A wheel-driving unit and a method for manufacturing the same. The circumferential-direction widths of teeth respectively constituting a male spline portion (47a) and a female spline portion (48a) are varied gradually in the respective axial directions of the male and female spline portions (47a), (48a). The directions where the widths of the teeth respectively constituting the male and female spline portions (47a), (48a) increase in the axial direction are set so as to differ from each other, whereby the spline teeth are engaged with each other in a wedge-like manner. A retaining ring (33b) is bridgingly interposed between the outer peripheral surface of the outer end portion of the spline shaft (17) and the inner peripheral surface of the near-to-outer-end portion of the spline hole (14) to thereby prevent the spline shaft (17) from slipping out of the spline hole (14).

To construct a wheel-driving unit of the above type and support the wheels on the suspension so as to be rotatable with respect to the suspension, there are used various bearing units in which outer and inner rings are rotatably combined together through rolling elements. Also, in the case of a wheel-driving bearing unit which is used not only to support drive wheels on the independent suspension but also to drive and rotate the drive wheels, it is necessary that it is combined with a constant velocity joint and, through this combination, it transmits the rotary motion of the drive shaft to these drive wheels smoothly (that is, while securing the constant velocity property of the rotary motion) regardless of not only the mutual shift between the differential gears and drive wheels but also the steering angles that are applied to the drive wheels. Now, FIG. 39 shows an ordinary wheel-driving bearing unit structured for the above purpose such that a wheel-supporting bearing unit 1 and a wheel-side constant velocity joint 2 are combined together.
The wheel-supporting bearing unit 1 is structured such that a hub 4 and an inner ring 5 are rotatably supported on the inside diameter side of an outer ring 3 through a plurality of rolling elements 6, 6. The outer ring 3 is connected and fixed to a knuckle 8 (see FIG. 40 which will be discussed later), which constitutes the suspension, through an outwardly-facing flange-shaped mounting portion 7 formed in the outer peripheral surface of the outer ring 3, while the outer ring 3 does not rotate even when it is in use. By the way, conventionally, there is also known a structure in which the outer peripheral surface of the outer ring 3 is formed as a simple cylindrical surface (which does not include the mounting portion 7) and is fitted with and fixed to the inner surface of a support hole formed in the knuckle 8. Also, in the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring 3, there are formed a double row of outer raceways 9, 9; and, the hub 4 and inner ring 5 are supported on the inside diameter side of the outer ring 3 in such a manner that they are concentric with the outer ring 3 and can be rotated.
In the case of the hub 4, on the portion thereof that is situated near to the outer (with respect to the axial direction thereof, when the wheel-supporting bearing unit 1 is incorporated into a car, the width-direction outer side of the car: and, this applies similarly in the whole of the present specification; that is, the left side of the respective figures except for FIGS. 4, 7, 10, 13, 25, 26, 28, 32, 37 and 38) end of the outer peripheral surface of the hub 4, there is disposed a flange 10 which is used to support wheels (drive wheels). Also, in the middle portion of the outer peripheral surface of the hub 4, there is formed a first inner raceway 11 and, similarly, the inner ring 5 having a second inner raceway 13 formed in the outer peripheral surface thereof is fitted with and fixed to the outer surface of a small-diameter stepped portion 12 formed in the portion that is near to the inner (with respect to the axial direction thereof, when the wheel-supporting bearing unit 1 is incorporated into a car, the width-direction central side of the car: and, this applies similarly in the whole of the present specification; that is, the right side of the respective figures except for FIGS. 4, 7, 10, 13, 25, 26, 28, 32, 37 and 38) end portion of the outer peripheral surface of the hub 4. And, in the central portion of the hub 4, there is formed a spline hole 14.
On the other hand, the wheel-side constant velocity joint 2 comprises an outer ring 15 for a constant velocity joint, an inner ring 16 for a constant velocity joint, and a spline shaft 17. The outer ring 15 for a constant velocity joint and spline shaft 17 form a drive member 18. That is, the spline shaft 17 is disposed on the outer end portion of the drive member 18 and can be engaged with the spline hole 14; and, the outer ring 15 for a constant velocity joint is disposed on the inner end portion of the drive member 18. In a plurality of portions in the circumferential direction of the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring 15 for a constant velocity joint, there are formed outside engaging grooves 19, 19 in such a manner that they respectively extend at right angles to the present circumferential direction. Also, in the case of the inner ring 16 for a constant velocity joint which forms the wheel-side constant velocity joint 2, in the central portion thereof, there is formed a second spline hole 20 and, in the portions of the outer peripheral surface thereof that correspond to the outside engaging grooves 19, 19, there are formed inside engaging grooves 21, 21 in such a manner that they respectively extend at right angles to the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring 16. Balls 22, 22 are interposed between the inside engaging grooves 21, 21 and outside engaging grooves 19, 19 and are held by a retainer 23 in such a manner that they are allowed to roll along these engaging grooves 21, 19. By the way, the shapes of the composing parts of the wheel-side constant velocity joint 2 are similar to those of a constant velocity joint of a Rzeppa type or a Birfield type and are not related to the gist of the invention and, therefore, the detailed description thereof is omitted here.
In the case of the above-mentioned wheel-side constant velocity joint 2 and the previously-mentioned wheel-supporting bearing unit 1, the spline shaft 17 is inserted into the spline hole 14 of the hub 4 from the inside to the outside with respect to the axial direction of the hub 4. And, a nut 25 is threadedly engaged with a male screw portion 24 formed in such portion of the outer end portion of the spline shaft 17 that projects from the outer end face of the hub 4 and, by fastening the nut 25 and male screw portion 24 further, they can be connected and fixed to each other. In this state, the inner end face of the inner ring 5 is contacted with the outer end face of the outer ring 15 for a constant velocity joint, thereby preventing the inner ring 5 from shifting in a direction where it can slip out of the small-diameter stepped portion 12. At the same time, a proper preload is applied to the respective rolling elements 6, 6.
Further, in a state where the present wheel-driving unit is assembled into the suspension of the car, a male spline portion 27 formed in the outer end portion of a drive shaft 26 is spline engaged into the second spline hole 20 formed in the central portion of the inner ring 16 for a constant velocity joint. And, a retaining ring 29, which is secured to a securing groove 28 formed so as to exist over the entire periphery of the outer peripheral surface of the outer end portion of the male spline portion 27, is engaged with a securing stepped portion 30 formed in the peripheral edge portion of the outer end of the second spline hole 20, thereby preventing the male spline portion 27 from slipping out of the second spline hole 20.
By the way, the inner end portion of the drive shaft 26 is connected to the output portion of a tripod-type constant velocity joint which is a differential-side constant velocity joint. And, the tripod-type constant velocity joint, the drive shaft 26 and the wheel-side constant velocity joint 2 cooperate together in forming the above-mentioned constant velocity joint unit. In a state before the present wheel-driving unit is assembled into the suspension of the car, the present constant velocity joint unit is combined with the wheel-supporting bearing unit 1 to thereby form the above-mentioned wheel-driving unit.
Also, in the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,842, there is disclosed such a wheel-driving bearing unit as shown in FIG. 40. In the second example of the conventional structure shown in FIG. 40 as well, a hub 4a is rotatably supported inside an outer ring 3 fixed to a knuckle 8 by a double row of rolling elements 6, 6. And, the spline shaft 17 of a drive member 18a is spline engaged into a spline hole 14 formed in the central portion of the hub 4a. In the outer end face of the spline shaft 17, there is formed a securing portion 31 for securing thereto a tool which is used to draw the spline shaft 17 into the spline hole 14. An incomplete-circular-ring-shaped retaining ring 33 is bridgingly interposed between a securing groove 32, which is formed in the near-to-leading-end portion of the outer peripheral surface of the spline shaft 17 and serves as an inside engaging portion, and a securing stepped portion 35 which is formed in such portion of the inner peripheral surface of the hub 4a that is opposed to the securing groove 32 and also which serves as an outside engaging portion, thereby preventing the spline shaft 17 from slipping out of the hub 4a. Also, in this state, an elastic ring 34 is elastically compressed between the hub 4a and an outer ring 15 for a constant velocity joint disposed on the drive member 18a.
Also, an inner ring 5 having a second inner raceway 13 formed in the outer peripheral surface thereof is fitted with the outer surface of the near-to-inner-end portion of the hub 4a and, at the same time, a retaining ring 37 is secured to a securing groove 36 formed over the entire periphery of the outer peripheral surface of such portion of the inner end portion of the hub 4a that projects inwardly in the axial direction beyond the inner end face of the inner ring 5. And, the retaining ring 37 holds the inner end face of the inner ring 5 to thereby prevent the inner ring 5 from shifting in the axial direction thereof.
According to the second example of the conventional structure disclosed in the above-cited U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,842, it is easy to connect together a wheel-supporting bearing unit 1a and a wheel-side constant velocity joint 2a. That is, in the case of the first example of the conventional structure shown in FIG. 39, to connect together the wheel-supporting bearing unit 1 and wheel-side constant velocity joint 2, there is necessary the troublesome operation in which the nut 25 is threadedly engaged with the male screw portion 24 formed in the leading end portion of the spline shaft 17 and they are then fastened further. In case where the operation to connect together the wheel-supporting bearing unit 1 and wheel-side constant velocity joint 2 is troublesome, the operation gives rise to an increase in the cost necessary for assembling of the wheel-driving bearing unit. Also, separate provision of the male screw portion 24 and nut 25 increases both size and weight of the wheel-driving bearing unit. On the other hand, in the case of the second example of the conventional structure, to connect together the wheel-supporting bearing unit 1a and wheel-side constant velocity joint 2a, the retaining ring 33 may only be interposed between the inner peripheral surface of the outer end portion of the hub 4a and the outer peripheral surface of the outer end portion of the spline shaft 17. For this reason, in the case of the second example of the conventional structure, the operation to connect together the wheel-supporting bearing unit 1a and wheel-side constant velocity joint 2a can be executed easily, which only can reduce the cost necessary for assembly of the structure but also can reduce the size and weight thereof.
Further, in JP-A-10-264605, there is disclosed such a wheel-driving bearing unit as shown in FIG. 41. In the case of a wheel-supporting rolling bearing unit 1b forming part of the present wheel-driving bearing unit, to the inner end portion of a hollow hub 4b, there is connected through an intermediate seat 38 an outer ring 15a for a constant velocity joint which corresponds to a drive member set forth in the appended claims thereof and forms a wheel-side constant velocity joint 2b. Of the two inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the intermediate seat 38 which is formed in a short-cylindrical shape, in the inner peripheral surface thereof, there is formed an inside-diameter-side female spline portion 39; and, in the outer peripheral surface thereof, there is formed an outside-diameter-side male spline portion 40 which corresponds to a first spline portion set forth in the appended claims of the present specification. The intermediate seat 38 is assembled to the inner end portion of the hub 4b by spline engaging an inside-diameter-side male spline portion 41 formed in the outer peripheral surface of the inner end portion of the hub 4b with the inside-diameter-side female spline portion 39 with no shaky motion between them. And, the inner end face of the intermediate seat 38 is held by a caulk portion 42 formed in the inner end portion of the hub 4b, thereby fixing the intermediate seat 38 to the inner end portion of the hub 4b with no shaky motion between them. By the way, in the above-cited JP-A-10-264605, there is also disclosed a structure in which the inner ring and intermediate seat are formed as an integral body. This structure is also the subject of the present invention.
On the other hand, with the outside-diameter-side male spline portion 40 formed in the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate seat 38, there is spline engaged an outside-diameter-side female spline portion 43 which is formed in the inner peripheral surface of the outer end portion of the outer ring 15a for a constant velocity joint and corresponds to a second spline portion set forth in the appended claims of the present specification. And, a retaining ring 33a is bridgingly interposed between the outside-diameter-side female spline portion 43 and outside-diameter-side male spline portion 40 that are mutually spline engaged, thereby preventing the outer ring 15a for a constant velocity joint and the intermediate seat 38 from being separated from each other. That is, the incomplete-circular-ring-shaped retaining ring 33a is bridgingly interposed between an inside securing groove 44, which is formed over the entire periphery of the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate seat 38 and corresponds to a first engaging portion set forth in the appended claims of the present specification, and an outside securing groove 45 formed over the entire periphery of the inner peripheral surface of the outer end portion of the outer ring 15a for a constant velocity joint and corresponding to a second engaging portion set forth in the appended claims of the present specification, thereby preventing the outer ring 15a for a constant velocity joint and the intermediate seat 38 from moving in the axial direction of the present wheel-driving bearing unit.
While the structure of the connecting portion between the hub 4b and the outer ring 15a for a constant velocity joint is as described above, the hub 4b is rotatably supported on the inside diameter side of the outer ring 3 by a double-row angular-type ball bearing. An inner ring 5 forming this ball bearing is held and fixed by and between the outer end face of the intermediate seat 38 and a stepped surface 46 existing in the outer end portion of a small-diameter stepped portion 12 formed in the outer peripheral surface of the middle portion of the hub 4b.
In the case of the above-structured wheel-driving bearing unit disclosed in the above-cited JP-A-10-264605, since the spline shaft 17 can be omitted from the second example of the conventional structure shown in FIG. 40, the cost and weight thereof can be reduced further by an amount corresponding to the omission of the spline shaft 17.
In all of the above-mentioned conventional structures, due to a slight clearance existing in the spline engaged portion for transmission of the rotary power, there is a possibility that there can be generated shaky motion in the circumferential direction thereof. Firstly, in the case of the first and second conventional structures shown respectively shown in FIGS. 39 and 40, there is a possibility that, in a neutral state (in a state where torque is not transmitted between the spline shaft 17 and hub 4, 4a), there can be generated a slight clearance between the side surfaces (which are opposed to each other in the circumferential direction) of the respective teeth of the spline engaged portion 49 composed of a male spline portion 47, which is formed in the outer peripheral surface of the spline shaft 17 and corresponds to a second spline portion set forth in the appended claims of the present specification, and a female spline portion 48 which is formed in the spline hole 14 formed in the central portion of the hub 4 and corresponds to a first spline portion as set forth in the appended claims of the present specification.
Between the spline shaft 17 and hub 4, 4a, there is transmitted torque through the spline engaged portion 49. However, as described above, in case where there is generated a slight clearance between the side surfaces of the respective teeth of the male and female spline portions 47, 48, in the speed increasing or reducing time of the car, the male and female spline portions 47, 48 are shifted with respect to each other in the circumferential direction, although slightly. And, because of this relative shift, the male and female spline portions 47, 48 can be collided with each other, which raises a possibility that there can be generated teeth striking sounds which are offensive to the ear of an occupant of the car or a pedestrian present in the periphery of the car. Such problem can be found also in the case of the third conventional structure shown in FIG. 41, that is, in the spline engaged portion 49a composed of the outside-diameter-side male spline portion 40 formed in the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate seat 38 and the outside-diameter-side female spline portion 43 formed in the inner peripheral surface of the outer end portion of the outer ring 15a for a constant velocity joint.
In view of the above, there has been made a proposal that, when enforcing the first conventional structure shown in FIG. 39, for example, each of the teeth of the male spline portion 47 may be inclined (for example, about 10 min.) with respect to the center axis of the spline shaft 17, that is, each tooth may be shaped so as to have such torsion angle. Also, in this case, the respective teeth of the female spline portion 48, which is to be spline engaged with the male spline portion 47, are formed so as to be parallel to the center axis of the spline shaft 17. By the way, the surface of the male spline portion 47 is hardened in the following manner: that is, the outer peripheral surface of the spline shaft 17 is rolled to thereby form a given shape having the above-mentioned torsion angle and, after then, it is high frequency quenched. On the other hand, in the case of the female spline portion 48, the inner peripheral surface of the spline hole 14 is broached to thereby form a given shape and, after then, it is left un-quenched.
In a state where, while the male and female spline portions 47, 48, which have been formed into the above-mentioned respective shapes, are spline engaged with each other, the wheel-supporting bearing until 1 and wheel-side constant velocity joint 2 are connected to each other, the side surfaces of the respective teeth of the male and female spline portions 47, 48 are pressed against each other in the axial-direction two end portions thereof, thereby being able to prevent generation of the above-mentioned teeth striking sounds in the running operation of the car. On the other hand, there can also be expected a structure in which the respective teeth of the male and female spline portions 47, 48 are formed parallel to the axial direction and the clearances between the teeth mutually adjoining in the circumferential direction are regulated to thereby cause the side surfaces of the respective teeth of the male and female spline portions 47, 48 to be strongly pressed against each other over the entire length thereof in the axial direction. In the case of this structure as well, generation of the teeth striking sounds can be prevented. However, in this structure, the shapes and dimension accuracy must be regulated very strictly, which unfavorably not only increases the cost of the structure but also requires an excessively large force (pressure insertion force) for pressure insertion of the spline shaft 17 into the spline hole 14. In this respect, in the case of the previously-described structure in which the male spline portion 47 is formed into a shape having a torsion angle to thereby prevent occurrence of the teeth striking sounds, since the side surfaces of the respective teeth of the male and female spline portions 47, 48 are pressed against each other only in the axial-direction two end portions thereof, the pressure insertion force can be reduced.
However, in case where, in order to prevent occurrence of the teeth striking sounds, the male spline portion 47 is formed into a shape having a torsion angle, the pressure insertion force can vary greatly due to the delicate variations of the torsion angle. For this reason, in case where the male spline portion 47 varies in shape, there is also a possibility that the pressure insertion force can increase up to an excessive value. Therefore, the shapes and dimension accuracy must be secured to a certain degree, which makes it difficult to reduce the cost of the structure sufficiently. By the way, according to the first conventional structure shown in FIG. 39, even in case where the pressure insertion force becomes excessively large in the above manner, by tightening the nut 25 with respect to the male screw portion 24 strongly, the nut 25 is able to generate an axial-direction force (axial force), thereby being able to obtain the pressure insertion force that is necessary. However, as in the second conventional structure shown in FIG. 40, in case where, in order to facilitate the assembling of the wheel-driving bearing unit, the connection between the wheel-supporting bearing unit 1a and wheel-side constant velocity joint 2a is carried out by the retaining ring 33, the retaining ring 33 is not allowed to generate the above axial force. In the case of the third conventional structure shown in FIG. 41 as well, there aries a substantially similar problem.
Also, in case where the male spline portion 47 is formed into a shape having a torsion angle, since the mutually associated teeth of the male and female spline portions 47, 48 are pressed against each other only in the axial-direction two end portions thereof, there is a possibility that the contact surface pressure acting on the side surfaces of these teeth can increase up to an excessively high value. And, in case where the contact surface pressure becomes excessively high, there is a possibility that the teeth can be worn or plastically deformed in a relatively early stage. For this reason, the sufficient durability of the male and female spline portions 47, 48 cannot be secured, which makes it difficult to prevent occurrence of the teeth striking sounds for a long period of time.
A wheel-driving unit and a method for manufacturing the same according to the invention are invented in view of the above-mentioned circumstances of the prior art.


A method of manufacturing a pixel structure is provided. A first patterned conductive layer including a gate and a data line is formed on a substrate. A gate insulating layer is formed to cover the first patterned conductive layer and a semiconductor channel layer is formed on the gate insulating layer above the gate. A second patterned conductive layer including a scan line, a common line, a source and a drain is formed on the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor channel layer. The scan line is connected to the gate and the common line is located above the data line. The source and drain are located on the semiconductor channel layer, and the source is connected to the data line. A passivation layer is formed on the substrate to cover the second patterned conductive layer. A pixel electrode connected to the drain is formed on the passivation layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pixel structure and a manufacturing method thereof, and more particularly to a pixel structure with high aperture ratio and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
In daily life during a 3C era, various information equipments, e.g. digital tools such as mobile phones, digital cameras, digital video cameras, notebook computers, and desktop computers are available in the market, which are developed in a trend of convenience, multi-functions, and chic appearance. In most of the information equipments, flat panel displays are used as main communication interfaces. Through a display function of the flat panel displays, the operation of the products becomes more convenient to the user. Due to the advantages of power saving, high picture quality, preferred space utilization efficiency, low consumption of power, no radiation, liquid crystal displays (LCD) have become a mainstream product in the market.
Generally, a pixel structure of the LCD includes a scan line, a data line, an active element, and a pixel electrode. In the pixel structure, a capacitance (Cpd) between pixel electrode and a data line is one of factors affecting an aperture ratio. More specifically, when the distance between the data line and the pixel electrode is shortened, the capacitance (Cpd) between the data line and the pixel electrode is increased accordingly. In order to avoid a cross talk caused by the capacitance (Cpd) between the data line and the pixel electrode, the data line is always designed to be separated from the pixel electrode for a distance, so as to reduce the vertical cross talk. However, the longer the distance between the data line and the pixel electrode is, the more greatly the aperture ratio of the pixel decreases.
In order to reduce the cross talk of the pixel structure and maintain the aperture ratio of the pixel structure at a certain level, many pixel structures has been developed. For example, a thicker insulator layer can be disposed between the pixel electrode and the data line to reduce the effect of capacitance. However, the material of insulator layer is usually an organic material such as acrylic resin, which is liable to absorb moisture and thus the adhesion is weakened. Besides, the organic material cannot be completely bleached in the process, and thus the overall transmittance of the pixel structure is reduced.

Pixel structure and manufacturing method thereof


An exemplary image sensor comprises a photodetector proximate to a pixel site, and a light meter proximate to the pixel site configured to approximate an initial charge acquired by the photodetector at the end of a first integration period of a frame exposure period. A reset circuit resets the photodetector if the approximated initial charge acquired by the photodetector exceeds a threshold. A readout circuit detects a final charge acquired by the photodetector at the end of a second integration period of the frame exposure period. If the photodetector was reset, the readout circuit adjusts the final exposure to account for exposure prior to the photodetector having been reset.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally in the field of imaging devices. More specifically, the invention is in the field of imaging devices having improved dynamic range.
2. Background Art
Image sensors have broad applications in many areas. Image sensors convert a received image into representative information indicative of the received image. Examples of image sensors include solid-state image sensors, such as charge coupled devices (CCDs) and CMOS imaging devices (also known as CMOS image sensors), among others.
Image sensors are fabricated from semiconductor materials and comprise imaging arrays of light detecting, i.e., photosensitive, elements (also known as photodetectors) interconnected to generate representative information (e.g., analog signals) that corresponds to an image illuminating the device. A typical imaging array comprises a number of photodetectors arranged in a pattern, for example, a pattern comprising rows and columns. Each photodetector in the imaging array receives a portion of the light reflected from an object and received by the image sensor. Each portion is called a picture element and is typically referred to as a pixel. Each pixel provides output information representative of the luminance and/or chrominance detected by the photodetector. When considered in the context of the pattern of the photodetectors, the output information from the pixels constitutes the representative information that corresponds to the image incident upon the imaging array.
As an example, each pixel of an imaging array may provide as output information an output signal, which may, for example, be dependent upon an accumulation of charge, i.e., photo charges, according to the photoelectric effect, corresponding to the radiation intensity falling upon its detecting area defined by the physical dimensions of its corresponding photodetector. The photo charges from each pixel are converted to a charge signal, which is an electrical potential representative of the luminance and/or chrominance reflected from a respective portion of the object and received by the image sensor. The resulting charge signal or potential is read and processed by video/image processing circuitry to create a signal representation of the image.
It has been difficult to provide simultaneously wide dynamic range and very low noise in image sensor arrays. Present trends towards small pixel pitches in CMOS four-transistor (4T) technology result in loss of charge capacity as the pixel shrinks. This results in imagers with only 56 dB or less of dynamic range. This low dynamic range degrades the quality of outdoor images because there is simply not enough range in the sensor photodiode to describe both the bright and dark areas of the scene.
A conventional CMOS image sensor is typically structured as an imaging array of photodetectors, each photodetector being reset to an approximately known potential after the readout of a previous image, and in preparation for the next image. However, the performance of conventional CMOS image sensors suffers from a number of problems. For example, conventional CMOS image sensors suffer from noise associated with the process for resetting the photodiode in each pixel to a known potential after each exposure and in preparation for the next image. This noise, also referred to as reset noise or KTC noise, is often a significant source of noise in camera systems employing conventional CMOS image sensors. The reset noise is proportional to the square root of KTC, where C is the capacitance of the sense node or photodiode/source follower gate combination in a typical active pixel sensor. Reset noise is typically 30 to 40 electrons one-sigma. Reducing the capacitance of the sense node can reduce reset noise, but results in a corresponding reduction in the total charge that can be collected and therefore undesirably reduces the overall dynamic range in the camera system.
Moreover, the trend towards small pixel pitches in image sensors results in additional loss of charge capacity, further reducing dynamic range. Low dynamic range significantly degrades image quality, particularly in outdoor images, due to the limited range of the sensor's photodetector and its inability to describe both bright and dark areas of the scene in a single frame exposure.
One approach for increasing dynamic range in image sensors involves acquiring both a short exposure and a long exposure separately, each exposure stored in respective frame buffers, the short exposure being suitable for capturing bright areas of a scene, and the long exposure being suitable for capturing the dark areas of the scene. Thereafter, the image stored into the short exposure frame buffer and the image stored into the long exposure frame buffer could be integrated into a single image with improved dynamic range. However, the significantly increased costs associated with additional frame buffers renders this approach impractical for many applications.
Three-transistor (3T) pixels can be constructed with large capacities (e.g., 15,000 to 35,000 photons or more), but the higher noise floor of 25 to 35 electrons (converted photons) results in a dynamic range of 60 dB at best. However, in low light situations, the higher noise floor and higher dark current of the 3T pixel result in greatly degraded performance compared to 4T pixels.
In higher cost systems, such as those used for security applications, very high dynamic range images can be compounded by collecting multiple full-frame images and different exposures. These outputs are stored in a full-frame memory buffer and a very high dynamic image is created by software. However, the required buffer memory cost is comparable to the cost of the image sensor, and this cost is not easily borne by low-end consumer applications, such as cellular phone cameras. However, in higher end camera phones, substantial improvements in overall performance can be enabled by the use of a frame buffer in the camera.
Four-transistor (4T) pixels with pitches of about 2.25 micron to 2.8 micron struggle to have 6000 electrons of capacity while maintaining a noise floor of about 10 electrons. This lower noise floor results and the lack of significant dark signal noise results in three to four times improvement in low light performance when compared to 3T technology. However, the total dynamic range remains at 56 dB, and outdoor images are inferior to larger pixel cameras.
What is needed is a low cost solution that retains the low light performance and small form factor of the small pixel pitch but has a substantial (e.g., 2×) improvement in dynamic range for outdoor images. Accordingly, there is a strong need in the art for a cost-effective wide dynamic range image sensor.

Wide dynamic range image sensor and method of use


A golf ball conveyor including an endless chain having link pins arranged vertically which moves along a travelling line in a golf-ball conveying direction to convey golf balls. A driving device rotates the chain in an endless manner. A plurality of ball moving protrusions are provided at predetermined distances on the chain to move the golf balls one-by-one, and a plurality of guide rollers are provided at predetermined distances on the chain for guiding movement of the chain. Sprockets may be used for bending the travelling line of the endless chain.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a golf practice machine set in a golf practice range or the like, and particularly to a golf ball conveyor for use in such a golf practice machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a golf practice range, golf balls hit from respective hitting boxes and scattered on a green are collected, cleaned, conveyed to the respective hitting sides, and received in ball tanks installed in front of automatic tee-up machines in the boxes.
A belt conveyor is usually used as a golf ball conveyer which is set on a golf ball conveying line.
However, in such a golf ball conveyer constituted by a belt conveyor, an endless belt is disposed vertically, so that the height of the golf ball conveyer becomes large as a whole, and particularly when the golf ball conveyer is buried in a floor not lower than a second concrete floor, the concrete floor becomes inevitably thicker.
In addition, the driving of the belt or the collision of golf balls with each other causes much noise. Further, since the belt conveyor extends in a straight line, when the golf ball conveying line is bent, a plurality of short belt conveyors are combined with each other, and a golf ball conveyed from one belt conveyor is dropped onto the next belt conveyor to thereby deliver the golf ball between belt conveyors. Therefore, there is a disadvantage such that a plurality of belt conveyors must be provided, and the golf ball conveyer becomes higher in height.
There is a device for conveying golf balls by using, not a belt conveyor, but a screw. In the case of use a screw, the screw also extends in a straight line, so that it is necessary to combine a plurality of screws when the conveying line is bent, and it is difficult to deliver golf balls between the screws to, thereby causing a problem in conveying the golf balls.
In addition, because the screw contacts with golf balls directly, it is impossible to feed lubricating oil to the screw, so that there is a defect that the service life of the screw is short.


A method for sensing the temperature of a remote object within a chamber that is heated from outside the chamber, includes sensing radiation from the object within the chamber through a window in the wall of the chamber that exhibits different transmissivity than the wall of the chamber to radiation in a selected waveband relative to the waveband of the radiation supplied through the wall of the chamber to heat the object within the chamber.

Radiation thermometry is a technique which allows the measurement of the temperature of a remote object by analyzing the radiation emitted by the object. All objects at temperatures greater than 0 kelvin emit radiation which can be measured to determine the temperature of the object. The concept of radiation thermometry is based upon the underlying principles that as an object which has a certain emissivity heats up, it emits radiation that shifts in wavelength and increases in intensity such that an object which radiates with an orange glow is hotter than an otherwise identical object which radiates with a red glow. Details of radiation thermometry are discussed in the literature (See, for example, Tenney; Mechanical Engineering, Oct. '86; "Red Hot . . . AND HOTTER", pp. 36-41.)
In the case of an object inside a furnace or other environment of elevated ambient temperature, it is not easy to optically detect the radiation from the object alone. Radiation from hot elements present in the environment will be reflected to some degree by the object being detected. Thus, where the object is reflecting significant amounts of unabsorbed radiation, simple optical detection apparatus will indicate a temperature which is higher than the true temperature of the object alone.


A system and method for beam management in a wireless network are provided. A learning module having a trained classification module processes received I/Q input samples to determine transmitted beam information of incoming RF transmissions. The learning module includes a beam inference engine to determine waveform characteristics of incoming RF transmissions, and an angle of arrival engine operative to determine an angle of arrival of the incoming RF transmissions on an antenna array. An incoming RF transmission and angle of arrival are selected based on the determined waveforms for beam management operations.

Mobile devices require ever larger gigabit-per-second data rates. Thanks to their promise of data rates orders of magnitude higher than sub-6 GHz technologies, millimeter wave (mmWave) communications lie at the foundation of 5th generation (5G) networks and beyond. A challenge in mmWave networks is the severely increased path loss with respect to sub-6 GHz transmissions, which suggests that highly directional communications through beamforming are necessary to bring the transmission range back to acceptable levels. Consequently, the transmitter (TX) and the receiver (RX) need to coordinate to select the beam pair that yields the highest beamforming gain. For this reason, beam management in mmWave networks has attracted interest from the research community.
Beam management is usually a complex procedure that involves several time-consuming steps. First, both the TX and the RX need to discover each other by finding the initial beamforming vectors that yield a sufficient Signal-to-Noise-Ratio (SNR) to establish a mmWave link. This procedure is usually called initial access (IA). Once the mmWave link has been established, beam tracking is performed to keep the TX and RX beams aligned to avoid sudden drops in SNR. For both IA and beam tracking, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) NR standard for 5G communications utilizes synchronization signal blocks (SSBs), which are essentially pilot and synchronization sequences that are periodically transmitted by the TX in each of its Nix beam directions. By listening on each of its M, beam directions, the RX is then able to compute the received power for each of the NtxMrx possible beam combinations and thus make an informed decision on which beamforming vector to use. The complexity of these beam management techniques, also called exhaustive beam sweep (EBS), is thus quadratic in the number of beams. FIG. 1A shows an example of EBS when Ntx=4 and Mrx=4 beams are used. A similar procedure is used for IEEE 802.11ad, where the beams are distributed in Ntx≤128 sphere sectors, with beam widths as small as 3 degrees. A beam sweep is performed by the TX to find the best sector, and subsequently, intra-sector fine-tuning is used by the TX and RX to refine the selection.
This pilot-based EBS is very inefficient. For example, in 3GPP NR it could take up to 164 milliseconds (ms) to complete an IA when 24 beams are used by both TX and RX. Worse yet, although EBS procedures could be feasible in cellular networks, they may not be effective at all in mmWave ad hoc networks, where links are highly volatile and short in duration. Attempts to improve beam management still require a certain degree of coordination between the TX and RX, which reduces the effective channel utilization.
Beam management in mmWave networks has attracted significant interest from the research community over the last few years. However, much of this work requires some sort of coordination with the TX, which in turn introduces overhead. Regarding passive beam tracking, LiSteer, a mechanism using external light-emitting diodes (LEDs) located on the wireless Access Point (AP) has been proposed to track the user's movement. However, the mechanism requires additional equipment and may not work in many circumstances (i.e., visible light is present, mobile device inside the pocket, and so on). Moreover, it requires traditional beam sweeping at the AP side.
The application of deep learning to improve the performance of wireless communications is being used to address problems such as modulation recognition and radio fingerprinting. The interest in this technique comes from its versatility in addressing a wide variety of wireless classification problems where an explicit mathematical model is cumbersome to obtain (e.g., because of the phenomenon itself or due to the scale of the classification problem). System aspects of deep learning in wireless have also been investigated by Restuccia et al. to address real-time classification problems. (F. Restuccia and T. Melodia, "Big Data Goes Small: Real-Time Spectrum-Driven Embedded Wireless Networking Through Deep Learning in the RF Loop," Proc. of IEEE Conf. on Computer Communications (INFOCOM), 2019; F. Restuccia and T. Melodia, "DeepWiERL: Bringing Deep Reinforcement Learning to the Internet of Self-Adaptive Things," Proc. of IEEE Conf. on Computer Communications (INFOCOM), 2020) On the other hand, machine learning in the mmWave domain is still at its infancy, also due to the current lack of large-scale experimental databases. Existing relevant studies in the mmWave domain use either simulations or ray tracing, which may not entirely capture the complexity of real-life propagation scenarios at mmWave spectrum bands.

Coordination-free mmWave beam management with deep waveform learning


Thinning operating systems can include monitoring a number of functionalities of an operating system, the number of functionalities of the operating system being provided by a number of computing components loaded thereon. Thinning operating systems can include automatically identifying an undesired functionality of the number of functionalities during runtime and removing from the operating system at least one of the number of computing components providing the undesired functionality as a result of the automatic identification to thin the OS.

Business processes may be a factor in the operational success of an organization. The business processes may be implemented using applications, for example, applications running on an operating system. Therefore, the organization may have an interest in pursuing efficient (e.g., as intended) operation of the applications and/or the operating system.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP


The invention includes a base member attached to a casing. The inside of the casing can be a vacuum atmosphere. A partition wall is provided on the base member, the base member separating an air atmosphere and the vacuum atmosphere. A rotating member (a rotating portion of a driving source) is provided on the base member at a position different from the rotating member. An armature, which is a dust source, is provided on the air atmosphere side of the partition wall, thereby maintaining high cleanliness on the vacuum atmosphere side. Providing the partition wall and the rotating member at different positions eliminates the necessity of consideration on the rigidity of the partition wall for supporting the rotating member, thereby reducing the thickness of the partition wall. In addition, it is possible to reduce affection by deflection generated by the inertia or vibration caused by rotation of the rotating member, so that a distance between the armature and a magnet in the rotating member can be narrower than the related art. Accordingly, high accuracy in stopping positions can be realized.

Generally, a substrate of a semiconductor, an LCD or the like is manufactured in a highly clean environment such as a so-called clean room. A manufacturing device for a semiconductor wafer or the like disposed in the clean room may include a plurality of processing devices for performing a variety of processes. In the processing devices, in order to enhance the production yield of a product (a conforming product ratio), a process chamber for performing a process is closed airtightly to realize a vacuum atmosphere in the process chamber, thereby maintaining the inside of the process chamber more highly clean to perform the process. Process chambers of the processing devices are connected to a transfer chamber for transferring a product among the processing devices. The transfer chamber can be also closed airtightly. A transfer robot is provided for the transfer chamber, so that a substrate can be transferred to the process chamber from a loadlock chamber for transferring the substrate into or out of the manufacturing device. Transfer devices have been improved to be capable of transferring a product in such a high-vacuum state (see Patent Document 1).
A transfer device 1A shown in FIG. 10 transfers a wafer or the like in a plurality of chambers in an ultra-vacuum atmosphere in a clean room.
The transfer device 1A is disposed on an opening portion formed in portion of a wall of a vacuum chamber 50S (a casing). The transfer device 1A includes a flange portion 11S (a base member), which is attached to the wall of the vacuum chamber 5OS in an airtight state in order to resist a high vacuum in the vacuum chamber 50S.
The flange portion 11S is provided with a fixed shaft 10S (a fixed shaft member) extending into the vacuum chamber 50S. Provided on an outer side of the fixed shaft 10S are hollow operation shafts 21S, 22S (rotary members). The operation shafts 21S, 22S are coaxial to the fixed shaft 10S and are disposed so as to be vertically displaced from each other in a rotatable manner via a bearing.
Provided on an inner side of the operation shafts 21S, 22S and an outer periphery of the fixed shaft 10S is an electromagnetic stator S (an armature). A rotor R using a permanent magnet is provided on an inner periphery of the operation shafts 21S, 22S. The stator S and the rotor R are positioned to face each other. The stator S and the rotor R form an electromagnetic motor M. The stator S is accommodated in a dented portion 13S formed in the fixed shaft 10S. On an outer periphery thereof (an open surface of the dented portion 13S), a partition wall member 14S is welded such that the inside of the dented portion 13S including the stator S is separated from the inside of the vacuum chamber 50S.
On the inner side of the operation shafts 21S, 22S, a resolver-type position detector 40S is provided for detecting positions of the operation shafts 21S, 22S. The position detector 40S is disposed in a region displaced from the motor M in an axial direction of the fixed shaft 10S. Similarly to the motor M, the position detector 40S includes a stator 42S and a rotor 41S. The stator 42S is accommodated in the dented portion 13S of the fixed shaft 10S similarly to the motor M. An outer periphery of the stator 42S is sealed by the partition wall member 14S.
A high-vacuum driving source is formed by the flange portion 11S, the fixed shaft 10S, the partition wall member 14S, the operation shafts 21S, 22S, the motor M and the position detector 40S.
Connected to the operation shafts 21S, 22S is a transfer arm assembly 30S (a drive arm). A pulley 31S is connected to the operation shaft 21S. An arm 32S is connected to the operation shaft 22S. The pulley 31S and the arm 32S can perform a handling of a product such as a semiconductor wafer via a movable mechanism (not shown) provided at an end of the transfer arm assembly 30S.
The transfer device 1A (the transfer robot) is formed by the transfer arm assembly 30S and the driving source.
[Patent Document 1] JP 2000-167792 A


An integrated circuit-compatible photo detector is disclosed which is particularly compatible with BiCMOS fabrication processes. In a first aspect, the photo detector is formed as a lateral phototransistor having a semiconductor substrate, a base structure formed as a first impurity region in the substrate, an emitter structure formed as a second impurity region in the first impurity region, and a collector structure formed by the substrate and by a pair of third and fourth impurity regions in the substrate on opposite sides of the first and second impurity regions. An emitter contact is electrically connected to the second impurity region, while a pair of collector contacts are electrically connected to the third and fourth impurity regions and to each other. An anti-reflective coating is applied to at least the base structure. Advantageously, if a photodiode is required instead of a phototransistor, the second impurity region can be formed with the same polarity as the first impurity region, in which case the first and second impurity regions form a cathode (or anode) and the third and fourth impurity regions form an anode (or cathode). In a second aspect, the photo detector is formed as a lateral phototransistor having a semiconductor substrate, a base structure formed by the substrate, an emitter structure formed as a first impurity region in the substrate, and a collector structure formed as a pair of second and third impurity regions in the substrate on opposite sides of the first impurity region. An emitter contact is electrically connected to the first impurity region, while a pair of collector contacts are electrically connected to the second and third impurity regions and to each other. An anti-reflective coating is applied to at least the base structure. Advantageously, if a photodiode is required instead of a phototransistor, the first impurity region can be formed with the same polarity as the substrate, in which case the substrate and the first impurity region form an anode (or cathode) and the second and third impurity regions form a cathode (or anode).

The present invention is directed generally to photo detector devices fabricated on semiconductor substrates. More particularly, the invention relates to photo detectors manufactured as part of semiconductor integrated circuits. Still more particularly, the invention concerns photo detector structures formed using BiCMOS process integration and device optimization techniques for integrated circuit designs. From an operational standpoint, the invention is directed, but not necessarily limited, to photo detector devices for infrared (IR) wireless and optical fiber applications.
The drive towards monolithic optical transceiver systems and optical fiber drivers and receivers creates a need for photo detectors that are integrated in full compatibility with main-stream silicon fabrication processes, such as state-of-the-art BiCMOS production. If such photo detectors are used for IR-wireless applications, their designs have to focus on a maximum signal-to-noise ratio. In contrast, designs for optical fiber system applications require high-frequency photo detectors.
Photodiodes operated under reverse bias conditions are one type of semiconductor optical device that have been used extensively in the past. Such devices generally have good response speed, but minimal quantum efficiency. Thickening the depletion region increases quantum efficiency but at the expense of response speed. The location of the depletion region relative to the light impinging surface also affects performance, because short wavelength light is absorbed near the device surface, while longer wavelength light reaches further below the device surface. A depletion region that is too deep will thus reduce high end spectral sensitivity, as well as overall output response.
Another semiconductor photo detector device is the phototransistor. Phototransistors are typically configured as vertical bipolar structures, but with a large asymmetry of emitter area and collector area, i.e., the collector area is much larger than the emitter area. When operated with a floating base contact, phototransistors have an advantage over photodiodes in that the photo current generated at the reverse-biased collector-base junction is increased by the current gain of the transistor. The current gain, and thus the increase of the photo response over that of a photodiode, is high. This benefit, however, comes at the expense of an increased noise equivalent power and a reduced high frequency response due to the phototransistor's inherently larger collector area. Moreover, the collector-base junction is generally located at a considerable distance from the light impinging surface so that a fraction of the electron-hole pairs generated near the surface may not contribute to the photo current, thus reducing spectral sensitivity. Non-photo-type lateral transistors are known in the art, but they generally have higher base resistance, and hence, slower response speed than vertical transistors. This stems, at least in part, from the fact that base width in lateral transistors is controlled relatively imprecisely by lithograpaphic techniques, whereas in vertical transistors, base width is controlled with comparative accuracy using deposition processes such as implantation, diffusion and the like.
The prior art thus lacks important features that are necessary to a fully functioning photo detector. What is needed is a photo detector that provides broad spectral bandwidth sensitivity and improved output signal intensity without sacrificing response speed. What is also required is a method for producing such photo detectors using existing integrated circuit fabrication processes, and especially state-of-the-art BiCMOS fabrication, in order to facilitate the incorporation of photo detector devices in integrated systems designed for applications such as optical fiber communications, IR-wireless transmission, and the like.

Integrated circuit-compatible photo detector device and fabrication process

International Business Machines Corporation


Large crop areas are irrigated, for instance by pivot irrigation, by being sprayed with water into which a substantially stable dispersion in a liquid of water soluble polymer particles has been metered at a predetermined low rate.

It is common practice to irrigate crop areas in those regions where there is a shortage of rainfall. One method of irrigation is by furrow irrigation. A problem with furrow irrigation is that the irrigation water flowing along the furrow is liable to erode the furrow. Also infiltration of the water through the furrow may not be as efficient as is desired. It is known to include synthetic polymer in the furrow irrigation water, the polymer often being the type which is commercially available for improving the structure of soil by direct application of the polymer to the soil. Furrow irrigation processes using such polymers are described particularly in WO96/102126.
Another way of irrigating crop areas is by spraying water onto the area. Because there is no deliberate flow of water along the surface, it might be thought that erosion would not be a problem. However erosion problems can occurs especially when the irrigated area is on a slope. Also infiltration may not be as efficient as is desirable, especially when the irrigated soil is allowed to dry out between irrigations, for instance as is likely to occur in large pivot irrigation systems where there may be a day or more between irrigations. Also not all the spray water is effective for irrigation, for instance due to run-off or evaporation.
It would be desirable to be able to minimise these deficiencies in large-scale spray irrigation.
It might be thought that introduction of polymers, for instance of the type known as soil conditioners, into the irrigation water would be beneficial. Unfortunately existing methods are not practicable.
Polymers are generally supplied initially as a powder or as a reverse phase emulsion (i.e. a dispersion of polymer particles in a non-aqueous liquid, generally oil). The normal industrial practice is to mix the powder or the reverse phase emulsion with water in special dissolution apparatus so as to form an aqueous solution of the polymer having a concentration of, for instance, 0.2 to 2% by weight and this solution is then dosed into the water which is to be treated by the polymer.
However the manufacture of this solution necessitates the provision of special make-up apparatus. It is impracticable to provide this make-up apparatus at the crop area, and if the solution is made up at a point distant from the crop area it is then necessary to transport the solution to the crop area and this is inconvenient because of the large volume of the solution.

Ciba Specialty Chemicals Water Treatments Limited


When a magnetic resonance signal is received more than once, while a table (transfer unit) is moved, a gradient magnetic field is applied in the table moving direction, and an application amount (intensity and application time) of the gradient magnetic field in the table moving direction is changed every acquisition of data. As for the encoding by the gradient magnetic field in the table moving direction, a series of phase encode is performed at different positions of an examination target, unlike a conventional phase encode. Therefore, the Fourier transform cannot be applied to the image reconstruction. Given this situation, a magnetization map of total FOV of the examination target is determined in such a manner that a sum of the square of an absolute value of a difference is minimized, the difference between a received signal and a signal calculated from the magnetization map set as a variable, and then, the reconstruction is performed. Even when a size of signal acquisition area in the table moving direction is narrow, the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus of the present invention is capable of taking an image of a wide field of view at high speed, by performing the imaging while the table is moved continuously.

The MRI apparatus is a medically used diagnostic imaging apparatus that produces a nuclear magnetic resonance in a hydrogen nucleus contained in a tissue of an examination target that is placed within a static magnetic field, and obtains a tomographic image of the examination target, according to the nuclear magnetic resonance signal being generated. In the MRI apparatus, since an area available for obtaining the signal is limited in the static magnetic field, conventionally, only a relatively narrow area has been allowed to be subjected to the imaging. However, in recent years, a total body imaging technique using a moving table has been established, and a new system of total body screening using the MRI is now being broadened.
There are two main types in the total body imaging, a multi-station imaging method (non-patent document 1), and a continuously moving table imaging method (patent document 1 and non-patent document 2). Both methods above are to take an image of a wider area (referred to as "total FOV") in an area available for imaging (referred to as "sub FOV") that is limited area in the MRI apparatus. The multi-station imaging method is to take an image by dividing the FOV for total body into sub FOV parts, and create a total image by piecing those sub FOV parts together. Since the imaging of each sub FOV is performed by a method that is the same as a general imaging method, there is an advantage that a conventional imaging technique can be easily applied. However, there are also disadvantages as the following: An image may be distorted on a joint, due to inhomogeneity of the static magnetic field and non-linearity of a gradient magnetic field, rendering the joint non-smooth; and since the imaging cannot be performed while the table is moving, the imaging time may be extended in proportion to the time period when the table is moving. If the field of view in the table moving direction is narrow, this may increase the number of times when the imaging is interrupted to move the table, thereby further extending the imaging time and causing a problem.
On the other hand, the moving table imaging method is a method to obtain a signal while the table is moving. In the moving table imaging method that takes an image which is parallel to the table moving direction, the read-out direction should be set to be the same as the table moving direction. However, there is an advantage that a seamless image can be obtained within a short period of time.    Patent document 1: Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2003-135429    Non-patent document 1: Thomas K. F. Foo, Vincent B. Ho, Maureen N. Hood, Hani B. Marcos, Sandra L. Hess, and Peter L. Choyke, Radiology. 2001:219:835-841    Non-patent document 2: David G. Kruger, Stephen J. Riederer, Roger C. Grimmk, and Phillip J. Rossman, Magn. Reson. Med. 2002:47:224-231


A dual-port memory device provides bit lines having a crossover pattern to reduce stray end coupling capacitances. Such crossover occurs approximately in the middle of the memory array for the device. Data in one-half of the array is stored in an inverted manner from data in the other half of the array. A preferred technique for clearing a memory provides for resetting only a portion of the bits of the array for each entry, with the bits of all memory entries being reset simultaneously. In order to provide such a reset function with the preferred bit line crossover scheme, a voltage node used for reset must also provide signal lines which are crossed over in the middle of the array.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor integrated circuit devices, and more specifically to dual port memory devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Computer systems utilize cache memories to enhance system performance. A data cache contains the cached data, and a cache tag memory contains the addresses of data stored in the cache. A processor, when making a memory access, accesses the desired memory location through the cache. If the desired location is already in the cache, access is complete. If it is not, the memory location is fetched from main system memory and loaded into the cache.
The speed of the integrated circuit devices used in the cache are important. The cache tag memory must provide a hit or a miss signal for every memory access by the processor. If the cache tag memory is slightly slow, the performance of the entire system suffers.
As is known in the art, one technique to improve the operating speed of integrated circuit devices is to reduce or balance stray capacitances. Memories have relatively long bit lines which contribute significantly to such capacitances. Good device design can help minimize such capacitances, but the nature of a memory device causes inevitable problems. Therefore, balancing of bit lines in a memory device layout is important.
No successful design has previously been done for a dual port cache tag memory device. In such a device, the capacitances for two sets of bit lines must be considered. In addition to stray capacitances, coupling capacitances between bit lines for the two ports can adversely impact device performance. In a dual port cache tag memory, in which speed is important, the extra problems caused by the extra bit lines can be significant.
Any device used in specialty designs such as cache tag memories must take special device functions into consideration. For example, cache tag memories must occasionally be cleared. One technique for clearing cache memories utilizes a flash clear, which clears only a single bit position within the memory. The cleared bit position is reset for all entries in the memory simultaneously. This allows the entire memory to be reset in a single step.
Special functions such as flash clear must be properly handled by any device design. Designs which improve device speed often do so at the expense of being able to handle more complex functions. Devices which can perform more complex functions such as flash clear often must sacrifice speed in order to do so.
It would be desirable to provide a dual port cache tag memory device which minimizes stray and cross coupling capacitances to obtain increased speed while retaining the ability to perform functions such as flash clear. Such a device preferably does so without greatly increased design complexity.

Integrated circuit memory device having flash clear


A modular wick for accommodating garden beds of various sizes comprises a generally planar platform. Connectors are provided proximate to an outer edge of the platform that allow for connection with an adjacent wick. Each of the wick comprises at least one well that is filled with a wicking medium. Apertures are provided in the walls of the wells to allow water to enter into the wicking medium. By connecting the wicks together, various sizes can be formed.

There are a number of different techniques for supplying plants with the necessary water to survive. More specifically, a number of techniques have been devised to assure that plants—whether in the ground, in pots, or in other containers—receive a continuous supply of water and that the time needed between waterings is maximized.
One such "self-watering" technique places the container holding the plant into a water reservoir for delivering the water in the reservoir to the growing medium of the plant. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 283,966 to Chappell discloses a planter with a tube that projects down into a water reservoir. The water then moves from the reservoir into the growing medium inside the tube, and continues up into the planter. However, both the reservoir and the planter must be of predesigned dimensions, limiting the scope of its utility.
More recently, Canadian Patent Application No. 2,292,302 to Buss discloses a water reservoir that is capable of being buried in the growing medium. A tube from the reservoir extends above the surface to allow the reservoir to be refilled. Water from the reservoir comes into contact with the growing medium through openings. This water passes into the growing medium. However, the size of the reservoir is limited to a predefined size.
Although the above techniques provide methods for supplying water continuously to a growing plant, these typically do so by including a reservoir in their design. They are not suitable for expanding in size to accommodate an increase in the size of the growing area.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved system for supplying water to a growing medium that allows a reservoir to accommodate any size of growing area.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to create an unobtrusive reservoir that is adaptable to a wide variety of water-holding vessels or areas intended for growing plants. It is another objective of this invention to provide a reservoir that can accommodate indefinite sizes.


The invention described herein generally pertains to a system and method for a welder system that includes a weld power generator and an auxiliary power generator in which the auxiliary power generator is adjustable between a first frequency and a second frequency for a power output to at least one outlet. The first frequency can correspond with a first national standard for a first country and the second frequency can correspond with a second national standard for a second country.

Welding systems reside at the core of the modern industrial age. From massive automobile assembly operations to automated manufacturing environments, these systems facilitate joining in ever more complicated manufacturing operations. Welding systems include an engine and a weld power generator to drive the welding process. Additionally, welding system often include an auxiliary power generator that generates power for additional devices external to the welding system. The auxiliary power generator can include one or more outlet plugs that enable physical coupling for powering of external devices. These external devices as well as the outlet plugs are regulated by national standards associated with voltage, current, and/or frequency. For instance, each country includes respective national standards for voltage, current, and/or frequency as well as the outlet plugs (e.g., female plugs) and corresponding male plugs.
As mentioned, welding systems can include an auxiliary power generator and what is needed is an improved technique related to auxiliary power generators.

System and method for auxiliary power generator with selectable frequency


A method for establishing a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) connection is provided, which includes: receiving a first signaling message, in which the first signaling message includes an unused VLAN ID and explicit routing information; registering the VLAN ID by using the at least one unused VLAN ID; and sending the first signaling message according to the explicit routing information. Several node apparatuses and several systems are also provided in the present invention. Therefore, automatic VLAN configuration is performed in an environment without a spanning tree protocol, and traffic engineering is supported simultaneously.

As a Local Area Network (LAN) technology, Ethernet is more and more widely applied since its birth, and currently, is used in operator networks as an access convergence technology. In the current operator networks, the networks are relatively simple, and a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) connection is generally established through network management configuration. However, with wider and wider application of the Ethernet, the networks get more and more complex, and a high cost may be caused by configuration through merely network management
Currently, a mechanism of automatically registering a VLAN, that is, Generic VLAN Registration Protocol (GVRP), is defined, which runs in an environment of a spanning tree protocol. When a VLAN is configured at an edge port, the GVRP mechanism spreads the VLAN information in a network, and if a port that receives a GVRP packet with a same VLAN ID in two directions in the network, the VLAN ID is automatically registered on the port.
The current GVRP mechanism requires the support of the spanning tree protocol. If the spanning tree protocol is not supported, the GVRP packet will form a loop when being delivered in the network, therefore cause impact on the VLAN connection. However, in a practical network, a spanning tree rarely used due to a slow convergence time, so the GVRP is rarely used in practice. In addition, the GVRP does not support traffic engineering, but the practical network always requires the support of traffic engineering.

Method, apparatus, and system for establishing a virtual local area network connection


The apparatus of the present invention includes a tube having locking apparatus at one end that is inserted into a hinge joint in a first direction. A lead wire is inserted into the tube in the opposite direction and locked in place within the tube. Then the tube is withdrawn from the joint with the lead wire still attached. The apparatus also includes a web shaped bib member having at least one opening therein for gripping by a human hand to assist in positioning the belt. The method of the invention has application to a method of securing the first end of a conveyor belt with respect to the second end of the conveyor belt wherein the first end and second end each include part of a hinged joint that includes a plurality of cylindrical section shaped members. This method includes the steps of (1) attaching a web shaped bib, having openings for gripping by an installer, to the cylindrical section shaped members attached to the first end and (2) manipulating the first end relative to the second end by gripping the web shaped body. The method includes the step of thereafter removing the web shaped bib. Other forms of the method in accordance with the invention include substantially aligning the cylindrical section shaped members connected to the first end and the cylindrical section shaped members connected to the second end, inserting in a first direction, a first end of a rigid hollow tube into the cylindrical section shaped members connected to both the first end and the second end, inserting in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, a first axial extremity of a lead wire having the other end thereof connected to an axial extremity of an aircraft cable, into the second end of the rigid hollow tube, clamping the first axial extremity of the lead wire at the second end of the rigid hollow tube, and withdrawing the rigid hollow tube from the cylindrical section shaped parts of the first and second ends.

This invention relates to a spliced conveyer belt assembly and particularly to an endless belt comprising an elongated belt having a laterally extending joint connecting the ends together. Such belts have applications in various feed mechanisms including gravimetric feeders. Gravimetric feeders are used in a wide variety of applications where it is desired to continually measure the respective weights of one or more materials being supplied to an industrial process on one or more belts. There are a large number of possible applications for such belts. One of many such applications is to feed crushed fuel and sorbent to a combustor in a circulating fluidized bed steam generator. In such an application belt scales are disposed along the belt at spaced intervals along the belt. The apparatus makes possible the measurement and the comparison of the respective weights to enable the control of the supply of gravimetric quantities of sorbent and fuel to the boiler.
Conveyor belts used in gravimetric feeders have particularly rigid standards. These standards include requirements for uniformity througout the axial extent of the belt. This is of great concern since any non-uniformity would result in inconsistent measurement of the same mass at different axial parts of the belt. Another requirement, which is of paramount concern, is that the belt must be extremely flexible so that in the weighing zone near a belt scale the proper impact of weight can be fully transmitted through the belt.
For many years following the introduction of gravimetric feeders in the 1950's, endless belts (those having no mechanical splice of the ends) were primarily used because of the importance of maintaining the required accuracy The major concern with belts having a mechanical splice was the potential for damage to the weighing platform and the potential for inaccuracies because of the non-homogeneous characteristic of the belt as the result of the splice. Because the installation of endless belts on the conveyor apparatus is much more difficult and costly than belts having a splice connecting the ends, most feeder operators have used spliced belts. There are a variety of spliced belts currently on the market.
One known type of spliced belt has a so called hinged joint. The design of such a joint may be visualized by comparison to a conventional hinge such as a common hinge used to hang a door on a door frame or a piano hinge used to mount the cover that covers the keys of a piano. Both the hinged joint and the hinge have a plurality of coaxial, axially abutting, cylindrical elements. In a common hinge the cylindrical elements that are coaxial and axially abutting are alternately connected to (1) the door frame and the door or (2) the cover for the keys and the body of the piano. In a hinged joint for a spliced belt a twisted multistrand aircraft cable extends through a plurality of cylindrical elements. Successive cylindrical elements are alternately fixed to a first end of the belt and a second end of the belt. Accordingly, the first end of the belt can pivot about the common axis of the cable with respect to the second end of the belt. Further details of one such hinged joint is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,101 issued to Herold on Aug. 10, 1993.
Even spliced belts are difficult to install. The difficulties include (1) the difficulty of moving the bulky and heavy belt into an area that is not easily accessible and (2) the difficulty of making the physical connection between the ends of the belt. A typical belt weighs about 85 to 100 pounds and is 16 feet long. Other belts may be much longer and proportionally heavier. The apparatus within which the belt is mounted typically has first and second housings in which rollers are disposed. Often the access to the rollers over which (or around which) the belt is installed is severely limited. Accordingly, it is difficult to position the relatively heavy and cumbersome belt on the rollers. In some cases C-clamps are tightly secured on the end of the belt and ropes passed through the C-clamps so that a person installing the belt can pull on the rope to position the belt for installation. This process is not desirable (1) because it typically requires two people to position the belt and secure the ends of the belt together and (2) because the C-clamp may damage the belt because of the high compression forces that may be concentrated on a small area.
The difficulty in connecting the ends of the belt is related, in part, to the difficulty of installing the aircraft cable within the cylindrical elements. Much of this problem develops because it is very difficult to precisely align the cylindrical sections and this results in a passageway having a plurality of steps or shoulders along the axial extent of the passageway through which the multistrand cable must be inserted. This is compounded by the cable not being perfectly straight, not being rigid, and sometimes having individual strands that may project from the rest of the twisted strands. The lack of rigidity, the presence of shoulders in the passageway for the cable and the projection of individual cable strands will be understood to be particularly significant because the typical belt has a width of 33 or more inches.
It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus that facilitates the insertion of an aircraft cable into the cylindrical elements of a conveyor belt hinge joint.
It is another object of the invention is to provide a belt apparatus that is easier to install.
Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus that facilitates installation by only one worker.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide apparatus that will allow a worker to grip the end of the belt in a positive firm manner that will not damage the belt.
Still another object of the invention is provide apparatus that is easy to construct.

Spliced conveyer belt method and apparatus


A method of manufacturing carbon fiber rim for bicycle comprising steps of: preparing at least one preformed mold, separating from the preformed main mold, connecting with an inner framework, and solidifying; wherein plural carbon-fiber prepreg wires are repeatedly on a preformed carbon fiber case at least twice so as to form at least two rolling layers, and each rolling layer is at varying angle. Also, a carbon fiber rim for bicycle contains: an inner framework having a profile corresponding to a carbon fiber rim; and a preformed carbon fiber case at least covering a part of the inner framework and being successive rolled by plural carbon-fiber prepreg wires relative to a set angle of an axis normal.

TW Patent No. 1327533 discloses a method of manufacturing carbon fiber rim for bicycle contains steps of: (a). weaving plural carbon fiber braids, wherein two ends of each carbon fiber braid forms are an axial end portion of at least one carbon fiber weaving material; (b). soaking the at least one carbon fiber weaving material in resin; (c). placing the at least one carbon fiber weaving material in a mold; (d). solidifying the at least one carbon fiber weaving material by hot pressing; such that the carbon fiber rim is produced.
However, the mold is comprised of an upper mold part and a lower mold part, and the at least one carbon fiber weaving material only contacts with the upper mold part, when the upper mold part contacts with the lower mold part, the at least one carbon fiber weaving material cannot completely full of the upper mold part, so it cannot contacts with a cavity of the mold tightly, thus producing the carbon fiber rim with poor precision and profile.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages.

Carbon fiber rim for bicycle and method of manufacturing the same


Methods and devices receive color settings into a computerized device. The color settings can identify at least one first color that is indistinguishable from at least one second color by a user. Such methods and devices also receive instructions into the computerized device to output an item has at least one feature having a feature color. Based on the feature color being included within the color settings, these methods and devices automatically alter the item using the computerized device by optionally changing the feature color to a black-based color and automatically adding text to the feature in the altered item using the computerized device. The added text describes the feature color. Also, such methods and devices output the altered item from the computerized device.

Systems and methods herein generally relate to providing color images to fully or partially colorblind individuals and more particularly to methods and devices that alter features within an original image to allow colorblind individuals to distinguish between differently colored features within the item to be displayed or printed.
Colorblindness affects about 10% of the male population and somewhat less in females, according to the US National Library of Medicine. Depending upon the severity, the observer may not be able to distinguish between reds and greens, blues and yellows, or any color hues in the extreme. Colors are perceived as shades of grey under these conditions. People with colorblindness may have a difficult time interpreting documents in which color is used to convey casual or critical information. For example, blue colored text is sometimes used to indicate a web address or red colored text is used to signify negative numbers in accounting applications.

Color content in document rendering for colorblind users


Novel fragrance compositions containing: (a) a mixture of odoriferous materials in an amount of 11% to 25% of the total weight of the composition, (b) ethanol in an amount of 65 to 80% of the total weight of the composition, (c) decamethyltetrasiloxane in an amount of 3% to 22% of the total weight of the composition, (d) water in an amount not exceeding 7% of the total weight of the composition, and (e) a surfactant in an amount greater than 0% to less than 0.5% of the total weight of the composition. The fragrance compositions retain a visual appearance and olfactory characteristics, which are stable over time, and have a flash point generally of greater than or equal to 15° C.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel fragrance/perfume compositions comprising:
(a) from 11% to 60% by weight of a mixture of odoriferous materials,
(b) from 51% to 80% by weight of ethanol, and
(c) from 3% to 30% by weight of decamethyltetrasiloxane, with respect to the total weight of the composition.
2. Description of Background and/or Related and/or Prior Art
Fragrance compositions usually comprise a mixture of odoriferous materials which have a vapor pressure of less than atmosphere pressure at 25° C. and which are generally liquid at 25° C., but which are sometimes also solid, in a physiologically acceptable medium based on ethanol and optionally on water.
Ethanol is a good dissolving agent for perfuming ingredients and exhibits, in addition, the advantage of being inexpensive and of making possible the formulation of transparent compositions. On the other hand, it has the disadvantage of reacting chemically with nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere to form ozone and therefore constitutes a source of atmospheric pollution which it is desirable to avoid.
It is therefore usual to replace a portion of the ethanol with water. However, water and ethanol are not chemically inert and react with the compounds of the fragrances, producing, over time, olfactory changes of a detrimental nature and/or modifications in the appearance of the liquids (yellowing, browning). The chemical reactions responsible for this deterioration are mainly:                the formation of acetals, by condensation of ethanol with chemical compounds comprising an aldehyde functional group;        the saponification or hydrolysis of compounds comprising an ester functional group;        the oxidation of monoterpenes or sesquiterpenes present particularly in plant extracts; and        the oxidation of ethanol to acetaldehyde and then to acetaldehyde diethyl acetal (DEA), accompanied by the formation of acetic acid and then of ethyl acetate.
In addition, water is not a good solvent for fragrances and reduces the solvating power of ethanol. Problems of cloudiness or of dissolution sometimes appear from the beginning of the formulation of the fragrances and necessitate a significant reduction in the level of fragrance. This results in more dilute fragrances, whereas the current trend is to produce fragrances which are instead strong and highly concentrated (more than 10% of perfuming materials).
The advantage in substituting, for the water present in fragrances, another starting material which is inert, which is volatile, which has good miscibility with ethanol and which makes it possible to dissolve large amounts of perfuming ingredients is thus apparent.

Fragrance compositions comprising decamethyltetrasiloxane


The present invention generally relates to devices for limiting the movement of hinged panels such as doors and more particularly to a door stop that can be mounted directly on a door hinge. The door stop comprises a continuous sleeve having a semi-cylindrical inside surface surrounding the hinge barrel and two contact surfaces to engage the hinge plate of a hinge to prevent the door from opening beyond a predetermined angle. Preferably, one contact surface has a greater surface area than the other contact surface. At least one end plate containing a pin aperture is attached to one end of the sleeve. The pin aperture is sized to receive a standard hinge pin shaft therethrough.

Various door stops have been designed throughout the years. These door stops may require permanent attachment to the door, frame, baseboard of a side wall, or hinge plate and/or require the use of tools that many unskilled persons would not be able to use. Further, after a period of use, many door hinges leave dirt, grease, and iron filings on the door and frame. The dirt and iron filings leave the surrounding environment dirty and unattractive.
The present invention of the door stop does not require the use of complex tools to install the device nor does it require permanent attachment to the door, frame, baseboard of a side wall, or hinge plate. The present invention is relatively small, unobtrusive, and will not damage the door or frame. In addition, the present invention allows the user to set the door opening at a predetermined angle.


The present invention is directed to a method for preparing a 4,7-bis(5-halothien-2-yl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole, more particularly, 4,7-bis(5-bromothien-2-yl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole, and a precursor therefor, namely, a 4,7-bis(thien-2-yl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole. The precursor is prepared by contacting in the presence of a palladium catalyst and a solvent a 4,7-dihalo-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole with a thienyl group adding reagent, which can either be a 2-thienylzinc halide, a 2-thienylmagnesium halide, or a 2-thiopheneboronic acid, under such conditions as to form 4,7-bis(thien-2-yl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole. The precursor can then be halogenated, preferably brominated, to form the desired dibrominated product, which is a particularly suitable monomer for the preparation of a copolymer of a 9,9-disubstituted fluorene. This copolymer is useful, for example, in polymeric light emitting diode (pLED) applications.

Poly(9,9-disubstituted-fluorene-2,7-diyls) (polyfluorenes) exhibit the optical and electronic properties of inorganic semiconductors because of the presence of delocalized electrons in the π-orbital system. These polymers are especially desirable because the backbone is resistant to chemical and photochemical degradation and the fluorene structural units are locked into a planar-like configuration. Moreover, substituents at the C9 position of fluorene may be chosen to modify physical, chemical, and electronic properties without introducing torsional strain between adjacent fluorene structural units that would otherwise be disruptive to delocalization of the π-orbital system. For example, poly(9,9-di-n-octylfluorene-2,7-diyl), described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,708,130 by Woo et al. has been shown to by Grice, et al. (Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 73, 1998, p. 629–631) be an effective emitter for a blue light emitting diode (LED) and by Redecker, et al. (Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 73, 1998, p. 1565–1567) to exhibit advantageously high carrier mobility.
Methods to further modify optical and electronic properties of polyfluorenes through copolymerization of 9,9-disubstituted-fluorenes and various comonomers containing delocalized π-system electrons are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,777,070, 5,708,130, and 6,353,083. An example of a particularly desirable comonomer is 4,7-bis(5-bromothien-2-yl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole, described in WO 00/46321, and having the following chemical structure:

The 4,7-bis(5-bromothien-2-yl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole is traditionally prepared from 4,7-bis(thien-2-yl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole, which in turn is prepared by the Stille coupling reaction of 4,7-dibromo-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole with tributyl(thien-2-yl)stannane as described by Kitamura et al., Chem. Mater., Vol. 8, 1996, pp. 570–578. Unfortunately, tributyl(thien-2-yl) stannane is a highly toxic and costly material that produces a toxic by-product tributyltin bromide. The process is further disadvantaged because the subsequent bromination reaction is carried out in a mixture of N-bromosuccinimide, chloroform, and acetic acid, which requires numerous crystallizations of the product to obtain a suitably pure material in the subsequent copolymerization reaction.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a method of preparing 4,7-bis(5-bromothien-2-yl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole more safely and efficiently than methods described in the art.

Process for preparing a 4,7-bis(5-halothien-2-yl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole and a precursor therefor


File folders are provided with unique machine-readable indicia representing the contents therein. Scanners sensitive to the machine-readable indicia are mounted to filing cabinets so that, upon opening or closing a drawer, the indicia on the folders within that drawer are automatically scanned. The indicia scanned are then input to a computer system that logs the scanned folders as being located in that drawer.

The number and enormity of problems associated with keeping track of files in an office setting are well-known and have plagued office workers since the first filing system was implemented. The clerical time and effort, as well as the payroll output exerted, to locate files is incalculable when extended to the millions of offices worldwide.
Several time-consuming tasks are associated with maintaining a file-folder system, such as the hanging folder system manufactured by Esselte Pendaflex Corporation, Garden City, N.Y. To maintain these folders in an orderly fashion, a secretary must first type a label, insert it into a plastic tab, and affix the tab to the folder. The folders must then be filed in an organized fashion to minimize the time necessary to locate the folder in the future. Unfortunately, folders are frequently misfiled, which can multiply the time taken to locate them and refile them in their proper place. When folder contents are discarded and the folders can be reused, new labels must be typed to replace the old ones. Transferring folders between an active filing area and a storage area can also be a major time-consuming task, especially if incorrect files are unknowingly and unintentionally sent to storage.
It has thus been a goal of prior designers to create a system that would reduce the effort and time involved with otherwise unruly filing systems. It is known in the art, for example, to put machine-readable codes onto shelf-filed folders, such as those often seen in medical or other professional offices. The file folders may contain color and alphabetical coding or a machine code so that the file can be taken from the shelf and passed by hand under a scanner. This can automatically call up a computer record to the user's screen for the patient whose file is scanned. Such shelf-filed folders are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,240,848 and 4,580,815. In these patents, both human- and machine-readable indicia are added to the side of a shelf-filed folder. These patents, however, merely disclose labels and labelling systems that can codify folders, but do not include the necessary means for automatically locating or tracking the folders based on the coded labels.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,016 discloses a computer file tracking system with a hand-held scanner that can read codes on folders when manually passed over the codes. This requires every folder to be manually scanned one-at-a-time as they are moved--a time-consuming and easily forgotten task.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a folder locating and tracking system that allows instant locating of any folder within the system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a file folder locating and tracking system wherein location information for a given folder is automatically entered into the system without user effort.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a file folder locating and tracking system wherein filing time spent by secretaries and file room personnel is significantly decreased, and significant cost savings for an office using this system are realized.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a file folder and identifying tab for use in an automated file folder locating and tracking system.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a file folder locating and tracking system wherein the component parts are relatively inexpensive and simple to implement and operate.