Steel for machine structure use for surface hardening containing, by mass %, C: 0.3 to 0.6%, Si: 0.02 to 2.0%, Mn: 1.5% to 3.0%, W: 0.0025 to 0.5%, Al: 0.001 to 0.5%, N: 0.003 to 0.02%, S: 0.0001 to 0.025%, P: 0.0001 to 0.03%, and O: 0.0001 to 0.0050%, having an Mn/S of 70 to 30000, and having a balance of substantially Fe and unavoidable impurities.

Steel parts for machine structure use, for example, gears of automatic transmissions, sheaves of continuously variable transmissions, constant velocity joints, hubs, bearings and other power transmission parts require high contact fatigue strength.
In the past, in general, the above parts have been obtained by working materials such as JIS SCr420, SCM420, or other C: 0.2% or so case hardened steel into parts, then treating them by carburized quenching to form C: 0.8% or so martensite structure hardened layers on the surfaces of the parts and improve the contact fatigue strength.
However, carburized quenching is accompanied with austenite transformation at a 950° C. or so high temperature and is treated for a long period of 5 to 10 hours, in some cases, 10 hours or more, so larger heat treatment deformation due to coarsening of the crystal grains (distortion during quenching) is difficult to avoid.
For this reason, when a steel part requires high precision, after carburized quenching, the steel part has to be ground, honed, or otherwise finished.
In addition to this, in recent years, there has been a rising demand for reduction of the noise of automobile engines etc., so surface hardening methods with smaller heat distortion compared with carburized quenching such as induction hardening and soft nitriding have come into focus.
Induction hardening is a method of austenizing and quenching only the required part of the surface layer part of a steel material by heating for a short time and enables a surface hardened part with small distortion during quenching to be obtained with good precision. However, if trying to use just induction hardening to obtain a hardness equivalent to that of a carburized quenched material, 0.8% or more of C has to be added.
If the amount of C in the steel becomes 0.8% or more, the internal hardness, which is unnecessary for improvement of the contact fatigue strength, also rises and the machineability remarkably deteriorates, so it is not possible to just increase the amount of C in the steel. There are limits to improving the contact fatigue strength by just induction hardening.
Soft nitriding is a surface hardening method mainly causing nitrogen and carbon to simultaneously diffuse in and permeate the surface of a steel material to form a hardened layer in the 500 to 600° C. temperature range, which is less than the transformation point, and improve the wear resistance, seize resistance, fatigue resistance, etc.
The surface of the steel material is formed with nitrides by the diffused nitrogen. Usually, at the surfacemost layer of the steel material, a compound layer mainly comprised of Fe3N, Fe4N, or other Fe nitrides is formed. Inside, a nitrided layer with N diffused in it is formed.
Soft nitriding can be performed at a low temperature. Further, compared with carburization, the treatment time is a short one of 2 to 4 hours or so, therefore this is often used for the production of steel parts requiring low distortion. However, with just soft nitriding, the hardened layer depth is shallow, so this cannot be used for transmission gears etc. to which a high contact pressure is applied.
In recent years, as a technique making up for the defects of induction hardening and soft nitriding and giving better mechanical properties, in particular better contact fatigue strength, performing soft nitriding, then induction hardening has been experimented with (see PLT's 1 to 7).
For example, PLT 1 discloses the method of combining induction hardening and gas soft nitriding to make up for their respective defects and obtain excellent mechanical properties, in particular, high contact fatigue strength by improvement of the softening resistance.
However, with the method of PLT 1, the surface hardness is high, but the concentration of N in the nitrided layer is low, so the high temperature hardness is low, sufficient softening resistance cannot be obtained at the surface of the gear etc. becoming high in temperature during operation, and in the final analysis a high contact fatigue strength cannot be obtained.
PLT 2 also discloses the method of combining induction hardening and soft nitriding to produce parts for machine structure use excellent in mechanical strength. With the method of PLT 2, to enable the nitrides to form a solid solution, 900° C. to 1200° C. high temperature induction heating is necessary.
However, the amounts of addition of elements with a high affinity with N which promote the breakdown and dispersion of nitrides are insufficient, so high temperature heating is required. Therefore, the surface of the steel material is formed with an oxide layer to a remarkable extent and the mechanical properties end up greatly deteriorating.
Further, with the method of PLT 2, no consideration is given to the method of forming a thick compound layer, so good contact fatigue strength cannot be obtained under a high contact pressure.
PLT 3 discloses a method of production of a part for machine structure use excellent in mechanical strength characterized by treating steel comprised of, by wt %, C: 0.35 to 0.65%, Si: 0.03 to 1.50%, Mn: 0.3 to 1.0%, Cr: 0.1 to 3.0%, and a balance of Fe and impurities by soft nitriding under conditions giving a nitrided layer depth of 150 μm or more, then by induction hardening under conditions where the nitrided layer austenizes.
However, in the method of production of PLT 3, no consideration is given to raising the contact fatigue strength by the formation of a required thickness of a nitrided layer.
PLT 4 discloses a method of heat treatment of a machine part characterized by soft nitriding an iron-based material worked into the shape of a part so as to make nitrogen diffuse in and permeate the surface layer and form a compound layer, then induction hardening the part under conditions where the compound layer is consumed, the diffusion layer of the newly formed surface layer is denitrided, and a porous layer is formed at the surfacemost part.
However, in the heat treatment method of PLT 4, no consideration is given to raising the contact fatigue strength by the formation of a required thickness of a nitrided layer.
PLT 5 discloses a roller support shaft used for a cam follower device made of an iron-based alloy containing Cr, Mo, V, and W in a total of 1.0 to 20.0 wt % and C and N in a total of 0.5 to 1.2 wt % and having a balance of unavoidable impurities and Fe, nitrided at its surface, then induction quenched at the outer peripheral parts other than the two ends.
However, in the roller support shaft of PLT 5, no consideration is given to raising the contact fatigue strength by the formation of a required thickness of a nitrided layer.
PLT 6 also discloses a method of combining induction hardening and nitriding to obtain excellent mechanical properties. However, the nitriding in the method of PLT 6 is performed at a high temperature of 600° C. or more, so the compound layer is thin. Furthermore, the N concentration in it is low, so the amount of N diffusing due to decomposition at the time of induction hardening is also small.
In the end, with the nitriding of PLT 6, while a compound layer can be formed, formation of a thick, high N concentration nitrided layer is difficult, so even if combined with induction hardening, formation of a high softening resistance, good contact fatigue strength nitrided layer is not possible.
PLT 7 discloses steel for machine structure use excellent in strength, ductility, toughness, and wear resistance characterized by containing, by mass %, C: over 0.30%, 0.50% or less, Si: 1.0% or less, Mn: 1.5% or less, Mo: 0.3% to 0.5%, Ti: 0.1% or less, and B: 0.0005% to 0.01%, having a balance of Fe and unavoidable impurities, having at its surface a hardened layer of a thickness 50 μm or less and a Vicker's hardness of 750 or more, and having structures other than said hardened layer with an old austenite grain size of 10 μm or less, a martensite percentage of 90% or more, and a Vicker's hardness of 450 to less than 750.
However, the steel for machine structure use of PLT 7 does not form the required thickness of nitrided layer and raise the contact fatigue strength, so even if this can be applied to a metal belt of a continuously variable transmission, it is difficult to apply this to gears of automatic transmissions, sheaves of continuously variable transmissions, constant velocity joints, hubs, and other power transmission parts subjected to high contact pressures.
Whatever the case, steel for structural use for surface hardening able to be used for power transmission parts subjected to high contact pressures has not been provided up to now.

Steel for machine structure use for surface hardening and steel part for machine structure use

NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION


A semiconductor laser device is provided which includes a laser diode chip mounted on a sub-mount, a monitor photo diode incorporated in the sub-mount, for monitoring a laser beam emitted by the laser diode chip, a metallic main plate mounting the laser diode chip and the monitor photo diode, an end-face breaking protective layer covering the laser diode chip and the sub-mount; and a seal resin in which the laser diode chip, the monitor photo diode, the end-face breaking preventive layer and at least a portion of the metallic main plate are sealed. In this semiconductor device, a space is provided at a portion of an interface between the end-face breaking preventive layer and the seal resin, which portion is adapted to be irradiated with a monitor laser beam emitted by the laser diode chip, with a light intensity that is not higher than a half of a peak value of the intensity of the monitor laser beam.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a known resin-seal-type semiconductor laser device. In this laser device, a laser diode chip 1 is bonded to a sub-mount 2 (Si crystal) incorporating a photo diode 2p, which is in turn bonded to a main plate 3 formed integrally with a common post 3a. The laser diode chip 1 and the monitor photo diode 2p are respectively connected, through bonding wires 4, to two other posts 3b that are formed separately from the main plate 3. The main plate 3, common post 3a and posts 3b are cut and divided from a single lead frame. The laser diode chip 1 is covered with a translucent, end-face breaking preventive layer 5, and further sealed in a translucent seal resin 6. The main plate 3 and the posts 3a, 3b are fixed by the seal resin 6 at predetermined relative positions. The end-face breaking preventive layer 5 is provided for preventing the seal resin 6 located in the vicinity of a light-emitting end face of the laser diode chip 1 from being broken by a laser beam. The laser beam is emitted along a laser optical axis 1x in the form of an elliptic cone having an apex at the end face of the laser diode chip 1. The main plate 3 has fixed end portions 3s that protrude from the seal resin 6 to be fixed to jigs of an optical application apparatus in which the semiconductor laser device is mounted. The end portions of the posts 3a, 3b also protrude from the seal resin 6 to be connected by soldering to a lead that leads to a drive source of the laser diode chip 1 and a lead that leads to an optical output monitor circuit, respectively.
The end-face breaking preventive layer 5 is formed of silicon resin, for example. After liquid silicon is dropped so as to cover or coat the laser diode chip 1 and sub-mount 2, the liquid silicon is cured by heat in a furnace kept at 120.degree. C. to 160.degree. C.
Subsequently, the epoxy-based seal resin 6 is formed by injection molding conducted at 150.degree. C. or higher. When the seal resin 6 is cooled to room temperature after the injection molding, tensile stresses are applied due to an adhesive force between the surface of the laser diode chip 1 and the surface of the seal resin 6, since the end-face breaking preventive layer 5 has a larger coefficient of thermal expansion than the seal resin 6. FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view of the known resin-seal-type semiconductor laser device. The plane of this cross section and those of cross sectional views which will be referred to are perpendicular to the main plate including the laser optical axis 1x. The end-face breaking preventive layer 5 has the largest volume behind the laser chip 1 and above the sub-mount 2. Since the adhesive force between the end-face breaking preventive layer 5 and the seal resin 6 varies from portion to portion, peeling 5a may occur between the preventive layer 5 and the seal resin 6 where the adhesive force is smaller than the cutting force of the preventive layer 5. Also, where the adhesive force is larger than the material strength of the end-face breaking preventive layer 5, a crack 5b may be formed in the preventive layer 5 at its portion located above the monitor photo diode chip 2 and having the maximum amount of volumetric shrinkage.
The semiconductor laser device is incorporated for use in various kinds of optical application apparatus for optical discs, such as a compact disc, a laser beam printer and the like. In order to obtain stable digital signals in such applications, the laser device is required to emit a laser beam whose light intensity is stabilized with high accuracy, with the position and direction of its light-emitting point being highly accurately controlled.
The laser diode chip is secured to the monitor photo diode chip having an upper face serving as a light-receiving surface, and the monitor photo diode chip is adapted to monitor a light emitted backward from the laser diode chip. The light-emitting end face of the laser chip has a laser-beam-emitting portion having a size of about 5 .mu.m.times.1 .mu.m. The emitted monitor laser beam radiates or spreads out such that the full width at half maximum of the laser light intensity distribution has a lateral angle of about 10 degrees (as measured in the direction of the plane of the main plate) and a vertical angle of about 40 degrees (as measured in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the main plate). If a local portion of the end-face breaking preventive layer 5 peels off or separates from the seal resin 6 as described above, this peeling portion is given a larger light reflectance than the other portion of the layer 5, and therefore intensely reflects the laser beam emitted by the laser chip. When the laser diode is caused to generate a predetermine level of output in the form of light, therefore, the monitor photo diode which receives the light emitted backward provides an increased monitor current value, and is thus unable to control the light emitted forward with high accuracy. If cracks are formed in the end-face breaking preventive layer, the amount of light that enters the photo diode may vary due to multiple scattering of the light at the cracks, or interception of the monitor laser beam by the cracks, with a result of variations in the monitor current of the photo diode.

Semiconductor laser device and method for manufacturing the same


A cryogenic refrigerator includes a regenerative heat exchanger material in thermal contact with a working gas including a tin-antimony (Sn—Sb) alloy or a tin-gallium (Sn—Ga) alloy in at least one cooling stage. The regenerative heat exchanger material can include an Sn—Sb-M alloy, with M including at least one element selected from the group consisting of Bi, Ag, Ge, Cu, La, Mg, Mn, Nd, Ni, Pd, Pt, K, Rh, Sm, Se, S, Y, Fe, In, Al, Ce, Dy, Cd, Ti, Au, P, Pr, Yb and Zn. The cryogenic refrigerator can include a Gifford-McMahon refrigerator, a pulse tube refrigerator, or a Stirling refrigerator. A cryopump includes cryopanels adapted to condense or adsorb gases and a cryogenic refrigerator.

Currently available cryogenic vacuum pumps (cryopumps) generally follow a common design concept. A low temperature array, usually operating in the range of 4 to 25 K, is the primary pumping surface. This surface is surrounded by a higher temperature radiation shield, usually operated in the temperature range of 60 to 130 K. The radiation shield protects the lower temperature array from radiated heat. The radiation shield generally includes a housing which is closed except at an opening where a frontal array is positioned between the primary pumping surface and a work chamber to be evacuated.
During operation, high boiling point gases such as water vapor are condensed on the frontal array. Lower boiling point gases pass through that array and into the volume within the radiation shield and condense on the lower temperature array. A surface coated with an adsorbent such as charcoal or a molecular sieve operating at or below the temperature of the colder array may also be provided in this volume to remove the very low boiling point gases such as hydrogen. With the gases thus condensed and/or adsorbed onto the pumping surfaces, a vacuum is created in the work chamber.
In systems cooled by closed-cycle cryocoolers, the cooler is typically a two-stage refrigerator having a cold finger which extends through the rear or side of the radiation shield. High pressure helium refrigerant is generally delivered to the refrigerator through high pressure lines from a compressor assembly. Electrical power to a displacer drive motor in the cooler is usually also delivered through the compressor or a controller assembly.
The radiation shield is connected to a heat sink, or cold station, at the coldest end of the first stage of the refrigerator. The shield surrounds the second stage cryopanel in such a way as to protect it from radiant heat. The frontal array is cooled by the first stage heat sink through its attachment to the radiation shield or, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,701, through thermal struts.
The coldest end of the second, coldest stage of the cryocooler is at the tip of the cold finger. The primary pumping surface, or cryopanel, is connected to a heat sink at this coldest end of the second stage. This cryopanel may be a simple metal plate or cup, or it may be an array of metal baffles arranged around and connected to the second-stage heat sink. This second stage cryopanel also supports the low temperature adsorbent.
As part of the sophisticated technology employed to produce the utmost dependability and the highest efficiency of cryopumps, much effort has been devoted to the selection of materials for the regenerative heat exchangers in cryogenic refrigerators such as Gifford-McMahon, Stirling, and pulse tube cryogenic refrigerators. Regenerative heat exchangers which exhibit high volumetric heat capacities at low temperatures are normally preferred. As shown in FIG. 1, most metals, however, exhibit a sharp decrease in volumetric heat capacity with decreasing temperature below 75 K, in contrast with helium, whose volumetric heat capacity increases sharply below 25 K, peaking at approximately 10 K. The specific heat values shown in FIG. 1 for tin, antimony, helium, and lead are obtained from reference data, as disclosed in Thermophysical Properties of Matter: Specific Heat: Metallic Elements and Alloys, Y. S. Touloukian and E. H. Buyco, Vol. 4, and Specific Heat: Nonmetallic Liquids and Gases, Y. S. Touloukian and T. Makita, Vol. 6 (IFI/Plenum, New York 1970), the entire teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference. The specific heat values shown in FIG. 1 for mixtures of two or more metals are calculated by adjusting the known specific heat values of the pure metals by the percent composition in the indicated mixtures. Cryogenic refrigerators typically use lead (Pb) as a component of the second stage regenerative heat exchanger, because lead has a relatively high volumetric heat capacity at cryogenic temperatures.
Lead, however, is a poisonous metal that can damage nervous systems, especially in young children, and cause blood and brain disorders. Long term exposure to lead or its salts (especially soluble salts or the strong oxidant PbO2) can cause nephropathy, and colic-like abdominal pains. Therefore, the use of lead in products is now either banned, restricted or undesirable.
Other regenerative materials, too, have disadvantages. For example, rare-earth containing intermetallic compounds are extremely expensive. In addition, intermetallic materials are harder and more brittle than metal compounds, and, therefore, are difficult to produce in the geometries needed for the regenerative heat exchangers in cryogenic refrigerators. These materials also have relatively poor performance because they can easily disintegrate into powder when exposed to repeated mechanical shocks during normal refrigerator operation. Bismuth is another metal with high volumetric heat capacity, but it is very expensive, brittle, and difficult to fabricate into the spherical shape needed for regenerator material. Bismuth can also disintegrate into powder like the intermetallic compounds, with the added disadvantage that bismuth powder is highly flammable and reactive with aluminum and air. Aluminum is a common material of construction in cryogenic refrigerators and thus the powder may react when the refrigerator is disassembled in air.
As such, there is a need for less hazardous and inexpensive regenerative heat exchanger materials with high volumetric heat capacity that don't have the potential to degrade over time during operation and are able to be formed into the required geometry.

Cryogenic pump employing tin—gallium alloys and methods of use


The invention relates to the characterization of samples which are located in their many hundreds up to tens or hundreds of thousands on a sample support plate in a regular pattern, a so-called array, by ionization with matrix-assisted laser desorption and mass spectrometric measurement, for example. The invention proposes that the position of the sample pattern, and thus the position of each sample in the measuring instrument, for example a mass spectrometer, should be determined by measuring at least two finely structured internal position recognition patterns, such as fine crosses. The position recognition patterns are preferably applied as the samples are generated, with the same apparatus which also generates the sample pattern. A mass spectrometer in which laser spots with diameters of only four to five micrometers can be generated, which can preferably be positioned with an accuracy of one micrometer or better, is particularly suitable for the characterization.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the characterization of samples which are present in many hundreds to tens of thousands on a sample support plate precisely positioned in a regular array, by measurements such as mass spectrum acquisitions with ionization by matrix-assisted laser desorption (MALDI) with a narrowly focused laser beam in a mass spectrometer, for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
Combinatorial chemistry methods with thousands of synthesized samples are currently experiencing a revival, especially for investigating reactions of biopolymer samples with antibodies, with synthesizing or degrading enzymes, or with oxidizing or reducing chemicals. For example, photochemical methods can be used to assemble 100,000 different peptides, which cover the amino acid sequences of all human proteins, strongly adhering on sample supports the size of microscopy specimen slides. These peptides can then, for example, be subjected together to reactions with a specially selected phosphorylase in order to see at which locations in the whole sequence of the human proteome this enzyme exerts its effect. Alternatively, it is possible to bring such peptide arrays into contact with serum or plasma, for example, in order to determine the peptides to which blood constituents bind specifically. The findings thus obtained could be used to screen for auto-antibodies, for example.
Experiments of this type can provide researchers in biochemistry, and in pharmaceutics in particular, with a lot of valuable information. But these experiments require an analytical method that can, at the least, unequivocally indicate which samples on the sample support have reactively changed. Even more advantageous is an analytical method which can indicate the type and position of the reactive change within the sample molecules.
Microscopy can only be used to a limited extent, for example if reactions are accompanied by changes in color or fluorescence. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) methods, especially imaging SPR, can be used, but have limitations in respect of the sample size. It is also possible to use completely different methods, such as micro-Raman, infrared or UV spectrometry, to determine special types of reaction.
The most advantageous method for high-throughput characterization of samples is provided by mass spectrometry, however. J. H. Lee et al. have already shown that they were able to correctly analyze 5,000 samples on a specimen slide with a coated area of 23 mm by 54 mm (High-Throughput Small Molecule Identification Using MALDI-TOF and a Nanolayered Substrate; Analytical Chemistry, 2011, pubs.acs.org/ac). The authors developed a method which they used to produce sample areas with a diameter of 300 micrometers (with 500-micrometer grid spacing in a square array) each individually coated with a matrix. The position of the array in the mass spectrometer was determined by means of the integrated camera and, as a safeguard, with the aid of 36 equally sized sample spots containing reference substances within the array.
This method reaches its limits if the density of the samples is to be increased significantly. Particularly when the samples are synthesized on the sample support in monoatomic layers, it is no longer possible to recognize them by visual means. In addition, at least for ionization by matrix-assisted laser desorption, matrix substance must be added to the samples afterwards, and homogeneous overcoating can hardly be avoided. The video camera installed in the mass spectrometers can therefore no longer be used to determine the position of the sample array; the positions of the samples must be determined by other means. This applies not only to mass-spectrometric measurement, but also to other types of measurement method.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need to provide instruments and methods with which the position and orientation of a sample array, which cannot be recognized by visual means, on a sample support whose position in an analytical instrument is not known with sufficient accuracy, can be precisely determined to within a few micrometers in order that every sample area can be utilized as completely as possible for characterization of the samples, and particularly for mass-spectrometric characterization with a small-area scan.

High-throughput mass-spectrometric characterization of samples


An address operation circuit generates a row address which indicates an address in memory under test to be accessed. The row address memory stores the row addresses generated by the address operation circuit in increments of banks. A memory control signal that includes a bank address to be applied to the memory under test, and which is generated according to a pattern program, is used as a save address to be used to write the row address to the row address memory, and as a load address to be used to read out the row address from the row address memory.

Cross Reference to Related Applications
This application is the U.S. National Stage of International Patent Application No. PCT/JP2008/001273 filed on May 21, 2008 and claims priority thereto, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pattern generator employed in a memory test apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a main storage device included in an electronic computer such as a personal computer, a workstation, etc., DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) having a multi-bank configuration is employed. With such multi-bank configuration DRAM, by sequentially transmitting data to/from each bank of the memory with low latency in a seamless manner, such an arrangement provides high-speed data transmission. When such multi-bank configuration DRAM is accessed, the bank address that designates the target bank and the row address that is designated for each bank must be applied to the memory, after which the column address must be applied to the memory, in order to identify the target cell for which data access such as data reading, data writing, etc. is to be performed.
In a case of testing such multi-bank configuration memory, it leads to the following situation. That is to say, in order to access the memory, a corresponding row address is applied to each bank while sequentially switching banks. Subsequently, after returning to the initial bank, the same row address as that in the previous memory access operation is applied to each bank again while switching the multiple banks in the same way, so as to perform the next memory access operation.
With such a test apparatus, the row address is generated by means of a pattern generator. However, an operation in which the same row address is repeatedly generated is wasteful.
Furthermore, in a case in which memory configured to support burst transmission is tested, during a period in which a burst read operation or a burst write operation is executed for a given bank, there is a need to access a different bank. Such an arrangement requires two different row addresses at the same time.
In order to solve such a problem, a technique has been proposed in which an address save/load circuit is employed in a pattern generator. The address save/load circuit saves, in memory (which will be referred to as the "row address memory"), the row addresses which were each applied to a corresponding bank. Subsequently, before the same address of the same bank is accessed in the next operation, the same address thus saved is loaded and used.
Related Patent Documents
Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2000-123597
International Publication WO 2004/113941 pamphlet
In a case in which memory under test is tested using a test apparatus having such an address save/load function, the user must perform programming of a pattern program that corresponds to the content of the test. The user must save each row address in row address memory included in the address save/load circuit. Furthermore, the user must generate an address used to load the row address thus stored, in addition to the address to be applied to the memory under test. That is to say, there is a need to design a pattern program including a function of generating an address which does not directly relate to the access operation for the memory under test. This leads to a problem of complicated programming, which is troublesome.

Pattern generator and memory testing device using the same


A business decision modeling system graphically models business decisions using a rule family structure that adheres to Decision Model principles. In tabular representations, for example, two-dimensional rule families have a heading and a body. The heading includes one or more condition fact types and one conclusion fact type. The body includes unique logic statements corresponding with the heading's fact types, with operators and operands indicating how the logic operates on conditions to determine conclusions. All tested conditions fact types must be true for the conclusion fact type to be true. No two rule families can have the same conclusion fact type, and the conclusion fact type of a first rule family can be a condition fact type of a second rule family. Logic statements are atomic and cannot be further decomposed. The semantic and business integrity of the business rules ensure high quality logic traceable to business objectives.

Since the inception of computer systems for business in the early 1950s (and even earlier, beginning with the advent of card sorting machines), there has been a constant expansion of the functionality of automated and computerized business systems and of the central role played by these systems in the business organization. Today, a large size organization, for example, one to be found in the "Fortune 500" list of public corporations, is likely to have many different computer systems and platforms, using a wide range of operating systems, and even a wider range of programming languages. The total number of computer application systems used in these organizations can number in the thousands, and the majority of these application systems will need to exchange information with each other, many of them in "real time". Even the large applications in these environments, the so-called "mission critical" applications upon which the organization is dependent for on-going daily operation, can number in the hundreds, and may need to exchange huge amounts of data on a daily basis with each other and with many computer systems that may be external to the organization.
In the beginning, computer systems comprised single units of code, or programs, that provided all the aspects of the application system, including reporting, data transaction processing, user interface, workflow and business rules (program logic). As these programs were connected together to form systems the levels of complexity became compounded. Methods, tools, and evolving theory have been required to deal with this ever increasing complexity. Two of the strategies that have been used to combat this ever increasing complexity, and which are relevant to the present invention, are known as "separation of concerns" and "visualization".
Separation of concerns is based on the assumption that, within any given system, different parts of the system would handle different aspects of the system, such as reporting, data management, transaction processing, user interface, business rules and business logic, etc. In this way it is possible for one aspect of the system to be changed without affecting the rest of the system.
The separation of concerns led over time to the development of systems that had multiple "tiers" (these are called "n-tier" systems) or layers, where each tier would be responsible for a different aspect of the system. A typical n-tier system would consist of a tier responsible for the user interface (and other "presentation" type interfaces), a tier responsible for system workflow, a tier responsible for application logic, business rules and business logic, and a tier responsible for data. The tiers would be connected one to another by various messaging systems using standardized message formats, and so each tier could be developed and changed independently from the other tiers.
Evolving from this theory of separation of concerns came the idea to split the business rules, or business logic, from the rest of the program code, program the business rules into separate, discrete packages of business rule code, and execute that code on "Business Rule Engines". These engines were purpose built computer systems optimized to execute the business rules. In many architectures the business rules and their business logic were separated into their own tier in the n-tier architecture.
There are good reasons why business rules are excellent candidates for separation from other aspects of the program code and possibly placed into a separate tier of the architecture. Business rules tend to change more frequently than the rest of the program, because of changes in business condition and/or regulations. Also, changes in business rules are either totally at the discretion of the business (i.e., how the business wishes to handle certain business situations) or are required in order to be compliant with mandatory regulations. When business rules are integrated into the programs, finding and isolating specific rules within the code that are required to be changed to reflect a particular business or regulatory change is extremely difficult, as the program logic may be very complex. The code for a single rule may be scattered, spread across multiple different sections of or places in the code, and may be duplicated in many different programs across a system. It may also be found in many different systems.
By separating the business rules, and storing them discretely in business rule engine software products, business analysts working with programmers could be given relatively simple access to them to insure that they accurately reflected the will of the business users. Over time these purpose built products became known as Business Rule Management Systems (BRMS). Exemplary commercial BRMS vendors and their BRMS products include: Fair Isaac Corporation (Blaze Advisor), ILOG (ILOG JRules), Microsoft Corporation (BizTalk Server), and Pegasystems (SmartBPM Suite).
The BRMS proved a successful and relatively popular solution to the challenge, particularly for organizations where business rules abound, and where they need to be changed often. Increasingly, since the mid 1990s, application development for large scale application has included a certain amount of business rule specific development.
While solving one set of problems, BRMS development has exposed another. The business rules actually in use in an organization are embedded in diverse documents, in legacy computer systems, in regulatory filings, in individual employee's memory, and in practices that have been established by habit among employees. Even business rules automated in BRMS software are in a form not easily recognizable by non-programmers. Asked to discover the business rules in an organization, analysts and the business users with whom they work are faced with an effort for which little support exists, whether in theory, in methodology, or in software tools. Frequently the process of discovering business rules in practice exposes business rules actually in use in the organization that management may consider the incorrect business rules for the business to be using. At other times opportunities may be seen to improve the business rules in use once they are properly understood. This leads to opportunities to use a business rules approach to support a business re-engineering initiative.
BRMS software products assume that the analysts know the business rules. However, the effort to gather the business rules may be greater than actually programming the BRMS with those business rules. Separating the business rules from the rest of the requirements of a business system has exposed the reality that the industry has done a poor job of fully understanding and exposing business logic for the purpose of implementation into systems. Similarly, investigations into business rules actually in practice in automated systems as well as in manually operated systems have revealed that many of the business rules being employed in practice are not those that management understood to be employed, or that management (whether for business policy or regulatory purposes) required to be employed. These problems, exposed by this focus on business rules, are not new, but have become clear in the very recent past.
What is desired, therefore, is a method and system for discovering and managing business rules, clearly separated from other business and system aspects. Such a system should provide management with a clear understanding of the business rules that are employed or are to be employed in business systems.
From early in the evolution of software systems, the notion of abstracting complex systems into visually represented diagrams has played an important role in simplifying the tasks of design. The early visualizations were nothing more than black and white diagrams on paper, sometimes depicting program flow, sometimes data flow, and often the modular structure of the system.
Over time, the relationship between modeling and visualization became clearer. Theories such as the "Relational Model of Large Data Sets" in 1970 led to the development of models of data that vendors were able to use to represent large and complex data structures in simple two dimensional diagrams that became universally understood ("data models") because of the ubiquity of the theory. As the sophistication of the software supporting the data models increased, it became possible to generate data models from the data structures, or create a database from the model. In more recent times models have become complex, computer stored and generated, with multiple views of representation and abstraction. So some aspects of an entire organization (for which there are modeling techniques) may be modeled and represented in an abstract, graphical representation.
The use of "visualization" to assist in dealing with the complexity of modern computer systems has given rise to the notion that whole systems can be designed, and then implemented into computer systems, by the creation of visual models. This concept is referred to as Model Driven Architecture (MDA), which is sponsored and supported by the OMG (Object Management Group), a major software industry standards consortium. Ultimately, the aim of MDA is that computer systems will be generated automatically from their model representations, without the need for programming.
The MDA, in the OMG approach, is delivered at three levels of abstraction: the Computation Independent Model ("CIM"), the Platform Independent Model ("PIM"), and the Platform Specific Model ("PSM").
The CIM uses an appropriate domain-specific language (that is to say, a language applicable to the type of business being modeled, i.e., the insurance industry, or the travel industry, or the glass manufacturing industry, and so on). This model is designed to be independent of whether the system is to be automated (i.e., digitized or computerized), and independent of any particular form of computer system or platform. The value of the CIM is that it is meant to be understood equally well by business people as well as technologists, providing these groups with a shared understanding of the requirements, and is meant to represent the business system from a purely business perspective.
The CIM provides the input to the PIM when the system is targeted to be computerized. This is where the abstraction level is made more meaningful to the technologists so that they can use these models to understand the technical requirements of the system. The PIM is meant to be used by the technical architects of the computerized solution.
The PSM is where the model is made specific to the type of computer platform in which the system is to be implemented, e.g., CORBA, .NET, the Web, etc. The PSM may use different domain specific languages, or a general purpose language like Java, C++, PHP, Python, etc. Automated tools generally perform this translation.
The BRMS, in providing for business rules, is at a PSM level. Each vendor has their specific syntax and approach for the expression and/or modeling of business rules. To date, little or no modeling exists for business rules at the CIM or even PIM levels.
Consistent with the theory of "separation of concerns", models in MDA are separated into architectural tiers. Of all the tiers, perhaps the greatest advance in the area of MDA is business process modeling. Using tools called "Business Process Management Suites" (BPMS), users are able to create a graphic depiction of a business process at increasing levels of detail, until the highest detail of process steps are achieved. These models are able to be established at the CIM level. Once the graphic representation at the CIM level is complete, the user is able to generate a resulting system at the PIM level, and, today, even at the PSM level. In some cases, the model so produced is theoretically capable of running a fully automated digitized system representing the CIM designed process. Examples of BPMS vendors and their products include: Pegasystems Inc. (SmartBPM Suite), Tibco Software (iProcess Suite), Appian Corporation (Appian Enterprise), and Metastorm Corporation (Metastorm BPM).
Notwithstanding the progress made in the area of graphic depiction of business processes, BPMS software tools suffer in general from the inability to separate business rules from the business processes that they model (i.e., creating a CIM, or even a PIM of the business rules), defeating the principal of "separation of concerns", and also are unable to provide the business users or management with an understanding of the business rules used in the system. In addition, while processes are modeled in these tools, the business rules that they do provide for in the processes are not truly modeled, they are generally simply textual statements. Thus, business users are in the same position as previously noted above, with no means to create a model of the business rules for visualization purposes.
The significant difference between the nature of business processes and business rules should be understood to clarify why the two aspects should be separated in distinct model and physical forms, and how they should be connected one to the other. Process is a sequential activity, by definition connecting one business task to another by actions or messages. Process is ideally modeled as a series of task nodules ("tasks") connected by sequence arrows. At a point in the process, a task may be invoked in which a business decision will need to be made. At that point a transition takes place between the sequential nature of the process and a declaratory nature of the logic that is executed to resolve the business decision, which is to say that one or more business rules are executed. These business rules need not be specified (or executed) sequentially, but in declaratory fashion. Once the business decision is made (i.e., all the business rules (or business logic) necessary to resolve that business decision has been executed), control is passed back to the process, and the next appropriate task is executed in the sequential flow. Thus, business rules need their own modeling paradigm and venue, and these need to be separate from the business process model. In current systems business rules merely are captured as text, or as requirements, or in a proprietary syntax.
What is desired, therefore, is a system and method in which business rules are captured in a visual CIM, separated from a process-modeled representation with clear connections to the process models.

Business decision modeling and management system and method


A multishaft combination lock includes a lock body, an alignment sleeve, and a detachable pin. The alignment sleeve has a hole and is rotatably coupled to the lock body to provide access into the lock body. The alignment sleeve has an angled cutout at a first end, with the alignment of the cutout being adjusted by rotating the alignment sleeve. The detachable pin has a floating bushing that can be misaligned with the principle axis of the detachable pin. To lock the multishaft combination lock, the lock body is fitted to the detachable pin through the hole of the alignment sleeve with the floating bushing misaligned with the angled cutout. When the detachable pin is fully inserted into the lock body, the floating bushing is positioned beyond the end of the alignment sleeve within the lock body and becomes misaligned or offset with the alignment sleeve. To unlock the lock, the alignment sleeve is rotated so that the angled cutout is aligned with the floating bushing of the detachable pin. When the detachable pin is withdrawn from the lock body, the cutout of the alignment sleeve causes the floating bushing to become aligned with the alignment sleeve, thereby allowing the detachable pin to be removed.

The development of the conventional combination lock can be traced back to the "letter-lock" used in England at the beginning of the seventeenth century. The letter lock contained a number of rings, each ring being marked with letters and having a slot. A spindle was threaded through the rings. When the rings were rotated so that a particular word was formed, the slots on the rings would line up. The spindle could then be drawn through the slot, and the lock could be opened. Later in the nineteenth century, the combination lock evolved to include tumblers, pins and arms.
However, current conventional combination locks have not changed in that these combination locks still require a body to house a series of tumblers with connected pins. These tumblers, pins and arms generally cause the combination lock to have a relatively large number of internal parts and increase the complexity of fabrication and assembly. In addition, these conventional combination locks typically have applications limited to locking large stationary objects, for example, lockers, gates, and garage doors because typical general purpose combination locks have relatively massive lock bodies to accommodate tumblers or levers. Further, typical conventional combination locks are loosely fitted onto the object to be locked and, thus, are not suitable for locking moving objects. Moreover, typical conventional combination locks are large and are not suitable for use in small spaces.
For example, conventional combination locks are not suitable for use in typical automobile steering wheel locks (e.g., The Club.RTM.). Consequently, these steering wheel locks generally use conventional key locks that are fixed in the steering wheel lock. These key locks are intended to be permanently attached to the steering wheel lock. Thus, if the key lock of a steering wheel lock is damaged, it cannot be easily replaced. Moreover, a conventional tumbler-type key lock has pins that can be sheared relatively easily because the pins are typically relatively small in diameter. Further, the key hole provides relatively easy access for tools used in shearing these pins.
When not in use, these conventional steering wheel locks typically must be removed from the steering wheel to drive the automobile. The length, shape and mass of these steering wheel locks make them inconvenient and cumbersome to store while driving the car. In addition, each time the user wants to lock the steering wheel, the user must locate the steering wheel lock and perform the cumbersome process of mounting it on the steering wheel.


Substrates for imageable elements are disclosed. The substrates comprise, in order, an aluminum or aluminum alloy support, a silicate layer, and a layer of interlayer material. The interlayer material is a co-polymer that comprise (1) phosphonic acid groups and/or phosphate groups and (2) acid groups and/or groups that comprise ethylene glycol or polyethylene glycol side chains. Imageable elements that comprise an imageable layer over the interlayer material are useful as lithographic printing plate precursors.

In conventional or "wet" lithographic printing, ink receptive regions, known as image areas, are generated on a hydrophilic surface. When the surface is moistened with water and ink is applied, the hydrophilic regions retain the water and repel the ink, and the ink receptive regions accept the ink and repel the water. The ink is transferred to the surface of a material upon which the image is to be reproduced. Typically, the ink is first transferred to an intermediate blanket, which in turn transfers the ink to the surface of the material upon which the image is to be reproduced.
Imageable elements useful as lithographic printing plate precursors typically comprise an imageable layer applied over the hydrophilic surface of a substrate. The imageable layer includes one or more radiation-sensitive components, which may be dispersed in a suitable binder. Alternatively, the radiation-sensitive component can also be the binder material. Following imaging, either the imaged regions or the unimaged regions of the imageable layer are removed by a suitable developer, revealing the underlying hydrophilic surface of the substrate. If the imaged regions are removed, the precursor is positive working. Conversely, if the unimaged regions are removed, the precursor is negative working. In each instance, the regions of the imageable layer (i.e., the image areas) that remain are ink-receptive, and the regions of the hydrophilic surface revealed by the developing process accept water and aqueous solutions, typically a fountain solution, and repel ink.
Imaged imageable elements typically require processing in a developer to convert them to lithographic printing plates. Developers are typically aqueous alkaline solutions, which may also contain substantial amounts of organic solvents. Because of their high pH and the presence of organic solvents, disposal of substantial quantities of used developer is expensive and can cause environmental problems.
On-press developable lithographic printing plate precursors can be directly mounted on a press after imaging and developed with ink and/or fountain solution during the initial press operation. These precursors do not require a separate development step before mounting on press. On-press imaging, in which the precursor is both imaged and developed on press, eliminates mounting the precursor in a separate imaging device.
The substrate typically comprises a support of aluminum or an aluminum alloy that has been treated to form a layer of aluminum oxide of its surface. The substrate may also comprise a layer on one or both surfaces to modify the surface characteristics to enhance the hydrophilicity of the surface of the support, to improve adhesion to subsequent layers to the substrate, and to protect the oxide layer during the development process. Although silicates have a good ink scumming properties, that is, they typically do not cause scumming of the printed image, they typically have poor adhesion to the overlying layer, typically the imageable layer. To overcome this deficiency, a diazo polymer is sometimes added to the imageable layer. However, the diazo polymer increases on-press development time and also reduces the shelf life of the lithographic printing plate precursor.
Consequently, a polyvinylphosphonic acid (PVPA) layer is typically used instead of a silicate layer. However, substrates that comprise polyvinylphosphonic acid layers are more prone to scumming than those that comprise silicate layers. Thus, a need exists for substrates for lithographic printing plate precursors, especially for on-press developable lithographic printing plate precursors, that have good adhesion to the overlying layer, do not increase on-press development time, and do not cause scumming of the printed image.

Substrate for lithographic printing plate precursor


A self-adjusting printing assembly for accommodating generally planar media of differing thickness comprising a printing head for placement of indicia on said media, a guide assembly positioned adjacent said printing head for guiding said media to said printing head. The guide assembly includes a planar platen for continuously supporting one surface of said planar media and a planar shield member fixedly supported with respect to said platen for continuously supporting said surface of said planar media. The assembly also includes means for movably mounting said platen with respect to said shield for movement in a direction toward and away from said planar shield while maintaining said planar platen generally parallel to said shield for accommodating said media of differing thickness, and a drive means for urging said media through said guide assembly and towards said printing head.

Handheld printing devices are commonly employed for printing indicia such as price tags, electrical wire markers, and the like. Such devices print indicia on various types of available media. Regardless of the type of media employed, it is necessary that the printed indicia be clearly marked on the media so that the information thereon may be clearly conveyed. The typical printing devices include printing heads that may be either manually or electronically set to print the desired indicia on the media.
Printing devices must provide labels that are legibly printed. Of significant concern is that the printing device provide printed labels in a consistent and predictable manner to the printing plane of the printing head. In that regard the printer must steadily support the printing surface of the media in the printing plane so that the marking applied by the printing head thereon is legible. In order to support the media during printing, a platen of some type is employed. The platen typically includes either a portion of a flat plate or a rolling cylinder against which a print head strikes to print indicia on a label held against the platen.
It is well known that in printing labels for wire marking purposes it may be desirable to print the indicia on various types of media. Such media may include paper or film labels or, in the case of wire markers, polymer tubes. Thus the media thickness will vary, depending on the type of label and the application. The position of the printing surface of the media must be precisely maintained in the printing plane as the printing head applies ink to the media. The thickness of the label can affect the printing performance since, for a given printing plane, the relative position between the platen and the printing surface of the print media will vary with the thickness of the media. For example, in order to precisely locate the printing surface of a print media with respect to the printing plane of a printing head, thicker print media requires that the platen be located further from the printing plane and thinner print media requires that the platen be located closer to the printing plane. The platen and the printing head may therefore need to be relatively adjustable so as to accommodate print media of varying thicknesses.
Relative movement between the platen and the printing head is shown in the prior art labeling devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,463,084, to Nineberg, shows a planar platen on which print media is stacked in a staggered fashion thereon. The exposed margins of each layer of stacked media passes beneath a rotary printing cylinder. The platen is mounted on springs so that as each successive layer of the stacked media comes under the rotary cylinder, the cylinder drives the stack, and thereby the platen, downward so that the printing plate of the rotary cylinder engages each exposed margin. The platen of the '084 patent is employed in a large non-portable machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,810, to Sato, shows a planar platen as part of a handheld printing machine with opposing spring assemblies for urging a print media on the platen to briefly engage a printing device. The platen is continuously biased against the printing device and a restraining means blocks motion of the platen toward confrontation with the printing device. Not until the operator squeezes a hand lever will the platen be free to momentarily urge the print media into the printing plane of the printing device. The '810 patent, however, does not provide for accommodating print media of varying thicknesses in the printing plane of the printing head.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,703, to Sato, shows a handheld label printing machine with a pivotably movable planar platen that pivotally raises the print media to the printing head when hand levers are pressed together. When the operator relaxes the grip, the platen is pivotally lowered from the printing head. The '703 patent likewise fails to provide for accommodation of print media of varying thicknesses in the printing plane of the printing head.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,338, to Rasmussen, shows a plate-type platen which is biased by compression springs, so as to be urged farther away from the printer when thicker media is fed between the platen and the printhead. This platen assembly is held stationary at one end and is movable against a spring assembly at the other end. The platen thus pivots to accommodate thicker print media such that the platen is at an angle with the printing plane. Furthermore the platen is curved inflectivey to the curvature of the delivery mechanism so that the platen imparts a reversed bow in the print media with respect to the delivery mechanism. However, as the platen of this device pivots, it changes the alignment between the printing surface of the print media and the printing plane. Changing the thickness of the print media may result in a certain degree of misalignment. Furthermore, the '338 patent does not disclose a handheld printing device as it is directed to a large stationary printing device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,443, to Borucki, shows a printer assembly with a pivotable platen having a curved portion at an end that urges the print media against a stationary mask. At the opposite end from the curved portion, a torsion spring wound around the pivoting axis of the platen urges the curved portion of the platen against the stationary mask. The guidepath delivering the print media to the platen-mask includes opposing rollers. The roller on the platen side of the print media is fixed while the opposing rollers are spring biased. The '443 patent provides another example of a platen that pivots and therefore is unable to maintain the alignment between the printing surface of the print media and the printing plane of the printing head for print media of various thicknesses. While the device shown in the '443 patent is designed to accept such media, the device includes complex mechanical components which rely on precise pivotal movement to adjust for variations in media thickness.
It is therefore desirable to provide a hand held printing device which will accommodate print media of varying thicknesses and maintain the alignment between the printing surface of the print media and the printing plane of the printing head and which is less complicated and more reliable than the prior art devices.

Printer platen assembly for a handheld printer


A driving method of an LCD device adapted to improve the quality of pictures is disclosed. The driving method includes: deriving a frame detection signal from a data enable signal and a data clock signal; simultaneously deriving a start signal and a first gate clock signal from the frame detection signal and the data clock signal; and deriving a second gate clock signal from the first gate clock signal and the data clock signal. The first gate clock signal is identical with the start signal in a start time point of enable interval.

1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly, to a liquid crystal display device adapted to improve picture quality and a driving method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the information society spreads, flat display devices capable of displaying information have been widely developed. These flat display devices include liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, organic electro-luminescence display devices, plasma display devices, and field emission display devices. Among the above devices, LCD devices have advantages in that they can be light and small and can implement a low power consumption and a full color scheme. Accordingly, LCD devices have been widely used for mobile phones, navigation systems, portable computers, televisions and so on.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an LCD device of related art, FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram showing a gate driver in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a circuitry diagram showing a first shift register in FIG. 2.
As shown in FIG. 1, the related art LCD device includes a liquid crystal panel 130, a gate driver 110, a data driver 120, and a timing controller 100. The liquid crystal panel 130 displays the pictures. The gate driver 110 drives the liquid crystal panel 130 by lines. The data driver 120 applies data voltages to the liquid crystal panel 130 by lines. The timing controller 100 controls the gate driver 110 and the data driver 120.
In order to control the gate driver 110 and the data driver 120, the timing controller 100 generates control signals. For example, the timing controller 100 generates a start signal Vst and first to fourth gate clock signals GCLK1 to GCLK4 to control the gate driver 110. The timing controller 100 also generates a source start pulse SSP, a source shift clock SSC, a source output enable signal SOE, a polarity control signal POL, and so on.
The gate driver 110 is directly formed on the liquid crystal panel 130. Such a structure panel is called a Gate-in-Panel. Also, the gate driver 110 includes a plurality of stages ST1 to STn, as shown in FIG. 2. The stages ST1 to STn are connected to one another to form a cascade configuration. Each of the stages ST1 to STn receives an output signal from a previous stage and the three gate clock signals among the first to fourth gate clock signals GCLK1 to GCLK4 which are sequentially applied. The first stage ST1 independently inputs the start signal Vst instead of the previous stage's output signal, because the previous stage did not exist.
Each of the stage ST1 to STn uses the previous stage's output signal and the three gate clock signals of the first to fourth gate clock signals GCLK1 to GCLK4 and generates an output signal Vg1 to Vgn. The output signals Vg1 to Vgn generated in the stages ST1 to STn are applied to gate lines GL1 to GLn on the liquid crystal panel 130, respectively. Such stages ST1 to STn are identical with one another in their internal circuit configuration. Accordingly, for convenience of explanation, the circuit configuration of first stage ST1 will be now described.
Referring to FIG. 3, the fourth gate clock signal GCLK4 and the start signal Vst are applied to the first stage ST1. The first stage ST1 includes a first control portion 112 responsive to the start signal Vst and the fourth gate clock signal GCLK4, controlling a first node Q; a second control portion 114 responsive to the third gate clock signal GCLK3 and the start signal Vst, controlling a second node QB; and an output portion 116 responsive to voltages on the first and second nodes Q and QB, selectively outputting the first gate clock signal GCLK1 and a first supply voltage VSS.
The fourth gate clock signal GCLK4 turns on a second transistor T2 so that the start signal Vst is charged into the first node Q through a first transistor T1 and the second transistor T2, during a first interval. Then, a sixth transistor T6 is slowly turned on by the voltage on the first node Q. A fifth transistor T5 is also turned on so that the first supply voltage VSS is charged to the second node QB. The voltage VSS on the second node QB turns off third and seventh transistors T3 and T7. Accordingly, although the sixth transistor T6 is slowly turned on, the first gate line GL1 maintains a low level state due to the first gate clock signal GCLK1 of low level, during the first interval.
For a second interval, the start signal Vst and the first to fourth gate clock signal GCLK1 to GCLK4 are not applied. The status of the first stage ST1 in the first interval continues even-in spite of for the second interval.
The first gate clock signal GCLK1 is applied to a source terminal of the sixth transistor T6 during a third interval. Then, a bootstrapping phenomenon is caused by an internal capacitor (or a parasitic capacitor) Cgs between the source and gate terminals of the sixth transistor T6, thereby increasing the voltage on the first node Q connected with the gate terminal of the sixth transistor T6. As a result, the sixth transistor T6 is fully or completely turned on so that the first gate clock signal GCLK1 of high level is charged on the first gate line GL1 of the liquid crystal panel 130 via the sixth transistor T6.
For a fourth interval, a second supply voltage VDD is charged to the second node QB through a fourth transistor T4 which is turned on by the third gate clock signal GCLK3. At this time, since the first gate clock signal GCLK1 has the low level, the bootstrapping phenomenon ceases so that the first node Q maintains the previous voltage, i.e., the voltage of the start signal Vst. The voltage on the second node QB turns on the third and seventh transistors T3 and T7, thereby charging the first supply voltage VSS to both of the first node Q and the first gate line GL1 of the liquid crystal panel 130 through each of the third and seventh transistors T3 and T7.
In this manner, the start signal Vst and the first to fourth gate clock signals GCLK1 to GCLK4 should be applied from the timing controller 100 in order to drive the gate driver 110.
However, when the first gate clock signal GCLK1 is compared with the second to fourth gate clock signals GCLK1 to GCLK4 in the high level interval, the first gate clock signal GCLK1 has a relatively short high level interval, as shown in FIG. 4. Accordingly, thin film transistors on the first gate line GL1 each have a relatively short turning-on interval in comparison with those on the other gate lines GL2 to GLn of the liquid crystal panel 130, thereby allowing pixels on the first gate line GL1 to be brighter than those on the other gate lines GL2 to GLn.
As a result, a brightness difference between the pixels of the first gate line GL1 and the pixels of the other gate lines GL2 to GLn is generated, thereby deteriorating the quality of picture.

Liquid crystal display device and driving method thereof


A storage device includes a storage medium and a probe to form perturbations in the storage medium. The storage device further includes a circuit to cause heating of the probe to perform an access operation, the circuit to compensate for variations in a temperature of the probe in performing the access operation.

In computing systems, such as desktop computers, portable computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), servers, and others, storage devices are used to store data and program instructions. One type of storage device is a disk-based device, such as a magnetic disk drive (e.g., a floppy disk drive or hard disk drive) and an optical disk drive (e.g., a CD or DVD drive). Disk-based storage devices have a rotating storage medium with a relatively large storage capacity. However, disk-based storage devices offer relatively slow read-write speeds when compared to operating speeds of other components of a computing system, such as microprocessors and other semiconductor devices.
Another type of storage device is a solid state memory device, such as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), flash memory, and electrically erasable and programmable read-only memory (EEPROM). Although solid state memory devices offer relatively high read-write speeds, usually on the order of nanoseconds, they have relatively limited storage capacities.
With improvements in nanotechnology (technology involving microscopic moving parts), other types of storage devices are being developed. One such storage device is based on atomic force microscopy (AFM), in which one or more microscopic scanning probes are used to read and write to a storage medium. Typically, a scanning probe has a tip that is contacted to a surface of the storage medium. Storage of data in the storage medium is based on perturbations created by the tip of the probe in the surface of the storage medium. In one implementation, a perturbation is a dent in the storage medium surface, with a dent representing a logical "1," and the lack of a dent representing a logical "0."
To perform a write operation, the probe of a probe-based storage device is heated to some predetermined temperature. Heating of the probe causes the tip of the probe to heat up to a write temperature that is high enough to soften the surface of the storage medium, thus imprinting a dent in the storage medium. However, it usually takes some amount of time to heat up the probe tip to the desired write temperature. During the initial stages of a write operation after some period of inactivity, the temperature of the probe tip may not be at the optimal write temperature. As a result, writing of the first few bits of data on a storage medium after some period of inactivity may be performed at a temperature that is less than the optimal level. Temperature variations of the probe tip can also occur between regions of the storage medium with a high density of dents and regions with a low density of dents. When writing to a region with a high density of dents, the probe tip is usually hotter than when the probe is writing to a region with a low density of dents.
Such variations in the temperature of the probe tip can lead to variations in the quality of dents formed in the storage medium. In areas of the storage medium where writing occurs at a temperature less than the optimal write temperature, appropriately sized dents may not be formed because the probe may not be hot enough to deform a desired amount of the storage medium. The improperly formed dents can be difficult to detect accurately during read operations. As a result, read errors may occur.

Compensating for variations in the temperature of a probe of a storage device

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


The objective of the present invention is to offer an optical fiber strain-measuring apparatus, which allows the detecting of the amount of strain at an arbitrary distance within a test optical fiber as well as the distance strain distribution, and facilitates the detecting of the back scattered light. In order to achieve the above objective, the present invention comprises an acousto-optic switch 108 which outputs a measuring pulse light, an optical circulator 112 which forwards the measuring pulse light to an optical ring circuit possessing a test optical fiber 124, while allowing the natural Brillouin back scattered light generated from the test optical fiber 124 to travel through the optical ring circuit, a frequency conversion section 132 to successively convert the reference light outputted from an optical directional coupler 102 into a reference pulse train which has its frequency change into a step form, and an acousto-optic switch 134 to output the reference pulse train as a sampling pulse, and the sampling pulse and the natural Brillouin back scattered light outputted from the optical ring circuit are converted into electrical signals by the opto-electric conversion section 138, and the signal processing section 146 measures the strain of the test optical fiber 124 based on these electrical signals.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical fiber strain-measuring apparatus which measures the strain of an optical fiber by way of inputting light pulses into an optical fiber, detecting, and analyzing the generated natural Brillouin scattering of light.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical fiber strain-measuring apparatus, generally, inputs light pulses into one end of a test optical fiber, removes the back scattered light which is generated within the test optical fiber from the same end as that where the above light pulses are inputted, heterodyne detects with a photo detector the multiplexed light which has multiplexed the extracted back scattered light with a continuous light (reference light) having a fixed wavelength, and from the relationship between the detected signals and the time elapsed since the inputting of the above light pulses, measures the strain position of the test optical fiber.
In recent years, an optical fiber strain-measuring apparatus to measure the strain and the like of a test optical fiber by means of inputting light pulses into a test optical fiber, detecting, and analyzing the natural Brillouin scattered light generated within the test optical fiber has been conceived. An apparatus which employs an Optical Fiber Ring Laser can be given as an example of an apparatus which measures the properties of an optical fiber by means of detecting the natural Brillouin scattered light.
This apparatus measures the strain of a test optical fiber by means of having an optical ring comprising an acousto-optic switch for pulsing the natural Brillouin scattered light outputted from the test optical fiber, inputting into the optical ring the light pulses having a prescribed wavelength, and heterodyne detects the outputted natural Brillouin scattered light which have been pulsed.
The acousto-optic switch is provided for obtaining only the natural Brillouin scattered light generated from a prescribed position within the test optical fiber.
However, conventional apparatuses have a disadvantage where the natural Brillouin scattered light obtained by the acousto-optic switch is limited to only the natural Brillouin scattered light generated at a prescribed position within the test optical fiber.
Additionally, there is a disadvantage, when heterodyne detecting, where the frequency band of the synthesized light which synthesizes the frequency of the natural Brillouin scattered light and the reference light is high, ranging approximately from 10 to 12 GHz, and makes detecting difficult.
Furthermore, since the cycle of the light pulse inputted into the optical ring is set to the amount of time needed for the light pulse to circle the entire length of the optical ring, there is a disadvantage that once the length of the optical ring is set, an extremely burdensome process ensues when the ring length of the optical ring is changed at a later time.

Optical fiber strain-measuring apparatus


An embodiment of a cascaded diode having a breakdown voltage exceeding 300V includes an HEMT and a Si Schottky diode. The HEMT includes a gate, a drain, a source, and a two-dimensional electron gas channel region connecting the source and the drain and controlled by the gate. The HEMT has a breakdown voltage exceeding 300V. The Si Schottky diode is monolithically integrated with the HEMT. The Si Schottky diode includes a cathode connected to the source of the HEMT and an anode connected to the gate of the HEMT. The Si Schottky diode has a breakdown voltage less than 300V and a forward voltage less than or equal to 0.4V. The anode of the Si Schottky diode forms the anode of the cascaded diode and the drain of the HEMT forms the cathode of the cascaded diode.

The highest performance Si power diodes are Si Schottky diodes. Si Schottky diodes have low reverse recovery time compared to other types of Si power diodes, and also have the lowest forward voltage drop (0.4V to 0.3V). While Si Schottky diodes have the advantage of low forward losses and negligible switching losses compared to other diode technologies, the narrow bandgap of silicon limits their use to a maximum voltage of around 200 V. Power diodes with a breakdown voltage significantly above 200V have been realized by cascading a low-voltage Si Schottky diode with a high-voltage AlGaN/GaN HEMT (high electron mobility transistor). Such a cascaded diode has the low threshold voltage benefit of a Si Schottky diode and the high current density benefit of GaN.
The functionality of the cascaded diode is given by the Si Schottky diode causing a potential increase in the reverse direction until pinch-off of the high-voltage HEMT (the HEMT is a normally-on device in this case). Without this minimum bias on the cathode side of the Si Schottky diode, the high-voltage HEMT is switched on. As such, the overall switching speed of the cascaded diode can benefit from the high-voltage HEMT and from the fast Si Schottky diode. However, conventional cascaded diodes implement the low-voltage Si Schottky diode and the high-voltage HEMT on two separate dies (chips), one die including the high-voltage GaN HEMT and the other die include the low-voltage Si Schottky diode. The two dies are combined via a common package including bonding or clip connections between the dies. These connections in the package cause unwanted parasitic inductances and capacitances which degrade the dynamic behavior of the overall cascade circuit.

High-voltage cascaded diode with HEMT and monolithically integrated semiconductor diode


An exemplary laser cutting device (300) includes a laser source (40), a lens module (51), a sprayer (60), a first rotating subassembly (52), and a second rotating subassembly (53). The lens module is configured for focusing a laser beam emitting from the laser source. The first rotating subassembly is connected to the lens module and configured for driving the lens module to rotate relative to the laser source. The second rotating subassembly is rotatably connected to the lens module. The sprayer is connected to the second rotating subassembly and driven to rotate relative to the laser source by the second rotating subassembly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to laser cutting devices, more particularly to a laser cutting device with a sprayer.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The conventional methods of cutting glass sheets is to use a diamond cutter to first to a scribe a line in the glass sheet, and then break the glass sheet by the application of an external mechanical force along the scribed line. When the glass sheet is being scored with the diamond cutter, glass fragments may be deposited on the glass and scratch it. In addition, chips can be created in the cut edge resulting in an uneven glass edge. Furthermore, the micro-cracks produced in the cut edge during the scribing process lead to reduced mechanical stressability, increasing the risk of breakage. An approach for preventing the formation of fragments as well as chips and micro-cracks is to cut glass sheets using thermally induced mechanical tension. In this approach, a laser beam is directed at the glass and moved at a predetermined speed relative to the glass sheet, thereby producing such a high thermal tension that cracks form in the glass sheet. Then, the glass sheet is split into pieces mechanically.
Referring to FIG. 5, a typical laser cutting device 10 used for cutting a glass sheet 20 includes a laser source 11, a focusing lens 12, and a sprayer 13. The laser source 11 faces the focusing lens 12, and the sprayer 13 is fixed to the focusing lens 12. A laser beam emitting from the laser source 11 is focused by the focusing lens 12, and forms an elliptic beam spot 111 on the glass sheet 20. In the process of cutting the glass sheet 20, the glass sheet 20 moves along the X-axis, thus keeping the major axis b of the elliptic beam spot 111 overlapping a predetermined cutting line L1. Therefore, thermal energy of the elliptic beam spot 111 is symmetrically distributed along the predetermined cutting line L1. Then, the sprayer 13 ejects a coolant 131 onto the glass sheet 20 to cool the area heated by the elliptic beam spot 111, creating a crack 201 in the glass sheet 20 along the predetermined cutting line L1. The glass sheet 20 is split along the crack 201 by application of an external mechanical force on the glass sheet 20.
However, the laser cutting device 10 is generally fixed to a machine tool (not shown), and the sprayer 13 is fixed to the focusing lens 12. Referring to FIG. 6, if a predetermined cutting line L2 is curved, the coolant 131 ejected by the sprayer 13 may deviate from the predetermined cutting line L2 since the coolant 131 is always aligned along the major axis b of the elliptic beam spot 111. Therefore, all portions along the cutting line L2 may not be equally cooled, leading to a reduction in cutting precision of the laser cutting device 10. Additionally, since the laser cutting device 10 is fixed to the machine tool, the major axis b of the elliptic beam spot 111 cannot be substantially aligned along a tangent T of the predetermined cutting line L2, thus leading to asymmetrical distribution of the thermal energy of the elliptic beam spot 111, and a further reduction in cutting precision.
Therefore, a laser cutting device to solve the aforementioned problems is desired.

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd.


Systems and methods are disclosed for coordinating operation of wireless local area network (WLAN) and ANT systems. A coexistence manager may determine an operating mode of the ANT transceiver and selectively enable and disable the ANT and WLAN transceivers based on the operating mode to reduce the potential for interference.

The recent proliferation of devices employing wireless technologies has led to the increasing availability of devices featuring multiple wireless communication systems. For example, a wireless local area network (WLAN) protocol, such as one conforming to the 802.11 family of standards promulgated by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), may offer relatively high data rates over relatively long distances, offering an easy interface to existing network infrastructures. However, WLAN systems are also associated with relatively high power consumption. As a result, it may be desirable to supplement a WLAN protocol with a more efficient system when a given application does not require the enhanced range and throughput provided by a WLAN system.
Accordingly, low power technologies, such as the ANT™ (ANT) protocol, have been developed for use in establishing personal area networks (PANs) among a plurality of connected devices and have become a popular means for short range communications. Devices employing these low power wireless protocols may consume substantially less power than those employing conventional WLAN systems, while still permitting low latency information exchange, at relatively lower rates and over a reduced range. As a result, these technologies enable an entire class of extremely low power, integrated devices that are capable of wireless communication. Devices employing these protocols may be able to operate for months or years using small, coin-cell batteries. Representative applications for low power wireless devices include sensors such as those for health and environmental monitors.
To leverage the different advantages, a wireless communications device may support a low power wireless protocol to enable communication with such sensors and other low power wireless devices as well as one or more additional wireless protocols that may offer increased range and throughput. Despite the advantages of providing the varied functionality associated with multiple wireless protocols, the potential for interference between systems may exist, particularly due to the collocation in a single device. For example, the physical proximity of the wireless transceivers used to support the protocols may result in the transmission of one radio generating interference that impairs reception in the other radio. As a result, when two or more wireless protocols share a common frequency band, such as the 2.4 GHz Industrial, Science and Medicine (ISM) band, performance degradation may occur when the systems attempt to use the medium simultaneously.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide systems and methods for coordinating operation of the multiple wireless protocols to enhance coexistence. This disclosure satisfies this and other needs.

Systems and methods for wireless coexistence


A mobile station enables communication with a fixed station and other mobile stations. The mobile station includes a receiving unit receiving first timing information, second timing information and reliability information with regard to the second timing information. A selector selects a timing, to be used for communication timing with the fixed station or the other mobile stations, between the first timing information and the second timing information based on the reliability information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile radio system and a mobile radio control method for effectively executing radio communications among mobile stations and radio communications between a fixed station and the mobile stations. Preferably, the mobile stations are provided with a terminal such as a personal computer or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
A variety of communication systems are already known and various multiplexing communication systems have been proposed with requirements for large capacity transmission. For example, TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access), FDMA (Frequency Division Multiple Access), CSMA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access), and CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) or the like are known and are also applied to radio communications. Moreover, a system formed by combining these multiplexing communications is also known for realizing radio communications among many mobile stations or between a fixed station and a plurality of mobile stations.
Moreover, in a mobile phone system, a plurality of base stations are distributed for arrangement to partially provide overlapped service areas, enabling communications with the other mobile phones or fixed phones, while a user carrying a mobile phone is moving, and assigning the channels to each mobile phone from the base station side. Moreover, a control method has also been proposed, in which a mobile station issues a channel assignment request to a fixed station with a CSMA/CA system from a mobile station using the common channel. The fixed station executes the scheduling of transmission time based on the TDMA system. (For example, refer to Japanese published patent application JP-A No. 2002-374265). Moreover, a system and a control method enabling the ensuring of bandwidth have also been proposed (for example, refer to Japanese published patent application No. 2005-73240). In this system, a beacon region for transmitting respective beacon packets from a plurality of master stations (fixed stations), a TDMA region for using the band in which the permitted particular station is assigned on the time division basis, and a CSMA region enabling the access through competition are periodically divided on the time axis, and region selection is conducted.
For radio communication on a 1:1 basis by a plurality of mobile stations, assignment of communication channels is required to avoid mutual interference within the predetermined frequency band in which a plurality of communication channels are set. When each fixed station (base stations) is provided for each area to cover almost every service area as in the case of a mobile phone system, assignment of communication channels may be controlled for mobile stations (mobile phones) on the side of the fixed station (base station), but when a plurality of fixed stations are distributed to places of interest along the roads or the like, or when fixed stations defining an event area as the service area are allocated, if a mobile station does not move to the service area (hot spot) of such fixed station, it is impossible to enjoy the communication channel assignment service. Therefore, a system for self-controllably selecting the communication channel to avoid mutual interference by introducing the CSMA system can be adapted for radio communication among the mobile stations.
Moreover, it is also possible to use a CSMA system as a multiple connection system among mobile stations and a TDD (Time Division Duplex) system as a multiplex system of radio communications between a mobile station and a fixed station. In such radio communication systems, when a mobile station comes close to the fixed station, the transmission timing of the mobile station is determined in accordance with the TDD slot timing, and when a mobile station makes communication with the fixed station, the TDD slot timing is synchronized. However, if the fixed station does not exist in the area near a mobile station, the mobile station is required to continuously maintain a timing to be self-controllably synchronized with the fixed station, unlike the cellular radio system in which the slot timing signal can be acquired from the fixed station.
Accordingly, it is also considered to adapt a means for acquiring synchronization by obtaining accurate time information based on the GPS (Global Positioning System) for the slot synchronization, but continuous reception of radio waves from the four or more GPS satellites is always required in order to continuously acquire time information by receiving the radio wave from the GPS satellite. However, it is difficult for a mobile station, in the area wherein the radio wave receiving state from a GPS satellite is not so good, to obtain time information through radio wave reception from a GPS satellite. Therefore, continuation of self-controllable synchronization becomes difficult in some cases. Moreover, when the fixed station does not exist at an area near mobile stations, and the radio wave receiving state from a GPS satellite is rather bad, it is possible to realize radio communications with a CSMA system among the mobile stations. However, for realization of highly efficient radio communication by equalizing, in accordance with the TDD system, the slot time length of the time slot used in the CSMA system to the slot time of the time slot designated with the TDD slot timing used by the fixed station, slot synchronization must be continuously attained by receiving the radio wave from the GPS satellite and then obtaining the accurate time information. In this case, a mobile station often faces, as explained above, difficulty in obtaining the time information by always seizing four or more GPS satellites. Therefore, there arises a problem that continuous acquiring of accurate slot synchronization becomes difficult, resulting in interference on radio communications of the other mobile stations.

Mobile radio system and mobile radio control method


A method and a system for determining a terrain parameter relative to a vehicle (100) by registering a first image from the vehicle located at a first point in space, then registering a second image from the vehicle (100) when it is located at a second point in space (O2) . Receiving vehicle movement data which describes at least one of a translation (R) between the first and second points in space (O1; O2), and a rotation (A) between the first and second points in space (O1; O2). A first image velocity vector is determined, which describes a movement of the primary representation of the first terrain point (P1) in the first image to the secondary representation thereof in the second image. A second image velocity vector is determined, which describes a movement of the primary representation of the second terrain point (P2) in the first image to the secondary representation thereof in the second image. A terrain vector is then resolved from a respective relationship expressing each of the first and second image velocity vectors as a function of the translation and the rotation, the terrain vector extending between one of the first and second points in space (O1; O2) and a particular terrain point (T) in proximity of the vehicle (100).

The present invention relates generally to passive determination of terrain parameters in relation to a vehicle. More particularly the invention relates to a method of determining a terrain parameter according to the preamble of claim 1 and an on-board arrangement according to the preamble of claim 10. The invention also relates to a computer program according to claim 7, a computer readable medium according to claim 8 and an air vehicle according to claim 16.
Today, there exist many alternative means of navigation aids for vehicles, such as aircrafts. For instance, in the last decades, global navigation satellite systems (GNSS:s) have been developed which render it possible to determine a vehicle's position on the basis of accurate radio signals received from a plurality of satellites (at least four). The most wide spread GNSS standards are represented by the U.S. GPS (Global Positioning System), the Russian correspondence GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System) and the European Galileo satellite system. In military applications, however, it is generally not advisable to rely on an external system such as a GNSS, since this type of system may be struck out or its signals may be spoofed and/or distorted.
Instead, a purely local solution is normally used, such as a radar altimeter or a sonar in combination with a terrain database. Nevertheless, passive systems, i.e. where no signals are emitted, are preferable because this strategy reduces the risk of detection. Additionally, a passive system is less sensitive to distortion and spoofing by others.
For instance, passive ranging may be accomplished by means of triangulation, wherein angular sensors are used to measure angles to a remote point in the terrain. Teodolites and cameras may here function as angular sensors. Basically two different strategies may be applied—stereo measurement by means of multiple sensors, or time separated measurements where a single sensor is placed at different locations, however aimed against the same point.
Stereo measurement is advantageous because it enables distance determination based on a single image, so that an essentially instantaneous result may be obtained. However, in order to attain a high accuracy, the distance between the angular sensors must be relatively large. Thus, the vehicle's dimensions must be comparatively large. Normally, at least in aircraft applications, this is not the case. Therefore, stereo measurement is an unsuitable technology for determining the distance between an aircraft and the ground.
However, by performing the measurements at different time instances a sufficiently large sensor separation may be achieved. Specifically, a first image is recorded at a first point in space, and a second image is recorded at a second point in space. Provided that the spatial distance is known between the first and second points and that a number of identifiable terrain points occur in both images, it is possible to calculate the distance to a remote point with high accuracy.
One important factor, which may severely influence the accuracy is that the angular sensor may be oriented differently when recording the second image than when recording the first image. Typically, such a change in orientation is due to that the vehicle has altered its attitude angle and/or rolled between the first and second points in space. Of course, this problem is particularly accentuated in aircraft applications. Consequently, in addition to the spatial distance (or translation) between the image registration points, the attitude change (or rotation) must be known.
The U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,373,318 and 5,367,333 describe passive range measurement systems, wherein optical flow data is used to determine distances to various objects in the terrain. Both systems, however, require input data in the form of a so-called drift angle which describes the total change of the attitude angle due to a rotation of the camera and/or the vehicle onto which the camera is mounted. Although today's inertial sensors (e.g. including gyros, microactuators, and/or microsensors) may provide very accurate translation data, it is still problematic to register the relevant rotation with sufficiently high accuracy. Consequently, the calculated range is not a reliable figure either.

Passive measurement of terrain parameters