A system for storing and dispensing fuel and a ballast fluid is disclosed. The system may be employed in a vehicle or facility having a power plant. Fuel and ballast fluid may be stored cryogenically in a liquid phase and dispensed to the vapor phase. The system may employ a thermal and volumetric compensatory arrangement wherein fuel dispensed from storage for use in a power plant is used as a heat exchange medium (refrigerant) for ballast fluid received for storage; during refueling, ballast fluid stored in the vehicle or facility may be dispensed and used as a refrigerant for fuel being stored in the vehicle in space made available by the dispensed ballast fluid. The fuel may be natural gas with a main component of methane; the ballast fluid may be a fluid obtainable from ambient environmental air, such as nitrogen or oxygen. The fuel and ballast fluid may be conditioned so that the respective boiling points are approximately equal. The system may employ a heat transfer system with a microchannel heat exchanger.

It is well-known to provide fuel for a power plant for a vehicle or facility (e.g. to power an engine or generator). It is also well-known to provide a vehicle with an engine or power plant that uses a fuel such as gasoline (e.g. a passenger, commercial vehicle, etc.) or diesel fuel (e.g. a truck, bus, work vehicle, train, etc.). Fuel for the vehicle is stored in a tank or chamber in the vehicle and dispensed to the power plant as needed.
It is also known to use natural gas which is relatively abundant (at present) and widely available through an established distribution network as a fuel source for power plant (e.g. as a fuel for combustion). Natural gas has methane as its main component and exists as a gas (vapor) at ambient environmental conditions of temperature and pressure. Natural gas is readily available in the environment as a fossil fuel and/or can be produced from decomposing/landfill waste or at other man-made facilities. The relatively large storage volume required for natural gas in sufficient quantity under ambient conditions in the vapor phase for ordinary vehicle use renders natural gas less practical for use as a vehicle fuel in such condition.
Other fuels such as gasoline or diesel fuel are in a liquid phase at typical ambient environmental conditions and do not require substantial conditioning for use and may be dispensed to a vehicle and stored/use on a vehicle without substantial inconvenience or substantial reduction in net energy efficiency. Accordingly, it is known to compress or liquefy natural gas for storage and transport in commercial and industrial applications (including for use on vehicles that carry the fuel supply). Natural gas is conditioned into commercially and industrially available compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquid natural gas (LNG).
The energy ordinarily required to condition and maintain CNG and LNG natural gas for storage, transport and use as a fuel under typical ambient environmental conditions reduces the net energy efficiency of natural gas. Capital and operating costs are associated with the physical plant and equipment required to compress, store and maintain CNG for transport and use (e.g. equipment such as compressor systems, suitable pressure vessels and conduits/pipelines, etc.) or to condense/liquefy, store and maintain LNG for transport and use (e.g. refrigeration/heat exchange systems, cryogenic storage vessels, insulated conduits/pipelines, etc.). Although natural gas/methane is a suitable and cost-competitive fuel and readily available to be used as a combustion fuel, the amount of required input energy and the physical plant requirements in systems using CNG or LNG tends to reduce attractiveness of using natural gas as a vehicle fuel, particularly in view of the alternatives such as gasoline and diesel fuel, notwithstanding the relatively cost-efficient and convenient availability of natural gas/methane as a fuel through the present abundance and existing distribution network for methane/natural gas.

System and method for storing and dispensing fuel and ballast fluid


An exhaust controller includes an exhaust control valve. The exhaust controller is capable of adjusting an exhaust timing of a spark ignition type, two stroke internal combustion engine depending upon the rotational speed of the engine. The exhaust control valve has a structure and operation which greatly reduces exhaust leakage past the exhaust control valve. As a result, the scavenging efficiency and the charging efficiency are improved and the compression ratio of the engine is better maintained. In operation, the exhaust control valve maintains a relatively consistent cross-section throughout the exhaust gas flow passage. As a result, exhaust pressure is decreased, resulting in an increase in the output and efficiency of the engine.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exhaust controller for a spark ignition type, two stroke internal combustion engine. The exhaust controller is capable of adjusting an exhaust timing of the engine depending upon the rotational speed of the engine. Particularly, the present invention relates to an exhaust control valve for the exhaust controller having an improved structure and operation which greatly reduces exhaust leakage past the exhaust control valve.
2. Description of the Background Art
Spark ignition type, two stroke internal combustion engines having an exhaust controller are known in the art. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 56-54336 and Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 3-33426 show engines including: an exhaust port and a scavenging port which open into a cylinder hole. The ports are opened and closed by a reciprocating motion of a piston in the cylinder hole. In operation, new gas (unburnt gas) is precompressed in a crank chamber, then fed into the cylinder hole through a scavenging passage and the scavenging port. The new gas is then compressed in the cylinder hole, and ignited by an ignition plug. The burnt gas is exhausted via the exhaust port into an exhaust passage. An exhaust control valve is provided in the exhaust port for reducing the blowoff of the new gas. The exhaust control valve blocks an upper portion of the exhaust port during a low speed rotational state of the engine, and fully opens the exhaust port during a high speed rotational state of the engine.
The internal combustion engine described in Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 56-54336 uses an exhaust control valve having a form of a double enveloping body. Part of the double enveloping body is cut out in a shape corresponding to a transverse cross-sectional shape of an upper portion of the exhaust passage. In operation, the exhaust valve can be brought into contact with the cylinder hole. For example, during the low speed operational state of the engine, the valve is positioned to partially block the exhaust port (see FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 56-54336). However, due to the structure of the exhaust control valve, when the exhaust control valve is brought into contact with the cylinder hole, exhaust gas tends to leak, with relatively low resistance, through a gap formed between an outer peripheral wall of the piston and an outer peripheral surface of the exhaust control valve. This leakage reduces the exhaust control ability of the exhaust controller during the low speed operational state of the engine.
In the internal combustion engine shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 of Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 3-33426, and as shown in FIGS. 29 to 31 in this specification, an exhaust control valve 01 includes a flat main body 02, a flexible thin plate-like blocking member 03 raised upright from a leading end of the flat main body 02, and an arcuate edge portion 04 of the flat main body 02 extending to a cylinder hole 05. The edge portion 04 conforms to the cylinder hole 05 with a narrow gap kept therebetween.
As shown in FIG. 31, a base portion of the flat main body 02 is pivotably supported about a shaft 07. The shaft is located in an approximately vertical center portion of the exhaust passage 06. A cavity portion 09 is formed in the cylinder block 08. As the flexible thin plate-like blocking member 03 rocks about the shaft 07, it is accepted into the cavity portion 09. In operation, the flexible thin plate-like blocking member 03 is vertically rocked depending on the rotating speed of the engine.
Such a configuration has several shortcomings. One shortcoming occurs when the exhaust control valve 01 is rocked downward in the low speed rotational state of the engine. When the upper edge of a piston 010 is moved up over the upper edge of an exhaust port 011, a gas in the cylinder hole 05 is trapped in a space defined by a cutout portion 012 of the cylinder block 08, blocking member 03, arcuate edge portion 04, and the outer peripheral surface of the piston 010. As a result, the scavenging efficiency and the charging efficiency are reduced and the compression ratio is lowered.
Further, since the exhaust passage 013 is formed in a rectangular shape in cross-section and the base portion of the flat main body 02 is positioned at the approximately vertical center of the exhaust passage 013, the cross-section of the exhaust gas flow passage is rapidly varied. This variance causes a large disturbance in the exhaust flow and thereby increases the exhaust pressure, resulting in a decrease in the output and the efficiency of the engine.
Further, residual solid matter contained in the exhaust gas tends to accumulate in the narrow width of the cavity portion 09. This residual solid matter can obstruct the sliding motion of the flexible thin plate-like blocking member 03 as it curvedly slides within the cavity portion 09.

Exhaust controller for internal combustion engine


In a method for producing a biochip comprising a large number of spots based on captures, the spots are arranged on a base plate 10 by supplying, onto the base plate 10, a plurality of types of the captures to be used to specifically react with a specimen in order to obtain information on a structure or a function of the specimen, an immobilization-reinforcing solution 16 is supplied onto the base plate 10 (first supply step). Subsequently, a sample 14, which is obtained in a sample preparation step, is supplied onto the immobilization-reinforcing solution 16 having been supplied onto the base plate 10 to produce the biochip thereby (second supply step).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a DNA microarray (DNA chip) which specifically reacts with a biochemical specimen and which is used for inspection equipment represented, for example, by a biochip to be used in order to obtain information on the structure and the function of the specimen. The biochip preferably has several hundreds to several ten thousands kinds of captures, especially DNA fragments or the like, for capturing the specimen, and the captures are aligned and fixed at a high density as minute spots on a base plate such as a microscopic slide glass. The present invention also relates to a method for producing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
The methods for analyzing gene structures have remarkably progressed in recent years. A large number of gene structures represented by those of a human gene have been identified. The analysis of the gene structure as described above uses a DNA microarray (DNA chip) in which several hundreds to several ten thousands kinds of DNA fragments or the like are aligned and fixed as minute spots on a base plate such as a microscopic slide glass.
The methods widely used for forming the minute spots for the production of the DNA microarray are generally based on a system such as the QUILL system, the pin & ring system, and the spring pin system in which a sample solution is stamped onto the base plate by using a pin.
Even when any one of the foregoing methods is adopted, it is important to minimize the dispersion of the volume and the shape of each of the minute spots so that the distance between the respective minute spots is maintained to be constant. Further, it is necessary that the capture (corresponding to the DNA fragment or the like in the case of the DNA microarray), which specifically reacts with a specimen in the minute spot formed on the base plate and which is used to obtain information on the structure and the function of the specimen, is reliably immobilized on the base plate.
On the other hand, in order to realize a higher density, it is also greatly expected to develop a new method which is excellent in productivity and in which the shape control performance for the minute spot is satisfactory.
In the conventional production of the biochip, when the sample containing DNA fragments or the like is dropped onto the base plate to form minute spots, or when the chip is dealt with or treated thereafter, the minute spots may be peeled off. When the DNA fragments or the like are immobilized on the base plate in the DNA microarray, several techniques are adopted, in which a functional group is affixed to the DNA fragments themselves to facilitate immobilization, or the surface of the base plate is coated with a functional group layer. However, even when such a technique is adopted, the adopted technique is insufficient to avoid the peeling off of the minute spots.
Further, a technique is also adopted, in which a hydrophilic polymer or the like is dissolved in a sample containing DNA fragments or the like to reinforce the immobilization of the DNA fragment or the like onto the base plate. However, the cost may be increased, because it is necessary to mix the sample and an immobilization-reinforcing solution, and it is also necessary to use a large amount of the immobilization-reinforcing solution. Further, when such an immobilization-reinforcing solution and samples are previously mixed and supplied onto the base plate, it is necessary to consider the compatibility and the conformability between the immobilization-reinforcing solution and the thousands of potential samples. Therefore, the selection of the material for the immobilization-reinforcing solution has been restricted.
Further, the sample containing the immobilization-reinforcing solution has to be supplied onto the base plate in accordance with the conventional method. Therefore, a drawback arises in that only an immobilization-reinforcing solution, which has physical properties to be successfully supplied by the supply method, can be used.
Specifically, in the method for mechanically forming spots using a pin to produce the DNA microarray, the sample containing the immobilization-reinforcing solution must be a sample which adheres to the pin, because the sample is physically retained (adhered) onto the pin to move (supply) the sample onto the base plate. Further, it is necessary that the amount of adhesion is made as uniform as possible for all cases of DNA fragments or the like. Therefore, the selection of immobilization-reinforcing agents that can be mixed with DNA fragments or the like has been extremely restricted.
On the other hand, an ink-jet type spotting method, which is one of non-contact type spotting methods, is known as a method for accurately forming minute spots. A micropipette in which a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element is used as a micropump and a dispenser which is based on the use of the same have been developed and practically used as an apparatus for accurately dispensing a minute amount of biological sample based on the use of the ink-jet type spotting method.
In the non-contact type spotting method, a biological sample, which contains, for example, DNA fragments, nucleic acids, and amino acids, is discharged as minute droplets so that the sample is dropped onto a base plate such as a slide glass.
However, in this method, when the minute droplets of the biological samples, which have relatively high viscosities, are of many different types, and differ only slightly in physical properties, are discharged to the space and dropped onto the slide glass base plate, so-called satellites (splashed droplets finer than objective discharged droplets) tend to appear in addition to the objective droplets (objective discharged droplets). The satellites dropped onto the base plate result in problems of quality of the obtained product. For example, such spots are formed at portions other than original spot formation positions making it impossible to maintain constant spacing distances between the minute spots and causing contamination due to the mixing with each other.
The so-called satellites as described above are not caused at the early stage of the operation of the dispenser in some cases, but the satellites occur after continuing the operation for a certain period of time. An extremely troublesome problem arises in this way in view of the management of production steps. When the discharge speed of the droplets is large, the momentum of the droplets is large upon the dropping onto the slide glass base plate, resulting in a problem such that splashes (mists) are generated forming satellites around the genuine spot.
In order to avoid the occurrence of the so-called satellites as described above, the discharge speed may be decreased. However, if the discharge speed is decreased, the discharge operation becomes unstable.
When the method, in which the hydrophilic polymer or the like is dissolved in the sample containing DNA fragments or the like to reinforce the immobilization of the DNA fragments or the like onto the base plate as described above, is adopted for the ink-jet type spotting method, the sample solution is discharged onto the base plate through a discharge nozzle. However, the solidification of the sample solution may be advanced during the process of discharging the sample solution onto the base plate, resulting in discharge failure. When an immobilization solution having a high viscosity is mixed with the sample to effect the discharge, any discharge defect is likely caused by the drying and solidification of the sample solution in the vicinity of the discharge nozzle.
Further, when it is intended to actually obtain information on the structure or the function of a specimen, the specimen may be bound to the base plate in locations other than the spots. Conventionally, in order to avoid such a phenomenon, a blocking treatment (treatment to avoid any binding of the specimen to portions other than portions at which the spots are formed on the base plate) is performed after forming the spots on the base plate. However, most of captures supplied onto the base plate may flow out during the blocking treatment. Further, the blocking treatment may be incomplete and the S/N ratio of the signal from the spot is deteriorated.

Biochip and method for producing the same


Devices based on metamaterial structures to guide and manipulate light, other electromagnetic radiation and acoustic waves. For example, a lens can include a metamaterial structure comprising nano structures of metallic and dielectric materials; and a plasmonic waveguide coupler formed over the metamaterial structure for coupling electromagnetic radiation to or from metamaterial structure. The metamaterial structure has an anisotropic structure and the plasmonic waveguide coupler is structured to include metal and non-metal parts to support surface plasmon polaritons and to cause different phase delays at different locations of an interface with the metamaterial structure in a way that the metamaterial structure and the plasmonic waveguide coupler effect a lens for performing a Fourier transform of the electromagnetic radiation coupled between the metamaterial structure and the plasmonic waveguide coupler.

This patent document relates to optical devices that guide and manipulate light.
An optical lens is a fundamental optical component or device of various optical devices for guiding and/or manipulating light. Optical lenses can be made of optical dielectric materials shaped to have one or more contiguously smooth concave or convex shapes that use concave or convex surfaces to guide or manipulate light by optical refraction. Such lenses can be designed to control light with high precision and can be configured as, for example, high quality imaging lenses used in optical imaging capturing devices (e.g., cameras) and image display systems (e.g., projectors). An optical lens can also be made of a dielectric material shaped to have a set of discrete, concentric annular rings known as Fresnel zones to achieve large optical apertures.
Optical lenses based on the above designs tend to be limited in various aspects due to certain characteristics of natural or synthetic optical dielectric materials such as limited upper values and the positive sign of refractive indices, or other requirements of certain applications such as requirements on the physical size or weight of optical devices.

THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA


A method and a system (10) are provided for generating source code (28) for relating a dialog interface with a business object in a computing application. The system (10) includes a memory (14, 18) operable to store an attribute definition file (16). An interface (12) is coupled to the memory (14, 18). The interface (12) allows a user of the system (10) to create an application configuration file (19) from the attribute definition file (16). A processor (24), which is coupled to the memory (14, 18) and the interface (12), automatically generates source code (28) in response to the application configuration file (19) to relate the dialog interface with the business object. The method is performed on a computer system, such as the system (10) of the present invention. The method includes receiving configuration information specifying a relationship between at least one interface object and at least one business object which is represented by the interface object. Source code is automatically generated from the configuration information. The source code relates the interface object with the business object.

A computer system may be used to perform a specific set of functions for any number of applications, such as an accounting system, a video production system, a hazardous chemical monitoring system, a docketing system, or a tracking system. For any computing application, software source code must be developed.
One software development method is object-oriented programming. In many object-oriented programs, two types of objects must be developed: interface objects and business objects. Interface objects, such as windows, dialogs, list boxes, menus, and buttons, allow a user of a computing application to interact with the application for any of a variety of reasons, such as to retrieve or view information, enter data, and give commands to the application. Business objects represent objects or items which are controlled or managed by the computing application. For example, in an application for an accounting system, business objects may represent an accounting entry, an asset, a liability, an account, or an interest payment. In addition, business objects may also represent actions that can be performed on a item. For example, in a computing application for a video production system, a business object may include the action of directing a video camera to zoom in on a scene. The interface objects with which a human operator interacts (e.g., a button on a dialog box) must then be related to the actions of the business objects (e.g., zooming a camera).
The process of manually producing source code for business and interface objects is time-consuming and inefficient. For example, to construct a dialog (an interface object) that requires or uses information relating to a business object, the human coder or programmer must include multiple parameters in an appropriate order in all declarations, definitions, and calls where that dialog is used. Otherwise, the source code will not function as desired. Furthermore, even when the human programmer is consistent in the use of declarations and definitions for one version of source code, consistency cannot be guaranteed for other versions. Specifically, if a declaration or definition is changed, the human programmer is required to manually change the declaration or definition throughout all sections of the source code.
Various software programs, commonly referred to as code generators, have been developed to facilitate the generation of source code for computing applications, thereby increasing the efficiency of a human programmer and improving the accuracy of the source code. Many code generators allow the programmer to develop interface resources, and to provide information about the links among interface objects, such as, for example, linking a specific dialog to a button so that the dialog appears when the button is "pressed" by a user of the computing application. One such code generator is ObjectDesigner.TM., available from ImageSoft Corporation, Port Washington, N.Y. Such code generators do not provide a way for the human programmer to provide information about the business objects associated with the dialogs. Because the source code generated by prior code generators does not include such information, the utility of the source code is limited.

Automatically generating source code for relating a dialog interface with a business object in a computing application


A polysilazane perhydride solution, prepared by dispensing polysilazane perhydride in a solvent containing carbon, is applied on a semiconductor substrate (1), thereby forming a coated film (6), which is heated, volatilizing solvent therein, thereby forming a polysilazane film (7), which is chemical-treated, so the polysilazane film (7) is changed to a silicon dioxide film (8).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manufacturing method for semiconductor devices.
2. Description of Related Art
Semiconductor devices have an STI (shallow trench isolation) structure widely used for isolation between microscopic elements. For the STI structure, associated processes include a step of forming a trench in a surface of a semiconductor substrate, and a step of embedding an insulation film (element isolating insulation film) in the trench. The insulation film embedded in trench may be a film of a silicon oxide, such as silicon dioxide (SiO2), for instance. For formation of the silicon oxide film, there are known processes including, among others, a CVD (chemical vapor deposition) process employing a source gas containing ozone (O3) and TEOS (tetraethoxysilane), HDP (high-density plasma) CVD process, and the like.
Along with miniaturization of semiconductor device, trenches have an increased aspect ratio (trench depth/trench width). It therefore is becoming difficult for the above-noted CVD process or the like to form a silicon oxide film in a trench without producing voids (unfilled part) or seams (joint-like unfilled part). That is, for STI applications, it is getting difficult to make a silicon oxide film with a favorable embedded form.
In this respect, for miniature semiconductor elements from the 100-nm generation, there have been proposals for a process employing a coating type solution SOG (spin-on-grass).
Typically, silicon hydroxide (silanol SiOH4) is dispersed in an organic solvent, such as alcohol, to obtain a solution (silicon hydroxide solution) as an SOG solution to be employed.
This silicon hydroxide solution is applied on a semiconductor substrate, thereby forming a coated film on the semiconductor substrate. After that, the coated film is heated, thereby developing hydrolysis and dehydrating condensation reactions. The coated film is thereby changed to a silicon dioxide film.
Along the course of hydrolysis and dehydrating condensation reactions, significant volume shrinkage develops. As a result, cracks occur in silicon oxide film in the trench. In other words, for STI applications, it is getting difficult to make a silicon dioxide film with a favorable embedded form, even in employment of silicon hydroxide solution.
To this point, among solutions for SOG application, there is a solution containing polysilazane perhydride (polysilazane perhydride solution) that has a relatively small volume shrinkage, which is attracting attention in recent years. Methods being employed include applying the polysilazane perhydride solution on a semiconductor substrate, so as to refill trenches formed in the semiconductor substrate, which is followed by an oxidation treatment in a water vapor atmosphere to thereby form a silicon dioxide film as an element isolating insulation film.
More specifically, polysilazane perhydride ((SiH2NH)n) is dispersed in, among others, xylenen (C6H4(CH3)2) or dibutyl ether ((C4H9)20) or such, thereby forming the polysilazane perhydride solution.
The polysilazane perhydride solution is applied on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, so as to refill trenches formed therein, by a spin coating method (that is the method of spinning a semiconductor substrate, coating with a solution). Resultant coat of polysilazane perhydride solution undergoes a thermal treatment (baking treatment), whereby solvent of polysilazane perhydride solution is volatilized to form a film of polysilazane (referred herein to as "PSZ"). After that, the PSZ film is treated for oxidation to form a silicon dioxide film.
Silicon dioxide films after the oxidation treatment have remaining impurities including, among others, nitrogen (N) contained in the structure of PSZ, and carbon (C) having been contained in a solvent of polysilazane perhydride solution. Such remaining N (nitrogen) and C (carbon) in silicon dioxide film may act as positive bound charges, affecting electrical characteristics and integrity of the semiconductor device.
To this point, there is a technique proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-222220, in which for a semiconductor substrate formed with a PSZ film and inserted in a diffusion furnace, pressure in the furnace is once dropped, and then water vapor is introduced, thereby raising the furnace pressure, while an oxidation treatment is performed therealong, thereby depriving the PSZ film of impurities such as N (nitrogen) and C (carbon), to change the PSZ film into a silicon dioxide film.
The technique proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-222220 permits a silicon dioxide film to be formed as an element isolating insulation film with a reduced content of impurities, whereto it has been a desideratum to provide a manufacturing method for semiconductor devices permitting an element isolating insulation film to be formed with the less content of impurity, allowing for unaffected electrical characteristics and integrity.

Manufacturing method for semiconductor devices


Scoping operating system semantics in a computing environment, wherein a process comprising at least one enclave is executing in the computing environment, is disclosed. Such scoping is performed by determining whether an operating system semantic is explicitly directed to the process, or whether the operating system semantic is implicitly directed to the process. If the operating system semantic is explicitly directed to the process, then the operating system semantic is scoped to the process. If the operating system semantic is implicitly directed to the process, then the operating system semantic is scoped to an enclave of the process in which the operating system semantic occurs.

An operating system interface standard is a specification that defines the interface between operating systems which conform to the standard and application programs which are written to comply with the standard. Operating system interface standards are advantageous for a number of reasons, including enhanced portability. For example, applications which conform to an operating system interface standard are theoretically portable at the source code level to all computer systems having operating systems which conform to the standard. The portable operating system interface (POSIX) standard is an example of an operating system interface standard.
A computer programming language standard is a specification which defines the syntax and operation of a computer programming language. Various computer programming language standards exist, such as the ANSI and ISO standards for the C, COBOL, Fortran, and PL/I computer programming languages.
Operating system interface standards and computer programming language standards typically specify semantic scoping rules which define the breath (or scope) of semantics, such as variable and function declarations and name resolutions. Semantic scoping rules are discussed in many publicly available documents, such as Alfred V. Aho, Ravi Sethi, and Jeffrey D. Ullman, Comtpilers: Principles, Techniques, and Tools, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1988, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
As used herein, the term "semantic" refers to an action which is taken as a result of executing a command or instruction contained, for example, in a computer program or a library routine. Distinction is made herein between "language semantics", which are semantics defined by computer programming language standards, and "operating system semantics", which are semantics defined by operating system interface standards.
Some operating system interface standards, such as the Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX) standard (discussed below), supports the following program execution constructs: processes and threads. A process is defined as including an address space, one or more threads that execute within that address space, and the system resources required by the threads. An application program includes one or more processes. A thread is defined as being a single flow of control within a process. Each thread has its own required resources to support its flow of control.
An "enclave" is another program execution construct, and represents an extension of a computer programming language standard. Enclaves are generally well known. An enclave comprises one or more threads. A process comprises one or more enclaves. Other names for enclaves exist. For example, in COBOL this program execution construct is called a "run unit".
Where multi-enclave processes are permitted, enclaves define the scope of language semantics within processes. In other words, language semantics are scoped to the enclaves in which they respectively occur. For example, an enclave defines the scope of the language name resolutions in a process, such as those for Fortran COMMON or COBOL external program constructs or the scope of a main routine and the associated language semantics such as those of a "STOP" statement.
The scoping specifications typically defined by operating system interface standards do not specify the behavior of application programs in environments which allow a process to contain multiple enclaves, particularly with regard to the scoping of operating system semantics. Consequently, the run-time behavior of such application programs is unpredictable. This problem is further described with reference to FIG. 1, which is a high-level block diagram of a conventional computer system 102.
The computer system 102 includes hardware components 104 such as one or more central processing units (CPU) 106, a random access memory (RAM) 108, and an input/output (I/O) interface 110. The computer system 102 also includes an operating system 120. Various peripheral devices are connected to the computer system 102, such as secondary storage devices 112 (such as a hard drive), input devices 114 (such as a keyboard and/or a mouse), display devices 116 (such as a monitor), and output devices (such as printers) 118.
A plurality of application programs 122, 124, 126 execute in the computer system 102. The application programs 122, 124, 126 may execute sequentially in the computer system 102, but preferably execute in parallel in the computer system 102.
Assume that enclaves (and processes having multiple enclaves) are permitted in the computer system 102, and that the operating system 120 conforms to an operating system interface standard that does not define the behavior of multi-enclave processes. Thus, the scoping of operating system semantics are undefined in the computer system 102. Specifically, an ambiguity exists as to whether operating system semantics are scoped to the process or to the enclaves contained in the process. As a result of this ambiguity, the run-time behavior of application programs 122, 124, 126 is unpredictable.
Thus, what is required is a method and system for defining the behavior of computer programs pertaining to the scoping of operating system semantics where the computer programs execute in an extended environment which allows a process to contain multiple enclaves.

System, method, and computer program product for scoping operating system semanticis in a computing environment supporting multi-enclave processes

International Business Machines Corporation


A contact member according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises: a thin plate member having spring characteristics and electrical conductivity. The thin plate member comprises: a joint portion having a joint surface to be joined to a first member; a contact portion contactable with a second member; and a connecting portion having a length component in a direction intersecting the joint surface, and having a first end continuous to the joint portion and a second end continuous to the contact portion. The connecting portion comprises a narrow portion having a smaller dimension in a width direction than a dimension around the narrow portion.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a contact member.
2. Description of the Related Art
A contact member configured to contact two conductive members to electrically connect these conductive members to each other has been typically used. For example, a contact member described in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication No. 04-002464 contacts a first member at a flat plate portion, and contacts a second member at an extension portion. The extension portion extends away from the first member to bend from the flat plate portion.
In the contact member of this type, the extension portion elastically deforms. Thus, contact pressure can be moderately increased. Moreover, even if there is a manufacturing error in the distance between both the members, the influence of such an error can be reduced. Thus, favorable contact between both the members can be realized.


A device for setting the relative rotational position of a camshaft (2, 3) of an internal combustion engine (11) relative to a crankshaft (1) driving the camshaft (2, 3), having a traction mechanism drive (4) wrapping around the crankshaft (1) and the camshaft (2, 3), which includes a loaded traction-mechanism section (8, 9) and a non-loaded traction-mechanism section (7), and a tensioning device (5, 6, 10) for changing the length of the loaded traction-mechanism section (8, 9). The tensioning device (5, 6, 10) is supported on the internal combustion engine (11) and has an adjustment device (20) that can be fixed.

The invention relates to a device for setting the relative rotational position of a camshaft of an internal combustion engine relative to a crankshaft driving the camshaft, with a traction mechanism drive wrapping around the crankshaft and the camshaft, having a loaded traction-mechanism section and a non-loaded traction-mechanism section, and a tensioning device for changing the length of the loaded traction-mechanism section.
A device according to this class is known, e.g., from DE 198 20 534 C2, where in the loaded traction-mechanism section there is a hydraulically actuated tensioning device supported opposite the non-loaded traction-mechanism section. A disadvantage in this device is that it requires a support on an opposite non-loaded traction-mechanism section. Furthermore, the hydraulic adjustment cylinder is not pressurized when the internal combustion engine is stopped, so that adjustment is not possible when the internal combustion engine is stopped.

Device for setting the relative rotational position of a camshaft of an internal combustion engine relative to a crankshaft driving the camshaft


A twisted nematic liquid crystal display which have a pixel divided into at least one is fabricated by using a UV light irradiated photo-polymer layer provided on a substrate, which includes a polysiloxane based material or polyvinylfluorocinnamate. The alignment direction and pretilt angle direction are adjusted by anchoring energy and flowing effect of liquid crystal material between substrates.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal cell, and more particularly to a method for manufacturing a twisted nematic(referred as TN) liquid crystal cell using an ultraviolet light irradiated an alignment layer to make two domains in each pixel, that is, each domain has a different alignment direction. Thereby, the viewing angle compensates each other so as to provide a wider viewing angle without grayscale-reversal problem.
It is well known that the TN LCD, which is now most commonly employed, has a narrow and non-uniform viewing angle causing changing a transmittance in the gray level FIG. 1a is showing the relation between the transmittance of LC cell and a voltage, FIG. 1b is showing the relation between the viewing angle in the horizontal direction and the transmittance, and FIG. 1c is showing the relation between the viewing angle in the vertical direction and transmittance. Particularly, referring to FIG. 1, while it is a symmetric transmittance between right and left viewing angle, it is asymmetric transmittance between upper and lower viewing angle. The viewing angle gets narrower because an image inversion occurs between an upper and lower viewing angle. To overcome this problem of the narrow viewing angle, two major approaches have been proposed i.e., a multi-domain TN LCD such as a two-domain TN LCD, a domain-divided TN LCD and a four-domain TN LCD, and an optical compensation using two retardation films compensated birefringence mode LCD. Referring to a structure of LC cell in FIG. 2, each pixel has two-director configuration, wherein the two directors are in the opposite direction. Applying a gray level voltage to this cell, the LC directors are tilted in opposite directions, thereby, two domains is obtained. The two-domain TN LC cell is made by the following steps: rubbing the entire alignment layer 2 coated on a substrate 1 in the first rubbing direction; making mask to block one domain by a photoresist; rubbing the other domain at the reverse direction to the first rubbing direction; and removing said photoresist. Thereby, it obtains two liquid crystal directors which are in opposite directions in each pixel.
Referring to domain-divided LC cell in FIG. 3, the alignment layers 12,13 consist of two materials having different pretilt angles. The first alignment layer 12 is organic and the second alignment layer 13 is inorganic.
According to the reverse rubbing process in FIG. 4, the polyimide 22 coated substrate 21 is rubbed in the first rubbing direction, then photoresist 23 as a mask is formed on some area of the substrate 21. Then other area of the substrate 21 is rubbed in the opposite direction to the first rubbing direction and finally, the photoresist 23 is removed.
For the double SiOx oblique evaporation in FIG. 5, SiOx is evaporating the substrate with some angle, the photoresist is formed to divide a pixel. Then SiOx is evaporating in the opposite direction to the previous evaporating direction on the substrate 21 and the photoresist 23 used as a mask is removed. Thereby, two domains having the different pretilt angle each other are provided.
However, the two-domain TN and the domain-divided TN are fabricated through the rubbing process and photolithography process so the process becomes very complicated, also a particle and an electrostatic discharge are generated during the rubbing process. Therefore, the yield is decreased, or liquid crystal gets damaged.

Method for manufacturing liquid crystal cell using light


In a phase-change random access memory (PRAM) device, a write operation is performed by applying a set pulse to failed PRAM cells. The set pulse comprises a plurality of stages sequentially decreasing from a first current magnitude to a second current magnitude. The first current magnitude or the second current magnitude varies from one write loop to another.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate generally to phase-change random access memory (PRAM) devices and associated operating characteristics. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to PRAM devices employing write verify operations.
2. Description of Related Art
Phase-change memory devices store data using phase-change materials, such as chalcogenide, which are capable of stably transitioning between amorphous and crystalline phases. The amorphous and crystalline phases (or states) exhibit different resistance values, which are used to distinguish different logic states of memory cells in the memory devices. In particular, the amorphous phase exhibits a relatively high resistance, and the crystalline phase exhibits a relatively low resistance.
At least one type of phase-change memory device—phase-change random access memory (PRAM)—uses the amorphous state to represent a logical '1' and the crystalline state to represent a logical '0'. In a PRAM device, the crystalline state is referred to as a "set state", and the amorphous state is referred to as a "reset state". Accordingly, a memory cell in a PRAM stores a logical '0' by "setting" a phase-change material in the memory cell to the crystalline state, and the memory cell stores a logical '1' by "resetting" the phase-change material to the amorphous state. Various PRAM devices are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,487,113 and 6,480,438.
The phase-change material in a PRAM is converted to the amorphous state by heating the material to above a predetermined melting temperature and then quickly cooling the material. The phase-change material is converted to the crystalline state by heating the material at another predetermined temperature below the melting temperature but above a crystallization temperature for a set period of time. Accordingly, data is written to memory cells in a PRAM by converting the phase-change material in memory cells of the PRAM between the amorphous and crystalline states using heating and cooling as described.
The phase-change material in a PRAM typically comprises a compound including germanium (Ge), antimony (Sb), and tellurium (Te), i.e., a "GST" compound. The GST compound is well suited for a PRAM because it can quickly transition between the amorphous and crystalline states by heating and cooling. Examples of other compounds that could be used for the phase-change material include, but are not limited to, 2-element compounds such as GaSb, InSb, InSe, Sb2Te3, and GeTe, 3-element compounds such as GeSbTe, GaSeTe, InSbTe, SnSb2Te4, and InSbGe, or 4-element compounds such as AgInSbTe, (GeSn)SbTe, GeSb(SeTe), and Te81 Ge15Sb2S2.
The memory cells in a PRAM are commonly referred to as "phase-change memory cells", or PRAM cells. A phase-change memory cell typically comprises a top electrode, a chalcogenide layer, a bottom electrode contact, a bottom electrode, and an access transistor. In the phase-change memory cell, the chalcogenide layer is typically the phase-change material. Accordingly, a read operation is performed on the phase-change memory cell by measuring the resistance of the chalcogenide layer, and a write operation is performed on the phase-change memory cell by heating and cooling the chalcogenide layer as described above.
In order to enhance the reliability of write operations performed in PRAM devices, a write verify operation (also called a verify read operation) is often performed before or after a write operation to detect whether selected PRAM cells are in desired states. In the write verify operation, data stored in the selected PRAM cells is read out from the selected PRAM cells as verification data. The verification data is then compared with data to be written in the selected PRAM cells (also referred to as write data). Differences between the verification data and the write data are then used to detect PRAM cells that have not been successfully written (also referred to as "failed cells" or "failed PRAM cells"). The failed cells are then re-written using corresponding bits among the write data, while selected PRAM cells that have been successfully written-to may not be re-written with corresponding bits among the write data.
The re-writing (as well as initial writing) is generally accomplished using a plurality of write loops each preceded by a write verify operation. Typically, a write loop will only be performed if the preceding write verify operation indicates that at least one selected PRAM cell has not been successfully written with the corresponding write data.

Phase change random access memory device


A method of fracturing a subterranean formation to produce fluid from a reservoir through a wellbore includes flowing a treating fluid into the wellbore to create fractures in the formation, selectively flowing a flow constraint material (FCM) into the wellbore simultaneously with the treating fluid, pausing the flow of the FCM while maintaining the flow of the treating fluid, monitoring a parameter of the formation to determine whether the parameter is within a range, resuming the flow of the FCM when the parameter of the formation is out of the range, ceasing the flow of the FCM when the parameter of the formation is in the range, where a system strain increase is about 0.0003 or less when the parameter of the formation is in range, and where the flow of the flow constraint material partially constrains the treating fluid from entering at least one of the fractures.

This section is intended to provide relevant contextual information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the described embodiments. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light and not as admissions of prior art.
Fracturing techniques are often implemented to stimulate hydrocarbon-producing reservoirs by increasing the permeability of the reservoir rocks. A fracturing fluid is introduced into the reservoir at a pressure sufficient to break or fracture the reservoir rocks. Particulate solids, e g., proppant particles, are suspended in the fracturing fluid and settle into the fractures to maintain fracture integrity and to create a conductive fracture network within the reservoir rock. The conductive fracture network is an interconnected network of fractures capable of channeling the flow of hydrocarbons from the reservoir rock and into a wellbore.
The conductive fracture network can include generated or dilated fractures that readily receive the fracturing fluid in order to produce hydrocarbons and can also include fractures that have limited productivity. In this case, the fracturing fluid gravitates towards the path of least resistance, i.e., the generated or dilated fractures with increased permeability. However, to improve the overall permeability of the reservoir, diverter or flow constraint materials may be used to force the flow of the fracturing fluid from the producing fractures and into the fractures with limited productivity. In particular, the diverter material constrains or diverts the fracturing fluid from entering the generated or dilated fractures.


An inspecting apparatus is provided which inspects whether or not a liquid absorbent particulate is deposited with a predetermined deposition pattern on an absorbent sheet-like member, the absorbent sheet-like member having a continuous web and a plurality of absorbent bodies, the continuous web being transported along a transport direction, the absorbent bodies being formed on one surface of the continuous web in a spaced apart manner in the transport direction, each absorbent body including the liquid absorbent particulate as a main material. The inspecting apparatus includes: an imaging process section which is adapted to image, from one side of a surface of the absorbent sheet-like member, a region on the absorbent sheet-like member where the absorbent body is expected to exist, and that is adapted to produce data relating to a planar image of the region as planar image data of the absorbent body; an extracting process section which is adapted to extract a proper quantity region from the planar image by performing a binarization process on the produced planar image data based on a threshold value, the proper quantity region being an imaged region in which the liquid absorbent particulate is of a specified amount or more; and a pass/fail determination process section that is adapted to perform a pass/fail determination process based on a value indicating a size of the proper quantity region.

Disposable diapers, incontinence pads and the like are known as examples of absorbent articles that absorb liquid such as liquid excretions. These absorbent articles typically include absorbent bodies made of liquid absorbent fibers, such as pulp fibers, formed into a predetermined shape.
However, recently, there are cases where a superabsorbent polymer (hereinafter, also referred to as SAP) in a particulate form is used as the main material of the absorbent body and liquid absorbent fibers are not used, or, if used, are used in an auxiliary manner.
An example of an apparatus that manufactures such an absorbent body is disclosed in PTL 1. With such an apparatus, the absorbent body is formed at a predetermined pitch in the transport direction by dropping and depositing the SAP at intervals on a continuous web which is transported in the transport direction.
On the other hand, PTL 2 discloses a method of measuring an amount of SAP that is scattered at intervals on an absorbent body which has pulp fibers as its main material. More specifically, a capacitance-based sensor is provided at a predetermined position in the transport direction of the absorbent body, and a distribution of the amount of SAP in the transport direction is measured based on a change of capacitance while the absorbent body is passing below the sensor.

Inspecting apparatus and inspecting method of absorbent sheet-like member related to absorbent article


A method of preparing a hydrophilic plastic cartridge by centrifugally cang polymerizable hydrophilic material in a rotating polymerization tube whose longitudinal axis is maintained parallel to the ground. The speed of rotation causes radial outward displacement of the polymerizable material which upon assuming a predetermined shape within the rotating tube is then polymerized to the predetermined solid configuration. The resulting plastic cartridge is characterized by smooth, unscored internal and external cylindrical surfaces. The cartridges are used as a rate-limiting membrane in drug delivery devices. Sterilized kits containing a disposable needle/syringe or trocar-like instrument and the drug delivery device are used for subcutaneous implantation of the device in an animal body.

The sustained release of active agents from drug delivery devices, for example, in the form of an ocular insert, tablet, transdermal patch, or implantable device is well known. In the administration of certain pharmaceuticals, long-term drug delivery has been shown to be effective in that constant serum levels are obtained and patient compliance is improved. Delaying the release of the active agent is also desirable in that an immediate release upon placement in the delivery environment can result in unacceptably high initial concentrations of a drug at the sites of implantation.
The examination of synthetic hydrogels for potential biomedical applications (including potential use in certain drug delivery devices) has given rise to various theories regarding mechanisms of diffusion. Lee, Jhon and Andrade have proposed that there are three classes of water in hydrogels, using poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), oftentimes abbreviated as polyHEMA, as their model [Nature of Water in Sythetic Hydrogels, J. Colloid & Interface Sci., 51 (2): 225-231 (1975)]. The first 20% of hydrogel water content, called "Z water", was said to be bound to the polymer matrix. The next 10-12% of water content, called interfacial or "Y water", is partially affected by the polymer matrix. Any additional water imbibed by the gel is relatively unaffected by the polymer matrix; it is called bulk or "X water".
The Lee, et al. model was expanded upon by Kim, Cardinal, Wisniewski and Zentner [Solute Permeation Through Hydrogel Membranes: Hydrophilic vs. Hydrophobic Solutes, ACS Symposium Series (Water in Polymers), 127 (20): 347-359 (1980)]. They concluded that the diffusion coefficients for hydrophilic solutes through hydrogel membranes depends on molecular size and water content; permeation in pure polyHEMA and in polyHEMA crosslinked with a low mole percent of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate was via the pore mechanism, i.e., through the bulk-type water. Hydrophobic solutes were said to diffuse via both pore and partition mechanisms, i.e., respectively through the bulk-type water, and through the interfacial-type and bound-type water.
Wood, Attwood and Collett have described a model for diffusion of the small hydrophobic molecule salicylic acid (the solute) in hydrogels [The Influence of Gel Formulation on the Diffusion of Salicylic Acid in PolyHEMA Hydrogels, J. Pharm. Pharmacol., 34: 1-4 (1982)]. Radioactively labeled salicylic acid was added to a HEMA monomer solution and polymerized in situ. The water contents of the resulting gels were measured. Diffusion was measured by quantifying migration of the solute to a gel placed in contact with the sample gels. It was concluded that diffusion occurred primarily through the polymer's pores via the hydrating liquid at higher levels of hydration (more than 31%). At hydration levels below 31%, diffusion was said to occur by dissolution of the solute within the polymer segments; crosslinker concentration did not have any significant effect on diffusion. This was correlated to a change in pore size proportional with percent hydration. For another treatment of the interaction of pore size and diffusion, see Wisniewski and Kim [J. Membrane Sci., 6: 299-308 (1980)].
Microporous membranes (some including hydrogels) have been used as rate-limiting barriers for such devices, including implants, ocular inserts, coated intrauterine devices and the like, for example, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,416,530, 3,618,604, and 3,828,777 to Ness; U.S. Pat. No. 3,551,556 to Kliment, et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,990 to Mueller, et al.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,993,072, 3,948,254, and 3,854,380 to Zaffaroni, drug delivery systems are disclosed including a solid inner matrix containing a drug and surrounded by a wall formed of a polymeric membrane (the '072 and '254 patents call for a microporous membrane, the pores of which contain a drug-release-rate-controlling medium).
Some sustained release devices have been described for the delivery of hydrophilic macromolecules, such as polypeptides. For example, European Patent Application Publication No. 0,092,918 to Churchill, et al. entitled "Continuous Release Formulations" describes the continuous release of, e.g., luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone, growth hormones and growth hormone releasing factor, from a hydrophobic/hydrophilic noncrosslinked copolymer in which the hydrophobic component is biodegradable and the hydrophilic component may or may not be biodegradable. The composition is described as being capable of absorbing water to form a hydrogel when placed in an aqueous, physiological-type environment.
In European Patent Application Publication No. 0246653, publication date Nov. 25, 1987, in the names of Sanders and Domb there is disclosed a drug delivery device comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, macromolecules of at least 1,000 molecular weight mixed with said carrier, and a partially-hydrated, non-biodegradable, hydrogel rate-limiting membrane, such as crosslinked poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), which surrounds or envelops the drug and carrier. The examples disclose a cylindrical reservoir-type delivery device formed by polymerizing a mixture of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HENU) and ethylene glycol dimethaciylate (EGDMA) in a cylindrical mold, with or without a core. When a mold without a core is used, a core is drilled into the cylindrical polymer matrix. The reservoir is then filled with an amount of suspended drug sufficient to carry out the treatment regimen. A fresh mixture of HESM and EGDMA is added to the top of the reservoir and polymerized to effect a seal.
The patent applicants further disclose the preparation of polymer rods of HEMA/EGDMA using small glass vials (about 3 cm.times.0.6 cm) as the polymerization vessel. After completion of the polymerization reaction, polymer rods (2.5 cm in length and 6.0 mm in diameter) are recovered by breaking the glass vials and they are thereafter placed in a desiccator maintained at a humidity of 23 percent for 6 hours. To fabricate a core (reservoir) in the rods, the patent applicants disclose the following:
"The rods were removed from the desiccator and carefully drilled to form a reservoir having a diameter of 4.0 mm, proceeding with the drill in about 0.5 cm steps, followed by removal of the drill bit from the rod for cooling (by immersion in water or by application of a cold air) before commencing the next 0.5 cm step. Drilling is continued until a reservoir of sufficient volume is formed, in no event drilling closer to the end of the rod than the thickness of the reservoir (i.e., 2.0 mm). It was observed that having the rods in a partially hydrated state was of significant benefit for the drilling operation. Fully hydrated rods were found to be too flexible and soft. Dry rods were found to be too stiff and easy to crack during drilling."
The fabrication of partially hydrated rods, as proposed above, for use in a drug delivery device is quite labor intensive, tedious, and expensive. The drilling procedure, effected in several steps on the small partially hydrated rods, results in a core (the reservoir) whose surface suffers from a lack of uniformity and desired smoothness. Additionally, the thickness between the core surface and the outer surface of the rod would lack uniformity and cause an irregular release rate of the macromolecules. The device thus suffers from poor geometry and is relatively bulky.
Davidson, Domb, Sanders, and McRae disclose that hydrogel membranes of polyHEMA and HEMA/methyl methacrylate copolymer can be used for controlled delivery of analogs of LHRH. Cylindrical implant devices of crosslinked poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) containing excess LHRH analog (RS-49947) dispersed in silicone oil were implanted in several beagles for one year. Several of the devices, because of the low mechanical strength of the hydrogel polymer, did not remain intact for the whole year; however, of those devices remaining intact estrus was suppressed in the female beagles [Hydrogels for Controlled Release of Peptides, Proceed. Intern. Symp. Cont. Rel. Bioact. Mater., 15, (1988), Controlled Release Society, Inc.].
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,517,138 and 4,517,139 to Rawlings et al disclose a method for spin casting contact lenses by employing a polymerization tube which is adapted to receive and accommodate a plurality of vertically arranged circular molds in interference fitting relationship. Each mold contains lens-forming material in the mold cavity. The polymerization tube with its interior filled with stacked molds is rotated about its longitudinal axis, maintained perpendicular to the ground, under polymerization conditions. Rotation of the tube will cause the stacked molds to rotate at the same speed while maintaining the concentricity of the molds to the spinning axis of the tube to produce the lenses.

Manufacture of water-swellable hydrophilic articles and drug delivery devices

Hydro Med Sciences, a Division of National Patent Development Corporation


A composition is disclosed comprising a partially hydrolyzed cereal protein. The partially hydrolyzed cereal protein is characterized in that 20% to 80% by weight has a molecular weight of 25 kDa or greater 8% by weight or less has a molecular weight of 1.4 kDa or lower and in that it has a nitrogen solubility index of 90% or greater at pH 1 to 10. The preferred cereal protein derives from wheat. Also disclosed is a process for producing the composition comprising providing a slurry having a degree of hydrolysis of 3 to 8, determining the pH, adjusting the pH of the slurry and separating the aqueous-soluble portion of the slurry. Compositions according to the invention find use as milk protein replacements and as components in nutritional supplements, sports drinks, or food products including beverages.

The main whey protein in milk is β-lactoglobulin which has a molecular weight of around 36 kDa. Other important whey proteins in milk are α-lactalbumin with a molecular weight of around 14.5 kDa and bovine serum albumin with a molecular weight of around 69 kDa. There is a need for vegetable (i.e. edible plant) protein analogues of animal derived proteins and, in particular, milk proteins for both social and health reasons. However, the taste, mouth feel and nutritional properties of milk proteins are difficult to reproduce using vegetable protein.
Vegetable proteins are, nevertheless, used in a number of different applications, including both food and non-food applications
One vegetable protein which has been produced in a number of different forms, including both dried powder and liquid form, is soya protein. EP-A-1 512 328 discloses soluble soya protein and a method for producing such soluble soya protein using an enzyme, preferably a protease of fungal origin, to produce a material having high solubility and high anti-oxidant capacity without the normal bitterness and beany flavour associated with hydrolysed soy materials.
Other vegetable proteins useful because of cost, amino acid profile or other nutritional properties have, in practice, been more difficult to use, particularly in liquid form. Cereal proteins, for example wheat, are generally difficult to process because of the high proportion of insoluble and difficult to handle material. Cereal proteins would be particularly advantageous and products have, nevertheless, been developed using cereal proteins.
EP-A-0 672 352 relates to processes for the preparation of glutamine-rich peptides, in particular for use in food preparation. One of the particular glutamine-rich peptides disclosed in this document is based on wheat protein. However, the vegetable proteins, including the wheat proteins disclosed in EP-A-0 672 352, have extremely low molecular weights.
WO-A-2004/047549 discloses a process for preparing vegetable protein suspensions including wheat protein suspensions which are microbial stable without the addition of any preservatives and with a water activity of 0.4 to 0.9. These products have a wide range of degrees of hydrolysis which would result in varying molecular weight distribution.
A need exists for a composition comprising a vegetable protein which can be used as a milk protein replacement with generally similar properties, at least as regards solubility and average molecular weight to those of at least some of the milk proteins. In particular, it would be advantageous to provide a cereal protein having such properties.
The Applicants have surprisingly discovered that controlled separation of hydrolysed cereal proteins can provide a cereal protein with such beneficial properties and lead to a milk protein replacer for use in analogues of dairy products.


A varied least recently used (VLRU) caching technique is used to enable print data to be available at a cache of a client for printing, even after an agent performs a deletion of a hash value for the print data at a cache of the agent. The deletion of the print data (cached at the cache of the client) is postponed at the client device via the use of a waiting list, so that the cached print data can be printed at a physical printer of the client, in response to receiving a delayed print job from the agent that specifies the hash value as a result of a deduplication process performed by the agent.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Virtualization allows the abstraction and pooling of hardware resources to support virtual machines in a software-defined networking (SDN) environment, such as a software-defined data center (SDDC). For example, through server virtualization, virtualized computing instances such as virtual machines (VMs) running different operating systems (OSs) may be supported by the same physical machine (e.g., referred to as a host). Each virtual machine is generally provisioned with virtual resources to run an operating system and applications. The virtual resources in a virtualized computing environment may include central processing unit (CPU) resources, memory resources, storage resources, network resources, etc.
One example use of a virtualized computing environment is for a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) implementation, which is a type of desktop virtualization that allows a desktop to run on VMs that are provided by a hypervisor on a host. A user/client uses the operating system (OS) and applications (which reside and execute at the VM) via an endpoint device of the user, just as if the OS/applications were actually running locally on the endpoint device.
VDI implementations provide the user with printing capability, so that the user can issue print jobs from the virtual desktop at the VM, and then the printing is performed at a physical printer that is connected to the user's endpoint device (client device). However, printing in a virtualized computing environment (such as one that is implementing VDI) is prone to caching limitations and errors, which may result in failed print jobs at the physical printer of the client device.

Cache management in a printing system in a virtualized computing environment


A robot control device includes manual pulse generation units that generate pulses having a pulse number depending on an operation amount of an operator, command signal calculation units that calculate an operation command signal to a robot based on a pulse number to be input, and a pulse number limiting unit that limits, to a threshold, the pulse number to be input into the command signal calculation units, in a case or cases where the pulse number generated by the manual pulse generation units is larger than the predetermined threshold, where, in a case or cases where the pulse number generated by the manual pulse generation units is equal to or less than the threshold, the pulse number is output as it is.

A robot control method and a control device are known in which an operator manually operates a manual pulse generation device to operate a robot (e.g., see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. Hei 4-354683).
According to this control method, even if an operation speed of the manual pulse generation device noticeably fluctuates, the robot can be smoothly accelerated and decelerated.


A high-definition optical disk and a high-definition optical disk drive, which record data on lands and grooves. Wobbles are formed in grooves and lands of an optical disk, and address information is embedded in the wobbles. The wobbles are formed so as to become in phase with each other in the grooves. An address of the land sandwiched between the grooves is detected from the wobble of the groove. When the wobble of the land is not an in-phase wobble but is of opposite phase, a gray code of the wobble is substituted with a binary address such that 0 is achieved when the gray code is converted into the binary address. As a result, even in the case of the wobble of opposite phase, the address information about the land is made coincident with address information about an inner-radius-side adjacent groove, thereby determining address information about the land.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical disk and optical disk drive, and more particularly, to a high-definition optical disk and a high-definition optical disk drive, which record/reproduce data through use of grooves and lands.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has hitherto been known an optical disk which achieves a high recording definition (or density) by means of recording data not only on a groove, but on both a groove and a land. When data are recorded on both the groove and the land in the manner as mentioned above, an address must be accurately detected from the groove and the land, respectively. In DVD-RAM, a special signal is inserted on a per-sector basis so as to be temporally independent of data recording according to a scheme called CAPA (Complementary Allocated Pit Address), and an address is detected by means of reproducing this special signal. Specifically, an address area (header section) which is independent of a data area is provided at the head of each sector. A plurality of CAPA signals are inserted into the header section while being offset right and left with respect to the groove or land in the data area. CAPA signals detected when data are recorded/reproduced on or from the groove differ from those detected when data are recorded/reproduced on or from the land. By utilization of this phenomenon, detection of an address from the groove and an address from the land is performed.
However, the optical disk has the address sections which are temporally independent of the data sections, and, therefore, there arises a problem of the data capacity of the optical disk being reduced correspondingly. Further, the groove and the CAPA signals are not arranged in a straight line, and hence there also arises a problem of manufacture of an optical disk encountering comparative difficulty. Moreover, there still exists a problem of a servo system employed for recording/reproducing data on/from the data section differing from that employed for recording/reproducing data on/from the header section, or a problem of the data section differing from the header section in terms of optimum points of parameters, such as servo parameters.
For these reasons, there has already been put forward a technique for determining the address of the land (hereinafter sometimes be called a "land address") as well as the address of the groove (hereinafter sometimes be called a "groove address") through use of wobbles to be used for storing the groove address.
When the groove is subjected to in-phase wobbling at a phase of 0°, 0 is recorded. When the groove is subjected to in-phase wobbling at a phase of 180°, 1 is recorded. Thus, address information is embedded. However, even when two adjacent grooves are subjected to in-phase wobbling, a land sandwiched between the two grooves is not necessarily subjected to in-phase wobbling, thereby failing to determine an address. In light of this problem, a technique for preparing two addresses and determining the land address through use of anyone of them is described in, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 10-312541.
FIG. 21 shows an address format described in the conventional technique.
The address includes an area address and a track address (i.e., a track number), and the area addresses of the respective segments arranged in the same direction are equal to each other. FIG. 21 shows only track addresses. Reference symbols G1, G2, G3, . . . denote grooves; and L1, L2, L3, . . . denote lands. Lower track numbers are located in an inner radius of the disk, and the track number increases from the inner radius to the outer radius. A track number assigned to G1 is n+1; a track number assigned to G2 is n+2; a track number assigned to L1 is n+1; and a track number assigned to L2 is n+2. As shown in FIG. 22, wobbles are formed in each of the grooves; 0 is recorded through use of the in-phase wobbles of 0°, and 1 is recorded through use of in-phase wobbles of 180°.
When attention is directed toward G1, L1, and G2, the track numbers assigned to G1, G2 originally differ from each other. Accordingly, the wobbles formed in G1 and those formed in G2 become out of phase with each other. In L1 sandwiched between G1 and G2, the wobbles of G1 and the wobbles of G2 are 180° out of phase with each other, and hence L1 becomes opposite in phase and cannot be detected. For this reason, in relation to Address 1, an identical track number is assigned to G1 and G2, thereby bringing the wobbles of L1 sandwiched therebetween in phase and enabling determination of a track number n+1. In Address 2, the original track number n+1 is assigned to G1, and the original track number n+2 is assigned to G2. Therefore, the address of L1 sandwiched between G1 and G2 cannot be detected, and hence NG is assigned to L1.
When attention is directed toward G2, L2, and G3, the track numbers assigned to G2, G3 originally differ from each other. Accordingly, the wobbles formed in G2 and those formed in G3 become out of phase with each other. In L2 sandwiched between G2 and G3, the wobbles of G2 and the wobbles of G3 are 180° out of phase with each other, and hence L1 becomes opposite in phase and cannot be detected. For this reason, in relation to Address 2, an identical track number is assigned to G2 and G3, thereby bringing the wobbles of L2 sandwiched therebetween in phase and enabling determination of a track number n+2. In this case, in Address 1, the address of L2 cannot be detected, and hence NG is assigned to L2.
When address data are recorded on the disk in the form of wobbles, recording is performed by means of converting binary data into a gray code. Here, the gray code is for setting an inter-code distance between two adjacent sets of binary data; that is, the number of inverted bits.
FIG. 23 shows a gray code converter 2 for converting binary data into a gray code. FIG. 24 shows a relationship between addresses and gray codes. The gray code converter 2 comprises a plurality of EX-OR (exclusive-OR) gates 1. For instance, when the address is made up of eight bits, the least significant bit LSB and the next lower bit are subjected to EX-OR operation, thereby determining the least significant bit LSB of the gray code. Similarly, adjacent bits in the address are subjected to EX-OR operation and converted into a gray code. The most significant bit MSB of the address is maintained intact and converted into a gray code. In the EX-OR operation, 0 is output when two inputs are identical with each other, and 1 is output when the two inputs differ from each other. Therefore, for instance, when binary data pertaining to the address are 00000000, the gray code will assume 00000000. When the binary data are 00000001, the gray code assumes 00000001. When binary data are 00000010, the gray code assumes 00000011. As can be seen from FIG. 24, the inter-code distance of a gray code existing between two consecutive addresses always assumes a value of 1.
As mentioned above, the land address and the groove address have hitherto been detected through use of the two addresses; that is, Address 1 and Address 2. However, forming two addresses in a disk beforehand is redundant, and a data recording density of the disk is decreased correspondingly. The conventional technique employs only one of the addresses. Even if the two addresses are used, effective utilization of a redundant address is not sought.

High-definition optical disk and high-definition optical disk drive


The present invention provides a secure information exchange mechanism that can be seen as a portal or gateway to his or her digital information. The invention is sometimes referred to as an “n-by-m lockbox” because it allows n suppliers to submit information accessible by m accessors. Each lockbox owner specifies and controls who or what can provide what information to the lockbox, who or what can access what information stored therein, and when and how the stored information is accessed. The information may be encrypted and only authorized accessors would be able to decipher it. The lockbox may comprise multiple compartments that segregate information based on pertinent criteria and may incorporate multiple encryption/decryption mechanisms that respectively correspond to each of the multiple compartments. The lockbox owner may associate different encryption keys with different compartments and give these keys to different depositors or instruct depositors to utilize different keys for specific categories of content. The lockbox provides a means for improved organization of the storage of potentially vast amounts of information. Further, the lockbox solves many problems associated with spamming and also advantageously prevents problems associated with various security attacks, such as flooding and denial of service.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to information exchange in a network environment. More particularly, it relates to a secure information exchange mechanism, system and architecture where a personal "lockbox" allows n suppliers of information to submit desired information that can be accessed in m different ways.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the growth of information sources, networks, and devices for accessing information, individuals like us find it increasingly difficult to receive only the information we want. Many computer programs and systems make it easy for producers of information to cause that information to reach individuals regardless whether the information is desirable. For example, marketers create and send unwanted electronic mails to virtually any email accounts they can get their hands on. This type of unwanted emails is called "spam." As we adopt additional information appliances, or so-called Internet appliances, such as mobile phones, personal digital assistance (PDA) devices, and wireless network devices we will be accessing information sources, such as email, in more places and more often. Concurrently, as more companies and marketers bring their information to the marketplace, they will be generating additional content, some of which will be unwanted. Without some capability for an individual to strictly control or filter out unwanted information per that individual's needs and wants, the information economy will be severely impacted.
Currently, there are many commercial products that provide, to a certain degree, individualized or personalized access to information on the World Wide Web. Typically, a computer user may customize a "home page" that may include some categories of information in which the user has expressed interest as well as some information mandated by the supplier of the web page. The customization of each user's home page is limited to what is selectively provided by the supplier's server. For example, web portals such as Yahoo! allow users to customize their individual home pages with templates selected from a much larger amount of available stored information. The user typically views and accesses his or her home page through a web browser. The data for each home page may be stored locally on the user's computer for later retrieval if the user explicitly executes a save command. Using today's technology and with many tedious manual operations, a computer-savvy user could create a variety of personalized pages, follow the embedded URLs thereof to access more detailed content referred to by the embedded URLs, create a number of distinct subdirectories, select and store all pertinent information from a type of provider and of a particular category in a distinct subdirectory on the user's own computer system. In other words, it is possible to manually creating a repository of all and only the desired information, stored in appropriate compartments. However, such manual operation is undesirably time consuming and requires computer knowledge beyond ordinary. Moreover, until all relevant information had been accessed, filtered, separated, and stored on the user's computer, the user would be relying on the remote storage of information and several intermediary services provided by the web host and the web page-composer.

Personal portal and secure information exchange


A device for automation of biological and medical tests wherein test subjects or specimens that are placed in test vessels are subsequently treated by different liquid reagents, including: at least two test vessels of dimensions providing accommodation of specimens, a hydraulic gravity feeding system to deliver the liquid reagents into the two test vessels, a hydraulic gravity discharging system to remove waste liquid or spent reagents from the test vessels and directing them into an apparatus for accommodation of the such waste liquid or spent reagents, and a control system operating the device. A mechanical system is provided for agitating the test vessels.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to immunodetection generally, and more particularly to a novel device for protein detecting tests.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97-1.99
While the present invention is described in detail with reference to a device for Western blot tests, it will be understood that it is applicable as well to a family of the devices for similar tests.
Detection of proteins immobilized on various matrixes using immunological methods is a widespread procedure both in biomedical research areas and in clinics. A common example of such detection methods is what has become known as the Western blotting procedure, where proteins separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis are transferred to an immobilizing matrix for immunodetection. Although conceptually simple, the process of detecting molecules of interest by immunological methods is a tedious and labor-intensive task, involving successive incubation with a series of reagents and washes.
To reduce the "hands-on" time requirements for immunodetection, several instruments have been developed, such as the Western Processor of Bio-Rad Laboratories, and the Hoefer Processor Plus of Amersham Pharmacia Biotech, that automate the time-consuming steps of these routine protocols. In the design of both devices, a rocker platform providing agitation of the blotting reagents and pumps for reagent delivery and discharging of test vessels are used. Pumping of the reagents determines the main drawback of the devices; its structural complexity increases dramatically as the number of test vessels and variability in primary and secondary antibodies increase. For this reason, the number of test vessels in both devices is limited currently by four, and the numbers of used primary and secondary antibodies in both devices are limited by one and one. This strongly limits the capacity of the devices and their abilities to make several tests with different antibodies simultaneously. With other protocols for immunodetection, FLISA or immunocytochemistry, only very expensive robots have been used for automation, and no specialized inexpensive devices for automation have been developed.


Cache memory requirements between normal and peak operation may vary by two orders of magnitude or more. A cache memory management system for multi-tenant computing environments monitors memory requests and uses a pattern matching classifier to generate patterns which are then delivered to a neural network. The neural network is trained to predict near-future cache memory performance based on the current memory access patterns. An optimizer allocates cache memory among the tenants to ensure that each tenant has sufficient memory to meet its required service levels while avoiding the need to provision the computing environment with worst-case scenario levels of cache memory. System resources are preserved while maintaining required performance levels.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Cache memory is used to provide fast access to data in a computer system. When the requested data is in the cache memory, time consuming requests to slower memory may be avoided. When requested data is not in the cache, a 'miss' is returned and the computer system must access the requested data from the slower memory system. Two factors affect cache hit and miss rates. One is predicting what data to keep stored in the cache as cache memory limits are reached. Multiple algorithms exist for determining which data to keep and discard. A second factor is the size of the cache. When more memory is allocated, more data can be stored in the cache and the miss rate is lowered. Too little cache memory increases the miss rate and may negatively affect system performance. However, system constraints may prevent simply provisioning an amount of cache memory that would guarantee maximum hit rates. There is a need to correctly allocate cache memory.

Dynamic cache size management of multi-tenant caching systems


The present approach enables an impression of the atmosphere of a scene or an object present in the scene at the time of photography to be pictured in a person's mind as though the person were actually at the photographed scene. A feeling-expressing-word processing device has: a feeling information calculating unit 11 for analyzing a photographed image, and calculating feeling information which indicates a temporal change in a scene shown in the photographed image or a movement of an object present in the scene; and a feeling-expressing-word extracting unit 12 for extracting, from among feeling-expressing words which express feelings and are stored in a feeling-expressing-word database 21 in association with the feeling information, a feeling-expressing word which corresponds to the feeling information calculated by the feeling information calculating unit 11.

The present invention relates to a feeling-expressing-word processing device, a feeling-expressing-word processing method, and a feeling-expressing-word processing program.
We sometimes desire to convey an atmosphere of a certain place to another person from afar. In such a case, by taking a photograph of one's surroundings with a camera or the like and showing them to the other person, an atmosphere of the place where the photograph was taken can be conveyed. However, simply taking a photograph of a scene with a camera or the like is insufficient when attempting to fully convey the atmosphere of the place where the photograph was taken. An example of a technique for solving such a problem involves a character inserting device described in Patent Document 1. According to this character inserting device, a character-added image is generated by converting auditory information such as contents of conversation or ambient sound at the time of photography into characters and inserting the converted characters into a photographed image.    Patent Document 1: Patent Publication JP-A-2003-18462
A person pictures, in his or her mind, an impression of the atmosphere of a scene or an object present at the scene portrayed in a photographed image based on visual information such as a situation of the scene, a condition of the object, a temporal change in the scene, and a movement of the object. For example, when viewing an image portraying a bustle with a large number of people, one may feel that the scene is "gocha gocha (word describing a jumble or a mess)". On the other hand, when viewing an image portraying the inside of an office with nobody moving around even though there are a similar large number of people, one may feel that the scene is "shiin (word describing dead silence)". However, there may be cases where visual information such as a situation of a scene, a condition of an object, a temporal change in the scene, and a movement of the object cannot be readily recognized from what is portrayed in a photographed image. In such cases, if characters expressing visual information can be viewed, an impression of the atmosphere of a scene or an object present in the scene can be pictured more clearly.
Since the character inserting device described in Patent Document 1 inserts characters converted from auditory information into an image, the character inserting device is unable to express an impression of the atmosphere of a scene or an object present in the scene which is obtained from visual information.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Feeling-expressing-word processing device, feeling-expressing-word processing method, and feeling-expressing-word processing program


A storage device comprises a probe having a tip. The storage device also comprises a storage medium, with the tip of the probe to form the groove in the storage medium. The probe tip interacts with a surface of the groove to store and read data.

In computing systems, such as desktop computers, portable computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), servers, and others, storage devices are used to store data and program instructions. One type of storage device is a disk-based device, such as magnetic disk drives (e.g., floppy disk drives or hard disk drives) and optical disk drives (e.g., CD or DVD drives). Such disk-based storage devices have a rotating storage medium with a relatively large storage capacity. However, disk-based storage devices offer relatively slow read-write speeds when compared to operating speeds of other components of a computing system, such as microprocessors and other semiconductor devices.
Another type of storage device is a solid state memory device, such as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), flash memory, and electrically erasable and programmable read-only memory (EEPROM). Although solid state memory devices offer relatively high read-write speeds, usually on the order of nanoseconds, they have relatively limited storage capacities.
With improvements in nanotechnology (technology involving microscopic moving parts), other types of storage devices are being developed. One such storage device is based on atomic force microscopy (AFM), in which one or more microscopic scanning probes are used to read and write to a storage medium. Typically, a scanning probe has a tip that is contacted to a surface of the storage medium. Storage of data in the storage medium is based on perturbations created by the tip of the probe in the surface of the storage medium. In one implementation, a perturbation is a dent in the storage medium surface, with a dent representing a logical "1," and the lack of a dent representing a logical "0." Other types of perturbations that can be created in the surface of the storage medium include creating or altering the topographic features or composition of the storage medium, altering the crystalline phase of the medium, filling or emptying existing electronic states of the medium, creating or altering domain structures or polarization states in the medium, creating or altering chemical bonds in the medium, employing the tunneling effects to move and remove atoms or charge to or from the medium, or storing/removing charge from a particular region.
Typically, for improved access speeds, multiple probes are used, with the multiple probes usually arranged in an array. The array of probes are scanned across the surface of a storage medium to detect for the presence or absence of perturbations to determine the states of corresponding bits of data. In storage devices that use dents to store data bits, the dents are formed by heating the probe tips and applying a downward force on the probes such that the dents are imprinted into the storage surface of the storage medium. For accurate operation, the probe array and the storage medium have to be aligned with respect to each other. Temperature changes and variations between the probe array and the storage medium may cause mis-alignment between previously recorded dents and the probes. For example, the probe array may have a different coefficient of thermal expansion than the storage medium. Thus, once heated, mis-alignment may cause some of the probes in the array to go off track. If this occurs, perturbations in the surface of the storage medium may be missed, which may cause the probes to erroneously detect that perturbations are not present. As a result, read errors may occur, which reduces reliability of storage device operation.

Storage device having a probe with a tip to form a groove in a storage medium

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.