a too low dry substance content. The above discussed problem can be resolved to some extent by reduction of the rotational speed difference between the drum and the sludge conveyor and by reduction of the amount of suspension, e.g. sewage water, that is supplied to the decanter centrifuge per unit of time. However, this means that the decanter centrifuge gets a strongly reduced capacity. Furthermore, it is required in connection with increased dryness of the sludge an increased force for the axial transportation of the sludge within the drum, i.e. the momentum to which the sludge conveyor has to be subjected and which it has to transfer will be larger. These circumstances put limits to how this method of resolving the problem can be used in practice. In DE-33 01 099 C2 it has been proposed that the sludge conveyor in addition to its sludge conveying member should be provided with plates arranged to accomplish cutting surfaces in the separated and compressed sludge for facilitating that the sludge is freed from liquid. As far as known this proposal has not been used in practice to any substantial degree, if any. Besides, it is not believed that this would constitute any solution to the problems discussed above.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,862,658 it has been proposed that separated sludge should be constantly subjected to stirring or agitation during its axial transportation in a decanter centrifuge to facilitate for a certain relatively light liquid component to leave the sludge. Such a constant agitation of the separated sludge would directly counteract, however, the above said desideratum of accomplishing a sludge as dry as possible, e.g. in connection with cleaning of sewage water.
In a presentation "Improved Sludge Dewatering with a new Decanter Centrfiuge" made by H. Reinach & W. Stahl at a "Filter Conference" in Karlsruhe, Germany, in the year 1989, it has been suggested that separated sludge would be effectively dewatered while conveyed in the conical part of a decanter centrifuge, i.e. radially inside the level of the separated liquid in the decanter centrifuge, if the sludge conveyor were provided with axial rows of inclined separate plates or blades instead of a helically extending conveying member. It is thus suggested that the blades should give the sludge the form of a ridge, which gradually and intermittently is displaced axially from one of its sides by the separate blades, across the longitudinal direction of the ridge, and that liquid would be given a possibility to drain off from the sludge not only through the front side slope of the ridge but also through the rear side slope of it during the periods of time when successive portions of the last mentioned slope is free from contact with the blades. Such a technique could probably not be used, giving the desired result, in the part of the decanter centrifuge wherein the sludge is situated in liquid, i.e. radially outside the cylindrical liquid surface formed in the decanter centrifuge.


A system includes: an information processing device and a terminal device including a first processor configured to: receive image data including a plurality of first image data that are to be displayed in accordance with a first operation input to the terminal device, store the image data into the first memory, generate, on the basis of a first operation locus corresponding to the first operation and a second operation locus corresponding to a second operation input to the terminal device after the first operation, moving image data that is to be played back in accordance with the second operation, the moving image data including at least a portion of the image data stored in the first memory and corresponding to respective points of the first operation locus, and display the moving image data in the display device.

A thin client system is a system which causes a client to have only a minimum function and an application and manages data in a server. As terminal devices, such as a tablet terminal, a smart phone, and so forth, have been widely used, there are increasing demands for a so-called mobile thin client system that allows in-company applications and data to be used in the mobile environment in a secure manner.
As the related technology, a technology in which a server receives operation information from a terminal device, encodes screen information generated from the received operation information as moving image data, and changes a frame rate of the encoded screen information is described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2011-192229. Also, a technology in which a terminal device holds screen information received from a server and, when it is determined that communication with the server is disconnected, the terminal device reproduces the screen information which has been held to display it on a display of the terminal device is disclosed in Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2007-34687.

System, terminal device, and image capturing method


Systems and methods for mounting light emitting diodes for a visual alarm device in multiple planes are provided. The visual alarm device can include a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted on a printed circuit board and configured to flash during an emergency situation, wherein each of the plurality of LEDs can be mounted in a respective one of a plurality of planes.

Security systems are known to detect threats within a secured area, and such threats include events that represent a risk to human safety or a risk to assets.
Security systems typically include one or more security sensors that detect the threats within the secured area. For example, smoke, motion, and/or intrusion sensors are distributed throughout the secured area in order to detect the threats. Furthermore, security systems typically include notification appliances, such as sounders and visual alarm devices (i.e. strobe lights).
Standards organizations, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL), specify standards for alarm devices. For example, UL 1638 specifies a light pattern for light emitted by a visual alarm device in a strobe light fire protection notification system.
Light patterns defined by known standards, such as UL 1638, are difficult to achieve. For example, known visual alarm devices that emit light patterns that comply with known standards (e.g. UL 1638) include a single light source and a complicated arrangement of lenses and reflectors. However, lenses and reflectors can add to a cost of the visual alarm device. Thus, there is a need for less expensive systems and methods that comply with known standards.