A method and system for planning a future telecommunications network from an existing telecommunications network interconnecting a plurality of users utilizes an input device for determining future demands for the future telecommunications network. A processor then determines future characteristics of a plurality of loops connecting each of the users to a central office based on the future demands. Future characteristics of a plurality of transports connecting each of the central offices is determined based on the future demands. The processor then determines future characteristics of switches disposed in each of the central offices based on the future characteristics of the plurality of loops and the plurality of transports. Future characteristics of common systems disposed within each of the central offices is determined based on the future characteristics of the switches. The future telecommunications network can then be planned based on the future characteristics of the plurality of loops, the plurality of transports, the switches, and the common systems.

Telecommunications networks consist of many cooperating subsystems. These subsystems include the components connecting customer equipment with a central office (CO), known as outside plant (OSP) or loop components, switching equipment within the CO, interoffice (IOF) connections and support, and common systems that support OSP, switch and IOF services use.
Customer services sold create a demand on the OSP portion of the network. The OSP demand defines requirements for switching and interoffice transport. All three technologies define the need for common systems. Traditionally, these four areas of the telecommunications network are planned independently, with the only joint planning involving individual planners defining common requirements for their individual efforts.
Capacity planning processes provided little capability for studying business strategies and longrange budget options. Currently, such studies are accomplished using different tools which provide different budget requirements and technical solutions than those identified based on day-to-day planning, leading to significant gaps between strategies developed at a high level and what is actually implemented. This, in turn, results in marketing services where the actual deployment of capacity and capability has not been done to meet envisioned demand. As the telecommunications market and technology becomes more complex with shorter time available to provide the services, market efforts and actual deployment need to become integrated and flexible.
Current network planning and engineering tools fail to integrate several critical requirements. First, the entire telecommunications network must be considered. Second, current and future capacity requirements must be incorporated. Third, inventories of installed and installable equipment must be maintained and used in planning considerations. Fourth, technology migration must be enabled. Finally, the tool must be flexible enough to adapt to changing business practices.

Method and system for planning a telecommunications network


A liquid-handling apparatus has a liquid switch, which has a first channel branching into a second and a third channel, wherein the channels are formed in a rotation body. The channels are adapted to route a liquid volume from the first channel into one of the second channel and the third channel dependent on whether a Coriolis force and/or an Euler force prevails a centrifugal force or not. A liquid-handling apparatus having such a liquid switch is particularly suited for applications in which different volumes of liquid have to be passed through a stationary phase.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of fluidics and, in particular, a liquid-handling apparatus having a liquid switch and a method for handling liquids. More particular, the present invention relates to a liquid-handling apparatus and method in which liquid volumes are driven by the centrifugal force and in which liquid volumes can be routed from a common inlet to one of two outlet channels, into which the inlet channel branches.
2. Description of Prior Art
Rotating disks have been introduced as convenient platforms, which allow flow control based on centrifugal forces, see M. J. Madou and G. J. Kellogg: "LabCD: A centrifuge-based, microfluidic platform for diagnostics", in Proceedings of SPIE, vol. 3259, 1998, pp 80-93; Michael J. Felton, "CD-based fluidics may offer a simple pumping alternative for lab-on-a-chip systems for some everyday applications", Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 75, No. 13, Jul. 1, 2003, pp. 302A to 306A; G. Ekstrand et al., "Microfluidics on a rotating CD", Proceedings of μTAS 2000, Eds. A. van den Berg, W. Olthuis and P. Bergveld; C. T. Schembri et al., "Centrifugation and capillarity integrated into a multiple analyte whole-blood analyzer", vol. 17, no. 3, ppl 99 to 104, 1995; and D. C. Duffy et al., "Rapid prototyping of microfluidic switches in poly(dimethyl siloxane) and their actuation by electro-osmotic flow", J. Micromech. Microeng. 9, pp. 211 to 217, 1999.
Centrifugals systems are known from the following companies: Abaxis at www.abaxis.com; Gyros at www.gyros.com; Tecon at www.tecan.com.
The centrifugal force creates an artificial gravity pointing in a radial direction. Flow control on rotating platforms is, for instance, achieved by capillary-burst valves, which are hydrophobic patches blocking a flow until a specific angular speed is reached. So far, the impact of the pseudo Coriolis force has not been considered for those platforms, despite the fact that the Coriolis force can prevail over all other forces beyond a certain speed of rotation.
Making use of the above-mentioned effect to realize a novel flow switch, which is controlled by the Coriolis force, is shown in the article T. Brenner, T. Glatzel, R. Zengerle, J. Ducrée: A Flow Switch Based on Coriolis Force, Proc. μTAS 2003, Oct. 5-9, 2003, Squaw Valley, Calif., USA, 2003, 903-906. The technique described in this article goes back to the inventors of the present invention and was made public on Oct. 5, 2004 for the first time. This article shows a flow switch, which is controlled by the Coriolis force on a centrifugal "lab-on-a-disk" platform (lab=laboratory). The Coriolis switch consists of an inverse Y-structure with one common upstream channel and two symmetric outlets. Above a certain threshold frequency ω0, the Coriolis force becomes dominant to direct nearly 100% of the flow in one of the outlets, which is selected by the direction of rotation. According to this article, the threshold frequency has been measured to be 350 rad s−1 for a channel width of 360 micrometers and a depth of 125 micrometers.
Coriolis-induced switching has been published by the inventors in further publications, see Thilo Brenner, Thomas Glatzel, Roland Zengerle and Jens Ducrée: "Frequency Dependent Transversal Flow Control in Centrifugal Microfluidics", accepted for publication in Lab on a Chip, 2004; J. Ducrée, T. Glatzel, T. Brenner, R. Zengerle: "Coriolis-Induced Flow Control for Micro- and Nanofluidic Lab-on-a-disk Technologies", International Forum on Micro & Nano Integration (MINIT), 3-4. December 2003, Potsdam, Germany, 2003, pp. 147-153; J. Ducrée, T. Glatzel, T. Brenner, R. Zengerle: "Coriolis-Induced Flow Control in Centrifugal Microfluidics", Proc. NanoTech 2003; Nov. 25-27, 2003, Montreux, Switzerland, 2003; and J. Ducrée, T. Brenner, T. Glatzel, R. Zengerle: "Coriolis-Induced Switching and Mixing of Laminar Flows in Rotating Microchannels", Proc. Micro. Tec 2003, Oct. 14-15, 2003, Munich, Germany, 2003, 397-404.
With respect to the technique of a flow switch based on Coriolis force, the teachings of the above-mentioned publications going back to the inventors of the present invention are introduced herein by reference.
In the field of microbiology, stationary phases are used for extraction, upgrading and purification of substances. Extraction, upgrading and purification of important substances, such as nucleic acids, typically requires a sequence of liquid volumes to be run through a stationary phase, which can be formed by silica particles, for example.
The sequence of liquid volumes comprises a sample buffer, a wash buffer and an elution buffer in this order. Depending on the present chemical conditions, pH, temperature or ionic strength of the solution, for example, the target molecules bind to the stationary phase in a specific manner and, thereafter, solve in purified and an upgraded manner in the elution buffer.
In conventional systems, the liquid volumes are driven through the stationary phase, making use of classical hydrodynamic pumps, the gravity or by centrifugation, so-called "spin columns". After each step except for the last step, the substances driven through the stationary phase have to be removed from the bottom of the receiving vessel, generally manually in order to provide, in the last step, the pure eluate including the extracted sample. In a routine operation, this method comprising a plurality of steps is very time-consuming, cumbersome and liable to faults, in particular, if a plurality of samples have to be treated.

Liquid-handling apparatus having a liquid switch and method for handling liquids


The method for retrofitting a double flow steam turbine includes opening an outer casing of the steam turbine, removing the blade carriers and the stator blades, removing the inner casing with inlet belt, removing the double flow rotor and the rotor blades. Thus, the method includes the further steps of providing a new single flow rotor and new rotor blades different from the rotor blades connected to the double flow rotor, providing balancers connected to the single flow rotor, to balance the axial thrust, providing new stator blade carriers and new stator blades different from the stator blades associated to the double flow rotor, providing a new inner casing with inlet belt, providing a passage between the inner casing and the outer casing, closing the outer casing.

FIG. 1 shows a double flow steam turbine.
Double flow steam turbines 1 have a double flow rotor 2 that carries rotor blades 3, 4 and correspondingly stator blades carriers 5, 6 that carry stator blades 7, 8, defining two symmetrical steam paths 9, 10.
Steam is supplied via an inner casing 11a with an inlet belt 11b and passes through the steam paths 9, 10 to be then discharged through exhaust areas 13, 14; from the exhaust areas 13, 14 the steam S passes down through the condenser neck 15 to reach the condenser.
In some cases, the exhaust areas 13, 14 are too large; for example the steam turbine actual operation could occur with a lower mass flow than the design mass flow or with a higher backpressure than the design one.
In order to improve efficiency and maximise performance, the exhaust areas 13, 14 should be modified in order to match the actual capacity conditions of the condenser.

Method for retrofitting a double flow steam turbine


An apparatus for receiving an optical-fibre connector comprises an enveloping housing and a receiving housing which is constructed from a first housing part and a second housing part and is mounted in the enveloping housing in a fashion capable of rotating, where cylindrical wall sections of the receiving housing have restricting cams which co-operate with the enveloping housing in such a way that the range of the rotation angles of the optical-fibre connector is restricted.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the general field of optical fibre connectors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A floor box is disclosed in EP 410 588 B1. In modern offices and in other working spaces, floor boxes are used in order to be able to feed a plurality of power lines and signal lines directly to the various workplaces. Floor boxes are desired in large office spaces, in particular, because here the lines can be laid under the floor to the workplace instead of above the floor. The danger of tripping is excluded and the workplaces can be fitted out independently of the walls. The equipment required at the workplace, such as telephone, computer etc. is no longer connected to the appropriate system via wall-mounted socket-outlets, but close to the workplace beneath the floor box. Different modules for each type of line are arranged in the floor box. EP 410 588 B1 teaches how the modules are arranged movably for the purpose of user friendliness and of greater ease of accessibility. When the system is constructed for optical fibres, it must be borne in mind particularly that the optical fibre is not too tightly bent during the possible movements. Bending the optical fibre too tightly results in attenuation of the signal.

Arrangement for receiving an optical-fibre connector, in particular for a floor box


The invention relates to a method for detection of a methicillin resistant coagulase positive Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain by means of a sequence specific amplification reaction.

Staphylococcus aureus (SA) has long been recognized as a human pathogen responsible for a wide range of afflictions. Since its first identification in the early 1960s methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become one of the most significant pathogens worldwide and is capable of causing a wide range of hospital infections. Staphylococcus aureus infections can be lethal.
Staphylococcus aureus is part of the normal skin flora in healthy persons and is mainly found in the anterior nasal sinus, in the throat, the openings of the mammary glands and on the skin. However, it can cause severe infections when the general condition of the patient is weakened, for example after tissue injury or surgical intervention. SA is described as the most frequent cause of sepsis, skin and soft-tissue infections and pneumonia worldwide.
The ability of SA to adapting to rapidly changing environments was seen in the emergence of Staphylococcus aureus strains that acquired resistance mechanisms to a large number of antimicrobial agents shortly after the introduction of these drugs into clinical practice. Studies have sown that 97% of the Staphylococcus aureus isolates recovered carried resistance to penicillin. The introduction of methicillin in clinical practice was followed by the appearance of the first isolate of Staphylococcus aureus that was resistant not only to penicillin, streptomycin, and tetracycline, but also to methicillin.
The danger from methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as a clinical pathogen is caused by the combination of the resistance gene, which provides resistance to methicillin-type antibiotics, with the particular protective mechanism provided by the enzyme coagulase.
A significant problem in diagnosing Staphylococcus aureus (SA) lies in the differentiation between methicillin resistant, coagulase positive MRSA and methicillin resistant, coagulase negative Staphylococcus (CNS) strains, and in particular in mixtures of such strains with and without resistance. Hence a diagnostic differentiation of CNS from Staphylococcus aureus is needed.
SA strains obtain methicillin resistance through the genomic integration of a gene-fragment, the SSCmec cassette, which in addition to other essential information exhibits the mecA gene, which is responsible for the phenotypical characteristics of resistance.
The SSCmec cassette is integrated at a highly conserved specific site of integration in the chromosomal DNA of SA. This conserved site is positioned close to the 3′ end of an open reading frame (orf X) of the SA genome. It is of significant importance for the present invention that the integration side is highly conserved. However, at least ten various types of the SSCmec cassette with sequence variability have been described in the art.
Another significant problem that arises in mixed cultures of SA and CNS strains, which also may contain strains without the resistance cassette, is that the individual detection of the SA genome and detection of the mecA gene is not sufficient because these gene products may originate from separate individual organisms. Modern molecular diagnostic methods have therefore been developed for the detection of MRSA that preferably detect the junction between the SSCmec cassette and the SA genome.
Examples of such approaches towards detection of the junction between the SSCmec cassette and the SA genome are disclosed in EP 0887424, WO 2002/099034 and WO 2009/085221.
The methods disclosed in these documents relate to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based methods, which utilize sequence specific primers that specifically hybridize to DNA sequences in the region flanking the cassette-genome junction, so that the target PCR product to be amplified is amplified across the cassette-genome junction.
The methods disclosed in the art do however exhibit significant disadvantages, whereby various false results maybe obtained. Such false results relate commonly to false positives and at times also to false negatives.
The main cause for false positive results is the significant similarity of the junction region of CNS strains with a resistance cassette, in comparison to the analogous junction region of the MRSA strains. Due to this sequence similarity CNS strains with resistance are falsely identified as MRSA. In light of the prior art, novel strategies (for example novel primer sequences) are required in order to avoid false positive identification of CNS. Sequences for primers have until the present time not been developed that enable reliable differentiation between the junction region of CNS strains with a resistance cassette, in comparison to the analogous junction region of the MRSA strains.
False positives may also occur when the junction region is successfully amplified but a deletion of the mecA gene in the integrated cassette has occurred.
The main cause for false negative results is the failure of multiplex primer systems directed towards the various integration sites due to the sequence variation in these regions. The DNA sequence of the SSCmec cassette close to the junction point varies between different MRSA strains. New strains with sequence variation in this region are being discovered regularly, all of which require new primer design and additional forward primers in multiplex reactions, leading to increased failure rates due to multiplex complexity and more expensive amplification reactions. Multiplex design is complicated and labor-intensive, requiring careful sequence selection for compatible melting temperatures of the oligonucleotides applied, whereby multiplex reactions may ultimately need to be avoided for additional security and reliability of the analysis, so that individual reactions should be applied in place of multiplex reactions, thereby leading to increased reagent usage and unwanted associated cost.
For example WO 2009/085221 discloses a method where various forward primers are to be applied within the SSCmec cassette depending on the strain to be interrogated. As can be seen in FIGS. 2 to 4 of WO 2009/085221, multiple forward primers are listed that must be either applied in multiplex or separate reactions, in order to provide sufficient screening of known MRSA strains.
In order to overcome these disadvantages more PCR reactions must be applied (often in complicated multiplex reaction systems) or the sensitivity of the system must be reduced. Neither of these potential solutions represents a satisfactory solution due to increased complexity (and subsequent increased frequency of failure) or lack of reliability.
PCR detection systems for MRSA have been described in the art that exhibit a primer that hybridizes across the junction between the SSCmec cassette and the SA genome (for example the primer is a single DNA oligonucleotide that binds both cassette and genome sequences). Such an approach was described in EP 1529847. However, the oligonucleotide primers described therein exhibit a significant disadvantage, namely, that the melting temperature (Tm) of the primers is approximately between 38 and 48° C., depending on the particular sequence and method used for calculation, resulting in an inability of this method to be effectively applied in practice. Low Tm of the primer causes significant problems in amplification due to the required low annealing temperature (Ta) applied during cycling. In order to enable annealing of a primer with low Tm (such as 48) to its template sequence, a very low Ta must be applied. Due to the low Ta non-specific products tend to amplify in great numbers caused by a high number of base pair mismatches. At low Ta the stringency regarding base pairing is significantly reduced, thereby allowing mismatch annealing and a large number of unspecific products. Mismatch tolerance at low Ta is found to have the one of the strongest influences on PCR specificity.

Method for detecting a methicillin resistant coagulase positive


Some but not all engines of an aircraft are provided with thrust reversers. A safety device disables, at least from the position corresponding to idling, the action of the throttles corresponding to the engines devoid of thrust reversers when the thrust reversers are controlled to deployment.

It is known that numerous aircraft, in particular those intended for civil transport, are equipped with thrust reversers making it possible to improve the braking of said aircraft during landing. These thrust reversers are associated with the engines of the aircraft and they are controllable so as to be able to go from an inactive retracted position to an active deployed position and, conversely from said active deployed position to said inactive retracted position. In the active deployed position, a thrust reverser receives the jet of the associated engine and reverses said jet, thus allowing it to participate in the braking of the aircraft.
In a general manner, the engines of an aircraft are equipped with a thrust reverser. The activation of the thrust reverser of an engine is triggered by the pilot by means of a member, of the lever type, disposed on the throttle corresponding to this engine. An action on this lever is possible only if the throttle is in a position corresponding to the idling of the engine.
The extra braking afforded to the brakes of an aircraft on the ground by a thrust reverser is very considerable, so that, in particular in the case of a multi-engine aircraft, the braking capacity of all the thrust reversers together is overkill. Now, each thrust reverser exhibits a relatively considerable mass and its cost is high. The awkward situation thus prevails whereby the aircraft has to support a mass and costs relating to apparatus—the thrust reversers—that give rise to an unnecessary overkill of braking power. Moreover, the thrust reversers exhibit a non-zero risk of untoward deployment in flight, which may prove to be catastrophic for the aircraft.


Idle detection techniques are disclosed. A set of idle conditions that includes one or more conditions not comprising or triggered by an absence of user input is monitored. The device is determined to be idle based at least in part on results of the monitoring. The device may be determined not to be idle even in the absence of recent user input.

With idle-detection technology, software and hardware tools can be controlled depending on whether or not a computer or other device is in use and/or otherwise in a state in which relatively lower priority and/or less time critical operations can be performed without interfering or interfering unduly with user activity or other higher priority tasks. This technology has many practical applications for computers or other devices in a home, business, or school setting.
Conversely, reliable detection of a transition of a computer or other device out of an idle and/or other state in which lower priority operations can be performed enables such lower priority operations to be terminated and deferred until a later opportunity to perform or complete them arises.
Traditional idle-detection methods can detect if a human-interaction device such as a mouse, keyboard, or touch-screen has not been used for a certain amount of time. While useful, this approach has a drawback—the system may still be actively engaged in high-priority activities even if a user is not using the mouse, keyboard, touch screen, or other human-interaction device. For instance, if a user is watching a video, playing music, or waiting for a time-sensitive but long-term operation to finish (such as downloading a file from a remote server), a mouse, keyboard, or touch screen may not be used for some time, but the computer is still in use and is not truly idle. Similarly, non-workstation computers such as servers may seldom receive direct interaction by mouse or keyboard and thus traditional idle-detection methods are not accurate or useful.


A diagnostic test kit for detecting the presence or quantity of an enzyme or enzyme inhibitor is provided. The diagnostic kit utilizes reactive complexes to facilitate the detection of the enzyme or enzyme inhibitor. The reactive complexes include a substrate joined (e.g., covalently bonded, physically adsorbed, etc.) to a reporter and magnetic substance. In one embodiment, for example, a peptide, protein, or glycoprotein substrate is joined to a reporter (e.g., dyed latex particle) and magnetic particle. In this embodiment, the substrate provides a cleavage target for a proteolytic enzyme. Specifically, upon contacting the reactive complexes, the proteolytic enzyme cleaves the substrate and releases the reporter and/or magnetic particle. The signal exhibited by the released reporters may then be used to indicate the presence or quantity of an enzyme or enzyme inhibitor within the test sample.

It is often desirable to determine the presence or quantity of a particular enzyme within a test sample. In some cases, the mere presence of an enzyme may, for example, indicate the existence of tissue or organ damage. Likewise, abnormal enzyme concentrations may also indicate other conditions, such as a bacterial or viral infection. For instance, proteases (e.g., aspartic proteases) and metallopeptidases are believed to increase the pathogenicity of Candida albicans, a microorganism that may cause candidal vaginitis ("yeast infection"). The presence or concentration of an enzyme in a test sample may also serve as a diagnostic marker for some types of cancers and other conditions. For instance, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a well-known marker for prostate cancer. Other examples of diagnostic markers include cathepsin B (cancer), cathepsin G (emphysema, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammation), plasminogen activator (thrombosis, chronic inflammation, cancer), and urokinase (cancer).
One conventional technique for detecting the presence of an enzyme is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,348,319 to Braach-Maksvytis, et al. Braach-Maksvytis, et al. functions by sensing the digestion of a substrate by the enzyme. For example, FIG. 1 of Braach-Maksvytis, et al. illustrates a device 10 that includes a first zone 11 and a second zone 12. The first zone 11 is provided with polymer beads 13 (carrier) linked to streptavidin 14 (probe) via a peptide linker 15 that is cleavable by a protease 16. Upon addition of the protease 16, the streptavidin 14 is released and passes to the second zone 12, which includes a biosensor membrane 17 that detects the presence of streptavidin through a change in the impedance of the membrane. (Col. 5, II. 25–30). Unfortunately, however, techniques such as described by Braach-Maksvytis, et al., are far too complex and cost prohibitive for certain types of applications, such as those requiring a relatively quick diagnosis by a patient (self-diagnosis or with the aid of medical personnel).
As such, a need currently exists for a simple and inexpensive technique to accurately detect the presence of an enzyme within a test sample.


The invention relates to a molding mass which can be thermoplastically processed, characterized in that it consists of monomer units of. a) 80-99.9 wt.- % methyl methacrylate, PA1 b) 0.1-20 wt.- % ethylene, PA1 c) 0-19.9 wt.- % other comonomers.. The invention further relates to a method for the production of the molding mass, as well as molded elements made from it.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to molding masses which can be thermoplastically processed, which consist in great proportion of methyl methacrylate units and have ethylene as a comonomer.
2. Description of the Background
Molding masses of polymethyl methacrylate have been known for a long time and offer the advantages of good thermoplastic processability, high transparency, and good weather resistance. Such molding masses generally contain 80-99 wt.- % methyl methacrylate units, as well as a remaining portion of other monomer units such as acrylic acid esters or styrene.
The ceiling temperature Tc is that temperature of homopolymers at which polymerization and depolymerization are in equilibrium. It can therefore be used as a measure for the thermal resistance of a polymer. Pure polymethyl methacrylate has a relatively low ceiling temperature Tc of about 160.degree. C. and therefore a relatively low stability against thermal decomposition. In this connection, it is essential for good processing stability that the polymethyl methacrylate chains do not contain any weak points, such as those caused by recombination or disproportionation of PMMA radicals. As a rule, PMMA molding masses are therefore produced with as little initiator as possible, in order to achieve good processing stability. Polymethyl methacrylate chains which were terminated by means of a transfer step (DE 43 40 887) are particularly stable.
Since polymethyl methacrylate molding masses are generally processed at much higher temperature, for example at approximately 200.degree.-270.degree. C. in injection molding processes, they are stabilized by means of copolymerization with other monomers, for example. Styrene or acrylic acid esters, for example, are usual comonomers (Tc=275.degree. C. and approximately 400.degree. C., respectively).
A particular advantage of these monomers results from the fact that they can be copolymerized with methyl methacrylate relatively well. Copolymerization parameters in radical polymerization, for example for the system methyl methacrylate=M1, methyl acrylate=M2 are r1=2.15, r2=0.40, for the system methyl methacrylate=M1, styrene=M2, they are r1=0.45, r2=0.44 (see, for example, Brandrup, J., Immergut, E. H., Polymerhandbook, 3rd Edition, 1989, John Eiley & Sons, N.Y.).
If, on the other hand, the copolymerization parameters of ethylene with methyl methacrylate are considered, it becomes clear that these compounds can be copolymerized with one another relatively poorly. Brown and Ham (J. Polymer Sci., Part A, Vol. 2, p. 3623, 1964) indicate the following r parameters for the system ethylene=M1 and methyl methacrylate=M2, for a temperature of 150.degree. C.: r1=0.2, r2=17. This means that in! a methyl methacrylate/ethylene system, even if there is only a small amount of methyl methacrylate being offered, the MMA will be built almost completely into the copolymer. On the other hand, even at a polymerization temperature of 150.degree. C., for example, and a high pressure, a significant excess of ethylene will be required in order to copolymerize only small amounts of ethylene with methyl methacrylate.
Ethylene (meth)acrylate copolymers with methyl methacrylate portions of up to 60 wt.- % are known from Ratzsch (1971, Plaste und Kautschuk Plastics and Rubber!, 18, p. 402). Ratzsch describes copolymers of ethylene with increasing proportions of acrylates, including methyl methacrylate. According to Ratzsch, polymerization takes place at 1500 bar and temperatures of 200.degree.-250.degree. C. The copolymerization parameters under these conditions are about 0.17 for the ethylene and 18 for the methyl methacrylate, according to Ratzsch. Copolymers with approximately 60 wt.- % methyl methacrylate are classified as sticky. No information is given with regard to corresponding copolymers with higher proportions of methyl methacrylate.
Polymethyl methacrylate molding masses with corresponding commercially available molding masses with methyl methacrylate proportions of 80 wt.- % or more, which contain ethylene as the comonomer, are not known. This is probably primarily due to the disadvantageous copolymerization parameters, as indicated above, and due to the fact that ethylene must be processed as a gas under high pressure, which would require corresponding complicated systems.

Polymethacrylate molding compound with ethylene


An apparatus and a method for preventing the deviation of a focal plane shutter are disclosed. The apparatus has a back cover switch, a control unit and a shutter driver. The apparatus and method prevents the deviation of the focal plane shutter blade by opening the focal plane shutter when a back cover opens. The focal plane shutter is restored to an initial focal plane shutter state after the back cover is closed.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photographic camera and, more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for preventing the deviation of a focal plane shutter blade.
(b) Description of the Related Art
A focal plane shutter, which comprises two sets or curtains of shutter blades each having a plurality of opaque thin plates, is installed in front of a photographic film surface. The two curtains include a leading blade curtain and a trailing blade curtain. During a film exposing operation, the leading blade curtain is moved from an extended state to a contracted state, whereupon the trailing blade curtain is moved from a contracted state to an extended state. A shutter speed is determined on the basis of the duration and width of a slit between the leading blade curtain and the trailing blade curtain.
A leading blade curtain 12 of a focal plane shutter appears when a back cover is opened, as shown in FIG. 1. When a user loads a film cartridge 15 in a cartridge chamber 11 and winds it onto a spool 13, the user may mistakenly touch the leading blade curtain 12 so that the focal plane shutter (leading blade curtain) may deviate from an initial position. The deviation of the focal plane shutter blade causes errors in photographic operation.
A conventional camera has a focal plane shutter attached to a sensor for detecting the deviation of the focal plane shutter, so that a release switch locks when the sensor detects the deviation. However, the conventional camera merely detects the deviation, but does not prevent such deviation from occurring.

Method and apparatus for preventing the deviation of a focal plane shutter blade


Described is a virtual environment built by drawing stacks of three-dimensional objects (e.g., discrete blocks) as manipulated by a user. A user manipulates one or more objects, resulting in stack heights being changed, e.g., by adding, removing or moving objects to/from stacks. The stack heights are maintained as sample points, e.g., each point indexed by its associated horizontal location. A graphics processor expands height-related information into visible objects or stacks of objects by computing the vertices for each stack to draw that stack's top surface, front surface and/or side surface based upon the height-related information for that stack. Height information for neighboring stacks may be associated with the sample point, whereby a stack is only drawn to where it is occluded by a neighboring stack, that is, by computing the lower vertices for a surface according to the height of a neighboring stack where appropriate.

Computer simulated environments such as virtual worlds are one of the ways that users interact with computer systems and gaming machines. To support real-time interaction, such systems need to be efficient in rendering scenes and in how they handle user interaction, particularly manipulation of data by users to build the environment.
In contemporary technologies related to simulated environments, large scale terrain data and constructive solid geometry (CSG) techniques may be used. Large scale terrain data is frequently represented as heightmaps of sample points, with the terrain surface generated essentially by laying a "sheet" over the sample points. While convenient for rendering geographic information system (GIS) data as obtained from satellites, it is difficult for users to manipulate such data; for example, heightmap surfaces cannot represent vertical walls, and are especially unsuited for use in interior environments, such as buildings. Constructive solid geometry techniques are generally used for interior spaces, but suffer from extreme limitations. For example, CSG modeling tools are non-intuitive and require extensive training, as well as considerable talent to generate desired results. Further, they are generally not suited for exterior spaces such as landscapes.

Discrete objects for building virtual environments


A window signal generating circuit generates a window 1 signal in synchronization with a reference counter and generates a window 2 signal by inverting the window 1 signal. If a detected synchronizing signal detected by a synchronizing signal detecting circuit is synchronized with a window 1 signal, a resynchronizing signal output circuit outputs a resynchronizing signal in synchronization with the window 1 signal. If a window 1 signal and a synchronizing signal are not synchronous, that is, if a window 2 signal is at a high level and a synchronizing signal is detected, another reference counter is synchronized with the synchronizing signal, and if a synchronous state continues by a predetermined frequency or more, the reference counter is synchronized with the timing of another reference counter. A synchronizing signal can be promptly fetched by the above processing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a regenerator and the regenerating method, particularly relates to a regenerator for regenerating information according to an inserted signal such as a synchronizing signal or an address signal periodically inserted into information recorded on a recording medium or information transmitted via a transmission medium and the regenerating method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional type recording medium recording regenerator, when digital data is recorded on a recording medium, it is recorded after the data is divided into frames of predetermined length and a synchronizing signal for showing the separation of an individual frame is inserted between frames.
In case such recorded data is regenerated, after information is read in units of frame from a recording medium, referring to a synchronizing signal and error correction and others are executed using the read frame as a basic unit, original data is regenerated.
Therefore, to precisely execute error correction for data read from the recording medium, in the conventional type recording medium recording regenerator, a synchronizing signal is required to be precisely detected and a frame functioning as a basic unit is required to be securely extracted.
FIG. 19 shows an example of the constitution of a resynchronizing device for detecting a synchronizing signal and correcting the timing of the detected synchronizing signal in a conventional type recording medium recording regenerator.
As shown in FIG. 19, a synchronizing signal detecting circuit 1 detects a synchronizing signal included in a regenerative RF signal read from a recording medium not shown. A synchronization judging circuit 2 judges whether the timing of a synchronizing signal is normal or not, referring to a window signal output from a window signal generating circuit 4. A reference counter 3 counts for example, from a value zero to a value 1000 repeatedly (returns to zero if a count value reaches 1000 and repeats counting) and supplies the output to the synchronization judging circuit 2 and the window signal generating circuit 4. The reference counter 3 is reset by a reset signal output from the synchronization judging circuit 2.
Referring to a count value output from the reference counter 3, the window signal generating circuit 4 changes a window signal to a high level at timing at which the output value is 990 and changes the window signal to a low level at timing at which the output value is 10. A resynchronizing signal output circuit 5 outputs a resynchronizing signal at timing at which a count value output from the reference counter 3 is zero.
Next, referring to flowcharts shown in FIGS. 20 to 22 and a timing chart shown in FIG. 23, operation in the prior example shown in FIG. 19 will be described.
FIG. 20 shows an example of processing that the synchronization judging circuit 2 shown in FIG. 19 executes. When this processing is executed, the synchronization judging circuit 2 judges whether a synchronizing signal is detected or not by the synchronizing signal detecting circuit 1 in a step S1. As a result, if it is judged that a synchronizing signal is not detected (NO), processing is returned to the step S1 and the same processing is repeated until a synchronizing signal is detected. If it is judged that a synchronizing signal is detected (YES), processing proceeds to a step S2.
In the step S2, the synchronization judging circuit 2 outputs a reset signal to the reference counter 3. As a result, a count value of the reference counter 3 is reset to zero. Next, processing proceeds to a step S3 and a variable N.sub.1 is initialized to zero.
In the next step S4, it is judged whether a synchronizing signal is detected by the synchronizing signal detecting circuit 1 or not. As a result, if it is judged that a synchronizing signal is not detected (NO), processing proceeds to a step S6. If it is judged that a synchronizing signal is detected (YES), processing proceeds to a step S5.
In the step S5, if a synchronizing signal is detected in a window, processing is returned to the step S2 and the same processing is repeated. If a synchronizing signal is detected outside a window, processing is returned to the step S4 and the same processing is repeated.
In the step S4, if it is judged that a synchronizing signal is not detected (NO), processing proceeds to the step S6. In the step S6, if a synchronizing signal is not detected in a window, processing is returned to the step S4 and the same processing is repeated. If a synchronizing signal is not detected outside a window, processing proceeds to a step S7.
In the step S7, the synchronization judging circuit 2 outputs a reset signal to the reference counter 3. As a result, a count value of the reference counter 3 is reset to zero.
In the next step S8, the value of the variable N.sub.1 is incremented by one. In a step S9, it is judged whether the value of the variable N.sub.1 is 4 or more or not and as a result, if it is judged that the value of the variable N.sub.1 is 4 or more (YES), processing is returned to the step S1 and the same processing is repeated. In the step S9, if it is judged that the value of the variable N.sub.1 is smaller than 4 (NO), processing is returned to the step S4 and the same processing is repeated.
FIG. 21 is a flowchart for explaining processing for generating a window signal. The processing is executed by the window signal generating circuit 4 shown in FIG. 19. When the processing is executed, the window signal generating circuit 4 judges whether a count value of the reference counter 3 is 990 or not in a step S20. As a result, if it is judged that a count value of the reference counter 3 is not 990 (NO), processing is returned to the step S20 and the same processing is repeated. If it is judged that a count value of the reference counter 3 is 990 (YES), processing proceeds to a step S21.
In the step S21, the window signal generating circuit 4 changes the output to a high level. Processing proceeds to a step S22 and the window signal generating circuit judges whether a count value of the reference counter 3 is 10 or not. As a result, if it is judged that a count value of the reference counter 3 is not 10 (NO), processing is returned to the step S22 and the same processing is repeated. If it is judged that a count value is 10 (YES), processing proceeds to a step S23.
In the step S23, the window signal generating circuit 4 changes a window signal to a low level. Processing is returned to the step S20 and the same processing is repeated.
The window signal generating circuit 4 is changed to a high level, generates and outputs a window signal shown in FIG. 23B by the above processing only while a count value of the reference counter 3 is between 990 and 1000 and between 0 and 10.
FIG. 22 is a flowchart for explaining processing executed in the resynchronizing signal output circuit 5 shown in FIG. 19 for generating a resynchronizing signal.
When this processing is executed, the resynchronizing signal output circuit 5 judges whether a count value of the reference counter is zero or not in a step S40. As a result, if it is judged that the value of the reference counter 3 is not zero (NO), processing is returned to the step S40 and the same processing is repeated. If it is judged that a count value of the reference counter 3 is zero (YES), processing proceeds to a step S41.
In the step S41, the resynchronizing signal output circuit 5 changes the output to a high level for a predetermined period, processing is returned to the step S40 and the same processing is repeated.
The resynchronizing signal output circuit 5 is changed to a high level for a predetermined period at timing at which a count value of the reference counter 3 is zero by the above processing. The resynchronizing signal output circuit outputs a resynchronizing signal shown in FIG. 23C.
Next, referring to the timing chart shown in FIG. 23, the above flowcharts will be described in the concrete. Suppose that a detected synchronizing signal shown in FIG. 23A is output by the synchronizing signal detecting circuit 1 shown in FIG. 19. When the zeroth detected synchronizing signal not shown is input to the synchronization judging circuit 1, it is judged in the step S1 that a synchronizing signal is detected (YES), processing proceeds to the step S2 and the reference counter 3 is reset. In the step S3, the value is the variable N.sub.1 is initialized to zero.
In the step S4, it is judged whether a synchronizing signal is detected or not. Assuming that a first synchronizing signal shown in FIG. 23A is input, it is judged in the step S4 that a synchronizing signal is detected (YES) and processing proceeds to the step S5. In the step S5, it is judged whether the value of the reference counter 3 is 990 or more or not. Assuming that the zeroth and first synchronizing signals are input in a normal cycle, while the processing in the steps 4 and 6 is repeated, a synchronizing signal is detected (YES) in the step S4 and processing proceeds to the step S5. In the step S5, it is judged that a synchronizing signal is detected in a window, processing is returned to the step S2 and the same processing is repeated.
Next, assuming that a second synchronizing signal is not detected due to anything at time for the second synchronizing signal to be detected, it is judged in the step S6 that a synchronizing signal is detected in a window (YES) and processing proceeds to the step S7.
In the step S7, the reference counter 3 is reset. At that time, in the resynchronizing signal output circuit 5, the processing shown in FIG. 22 is executed and as a result, at timing at which the reference counter 3 is reset (a count value is reset to zero), a resynchronizing signal (a pulse shown in FIG. 23C) is output.
Therefore, in the above prior example, a window signal is generated, a place for a synchronizing signal to be detected is instructed based upon a count value of the reference counter 3 and if a synchronizing signal is not detected in the place instructed by the window signal, the resynchronizing signal output circuit 5 outputs a resynchronizing signal. Therefore, as a synchronizing signal can be interpolated even if a synchronizing signal is not detected due to anything, data read from a recording medium can be regenerated.
A case in which a time lag is caused between timing at which a synchronizing signal is regenerated and timing at which a window signal is changed to a high level due to the jump of a track and others in the above conventional type resynchronizing device will be described.
If a third synchronizing signal shown in FIG. 23A is input at timing different from the pulse of a window signal shown in FIG. 23B, a regenerative synchronizing signal shown in FIG. 23C is not output at the timing at which the third detected synchronizing signal is input and is output at the same timing as a third window signal. Therefore, in that case, a time lag occurs between a detected synchronizing signal read from a recording medium and a regenerative synchronizing signal output from a resynchronizer.
In such a situation, in this prior example, when no synchronizing signal is detected sequentially four times at timing at which a window signal is changed to a high level, the window signal is kept at a high level and synchronization is again executed.
That is, in the flowchart shown in FIG. 20, if a case (a case in which a time lag occurs between the timing of a detected synchronizing signal and a window signal) in which it is judged that no synchronizing signal is detected (NO) in the step S4 and that no synchronizing signal is detected in a window in the step S6 continues four times or more (N.sub.1 .gtoreq.4), it is judged YES in the step S9, processing is returned to the step S1 and the reference counter 3 is reset. As a result, a window signal shown in FIG. 23B is kept at a high level until a sixth detected synchronizing signal is input.
As it is judged YES in the step S1, processing proceeds to the step S2 and a count value of the reference counter 3 is reset to zero when the sixth detected synchronizing signal is input, the timing of a window signal and a detected synchronizing signal is synchronous.
Therefore, as in the above conventional type resynchronizer, the timing of a detected synchronizing signal and a regenerative synchronizing signal is not synchronous for a period shown in FIG. 23D since the third detected synchronizing signal in which the jump of a track and others occur is input until the sixth detected synchronizing signal is input, there is a problem that data read from a recording medium cannot be precisely regenerated during the above period.

Method for regenerating synchronizing signal by judging whether or not the extracted synchronizing signal includes the second and third window signals


The invention relates to an A/D conversion device intended to supply at the output a digital signal Vout[0:7] resulting from the conversion of an analog input voltage Vin and receiving a control signal CRS used for defining the transfer characteristic of the device by way of comparison with the output signal Vout[0:7]. According to the invention, such a device comprises a reference module (AO, CMP2) which allows adjustment of the digital value of the output signal Vout[0:7] at a predetermined value when the analog input voltage Vin is zero, and means (Mx, Vact) for substituting for said voltage Vin a reference voltage Vref having a predetermined value when the device is in its control mode.

The invention relates to an A/D conversion device having an analog input intended to receive an analog input voltage, an input intended to receive a regulation signal, and a digital output intended to supply a digital signal resulting from the conversion of the analog input voltage, comprising:
a first amplifier having an output and a first signal input connected to the analog input, a second gain control input intended to receive a voltage allowing modification of the amplifier gain and connected to a power supply terminal via a storage capacitor, PA1 an A/D converter having an analog input connected to the output of the amplifier and an output constituting the output of the device, PA1 a regulation module having an enable input intended to receive an enable signal and comprising a first controllable current source connected to the storage capacitor with which the voltage at the terminals of said capacitor can be varied, and a first comparator intended to perform a comparison between a signal which is representative of the voltage at the output of the first amplifier and the regulation signal, and supplying a signal for controlling the conduction of the current source when the enable signal is in an active state. PA1 a second amplifier similar to the first amplifier, second amplifier whose signal input is intended to be placed at a zero potential and whose gain control input is intended to be placed at a predetermined potential, PA1 a second comparator having an output, a first input connected to the output of the second amplifier and a second input connected to one of the junction points of the resistance ladder, and PA1 a third controllable current source intended to supply a bias current via the resistance ladder, said current having a value which is determined by the value of the voltage at the output of the second comparator.
Such a device is known from European patent application no. 0 271 936 B1 which describes a system for controlling the gain of the first amplifier, based on identification and control of a voltage level of reference thresholds of the output signal of said amplifier, which thresholds correspond to similar thresholds of the input signal. The amplifier gain is subsequently adjusted in such a way that the result of the A/D conversion of its output signal does not exceed a certain value, referred to as maximum digital value. This system has the drawback that it can only function with signals having reference thresholds of the video signal type, which are often altered by electromagnetic noise. The reference thresholds are then not very reliable, which jeopardizes the gain control of the amplifier. Moreover, the A/D conversion of signals having no reference thresholds is not possible with such a device.

A/D conversion device having a programmable transfer characteristic


Embodiments of the present invention provide paging operations for idle mode terminals with a plurality of wireless interfaces. In accordance with an embodiment, a method includes selecting, by a paging controller, a radio for a paging operation, the radio being included on a mobile station comprising at least two radios. The method also includes performing, by the paging controller, at least one paging operation for at least one of the at least two radios, wherein if only one paging operation is performed for only one radio, the selected radio and the radio for which the one paging operation is performed are different radios. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Mobile Stations (MS) are powered on a wireless network for significant time durations, but are not always in an active call session. To use the times they are not in an active call session as battery conserving opportunities, idle mode and paging operations are defined in many of the mobile wireless network standards including, but not limited to, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) Alliance, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) Forum, Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). Per such defined operations, an MS enters a low-powered mode called idle mode and there are specified mechanisms in the various technologies to let the MS get back to active mode whenever required, e.g., when there is an incoming call for the MS, when the network needs to know the location of the MS, etc.

Paging operation for idle mode terminals with a plurality of wireless interfaces


A support device for a display includes a support assembly, a rotating assembly, and a fixing assembly. The support assembly includes a base, a plug defined on the base, a support rod coupled to the base, and a first conducting line received in the support rod, and connected to the plug. The rotating assembly includes a connecting member coupled to the support rod, a rotating shaft connected to the connecting member, and a second conducting line received in the rotating shaft. The second conducting line is electrically connected to the first conducting line by the connecting member. The fixing assembly includes a fixing block fastened to the rotating shaft away from the base, a conducting block assembled to the fixing block and electrically connected to the second conducting line, and a rotating member rotationally connected to the fixing block.

Generally, a display device refers to monitors for devices, such as televisions or computers, that display a picture employing a cathode ray tube (CRT), a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display panel (PDP) or a similar display device. For example, an LCD monitor includes a main body displaying the picture through an LCD panel, a base part supporting the main body, and a stand part provided between the main body and the base part.


An improved rare probability connection call registration method using an incomplete call causation message for an asynchronous transfer mode switching system, which includes the steps of receiving a candidate code from an operator and classifying a normal call and an abnormal call with respect to each call when a call cause message is received, increasing the number of completed calls when the received call is normally completed, and judging whether an incomplete call occurred due to the lack of a switching resource or the busy state of the subscriber at a destination in the case of the abnormal call, terminating the call when the cause of the abnormal call is due to another cause except for the lack of the switching resource, or the on-busy of the subscriber, increasing the number of the incomplete calls when the call is incompletely terminated due to the lack of the switching resource or the on-busy of the subscriber, and checking the call completion ratio, and terminating the call when the call completion ratio is greater than a predetermined threshold value that the operator designated, registering the call as the RPCC, informing the resultant operation of the operator terminal, and requesting a call control with respect to the corresponding code.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rare probability connection call registration method using an incomplete call causation message for an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switching system, particularly for an ATM switching system which is capable of classifying the causes of the incomplete call by using the cause field within the release message in which the call release cause is registered in detail, and setting the call as an RPCC only when the resource of the relay switching system is lacking, or when the subscriber is on the line, to thus more accurately control the network, whereby it is possible to maximize the efficiency of the network resource by restricting the ineffective call.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
Most traffic congestion in a communication network occurs due to an overload in a receiving system. This communication congestion or overload of the switching system occurs due to the natural disasters, when too many call services are requested at one time, or when communication traffic is concentrated on a specific receiving system thus forming an unexpected communication failure.
When many calls are concentrated at a predetermined time at a specific receiving system (for example, reservations for public performance, or the audience response rating in a very hot television program is broadcasted), the above-described heavy call concentration phenomenon may occur even though an operator of the switching system predicts such heavy call congestion if some special operation preparations are not made on the system.
When call requests are heavily concentrated on a predetermined receiving number, that is when a large number of calls concentrated on the destination, beyond the design specification of the connection Admission Control function, the system can only offer limited service, and the system may go down due to the above-described problems.
FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating a performance variation when a switching system is overloaded.
As shown therein, the curved line "a" indicates a theoretical system performance which is obtainable when an overload of the system occurs or call traffic congestion occurs, and the curved line "c" denotes a system performance when the congestion control function is not operated, and the curved line "b" denotes the affordable system performance when the congestion control function is operated.
If the above-described situation is continuously maintained, the system congestion from many call attempts concentrated on a specific number may cause further congestion in a neighboring system, thus possibly culminating in a system-wide failure.
In order to overcome the above-described problems, a conventional public switched telephone network (PSTN) is directed to check a traffic completion ratio with respect to a candidate code (traffic received in a specific code of a predetermined system) that the operation input, and when a call completion ratio of a corresponding code is less than a predetermined threshold value, the call with respect to the corresponding code is controlled.
Such method is directed to maximizing the efficiency of the network so that system resources may be evenly distributed by detecting a receiving code in which the call completion ratio is lower than that of a normal call, and controlling the receiving code in a transmitter in which a desired call attempt is possible or the switching system near a transmitting terminal. Here, a call for which the completion ratio is lower is called a rare probability of a connection call (RPCC).
For conventional PSTN, the causes of incomplete calls are as follows. First, when the relay lines to a corresponding number from a first transmitter are all used, or when the switching resource of the transmitter (such as a call mixer, and a tone generator from resources of the communication) are scarce, the incompletion may occur. Second, a call is sometimes not connected due to the lack of switching resources of the relay system including the receiving system, and thus the incompletion may occur. Third, when a subscriber is on the line with another subscriber, or when the subscriber does not respond to the call, the incompletion may occur. Fourth, when the call is timed-out by the transmitting side of the subscriber, or when the subscriber ends the call, the incompletion may occur.
The transmitter processes the call attempt as an incomplete call by informing the transmitting side or the switching system of a ring back tone in the above-described state. However, when judging all of the call tone or the non-response of the subscriber to be in the RPCC, there may occur numerous system errors because RPCC means that the call completion ratio is lower with respect to a specific receiving signal. Therefore, it is necessary to measure the statistic value by the incomplete call due to the cause made by the destination side of the subscriber by classifying the call services by a failure cause.
In addition, when performing a function based on the candidate code, since the control is performed after a predetermined time after the operator inputs a predetermined code, it is impossible to prevent the call connection problems due to an unpredictable and sudden failure of the system in conventional method.

Rare probability connection call registration method using incomplete call causation message for asynchronous transfer mode switching system

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


A method of making hard boron nitride by a plasma CVD method employing beam irradiation comprising the steps of: introducing a boron source gas and a nitrogen source gas into a plasma generated by employing a working gas selected from the group consisted of helium, hydrogen and a mixture of these under pressure of 0.01 through 100 torr, said boron source gas and said nitrogen source gas are provided with volumetric percent of 0.01 through 10% with respect to the working gas; transmitting activating innoculations formed in the plasma to a substrate of which temperature is maintained at 300.degree. through 1100.degree. C; converting the activating innoculations into precursor activating innoculations necessary for forming and growing a hard boron nitride film on the substrate by irradiating an ultraviolet beam to the activation innoculations on the substrate; and accumulating the hard boron nitride on the substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of making hard boron nitride capable of being employed in surface coating of cutting tools, electronic materials, light emitting diodes and the like.
2. Discussion of the Background
Conventionally, as a synthesizing method of hard boron nitride employing a gas phase synthesizing method without using elevated temperature and high pressure, the following (1) through (6) methods have been tried.
(1) A pulse discharge is performed between a boron electrode which is sintered in a bar-like shape and a water-cooled copper electrode in a mixture gas of nitrogen and hydrogen, and activated boron and nitrogen are reacted and accumulated on a substrate (reactive pulse method).
(2) Hard boron nitride is synthesized by a hot gas phase reaction employing electron beam irradiation (electron beam gas phase reacting method).
(3) Molecular beam deposition is employed wherein borazine (B.sub.3 N.sub.3 H.sub.6) is the raw material and the raw material is accelerated under 1 through 3 KV (molecular beam method).
(4) Nitrogen molecular ions which are accelerated by approximately 30 eV, are injected, while performing electron beam deposition of boron (molecular beam method).
(5) Boron gas and nitrogen gas which are gasified by an electron beam, are ionized by thermions, which are accumulated on a substrate by biasing them (ionized deposition method).
(6) The other methods are the neutralized iron beam method, the laser pulse deposition method and the like.
However, since the film synthesized by the above methods, is a film composed of very fine particles of which grain size is not larger than 500 .ANG., there is no crystal wall and the film is mixed with h-BN, the film is unstable in air. Accordingly, the film is not regarded as the hard boron nitride film

Method of making hard boron nitride by a plasma CVD method employing beam irradiation

National Institute for Research in Inorganic Materials


A disk player receives a disk through an insertion aperture and supports the disk opposite contact points on its edge, between laterally movable left and right-side disk guides. The disk's left side contacts a belt revolved on the left-side disk guide causing the disk to roll along the right side disk guide. An outwardly opening flap hinged at the top of the insertion aperture is held open when the disk player is prepared to receive a disk. As the disk is inserted the disk guides begin moving apart which causes the flap, urged by a spring, to drop to the back surface of the disk. The disk holds the flap partly open until a trailing edge of the disk passes inside at which point the flap's closure is detected and the flap locked in the closed position to prevent irregular insertion of additional disks. The closure of the flap registers the precise position of the disk. The disk is positioned within the player using an encoder which measures cumulative displacement of the disk relative to the registration position. If misalignment of the disk is detected, the disk is driven back to the insertion aperture, the flap is opened, the disk is drawn back in, the flap dropped, the disk drawn in again to repeat the registration. To protect disks, the flap is covered with a soft slippery material such as that used to line floppy disk holders.

The present invention relates to a mechanism for protecting against irregular insertion of a disk into, and detecting and correcting a misalignment of a disk within, a disk player and specifically to such disk players that measure displacement of the disk relative to a registration position and are therefore susceptible to cumulative error.
Disk players that use a door to close an insertion opening to prevent the admission of dust and/or irregular insertion of a new disk, are known. For example, Japanese Utility Model Examined Publication No. 63-43659, describes a door that covers an insertion opening in the front face of a disk player. A spring, keeps the door closed. A tray is used to move a single disk into and out of the disk player. The door swings to a closed position when the tray moves from an eject position, where it projects outside the player, into the player. The door opens outwardly when pushed by the ejecting tray. When the ejecting tray passes through the front opening, the door is pushed open, and the tray projects from the insertion opening.
In players such as described above, the tray projecting from the front panel keeps the door open. However, some players do not use a tray to carry the disk but receive the disk through a slot in the front of the player (a "slot-in" design). However, to implement a gate in a slot-in device, the disk itself would have to open the door. This has disadvantages in that it can cause damage to the disk and increase the power requirements of the transport system due to friction between the door and disk.

Disk playback device with insertion error prevention device


An electrostatic protection component and a method for forming the same. The method includes forming a gate consisting of a gate oxide layer and a conducting layer above a semiconductor substrate. Spacers are formed on the peripheral sidewalls of the gate. First heavily doped regions are formed in the semiconductor substrate. A metallic layer is formed covering the semiconductor substrate followed by a heating process. First metal silicide layers are formed above the gate while second metal silicide layers are formed above the first heavily doped regions. A photoresist layer is coated above the semiconductor substrate, exposing the first metal silicide layer and part of the second metal silicide layer adjacent to each side of the gate. An etching operation removes the spacers and part of the conducting layer to expose part of the gate oxide layer surface, so that the gate is ultimately transformed into an I-shaped structure having an upper first metal silicide layer, a middle conducting layer and a lower gate oxide layer. An insulating layer is formed above the semiconductor substrate. Contact window openings are formed in the insulating layer exposing the second metal silicide layer.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a type of electrostatic protection component and its manufacturing method, and more particularly to an electrostatic protection component suitable for use in a self-aligned silicide process, and associated manufacturing method.
2. Description of Related Art
FIGS. 1A through 1F are a series of cross-sectional views showing the progression of steps in the manufacturing of a conventional electrostatic protection component.
First, referring to FIG. 1A, a first gate terminal 11 and a second gate terminal 12 are formed above a semiconductor substrate 10. After that, using the first gate terminal 11 and the second gate terminal 12 as masks, an ion implantation operation is carried out, for example, implanting N-type ions, to form first lightly doped regions 13 in the semiconductor substrate 10 on each side of the first gate terminal 11 as well as first lightly doped regions 14 in the semiconductor substrate 10 on each side of the second gate terminal 12.
Thereafter, referring to FIG. 1B, a deposition method is used to form an oxide layer 15, preferably a borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG) layer, covering the semiconductor substrate 10.
Then, referring to FIG. 1C, the oxide layer 15 is etched to form first spacers 16 on the sidewalls of the first gate terminal 11 and second spacers 17 on the sidewalls of the second gate terminal 12. Following that, using the first gate terminal 11, the first spacers 16, the second gate terminal 12 and the second spacers 17 as masks, another ion implantation operation is performed, again implanting N-type ions into the semiconductor substrate 10, to form first heavily doped regions 18 and 19 on each side of the first gate terminal 11 and the second gate terminal 12, respectively.
Next, referring to FIG. 1D, a metallic layer, for example, a titanium metal layer, is sputtered onto the surface of the semiconductor substrate 10, and then a rapid thermal processing (RTP) is applied to let the titanium metal react with the silicon above various surfaces of the semiconductor substrate 10 to form metal silicide layers 110, preferably titanium silicide layers, above the first gate terminal 11, the second gate terminal 12, and the first heavily doped regions 18 and 19. Thereafter, the residual unreacted metallic titanium layer is removed by etching.
Subsequently, referring to FIG. 1E, a photoresist layer covering the metal silicide layers 110 is formed above the first gate terminal 11 and the first heavily doped regions 18 followed by etching to remove the second spacers 17 from the second gate terminal 12. Thereafter, an ion implantation operation is performed by implanting N-type ions into the semiconductor substrate 10 to form second heavily doped regions 111 in place of the original second lightly doped regions 14 near the second gate terminal 12. The width of the second heavily doped regions 111 is about 0.1 .mu.m. After that, the metal silicide layer 110 above the first heavily doped regions 19 are removed by etching to expose the first heavily doped regions 19. The reason for establishing the second heavily doped regions 111 is to shorten the channel length below the second gate terminal 12 such that electrostatic discharging current can be more easily absorbed, and the reason for removing the metal silicide layer 110 above the first heavily doped regions 19 is to increase electrical resistance there so that a higher voltage can be reached when there is a sudden electrostatic discharge from the component, and therefore be more capable of withstanding damages resulting from the passing of a transient heavy current.
Finally, referring to FIG. 1F, an insulating layer 112, preferably a borophosphosilicate glass layer, is formed covering the semiconductor substrate 10. Then, a number of contact window openings 113 are formed by etching the insulating layer 112 and exposing the first heavily doped regions 18 and 19, for example, by forming contact windows 113a and 113b, one on each side of the second gate terminal 12, thus completing the manufacturing steps required for forming a conventional electrostatic protection component.
However, when the component dimensions are further reduced, the original designed reliability of such a conventional electrostatic protection component is difficult to maintain. For example, the distance between the second gate terminal 12 and the contact window opening 113a is preferably maintained at between 3 .mu.m to 4 .mu.m. If this distance is reduced as the size of the component is reduced, or for any other reason, current leakage can occur more easily, thereby losing part of the electrostatic protection function. In addition, the aforementioned method for manufacturing the electrostatic protection component is rather complicated and involves a lot of steps. Hence, production cost as well as production time is increased.

Electrostatic protection component and manufacturing method


A paint roller cleaner, for water based paints, that is inserted through a specially designed paint roller and that is attachable to the standard garden hose with the purpose of cleaning the nap of the paint roller. The structure is made of a sixteen-inch plastic tube with one end closed and the other end with a hose attachment. The first nine inches from the closed side has eight rows of twenty-four one-sixteenth holes, evenly spaced, and a raised handle that keeps the paint roller in place. Structural means are provided for directing the water flow in such a manner that water sprays perpendicularly outward through the holes and through the nap with equal intensity from the top to bottom of the roller.

For most people, including professionals and do-it-yourself property owners or property managers, cleaning up after painting can be quite a chore, especially if paint rollers were used.
Commonly, paint rollers include an inner tube and an outer nap secured to the inner tube by some adhesive. The nap of the roller is usually made of carpet like material, though there are many different materials available to provide a desired texture to the finished product, i.e. walls, ceilings. The usual paint applicator includes a revolvable cylinder that is inserted into the inner tube of the roller and a handle. There are several procedures available to clean a paint roller after it has been used. One is to remove the paint roller from the applicator and put it into a bucket of water and swish the roller around until it is clean or as close to clean as possible. The more common approach is to hose the roller off. This however, is time consuming and often very messy. Moreover, it is hard to do because while spraying one side of the roller the paint gets pushed around to the other side and then back again, and so on. That is the problem with cleaning a roller from the outside, unlike this invention which cleans the roller from the inside out.
Given the difficulties, many roller users simply throw away the roller and purchase a new one. Depending on the size and nature of the job, this approach can be very costly.
While closable storage devices are known, i.e. those suitable for storing a wet roller for a period of time against immediate dry-out by air, no devices are known, nor is there acquaintance with any patent literature, teaching a method and structure for cleaning specially designed paint rollers by using an inserted structure that sprays water perpendicularly outward through the nap of the roller to be cleaned.


Provided are a method and a device for booting a host embodying a downloadable conditional access system (DCAS), wherein one of a plurality of pre-determined booting modes is decided as a booting mode of the host based on first information indicating whether a host can communicate with a broadcasting service provider and second information indicating whether a software-based security client providing information required for decrypting broadcasting data is installed to a hardware-based security module connected to the host, and the host is booted in the decided booting mode.

1. Field of the Invention
Methods and apparatuses consistent with the present invention relate to booting a host, and more particularly, to booting a host in which a downloadable conditional access system (DCAS) is embodied.
2. Description of the Related Art
A broadcasting service provider limits the number of channels a broadcasting service subscriber can watch according to a service subscription fee the broadcasting service subscriber pays. In other words, a broadcasting service provider differentiates a broadcasting service for all broadcasting service subscribers and a broadcasting service only for broadcasting service subscribers paying an additional broadcasting service subscription fee. In the former case, the broadcasting service provider transmits a part of broadcasting data without encryption such that all broadcasting service subscribers can receive a broadcasting service regarding the broadcasting data. In the latter case, the broadcasting service provider transmits the other part of broadcasting data with encryption such that only the broadcasting service subscribers who paid the additional broadcasting service subscription fee can receive a broadcasting service regarding the encrypted broadcasting data.
A conditional access system (CAS) is the most typical system for controlling channels a broadcasting service subscriber can watch. To embody the CAS, a broadcasting service provider encrypts a part of broadcasting data and transmits the encrypted broadcasting data. In this case, an entitlement management message (EMM) and an entitlement control message (ECM) are transmitted along with the encrypted broadcasting data.
A broadcasting reception device of a broadcasting service subscriber who pays an additional broadcasting service subscription fee includes a security module capable of decrypting the encrypted broadcasting data. The security module receives the EMM data and verifies whether the broadcasting reception device is authorized to receive the broadcasting data. For example, the security module can verify whether the broadcasting reception device is used by an authorized broadcasting service subscriber or not by comparing a serial number of the broadcasting reception device and the EMM data. Once the broadcasting reception device is verified as an authorized device, the security module verifies whether the broadcasting reception device is authorized to receive the encrypted broadcasting data or not by using the ECM data. To this end, the security module generates a decryption key by using a verification key, which is obtained from the EMM data, and the ECM data, only if the broadcasting reception device is authorized to receive the encrypted broadcasting data. The broadcasting reception device decrypts the encrypted broadcasting data so that the broadcasting service subscriber can receive a broadcasting service regarding to the encrypted broadcasting data.
Meanwhile, it is prescribed in an open cable application platform (OCAP), which defines the standards of cable broadcasting, that it is required to use a cable card as a security device. However, such cable card is expensive and difficult to be upgraded. To resolve the problems of such cable card, a downloadable CAS (DCAS) is currently under development. In the DCAS, the tasks for a conventional cable card are distributed to a hardware-based security module and a software-based client. The hardware-based security module is included in a broadcasting reception device, whereas the software-based client can be downloaded from a broadcasting service provider.
In the DCAS, functions provided by a broadcasting reception device vary according to a condition of the broadcasting reception device. Thus, it is effective to switch a booting method or a booting sequence according to a condition of the broadcasting reception device. However, an initial boot-up of a broadcasting reception device has been performed inefficiently in a conventional DCAS without considering a condition of the broadcasting reception device.


Methods and devices for provisioning a secure application on an electronic device with first issuer data for a first issuer are described. In an embodiment, the provisioning system receives and stores first issuer records. The example provisioning system receives a provisioning request to provision the secure application with the first issuer data. The provisioning request includes identifying information. The example provisioning system evaluates the provisioning request based on at least one of the first issuer evaluation criteria, the first issuer records and the identifying information in the provisioning request. When the provisioning request satisfies the first issuer evaluation criteria, the example provisioning system generates a signal using the communication module to provide the first issuer data to the electronic device to provision the secure application on the electronic device.

Modern computing devices, such as smartphones and smartwatches, are often equipped for mobile payments. For example, such devices often include a mobile wallet application. The mobile wallet application can be loaded with payment credentials, such as credit card information, to allow the mobile computing device to communicate payment information to a point of sale terminal during a transaction.
Typically, before the mobile wallet application can be used to complete a transaction at a point of sale terminal, the mobile wallet application must be provisioned. This provisioning may involve sending a provisioning request from the mobile wallet application to a network provider (such as Visa™, Mastercard™, etc.). The network provider then identifies an issuer, such as a bank, who is the issuer of a payment card associated with the provisioning request. The network provider authenticates the provisioning request using the identified issuer's database. The provisioning request may be sent to the issuer in a bulk transmission which includes a numerous provisioning requests. The issuer determines whether the provisioning request will be approved or denied and informs the network provider. If the issuer determines that the provisioning request will be approved, the mobile wallet application is provisioned and can then be used for a transaction at a point of sale terminal.
Such provisioning systems tend to be quite slow. In many cases, it may take over an hour to complete provisioning and, in some cases, even a full day. Furthermore, in such systems, the issuer evaluating the provisioning request has limited information available when assessing whether to approve the provisioning request which may result in poor approval or denial decisions.
Similar reference numerals may have been used in different figures to denote similar components.


A support structure for components within a vehicle is provided. The support structure includes a beam comprising a hollow metal tube coupled to vehicle's body. The tube is constructed of a single piece of tubing having first and second portions. The first portion has a first diameter and a first thickness, the second portion has a second diameter and a second thickness. The second diameter is larger than the first diameter and the second thickness is greater than the first thickness.

Many automotive vehicle bodies have a frame with a pair of vertical pillars on the opposite sides of the vehicle body at the juncture of an engine compartment and a passenger compartment. The pillars are connected by a crossbeam structure at the cowl of the vehicle body forward of an instrument panel. The cross beam structure provides cross car stiffness, assist in managing front and side load impacts and supports the steering column and air bags. As well, the cross beam structure provides support for the dashboard, glove compartment and various instrument clusters. The cross beam structure must have sufficient strength to absorb loading applied to the steering column and forces associated with deployment of driver and/or passenger air bags.
Traditionally, cross-car beams are formed of various flat and tubular structures which are welded together. Each of these structures provide either support for various vehicle interior components or function to couple the cross car beam to the vehicles body. Theses previously known cross car support structures suffer the disadvantages that they are composed of multiple metal structures which are fastened together via multiple weld joints. Each of these weld joints and individual components increase the overall complexity of the structures as well as significantly increases the cost of maintaining dimensional stability. Further, the normal methodology of forming a cross-car beam leaves it difficult to estimate the strength of the structure in dynamic vehicle events.

Support structures using tubes having variable wall thicknesses


The present invention deploys an intelligent voice response (IVR) unit to interface between the subscriber and the operational support system of the telephone system. After proper authentication, the subscriber can access control over certain predefined behaviors associated with the subscribed line connection, resulting in improved utility and functionality for the subscriber as well as improved busy line interrupt actions.

The present invention relates in general to remote control of a telephone line, and, more specifically, to use of an intelligent voice response unit to allow a subscriber to implement control actions over their subscribed telephone line connection, such as issuing a busy line interrupt command or other line treatment commands.
Telephone subscribers have customarily not had much control over the behavior or settings of their subscribed telephone line connection. Examples of existing controls include the activation and deactivation of optional features such as call waiting, call forwarding, call park, busy line callback, and automatic number identification (i.e., caller ID). However, other actions such as a busy line interrupt (BLI) have typically continued to require intervention of a telephone operator. Other functions available only to an operator or other telephone company personnel include various treatment codes, such as a re-direct code that causes any call placed from a particular subscriber line to be directed to a predetermined telephone number (e.g., the number of the telephone company billing office when a subscriber's billing account is delinquent). Such treatment codes are implemented within an operational support system (OSS) which comprises a private computer network operated by the telephone carrier which is interfaced to and controls the switches and service control points that handle calls within the public telephone network (making them inaccessible to subscribers).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,905,788, issued to Bauer et al, proposes an automatic system for allowing a subscriber away from home that encounters a busy signal when calling home to interrupt the existing call. During receipt of a busy signal, the subscriber dials an interrupt code that is forwarded to the interexchange carrier (IXC) which verifies the validity of the code and then signals the end office of the local exchange carrier (LEC) to interrupt the call. However, the proposed system in Bauer et al has disadvantages from the standpoint of the LEC because the LEC directly is responsible for the subscriber line performance and it cannot itself verify the authenticity of an interrupt request. Furthermore, in the event that the subscriber line is busy because of a computer dial-up session on the line, then even after the call is interrupted the away-from-home subscriber may still fail to complete a phone call to the line because the computer may immediately re-dial following the interrupt or the computer may auto-answer the operator's call.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,208,718, issued to Rosenthal, discloses measures to handle re-dial attempts by a modem after an operator-initiated line interrupt. A signal recognizable by the modem is transmitted by the telephone network for indicating to the modem that an emergency interrupt took place, so that re-dialing attempts by the modem can be prevented. However, a specially modified modem is required to implement this technique.
Thus, it would be desirable to enable a subscriber (or other authorities) to manage a greater range of behaviors of a subscribed telephone line, whether remotely from another subscriber line or from the subscribed line itself. Further, it would be desirable to ensure the completion of a voice telephone call after interrupting a computer data call on the subscriber line without requiring modifications to a modem.

Subscriber control of busy line interrupt and line treatment codes


A transformer device includes a housing made of a dielectric material, a core received within the housing, a secondary coil wound around an outer peripheral surface of the core, a high-voltage terminal connected to a high-voltage side end of the secondary coil and a primary coil electromagnetically coupled with the secondary coil. The housing has an open axial end and a closed axial end. The high-voltage side end of the secondary coil is positioned within the housing adjacent to the closed end of the housing. A high-voltage generating apparatus includes the transformer device received within a metal case. A discharge lamp lighting system includes the high-voltage generating apparatus and a discharge lamp electrically connected to the high-voltage generating apparatus.

This application is based on and incorporates herein by reference Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-178191 filed on Jun. 14, 2000 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-151042 filed on May 21, 2001.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transformer device, to a high-voltage generating apparatus having the transformer device received in a metal case, and also to a lighting system having the high-voltage generating apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
In order to turn on a discharge lamp of a lighting system, a high voltage (e.g., about 20 kV) needs to be applied between electrodes of the discharge lamp. In a transformer device that generates such a high voltage, a voltage to be applied to a primary coil is rapidly switched by a control circuit to generate the high voltage in a secondary coil. A high-voltage generating apparatus includes such a transformer device received within a metal case. In the high-voltage generating apparatus, there are high-voltage portions and low voltage portions. The high-voltage portions include, for example, a high-voltage side end of the secondary coil and a high-voltage terminal electrically connected to the high-voltage side end of the secondary coil. The low-voltage portions include, for example, the metal case, which receives the transformer device, and the control circuit. An electrical discharge (leakage) can take place between the high-voltage portion(s) and the low-voltage portion(s), causing some undesirable results, such as, damage to the control circuit, reduction in the voltage of the secondary coil, or the like.
In order to prevent the electrical leakage between the high-voltage portion(s) and the low-voltage portion(s), a dielectric resin material can be filled around the primary coil and the secondary coil in the transformer device. However, the step of filling the resin material needs to be added to the manufacturing process, resulting in an increase in a manufacturing cost. Alternatively, a space between the high-voltage portion and the low-voltage portion can be increased. However, this normally causes an increase in a size of the high-voltage generating apparatus.
FIG. 17A shows one previously proposed high-voltage generating apparatus 500 having a transformer device 510 received within a metal case 540. The transformer device 510 includes a core 511, a secondary coil 512 wound around the core 511, a dielectric resin housing 520 receiving the core 511 and the secondary coil 512, and a primary coil 513 wound around the housing 520. A high-voltage side end of the secondary coil 512 is connected to a high-voltage terminal 515 to output a high voltage generated in the secondary coil 512 from the transformer device 510. One end of the housing 520 where the high-voltage side end of the secondary coil 512 and the high-voltage terminal 515 are present is open. Thus, once the transformer device 510 is installed within the metal case 540, electrical leakage similar to that described above can take place between the high-voltage portions of the transformer device 510 and the metal case 540 that acts as the low-voltage portion. In order to restrain the electrical leakage between the high-voltage portions of the transformer device 510 and the metal case 540, the high-voltage portions of the transformer device 510 is covered with and received within first and second resin cases 530, 535 that are engaged with each other to provide a substantially closed space therebetween.
As shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B, when an engaging portion 536 of the second resin case 535 is engaged with an engaging portion 531 of the first resin case 530, a maze structure is formed. Because of the maze structure, a creeping distance between the high-voltage portions of the transformer device 510 and the metal case 540 is increased. Thus, the maze structure formed with the first and second resin cases 530 and 535 restrains the electrical leakage between the high-voltage portions of the transformer device 510 and the metal case 540.
However, the presence of the resin cases 530, 535 between the high-voltage portions of the transformer device 510 and the metal case 540 results in an increase in the number of components to be assembled and also results in an increase in a size of the high-voltage generating apparatus 500.
Thus, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a compact transformer device, which can be readily manufactured with a reduced number of manufacturing steps and can restrain the electrical leakage. It is another objective of the present invention to provide a high-voltage generating apparatus including such a transformer device. It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a lighting system having such a high-voltage generating apparatus.
To achieve the objectives of the present invention, there is provided a transformer device including a housing made of a dielectric material, a core received within the housing, a secondary coil wound around an outer peripheral surface of the core, a high voltage terminal, and a primary coil electromagnetically coupled with the secondary coil for generating the high voltage in the secondary coil. The secondary coil has a high-voltage side end from which a high voltage is outputted. The high-voltage terminal is connected to the high-voltage side end of the secondary coil to output the high voltage from the transformer device. The housing has an open axial end and a closed axial end. The high-voltage side end of the secondary coil is positioned within the housing adjacent to the closed end of the housing.
Furthermore, there is provided a high-voltage generating apparatus including the transformer device and a metal case that receives the transformer device. The metal case is arranged adjacent to the housing of the transformer device.
Also, there is provided a discharge lamp lighting system including a discharge lamp and the high-voltage generating apparatus. The high-voltage generating apparatus is electrically connected to the discharge lamp for generating a high voltage to be supplied to the discharge lamp to turn on the discharge lamp.

Transformer device, high voltage generating apparatus having the same, and lighting system having them