The invention relates to a method of preparing turbine blades for spray coating their blade region that is subjected to the medium flowing through during operation in a spray coating apparatus, in which the turbine blade is inserted with its blade root into a cavity of a mounting in such a way that it protrudes with the blade region that adjoins the blade root from an opening of the cavity to form a gap between the rim of the opening and the turbine blade, and in which the gap is bridged by a shielding fixed on the mounting, which is characterized in that a shielding layer of a plastic which is resistant during the spray coating is used for the shielding, the shielding layer being arranged in such a way that it reaches up to the boundary between the blade root and the blade region.

Highly loaded workpieces, such as for example turbine blades intended for turbines, in particular gas turbines, such as moving and stationary blades, are coated to improve their temperature resistance and/or abrasion resistance with metals, metal alloys or ceramics suitable for the purpose. The coating takes place by means of a spray coating apparatus, in which the turbine blade is spray-coated. Examples of spray coating methods are atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) and high velocity oxygen fuel spraying (HVOF).
In the case of turbine blades, only those surfaces that are exposed to the medium flowing through—in the case of a gas turbine hot gas—are coated, while the blade root—root body or root plate—is covered by a mounting for fixing the turbine blade during the coating operation. For this purpose, the mounting has a cavity with an opening into which the turbine blade is inserted with its blade root, so that it protrudes with the portion of the blade that is to be coated from the opening of the cavity. The cavity may additionally have a connection to a compressed air source, from which compressed air can be blown into the cavity for cooling during the coating operation.
After the turbine blade is inserted into the cavity of the mounting, a gap remains between the inner side of the mounting and the turbine blade. This gap is filled by a shielding in the form of shielding plates. In order to avoid bridging of the coating material between the turbine blade and the shielding plates and resultant flaking off of coating material from the turbine blade when it is removed from the mounting, said plates are inserted in clamping devices in such a way that they protrude from the opening while forming a stepped transition from the turbine blade to the mounting. However, it must be accepted here that regions of the workpiece that protrude from the mounting and according to the specification must remain free of coating because they have already been mechanically brought to their final dimensions are spray-coated. This so-called "overspray" must therefore be ground away after the spray coating in a subsequent operation (overspray grinding). This additional method step is time-consuming and costly.
DE 698 15 644 T2 discloses a spray coating apparatus with a mounting into which a multiplicity of turbine blades can be inserted. Since only the tips of the turbine blades are to be coated, the blade region is provided with a plate covering which leaves only the tip of the blade exposed. The turbine blade is held by means of a block of an elastic material, which closely surrounds a part of the blade region that is adjacent the blade root in such a way that a compressive force is exerted for the purpose of fixing the shielding plate. The block is secured within the cavity of the mounting. In DE 698 15 644, reference is also made to the use of aluminum foil tape for the purpose of covering blade regions. The mounting for the spray coating apparatus described above is not suitable for coating the entire surface area of the blade region of a turbine blade, since a considerable part of the blade region is covered by the mounting itself.

Method of preparing turbine blades for spray coating and mounting for fixing such a turbine blade


A vehicle for supporting cargo in two tiers includes a lower frame for supporting cargo at a lower level and an upper frame for supporting cargo in an elevated position above the lower frame. The vehicle includes a forward support tower and a rear support tower. The forward support tower is pivotally connected to and supports the forward portion of the upper frame. The rear support tower is pivotally connected to and supports the rear portion of the upper frame. The support provided to the rear portion of the upper frame by the rear support tower is longitudinally displaceable, relative to the rear support tower. The lower portion of the rear support tower is pivotally connected to and supported by the rear portion of the lower frame. The rear portion of the upper frame supported by the rear support tower can be longitudinally displaced relative to the rear support tower, and the upper frame can be pivoted, at the forward portion thereof, about the pivotal support on the forward support tower, to move the upper frame between an upright position and a loading position. In the upright position, the upper frame is supported in an elevated substantially horizontal alignment by the forward support tower and the rearward support tower at a clearance height sufficiently above the lower frame to facilitate loading of the lower frame. In the loading position, the upper frame is inclined with the rearward portion thereof extending downwardly to facilitate loading and unloading of the upper frame while the forward portion thereof remains at substantially the clearance height.

Vacationers who use only a single car and trailer or truck to transport themselves and their equipment to their destination are frequently forced to limit the amount of equipment they take with them due to the space limitations of the trailer or truck bed. This problem is particularly severe where the equipment to be transported includes large, bulky items such as boats, personal watercraft, all-terrain vehicles or other recreational vehicles. One way to increase the storage space available is to add a vehicular deck onto an existing trailer or truck bed so that both the space above the trailer deck or truck bed and below the vehicular deck, and the space above the vehicular deck, can be used to transport bulky items of equipment.
There have been several attempts to devise vehicular decks to address the aforementioned problems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,814 (Cates) discloses a boat and car trailer in which a boat is supported on a secondary loading platform while a car is supported on a primary platform. The secondary loading platform is supported above the primary platform by legs. Each leg is connected to a bottom pivot by a right-angle bottom projection that extends rearward at the bottom end of such leg, and to a top pivot by a right-angle top projection that extends forward at the top end of such leg. These right-angle projections are configured such that when the legs are extending perpendicularly between the secondary loading platform and the primary platform, each of the projections is flush against one of the platforms, thereby preventing the legs from pivoting such that the secondary loading platform moves forward relative to the primary platform. However, the projections do not prevent pivoting in the reverse direction; the secondary loading platform can pivot rearwardly relative to the primary platform. Instead, the support legs are pivotally mounted to the boat trailer frame at their bottom ends and the upper support members at their top ends such that the upper support members can be lowered rearwardly by pivoting the support legs rearwardly about their pivotal mounts on the trailer. The secondary loading platform is lowered to permit unloading or loading.
The rearward pivoting of the legs to lower the secondary loading platform of U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,814 is typical of many of the prior art vehicular decks. In particular, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,468,115 (Alvis) and 4,469,346 (Low) disclose these rearwardly pivoting support legs. Some disadvantages arise from this reliance on rearward pivoting to permit loading and unloading of the vehicular deck.
Generally, the vehicular deck should be built to be strong enough to support the weight of the cargo placed on the vehicular deck as well as the moments generated by the acceleration of the transport vehicle. Generally, the support legs will be in a better position to withstand these moments if they are rigidly mounted to the trailer or truck bed at their bottom ends, and to the auxiliary support platform at their upper ends. With the aforementioned vehicular decks, it will be necessary to provide a detachable brace, or some other component having an equivalent function, to impede unwanted rearward pivoting of the legs. This detachable brace must be removable to permit rearward pivoting of the legs when the auxiliary platform is to be lowered. The need for this additional component may increase both the manufacturing expense and weight of the vehicular deck, and may also add to the time required to load and unload the vehicular deck.


A substantially planar surface is produced from a non-conformal device layer formed over a complex topography, which includes narrow features with narrow gaps and wide features and wide gaps. A conformal layer is deposited over the non-conformal layer. The surface is then polished to expose the non-conformal layer over the wide features. An etch selective to the non-conformal layer is then used to substantially remove the non-conformal layer over the wide features. The conformal layer is then removed, exposing the non-conformal layer. The thickness of the non-conformal layer is now more uniform as compared to before. This enables the polish to produce a planar surface with reduced dishing in the wide spaces.

In device fabrication, insulating, semiconducting, and conducting layers are formed on a substrate. The layers are patterned to create features and spaces. The minimum dimension or feature size (F) of the features and spaces depends on the resolution capability of the lithographic systems. The features and spaces are patterned so as to form devices, such as transistors, capacitors, and resistors. These devices are then interconnected to achieve a desired electrical function, creating an integrated circuit (IC).
In advanced IC designs, different devices have different requirements to produce device features of different sizes. As a result, the device layer has features and spaces of varying sizes, creating a complex topography. A dielectric material, such as oxide, is used to fill the spaces between the features. Such material is typically deposited by various known chemical vapor deposition techniques. The deposited oxide material forms a conformal layer over the underlying device layer. As such, the deposited oxide material comprises a topography that reflects the topography of the underlying layer, reproducing the non-planar surface. The non-planar surface is then planarized by, for example, chemical mechanical polish to produce a planar surface. A planar surface is desired as it allows the formation of additional device layers to create additional device structures thereover, thus increasing device density.
As the size of features decreases in advanced IC designs, the spaces between the features become smaller which results in features with a high aspect ratio. Small high aspect ratio features make it difficult to fill the spaces with conventional CVD techniques. To facilitate gap fill of smaller spaces, high density plasma (HDP) CVD of oxide has been used.
HDP-CVD oxide creates a non-conformal layer. The non-conformal layer has a non-planar surface that does not reflect the topography of the underlying layer. The thickness of the non-conformal layer is greater above wide device features and thinner above the narrower device features. Such a topography creates difficulties for conventional planarization schemes to produce a planar surface. In particular, excessive erosion of the narrower, device features occurs because there exists a greater amount of deposited material over the wider device features than the narrower device features. Such excessive erosion adversely impacts the operation or functionality of the narrower devices, thereby decreasing yield.
The above discussion makes evident that it is desirable to achieve a planar surface after deposition of a non-conformal layer without excessive erosion of some device features.

Planarization of a non-conformal device layer in semiconductor fabrication

International Business Machines Corporation


In display apparatus and method for an automotive vehicle in which an image display is mounted, a road map data image is stored in a storage medium, a mark representing the present position of the vehicle is superimposed on the road map data image, the road map data image is rotated on an image screen of the image display in accordance with a traveling direction of the vehicle while displaying the road map data image on an image screen of the image display, and a display form of the displayed road map data image is varied between a region of the road map data image which is near to a displayed position at which the vehicle is present and another region thereof which is remote from the displayed position thereof while rotating the road map data image on the image screen of the image display section.

A Japanese Patent Application First Publication No. Heisei 10-148534 published on Jun. 2, 1998 exemplifies a previously proposed vehicular display apparatus. In the previously proposed vehicular display apparatus disclosed in the above-identified Japanese Patent Application First Publication, in a case where a vehicular steering wheel is steered toward a center of the vehicle in order to turn the vehicle, the image screen of the display is switched to a state in which a visibility of the whole image screen of the display is lowered so that a vehicular driver does not feel troublesome.

Display apparatus and method for automotive vehicle


A combination weighing device includes a conveying unit configured to convey articles, a controller configured to perform combination weighing of the articles, and an interface configured to receive an input of information from an operator. The controller has a first operation mode including a first control parameter that defines a conveying operation of the conveying unit and is automatically set in the device, and a second operation mode including a second control parameter that defines the conveying operation of the conveying unit and is set based on the information input from the interface, and when the interface receives an input of the information during an operation of the conveying unit in the first operation mode, the controller makes a transition from the first operation mode to the second operation mode, and controls the operation of the conveying unit using the second control parameter.

For example, a combination weighing device includes conveying units that conveys articles, hoppers that temporarily stores the articles and are provided to correspond to the conveying units, a weighing unit that outputs a weighing value according to the mass of the articles stored in each of the hoppers, and a controller that selects a combination of weighing values from a plurality of weighing values output by the weighing unit so that a total value becomes a target weighing value and causes a hopper corresponding to the combination to discharge the articles.
For example, Japanese Patent No. 4245909 discloses a combination weighing device including conveying amount measuring means that measures a conveying amount of an object to be weighed (articles) conveyed by conveying means (conveying unit) for each conveying means, and conveying amount control means that controls the conveying amount of the object to be weighed for each conveying means based on a predetermined parameter. In Japanese Patent No. 4245909, the predetermined parameter is calculated based on calculation results of an average value and a standard deviation of the conveying amounts of the objects to be weighed. The average value and the standard deviation of the conveying amounts of the objects to be weighed are calculated based on the conveying amounts of the objects to be weighed measured a predetermined number of times by the conveying amount measuring means.
In the combination weighing device, a learning parameter automatically set by learning may be used as a parameter for controlling the conveying amount of the conveying unit. This learning parameter is updated based on accumulated various information.

Combination weighing device for controlling a conveying unit


A signal gain control method and system for use in optical disc drives to prevent undesirable saturation occurrences in circuit operations. The method includes fetching a preset reading front monitor diode signal and a preset gain controlling signal for reading; generating a front monitor diode signal by a front monitor diode signal conversion circuit; calculating a gain controlling signal based on the preset gain controlling signal for reading, the preset reading front monitor diode signal, and the front monitor diode signal by a signal processor; adjusting a gain for detection signals according to the gain controlling signal by a gain adjustment unit; and generating control signals according to the adjusted detection signals by a pre-amp module.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and system for controlling an optical disc drive, and more specifically, to a method and system for controlling signal gain of the optical disc drive.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the improvement of computer technologies and the increasing popularity of the Internet, the demand for storing a tremendous amount of information has driven storage media to increase rapidly in storage capacity. Furthermore, the optical disc drive for accessing the information on an optical disc has been tremendously improved with all the efforts. Consequently, the optical disc drive is increasingly important in our daily life. For example, users can access an abundance of information by connecting a computer to the Internet and then storing all the downloaded information onto optical discs. With all of current existing storage medias, the optical disc has featured itself as a low-cost, small-size, low-error-rate, long-storage-time, and high-density storage medium and become the most promising dominant storage medium. Therefore, the corresponding optical storage devices, such as the DVD drives or the DVD burners, are wildly used as standard devices either build-in or accompanied with typical modern computers.
Generally speaking, the optical disc drive accesses data according to optical means, that is, the reading and writing operations include an optical pickup, spindle motor, sled motor, and decoder, encoder IC, etc. The optical pickup, commonly includes a laser diode for reading data or a set of laser diodes for reading and writing data. With respect to the reading process, the optical disc drive sets the output power (also known as the read power) of a laser diode to a desired value. Next, the optical disc drive detects reflected laser light from an optical disc to read data stored on the optical disc. It is well known that the optical disc stores the data utilizing Eight-to Fourteen Modulation signal (EFM signal). This allows the optical disc drive to access data stored on the optical disc by distinguishing a plurality of different intensities of reflected laser light that are generated from the EFM signal. With respect to the writing process, the optical disc drive properly sets the output power (also known as the write power) of the laser diode according to the data waiting to be written onto the optical disc. Accordingly, for reading data from the optical disc or recording data onto the optical disc, the output powers of the laser diode are quite different.
Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an optical disc drive 100 (only components relating to servo control processes are shown) according to the related art. The optical disc drive 100 comprises an optical pickup 110, an auto-power-control (APC) circuit 115, a pre-amp module 120, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 130, a compensator module 140, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) 150, a driver module 160, and an actuator module 170.
The optical pickup 110 outputs a laser light onto an optical disc 101. A plurality of photodiodes of the optical pickup 110 generates a plurality of receiving signals in analog form, such as signals A, B, C, D, E, F, and a front monitor diode signal FMD, according to receiving light beams respectively. The signals A, B, C, D, E, and F are generated according to light beams reflected off the optical disc 101. A front monitor diode (not shown) of the optical pickup 110 senses a portion of laser power for generating the front monitor diode signal FMD so as to adjust the current driving the laser diode such that a desired read or write power is achieved despite temperature change or aging of the laser diode. The APC circuit 115 is utilized to compensate the deviations in the actual laser power level from desirable levels according to the front monitor diode signal FMD.
The pre-amp module 120 comprises amplification circuits for processing the receiving signals A-F so as to generate control signals in analog form, such as the FE (focusing error) signal, the TE (tracking error) signal, and the wobble signal, etc.
The compensator module 140 could be interpreted as a digital signal processor (DSP) in this exemplary embodiment. After the ADC 130 converts the analog servo control signals into digital servo control signals, the compensator module 140 generates a digital compensating signal according to the digital servo control signals. Subsequently, the DAC 150 converts the digital compensating signal into an analog compensating signal. Then, the driver module 160 generates a driving signal according to the analog compensating signal. Thereafter, the actuator module 170 processes the servo control task adequately according to the driving signal.
Please refer to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating different detection signals generated by the optical pickup 110 for a read-detecting signal 210, a first write-detecting signal 220, and a second write-detecting signal 230, having time along the abscissa. The detection signal in a reading process from an optical disc is shown as a read-detecting signal 210. The detection signal in a first writing process for a rewritable optical disc is shown as a 1st write-detecting signal 220. The detection signal in a second writing process for a rewritable optical disc is shown as a 2nd write-detecting signal 230.
The amplitude of the read-detecting signal 210 is much smaller than the amplitude of the first write-detecting signal 220, which results from a higher laser power while performing a writing process. The amplitude of the second write-detecting signal 230 is greater than the amplitude of the first write-detecting signal 220, which means that a higher writing laser power is required after a first writing process on a rewritable optical disc. Therefore, while processing an amplification process on detection signals having different amplitudes from the optical pickup 110 by the pre-amp module 120, signals having higher amplitudes such as the 2nd write-detecting signal 230 may cause undesirable saturation occurrences in circuit operations.

Method and system for signal gain control in optical disc drives


The present invention was developed in order to provide a disc player, whereby even when an inserted disc is not normally set on a stocker, or a normally set disc is dislocated from a stocker, the disc can be reset in the normal position on the stocker during a stocker lifting/division operation, so that the normal operating condition can be quickly recovered without troublesome removing activities, comprising multiple stockers for stocking discs and a lifting division device to conduct the lifting/division of these stockers, wherein disc guides for controlling the movement of a disc unexpectedly dislocated from a stocker are mounted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disc player and, more particularly, to a disc player which can reproduce information recorded in discs such as compact discs (CDs) and DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs).
2. Description of the Relevant Art
FIG. 26 is a sectional side view schematically showing the construction of a mobile disc player having an autochanger function disclosed in Japanese Kokai No. 2000-48462. A housing 51 constituting a disc player 50 comprises a main chassis 52. At the front of the disc player 50, a front panel 54 with a disc insert/eject slot 54a for insertion and ejection of a disc 53 formed thereon is mounted.
Above the forward portion of the main chassis 52, a mount chassis 60, which can be displaced up and down by engagement thereof with turntable lifting slide plates (not shown) slidably mounted on the sidewalls of the main chassis 52, is arranged.
On the mount chassis 60, a floating chassis 62 is arranged through a floating mechanism 61 comprising a locking member 61a, a locking shaft 61b and spring parts 61c. With the floating mechanism 61, the influence of vibration or shock applied from the outside during reproduction can be reduced.
On the floating chassis 62, a slide chassis 63 is mounted in such a manner as to be slidable in a back-and-forth direction relative to the floating chassis 62. On the slide chassis 63, a swing board 66 swingable in an arc, on which a turntable unit 64 having a turntable 64a, and a pickup unit (hereinafter, referred to as a PU unit) 65 are mounted, is placed.
Above the swing board 66, an insert/eject mechanism 73 comprising a disc supporting plate 70 for supporting the disc 53, an insert/eject roller 71 for moving the disc 53 supported by the disc supporting plate 70 backward and forward, and a shutter section 72 whereby the disc insert/eject slot 54a is opened or closed, are arranged. With the insert/eject mechanism 73, the insertion/ejection operation of the disc 53 can be conducted.
At prescribed places in the rearward portion of the main chassis 52, a couple of lifting guides 55 are vertically mounted. On the main chassis 52, a stocker bottom board 80, six stockers 81 for setting discs 53 thereon, and a stocker top board 82 for retaining the surface of a disc 53 set on the uppermost stocker 81 in ascending order, are laminated with the lifting guides 55 inserted through insertion holes (not shown) arranged in each of them.
The stocker bottom board 80 is in engagement with lifting slide plates 56 slidably mounted on the sidewalls of the main chassis 52 in a manner whereby it moves up and down with the movement of the lifting slide plates 56.
The stockers 81 are in engagement with division slide plates 57 slidably mounted on the sidewalls of the main chassis 52 in a manner whereby they are divided into the upper and lower parts with the movement of the division slide plates 57. In insertion, ejection, reproduction or the like of a disc 53, a prescribed space is formed by the division so that the PU unit 65 can approach the disc 53. Drive motors (not shown) as driving forces for slidably driving these turntable lifting slide plates, lifting slide plates 56 and division slide plates 57 are arranged in two corners of the rear of the main chassis 52.
On both side portions of the stocker top board 82, hooks (not shown) for hooking coil springs (not shown) are formed. One end of a slender coil spring is caught with the hook, while the other end thereof is caught with a hook (not shown) arranged near the center of the stocker bottom board 80. With these coil springs, the overall stockers 81 are energized for being closer, even if the stockers 81 are under divided conditions or all of them are set close.
A control circuit 90, conducting driving control of each section, which is mounted on a substrate, is arranged on the outside wall of the main chassis 52.
FIG. 27 comprises diagrams schematically showing the construction of the stocker 81, wherein FIG. 27(a) is a perspective view, while FIG. 27(b) is an enlarged fragmentary view showing an antifloating claw.
The stocker 81 comprises a periphery 81a formed in the shape of an almost semicircular arc so as to surround the outer regions of a disc 53, and a narrow disc receiver 81b for supporting the outer regions of the disc 53. In the rear portion of the periphery 81a, antifloating claws 81c for preventing the disc 53 set on the disc receiver 81b from floating upward are formed. The antifloating claw 81c is formed so as to be inwardly convex from the inner wall surface of the periphery 81a with a claw portion 81e having a slightly tapered plane 81d formed thereon.
In both side portions of the periphery 81a, division projections 81f for lifting/division by engagement with the division slide plates 57, and a couple of insertion holes 81g for inserting the lifting guides 55 therethrough are formed. In both end portions of the periphery 81a, dislocation preventive projections 81h for preventing the dislocation of the stockers 81 when they are put in piles are formed.
The main operation of the conventional disc player 50 is described below.
FIG. 28 comprises simplified side views showing the operation of the conventional disc player 50, which illustrate the insertion operation of a disc 53.
FIG. 28(a) shows an insertion standby state where the disc 53 can be inserted. With the insert/eject roller 71 being lowered, the insert/eject mechanism 73 is in a state of being capable of pulling in the disc 53 to be inserted.
When the fifth stocker 81 from the bottom (hereinafter, referred to as the fifth stocker) is selected as a stocker on which the disc 53 is set, the first to fourth stockers 81 are kept close, while the fifth stocker is caused to ascend so that the turntable unit 64 can enter between the fourth and fifth stockers.
The upper stocker thereabove (the sixth stocker in this case) is caused to move further upward so that the disc 53 can be carried into the space between the selected fifth stocker and the sixth stocker. The turntable unit 64 is on standby at a prescribed standby position in order to hold the inserted disc 53 on the turntable 64a and carry it to the stocker 81 side.
FIG. 28(b) shows a state where one disc 53 is inserted in the disc insert/eject slot 54a. The insert/eject roller 71 of the insert/eject mechanism 73 is driven to once pull the inserted disc 53 into the interior of the system, and then the shutter section 72 is closed (FIG. 28(c)).
Then, the disc 53 is conveyed in the reverse direction and the positioning thereof is conducted at a place where it is brought into engagement with the shutter section 72 (FIG. 28(d)). To the disc 53 located in FIG. 28(d), the turntable unit 64 is caused to ascend, and the disc 53 is placed on the turntable 64a. By operating a catching mechanism (not shown) of the turntable unit 64, the disc 53 is clamped to the turntable 64a (FIG. 28(e)).
By sliding the slide chassis 63 to the stocker 81 side, the turntable unit 64 is horizontally moved so as to pull the disc 53 out of the insert/eject mechanism 73 and move it between the fifth and sixth stockers 81 (FIG. 28(f)). After moving the disc 53 to the reproduction position, the locking shaft 61b fixed with the locking member 61a is released, so that the turntable unit 64 is made in a state of mechanically floating with the floating mechanism 61. The turntable 64a is rotatably driven so as to reproduce the disc 53 (FIG. 28(g)).
FIG. 29 comprises simplified side views for illustrating the changing operation of a disc to be reproduced of the conventional disc player 50.
FIG. 29(a) shows a state of reproducing the fifth disc 53 from the bottom in the similar condition to that of FIG. 28(g). When the user gives a command to reproduce the fourth disc 53 in this state, the locking shaft 61b is fixed with the locking member 61a, so that the floating state of the turntable unit 64 is cleared. The turntable lifting slide plates and the division slide plates 57 are caused to slide, the turntable unit 64 and the fifth stocker 81 on which the disc 53 was previously set are caused to rise, and the disc 53 is set on the disc receiver 81b of the fifth stocker 81.
The catching mechanism of the turntable unit 64 is activated so as to clear the state of clamping the disc 53 (FIG. 29(c)). Then, the turntable unit 64 is moved downward and the disc 53 is taken from the turntable 64a onto the fifth stocker 81 (FIG. 29(d)).
The turntable unit 64 is horizontally moved to under the insert/eject mechanism 73 (FIG. 29(e)), and then, all the divided stockers 81 are caused to descend, so that all the stockers 81 are piled up, resulting in reset of the divided state (FIG. 29(f)).
In the state of all the stockers 81 in piles, the stockers 81 are divided into the upper part including the selected fourth stocker 81 and the stockers 81 thereabove, and the lower part constituted of the stockers 81 below the selected fourth stocker 81 (FIG. 29(g)). The turntable unit 64 is moved into the space between the third and fourth stockers 81 (FIG. 29(h)).
The turntable unit 64 is moved upward, a disc 53 to be reproduced is placed on the turntable 64a, and the catching mechanism of the turntable unit 64 is activated so as to clamp the disc 53 (FIG. 29(i)). Then, the locking shaft 61b fixed with the locking member 61a is released so as to make the turntable unit 64 in a mechanically floating state, the fourth stocker 81 on which the disc 53 was previously set is moved downward, and the reproduction of the selected fourth disc 53 is started (FIG. 29(j).
When the user carelessly inserts two discs 53 successively in the insertion of the disc 53 shown in FIG. 28(b), the conventional disc player 50 senses the successive insertion and tries to eject the second disc 53 by fail-safe function. However, if the user tries to push in the second disc 53 further against the ejecting operation, the first disc 53 previously inserted is pushed forward from its positioned place. In this case, the disc 53 cannot be placed on the turntable 64a on standby at the prescribed standby position shown in FIG. 28(d), and moreover, the disc 53 falls to the stocker 81 side.
In the conventional disc player 50, since the thus fallen disc 53 widely moves in the unoccupied space inside the system, the fallen disc 53 cannot be placed on the turntable 64a again. As a result, the disc 53 is held in a dislocated state from the stocker 81 and cannot be ejected through the disc insert/eject slot 54a.
If the disc 53 is held in the dislocated state from the stocker 81, the disc player 50 recognizes that no disc 53 is set on the stocker 81. Therefore, when the next disc 53 is inserted, an attempt to set the disc 53 again on the stocker 81 with the disc 53 dislocated therefrom is made. As a result, two discs are stacked, so that the system gets clogged with them so as to become inoperable.
In the conventional disc player 50, when vibration or shock stronger than the allowable values is applied thereto during the disc reproduction shown in FIG. 28(g) or FIG. 29(j), the disc 53 set on the top stocker 81 of the lower part (the fourth from the bottom in FIG. 28(g), while the third from the bottom in FIG. 29(j)) is sometimes dislocated from the stocker 81.
However, in the conventional disc player 50, once the disc 53 is dislocated from the stocker 81, it widely moves inside the system as it is in the dislocated state, and it is impossible to return the disc 53 to its original normal position. Therefore, the disc 53 cannot be placed on the turntable 64a, and the disc 53 dislocated from the stocker 81 cannot be ejected through the disc insert/eject slot 54a, similarly to the above case.
In the conventional disc player 50, when strong vibration or shock is applied thereto during the dividing operation of the stockers 81 (the operation proceeding from FIG. 29(f) to FIG. 29(g)) in changing of the disc 53 to be reproduced and the like, the locations of the division projections 81f in the right and left side portions of the stocker 81 in engagement with the division slide plates 57 sometimes become different from each other. As a result, the stocker 81 gets inclined and the dividing operation is interrupted, so that the system becomes inoperable.
When thus failing to divide the stockers 81, the disc 53 is dislocated from the stocker 81 and falls out of the stocker 81, so that it cannot be ejected through the disc insert/eject slot 54a, similarly to the above cases.
In cases where the disc 53 cannot be taken out, or in cases where the system becomes inoperable, troublesome activities of removing the disc player 50 from the vehicle, disassembling it, taking out the disc 53 blocking inside the system, reassembling the disc player 50, and mounting it on the vehicle, must be conducted.

Multiple disc player having disc guides for relocating dislocated discs


A heated caulk case for heating and storing a commonly used tube of sealing caulk, comprising a sealable box, a thermostatically controlled heating device, and a caulk tube tray. The heated caulk case provides a continuous and reusable method to achieve the benefits of lowering the viscosity of commonly used construction caulk such that the caulk will adhere better and provide a stronger seal between the caulked joint.

The present invention relates generally to the caulking method of sealing and securing various construction joints or seams, and in particular, to heating and storing a commonly used tube of sealing caulk. More particularly, this invention relates to raising the temperature, and thereby lowering the viscosity of commonly used construction caulk such that the caulk can be more easily applied and provide the strongest adhesion possible.
Standard sealing caulk is a malleable chemical compound that is generally contained in, and dispensed from, an airtight container or tube. To facilitate the controlled dispensing of the caulking material, this tube is generally used in conjunction with a caulking gun. The caulking gun is used to house the tube and incrementally push the caulk through a small aperture in one end of the tube by pushing a retaining plate on the opposite end of the tube into, and through, the tube. These caulking guns exist in a variety of formats, all of which are operated manually or with the assistance of a powered pushing device.
While caulk has numerous uses, including hobbies and repair applications, it is used primarily in the construction of homes, buildings, and a variety of marine vehicles. Within homes and buildings, caulk is used most often to seal abutting sections of window and door frames within interior and exterior walls. Caulk is also used extensively throughout the construction of bathrooms to seal joining surfaces around sinks and counter tops, walls, showers, floors, as well as toilets.
For all of these uses, caulk is generally placed within the interior angle of two or more joining surfaces. For example, with the above bathroom uses, caulk is generally placed at the base of the shower section where it intersects the floor. The function of caulk in this, and the majority of caulking applications, is to seal moisture out of the caulked joint and prohibit leakage of water through the area and prevent mildew growth resulting from trapped moisture.
There are many varieties of caulks, each comprising a different chemical compound which is designed to provide specific colors, ultra violet ray resistance, mildew resistance, and hardening characteristics. When caulk is initially dispensed from a tube or other container, it is soft and easily spread by hand pressure. However, after a specified period of time exposed to air, (generally 6-24 hours) the caulk hardens to a rubbery or harder consistency.
In this way, caulk functions as a glue or filler between the two surfaces it is applied to. Because of this, the viscosity of the caulk when applied is important to the resulting strength of the seal once the caulk hardens. This is because the surface of all materials are, to varying degrees, porous. A porous surface, even microscopic, is better adhered to by a more viscous substance because it is more able to enter the small crevasses that make up the surface of the material. In the case of a wood surface, these crevasses are the grains across the surface of the wood. Once the caulk hardens, this infiltration into the surface provides a more watertight and stronger seal that is more resilient to wear, as well as the expanding and contracting caused by interior and exterior temperature changes.
While the ductility of the chemical composition of most caulks allows them to be applied at room temperature, the present invention provides a way to obtain the benefits of decreasing the viscosity of a caulk before it is applied. The present invention does this by heating the caulk and its containing tube to a controlled temperature (generally 85 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit). In addition, the present invention provides a means to maintain caulk at room temperature, or higher, for construction projects that occur in the winter. In this way, a worker using caulk within a variety of needs can increase the effectiveness and strength of the seal that caulk provides.


Disclosed is a system for driving a boom of a hybrid excavator, and a method for controlling the same. The system comprises: an electric motor; a capacitor for storing electricity generated by the electric motor; a hydraulic pump motor driven by the electric motor to supply working oil to a boom; a boom control valve having a closed circuit selectively connecting/disconnecting a discharge line and an inlet line of the hydraulic pump motor to/from a head or a load of the boom; a main pump arranged separately from the motor to supply working oil; a boom-assisting valve connecting discharge lines of the main pump and the hydraulic pump motor to combine discharged working oil; and a control unit controlling the electric motor, the hydraulic pump motor, and the boom control valve. The system minimizes energy loss during excavation, ensures performance of the boom, and recovers regenerative energy from the boom.

The present disclosure is contrived to solve the problems in the related art and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a system for driving a boom of a hybrid excavator that minimize energy loss, ensures operability of a boom, and restores recoverable energy of the boom while excavating that is the main use of the excavator, even with a use of an electric motor, and a method of controlling the system.
The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

System for driving a boom of a hybrid excavator and a control method thereof


An olefinic polymer is grafted with a vinyl arylcyclobutene such as 4-vinylbenzocyclobutene. The arylcyclobutene grafted olefinic polymers are useful in a number of industrial applications including electronics, and as coatings, membranes, fibers, structural composites, adhesives, and wrapping and packaging films.

This invention relates to olefinic polymers grafted with a vinyl arylcyclobutene and to a method for preparing the arylcyclobutene grafted olefinic polymers, particularly a method for grafting a vinyl arylcyclobutene on an ethylene polymer.
Olefinic polymers, e.g., ethylene polymers, are employed to produce a variety of products such as blown film and in a wide variety of end use applications including blow molding applications. In many such applications and uses, it is desirable to improve the processability (e.g., more desirable flow characteristics during the processing of ethylene polymer). For example, it is known that long chain branching or lightly cross-linking an ethylene polymer will change its melt rheology and hence, flow characteristics. In addition, cross-linking an ethylene polymer has been shown to improve its creep resistance properties. Ethylene polymers are often cross-linked using a peroxide initiator. However, such cross-linking is not always desirable due to the formation of bubbles on the finished product due to decomposition of the peroxide, premature cross-linking and the interference of the cross-linking reaction by antioxidants which are also radical scavengers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,375 describes the copolymerization of an .alpha.-monoolefin with an olefinic benzocyclobutene monomer of the formula: ##STR1## where R.sub.1 is hydrogen or CH.sub.3 and R.sub.2 is --CH.sub.2).sub.n where n is from 0 to 6. The copolymer is prepared using coordination catalysts of the Ziegler-Natta type conventionally employed in the preparation of linear low density and high density polyethylene. The resulting olefin/cyclobutene copolymers are cross-linkable. Unfortunately, cross-linking in such copolymers may occur prematurely. For example, the copolymer can be exposed to sufficiently high temperatures in the final processing steps following polymerization such as post-reactor devolitization to remove unreacted monomer to cause gel problems. In addition, it is difficult to accurately determine the amounts of the cyclobutene which is being incorporated within the copolymer.
In view of the stated deficiencies of the prior art, it remains desirable to provide an ethylene polymer which has or is capable of having long chain branching or light cross-linking.


A method of operating a multi-level cell is described, wherein the cell includes a substrate of a first conductivity type, a control gate, a charge-storing layer and two S/D regions of a second conductivity type. The method includes an erasing step that injects charges of a first type into the charge-storing layer and a programming step that includes applying a first voltage to the substrate, a second voltage to both S/D regions and a third voltage to the control gate. The difference between the first and second voltages is sufficient to cause band-to-band tunneling hot holes, and the third voltage causes charges of a second type to enter the charge-storing layer. The third voltage can have 2n−1 different values, for programming the cell to a predetermined state among 2n−1 storage states.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an operating method of a semiconductor device. More particularly, the present invention relates to an operating method of a multi-level cell (MLC) of a non-volatile memory, which utilizes a double-side bias band-to-band tunneling hot hole (DSB-BTBTHH) effect in programming.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the rapid growth of information flow in the world, the requirement for the storage capacity of electrically erasable programmable non-volatile memory devices, such as flash memory devices, continuously gets higher in the market.
The most direct way to increase the unit-area storage capacity of a non-volatile memory product is to reduce the lateral area of each memory cell, while this is limited by the lithographic resolution and some dimension-relating electrical properties, etc. Another way is to allow each memory cell to store more than one bit of data, which may be done by making a cell have one of 2n (n≧2) threshold voltages that correspond to 2n storage states. Such a memory cell is called a multi-level cell (MLC).
In conventional MLC operation, the erasing is done by ejecting electrons out of the charge-storing layer of the cell through Fowler-Nordheim (FN) tunneling, and the programming by injecting electrons into the same through FN tunneling. The amount of injected electrons is controlled by the programming time so that a cell has a threshold voltage (Vt) corresponding to the predetermined storage state thereof.
However, because the efficiency of injecting or ejecting electrons through FN tunneling is low, the erasing or programming is slow in the prior art. Moreover, since the erasing step ejects electrons out of the charge-storing layer, the threshold voltage of the cell is lower in the erased state causing more leakage. Further, the programming step that controls the threshold voltage in time mode cannot precisely control the amount of injected electrons, so that the Vt-distribution of each storage state is broad easily causing error in the reading.


A pressure pulse generator for use in transmitting pressure signals to surface in a fluid-based drilling system. The generator is arranged in use in the path of a pressurized fluid to operate a drilling assembly and is capable of being actuated to generate pressure signals in such fluid for transmission to surface pressure monitoring equipment. The pulse generator includes pulse height compensation to keep the pulse height within acceptable limits over a wide flow range.

This invention relates to a system of communication employed during the drilling of boreholes in the earth for purposes such as oil or gas exploration and production, the preparation of subterranean services ducts, and in other civil engineering applications.
Taking the drilling of oil and gas wells as an example, it is highly desirable both for economic and for engineering reasons, to obtain information about the progress of the borehole and the strata which the drilling bit is penetrating from instruments positioned near the drilling bit, and to transmit such information back to the surface of the earth without interruption to the drilling of the borehole. The generic name associated with such techniques is xe2x80x9cMeasurement-while-Drillingxe2x80x9d (MWD). Substantial developments have taken place in MWD technology during the last twenty-five years.
One of the principal problems in MWD technology is that of reliably telemetering data from the bottom of a borehole, which may lie several thousand meters below the earth""s surface. There are several established methods for overcoming this problem, one of which is to transmit the data, suitably encoded, as a series of pressure pulses in the drilling fluid; this method is known as xe2x80x9cmud pulse telemetryxe2x80x9d.
A typical arrangement of a known mud pulse MWD system is shown schematically in FIG. 1. A drilling rig (50) supports a drillstring (51) in the borehole (52). Drilling fluid, which has several important functions in the drilling operation, is drawn from a tank (53) and pumped, by pump (54) down the center of the drillstring (55) returning by way of the annular space (56) between the drillstring and the borehole (52). The MWD equipment (58) that is installed near the drill bit (59) includes a means for generating pressure pulses in the drilling fluid. The pressure pulses travel up the center of the drillstring and are received at the earth""s surface by a pressure transducer (57). Processing equipment (60) decodes the pulses and recovers the data that was transmitted from downhole.
In one means of generating pressure pulses at a downhole location, the fluid flowpath through the drillstring is transiently restricted by the operation of a valve. This creates a pulse, the leading edge of which is a rise in pressure; hence the method is colloquially, although rather loosely, known as xe2x80x9cpositive mud pulse telemetryxe2x80x9d. In contradistinction the term xe2x80x9cnegative mud pulse telemetryxe2x80x9d is used to describe those systems in which a valve transiently opens a passage to the lower pressure environment outside the drill string, thus generating a pulse having a falling leading edge.
Devices for generating pulses for positive mud pulse telemetry have been described in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,958,217, 4,905,778, 4,914,637 and 5,040,155.
The present invention is related generally to the type of mud pulse generator described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,958,217. It is a disadvantage of this type of pulse generator that the magnitude of the transient pressure change which occurs downhole is highly dependent on the flowrate of the drilling fluid.
The pressure drop when fluid flows through a restriction varies approximately as the square of the flow rate. Typically, the ratio of maximum to minimum flow rates in an oilwell drilling situation is around three, so a pulse generator set up to give an acceptable pulse height of around 7 bar at minimum flow of a particular drilling mud formulation would give 63 bar at maximum flow. In practice, drilling mud is formulated with a wide range of densities and viscosities, so the potential variation in pulse height across the flow range is considerably greater.
Although in any given drilling situation a certain minimum pulse amplitude is needed so that the pulse will be detectable at the earth""s surface, it is unsatisfactory for the pulse to be made too large: the imposition of a succession of severe flow restrictions can stress, damage or erode the drilling equipment and starve the drilling bit of fluid. Furthermore, when mud pressure pulses are too large, significant pulse reflections occur at discontinuities in the process pipework. In particular a pulse can return to the lower end of the drillstring, be reflected, return to surface and be detected, incorrectly, as a data pulse.
In order to keep pulse heights within acceptable limits, the pulse generator has to be physically adjusted to suit a particular combination of flow rate and mud type. This typically involves replacing parts of the downhole system, and is time consuming and expensive. There are cases too, in which for unexpected reasons, the planned flowrates for a particular well section have to be changed while the equipment is downhole. It is therefore very desirable to provide a single system which will operate satisfactorily over a wide range of drilling fluid flowrates.
The invention seeks to obtain this advantage by providing a means of automatic pulse height regulation in the fluid used in a drilling installation.
According to the invention there is provided a pressure pulse generator for use in transmitting pressure signals to surface in a fluid-based drilling system, said generator being arranged in use in the path of a pressurised fluid to operate a drilling assembly and being capable of being actuated to generate pressure signals in such fluid for transmission to surface pressure monitoring equipment, in which the pulse generator comprises:
a housing positionable in the path of the supply of pressurised fluid, said housing having an inlet arrangement for admitting a portion of the fluid to the interior of the housing, and an outlet arrangement for discharging fluid from the interior of the housing;
a control element slidably mounted in the housing for movement between an open position and a closed position with respect to said inlet arrangement, said control element being operative to generate a pressure pulse in the supply of pressure fluid when the control element takes-up the closed position;
a control passage for receiving a portion of the supply of pressure fluid and extending through the control element, and having an inlet at one end to receive pressure fluid and a discharge outlet at an opposite end;
a valve element arranged to be exposed to the pressure of the fluid in the control passage;
an actuator coupled with the valve element and operative to move the valve element between a closed position in which it prevents discharge of pressure fluid from the control passage, and an open position in which it allows the pressure fluid to flow through the control passage;
a control face on the control element which is exposed to the pressure of the fluid in the control passage and which is operative to move the control element towards the closed position with respect to the inlet arrangement as the pressure in the control passage increases upon movement of the valve element to the closed position by the actuator; and,
a resiliently yieldable arrangement acting between the actuator and the valve element in order to define a yieldable limit to the pressure of the fluid in the control passage and thereby control the pressure pulse generated by the movement of the control element to the closed position.

Geolink (UK) LTD, A UK Limited Liability Company


Systems and techniques to apply an image distortion to two image objects of different graphic types. In general, in one implementation, the technique includes: receiving an image distortion description to be applied to an image portion including a vector graphic and a raster graphic, the raster graphic being distortable separate from the vector graphic, applying the image distortion description to the vector graphic to produce a distorted vector graphic, and applying the image distortion description to the raster graphic to produce a distorted raster graphic, the distorted vector graphic and the distorted raster graphic together forming a distorted image portion.

The present application describes systems and techniques relating to distortion of raster and vector artwork.
Many types of artwork are stored and manipulated in computing machines, and such artwork can be stored digitally in multiple formats. A single artwork image can include multiple distinct image objects, which can also be stored in different formats. For example, a raster graphic is an image object stored as a set of pixel values corresponding to a defined frame (e.g., a rectangular grid). The pixel values can include multiple values for each pixel, including multiple color values, transparency/opacity values, and/or mask values (e.g., an image clipping mask). A raster graphic represents an image as a set of discrete image samples. A vector graphic is an image object stored using a set of two-dimensional coordinates connected by lines or curves (e.g., cubic Bézier curves). Examples of vector graphics include symbols, shapes, and text represented by outline fonts.
Interactive painting and illustration software products, such as Illustrator®, provided by Adobe Systems Incorporated of San Jose, Calif., provide tools to allow a user to distort an image object. Such distortion functionality can be useful for adding creative effects to an image object and/or to integrate an image object with other elements in a finished design (e.g., fitting artwork onto a circular label, or making artwork appear three-dimensional). Image distortions include geometric and optical distortions, as well as image warps and deformations generally (e.g., a deformation and a warp of a two-dimensional image are examples of an image distortion).
Example illustration software products that allow distortions of raster images include Goovie®, provided by MetaCreations Corporation of Carpinteria, Calif., Ampex Video Art, provided by Ampex Corporation of Redwood City, Calif., and Photoshop®, provided by Adobe Systems Incorporated of San Jose, Calif. Example illustration software products that allow distortions of vector artwork include FreeHand®, provided by Macromedia Inc. of San Francisco, Calif., and CorelDraw, provided by Corel Corporation of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.


It is intended to provide a developing apparatus, an image forming apparatus and developing method capable of managing both decrease of load on apparatuses and improvement of image quality in case development of an image is made by applying contact developing and AC developing. For that intention, voltage at a portion between a development member and an image carrier is defined oscillating voltage, and in case negative polarity toner is used, relations of peak voltage V1 of oscillating voltage, background portion voltage VH (negative) and visible section voltage VL (negative, an absolute value of it is smaller than that of VH) are set as indicated below.−500V≦V1−VL≦−350V−200V≦V1−VH≦−50VOn the above conditions, peak voltage V2 is set as indicated below.−150V≦VL−V2≦−70VV2≦VH+500V.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developing apparatus, an image forming apparatus equipped with the developing apparatus, and developing method of those apparatuses, wherein a latent image on a photosensitive body gets developed with toner. More particularly, it relates to a developing apparatus, an image forming apparatus equipped with the developing apparatus, and developing method of those apparatuses, wherein development is made in accordance with contact developing with one-component non-magnetic toner.
2. Description of Related Art
Various proposals have conventionally been made with respect to developing apparatuses for image forming apparatuses (see JP laid-open Patent Publication No. 2003-29507, JP Patent No. 3363593, and the like). Development methods for developing apparatuses are classified into two, namely, one-component developing and two-component developing. Developer without carrier is used for one-component developing, whereas developer including toner and carrier is used for two-component developing. Since one-component developing does not need mechanism for agitating developer, it is convenient for miniaturization of mechanical structure in comparison with two-component developing. A developing apparatus of one-component developing is equipped with a regulating member for regulating thickness of a toner layer on a toner carrier.
one-component developing is further classified into two types depending on developing voltage application, namely, DC developing in which developing voltage is limited to direct current components, and AC developing in which AC bias components are superimposed on developing voltage. Furthermore, one-component developing is classified further depending on contact state of a facing portion with respect to a toner carrier and an image carrier (so-called, development region). That is, depending on contact state of the facing portion, it is classified into non-contact developing in which a predetermined space is provided between a toner carrier and an image carrier, and contact developing in which both of the carriers are in contact with each other.
Non-contact developing is excellent in reproducing of dots and fine lines because edge effect can be obtained due to space of development regions. On the other hand, as the space fluctuates, developing electrical field also fluctuates, which causes noises such as unevenness of an image and the like. This is a drawback of non-contact developing. Therefore, strict control of space accuracy is required for non-contact developing, which overloads control system. Especially, a combination of non-contact developing and AC developing overloads power system. This is because high-amplitude development bias (1 kV or higher, at peak-to-peak) is required.
On the other hand, contact developing requires comparatively less development bias. Therefore, contact developing is advantageous in terms of power load. Not to mention, contact developing does not require space control, which is another advantageous point. However, edge effect cannot be expected with contact developing. Therefore, contact developing is disadvantageous for reproducibility of dots and fine lines compared with non-contact developing. Particularly, under recent demand that resolution of about 600–1200 dpi has been required for higher image quality, contact developing faces difficulties in accurate reproduction of a highlight section and sufficient gradation degree.
Therefore, there is devised a combination of contact developing and AC developing for compromising between load on an apparatus and image quality. By doing so, it is conceived that edge effect can work for improving reproducibility of dots and fine lines despite contact developing. This is because such a method combination can make toner fly at non-contact regions upstream and downstream of a development region.
However, there have actually been difficulties in combining contact developing and AC developing. For example, a developing apparatus of JP laid-open Patent Publication No. 2003-29507 tends to create unevenness of image density when AC bias is set high. Furthermore, application of contact developing and one-component developing to this developing apparatus causes current leakage between its image carrier and development member, which results in fog on a background section of an image. In this developing apparatus, an absolute value of voltage difference between peak voltage V1 for development bias and imaging section voltage VL for an image carrier is set to 600 V or higher and this absolute value is considered to be too large for contact developing. Furthermore, application of one-component developing to a developing apparatus of JP Patent No. 3363593 results in poor reproducibility of a highlight section in an image due to the above-described reason, which is problematic.

Developing apparatus, image forming apparatus, and developing method

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


New level shifting circuits, one using dynamic current compensation and one using dynamic voltage equalization, are described. An input swings between a low supply and ground. An output swings between a high supply and ground. An inverter input is connected to the input of the level shifting circuit to form an inverted level shifting input. A first NMOS transistor has the gate tied to the level shifting input and the source tied to ground. A first PMOS transistor has the gate tied to the level shifting output, the source tied to the high supply, and the drain tied to the first NMOS drain. A second NMOS transistor has the gate tied to the inverted level shifter input, the source tied to the ground, and the drain tied to the level shifting output. A second PMOS transistor has the gate tied to the first NMOS drain, the source tied to the high supply, and the drain is tied to the level shifting output. A third NMOS transistor has the gate tied to the first NMOS drain, v source tied to the level shifting input, and the drain tied to the level shifting output. A fourth NMOS transistor has the gate tied to the second NMOS drain, the source tied to the inverted level shifting input, and the drain tied to the first NMOS drain.

(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to digital integrated circuits, and more particularly, to a circuit that allows a digital signal to be level shifted from a low voltage supply to a high voltage supply.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Ultra deep submicron CMOS technologies are used to create digital integrated circuits with very high transistor densities and very high switching speeds. These submicron CMOS transistors have very thin gate oxide and very low threshold voltages. To facilitate use of ultra deep submicron CMOS processes, the supply voltage for the high density logic core must be lowered to improve device reliability. Supply voltages of between about 2.5 Volts and 3.3 Volts, which have been typical for prior art CMOS logic devices, have to be reduced to a low voltage regime of, for example, between about 0.9 Volts and 2.5 Volts.
While the supply voltage of the core logic section is being reduced, the supply voltage for the input/output section of the integrated circuit must be kept at a higher level to assure adequate signal-to-noise ratio and compatibility with other devices. Where digital signals in the low voltage core must be transmitted off the integrated circuit, signal level shifting is therefore necessary. A level shifting circuit is used to increase the upper voltage swing of the low voltage signal, from a low voltage to a high voltage.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a prior art level shifting circuit is shown. This level shifting circuit uses four types of transistors. Low voltage NMOS transistors 10 and low voltage PMOS transistors 14 are used in the low supply voltage VCCL 34 section. High voltage NMOS transistors 18 and high voltage PMOS transistors 22 are used in the high supply voltage VCCH section. The low voltage transistors 10 and 14 have a thinner gate oxide than the high voltage transistors 18 and 22. In addition, the low voltage transistors 10 and 14 have a low threshold voltage of between about 0.2 Volts and 0.35 Volts for NMOS 10 and between about xe2x88x920.2 Volts and xe2x88x920.35 Volts for PMOS 14. High voltage devices have a threshold voltage of between about 0.4 Volts and 0.7 Volts for NMOS 18 and between about xe2x88x920.4 Volts and xe2x88x920.7 Volts for PMOS 22.
The prior art level shifting circuit uses an inverter made up of transistors MN146 and MP150 and a differential pair made up of transistors MN254, MN358, MP262, and MP366. Generally, the low voltage supply VCCL 34 is biased at between about 0.9 Volts and 2.5 Volts. The high voltage supply VCCH 42 is biased at between about 3 Volts and 5 Volts. The purpose of the level shifting circuit is to convert the input signal IN 26 from a swing of between 0 Volts and VCCL 34 to a swing of between 0 Volts and VCCH 42 at the output node OUT 30.
The prior art level shifting circuit exhibits dc voltage and transistor switching characteristics according to Table 1 below:
Note that the prior art level shifting circuit exhibits no dc static current consumption. Since the input signal IN 26 only connects to the gates of transistors MN146, MP150, and MN254, there is no dc input leakage path. Only one of the inverter pair MN146 and MP150 is ON in either state. Therefore, there exists no static current path from VCCL 34 to VSS 38. Finally, since only the pair MN254 and MP366 or the pair MN358 and MP262 are ON at any given time, there exists no static current path between VCCH and VSS.
Note also that the high supply voltage VCCH is only applied to the thick oxide devices MN254, MN358, MP262 and MP366. Therefore, reliability concerns for the thin oxide devices are eliminated.
To illustrate the ac performance of the prior art level shifting circuit, consider the case of the input signal IN 26 switching from VSS to VCCL. First, transistor MN254 turns ON. At this point, transistor MP262 remains ON. Therefore, while MN254 is driving node OUTB 28 to VSS, MP262 is con currently driving node OUTB 28 to VCCL. After transistor MP150 turns OFF, the inverter output INB 27 transitions to VSS. Transistor MN358 is therefore turned OFF. Finally, once the voltage at node OUTB 28 is discharged, transistor MP366 is turned ON. MP366 drives the output node OUT 30 to VCCH and turns OFF MP262.
An analysis of the ac operation of the prior art level shifting circuit reveals a serious switching delay when the design is used in an ultra-deep submicron process. In such processes, the VCCL 34 voltage is very small to facilitate the usage of very small devices with very thin gate oxides, shallow junctions, and shrinking threshold voltages. However, the key input transistors of the circuit, MN254 and MN358, still have large voltage thresholds. Therefore, the Idsat of these thick gate NMOS devices, at the relatively small gate drive of VCCL, is also small. If, as in the example case, MN254 must drive node OUTB 28 against MP262, then the reduced Idsat of MN254 will cause the OUTB signal transition to take a long time.
In addition, since OUTB 28 initially remains at or near VCCH 42, transistor MP366 is OFF. At the same time, transistor MN358 is in the off-state once INB 27 discharges to VSS. In this condition, the output node OUT 30 is floating. The voltage level of OUT 30 will depend on the load and the reverse saturation current of the MP366 drain-to-N Well and the MN358 drain-to-P Well junction diodes during the transition time prior to MN254 discharging OUTB 28 to VSS.
Finally, the Idsat of MN254 and of MN358 may be made larger than the Idsat of MP262 and of MP366 by making MN2 and MN3 sufficiently large to overcome the relatively small gate drive. However, this adds substantially to the area required for the level shifting circuit. In addition, the parasitic capacitance from the gate of MP366 and the drain junction of MP262 must be discharged by MN254 during a transition.
Several prior art inventions describe circuits for level shifting and handling higher voltage supplies in low voltage CMOS applications. U.S. Pat. No. 6,043,699 to Shimizu describes level shifting circuits with higher speed or with extended operating ranges. U.S. Pat. No. 6,043,698 to Hill teaches a level shifting circuit using a latch and resistors in the interface section. U.S. Pat. No. 5,892,371 to Maley discloses a level shifting circuit configured to protect MOS transistors from gate oxide failure by limiting the voltage across any one transistor. U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,155 to Kobatake describes a level shifting circuit where an NMOS transistor and a PMOS transistor are connected in series between the top rail PMOS transistor and the bottom rail NMOS transistor. The additional transistors are biased to fixed voltage references to insure that each device is ON. The presence of the transistor pair reduces the voltage stress on each device in the stack. U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,334 to Clapp, III et al discloses a circuit, comprising low voltage components, that can be used with a high voltage supply. The level shifting circuit embodiment may accommodate multiple power supplies. U.S. Pat. No. 5,821,800 to Le et al teaches a level shifting circuit capable of high voltage operation using low voltage CMOS devices. One or more complementary NMOS and PMOS pairs are used between the top rail PMOS and the bottom rail NMOS transistors. The complementary devices are not self-biased. U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,451 to Yamamura et al describes a level shifting circuit that has a fail-safe mode. The output state is guaranteed high or guaranteed low if the input signal voltage falls below a predetermined level. U.S. Pat. No. 5,698,993 to Chow discloses a level shifting circuit where an NMOS transistor is added to each side of the differential pair to improve switching speed and symmetry. The gates of the added NMOS devices are biased to a constant low voltage supply. U.S. Pat. No. 5,705,946 to Yin teaches a two-stage level shifter using a voltage divider input. U.S. Pat. No. 5,917,339 to Kim describes a mixed voltage input buffer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,963,061 to Briner discloses a level shifting circuit using complementary NMOS and PMOS transistor pairs stacked between the rail devices as guard devices to limit high voltage exposure. The complementary pairs may be biased to the same constant voltage source or to independent constant voltage sources. U.S. Pat. No. 5,963,054 to Cochran et al teaches a circuit for switching voltages greater than the gate oxide breakdown of the MOS transistors will allow. A transistor pair is disposed between the PMOS and NMOS switching transistors. U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,357 to Coffman describes a level shifting circuit for selecting different voltage levels for programming memory cells.
A principal object of the present invention is to provide a level shifting circuit, that is, a circuit that allows a digital signal to be level shifted from a low voltage supply to a high voltage supply.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a level shifting circuit that can interface ultra-deep submicron devices and high voltage devices.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a level shifting circuit with higher switching speed.
Another yet further object of the present invention is to provide a level shifting circuit with a reduced area.
Another yet further object of the present invention is to provide a level shifting circuit with high reliability.
Another yet further object of the present invention is to provide a level shifting circuit with no static current draw.
In accordance with the objects of this invention, a new level shifting circuit, using dynamic current compensation, is described. An input swings between a low supply and ground. An output swings between a high supply and ground. An inverter has an input and an output. The input is connected to the input of the level shifting circuit, and the output forms an inverted level shifting input. A first NMOS transistor has the gate connected to the level shifting input and the source connected to ground. A first PMOS transistor has the gate connected to the level shifting output, the source connected to the high supply, and the drain connected to the first NMOS transistor drain. A second NMOS transistor has the gate connected to the inverted level shifting input, the source connected to ground, and the drain connected to the level shifting output. A second PMOS transistor has the gate connected to the first NMOS transistor drain, the source connected to the high supply, and the drain connected to the level shifting output. A third NMOS transistor has the gate connected to the first NMOS transistor drain, the source connected to the level shifting input, and the drain connected to the level shifting output. A fourth NMOS transistor has the gate connected to the second NMOS transistor drain, the source connected to the inverted level shifting input, and the drain connected to the first NMOS transistor drain.
Also in accordance with the objects of this invention, a new level shifting circuit, using dynamic voltage equalization, is described. An input swings between a low supply and ground. An output swings between a high supply and ground. An inverter has an input and an output. The input is connected to the input of the level shifting circuit, and the output forms an inverted level shifting input. A first NMOS transistor has the gate connected to the level shifting input and the source connected to ground. A first PMOS transistor has the gate connected to the level shifting output, the source connected to the high supply, and the drain connected to the first NMOS transistor drain. A second NMOS transistor has the gate connected to the inverted level shifting input, the source connected to ground, and the drain connected to the level shifting output. A second PMOS transistor has the gate connected to the first NMOS transistor drain, the source connected to the high supply, and the drain connected to the level shifting output. A transition pulse circuit has an output that is at ground during steady state and that pulses to the low supply for a short duration when the level shifting input changes state. A third NMOS transistor has the gate connected to the transition pulse circuit output, the source connected to the level shifting output, and the drain connected to the first NMOS transistor drain.

Level shifter for ultra-deep submicron CMOS designs

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company


A method and apparatus for automatically generating a target sequence of a plurality of elements selected in accordance with a plurality of user-defined constraints such as a play list of songs. The apparatus comprises a user interface (102) for inputting a plurality of user-defined constraints, a storage device (106) for storing a plurality of elements or music files; and a processor (104) for automatically generating the target sequence or play list by an iterative process in which a solution sequence is found at each iteration to best fit the user-defined constraints. A small, random or biased change is made to the sequence found and if this improves the solution, the new solution is used for the next iteration. The biased change is used to help predict a better result for user-defined constraints which are, ordinarily, difficult to satisfy.

Many people store multimedia files, such as music, on their computers in MP3 or WMA format or the like. These files can be played in any order selected from the entire collection. These multimedia files may be played on the computer, DVD players, car stereos, and other portable players such as specialized MP3 players.
Typically, it is desirable to make a playlist that is basically a list that defines which multimedia files (e.g. songs) to play in which order. Such a list can be created manually by adding songs to the playlist one by one. However, this is a very tedious, especially if the collection of music files is extensive. A much simpler way to create a playlist is to let the player randomly play songs from the entire, or a part of the, music collection. However, usually playlists are created with a special purpose in mind, for example to listen to while relaxing or while driving the car etc. In these cases, the listener, invariably, wants to be able to specify more precisely what type of music is played. Therefore, it is desirable that the music player generates a playlist automatically, or at least assists the listener in doing so, in accordance with the listener's specific desires.
There are several known types of automatic playlist generators. One known system learns the user's preference for songs and subsequently generates a set of songs that the system thinks the user would enjoy. In determining which songs the user would like there are two different approaches: content-based learning and collaborative filtering. Content-based learning looks at the songs themselves and at the attributes of those songs in particular and matches songs that are similar according to their attributes. The idea is that if a user likes a particular song, the user will also like a song that is similar to it. The input from the user for these systems usually consists of one or more seed song and the system then outputs a set of songs that are similar to the seed song(s). Because the song order is not taken into account and the user cannot specify other constraints than that the songs in the list should be similar to the seed song, this system has very limited use.
Collaborative filtering is a multi-user approach that utilizes explicit preferences to match songs to a specific user. Each user expresses their preferences for a set of songs. The system then tries to expand this set of preferred songs by finding users that have a similar taste in music and recommending the songs that these users have indicated to like. The playlists that are generated by this system are actually playsets since the song order is not taken into account or is considered a matter of minor importance and again the system has limited use.
The main objective of the above systems is to introduce new music to the users; they do not offer the user assistance in creating a specific playlist for a specific situation.
Another known method is to provide a solution playlist on the basis of constraints defined by the user that have to be satisfied, and operated in a network. Each node in the network represents a song, costs and weights to represent the constraints that have to be satisfied. The object is to find a continuous path connecting the source and the sink (the first and the last song in the playlist, respectively, which could be dummy songs) that has a minimum cost and at the same time has constrained weights. In the model, songs are represented as vectors of binary values, which limits the attributes and hence constraints that can be defined
Another known playlist generator uses a constraint satisfaction programming (CSP) method. CSP associates a constrained variable with each position in the playlist, where the domain of each of the variables is the music collection. The idea is to assign a value from the domain to each of the variables, which corresponds to a sequence of songs. However, the number of songs in the playlist is fixed by defining the variables in the CSP, and therefore does not allow the user to define the duration of the playlist they desire for example. The algorithm, which searches for a solution, consists of reducing each domain one after the other, until it either leads to a solution or fails to find one. Every time a value is removed from a domain, the constraints acting on this domain are inspected to check if any constraint implies that another value, belonging to another domain, becomes forbidden. If so, it is removed too, and the process is repeated recursively (constraint propagation). Domain reduction then occurs either by choice (assigning a value to a variable), or as consequence of the propagation required for the satisfaction of some constraints. Upon failure (a domain becomes empty), the algorithm backtracks to the last decision that was made, takes a different one, and tries again. If there's no solution either, the algorithm backtracks one step further, and examines the stack of decisions bottom to top until it can either prove that there's no solution, or find one. So the solution playlist is constructed by repeatedly adding songs to the playlist and testing if the playlist can still be completed. Therefore, only a partial playlist is available at each iteration, which may be problematical if the algorithm is stopped prematurely. This CSP algorithm is, therefore, complex and as a result has limited scalability. Further, the CSP algorithm does not incorporate a notion of optimality which is desirable for playlist generation.
Another known technique for automatic playlist generation is a local search method. The method starts with a random list of songs and iteratively tries to improve upon this playlist by making small changes such as (i) adding a song, (ii) deleting a song, (iii) replacing a song by a new one, and (iv) swapping two songs in the playlist. To achieve this a cost is associated with the playlist and the more constraints that are violated (not satisfied) by the playlist and the larger that violation, the higher the cost. The local search is an iterative process in which, at each iteration, the resulting playlist of the previous and current iterations are compared and the resulting playlist with the lower cost becomes the result of the current iteration. Therefore, at any time, there is a complete solution playlist, and it is possible to stop the algorithm at any time to return the best playlist found so far, i.e. the latest result. The algorithm does not investigate all possible playlists but progressively refines solutions and consequently has a better scalability and incorporates optimality.
However, if a particular constraint is hard to satisfy, randomly generating a new solution (making a small random change) and checking whether the violation has decreased, is likely to lead to rejection of the current solution and the search algorithm will make very little progress and will become extremely slow.
An example of constraints that are hard to satisfy by randomly changing the original solution is the constraint that we want to have three songs of a certain artist, when the current solution has two. Replacing a song by a random other song will then have a very low probability of being of the right artist, and hence the new solution will most likely also not have three songs of this artist.

Method and apparatus for generation of a sequence of elements


A vertical mill machine may be configured to facilitate a process of grinding a thread into a work piece. In one example, the method includes securing a fixture onto a planar surface of a vertical mill machine, the fixture being rotatable. The method further includes securing a work piece to the fixture and rotating the work piece about a Y-axis. The method yet further includes positioning a milling axle configured to move about an X-Y-Z-axis adjacent a circumferential surface of the work piece, wherein the milling axle includes a tool and wherein the tool is configured to rotate about the Y-axis. The method further includes rotating the tool about the Y-axis and contacting the tool with the circumferential surface of an exposed end of the work piece. The method yet further includes grinding a thread into the work piece with the tool.

The process of creating a thread on a desired work piece can be successfully accomplished by the application of various methods (e.g., threading by way of a lathe machine). Common steel bar stock can be threaded by utilizing a lathe machine and a threading tool. The work piece will be placed into a chuck that both secures the work piece and rotates it. Properly timing the application of the threading tool to the work piece will result in the work piece having material cut out of it, ultimately leaving the work piece with a thread on the outer surface.
When a large "batch" of the same part requires the same process of threading, the application of threading methods commonly known, such as discussed in the example above, may not be adequate, as output time would ultimately suffer. Also, threading specific material, such as ceramics, by methods currently known, may lead to unsatisfactory finishes or parts being out of tolerance. Therefore, there exists a current need for a method of threading ceramic material that will improve efficiency throughout the manufacturing process as well as retaining a satisfactory quality of the material.

Methods for threading a ceramic work piece with a grind wheel


A memory macro structure includes a first memory array, a second memory array, a cell activation circuit coupled to the first and second memory arrays and positioned between the first and second memory arrays, a control circuit coupled to the cell activation circuit and positioned adjacent to the cell activation circuit, and a through-silicon via (TSV) extending through one of the cell activation circuit or the control circuit.

The ongoing trend in miniaturizing integrated circuits (ICs) has resulted in progressively smaller devices which consume less power, yet provide more functionality at higher speeds than earlier technologies. Such miniaturization has been achieved through design and manufacturing innovations tied to increasingly strict specifications.
IC packages are often used for applications in which power is distributed among one or more IC dies. In some cases, dies are stacked in three-dimensional (3D) arrangements in which power distribution relies on through-silicon vias (TSVs) in one or more of the stacked IC dies.

Memory macro including through-silicon via

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.


A drive system for wellbore operations, the drive system, in certain, but not necessarily all aspects, including a main body, a motor apparatus, a main shaft extending from the main body and rotatable by the motor, the main shaft having a top end and a bottom end, and an item, the item non-threadedly connected to the main shaft.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to wellbore drilling top drive systems and methods of use; parts thereof; and, in certain particular aspects, such systems with a top drive stem that is not threadedly mated to an item connected thereto.
2. Description of Related Art
The prior art discloses a variety of top drive systems; for example, and not by way of limitation, the following U.S. patents present exemplary top drive systems and components thereof: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,458,768; 4,807,890; 4,984,641; 5,433,279; 6,276,450; 4,813,493; 6,705,405; 4,800,968; 4,878,546; 4,872,577; 4,753,300; 6,007,105; 6,536,520; 6,679,333; 6,923,254—all these patents incorporated fully herein for all purposes.
Certain typical prior art top drive drilling systems have a derrick supporting a top drive which rotates tubulars, e.g., drill pipe. The top drive is supported from a travelling block beneath a crown block. A drawworks on a rig floor raises and lowers the top drive. The top drive moves on a guide track.
In many typical prior art top drive systems the top drive includes a drive shaft or "stem" that is threadedly connected to an item below it, e.g. a mud saver apparatus or an upper internal blowout preventer. Improper handling or enormous stresses can damage the threads on the end of the drive stem or shaft. Such damage can result in personal injuries, costly down time for the rig, and expensive replacement or repair of the drive stem.
In certain prior art systems, a standard method of attachment for connecting the drilling pipe to a shaft, stem, power swivel or standard swivel, is a threaded connection with a shoulder. The nature of threads is such that the stress at the root of the thread is high and often the thread is difficult to inspect for cracks. As drilling loads increase (e.g., because the search for oil has gone deeper and deeper in the earth), stresses in the threads of the tool joint increase as well. Because of the nature of drilling rigs, including those which drill while floating off shore, there is sometimes a dynamic misalignment between the drive shaft and the drilling pipe, which induces a moment into the threaded connection in addition to the pressure, the drilling torque, and the support of the drill pipe assembly. Because the drive shaft is rotating at the time of the misalignment, there is an opportunity for the accumulation of fatigue damage. This, if severe enough, will result in the initiation and propagation of a fatigue crack. This can result in the failure of the tool joint. A failure of the part occurs when a fatigue crack has propagated to the outside of the shaft. Once a failure occurs the rig is shut down to repair the failed part. This represents lost income by reason of delays in production and lost billable contractor hours.
Often drilling fluid is conducted through a drill stem requiring a seal or seals between the drill stem and an item (e.g. an upper internal blowout preventer) to which the drill stem is connected.
There is a need for a more robust connection to the drive shaft or stem of a top drive, swivel or power swivel, one less sensitive to fatigue and easier to inspect. There is a need for an effective structure for sealing an interface between a drive stem and an item to which it is connected. There is a need for an effective structure for transmitting torque from a drive stem to items below it.


A passenger seat armrest has a cradle cavity formed therein for removably securing an electronic communications handset such as a telephone. The electronic communications handset is held in the armrest so that it becomes part of the armrest when not in use. Alternatively, the armrest also accommodates electronic devices not necessarily related to the electronic communications handset, such as additional communications ports and transducer modules. The armrest is comprised of modular components for efficient assembly, yet can be installed and removed from a passenger chair as a single unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to housings for electronic communications handsets. More particularly, the invention relates to cradles for an electronic communications handsets.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recent development and adaptation of electronic communications handsets, such as hand-held telephones and the like, have resulted in their use in commercial transportation, including commercial aircraft. For example, in commercial aircraft, telephone handsets and their cradles or holders have been incorporated whereby telephone service can be made by the user from the commercial aircraft to ground-based telephone equipment via radio-telephone links.
Many telephone handset and cradle combinations are known for use on commercial aircraft and adaptable to other modes of commercial transportation. Most of these devices are for seat-back mounting, i.e., for mounting onto or within the back surface of the passenger seat immediately in front of the intended passenger user or group of users. For example, see Hollowed et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,722) and Skowronski (U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,993 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,155,766). Also, see Kepley, III et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,597), which is co-owned with this application.
Additionally, a number of associated features are known for use with these telephone sets, including latching mechanisms (e.g., see Hollowed et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,722), telephone ejector mechanisms activated by credit cards (e.g., see Hollowed et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,881,254 and 4,977,592) and telephone cord reel (e.g., see Hollowed et al 5,109,412). Also, see generally Yazaki U.S. Pat. No. 5,418,836 and Ditzig et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,173,936.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,824, Hollowed et al. describe a telephone handset cradle that includes a credit card activated latching mechanism and a mounting means such as a bracket or the like. The patent teaches of installing or mounting the telephone handset and cradle device "under the armrest of an aircraft seat, or perhaps under or on the armrests of seats such as those included in limousines, boats, trains and the like".
As is known, space is at a premium in all modes of commercial transportation, particularly in commercial aircraft. Therefore, it is desirable to have available a cradle or holder for an electronic communications handset that makes efficient use of the limited space available in commercial modes of transportation, including commercial aircraft.

Armrest cradle for electronic communications handset