A method is provided for fabricating a stacked microelectronic assembly by steps including stacking and joining first and second like microelectronic substrates, each including a plurality of like microelectronic elements attached together at dicing lanes. Each microelectronic element has boundaries defined by edges including a first edge and a second edge. The first and second microelectronic substrates can be joined in different orientations, such that first edges of microelectronic elements of the first microelectronic substrate are aligned with second edges of microelectronic elements of the second microelectronic substrate. After exposing traces at the first and second edges of the microelectronic elements of the stacked microelectronic substrates, first and second leads can be formed which are connected to the exposed traces of the first and second microelectronic substrates, respectively. The second leads can be electrically isolated from the first leads.

The subject matter of the present application relates to packaged microelectronic elements and methods for packaging microelectronic elements, e.g., semiconductor elements.
Microelectronic elements, e.g., semiconductor chips are flat bodies with contacts disposed on the front surface that are connected to the internal electrical circuitry of the chip itself. Semiconductor chips are typically packaged together with other elements, e.g., chip carriers, lead frames or dielectric elements to form microelectronic packages having terminals that are electrically connected to the chip contacts. The package may then be connected to test equipment to determine whether the packaged device conforms to a desired performance standard. Once tested, the packaged chip may be connected to a larger circuit, e.g., a circuit in an electronic product such as a computer or a cell phone.
Dielectric materials used for packaging semiconductor chips are selected for their compatibility with the processes used to form the packaged chips. For example, during solder or other bonding operations, intense heat may be applied. Accordingly, metal lead frames have been used as packaging elements. Laminates have also been used to package microelectronic devices. Laminate elements may include two to four alternating layers of fiberglass and epoxy, wherein successive fiberglass layers may be laid in traversing, e.g., orthogonal, directions. Optionally, heat resistive compounds such as bismaleimide triazine (BT) may be added to such laminate elements.
Tape-like dielectric elements have also been used to form thin profile microelectronic packages. Such tapes are typically provided in the form of sheets or rolls of sheets. For example, single and double sided sheets of copper-on-polyimide are commonly used. Polyimide based films offer good thermal and chemical stability and a low dielectric constant, while copper having high tensile strength, ductility, and flexure has been advantageously used in both flexible circuit and chip scale packaging applications. However, such tapes are relatively expensive, particularly as compared to lead frames and laminate substrates.
Microelectronic packages can be formed by wafer level packaging processes where semiconductor components are packaged while the semiconductor die remain connected in a wafer form. The wafer is subjected to a number of process steps to form package structure and the wafer is diced to free the individual die. Wafer level processing may provide a cost savings advantage. Furthermore, the package footprint can be identical to the die size, resulting in very efficient utilization of area on a circuit panel, e.g., printed wiring board to which the die will eventually be attached. As a result of these features, die packaged in this manner are commonly referred to as wafer level chip scale packages (WLCSP).
In order to save space certain conventional designs have stacked multiple microelectronic chips within a package. This allows the package to occupy a surface area on a substrate that is less than the total surface area of the chips in the stack. However, conventional stacked packages can have disadvantages relating to complexity, cost, thickness and testability.
Amidst this background, there remains a need for improved wafer-scale packaging processes and especially stacked packages.

Method of fabricating stacked assembly including plurality of stacked microelectronic elements


A wheelchair navigation system for a motorized wheelchair includes dual cameras, proximity sensors, microphones, and rotation sensors for the wheels. Small markers are placed on the walls of a location or room. The navigation system uses the proximity sensors, rotation sensors and cameras in conjunction with the specialized software to determine where objects or impediments are located in the room and thereby redirect the path of the wheelchair so as to avoid such objects. The wheelchair is walked through the marked location thereby ‘teaching’ various paths which are recorded in the computer and recalled later when the wheelchair is in use. The proximity sensor perform sensing operations during performance of the teaching functions for thereby permitting avoidance of wheelchair collision with obstacles during navigation of the wheelchair through a taught trajectory and allowing for close approach of the wheelchair to solid bodies present during performance of the teaching functions.

a. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a wheelchair navigation system, and more particularly to a computer-controlled power wheelchair navigation system that allows a person to navigate through a location with pre-established paths, and with voice or manually activating the computer.
b. Description of Related Art
A significant population of severely disabled people require mobility assistance in daily living activities beyond what is available in conventional powered wheelchairs. The present invention is aimed at a segment of that population, those unable to manually guide the movements of powered wheelchairs, to provide them with autonomous navigation capabilities in repetitively used environments such as homes, offices, hospitals, and public buildings and spaces.
There are a number of navigational methods that already exist for autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles. Current navigational systems for semi-autonomous vehicles usually have controls such as a joystick or an ocular device, and employ overriding features such as obstacle or collision avoidance. Some autonomous systems utilize path-following methods such as a magnetic strip, optical strip or targets to provide paths from an origin to a destination. These methods have difficulty handling multiple and intersecting paths, if they can handle them at all.
There are three systems specifically identified in the prior art, all of which differ from the present invention. A robotic wheelchair system, commonly known as the WHEELSELSY, developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, operates as a semi-autonomous system that is capable of being controlled by head and eye movements of the rider.
Another wheelchair system known as NavChair® is an adaptive shared control system that is semi-autonomous. The NavChair® uses guidance command from the rider and exerts control in areas such as obstacle avoidance or object approach.
The Wheelchair Project also has a system that uses landmark recognition and obstacle avoidance as well as interaction across a spectrum of automations from low level motion guidance to selection of destination wherein the wheelchair delivers the rider.
None of these known assistance devices are fully autonomous operations. Moreover, none of these known assistance devices permit avoidance of wheelchair collision with obstacles during navigation of the wheelchair through a taught trajectory while allowing for close approach of the wheelchair to solid bodies present during performance of teaching functions. They do, however, share many common features, including adaptability to a multitude of different vehicles, varying levels of operator control authority, and obstacle avoidance.
The autonomous navigation system of the present invention was developed for use in rehabilitative or therapeutic environments as well as domestic and vocational circumstances. It can also be modified for use in independent mobile circumstances for the severely disabled such as public access buildings like museums and airports. Secondary applications for autonomous transport are also foreseeable, although not specifically identified herein.

Computer-controlled power wheelchair navigation system

The United States of America as represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs


A control device is provided. The control device includes a user interface unit in which information of a broadcast receiver controlled through unidirectional wireless communication is entered, a searching unit which searches an infrared (IR) code set corresponding the broadcast receiver based on the entered information, a managing unit which registers the broadcast receiver as a controllable broadcast receiver within a home network based on the searched IR code set, and a first communication interface unit which, if a control signal for the registered broadcast receiver is received, transmits an IR code corresponding to the control signal from the IR code set corresponding to the registered broadcast receiver to the registered broadcasting receiver.

1. Field
Apparatuses consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to a control device and a method of controlling a broadcast receiver, and more particularly, to a control device and a method of controlling a broadcast receiver in which the control device is easily set for controlling a new broadcast receiver in a home network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Broadcast receivers, are devices capable of receiving a digital satellite broadcast signal and video and/or audio signals from various types of external devices such as a video player, a digital video disc (DVD) player or a blu-ray disc player and converting the signals into a transport stream (TS) signal and displaying the converted TS signal or transmitting the converted TS signal to an external display device. Typical broadcast receivers include an Internet protocol television (IPTV) such as a digital TV or a video on demand (VOD) player and a set top box (STB). Such broadcast receivers are usually controlled by a dedicated control device such as a remote controller.
Recently, since the number of devices connectable to a home network is increased, a universal remote controller capable of controlling the various devices is often used.
In the related art, when a new device, such as a broadcast receiver, is registered in such an universal remote controller, a complicated process for registering the new device on the universal remote controller is required. Such registration requires looking for a code set corresponding to the new broadcast receiver using a personal computer (PC) program, performing a test to verify that the universal remote controller controls the broadcast receiver, and recording the code in the universal remote controller.
In the related art, since the PC program has to be used, the new broadcast receiver can not be registered without a PC. In addition, even if there is a PC, it is uncomfortable to install and access a PC program.
However, the conventional universal remote controller does not manage code sets for each manufacturer and each model, therefore making it uncomfortable for a user to determine the code set for the new broadcast receiver. In addition, since the conventional universal remote controller supports a general code set for a broadcast receiver, it is impossible to support a special function supported only in a special broadcast receiver.

Control device and method of controlling broadcast receiver


An electronic flash card apparatus including a housing with a thin rectangular configuration having a top face, a bottom face, and a periphery formed therebetween defining an interior space. A rectangular display is situated on the front face of the housing. Further provided is an actuator switch situated on the periphery of the housing. Such switch has a first orientation for precluding transmission of an activation signal and a second orientation for transmitting the activation signal. Also included is a key mechanism situated on the housing. A battery compartment is included for powering purposes. Finally, control circuitry is situated within the interior space of the housing and electrically connected to the display, key mechanism, and battery. In operation upon the receipt of the activation signal, the control circuity is adapted to display randomly chosen inquiries from a predetermined genre of topics, wherein such inquiries have an associated answer. The control circuitry then displays the answer associated with the inquiry upon the depression of the key mechanism.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic flash card apparatus and more particularly pertains to allowing a user to memorize randomly chosen facts relating to various topics with an electronic device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of translators is known in the prior art. More specifically, translators heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of translating words of a foreign language are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, the prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,604,698 to Ikemoto, et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,995 to Sado; U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,977 to Ikemoto, et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,374 to Tanimoto et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,041 to Fushimoto.
In this respect, the electronic flash card apparatus according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of allowing a user to memorize randomly chosen facts relating to various topics with an electronic device.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved electronic flash card apparatus which can be used for allowing a user to memorize randomly chosen facts relating to various topics with an electronic device. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


This invention relates to carbon materials, such as a fullerene molecule or a curved carbon nanostructure, that are functionalized by addition chemistry performed on surface C—C double bond.

Functionalization of carbon materials is known from systems such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,448,412, which discloses fullerenes substituted with a variety of different side chains to be used for biological activity. U.S. Pat. No. 6,495,290 discloses carbonaceous materials derivatized with side groups capable of transferring protons. U.S. Pat. No. 6,645,455 discloses fluorinated carbon nanotubes. Despite the availability of materials such as described above, there remains a need for carbon materials that are functionalized by addition chemistry performed with fluorinated systems on one or more surface C—C double bonds.


The present invention jointly controls rate and power in a fashion that enables control of the two variables in one dimension. In some embodiments, this is done by ordering the possible transmit rate (320) and transmit power (340) combinations in a logical sequence that meets specific conditions. The present invention can first minimize the transmit time and then reduce the transmit power. The present invention can maintain the maximum rate possible that enables the receiving station to decode packets with an acceptable probability.

Communications systems which employ wireless transceivers are well known. However, as is the case with most electronic technologies today, there is an ever-increasing demand to improve information transmission rates and reduce power consumption while, at the same time, reducing the influence of noise and improving the quality of transmission. A fixed transmission power limits the transmission rate. The longer a transmission takes, the more power is consumed. Therefore, it is desirable to decrease the amount of time a given transmission takes. Additionally, different transmission rates affect the quality of the transmission. For example, higher transmission rates are more susceptible to noise. Increased noise results in decreased transmission rates.
Current communications systems control the transmission rate and the transmission power independently using two (2) control variables. One power control algorithm monitors network conditions. In response, the power control algorithm updates the power control variable at a regular interval. A separate algorithm monitors channel conditions to adjust the data rate. Neither algorithm can guarantee the highest possible transmission rate at the lowest possible transmission power, nor do the algorithms minimize the level of interference generated to other devices.
Wireless devices tend to interfere with one another due to reasons such as lack of mutual protocol, use of an unlicensed frequency band or use of a collision based access mechanism. An example of interference generated by lack of a mutual protocol is the simultaneous co-located use of Bluetooth and IEEE 802.11b devices. Neither device is able to directly communicate with the other, and their differing protocols result in packet collisions, which in turn results in lost data on both the Bluetooth and IEEE 802.11b network. The use of unlicensed bands such as the 2.4 GHz ISM band or the 5 GHz U-NII band also results in devices that must contend for the wireless medium in an interference environment. In addition, some protocols, such as the IEEE 802.11 Distributed Coordination Function (DCF) channel access mechanism, yield environments where even IEEE 802.11 devices must tolerate interference from one another.
A wireless communications device must have a sufficiently large signal to noise ratio to decode a received packet correctly. Noise from various sources affects the receiver. This noise can be thermal noise that is generated in the receiver itself or it can be noise external to the receiver. Noise external to the receiver may come from other devices in the area. The amount of noise received from such devices depends on the amount of power such a device transmits, the path loss to the receiver and the amount of power transmitted by the interfering device. The amount of interference is thus reduced if the interfering device transmits less power and transmits less frequently.
Any wireless communications device is a potential interferer to other devices. To reduce the interference generated, the wireless device can reduce its transmit power level. However, there is a level below which the transmit power cannot be reduced, because below this level the device that is being transmitted to will no longer be able to decode the transmission successfully. Thus it is desirable to transmit at or just above this threshold to minimize the amount of interference that other devices in the area experience as a result of the transmission.
In addition to power control, wireless devices may also control the rate at which they transmit. The rate of transmission controls the length of time that the wireless device must transmit. In packet-based systems such as wireless local area networks, transmission time includes of some fixed overhead typically including a preamble and header, and the payload. Thus the transmission time, tTX, is equal totTX=t0+Nb/Rwhere t0 is the overhead time, Nb is the number of data bits in the packet and R is the transmission rate. Reduction of the amount of time, i.e. tTX, that a wireless device transmits reduces the amount of interference to other devices. Increasing the transmission rate, R, reduces the transmission time. As the transmission rate, R, is increased, the received SNR threshold for the receiving device to properly decode the packet also increases. Depending on the transmit power and path loss, the transmitting device may or may not be able to transmit at its maximum rate, as the receiving device may not be able to decode at that rate. Wireless devices can control one or both of their transmission rate, R, and their transmit power level.
As illustrated by FIG. 1, in typical wireless communications devices, an adaptive method 110 controls the transmission rate (R) 120 based on inputs 130 such as the measured packet error rate (PER) 130c, signal to interference noise ratio (SINR) 130b and signal to noise ratio (SNR) 130a. In such wireless communication devices, e.g. 802.11 wireless LANs, the transmit power is fixed. At best, the transmit power may be changed via a user interface. It is not adaptively changed.
It is desirable in view of the foregoing to provide a solution that enables higher transmission rates at lower power levels and minimizes the level of interference generated. The present invention controls both the transmission rate and power level in a fashion that minimizes the level of interference generated by the act of transmission. The present invention enables enhanced coexistence of wireless devices via a joint transmit power and rate control scheme. By employing the present invention, wireless devices may reduce the level of mutual interference, thereby allowing improved performance.

Jointly controlling transmission rate and power in a communications system


This bearing carrier puller for extracting a bearing carrier from a lower gear case of a marine drivetrain consists of three components: a boss which envelopes a propeller shaft and is secured to it by a nut and washer; a block which bears against a lower gear case of a marine drivetrain; and a nut which threads over the boss and bears against the block to extract a bearing carrier. A first disclosed improvement prevents rotation of the boss relative to the block by means of structural configurations on the mating surfaces of the block and boss. A second improvement prevents the boss from being drawn through the block beyond a desired point by means of a stop. An additional embodiment of the second improvement prevents the nut from traveling on the boss in the direction of a first end beyond a desired point by means of a stop. A third improvement enhances gripping of the block with a wrench by means of a polygonal surface configuration extending along the periphery of the block from its' second end.

1. Field of Invention
The bearing carrier puller improvements disclosed in this document provide a simplified method of removing a bearing carrier from a Mercruiser lower gear case, thus minimizing the risk of damage to a lower gearcase during removal of its' bearing carrier. The advantage of this tool over the prior art is that a mechanic's helper, with minimal skills, can perform the otherwise difficult task of removing a bearing carrier, thus reducing the work load on the mechanic.
The lower gear case of a marine drivetrain is subject to substantial abuse. Impact with submerged obstacles and the bottom, operator error, and poor maintenance all contribute to a triving repair industry.
Unfortunately, the use of recreational marine craft is largely a seasonal pursuit, resulting in a cyclical income stream for most marine mechanics. During the boating season, a marine mechanic is inundated with urgent repair orders. However, as the weather cools, the mechanic's income depends on the foresight of experienced customers who realize that the off season is the time to schedule boat work. Consequently, the permanent staffing at a marine repair shop will be the number of people who can be financially supported by the work generated in the off season. When the work load picks up in the boating season and the work capacity of the permanent staff is exceeded, delays are unavoidable. Mechanics are reluctant to invest their time and risk their customer's property to train temporary help. Therefore, work that requires more than rudimentary skills waits in line for the skilled permanent staff.
With an eye to efficient and effective completion of repair orders during the busy boating season, it is of particular advantage to marine repair shops to simplify as many tasks as possible to a level that may be performed by unskilled help. Bearing carrier removal is a tricky task that is reduced to a rudimentary skill level with the improvements that we have made to Barrow's Bearing Carrier Puller for Outboard Motors, U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,291, issued in 1980.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Marine mechanics currently use the following tools to remove bearing carriers from lower gear cases:
A common method of removing a bearing carrier is to insert a gear puller into the bearing carrier, grip it at the edge and bear against the propeller shaft to dislodge the bearing carrier. This procedure has two distinct disadvantages: pulling the edge of the bearing carrier may cause it to crack and fail, compounding the service problem; and bearing against the propeller shaft to dislodge the bearing carrier may press the shaft into the housing rather than withdraw the bearing carrier, again exacerbating the problem.
A second method of removing a bearing carrier is to use a Bob Kerr tool. Kerr was issued U.S. Pat. No. 3,846,898 for this tool in 1974. This tool grips the bearing carrier with a pair of hooks and bears against the propeller shaft to dislodge the bearing carrier. As in the case of a gear puller, there is a risk of driving the propeller shaft instead of pulling the bearing carrier. It is a good tool, but it requires a knowledgable hand.
A third method of removing a bearing carrier is to use Randy Barrow's Bearing Carrier Puller of Outboard Motors. Barrow was issued U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,291 for this tool in 1980. This is a very well designed tool that is almost idiot proof. This tool consists of: a block which provides a bearing against the gear case; a boss that secures the propeller shaft relative to the block; a handle extending from the boss to rest against the gear case; and a nut that is rotated to extract the boss, propeller shaft, and bearing carrier as one unit from the gear case. However, this tool requires a skilled operator because improper use may result in a bent gear shifter, compounding the service problem. The novelty disclosed in the claims of the present document are improvements to this tool that overcome this failing.
A fourth method of removing a bearing carrier is to use Precision's propeller and bearing carrier puller. Francis Klucz and Norm Brunet were issued U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,709 for this tool in 1989. This tool grips the bearing carrier and bears against the propeller shaft similar to Kerr's tool. This is also a very good tool, but like Kerr's tool or a gear puller, it's requires skill to use properly.
A fifth method of removing a bearing carrier is to use Cochran's bearing carrier puller. Danny Cochran, a marine mechanic in Flowery Branch, Georgia, applied for a patent on his bearing carrier puller in 1996 (approx.), and has been making and selling his tool since 1997. This tool is similar to Barrow's, it consists of: a block which bears against the gear case; and a Torrington bearing, which is placed between the block and a nut on the propeller shaft. It dislodges the bearing carrier and propeller shaft as one unit when the nut is rotated on the propeller shaft. The differences between Cochran's and Barrow's tools are: Cochran's tool includes gripping means that engage the splines of the propeller shaft to check rotation of the shaft; Cochran's tool includes a Torrington bearing to reduce friction between the block and the prop nut; Barrow's tool includes a boss that engages the propeller shaft and in turn, travels by rotation of a nut; a handle extends from the boss on Barrow's tool; Barrow's tool also includes surface features that enhance use of the tool with several housing sizes, whereas Cochran's tool is designed to engage a single housing size.


A solid silica derivative which is represented by the general formula H.sub.n SiO.sub.(4-n)/2 wherein n is a real number larger than 0 but smaller than 2 and which contains Si--H bond, said solid silica derivative being able to be easily produced in a high yield by subjecting to hydrolysis-condensation an alkoxysilane represented by the mean general formula H.sub.n --Si(OR.sup.0).sub.4-n in which R.sup.0 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, plural R.sup.0 groups may be the same as or different from one another and n is a real number greater than 0 but smaller than 2, using water in an amount of (4-n)/2 moles or more per mole of the alkoxysilane at a pH of 10.5 or less.

This invention relates to a silica in which a part of silicon is chemically bonded to hydrogen, and more particularly, to a novel finely divided silica derivative which has a Si--H bond utilizable in chemically useful reactions such as reduction reaction, hydrosilylation reaction and the like and which is in the solid form that is convenient in industrial use, particularly the spherical form and has a uniform particle size distribution, and to a process for producing the same.
Solid, amorphous silicon dioxide represented by the general formula SiO.sub.2 and generically named silica is used in a large amount as silica glass, or a moisture absorbent (silica gel), also as a catalyst carrier or the like because it is chemically inactive and resistant to high temperatures, and further as a filler for silicone rubber or the like. In particular, fine particles thereof are widely used in industry as a filler for rubber called white carbon, a thickening agent for liquid, or an anti-caking agent for powders, and further as a spacer for liquid crystal display though it is a special example, or the like.
Among them, in such uses as filler for rubber and the like, there is used inexpensive, finely divided silica which is produced by a method which comprises neutralizing sodium silicate with an acid such as sulfuric acid or the like, and in uses requiring a high quality, there is used finely divided silica having a uniform particle size distribution obtained by a method which comprises hydrolyzing tetraethoxysilane with a mixture of water and ammonia using an alcohol as a reaction solvent, as disclosed in, for example, JP-A-62-52119.
However, as stated above, most of the prior art methods of utilizing silica have been physical applications such as a catalyst carrier, a moisture absorbent, a filler for resin and the like, which applications utilize solely physical characteristics of silica such as viscosity, strength and hardness.
It has not been deeply studied to impart chemical characteristics to silica per se and utilize the same; however, there has been made such a device as to apply various chemical modifications to the silica surface depending upon the purposes. There have been proposed such methods as a method which comprises adding a compound having a double bond to the OH group present on the silica surface to make the silica excellent in compatibility with a resin, a method which comprises incorporating a finely divided silicon hydride represented by the general formula SiH.sub.x into a coating agent to impart a rust-preventiveness to the coating agent because the silicon hydride has an excellent rust-preventing effect based on the reducibility of hydrogen (JP-A-56-145,111), and the like.
Silicon hydride is an effective means for allowing silica per se to have chemical characteristics and using the same. However, silicon hydride must be prepared by using a monosilane gas or its chloride, which is expensive and, in addition, instable and difficult to handle as the starting material and subjecting the same to gaseous phase pyrolysis reaction. Therefore, the silicon hydride is high in production cost and, in addition, chemically instable and high in combustibility and hence difficult to handle. Thus, it is unsuitable for general utilization.
Silica is generally produced by a method comprising subjecting to hydrolysis-condensation a hydrolyzable silane such as a tetraalkoxysilane; an alkylalkoxysilane obtained by alkylating a part of the alkoxy groups of the tetraalkoxysilane; or the like. However, the hydrolysis-condensation reaction of these hydrolyzable silanes is slow, and hence, severe reaction conditions using a basic catalyst must be adopted for producing silica. Therefore, it is very difficult to obtain silica having a reactive group such as Si--H, which is easily converted to an inactive hydroxyl group as a side reaction.

Solid silica derivative and process for producing the same


An apparatus is disclosed for an improved one-way valve comprising a base for mounting in a chamber with a valve surface engaging with a sealing surface to close an input aperture of the chamber. A flexible web is interposed between the base and the valve surface for resiliently biasing the valve surface into engagement with the sealing surface thereby closing the input aperture. When a fluid pressure from the input aperture exceeds the resilient bias of the flexible web, the valve surface is displaced from the sealing surface for opening the input aperture to permit the flow of the liquid from the input aperture through the chamber into an output aperture. Upon a sufficient fluid pressure within the chamber, the valve surface engages with the sealing surface for closing the input aperture to inhibit the flow of fluid from the chamber into the input aperture.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pump for dispensing a liquid from a terminal orifice. More particularly, the invention relates to a pump and a mixer for mixing a liquid concentrate and a liquid diluent for discharge from a terminal orifice.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
The prior art has known many types of pumping systems for pumping and dispensing a single or a plurality of liquids from a terminal orifice. Many of these devices relate to a system for mixing a liquid concentrate with a liquid concentrate in accordance with a pre-determined relationship and then dispensing the mixture from a terminal orifice. One important application for such a mixing and dispensing device is in the dispensing of liquid food products such as fruit juices, vegetable juices and the like. In many cases, fruit and vegetable juices such as orange juice, pineapple juice, grapefruit juice or tomato juice is stored in a frozen concentrate form for use at a later time. The frozen concentrate is then thawed and mixed with a water diluent to produce an end product equivalent to the original fruit or vegetable juice. In order to produce an end product which is equivalent in flavor and in consistency to the original fruit or vegetable juice, the concentrate and the water diluent must be accurately mixed in a predetermined volumetric relationship. Accordingly, the devices for mixing a liquid concentrate with a liquid concentrate must be accurate and reliable to produce an end product equivalent to the original fruit or vegetable juice.
When dealing with food products, other design problems are encountered when designing a pumping and a mixing device for a food dispensing device. First, the pumping and a mixing device must be readily accessible for cleaning the internal portions of the pump after each use. Second, the pump must be designed to pump accurate volumes of concentrate independent of the viscosity of the concentrate. It has been found that orange juice concentrate has different viscosities depending upon the temperature of the orange juice concentrate, the time of harvest of the crop as well as the specific type of orange juice harvested during the relatively long citrus harvesting season. As a consequence of these requirements peristaltic pumps were a popular choice in the prior art for pumping a liquid food concentrate. Peristaltic pumps not only performed well but were simple and low cost. However, the peristaltic pumps had the distinct disadvantage of a relatively large physical size as well as a limited variation in flow rate. Consequently, the flow rate of the liquid diluent had to be controlled in order to obtain different concentrate-diluent ratios for various fruit and vegetable juices. Further disadvantages of the peristaltic pump include a pulsating liquid flow, a noisy operation and a limited life of a deformable tubing in the peristaltic pump.
U.S Pat. No. 4,194,650 disclosed a novel dispensing device wherein the flow rate of a liquid diluent was kept at a constant rate and the flow rate of a liquid concentrate was varied by varying the speed of a pumping motor to obtain a desired volumetric ratio of liquid concentrate to liquid diluent. This dispensing device performed very satisfactorily and advanced the art of dispensing and mixing of a liquid concentrate with a liquid diluent.
In our prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 567,186 filed Aug. 14, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,047, we disclosed an improved pump and mixing device for pumping a liquid concentrate from a container and for mixing the concentrate with a diluent. The improved pump and mixing device included a one-way valve for allowing the flow of the liquid in one direction only. The one-way valve of the improved pump and mixing device provided a reliable, accurate and cost effective device for operation with a pump and a mixing device.
Although our one-way valve provided a reliable, accurate and cost effective device for operation with a pump and a mixing device, the one-way valve also is useful for use independent of the pump and/or a mixing device. For example, the one way valve is useful for preventing backflow of the diluent into the water line to prevent the contamination of a diluent.
Therefore, it is a primary object of this invention to provide an improved one-way valve for use with the pump and mixing device and for use in fluid lines in general.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved one-way valve that is accurate and reliable irrespective of the viscosity of the liquid.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved one-way valve that is a reliable and inexpensive unit enabling the one way valve to be discarded after use.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved one-way valve which cooperates with an intake aperture for enabling the flow of the liquid in only one direction through the fluid line.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved one-way valve which reliably and inexpensively prevents backflow of liquids in a fluid line.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved one-way valve which is an integrally molded one-piece unit.
Another object of this invention to provide an improved one-way valve which is constructed of a polymeric material such as a resilient thermoplastic polymer for improved flexibility and sanitary operation.
Another object of this invention to provide an improved one-way valve which converts a turbulent flow of a liquid from an aperture into a substantially laminar flow.
Another object of this invention to provide an improved one-way valve which is flexible for facilitating insertion and removal of the one-way valve from a chamber.
Another object of this invention to provide an improved one-way valve which is flexible for resiliently engaging the chamber to secure the one-way valve into a chamber.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed as being merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the invention. Accordingly other objects in a full understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention, the detailed description describing the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

One way valve with unitary valve element


The invention relates to a bundle (40) of disposable cutlery implements (6) (knives, forks or spoons). The bundle (40) consists of a stable stack of nesting implements (6) secured together by a strip or band (42). The implements have a handle (8) and an operative part (10) (blade, tines or bowl). The handle (8) of each implement (6) has a roughly U-shaped cross section over its entire length. The two arms (14) and (16) of the U-section form a blunt angle with the web (18). At the end of the handle both arms are joined together also to form a blunt angle with the wall section (20) formed by the web. In order to be able to form large stable stacks of nesting implements of the same kind while reducing the volume of packaging material required, the two arms (14) and (16) of the handles (8) are extended beyond the transition (22) to the operative part (10) and gradually taper to merge with the edge thereof.

The European patent document 129,495 A to Formo et al. discloses nesting, stackable cutlery in particular so designed that one spoon, one fork and one knife can nest into one bound set. Moreover cutlery of only one kind, for instance spoons, also are meant to be nesting into one stack. However the cutlery items being designed to assure reliable stacking in the sequence of spoon, fork and knife from bottom to top, with special emphasis on the mutual matching of the cutlery items whereby the knife and the fork shall not protrude and are unable to pierce the packaging, cutlery items of the same kind are less suited to making large and stable stacks. To avert the danger of stack destruction in large packagings requires comparatively much packing material such as cardboard layers or pouches. Removing small quantities from the stack entails much effort or additional packaging material.
A bound set of cutlery composed of three different cutlery items (knife, fork, spoon) is known from the British patent document 2,177,894 A wherein for instance the knife handle is fitted at its top and lower sides with a series of shapes in the form of knurls or nodes in the longitudinal direction of the handle. Said shapes enter recesses present in the handles of the spoon and fork and complementary with the knife shapes, whereby the cutlery composed of spoon, fork and knife can be fitted into each together. Stable stacking of identical cutlery items is not provided in this known cutlery, furthermore it is precluded per se.
The German patent document 801108 C discloses cutlery composed of spoon, fork and knife wherein the cutlery items evince flat handles and are designed to be placed one on the other, elevations formed on the handle of one cutlery item entering recesses in the cutlery item on top of it. Placed on top of each other, the three cutlery items can be bound together by a resilient sleeve. Stable stacking of identical cutlery items is not provided for this cutlery nor is it feasible.

Bound set therefor of disposable cutlery


The present invention relates to a one-step method for catalytically reforming methanol with water to produce hydrogen and carbon dioxide using catalysts which do not contain copper oxide and/or chromium oxide, which produce only negligible amounts of carbon monoxide, and which are not rapidly deactivated.

Hydrogen can be produced for fuel cells and for other purposes such as chemical and power related applications by reforming methanol with steam to produce carbon dioxide and hydrogen: EQU CH.sub.3 OH+H.sub.2 O.revreaction.CO.sub.2 +3H.sub.2
Ordinarily, a two-step reaction is required. In the first step, methanol decomposes to hydrogen and carbon monoxide: EQU (1) CH.sub.3 OH.revreaction.CO+2H.sub.2
In the second step, known as a "water shift" reaction, the carbon monoxide reacts with water to form carbon dioxide and additional hydrogen: EQU (2) CO+H.sub.2 O.revreaction.CO.sub.2 +3H.sub.2
A one-step process for reforming methanol would be more cost efficient and amenable to more applications.
Theoretically, catalysts that synthesize methanol from carbon dioxide and water should be able to reform methanol to carbon dioxide and hydrogen. However, catalysts that synthesize methanol tend to rapidly deactivate during the reforming of methanol with steam. Methanol reforming catalysts that could reform methanol in one-step without being rapidly deactivated would be very desirable.

One step conversion of methanol to hydrogen and carbon dioxide


A slide structure that slides a door of a vehicle, including a roller hinge attached to the door; a guide roller that rolls within a rail of the door; a cable end that transmits a sliding force to the roller hinge to slide the door; and a guide roller pin that attaches the guide roller and the cable end to the roller hinge.

Land vehicles such as vans may be provided with side doors that slide along a length of the vehicle. These slide doors have advantages of allowing a large opening for ingress/egress and requiring less lateral operational space compared to a conventional vehicle door that pivots outward on a hinge. These slide doors may be manually operated, where a user slides the door after unlatching; or the slide doors may be powered by an electric motor or the like to open and/or close the slide door. An example of such a conventional sliding mechanism is shown by U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,283.

Slide structure for power slide door and cable assembly method for slide door center


The invention relates to a device for measuring the light intensity of an object or object portion. The device comprises a dioptric central portion and a catadioptric peripheral portion that are independent from each other and that are suitable for delivering, from the light diffused by the object, two non-intersecting beams of the same kind, and a two-dimensional video sensor associated with an imaging device in order to obtain an image of the beams.

In a first known application, BRDF measurements can be used to characterize the signature of an aircraft.
For several years, BRDF measurements have been used in software for synthesizing images, for computer-assisted design (CAD), and for simulating light in order to simulate the behavior of surfaces in response to light.
For this purpose, such software makes use, e.g. in the form of a library, of real BRDF measurements performed in a laboratory on the various types of object or surface presenting optical behavior that is it desired to simulate.
In order to perform such BRDF measurements, the best known apparatuses make use of a sample of the object to be characterized. The sample must be of small dimensions, typically of the order of 10 centimeters (cm).
Such measurement apparatuses generally comprise articulated arms of large dimensions having detectors placed at their ends. Consequently they are bulky, heavy, and in practice difficult to transport.
Furthermore, the time required to acquire measurements with such apparatuses is very long, in particular because of the movements of the sensors.
Consequently, they are used exclusively in measurement laboratories and they are not adapted to taking measurements on site.
An object of the invention is to obtain a device for measuring BRDF that is of reasonable size, transportable, and thus suitable for use on site, and that enables measurements to be performed almost instantaneously, by having an acquisition time that is very short.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,637,873 (Davis) describes a BRDF measuring device suitable for use on site, e.g. to measure certain optical properties of the surface of a vehicle.
With reference to its FIG. 5, the Davis patent describes an embodiment of that device comprising a system for collecting the light reflected by an object that is to be characterized, which system is constituted by two lenses and an elliptical reflector.
More precisely, in that embodiment, the sample of the object to be characterized is placed at a first focus of the elliptical reflector, with the light reflected by the sample being focused on the second focus of the elliptical reflector.
A first lens placed at said second focus is arranged in such a manner as:                to focus the light rays that are reflected by the sample and that are not reflected by the elliptical reflector; and        to avoid deflecting the light rays that are reflected by the elliptical reflector.
The Davis system uses a second lens downstream from the first lens, said second lens being remarkable in that it has both a first optical portion for collimating the light rays collected by the first lens, and a second optical portion for collimating the light rays collected by the elliptical reflector. That specific second lens thus presents a discontinuity at the junction between the two above-mentioned optical portions.
That discontinuity requires the elliptical reflector and the two above-mentioned lenses to be accurately aligned, since otherwise rays reflected by the elliptical reflector become mixed in with rays focused by the first lens, and vice versa. That problem is known to the person skilled in the art under the term "cross-talk".
Japanese patent document JP 63-140904 A (Toshiba) describes a compact device for measuring the light intensity of an object, that device has a condenser lens and a reflective tubular body, with a surface array sensor being placed at the outlet thereof.
Although not described explicitly, the person skilled in the art will understand that a physical embodiment of the device requires an array of sensors of large size (typically with a diagonal of more than 50 millimeters (mm)) in order to collect all of the light diffused by the object.
The Toshiba measurement device therefore cannot use presently known standard sensors (having a diagonal of about 12.7 mm), so it is necessarily expensive to manufacture.
One solution for solving that problem is to add an afocal system between the reflective tubular body and the sensor array. That enables the outlet beam section to be reduced while conserving light collimation. An arrangement of that type is indeed used in the Davis system where it enables a small-sized video sensor to be used to observe a beam of large diameter.
However, the major drawback of that solution is that the observation plane is moved away from the reflective tubular body. Since beam divergence is never exactly zero, that leads to a corresponding degradation in resolution in the observation plane, particularly when the sample for measurement is illuminated over a large area. Consequently, the Toshiba device does not enable accurate angular measurements to be made in the intensity pattern of the diffused light.

Portable device for measuring the light intensity from an object, and the use of such a device


Embodiments include methods, apparatus, and systems associated with tracking display of digital content objects, and in particular digital content objects in delivered electronic messages. Digital content objects may be identified and associated with a digital content item. Digital content objects may be presented together in digital container. Different presentation layers containing one or more digital containers may be defined and transmitted in electronic messages. A digital content object tracking system may identify delivered and displayed digital content objects, and associate the display with digital content objects contained therein. The digital content object tracking system may compare displays or activations of one or more digital content objects with reference to co-displayed digital content objects. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Tracking content within electronic messages is typically done through tracking message requests and/or deliveries. For example, if a webserver provides a webpage to a receiving device, the webserver may track the webpage as being viewed by the recipient. Additional tracking granularity may be provided by tracking requests and/or deliveries that take place by a receiving device automatically requesting delivery of an image file in order to render an image within the electronic message, or that take place by a user of the receiving device clicking on a certain area or link to request additional information. While these existing tracking mechanisms may provide some amount of versatility by embedding images in messages, formatting a block of text as an image file, etc., they do not track views of true binary file segments. In particular, existing techniques often do not provide the ability to track rendered text.


A water-soluble polymer which is soluble in tap water, but insoluble in an aqueous solution containing 0.5% or more of a neutral inorganic salt, which is a copolymer of:. (A) 30 to 75% by weight of acrylic acid, PA0 (B) 5 to 30% by weight of a vinyl monomer represented by the following general formula [1]: EQU CH.sub.2 .dbd.C(R)COOR.sup.1 [1] PA0 wherein R represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; and R.sup.1 represents an alkyl group having 8 to 12 carbon atoms, and PA0 (C) 20 to 40% by weight of a vinyl monomer represented by the following general formula [2]: EQU CH.sub.2 .dbd.C(R.sup.2)COOR.sup.3 [2] PA0 wherein R.sup.2 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; and R.sup.3 represents an alkyl group having 2 to 4 carbon atoms. and in which not more than 50 molar % of the repeating units of derived from the acrylic acid is in the form of a salt. When the polymer is used as a binder for a non-woven fabric or paper, it exhibits satisfactory strength and permeability to a body fluid when the resultant product is wet with body fluid.

The present invention relates to a polymer whose solubility in water changes depending on even a very slight difference in the concentration of a salt contained in the water and more specifically to a salt-sensitive polymer which is soluble in a usual tap water but is insoluble in an aqueous solution containing not less than 0.5% by weight of a neutral inorganic salt comprising a monovalent ion such as NaCl, KCl or NaBr.
It has been known that when an inorganic salt which is an electrolyte is added in an increasing amount to an aqueous solution of a water-soluble polymer, the polymer is salted out to form a precipitate. On the other hand, it has also been known that salts are contained in human body fluids such as urine in an amount of at least about 0.5% by weight. It is supposed, therefore, that when a non-woven fabric or paper is bonded with a binder comprising a polymer which is soluble in tap water but insoluble in an aqueous solution containing salts in an amount of 0.5% by weight, the resulting product will have a sufficient strength when it is brought into contact with a body fluid, but the product will be easily dispersed in a flush toilet. Under these circumstances, investigations are made on the use of the salt-sensitive polymer as a binder for various products to be thrown into the flush toilet or the like.
Among the salt-sensitive polymers, anionic polymers such as sodium salts of polyacrylic acid and carboxymethyl cellulose are less sensitive to an increase in the concentration of an electrolyte in an aqueous solution. Such anionic polymers become insoluble in, for instance, an aqueous solution of common salt when the common salt concentration is increased to as high as 4 to 5% by weight or above. Although Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication (hereinafter referred to as "J. P. KOKAI") No. Sho 50-52371 discloses an alkali cellulose ether sulfate, the difference between the solubility of this sulfate in tap water and that in 0.5 wt. % aqueous common salt solution is not clearly described in this patent. Moreover, since the alkali cellulose ether sulfate is prepared by sulfating a cellulose derivative such as ethyl cellulose, the polymer used as the starting material is relatively expensive.
As for a salt-sensitive polymer for solving the foregoing problems, J. P. KOKAI No. Sho 63-139906 discloses a partially neutralized copolymer of (meth)acrylic acid and a (meth)acrylic ester as the polymer soluble in tap water but insoluble in an aqueous solution of common salt having a concentration of not less than 0.5% by weight. However, such a partially neutralized copolymer has a high adhesion. J. P. KOKAI No. Hei 3-174417 discloses a partially neutralized copolymer of (meth)acrylic acid and an aryl or cycloalkyl (meth)acrylate; or a partially neutralized copolymer of (meth)acrylic acid and a styrene derivative which copolymers have no problem of the adhesion. However, non-woven fabrics or papers prepared by using such a polymer as the binder do not have satisfactory strength and permeability to the body fluid practically demanded when they are wetted with the body fluid.


A color management method, system and storage medium output 4+ color separation signals to a 4+ (5 or more) color print engine. An input source color is converted into virtual intermediate CMYK separation signals using a 4-color management tool, which may be a conventional tool. These virtual intermediate CMYK separation signals are received as input within a digital front end (DFE), which transforms the intermediate signals into 4+ separation signals, such as for a 6-color print engine. A transformation unit of the DFE passes some of the input separation signals through directly as output (without transformation) while transforming others by splitting them into light and dark separation signals, such as light and dark cyan or magenta using a blend curve that will output the same tonal quality. The transformation unit may use a blending curve that takes into account ink-limit constraints and may maximize light colorant usage to improve image smoothness in light image regions.

The disclosure relates to systems and methods that provide 4+ color management for printers by leveraging 4-color management tools.
Printing systems includes an input module, sometimes referred to a digital front end (DFE). An objective of a DFE is to achieve a desired appearance at every point on a document. This desired appearance has been described in terms of a 3-dimensional uniform color space using perceptual dimensions L*, a*, and b*. The use of more than three final marking colors indicates redundancy. Using conventional 4-color management tools, the strategy for coping with this redundancy is called gray color removal (OCR). Managing this redundancy is one of the most challenging aspects of the task. However, machines that have more than four colors, such as 6-color printers, have increased complexity in management due to the complexity associated with the additional redundancy.
Many tools and techniques have matured over an extended period to manage color on a 4-color printing system, such as a CMYK print engine. However, machines that employ more than 4 colors have greater levels of redundancy and will require new tools of greater complexity.
Related tool development of this kind has been developed to support 6-color products. In one example, a conventional CMYK solution is followed by an algorithm that attempts to preserve hue while mapping CMYK to CMYKcm (Ref. Gregory Braverman, et al, "Hue Preserving Aspects of CMYK-CMYKcm Color Transformations", ICIS '06, Intl. Congress of Image Science. May 7-11, 2006, pp. 637-640). In this article, a good 4-color actual solution is mapped into a 6-color solution that degrades the color quality as little as possible, minimizing color error and contouring while blending in the new colors. These complex tools are the result of an extended research effort that is described in the literature, but suffer from large development costs and time delays associated with the development cycle of a completely new color management tool that is expanded beyond four color printing.

4+ color management using a virtual CMYK color paradigm


A computer system having a core logic chipset that functions as a bridge between an Accelerated Graphics Port ("AGP") bus device such as a graphics controller, and a host processor and computer system memory wherein a Graphics Address Remapping Table ("GART table") is used by the core logic chipset to remap virtual memory addresses used by the AGP graphics controller into physical memory addresses that reside in the computer system memory. The GART table enables the AGP graphics controller to work in contiguous virtual memory address space, but actually use non-contiguous blocks or pages of physical system memory to store textures, command lists and the like. The GART table is made up of a plurality of entries, each entry comprising an address pointer to a base address of a page of graphics data in memory, and feature flags that may be used to customize the associated page. The core logic chipset caches a subset of the most recently used GART table entries to increase AGP performance when performing the address translation. The core logic chipset uses a two-level GART cache comprising a plurality of first-level GART caches and a common second level GART cache. Each of the plurality of first-level GART caches are coupled to a respective interface in the computer system and effectively de-couple the different interface GART address translations so that GART cache thrashing and cache arbitration delays are substantially reduced. Separate decoupled first-level GART caches for each interface allow concurrent GART address translations among the different interfaces. Individual first-level GART caches may be fined tuned for each associated interface.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer systems using a bus bridge(s) to interface a central processor(s), video graphics processor(s), random access memory and input-output peripherals together, and more particularly, in utilizing a two-level cache having distributed first-level caches that are coupled to respective interfaces and a second-level cache that is commonly used by the first-level caches, the second-level cache being coupled to a memory controller for obtaining GART table entries from the computer system main memory when needed because of a cache miss in both the first-level and second-level caches.

Accelerated Graphics Port two level Gart cache having distributed first level caches


A level conversion circuit comprises a first CMOS circuit connected between a high voltage (5 V: VDD) power supply and ground to receive an input signal IN1 having an amplitude between a low voltage (3 V: VCC) and a ground voltage (0 V), a second CMOS circuit connected between the 5 V power supply and ground to output an output signal OUT1 having an amplitude between 5 V and 0 V, and first and second intermediate circuits cross-connected between the first and second CMOS circuits. All MOS transistors constituting these circuits have the gate oxide films whose allowable breakdown voltage is lower than 5 V and higher than 3 V.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a level conversion circuit capable of functioning as an interface between digital circuits having different power-supply voltages and a semiconductor integrated circuit in which the level conversion circuit is incorporated.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An allowable breakdown voltage of a gate oxide film has been lowered as the process for manufacturing MOS transistors is miniaturized. The breakdown voltage is about 4 V in miniaturized process of about 0.6 .mu.m. No trouble is caused if the gate oxide film is applied to circuits which are driven by the 3.3 V power supply, but the gate oxide film cannot be used in ordinary logical circuits driven by the 5 V power supply which has been used popularly in the prior art. Accordingly, the semiconductor integrated circuit including the gate oxide film whose breakdown voltage is lower than 5 V cannot help being driven by an around 3.3 V power supply.
In the event that a combination of 3.3 V power-supply system integrated circuits and 5 V power-supply system integrated circuits is used, signal transmission from the low voltage power-supply system to the high voltage power-supply system has not been easy. In the prior art, level conversion of the signal transmitted from the low voltage power-supply system to the high voltage power-supply system has been accomplished by virtue of the following techniques.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of an ordinary level conversion circuit in the prior art (first conventional circuit).
As shown in FIG. 1, this level conversion circuit comprises two stage CMOS circuits which are connected between the 5 V power supply (VDD) and ground. A first stage CMOS circuit consists of a P-channel MOS transistor (referred simply to as "P-MOS" hereinafter) 101 and an N-channel MOS transistor (referred simply to as "N-MOS" hereinafter) 102. A second stage CMOS circuit consists of a P-MOS 103 and an N-MOS 104.
The N-MOS 102 is turned ON if an input signal IN1 of 3 V ("1" level) is input, and simultaneously the N-MOS 104 is turned OFF since an input signal IN2 of 0 V ("0" level) is input. The P-MOS 103 is turned ON by the ON state of the N-MOS 102 and then the P-MOS 101 is turned OFF by the ON state of the P-MOS 103. Therefore, output signals OUT1 and OUT2 are at 5 V and 0 V respectively.
Then, the N-MOS 102 is turned OFF if a level of the input signal IN1 is changed from 3 V to 0 V, and simultaneously the N-MOS 104 is turned ON since a level of the input signal IN2 is changed from 0 V to 3 V. The P-MOS 101 is turned ON by the ON state of the N-MOS 104 and, as a result, the P-MOS 103 is turned OFF. Therefore, output signals OUT1 and OUT2 are at 0 V and 5 V, respectively.
In this manner, level conversion from the 3.3 V power-supply system to the 5 V power-supply system has been conducted in this level conversion circuit.
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of a level conversion circuit disclosed in the Patent Application Publication (KOKAI) 4-150411 (second conventional circuit).
As shown in FIG. 2, this level conversion circuit comprises a latch circuit 200 having the high voltage (VDD: 5 V) power supply. N-MOSs 211, 212 are connected between nodes N11, N12 of the latch circuit 200 and ground respectively. An input signal IN of low voltage (VCC: 3 V) power-supply system is input to a gate of the N-MOS 211. An inverted signal of the input signal IN is input to a gate of the N-MOS 212 via an inverter 213 having a low voltage (VCC: 3 V) power-supply system.
Under the condition that the nodes N11, N12 of the latch circuit 200 are at 5 V, 0 V respectively, if the input signal IN goes to 3 V ("1" level), the N-MOS 211 is turned ON while the N-MOS 212 is turned OFF. As a result, since potential of the node N11 is shifted to 0 V, an output signal OUT which is kept at 5 V ("1" level) can be derived from the node N12 of the latch circuit 200.
FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of a level conversion circuit disclosed in U.S. Pat No. 5,300,832 (third conventional circuit).
By making use of MOS transistors only in which the breakdown voltage of the gate oxide film is lower than the high voltage power supply (5 V), this level conversion circuit may execute level conversion of the signal from the low voltage power-supply system to the high voltage power-supply system.
As shown in FIG. 3, this level conversion circuit comprises a level conversion portion which is made up of MOS transistors 300 to 313 and an output portion which is made up of MOS transistors 314 to 317. The level conversion circuit receives an input signal IN of the low voltage (VCC: 3 V) power-supply system and then outputs level conversion controlling signals to nodes N21, N22. The output portion, if it receives the controlling signals from the level conversion portion, outputs an output signal OUT1 of 0 V to 5 V as a signal of the high voltage (VDD: 5 V) power-supply system, and an output signal OUT2 of intermediate potential to 5 V, and further an output signal OUT3 of 0 V to intermediate potential.
If the input signal IN goes to "0" level, the P-MOSs 306, 307 are turned ON to pull up nodes N23, N24. The N-MOS 304 is turned ON according to "1" level of the node N23, so that a current path via the P-MOS 301 and the N-MOS 302 can be constituted. As a result, a node N25 is pulled down to cause turning ON of the P-MOS 308.
If the P-MOS 308 is turned ON, not only the node N21 goes to "1" level but also a current path passing through the P-MOS 309 and the N-MOSs 310, 311 is constituted, and therefore the node N22 also goes to "1" level. As a result, the P-MOS 314 is turned OFF while the N-MOS 317 is turned ON. The output signals OUT1 and OUT3 are at 0 V and the output signal OUT2 is at intermediate potential.
Meanwhile, if the input signal IN goes to "1" level, the N-MOSs 305, 312 are turned ON to pull down potential of the nodes N22, N23. The N-MOS 317 is turned OFF because of pull-down of the node N22. If potential of the node N21 becomes lower than VDD (5 V), the P-MOS 314 is turned ON. The output signals OUT1 and OUT2 are at 5 V and the output signal OUT3 is at intermediate potential.
However, the following problems have existed in the level conversion circuit in the prior art.
More particularly, in the first conventional circuit (FIG. 1), since a voltage of the high voltage power-supply level is applied to gates of all MOS transistors which constitute the level conversion circuit, the breakdown voltage of the gate oxide film has to exceed the high voltage power-supply level. Therefore, the high breakdown voltage MOS transistors in which the gate oxide films are made thicker and the gate lengths are made longer must be formed partially on a chip of the integrated circuit as the level conversion circuit. This structure needs complicated manufacturing processes.
Similarly, in the second conventional circuit (FIG. 2), respective transistors of two inverters constituting the latch circuit 200 and the N-MOSs 211 and 212 have to be made of the transistors whose gate oxide films have the breakdown voltage higher than the high voltage power-supply level.
For contrast, in the third conventional circuit (FIG. 3), unlike the first and second conventional circuits, the level conversion circuit may be composed of only the transistors in which the breakdown voltage of the gate oxide film is lower than the high voltage power-supply level. However, in order to suppress the breakdown voltage of the gate oxide film of the P-MOS 314 less than the high voltage power-supply level (VDD), an amplitude of the gate voltage (node N21) of the P-MOS 314 is limited by virtue of an OFF effect of the P-MOS 309. In other words, because potential VB is supplied to the gate of the P-MOS 309, potential of the node N21 cannot be lowered to "0" level, but it can be reduced merely up to VB+V.sub.th (where V.sub.th is a threshold voltage of the P-MOS). With the use of a phenomenon that potential of the node N21 is naturally stabilized at VB+V.sub.th according to OFF of the P-MOS 309, an amplitude of the gate voltage of the P-MOS 314 is limited. For this reason, such a problem has existed that high speed operation of the level conversion circuit cannot be achieved. In addition, if the P-MOS 314 is in the ON state, the gate voltage (potential of the node N21) becomes VDD-(VB+V.sub.th) and therefore, if VB+V.sub.th is higher than 3 V, this gate voltage becomes a low value. Accordingly, another problem has also existed that load driving capability of the output portion is reduced.

Level conversion circuit and semiconductor integrated circuit


Various exemplary embodiments use social networks and their social graph APIs to participate in a game without needing to own, install, or play the game. These embodiments have the game post data to social networks and then allow the social media users to interact with that data. The embodiments perform this interaction without ever having to download, install, or play the game. The games then read that interaction and score it for participation in the game.

In order to interact with a game, players are usually required to own, install, or play the game in question in order to participate within it. This limits the scope of the players that can participate. Even Web-based or Adobe Flash-based games generally require the user to download and play the game, limiting the number of people that can potentially share in the game's goals. These and other drawbacks exist.

Systems and methods for video game participation via social network interactions


The controlling apparatus is provided with: a memory that stores application software; a setting part that sets an operational manner related to power consumption of an apparatus running the application software, corresponding to the application software stored in the memory; and a controller that controls the power consumption of the apparatus according to the operational manner set by the setting part.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a controlling apparatus, a controlling method, a computer readable medium storing a program, an image forming apparatus and an image forming apparatus.
2. Related Art
An image forming apparatus and the like, such as a printer, receive image data and the like from a terminal connected via, for example, a network or the like and perform printing. At this time, if image data or the like are not inputted over a given time period or longer, the image forming apparatus and the like are generally controlled to shift to a power saving state in which the power consumption is kept at a low level.
However, use environments of the image forming apparatus and the like such as a usage frequency, a service time slot and the like are different respectively. For this reason, each image forming apparatus and the like has its own suitable timing for shifting to and returning from the power-saving mode and an operational manner regarding the power saving mode such as power consumption levels to be set at that time.

Controlling apparatus, controlling method, computer readable medium, image forming apparatus and information processing apparatus


To provide an X-ray diagnostic apparatus capable of providing a stereoscopic perspective image in the form of a video image while reducing exposure dose. An X-ray diagnosis apparatus according to an embodiment includes: a main row X-ray source group including a plurality of X-ray sources; an X-ray detection section disposed opposite to the X-ray sources; a timing controller that controls a switching timing of the X-ray sources and an X-ray generation position; an image acquisition section that acquires output image data from the X-ray detection section in synchronization with the switching timing; and a stereoscopic image display section that displays the output image data as a plurality of images having different disparities.

As a diagnostic apparatus that observes three dimensionally an inside of a body of a subject body by utilizing an X-ray that penetrates a human body, an X-ray CT apparatus, a cardiovascular X-ray diagnostic apparatus, a digital tomosynthesis system, and the like can be taken.
The X-ray CT apparatus uses various tomographic images of the subject to reconstruct a complete 3D structure. However, the X-ray CT apparatus has a rotation mechanism for scanning and is thus not suitable for radiography of a fast moving organ, such as heart. Thus, an attempt is made to increase a scan speed by increasing the number of rows of detector elements and rotating speed. However, a radiography range is still narrow, and a video image of 30 frames per second cannot yet be acquired. At present, even an apparatus providing a high scanning speed can acquire an image of nothing more than 3 frames per second. In addition, the X-ray CT apparatus irradiates the entire circumference of the subject with an X-ray to photograph about 600 to 1,800 X-ray images per one rotation, disadvantageously increasing exposure dose. Further, scanning is performed in a state where a patient is lying on a bed, so that an image cannot be acquired from a patient in a standing position. This poses a problem that correct diagnosis cannot be made for a part at which a position of internal organs or a status of joints is changed by influence of gravity.
The cardiovascular X-ray diagnostic apparatus can acquire a video image of 30 frames per second. Further, the cardiovascular X-ray diagnostic apparatus performs X-ray irradiation from nothing more than two directions at most (double-arm type), so that the exposure dose is lower than that in the X-ray CT apparatus. However, in order to grasp a 3D structure of the subject from two X-ray images obtained by irradiation of different angles, an operator is required to have anatomical knowledge and technical skill.
The digital tomosynthesis system is a system that is obtained by digitizing an X-ray tomography and can synthesize tomographic images of the subject with low exposure dose. However, the digital tomosynthesis system is not suitable for kinetics observation of fast moving organs or joints due to a mechanism of mechanically moving an X-ray source. An object of an embodiment of the present invention is therefore to solve the above problems and to provide an X-ray diagnostic apparatus capable of providing a stereoscopic video image while reducing exposure dose.


Dynamic Time Metered Delivery (DTMD) is a unique physical layer communication Method. DTMD uses enhanced time-based techniques to enable and control the flow of more data/Hertz through a variety of transmission media including existing and new copper phone lines, coaxial cable, fiber optic, powerline and wireless RF, Optical and Acoustic, to and from a comprehensive, multi-function customer data gateway. The system measures the transmission parameters as viewed from the “end of the line” and then sends these numerics back to the source which alters the shape of the basic signal structure such that when received at the far end, it will have maximum recognition attributes against interferers and noise. The present system and method add the adaptivity to the line conditions and set a maximum allowable data rate within the subscribed levels of performance.

Broadband data communications using some form of Digital Subscriber Loop or Line (DSL) for the general population over guided media, e.g., telephone Wireline, have encountered a practical and economical limit. There are several different kinds of communication techniques currently in use that are mutually incompatible yet try to cover various combination of data rate and distance, e.g., high bit-rate DSL (HDSL), HDSL II, asymmetric DSL (ADSL), G.lite (known as universal ADSL), symmetric DSL (SDSL), very high bit-rate DSL (VDSL), G.SHDSL (an international standard for symmetric DSL developed by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU)), integrated services digital network (ISDN), T-1, etc. These various communication techniques employed by the different broadband services involve tradeoffs between data rates and serviceable distance (i.e., service area). Also, the shortcomings of DSL are well known to one skilled in the art and are the driving factors behind the frequent evolution in DSL formats. Distances beyond three miles from the telephone company's (or Telco's) central office (CO) are rarely served by the current DSL system.
It is appreciated that data rates above 1.5 Mbps for low cost DSL services threaten the telephone companies' lucrative T-1 service, a dedicated phone connection supporting data rates of 1.544 Mbits per second. A T-1 line consists of 24 individual channels, each of which supports date rates of 64 Kbits per second. Various DSL services can provide data rates above 4–6 Mbps, but their service range is restricted to less than half a mile. The latest and most expensive DSL service, VDSL, can provide data rates over 20 Mbps and is restricted to less than 1 mile.
With existing asymmetric DSL systems, such as ADSL, VDSL and G.lite, higher data rates can be achieved in one direction at the expense of the return data path, such as providing more bandwidth going downstream from the Internet to the user and less bandwidth going upstream from the user to the Internet. However, these upstream and downstream bandwidth allocations are predefined in the design and cannot be customized to meet an individual customer's needs. The number of data rates currently available to customers is fixed by the design limitations of the existing or fielded systems. That is, the particular date rates of a given DSL system can be provided only to those customers who are located within the system specified distance (i.e., service range) from the Telco's central office. The DSL system cannot provide services to those customers who are located outside the service range.
Additionally cable, terrestrial broadcast radio frequency (RF) and satellite services suffer from a fixed bandwidth broadcast-based topography that causes the data rates to diminish almost proportionately with increased number of customers and demand. That is, these current broadbased systems are not easily scalable, thereby posing problems for broadbased applications requiring large bandwidths. In cable systems, the cable or service provider generally dedicates a video channel's bandwidth of 6 MHZ for broadband service to generate approximately 40 Mbps of data rate over a coax shielded cable guided media path. This enables the cable provider to provide 200 kbps data rate service to 200 customers. However, peak rates can be much higher which can pose a potential problem if it is fully loaded with 200 customers.
Satellite systems have a similar fixed bandwidth problem today. Each of the 24 transponders on a Galaxy class DES satellite from Hughes Communications, Inc. (see http://www.adec.edu/satdb/gal4rku.html) is a 36 MHz RF channel to cover a terrestrial footprint equal to the East Coat and inland for about 500 miles. Assuming a data rate of 100 Mbps for this RF channel, then the satellite provider can provide 400 kbps data rate service to 250 customers, which translates to 6000 customers if the entire satellite's 24 transponder channels are used. However, this system does not scale up easily without severe dilution, thereby posing potential problems for broadbased application requiring large bandwidths.
In the cable case, uplink detracts from downlink bandwidth and the number of net new paying customers. In the satellite case, uplink is by slow dial-up phone line (i.e., low data rate)
The nature of the frequency based signal modulation technique of DSL makes it very sensitive to cross-talk from ISDN and T-1 services as well as other DSL channels in the same cable grouping/binder. Accordingly, this further limits the number of customers that can be served in a common wire bundle. The servicing company, whether a Telco (i.e., an incumbent local exchange carrier or ILEC) or a competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC), has to qualify the telephone line for broadband service typically by sending a technician out in a truck to evaluate the line which can be time consuming and expensive. The technician often changes the selection of wire pairs in the wire bundles to get the best connections. This process can be expensive and frequently leads to follow-up service calls due to technician error. Also, bridged taps along the Wireline reduce availability and performance of the DSL service. Additionally, all of the frequency based services have many discrete frequency tonals that can radiate into AM and Ham Radio frequency bands. All of these factors have resulted in a virtual cap on the size of the servable customer base for the current DSL system. Hence, the percentage of U.S. households with DSL service or the DSL household penetration has been limited to about three percent of the total U.S. households. In other words, the current DSL services represent approximately only three percent of the total Wireline market.
Therefore, it is desirable to expand the current broadband market presence by providing a broadband system and method that goes beyond the performance limits of current broadband systems, including various types of DSL systems, and minimize their associated technical and business weaknesses.


A computerized method for designing a layout of a driver includes analyzing a schematic circuit. PMOSFETs coupled between first common nodes are grouped into one or more first classes. NMOSFETs coupled between second common nodes are grouped into one or more second classes. The method further includes generating the layout for each MOSFET at each location in a layout area of the driver by generating a super parameterized cell (PCELL) layout block comprising a master MOSFET PCELL and a master guard ring PCELL for each of the first class and the second class. The master MOSFET PCELL includes a first set of parameters for the MOSFET and the master guard ring PCELL includes a second set of parameters for the guard ring around the MOSFET. A child PCELL of the master MOSFET PCELL and the master guard ring PCELL are instantiated at each location in the layout area.

Designing an integrated circuit of a semiconductor chip is a complex process. The chip is usually designed in a hierarchical system by a large group of people with information flowing back and forth. One of the features of designing a chip includes making the contact from the internal circuitry to the outside world. The external contacts are formed using input/output (IO)) pads, which are thick metal pads for facilitating contact. IO pads are typically designed along the periphery of the chip.
However, the IO pads are not directly connected to internal circuitry but through additional circuitry called IO blocks. IO blocks are the interface between internal circuitry such as core logic and the IO pads. Since IO pads are connected with external world, IO blocks need to support various applications and specifications, like impedance matching, slew, jitter. Accordingly, the IO blocks are designed and selected to meet certain minimum performance characteristic. This is required since specific IO blocks are required to, for example, buffer and condition signals in and out of the internal circuitry, provide electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection, electro migration, configuration for design for manufacturing.
The main block of the IO blocks which drives the IO pads is the pad driver block and is known as IO driver. The IO driver comprises of large fingered metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) both n-channel MOSFET (NMOS) and p-channel MOSFET (PMOS), which are designed inside a p-well or an n-well.
The design of such IO drivers has to account for many issues. For example, due to continued scaling of semiconductor devices, the number of transistors in a circuit doubles approximately every 1.5 years facilitated by a corresponding shrink in area of the devices. To enable continued scaling, almost all features in a semiconductor device shrink from one technology generation to the next. The increased functionality of the chip produced by increasing the number of transistors in the chip also increases the number of input/output and power pins per chip. The resulting increase in the number of IO pads increases susceptibility to electrostatic discharge (ESD) and other challenges. This is because ESD events occur through the pins at the interface between the semiconductor chip and the outside world. Therefore, the layout of the IO driver has to be custom designed to protect the internal circuitry from ESD damage.
Electro-migration (EM) is another major phenomenon in the design of IO driver because very large amounts of current is drawn through the IO driver, which may result in breakdown of metal pads and/or lines if special care is not taken while estimating the metal width in designing the IO driver. The metal width controls the current density and therefore the susceptibility of the metal line to electro-migration damage.
However, all the above mentioned effects are layout dependent. Therefore, the layout design of IO driver is difficult and important because it directly impacts chip yield and therefore the total cost.


An integrated, user-programmable interconnect architecture, includes a plurality of input/output pads arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, each of the input/output pads being connected to a first one of its row neighbors and a first one of its column neighbors by a two-state programmable interconnect element in series with a first three-state programmable interconnect element having first programming characteristics. A plurality of first conductors is generally disposed in a direction parallel to the rows, each of the rows having at least one of the first conductors connected through ones of the first three-state programmable interconnect elements to selected ones of the input/output pads associated therewith, at least one of the first conductors segmented by at least one of the two-state programmable interconnect elements. A plurality of second conductors is generally disposed in a direction parallel to the columns, each of the columns having at least one of the second conductors connected through ones of the first three-state programmable interconnect elements to selected ones of the input/output pads associated therewith. The second conductors form intersections with the first conductors, and at least one of the second conductors is segmented by at least one two-state programmable interconnect element located at a selected position along its length. Ones of the first conductors and ones of the second conductors are connected together at selected intersections by ones of second three-state programmable interconnect elements having second programming characteristics.

1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to user-programmable interconnect architectures. More particularly, the present invention relates to user-programmable interconnect architectures which do not employ active devices.
2. The Prior Art
Recent activity in integrated circuit and other microcircuit applications has focussed on user-programmable circuits which employ user-programmable interconnect architectures. Such architectures have become useful as circuit designers seek circuit design solutions which provide them with faster turn-around times for circuits under development.
There are numerous examples of user-programmable interconnect architectures known in the prior art. These prior art architectures utilize a mixture of active switching components, such as transistors, and passive components, such as fuse elements and antifuse elements. One example of a user-programmable interconnect architecture which relies completely on active transistor switching devices as both interconnect elements and the means to program the interconnect elements is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,870,302 to Freeman. An example of a user-programmable interconnect architecture which employs antifuse devices as the interconnect elements and also employs active semiconductor components to program the interconnect elements is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,745 to El Gamal et al.
User-programmable interconnect architectures have been used to provide field programmable logic arrays (FPLAs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), as well as to provide memory redundancy and other user configurable circuit functions. The number and variety of applications for user-programmable interconnect architectures for interconnecting semiconductor circuits on integrated circuits is rapidly growing.
Applications for user-programmable interconnect architecture also include interconnection matrices, such as cross-point switches, which essentially comprise a large matrix of orthogonally disposed conductor segments which may be programmably interconnected by a user to form a customized interconnect pattern. Such structures have an increasing number of different uses.
In certain applications, it is sometimes advantageous to fabricate the user-programmable interconnect architecture on conductive substrates which have been covered by a layer of insulating material or on substrates fabricated from insulating materials. Fabrication of integrated active transistor switching devices capable of switching high voltages and high currents for use in programming the interconnect elements is more difficult when such substrates are employed. The difficulty to form active high-voltage, high-current transistor switching devices for use in programming the interconnections has heretofore presented a significant problem in the design of large-scale, dense interconnection matrices employing non-semiconductor substrates.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a user-programmable interconnect architecture which does not employ or require active semiconductor devices integrated with the interconnect architecture for any purpose.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a user-programmable interconnect architecture which may be fabricated on a substrate which is formed from a conductive or non-conductive material.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an integrated, user-programmable interconnect architecture which may be completely programmed by the application of voltages and currents to externally-accessible conductor nodes.
These, and other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from an examination of the following specification and accompanying drawing figures.

Programmable interconnect architecture without active devices


A sealed plug-in circuit breaker panel has an enclosure defining a sealed interior portion. The enclosure includes a housing, a face plate removably coupled to the housing and a front seal member disposed between the face plate and the housing such that the face plate and the housing are sealingly engaged. The panel further includes an electrical bus structure coupled to the housing, a plurality of first plug-in members coupled to the bus structure and a number of circuit breakers disposed in the enclosure. Each circuit breaker includes a manual operator and at least a pair of second plug-in members which are electrically coupled to corresponding first plug-in members. The manual operator protrudes through and extends from a respective aperture formed in the face plate. The panel further includes a number of feeders and load connectors electrically coupled to the bus structure.

1. Field
The disclosed concept pertains generally to circuit breakers and, more particularly, to circuit breaker assemblies, such as, for example, circuit breaker panels for a number of circuit breakers.
2. Background Information
Circuit breakers are used, for example, in aircraft electrical systems where they not only provide overcurrent protection but also serve as switches for turning equipment on and off. Aircraft or subminiature circuit breakers, for instance, are typically relatively small to accommodate the relatively high-density layout of aircraft circuit breaker panels, which make circuit breakers for numerous circuits accessible to a user. Aircraft electrical systems can consist, for example, of hundreds of circuit breakers, each of which is used for a circuit protection function as well as a circuit disconnection function through a push-pull handle.
The circuit breaker push-pull handle is moved from in-to-out in order to open the corresponding load circuit. This action may be either manual or, else, automatic in the event of an overload or fault condition. If the push-pull handle is moved from out-to-in, then the load circuit is re-energized. If the load circuit had been automatically de-energized, then the out-to-in operation of the push-pull handle corresponds to a circuit breaker reset action.
Such circuit breakers typically include a threaded bezel. A suitable fastener, such as a nut and washer, mount the circuit breaker at a corresponding opening of an aircraft circuit breaker mounting panel. The push-pull handle passes through the bezel to the user side of the mounting panel. The circuit breaker also typically includes line and load screw terminals disposed on the opposite maintenance side of the mounting panel.
Aircraft circuit breaker panels are typically packaged and exposed to the environment in which they are installed. For example, in military aircraft applications the circuit breaker panel may be installed in non-pressurized areas of the aircraft repeatedly exposed to, among other environmental conditions, moisture, salt fog corrosion, sand and dust. These conditions may reduce the reliability of circuit breaker panels.
There is room for improvement in circuit breaker assemblies.