A data shuffler apparatus for shuffling input bits includes a plurality of bit shufflers each inputting corresponding two bits x0 and x1 of the input bits and outputting a vector {x0′, x1′} such that a number of 1's at bit x0′ over time is within ∀1 of a number of 1's at bit x1′. At least two 4-bit vector shufflers input the vectors {x0′, x1′}, and output 4-bit vectors, each 4-bit vector corresponding to a combination of corresponding two vectors {x0′, x1′} produced by the bit shufflers, such that the 4-bit vector shufflers operate on the vectors {x0′, x1′} in the same manner as the bit shufflers operate on the bits x0 and x1. The current state of the bit shufflers is updated based on a next state of the 4-bit vector shufflers.

In high resolution digital-to-analog converters (DACs), performance metrics such as linearity and noise are nominally determined by the matching of parameters derived from physical quantities in the construction of the DACs on an integrated circuit (IC), such as width, length, thickness, doping, etc. As a general rule, for each additional bit of performance in the DAC, parameter matching needs to be twice as tight. This translates to an increase by a factor of four in the IC area required by the DAC. When the DAC resolution is in the 16-bit range, it is no longer practical/economical to use size alone to achieve the required matching.
Over-sampled (sigma-delta) DACs (also referred to as "converters") alleviate the need for raw matching using single-bit conversion (so called 1-bit DACs in CD players). A single-bit DAC has only two points in a transfer function of the DAC, and thus is inherently linear. The function of a sigma-delta modulator with a one-bit quantizer is to approximate a high resolution low frequency signal with a high frequency two-level signal. The drawback here is this produces large amounts of out-of-band, for example, high frequency, noise.
One solution is to use more than two levels of quantization. For example, 17 levels may be used. However, now the linearity requirements apply to the full resolution of the DAC. That is, for a 16-bit DAC, the transfer function of the DAC with these quantization levels must be collinear to 1 part in 216, which is 1 part in 65,536. Such linearity is difficult to achieve with raw parameter matching of the single-bit DACs. Thus, there is need to achieve such linearity in a multi-level DAC using an alternative to raw parameter matching.
Multi-bit DACs have the advantage of significantly increasing the precision limit of the single-bit converter. The major drawback of the multi-bit DAC is the non-linearity presented by the imperfect analog circuit mismatches. Specifically, the non-linearity stems from the mismatching between the unit DAC elements, and causes significant performance degradation. Since the multi-bit DAC is outside the Δ-Σ modulator, its error cannot be eliminated by the noise-shaping loop of the Δ-Σ modulator, while the quantization noise inside the Δ-Σ modulator can be noise-shaped by the Δ-Σ modulator feedback loop.
There has been a lot of literatures discussing about ways to noise-shape the mismatching error. See, e.g., I. Galton, "Spectral Shaping of Circuit Errors in Digital-to-Analog Converters", IEEE Trans. on Circuits and Systems-II: Analog and Digital Signal Processing, pp. 808–817, vol. 44, no. 10, October 1997; J. Grilo et al., "A 12-mW ADC Delta-Sigma Modulator with 80 dB of Dynamic Range Integrated in a Single-Chip Bluetooth Transceiver", IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, pp. 271–278, vol. 37, March 2002; J. Welz, I. Galton, and E. Fogleman, "Simplified Logic for First-Order and Second-Order Mismatch-Shaping Digital-to-Analog Converters", IEEE Trans. on Circuits and Systems-II. Analog and Digital Signal Processing, pp. 1014–1027, vol. 48, no. 11, November 2001; R. Adams et al., "A 113-dB SNR Oversampling DAC with Segmented Noise-Shaped Scrambling", IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, pp. 1871–1878, vol. 33, no. 12, December 1998; T. Kwan et al., "A Stereo Multibit FA DAC with Asynchronous Master-Clock Interface", IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, pp. 1881–1887, vol. 31, no. 12, December 1996; A. Yasuda et al., "A Third-Order Δ-Σ Modulator Using Second-Order Noise-Shaping Dynamic Element Matching", IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, pp. 1879–1886, vol. 33, no. 12, December 1998; R. Radke et al., "A Spurious-Free Delta-Sigma DAC Using Rotated Data Weighted Averaging", IEEE Custom Integrated Circuits Conference, 1999, pp. 125–128; R. Radke and T. S. Fiez, "Improved ΣΔ. DAC linearity using data weighted averaging", IEEE International Symposium, vol. 1, pp. 13–16, 1995; R. Radke et al., "A 14-bit Current-Mode ΣΔ DAC Based Upon Rotated Data Weighted Averaging", IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. 35, no. 8, August 2000. The tree-structure (see I. Galton; J. Grilo et al.; and J. Welz et al., cited above) is one of the best noise-shaping structure, in which the input thermometer code is split into two numbers, which then into four numbers, and so on. The swapping cells is controlled by the Parity Detector outputs, and internally performing arithmetic operations to switch the inputs. The tree-structure results in controlled spectral shaping of the DAC mismatch errors. However, some residual non-linearity due to the DEM remains.

Hardware-efficient implementation of dynamic element matching in sigma-delta DAC's


A system for simultaneously processing a plurality of particles, e.g. beads or cells. A liquid sample containing the particles is delivered to a processing chamber in which the particles are positioned on particle retainers which lie in a plane. The particle retainers are sized to receive only one particle, so that the particles do not overlap. The system can make use of positioning fluid for forcing the particles into the particle retainers. The positioned particles can, for example, be processed by interrogating the particles with a light of a preselected wavelength, and analyzing signals received from the particles.

Chemical analysis is very important for life sciences research, clinical diagnostics and a wide range of environmental and process monitoring. An important class of measurements are conducted on particles such as cells or beads. For most of these application it is desirable that the analysis tools and methods be accurate, fast, easy to use and low cost.
Flow cytometry can be used for analyzing particulate elements including cells and beads, including beads having attached thereto biological materials. Exemplary flow cytometry apparatus and methods are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,747,349; 5,981,180; and 6,139,800, which are incorporated herein by reference. Flow cytometry has disadvantages. For example the particles to be analyzed need to positioned very steadily, and only one particle can be detected at a time. Thus particles need to move at a steady flow rate for accurate results, but also at very high rates for high sample throughput. To obtain accurate results under these conditions, flow cytometry utilizes sophisticated, high speed, expensive detection electronics, which results in a relatively large and expensive instrument.
Other techniques for analyzing particles are described in Brenner, S.; et al, "Gene Expression Analysis by Massively Parallel Signature Sequencing (MPSS) on Micro Bead Arrays" Nature Biotechnology (2000), 18, 630–634; and Kitamori, T.; et al, "Integration of an Immunosorbent Assay System: Analysis of Secretory Human Immunoglobulin A on Polystyrene Beads in a Microchip" Anal. Chem. (2000), 72, 1144–1147.
The techniques described in these publications suffer from one or more disadvantages, such as an inability to analyze more than a single particle at a time, uncontrolled positioning of particles making analysis difficult, overlapping of particles so that the one particle interferes with the analysis of another particular, the need for all particles to have substantially the same size, and low signal to noise ratios, thereby making analysis difficult.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system for processing particles that is rapid, accurate, low cost and capable of processing multiple particles simultaneously, and that does not require all the particles to be of the same size.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A blow molded container has a cylindrical neck portion with novel seven circumferentially spaced continuous spiral thread configurations on its exterior to immediately receive and engage an improved tamper indicating flexible cap comprising a top with an annular depending wall on its peripheral edge and seven circumferentially spaced continuous spiral thread configurations on the inner surface surface of the annular depending wall. The novel constructions enable the tamper indicating flexible cap to immediately engage the lead-in ends of the seven circumferentially spaced thread patterns on the exterior of the neck of the container without the heretofore necessary rotation of the prior art caps in order to engage the single spiral thread configuration on the neck of the container.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to containers such as blow molded plastic jugs which are widely used in the dairy industry and others for the expendible packaging of dairy products and other liquids and tamper indicating caps for engagement thereon.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior neck finishes on containers of this type may be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,162,711 of June, 1939, 2,162,712 of June, 1939, 3,650,428 of Mar. 21, 1972, 3,980,195 of Sep. 14, 1976, 4,354,609 of Oct. 19, 1982, 4,402,415 of Sep. 6, 1983, 4,418,828 of Dec. 6, 1984, 4,497,765 of Feb. 5, 1985, 4,534,480 of Aug. 13, 1985 and 4,561,553 of Dec. 31, 1985.
In each of the above U.S. patents there are individual neck spiral thread configurations which require a cap with a matching single spiral thread configuration for engagement thereon and have the common fault of requiring selective testing rotation of the cap on the threaded neck of the container before the single thread patterns engage.
Additionally, partial semi-annular thread patterns comprising ribs are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,589,561 of May, 1986 and 4,666,053 of May 19, 1987.
In the '561 patent several short angular ribs are circumferentially spaced on the inner surface of the depending annular wall of a cap and in the '053 patent a pair of vertically spaced short annularly disposed ribs are disclosed on the neck finish of a container.
The present invention provides an improved novel neck finish for a container such as a blow molded plastic jug on which a multiple spiral thread pattern configuration of continuous spiral threads are arranged in vertical and circumferentially spaced relation to one another together with a thin wall plastic cap that may be pushed onto the container, the cap having a top and a depending annular wall with a multiple annular spiral thread patterns circumferentially and vertically spaced formed on the inner surface of said depending wall of the improved cap. The combination of the improved cap and improved neck finish of the container result in a rapid and positive engagement of the multiple continuous spiral thread patterns on the respective neck finish with those on the inner surface of the depending wall of the cap.

Neck finish for a container and a matching registering multiple thread pattern in a flexible cap for engagement on neck said finish


The vacuum carburizing apparatus introduces a carburizing gas into a carburizing chamber to subject the treatment material to vacuum carburizing. The vacuum carburizing apparatus comprises a carburizing chamber that houses a treatment material therein, a vacuum pump that exhausts gas from the carburizing chamber inside to obtain vacuum, a carburizing gas supply unit that supplies carburizing gas into the carburizing chamber in pulse mode, a reflux pipe which connects an intake side of the vacuum pump and an exhaust side of the vacuum pump, an opening and closing valve which is provided on the way of the reflux pipe, and a control unit which opens the opening and closing valve when a supply of the carburizing gas into the carburizing chamber is started, wherein the control unit closes the opening and closing valve when the supply ends.

Regarding vacuum carburizing treatment of steels, in a treatment method called pulse carburizing, treatment is carried out by repeating alternately a carburization period in which carburizing gas is supplied into a carburizing chamber which houses therein a treatment material heated at a high temperature thereby to keep the carburizing chamber inside at a predetermined low vacuum degree (relatively higher pressure), and a diffusion period in which the carburizing gas is exhausted and carbon is diffused from the surface of the treatment material to the inside of the treatment material under a high vacuum degree (relatively lower pressure). According to this method, carburization can be carried out up to a narrow hole inside or a deep hole inside which the carburizing gas is difficult to permeate, and carburization can be carried out uniformly also in a uneven treatment material. Therefore, the pulse carburizing has been adopted as a carburizing method suitable for such the treatment material (Refer to, for example, Patent Document 1 and 2).    [Patent Document 1] JP-A-2000-1765    [Patent Document 2] JP-A-2002-194526
However, the above Patent Documents have the following problems. In a vacuum carburizing apparatus described in each of the above Patent Documents, a variable valve for pressure adjustment (including a movable orifice mechanism) is installed at a gas exhaust pipe which connects an exhaust outlet of a furnace to a vacuum exhaust device. And pressure controls in the carburizing chamber in the carburization period and in the diffusion period are performed by this variable valve which adjusts the flowing amount of the exhaust gas. Therefore, foreign matters such as soot and tar in the exhaust gas flowing into the gas exhaust pipe attach and accumulate to the variable valve, whereby poor operation of the variable valve is caused easily, and reliability and durability of the apparatus lower. Further, since the gas exhaust pipe has a large diameter, the size of the variable valve must be large, which causes increase of cost.
Further, heretofore, as described in the above Patent Document 1 (paragraph [0016]), there has been also used a carburizing apparatus in which the above variable valve is not provided but the vacuum exhaust device is connected directly to the exhaust outlet. This apparatus, generally, controls a rotation speed of a vacuum pump, but a range in which this apparatus can control pressure reaching on an intake side is narrow. Therefore, in case that a vacuum pump having a large exhaust speed is used as the vacuum exhaust device, as shown by a curve A in FIG. 4, shift (decompression) from pressure P1 in the carburization period after the carburizing gas is introduced to pressure P0 in the diffusion period is carried out quickly. However, the pressure P1 in the carburization period becomes pressure of high vacuum degree which approximates the pressure P0 in the diffusion period, so that permeation of the carburizing gas into the narrow hole inside in the carburizing period becomes insufficient. Further, in case that a vacuum pump having a small exhaust speed is used as the vacuum exhaust device, as shown by a curve B in FIG. 4, pressure P1 in the carburization period is made a desired pressure of low vacuum degree. However, after the carburizing gas is introduced, time till the pressure P1 is decreased to the pressure P0 in the diffusion period becomes long, and the number of pulses is limited, so that there are problems such as occurrence of uneven carburization, prolongation of carburization treatment time, and the like.
The invention has been made in order to solve the above conventional problems, and it is an object of the invention to provide at low cost a vacuum carburizing apparatus which can obtain a desired carburization period pressure of low vacuum degree in the pulse carburizing time, and a quick shift characteristic from carburization period pressure to diffusion period pressure, and which is excellent at reliability and durability.


An active mask is used to etch field oxide in active areas down to an n- epitaxial substrate. After gate oxide growth, a polysilicon layer is deposited and planarized. The active mask defines the polysilicon gate critical dimension for a terrace gate DMOS structure. The edges of the polysilicon gates are self-aligned to the edges of the thick terrace gate oxide. Because no interlayer alignment is required to delineate the polysilicon gate, the design need not provide for alignment tolerance. A non-critical mask is deposited overlapping the terrace oxide. An etch back to field oxide in exposed areas is performed. An oxide-selective etch is performed to reduce the oxide thickness in source regions. Self-aligned body implantation, body contact masking and implantation, and source masking and implantation are performed. A dielectric is deposited. A source contact mask is deposited and a contact etch is performed. Source metal is deposited, and passivation layer is formed. Gate-drain capacitance caused by polysilicon gate overlap of the substrate is minimized as the overlap is minimized. Because input capacitance is reduced, switching speed is increased. This self-aligned feature also results in a smaller cell pitch dimension and higher packing density. Therefore, the specific ON resistance is reduced and current driving capacity is also greatly elevated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fabrication methods for terrace gate DMOS transistors. Specifically, the present invention relates to the alignment and spacing of the terrace oxide and the polysilicon gate.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
To reduce the conduction and switching losses in a MOSFET, it is desirable to reduce the specific ON resistance and the specific input capacitance. The purpose of the terrace gate is to reduce the capacitance between the gate and the source, thus allowing the DMOS device to switch faster. The gate capacitance is caused by the overlap of the polysilicon gate to the substrate. The polysilicon gate overlaps the substrate over the thin gate oxide and the thick terrace oxide. In a capacitor, the capacitance is inversely proportional to the separation of the plates. The terrace oxide separates the polysilicon from the substrate in the regions where no inversion layer is needed at the surface of the substrate, thus reducing the gate capacitance without affecting control of the channel. There is no channel directly beneath the terrace oxide.
However, in conventional DMOS terrace gate methods, the reduction in gate capacitance caused by introducing the terrace gate is somewhat offset by an increase in gate capacitance caused by gate dimension margins added for mask alignment, as discussed below.
FIGS. 1A through 1D illustrate a conventional DMOS terrace gate fabrication method. In FIG. 1A, an N- substrate 100 has a field oxide layer 101 formed on top. A photoresist layer 102 defines the terrace oxide. FIG. 1B illustrates the terrace oxide 101 after an etch back to the substrate 100.
As illustrated in FIG. 1C, after a gate oxide 103 growth and a polysilicon 104 deposition, a second photoresist mask 105 is formed. The photoresist mask 105 must be carefully aligned to the terrace oxide 101. The gate dimension (GD) represents the length of the gate which will be used for the channel region from a source 106 (FIG. 1D) in the DMOS transistor pairs. This dimension is very important in determining transistor threshold voltage, ON resistance, and other characteristics. The gate separation distance (GS) represents the required minimum polysilicon separation. Because the second photoresist mask 105 must be aligned to the existing terrace oxide 101, the gate dimension GD of the design is increased by a mask alignment tolerance. The mask alignment tolerance is approximately 0.2 to 0.3 microns in modern process technology.
Because the photoresist mask 105 must overlap the polysilicon edge 107 by at least a minimum alignment tolerance determined by photolithography, the lateral thickness of the polysilicon 104 around the terrace oxide places a minimum constraint on the gate dimension.
FIG. 1D illustrates a partial DMOS structure fabricated according to conventional techniques. The structure shown in FIG. 1D illustrates a two DMOS structure. FIG. 1D does not illustrate, for example, the interconnection of the polysilicon gates which occurs in other portions of the circuit layout.
Normally, the gate dimension (GD) of a conventional DMOS terrace gate cell is around 4 or 5 microns. Each alignment tolerance is around 0.2 or 0.3 microns, not including etch dimension changes and critical dimension variations. The total alignment margin which must be added to the gate dimension to accommodate for alignment becomes around 0.5 to 0.6 microns per side, or about 1.2 microns total in a 4 to 5 micron structure. Therefore, an overhead of over 30% is added in the lateral dimension to accommodate for the critical mask alignment. In two-dimensional circuit layout, where area is the metric of concern, dimension increases are squared to determine area increase due to margin. Thus, a 30% one-dimensional increase corresponds to a 69% area increase.
Moreover, the device geometries are decreasing in feature size more rapidly than photolithographic mask alignment tolerances. Therefore, as cell densities become higher, each 0.3 micron mask alignment becomes a higher percentage of the total pitch. All of the feature sizes are becoming compressed as the technology develops greater levels of miniaturization.
The need exists for a self-aligned method of forming DMOS terrace gates because the pitch sizes are reduced to less than the alignment margins, thus rendering it impossible to construct using photolithographic techniques while maintaining adequate performance, because there simply is not enough room to accommodate photolithographic alignments. Moreover, if the capacitance added by necessary photolithographic margins is greater than the reduction in gate capacitance caused by using the terrace gate, then terrace designs are no longer desirable. Many feature sizes are so small that this point of diminishing return has been reached.
As is apparent from the above-discussion, a need exists for a self-aligned terrace gate DMOS transistor fabrication method. In order to reduce conduction and switching losses in MOSFET power devices, the reduction of the on-resistance and reduction of input capacitance are desired. A need for reliable fabrication of uniform DMOS transistors exists. Reduction of cell pitch helps achieve these objectives.

Self-aligned method of fabricating terrace gate DMOS transistor


A plumbing installation assembly includes a closet flange and a cooperating spacer and cover. The spacer holds the closet flange above the floor a selected height to allow the pouring of lightweight concrete. The cover fully covers the face and slotted mounting apertures in the closet flange upon which the toilet is mounted.

The closet flange is well known in the art. The closet flange generally includes a cylindrical pipe portion that extends through an opening in the floor. The closet flange also includes a surrounding base at its inlet end that overlies the floor and is fastened thereto utilizing fasteners of a type well known in the art. When installed, the water closet or toilet is mounted on and bolted to the closet flange. Thus, the closet flange serves as a mounting means for the water closet and also connects the water closet to the plumbing leading to the soil pipe and vent pipe assembly all in a manner well known in the art.
Over time, various closet flange designs have been developed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,139 to Stokes discloses a closet flange including a spaced annular head flange and base plate connected together by gussets. Unfortunately, concrete poured on the rough-in floor tends to fill the space between the annular head flange, base plate and gussets so that if it ever becomes necessary to replace the closet flange, it must be broken from the floor.
It should also be appreciated that it is necessary to protect the closet flange from dirt, concrete and other debris during building construction. Otherwise, the closet flange may be damaged. Certainly, at the very least an extensive amount of time may be necessary to clean the flange so that it may provide a good, leak-proof seal with the water closet it is to support. Accordingly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,422 to Novak discloses a closet flange protector or cover comprising a substantially cylindrical closed end body. While this cover effectively prevents dirt, concrete and other debris from entering the cylindrical pipe opening or collecting on a plug utilized to seal that opening, it should be appreciated that the cover does not protect the apertures utilized to mount the water closet or toilet in position on the closet flange. Accordingly, those apertures may become filled/plugged with dirt, debris or even hardened concrete which is difficult and time consuming to remove. This significantly increases the expense of the water closet installation
In view of the foregoing, it is clear that a need exists for an improved cover and plumbing installation assembly comprising a cover, closet flange and even a spacer to hold the closet flange in proper position above concrete being poured on a rough-in floor.

Cover, spacer and plumbing installation assembly


A spot notification device includes: a viewing history acquisition unit that acquires a program viewing history of a user; a program metadata acquisition unit that acquires program metadata including a name and locational information on a spot introduced in a program; a spot list generation unit that generates, on the basis of the viewing history and the program metadata, a spot list including the name and locational information on the spot; a current location acquisition unit that acquires a current location of the user; an activity history holding unit that holds the current location in time series as an activity history; a notifying spot determination unit that sets a search range in accordance with the activity history and refers to the spot list to search for the spot present within the search range; and a spot notification unit that notifies the user of information relating to the spot.

In digital broadcasting, IPTV (Internet Protocol Television), VOD (Video On Demand), or the like, there are a large number of information programs each of which deals with travel information, gourmet information, or shopping information. To allow a user to visit the spot introduced in the information program after the broadcasting of the information program, the name of the spot or how to access the spot is introduced in the information program or in the website of the program.
In recent years, a mobile terminal equipped with a GPS (Global Positioning System) function, such as a mobile phone, has become prevalent.
For example, in the navigation device shown in Patent Literature 1, a spot corresponding to the center of a user's daily activity range is used as a reference spot. When the current location is in an area at an extremely short distance from the reference spot, no landmark figure is displayed. When the current location is in an area at a short distance from the reference spot, only the landmark figures of spots related to people's daily lives are displayed. When the current location is in an area at a middle distance from the reference spot, only the landmark figures of spots related to people's daily lives and leisure are displayed. When the current location is outside the area at the middle distance from the reference spot, only the landmark figures of spots related to people's daily lives, leisure, and lodging facilities are displayed.
A mobile terminal equipped with a GPS function provides a service which allows a user to specify an intended category or search condition and search for a spot present near the current location.
By using such a service, the user can perform a search to see whether or not the spot introduced in a program is present near the current location.
When the user remembers the name of the spot or the title of the program that has introduced the spot, such a service is effective. However, when the user has forgotten the name of the spot or the title of the program that has introduced the spot, the user cannot search for the spot.
There may be the case where, when the user viewed or listened to the program, he felt a desire to visit the spot introduced in the program but, as time advanced, the user forgot the desire he felt. In that case, even when the user passes by the spot introduced in the program, he is unable to visit the spot.

Spot notification method, spot notification device, and spot notification device program

Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America


A laser surveying system includes a rotational light emitting unit to rotationally emit a laser beam, having a case and a beam emitter supported on the case with an optical axis of the laser beam rotatable relative to the case, and a light receiving unit to receive the laser beam from the rotational light emitting unit and perform surveying of a light-receiving position, wherein the laser surveying system is configured to determine whether or not the laser beam received by the light receiving unit has been properly emitted from the rotational light emitting unit on the basis of a rotational position of the optical axis of the laser beam relative to the case and an angle of site of the laser beam relative to a reference plane including the optical axis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a laser surveying system which comprises a rotational light emitting unit to rotationally emit a laser beam and a light receiving unit to receive the laser beam, to measure the position of the light receiving unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
For instance, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Publication No. 2003-65762 discloses a rotational laser device for use in surveying for engineering works or the like, to rotationally irradiate a target with a laser beam and measure the tilt angle and height of the target relative to a plane orthogonal to a rotational axis according to a reflected light from the target.
Further, the use of a laser surveying system comprising a rotational light emitting unit and a light receiving unit to receive a laser beam from the rotational light emitting unit and measure a position relative to the rotational light emitting unit is known. This system can measure the angle of site and height of the rotational light emitting unit relative to the optical axis on the basis of a light receiving signal of the light receiving unit.
This rotational light emitting unit is comprised of a rotator rotatable around the axis relative to a case and a light emitting unit provided in the rotator to emit a certain laser beam. The rotational light emitting unit includes a ceiling covering above the rotator for the purpose of water resistance and protecting the rotator and the exit of the light emitting unit. The ceiling requires vertical columns in a space between the ceiling and the case to support the ceiling outside the rotator.
When the rotator is rotated relative to the case, a laser beam from the emitter may be partially blocked by the vertical columns while crossing them. This makes it difficult for the rotational light emitting unit to properly emit a laser beam in the positions of the columns in a rotational direction of the rotator. Accordingly, the laser surveying system including the rotational light emitting unit cannot accurately survey based on the light received by the light receiving unit which is blocked by the columns. In view of this, in this system a certain light shielding area in which the laser beam is partially blocked by the columns is preset in the rotational direction of the rotator so that the system does not perform surveying on the basis of a laser beam output from the light shielding area and received at the light receiving unit.
However, there is a problem that the light shielding area contains an area not blocked by the columns since it is set in accordance with a rotational position or rotational angle of the rotator about the rotational axis. Thus, the laser surveying system may not perform surveying on the basis of the laser beam received by the light receiving unit which has been properly emitted and not blocked by the columns, if the laser beam is in the light shielding area. This results in unnecessarily narrowing a proper surveying area.


A new and distinct cultivar of Eryngium plant named ‘EPTJ’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; and single blue-colored flowers arranged on dense flower heads.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Eryngium plant, botanically known as Eryngium planum, and hereinafter referred to by the name 'EPTJ'.
The new Eryngium plant was discovered by the Inventors in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Rijswijk, The Netherlands, in April, 2007, as a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Eryngium planum 'Paradise Jackpot', disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,942. The new Eryngium plant was observed as a single plant from within a population of plants of 'Paradise Jackpot'. The selection of this plant was based on its unique inflorescence form.
Asexual reproduction of the new Eryngium plant by cuttings in a controlled environment in Rijswijk, The Netherlands since June, 2007, has shown that the unique features of this new Eryngium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.


A method for tracking paper currency in a holder, includes: scanning paper currency deposited or removed from a holder; determining the total number of each individual denomination of paper currency contained within the holder based on the scanned paper currency deposited and removed from the holder; recording the total number of each individual denomination of paper currency; determining the total value of the paper currency within the holder; outputting the denomination of paper currency when the paper currency is scanned during depositing or removal from the holder; outputting the recorded number of each individual denomination of paper currency and the total value of the currency within the holder; and wherein the recorded number of each individual denomination of paper currency and the total value of the currency within the holder is dynamically tabulated based on the scanning of paper currency deposited or removed from the holder.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an image recognition system for aiding visually impaired persons, and more particularly to a method and system for a wallet or purse that dynamically inventories paper currency, and provides visually impaired individuals information on the contents of the wallet or purse.
2. Description of the Related Art
A major concern for visually impaired individuals is their inability to distinguish between various denominations of paper currency (also referred to as paper bills, bills, money). Visually impaired individuals often resort to rudimentary systems such as folding their paper bills based on the face amount, such as $5 in half horizontally, $10 in half vertically, $20 folded in fourths, etc., or by placing various bill denominations in various compartments of their wallets or purse. However, these methods still require sighted individuals to point out what the values of the bills are, and leave the visually impaired person dependent on sighted individuals. In addition, in public where exchanges of money occur, the visually impaired are at the mercy of the other party in the transaction to furnish the correct change. The intentional or unintentional mistakes incurred in these monetary exchanges causes financial and emotional hardship.

Method and system for image recognition for aiding the visually impaired

International Business Machines Corporation


An object self-protection apparatus (12) having a monitoring device (14) which is fixed with respect to the object and a launch container (18), in particular for fragmentation projectiles, which has a target-tracking radar device (20) for the approach movement of a missile (22) which is to be defended against. The monitoring device (14) which is fixed with respect to the object and the target-tracking radar device (20) are connected together with an aiming drive for the launch container (18). Hereby, an expensive search radar is replaced by a passive sensor device (16) forming the monitoring device (14) which is fixed with respect to the object. The passive sensor device (16) generates accurately measured angular information in respect of the approaching missile (22). The distance and the speed of the missile (22) are then determined by the target-tracking radar device (20).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns an object self-protection apparatus, consisting of a monitoring device which is fixed with respect to the object for vectoring a target-tracking radar device, for the close-range determination of the distance and speed of a missile which is to be defended against, located on a launch container which can be aimed at the threat represented by the missile.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
An object self-protection apparatus of that kind is known from DE 100 24 320 A1. Described therein is a radar device with a planar antenna comprising grouped individual radiating devices for object self-protection against the threat from an attacking missile, wherein the individual radiating devices are arranged in at least one vertically oriented group as monitoring radar on the substructure, which is fixed with respect to the object, of the aiming drive for a launch container for fragmentation projectiles, which in turn is provided with a target-tracking radar vectored by the monitoring radar for the approach movement of the missile to be defended against. That known radar device, that is to say its search radar for vectoring of the target-tracking radar, involves a considerable level of development complication and expenditure. In addition the search radar is relatively costly in respect of its procurement.


A method of producing a catalyst for converting hydrocarbons involves spray-drying a slurry containing crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite and magnesium silicate mineral. The magnesium silicate mineral functioning as a metal trap contains 10 to 60 wt % of magnesium as an oxide. The magnesium silicate mineral has been treated with a phosphorus-containing solution.

This invention relates to a method of producing a catalyst for converting hydrocarbons. More particularly, it relates to a method of producing a catalyst for converting hydrocarbons exhibiting outstanding effects as a fluidized catalytic cracking catalyst for producing light oils, such as gasoline or kerosene, by catalytic cracking of heavy oils containing at least nickel and vanadium, among heavy metals comprised of nickel, vanadium, iron and copper in an amount of 0.5 ppm or more as a sum total of the contents of nickel and vanadium.
In catalytic cracking in general, petroleum hydrocarbons are cracked by being contacted with a catalyst to produce a larger amount of light fractions such as LPG and gasoline and a small amount of cracked light oils, and the coke deposited on the catalyst is burned off with air for circulation and re-use of the catalyst. As starting oils, distillates such as light gas oil (LGO) or heavy gas oil (HGO) from an atmospheric distillation tower and vacuum gas oil (VGO) from a vacuum distillation tower are mainly employed.
However, since heavy oils tend to be supplied in surplus due to the world-wide tendency towards heavy crude oils and changes in the demand structure, it becomes necessary to use heavy oils containing distillation residues as the starting oil for catalytic cracking.
However, larger quantities of metals such as nickel, vanadium, iron, copper or sodium are contained in heavy oils containing distillation residues than in distillates. These metals are known to be deposited on catalysts to seriously impede cracking activity and selectivity. That is, the conversion is lowered with deposition of metals on the catalysts. On the other hand, hydrogen and coke are significantly increased to render the system operation difficult as well as to lower the yield of desirable liquid products.
For diminishing the effects of these pollutant metals, there have hitherto been proposed a method of employing a catalyst containing a metal trap or a method of physically mixing discrete particles containing a metal trap with a cracking catalyst. Compounds of alkaline earth elements are known to be effective as the metal trap. For example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No.1-146989 discloses using oxides of alkaline earth metals carried by silica. Japanese Laid-open Patent Applications Nos.63-8481, 62-213843 and 61-21191 disclose using magnesium compounds, whereas Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Nos.61-204041 and 60-71041 disclose using calcium compounds. Although the compounds of alkaline earth metals are effective as a metal trap, these compounds are disadvantageous in that they are adsorbed on zeolite which is an active component in the catalyst to lower the hydrothermal stability of the catalyst. On the other hand, silica sol or alumina sol used as a material of catast binder is stable only in an acidic solution so that upon preparation of a catalyst, the addition of basic alkaline earth compounds to a sol-containing slurry results in gelation of the binder before spray-drying to lower the attrition resistance of the catalyst. For overcoming these drawbacks, the catalysts containing the compounds of alkaline earth metals as the metal trap are used as physical mixtures of diluent particles containing the metal trap and particles of the cracking catalysts containing zeolite. However, for diminishing the effects of pollutant metals, it is more effective that the metal trap and zeolite be contained in one and the same particle. Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Nos.61-278351 and 63-123804, for example disclose building zeolite and the magnesium compounds as the metal trap in one and the same particle. However, in the conventional catalysts containing the magnesium compounds and zeolite in one and the same particle, the adverse effects which the magnesium compound might have on zeolite have not been studied with satisfactory results.

Method of producing catalyst for converting hydrocarbons


A Belleville spring/ball combination is utilized in a rotating anode target bearing assembly in an X-ray tube for thermal and electrical conduction as well as self-centering of the target shaft and noise reduction.

This invention relates to a bearing assembly and, more particularly, to an improved electrically and thermally conducting high speed bearing assembly particularly adapted for electrical high power tubes such as electrical X-ray generating tubes.
X-ray tubes generally comprise a cathode thermionic emitter and an axially spaced anode target positioned in an evacuated tube. Cathode and target are connected in an electrical circuit so that the cathode is electrically heated to emit a stream or beam of electrons directed to the anode target. The electron beam is appropriately focused as a thin beam of very high velocity electrons striking the anode target. X-ray targets utilize a striking surface of predetermined materials (usually a refractory metal) and a particular geometric shape so that the kinetic energy of the striking electron beam is converted to electromagnetic waves of high frequency, i.e. X-rays which emanate from the target to be collimated and focused for penetration into an object for well known x-ray medical diagnostic examination or material analysis procedures. The high velocity electron beam striking the anode target generates extremely high and localized temperatures in the anode target leading to early deterioration of the target structure, particularly composite targets. For this reason anode targets are adapted to rotate so that the impinging electron beam does not concentrate at a small region of the target area for a delayed period of time which could result in a rapid and excessive temperature rise and delay rapid distribution of heat throughout the target structure. As a consequence of progress to higher power x-ray tubes and their concurrent need for greater target heat dissipation, it has become a practice to utilize increasingly higher rotating speed anode target assemblies. A rotating anode x-ray target generally comprises a rotating shaft supported disk-like anode having a concentric annular band of a target metal thereon which is impinged by the electron beam from the cathode. In the enclosed and evacuated environment of an X-ray tube, the target structure must have a high heat storage capacity since most heat transfer from the target takes place essentially through radiation from the target to the x-ray tube structure. The practice of rotating targets has progressed to target rotational speeds exceeding 10,000 rpm. for satisfactory heat distribution and radiation. At such speeds in an adverse environment the bearing assembly for the anode target is required to be of high precision low friction and low wear to maintain effective and optimum longer term operating conditions. Bearing wear leads to high frequency vibration and unacceptable noise levels. In addition, the high voltages required for the cathode and anode operation and the presence of the electron beam leads to the development of high voltage potentials in the target anode bearing assembly with concurrent undesirable electrical arcing and welding.


A substrate-processing apparatus (100, 40) comprises a radical-forming unit (26) for forming the nitrogen radicals and oxygen radicals through a high-frequency plasma, a processing vessel (21) in which a substrate (W) to be processed is held, and a gas-supplying unit (30) which is connected to the radical-forming unit. The gas-supplying unit (30) controls the mixture ratio between a first raw material gas containing the nitrogen and a second raw material gas containing oxygen, and supplies a mixture gas of a desired mixture ratio to the radical-forming unit. By supplying the nitrogen radicals and oxygen radicals mixed at the controlled mixture ratio to the surface of the substrate, an insulating film having a desired nitrogen concentration is formed on the surface of the substrate.

With the advancement in the miniaturization process technology, it has become feasible to use a gate length of 0.1 μm or less in an ultra high speed semiconductor device. Generally, the operating speed of a semiconductor device is improved with the miniaturization thereof. However, in such a highly miniaturized semiconductor device, the thickness of a gate insulating film needs to be reduced in proportion to the reduction in the gate length in accordance with the scaling rule.
In case the gate length is reduced to 0.1 μm or less, the thickness of the gate insulating film needs to be 1-2 nm or less on a conventional thermal oxide film basis. However, such an extremely thin gate insulating film cannot avoid the problem of increased gate leakage current resulting from an increase in the tunneling current.
Accordingly, it has been proposed to employ a high-k dielectric material having a substantially higher dielectric constant than the thermal oxide film for use as a gate insulating film. Specifically, Ta2O5, Al2O3, ZrO2, HfO2, ZrSiO4, HfSiO4 and the like have been tried for such purpose, as they are small in terms of the thickness electrically equivalent to SiO2 despite their large actual thickness. With the use of such a high-k dielectric material, a gate insulating film with a physical film thickness of about 10 nm can be employed even when the gate length for use in an ultra high speed semiconductor device is very short, e.g., 0.1 μm or less, thereby preventing the gate leakage current resulting from the tunneling effect.
A Ta2O5 film is known to be formed through a CVD process from gaseous source materials of Ta(OC2H5)5 and O2. Typically, the CVD process is conducted in a depressurized environment and at about 480° C. or higher temperature. The Ta2O5 film formed in such manner is then subject to a heat treatment in the presence of oxygen for crystallization and this compensates for the oxygen deficiency in the film. The Ta2O5 film in its crystallized state possesses a large dielectric constant.
To enhance a carrier mobility in a channel region, it is preferable to interpose an extremely thin base oxide film having the thickness of 1 nm or less, preferably 0.8 nm or less, between a high-k dielectric gate oxide film and a silicon substrate. The base oxide film needs to be very thin since the merit of employing the high-k dielectric film as a gate insulating film might be lost otherwise. Such an extremely thin base oxide film is required to cover the surface of the silicon substrate uniformly, without forming defects such as interface states.
In FIG. 1, a sketchy diagram of a high speed semiconductor device 10 is presented.
Referring to FIG. 1, the semiconductor device 10 is formed on a silicon substrate 11. A high-k dielectric gate insulating film 13 such as Ta2O5, Al2O3, ZrO2, HfO2, ZrSiO4 or HfSiO4 is placed on a thin base oxide film 12 overlaying the silicon substrate 11. A gate electrode 14 is formed on the high-k dielectric gate insulating film 13.
In order to make the high-k dielectric film 13 function as it is supposed to on the base oxide film 12 in the semiconductor device 10, a heat treatment is needed as well as an oxygen deficiency compensation so that the high-k dielectric film in a deposited state is crystallized. Problem arises with such heat treatment on the high-k dielectric film 13 due to the increase in the film thickness of the base oxide film 12.
One of the reasons for the increase in the film thickness of the base oxide film following the heat treatment is thought to be due to the formation of a silicate layer resulting from a mutual diffusion between the silicon contained in the base oxide film 12 and a metal in the high-k dielectric film 13. Such an increase in the film thickness of the base oxide film 12 poses a very serious problem especially when the film thickness of the base oxide film 12 needs to be reduced to a level equivalent to several atomic layers or less, a preferred range of thickness for a base oxide film.
To suppress the increase in the thickness of the base oxide film, therefore, it has been proposed to nitride the surface of the base oxide layer to form an oxynitride film. FIG. 2 presents a sketchy structure of a semiconductor device 20 wherein the base oxide film surface is nitrided. In the drawing, the components identical to those in the semiconductor device 10 of FIG. 1 are indicated with the same reference numerals and explanations thereof will not be repeated.
In FIG. 2, on the surface of the base oxide film layer 12, nitrogen N is doped while maintaining the flatness of the interface between the silicon substrate 11 and the base oxide film 12 to form an oxynitride film 12A. This oxynitride film 12A can stop the formation of the silicate layer, and thereby prevent the increase in the thickness of the base oxide film 12.
However, the productivity can be adversely affected in this case due to the fact that the nitriding process has to be newly added to form the oxynitride film 12A. In addition, it is very difficult to control the nitrogen concentration in the thickness direction of the base oxide film layer 12. Furthermore, if the nitrogen concentration is enriched near the interface between the base oxide film 12 and the silicon substrate 11, formation of interface states may develop and problems such as carrier capturing and formation of leakage current path may arise.

Method for forming insulating film on substrate, method for manufacturing semiconductor device and substrate-processing apparatus


Configuration settings can be transferred from one machine by executing a first client application on a source machine to retrieve the configuration settings of the source machine. The configuration settings may be transformed into a platform and application independent format before being transferred to a target machine where a second client application transforms the configuration settings into platform or application dependent parameters appropriate for the target machine. In one example, the configuration parameters include a power policy that can be applied across a network.

The process of configuring machines on a computer network, whether physical machines or virtual machines, can be a laborious process. Typically, each machine is required to be configured individually, which can make it difficult to standardize configurations across a network. In particular, network policies are typically implemented machine by machine and even user by user.
What is required is a system and method for transporting configuration parameters across machines on a network.

System and method for transporting platform independent power configuration parameters


The embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to identifying and removing background noise in spectroscopic imaging of a sample. Because white-light has essentially constant intensity at every wavelength, background noise caused by white light can be identified and removed from spectroscopic measurements including Raman spectroscopy. Thus, once the Raman spectrum for a sample is obtained, it may be corrected to remove the white-light dispersive spectrum in accordance with the embodiments disclosed herein.

Spectroscopic imaging combines digital imaging and molecular spectroscopy techniques, which can include Raman scattering, fluorescence, photoluminescence, ultraviolet, visible and infrared absorption spectroscopies. When applied to the chemical analysis of materials, spectroscopic imaging is commonly referred to as chemical imaging. Instruments for performing spectroscopic (i.e. chemical) imaging typically comprise image gathering optics, focal plane array imaging detectors and imaging spectrometers.
In general, the sample size determines the choice of image gathering optic. For example, a microscope is typically employed for the analysis of sub micron to millimeter spatial dimension samples. For larger objects, in the range of millimeter to meter dimensions, macro lens optics are appropriate. For samples located within relatively inaccessible environments, flexible fiberscopes or rigid borescopes can be employed. For very large scale objects, such as planetary objects, telescopes are appropriate image gathering optics.
For detection of images formed by the various optical systems, two-dimensional, imaging focal plane array (FPA) detectors are typically employed. The choice of FPA detector is governed by the spectroscopic technique employed to characterize the sample of interest. For example, silicon (Si) charge-coupled device (CCD) detectors, a type of FPA, are typically employed with visible wavelength fluorescence and Raman spectroscopic imaging systems, while indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) FPA detectors are typically employed with near-infrared spectroscopic imaging systems.
A variety of imaging spectrometers have been devised for spectroscopic imaging systems. Examples include, without limitation, grating spectrometers, filter wheels, Sagnac interferometers, Michelson interferometers and tunable filters such as acousto-optic tunable filters (AOTFs) and liquid crystal tunable filters (LCTFs).
A number of imaging spectrometers, including AOTFs and LCTFs are polarization sensitive, passing one linear polarization and rejecting the orthogonal linear polarization. As a result, theoretical efficiency is 50%. Practical efficiency is reduced due to scattering losses, imperfect spectrometer action, absorption losses in polarizing optics, etc. Practical efficiency of 30% peak transmittance or less is more typical. Previous spectroscopic imaging instruments accepted the optical losses associated with polarization sensitive imaging spectrometers.
The efficiency of imaging spectrometers is also a function of the system-specific noise caused by background light. For example, the LCTF has a wavelength dependent transmission modulation which affect's the accuracy and the efficiency of measuring sharp Raman bands with weak Raman scatterers. Experiments with certain LCTF devices show complicated interactions arising in the material and structure of the imaging devices produce a spatial and spectral modulation of light coming through the imaging device. The modulation produces an apparent background signal that is not uniform and masks the real signal. Much of the background noise has comparable structural features (e.g., peak width) as the Raman signal. For material having weak Raman scattering or samples having a low concentration of the material being studied, the background noise can mask or obscure the real signal. Because the ability to detect Raman vibrational features on a uniform background is critical to identifying small signal levels, the background noise can have a detrimental affect on the spectral detection.

Method and apparatus for spectral modulation compensation


To simplify fitting, securing and cleaning of a water trap to/from a washbasin or sink, there is provided a washbasin valve which has a water trap integral therewith and which forms a unit that can be inserted into and secured to the bottom of a washbasin, therewith a water drainage system can be connected directly to the valve. The washbasin valve is fitted by pushing the valve into a hole in the bottom of the basin and securing the valve therein, whereafter the valve is connected directly to a drain pipe. In cleaning the water trap, the seal is drawn-up out of the valve with the water drainage system still connected. No water will be spilled unnecessarily onto the floor beneath the washbasin in so doing.

Water traps are provided at all points where waste-water drainage systems are connected to washbasins, sinks, floor drains and the like, to prevent the spreading of bad air. The water trap is a so-called communicating vessel having two separated liquid surfaces which permit the passage of liquid while excluding air, wherein the two liquid surfaces may be subjected to different air pressures from different air systems.
Water traps are normally fitted beneath washbasins and sink units in direct connection therewith. Because of their often impractical positions, it is difficult to clean such water traps without dirtying surrounding areas.
Floor drains often have a built-in water trap, which thus forms part of a construction. It is therefore often difficult to clean floor drains and water traps that are used in conjunction with shower cabinets and bathtubs, both of which must be connected to a floor drainage system. U.S. Pat. No. 3,725,964 teaches a liftable plumbing trap for connection to water outlets, for instance.
Lifting of the plumbing trap taught by U.S. Pat. No. 3,725,964, however, requires that the trap must be unscrewed from its mounting in order to be lifted. Unscrewing of the trap is effected with the aid of a strainer connected to a closure plug. The screwing action is transmitted through an arrangement of openings and hooks.
FR 65 148 teaches a water trap construction in which an insert in the water trap can be lifted with the aid of the closure valve. The insert is provided at its bottom with a water trap function. The actual water trap, however, is fixedly connected to the drain pipe and cannot therefore be lifted. It is not therefore possible to clean the water trap by lifting the insert.
DE-21 50 158 teaches a water trap, or plumbing trap, which although it can be lifted requires the attachment of a separate lifting device to this end.
The object of the present invention is to provide a water trap which can be removed in its entirety for cleaning purposes, and which is constructed to enable the seal to be removed with a simple lifting movement without the need of a separate lifting device to this end.
This object has been achieved in accordance with the invention, with a water trap of the kind defined in the preamble of Claim 1 and having the particular features set forth in the characterizing clause of said Claim.

Washbasin valve with integrated water trap


A post processing apparatus of a graphics controller to filter decompressed video data. An embodiment of the apparatus includes a buffer and a de-ringing filter. The buffer is configured to read a pixel line of video data from memory. The pixel line includes pixels from adjacent macroblocks of the video data. The de-ringing filter is coupled to the buffer. The de-ringing filter is configured to identify a maximum pixel jump between adjacent pairs of pixels in the pixel line and to apply a de-ringing filter to a pixel within a pixel subset of the pixel line in response to a determination that the pixel is not an edge pixel. The determination that the pixel is not an edge pixel is based on the identified maximum pixel jump.

Video compression is used to make video data files such as full-length movies relatively manageable for storage (e.g., in optical storage media), processing, and transmission. In general, video compression is achieved by eliminating redundant and irrelevant information. Video information typically does not vary significantly over time and space because video images typically consist of smooth regions of color across the screen. Hence, a significant part of the video information in an image is predictable and therefore redundant. Accordingly, video compression is used to remove the redundant information and leave only the unpredictable information.
Irrelevant video image information is information that cannot be seen by the human eye under certain reasonable viewing conditions. For example, the human eye does not readily perceive noise at high spatial frequencies (compared to noise at low spatial frequencies) or loss of details immediately before and after a scene change. Accordingly, video compression is also used to remove irrelevant information. The combination of redundant information removal and irrelevant information removal facilitates relatively high compression ratios for video data files.
Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) is a family of standards for audio-visual information in a digital compressed format. MPEG is a recognized standard of the International Standards Organization (ISO). MPEG compression is one type of video compression that incorporates various conventional techniques to remove redundant and irrelevant information from video data files. Some of these conventional techniques include motion-compensated prediction, discrete cosine transform (DCT), quantization, and variable-length coding (VLC). DCT is an algorithm that converts pixel data into sets of spatial frequencies with associated coefficients. Due to the non-uniform distribution of the DCT coefficients (because most of the non-zero DCT coefficients of an image tend to be located in a general area), VLC is typically used to exploit this distribution characteristic to distinguish between non-zero DCT coefficients and zero DCT coefficients. In so doing, redundant/predictable information can be removed. Additionally, having decomposed the video image into spatial frequencies under DCT means that higher frequencies via their associated DCT coefficients can be coded with less precision than the lower frequencies via their associated DCT coefficients. This allows irrelevant information to be removed. Hence, quantization may be generalized as an operation to weight the DCT coefficients based on the amount of noise that the human eye can tolerate at each spatial frequency so that a reduced set of coefficients can be generated.
However, when a highly compressed video data file is decompressed, image degradations involving noise artifacts may occur in the decompressed video images. Generally, there are two types of degradation noise artifacts: blocking artifacts and ringing artifacts. Blocking artifacts are typically manifested as discontinuities between adjacent video pixel data blocks. Blocking artifacts are created when DCT coefficients of video pixel blocks are quantized and processed independently without consideration for the pixel correlation between adjacent blocks. Ringing artifacts are typically manifested as local flickering near an edge. Ringing artifacts are created when high frequency DCT coefficients are truncated as a result of coarse quantizations.
Conventional de-ringing filter technology is referenced in the MPEG standards. However, the conventional de-ringing filter technology implements a two-dimensional (2D), non-linear filter, which is relatively complicated. Additionally, the conventional 2D, non-linear filter takes three scans to implement.

De-ringing filter for decompressed video data


According to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, a capacitor may be connected to a gate electrode of a transistor. The capacitor includes a first gate electrode connected to the gate electrode of the transistor, a gate insulation layer formed on the first gate electrode, and an upper electrode formed on the gate insulation layer. The upper electrode is formed to cover a region where the first gate electrode and the upper electrode are overlapped. The capacitor is applicable to at least one of a light emitting driving circuit and a scan driving circuit, and at least one of the light emitting driving circuit and the scan driving circuit may be included in a display device.

Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a capacitor, a driving circuit including the capacitor, and a display device including the driving circuit.
Discussion of the Background
A display device may include a driving circuit for generating a plurality of scan signals or light emission control signals. The display device may include a plurality of pixels, and each of the pixels may include a light emitting element.
The driving circuit may generate a plurality of scan signals having gate-on levels to provide gray voltages to a plurality of pixels. In addition to providing the gray voltages, the driving circuit may generate a plurality of light emission control signals having gate-on levels.
The driving circuit may include a transistor in which a capacitor is connected between a gate and a source thereof. A parasitic capacitance may be generated by the structure of the capacitor. The voltage supplied to the gate of the transistor may be affected by the parasitic capacitance.
If the gate voltage of the transistor is affected by the parasitic capacitance, an operation of the transistor may be different from the theoretical operation of the transistor. This may cause a difference between a target voltage and the gate-on level of the light emission control signal or the gate-on level of the scan signal as an output of the driving circuit.
When an image is displayed according to an image signal inputted into the display device, such voltage error may cause serious image quality deterioration.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the disclosed subject matter and therefore may contain information that does not form any part of the prior art nor what the prior art may suggest to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Capacitor, driving circuit comprising the capacitor, and display device comprising the driving circuit


An electromagnetic radiation emitting bulb, comprising a housing; one or more power input terminals disposed on that housing; a voltage converter disposed within the housing, where the voltage converter is electrically connected to the one or more power input terminals; and one or more electromagnetic radiation emitting devices disposed within the housing, where those one or more electromagnetic radiation emitting devices are electrically connected to the voltage converter. A method to emit electromagnetic radiation from a hand-carried device comprising an electromagnetic radiation emitting bulb and one or more battery cells. The method supplies first DC power having a first voltage from the one or more battery cells to the bulb, converts within the bulb the first DC power to second DC power having a second voltage, supplies within the bulb the second DC power to one or more electromagnetic radiation emitting /devices, and emits electromagnetic radiation.

Low voltage light bulbs typically comprise one or more incandescent elements in a glass envelope. At best, such incandescent bulbs have short lifetimes. In addition, such incandescent light bulbs are fragile, and if dropped have even shorter lifetimes. In addition, these incandescent light bulbs are inefficient at converting electric energy into visible light, i.e. photons. The brightness of an incandescent light bulb is generally ay function of the voltage applied. In flashlight applications, to get a brighter light one needs to use more batteries. However, a different low voltage incandescent light bulb is required for each discrete number of battery cells.
Alkaline batteries typically provide a voltage of about 1.5 volts per cell. An incandescent bulb that is designed to be powered by one cell will burn out if powered by two or more cells in series. On the other hand, a bulb designed to operate using 4.5 volts, provided for example from three alkaline cells in series, will not produce much light if powered by a single cell. When powered by two cells such a device will produce a light having a yellowish cast due to the lower temperature filament. When powered by a single cell the light emitted from such a device will be very dim. Therefore, in order to provide sufficient light output, a different light bulb is needed for each combination of battery cells.
The required multiplicity of light bulbs is further compounded with use of rechargeable batteries. Nickel Cadmium cells (NICAD, for example, typically have a voltage of about 1.2 volts per cell. A bulb designed for use with three alkaline cells, however, will not provide sufficient light if powered by three NICAD cells. Thus, a different light bulb is required for each combination of NICAD cells. Needless to say, a single bulb using incandescent technology that can be usefully operated over a large input voltage range would be highly desirable. Applicant's invention comprises such a light bulb.
It is known in the art that light emitting diodes, i.e. LEDs, can overcome some of the limitations inherent with incandescent light bulbs. However, the applied voltage must be high enough to overcome the characteristic voltage drop of the LED. Typically, a preferred method to operate an LED is to use a voltage higher than the turn on voltage of the LED, and to limit the current through the LED with a current limiting resistor. This requires using a voltage higher than that actually required by the LED. Such a method, however, prevents LEDs from being used as lighting elements with very low voltage systems. In addition to voltage-related problems, light emitting diodes can be destroyed by driving too much current through the device. Thus, use of an LED requires adjustment of both the voltage and current supplied to that LED.
Prior art LED light bulbs are designed for use with only one specific voltage. This specified voltage must necessarily exceed the voltage drop of the LED. In addition, these prior art devices include one or more LEDs in combination with one or more dropping resistor(s) to limit the current to the LED(s). Typically such prior art LED light bulbs require three battery cells in series to provide more than four volts to light a white LED.
The difficulties inherent with use of such prior art LED light bulbs are also compounded if rechargeable batteries are used. As noted above; Nickel Cadmium cells (NICAD) typically have a voltage of about 1.2 volts per cell. Using three such NICAD cells only provides about 3.6 volts, which is marginal for some white LEDs. Use of four cells, however, can result in premature LED device failure. Therefore, use of NICAD cells to power an LED light bulb requires four NICAD cells in combination with one or more current limiting resistors. Such a combination is necessarily designed for a specific voltage based upon the voltage drop of the LED and the current limiting resistor(s).
Thus, use of such prior art LED light bulbs is subject to constraints almost identical to use of incandescent bulbs. What is needed is an LED light bulb that can be used over a wide range of input voltages. Such a device can be used interchangeably with, for example, a flashlight using one, two, or three, batteries, where those batteries may be of the non-rechargeable or rechargeable type. Applicant's invention comprises such an LED light bulb.

Electromagnetic radiation emitting bulb and method using same in a portable device


A presser assembly for a turning conveyor comprises multiple presser rollers that are mounted with the axis of rotation of each roller generally parallel to a radius of the turn and at sufficiently close spacings that each article is pressed against the conveyor by at least one of the presser rollers at all times during its traverse of the conveyance path around the turn. Positive turn-gripping of each article is attained by use of resiliently compressible presser rollers having significant width and which are tapered, sized and canted such that the presser-contact segment of its periphery is parallel to the underlying conveyance surface and moves in the same direction and at the same velocity as the underlying segment of the conveyor, across the full width of the roller, whereby each article is maintained in the same orientation relative to the underlying conveyor throughout the turn. Each of the rollers is mounted for free floating action toward and away from the conveyor surface, and all of the presser rollers are mounted on one vertically adjustable support whereby all are simultaneously adjustable vertically to accommodate articles of significantly different thicknesses.

There are many circumstances where it is desired to turn articles such as sheets of paper, flyers, signatures, booklets, books or the like as they are conveyed around a corner while maintaining the orientation of those articles relative to the conveyor. A variety of turning conveyers are available for these general purposes, including so-called slat-top chain conveyors, flat belt conveyors, live-roller conveyors and, in some circumstances, articulated segment conveyors. The latter may include interfitted articulated segments or overlapping fish-scale type segments and normally are used primarily for conveying relatively large objects.
In many of the applications for turning conveyors, it is desirable to convey articles around turns through various angles, up to at least 180.degree., with relative short turning radii to save space, and at high speeds to save time, while maintaining each article in a predetermined orientation relative to the underlying conveyor, e.g., from the input into the turn to the output from the turn. It is also desirable to minimize or avoid the need for side guides to force the product around a turn and to minimize or avoid significant banking of the conveyor as it traverses a turn. The articles being conveyed may be shingled or spaced individual items of various sizes, and may be of varying thicknesses. Accordingly, it is desirable to readily accommodate variations in the thickness as well as the size of the articles.


An engaging device (a switching clutch C0 or a switching brake B0) switches a shifting mechanism 10 between a continuously variable shifting state and a step-variable shifting state. In particular. The step-variable shifting state is set in a high speed running, because a first electric motor M1 need not bear a reaction torque against an input torque TINS inputted into a differential portion 11, the first electric motor M1 is prevented from being large-sized and suppressed in durability lowering. Even when switching to the step-variable shifting state is unable, the input torque TINS against which the first electric motor M1 should bear the reaction torque, is limited by an input torque control means 86, and the first electric motor M1 is prevented from being large-sized and suppressed in durability lowering.

There has heretofore been known a drive apparatus of a vehicle including a differential device through which an output of a drive power source, such as an engine or the like, is distributed to a first electric motor and an output member, and a second electric motor disposed between the output member and drive wheels. Such drive apparatus for a hybrid vehicle is disclosed for example in the Patent Literature 1 (JP 2000-2327A). It includes a differential mechanism being comprised of a planetary gear unit and performing a differential action for mechanically transmitting a major part of power outputted from the engine to drive wheels. A remaining part of power from the engine is electrically transmitted from the first electric motor to the second electric motor using an electrical path. Thus, the drive apparatus operates a transmission of which shifting ratio is electrically changed, for example as an electrically controlled continuously variable automatic transmission. The drive apparatus is controlled by the control device so that the vehicle runs with the optimum operation state of the engine, thus improving fuel consumption, i.e., mileage.
However, for a hybrid vehicle drive apparatus such as that disclosed in Patent Literature 1 to be controlled as a transmission which electrically changes the shifting ratio, the first electric motor bears a reaction torque against an input torque, such as an output torque of the engine (referred to hereinafter as "engine torque"), that is inputted into the drive apparatus. The first electric motor is required to have a reaction torque capacity that corresponds to the engine torque. In order to increase the reaction torque born by the first electric motor in accordance with an increase of the engine torque, etc. demanded for example to obtain a desired running performance, the first electric motor had to be made larger in size as the engine was made higher in the output.
In other words, if a large-sizing of the first electric motor is difficult from the standpoint of installation in the vehicle, the first electric motor may not bear the reaction torque against the engine torque and the durability thereof may be lowered or degraded. The large-sizing prevention and durability maintenance of the first electric motor are incompatible with each other, and cannot readily be realized at the same time.

Control device for vehicle drive apparatus


A coil component may include a body having a support member including a through hole, a coil disposed on at least one of an upper surface and a lower surface of the support member, and a magnetic material encapsulating the coil and the support member, and filling the through hole. The coil includes a coil pattern. The coil component further includes an external electrode connected to the coil. At least one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the support member includes a groove, having a shape corresponding to a shape of the coil pattern, and at least a portion of the coil pattern is embedded in the groove.

Recently, with the trend for miniaturization and thinning of smartphones and wearable devices, the sizes of chips included in power inductors has been reduced, and composite materials using magnetic metallic materials have been used in power inductors to achieve high efficiency.
Efforts have been undertaken to realize miniaturized power inductors having features such as high inductance and low direct current resistance (Rdc), due to the limitations of chip size. For example, the content of a magnetic material may be increased for the same chip size by changing a C-shaped external electrode extending to the upper surface of a conventional chip to an L-shaped external electrode not extending to the upper surface of the conventional chip. However, notwithstanding this effort, the problems caused by delamination, due to difficulties in securing adhesion between heterogeneous materials or by an increase in the content of magnetic materials, have not been solved.

Coil component and method for fabricating the same


A semiconductor metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) with increased on-state current obtained through a parasitic bipolar junction transistor (BJT) of the MOSFET. Methods of operating the MOSFET as a memory cell or a memory array select transistor are provided.

Because PN junctions are created in source-to-channel and the drain-to-channel of a MOSFET, a BJT is inherently formed during manufacture of the MOSFET. The inherent BJT is connected in parallel to the MOSFET, where emitter, base, and collector of the BJT are formed from the source, channel, and drain of the MOSFET, respectively.
In a conventional MOSFET, the intrinsic BJT rarely contributes to the drain current. Currently, the manufacturing process and operation scheme for MOSFETs are designed to nullify the effect of the inherent BJT. Clearly, a manufacturing process and operation scheme that would utilize the inherent BJT to enhance the MOSFET performance would be desirable.
When a MOSFET is used as a select transistor of a memory element for embedded application or stand-alone application, it would be desirable to maximize the on-state current drivability for write and read operations while minimizing the channel width or physical area of the select transistor.
One-time programmable (OTP) memory is becoming popular and common for various applications. Particularly, OTP embedded in SoC (system on a chip) become more prevalent in consumer electronics, industry, automobile, security, internet-of-things applications.
As the embedded OTP memory is incorporated onto the same underlying SoC semiconductor, it would be desirable if the process modification and added layer from the baseline process are minimized.
OTP based on gate dielectric antifuse are broadly used, wherein the gate dielectric capacitor is used as storage element. The conductive channel across the gate dielectric capacitor is formed by dielectric breakdown forced by high voltage pulse. One category of the OTP uses a storage capacitor coupled in series with a select transistor. This category of OTP has a disadvantage in its area density. Another category of the OTP is cross-point memory consisting of a single gate dielectric capacitor. The cross-point memory is attractive due to its compact area. However, previous cross-point OTP involves process complexity or high leakage current due to uncontrollable selection diode.

Memory cell and memory array select transistor


A helmet system having: an outer helmet, an inner helmet, at least one connector resiliently joining the outer helmet to the inner helmet, the resilient connector being configured to allow the outer helmet to rotate about the inner helmet, and one or more straps configured to be connected to the inner helmet to secure the inner helmet to a wearer's head. The helmet system does not have any straps configured to secure the outer helmet directly to the wearer's head. A helmet visor and other helmet configurations are also provided.

Conventionally, participants in "contact" sports (e.g., wrestling, football, rugby, baseball, lacrosse, cricket, skiing, snowboarding, hockey, skateboarding, action sports, snow spots, and bicycling) wear protective headgear to cushion the force of impacts that are regularly received during those events. Similarly, participants in other sport activities, such as bicycling, skiing, horseback riding, and so on, often wear protective headgear to protect against occasional falls or contact with environmental obstacles.
In recent years, the effectiveness of protective headgear has been a subject of close scrutiny. Despite recent efforts to reduce injuries from head impacts, participants in certain contact sports have been experiencing an increased frequency of such injuries. This might be attributed to such efforts being focused on adding impact padding, without a complete understanding of the possible negative effects of adding weight to the headgear.
In any event, there exists a need to develop and provide improved protective headgear to reduce the frequency and severity of injuries caused during contact sports and other activities that present a risk of head injuries.


Methods and systems are described for applying the use of shards within a single memory address space. A database request is processed by providing the request from a client to a processor, the processor then distributing the request to multiple threads within a single process but executing in a shared memory address environment, wherein each thread performs the request on a distinct shard, and aggregating the results of the multiple threads being aggregated and returning a final result to the client. By parallelizing operations in this way, the request response time can be reduced and the total amount of communication overhead can be reduced.

The present invention relates to means and methods for reducing the time that is required to search a database, insert records into a database, update records in a database, or delete records from a database.
The ability within a database to quickly insert, update, select, or delete individual records that match a particular criterion is of substantial commercial value. Some database systems offer enhanced speed at the cost of sacrificing the ACID (atomicity, consistency, isolation, durability) properties of the database system. The ability to offer high performance while still maintaining the integrity of these properties is greatly desired.
One way to improve the response time of a request to a database is to partition the database table into smaller components ("partitions") by distributing the records, or rows, to different database processes. Each partition is located in a separate process, or a distinct virtual address space managed by the host operating system. The partitions may be on either separate database servers or the same database server. Each individual partition is referred to as a database "shard." An advantage of this approach is that the number of rows in each table is reduced. The use of shards ("sharding") reduces the index size, reduces contention on database resources, and allows for improved performance. Depending on the method used to partition the database it may be possible to execute a request on a limited subset of the shards when it is known that the limited subset would contain all of the request responses.
However, sharding suffers a penalty in that data must be explicitly communicated between shards when operations occur that require communication between shards such as a join, ordering with a limit, or some other aggregation.
While sharding may reduce database response time, there is additional overhead in maintaining a distributed partition map for the database shards and creating the communication structures that are necessary to distribute the requests and consolidate responses. In common practice, much of this overhead is managed outside the database in the application layer of software, since the database is itself sharded and has no central repository to manage this state. This additional complexity makes sharding less usable and therefore less desirable to application developers.
When a database is sharded, the communication overhead can be a significant cost. Before intermediate results from each shard can be reduced to a final result set, the intermediates must be communicated to a central process that aggregates the intermediates and produces the final result set. Often during the aggregation process many of the intermediates are discarded. Those intermediate results which do not actually qualify as part of the final result set use up valuable bandwidth in communication channels which can be quite expensive.
It is therefore desirable to improve the response time and decrease the maintenance overhead associated with database requests.

Method and system for parallelizing database requests


An integrated power module includes a substantially planar insulated metal substrate having at least one cut-out region; at least one substantially planar ceramic substrate disposed within the cut-out region, wherein the ceramic substrate is framed on at least two sides by the insulated metal substrate, the ceramic substrate including a first metal layer on a first side and a second metal layer on a second side; at least one power semiconductor device coupled to the first side of the ceramic substrate; at least one control device coupled to a first surface of the insulated metal substrate; a power overlay electrically connecting the at least one semiconductor power device and the at least one control device; and a cooling fluid reservoir operatively connected to the second metal layer of the at least one ceramic substrate, wherein a plurality of cooling fluid passages are provided in the cooling fluid reservoir.

The present technology relates generally to electronic packaging, and in some examples, to power electronic packages applicable to power semiconductor devices that provide high device performance and high thermal performance.
To fully utilize the capabilities of high-power semiconductor devices, there is a need to provide the electrical, structural, and thermal environments compatible with their packaging requirements. The development of advanced devices has made it increasingly more difficult to cool power semiconductor devices. Generally, high-power semiconductor devices are packaged with brazed or direct bond copper (DBC). Such packaging is expensive and thus typically limited to high performance applications. Some cost has been lowered by reducing the amount of substrate material, and some reliability has increased when power overlay assemblies such as described in commonly assigned Ozmat et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,461 are used to replace wire bonds. In addition, some power electronics packaging techniques have also incorporated milli-channel technologies in substrates to improve thermal performance in power modules.
One technology that gives an economic way to provide a high degree of heat dissipation is insulated metal substrate technology, commonly referred to as IMS. A typical insulated metal substrate comprises at least one metal support substrate, generally aluminum alloy, on which electro-conducting metal, generally copper, is adhered by means of a layer of electrically-insulating and thermally-conducting material. However, in power electronics, the heat dissipation provided by the insulated metal substrate technology is typically less than DBC technology, and it may be inadequate in certain applications to ensure that there is no thermal fatigue.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a cost effective power electronics package that further advances state of the art power module thermal performance while simultaneously providing superior electrical functionality characteristics. Additional costs savings and reliability improvements would also be desirable.