A prosthetic suspension device having a positioning element, a coupling element, and a friction-reducing element to facilitate movement of the positioning element towards the coupling element. The positioning element is adapted to maneuver an inner socket of a prosthesis into an outer socket of a prosthesis. The coupling element is configured to receive the positioning element and restrict movement thereof.

A prosthetic device, or prosthesis, is an artificial substitute for a part of the body such as a limb. Most prostheses have sockets to attach the prosthesis to the amputee's residual limb. One of the challenges of socket design is to maintain a tight fit between the prosthesis and the residual limb, particularly during unweighting of the limb, such as in the swing phase of gait.
Hydrostatic socket designs typically include a gel liner that is placed over the residual limb of the amputee to couple the residual limb to the prosthesis. The prosthesis may include a hard outer socket and a soft intermediate socket that is placed between the gel liner and the hard socket. A bottom or distal attachment device is connected to the liner and engages with the hard socket to secure the prosthesis to the user. The attachment device is commonly a pin, also known as a shuttle lock. Unfortunately, these devices may be difficult for users to properly align since the user may be unable to see the attachment device while trying to engage the attachment device with the rest of the prosthesis. Donning a prosthesis may also be frustrating for older adults and people with diabetes because they often lack upper body strength that is needed to align and secure the sockets to one another. Additionally, these attachment devices require the user to stand during donning so that gravity may be used to align and secure the prosthetic components.


A device to prevent inadvertent closure of switches. The device includes a horizontal blocking member and in some embodiments an optional vertical blocking member. The device attaches to a rotary element in communication with the switch such as an operating pipe and prevents closure of the switch by striking structural components in the area of the switch as the pipe rotates. The device is of particular application with respect to high-voltage and extra high-voltage switches as typically employed in electrical transmission and distribution substations.

The present invention relates to safety mechanisms for blocking the travel of electrical air break switches, and in particular to mechanisms for blocking the travel of large, high-voltage electrical air break switches such as commonly found in electrical power substations.
A number of different mechanisms to prevent the opening or closing of electrical switches are known in the art. Such devices are primarily employed for the purpose of safety to personnel in the area of the switch, or in the area of the equipment that is powered by electricity fed through the switch. It is often the case that an electrical switch is located in a position remote from such equipment, and inadvertent operation of the switch may cause serious injury to persons attempting to repair the equipment that may become suddenly energized. Likewise, inadvertent application of power to equipment that has not been readied to receive current may cause significant damage to the equipment.
A number of safety mechanisms have been developed for standard knife switches, circuit breakers, and other types of switches commonly encountered. Such mechanisms are taught, for example, by U.S. Pat. No. 1,558,628 to Purcell; U.S. Pat. No. 1,281,127 to Blankenship; U.S. Pat. No. 1,298,745 to Lum; U.S. Pat. No. 1,092,259 to Ham; U.S. Pat. No. 1,774,540 to Alsaker et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,456 to Hovanic et al. One significant disadvantage of each of these mechanisms is that the apparatus required to lock the switch in the closed or open position must be attached to each switch in a stationary manner. The parts that are required in order to make the switch lock in the closed or open position are not readily transportable from switch to switch. Thus the employment of these mechanisms is expensive where a large number of switches are involved, since a separate lock is needed for each switch, and the cost increases as the size of the switches increase. Such mechanisms would also be difficult, or in some cases impossible, to retrofit to existing switches.
One particular class of switches where safety technology is not well developed is the high-voltage and extra high-voltage air break switches that are typically employed by electric utility companies at power substations. These types of switches open and close through the rotation of an operating pipe. The pipe is often rotated by means of a gear driven motor drive, and the motor is activated by electronic controls. Since the switches are connected to a motor, they cannot be opened or closed without activation of a control signal (either through a nearby panel or remotely). The switches may be inadvertently opened or closed, however, when they are disconnected or de-coupled from their motor drive assemblies for purposes of maintenance. In addition, there are several types of manual switches of this type, including swing-handle switches (which are operated manually by a lever) and gear-operated switches (which are opened and closed using a hand crank mechanism). All of these types of switches are generally located outdoors, and the inventors of the present invention have found that in some cases a gust of wind is sufficient to inadvertently close an air break switch once it is disconnected or de-coupled from its opening/closing drive assembly. Since these switches are used to relay large electrical currents at very high voltages, the inadvertent closing of such a switch when equipment or personnel are not prepared may, for example, cause serious bodily injury or damage to expensive distribution and transmission equipment. Because these systems are part of an automated electrical transmission and distribution grid, an inadvertent switch closing could also cause a cascade of automatic equipment shutdowns, such that a whole power grid or generating plant is affected. The problem is particularly acute with regard to switches at substations associated with nuclear power plants, since the restart of a nuclear power plant following a safety-related emergency shutdown is a time-consuming and expensive process. Such an occurrence may even impact the availability of power across the grid, resulting in blackouts of service.
The art does contain some devices intended to provide safety lock-out for high-voltage lines and devices. U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,321 to Leclerc teaches a remote-controlled locking device to aid persons performing maintenance on high-voltage transmission or distribution lines. The device incorporates a T-shaped piece that fits to the breaker blade, with a key mechanism that operates the latch on the device. Again, a significant disadvantage of this mechanism is that the lock apparatus must be constructed as an integral part of each switch, and in a typical transmission and distribution grid comprising many thousands of high-voltages switches, the cost of retrofitting the entire system to use such devices would make this solution unfeasible.
The art also contains a number of other devices intended for use in connection with the manipulation of high-voltage switches that are not of the air-break variety discussed herein. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,541,717 and 5,451,730, to Roberts and Phillips, Sr., respectively, teach switch locking mechanisms for hookstick-controlled switches. U.S. Pat. No. 1,339,506 to Getts teaches a locking switch for another type of high-voltage switch. None of these devices are useable with respect to the air break switches commonly used today in power substations.
What is desired is a simple, inexpensive, reliable device to lock (or block open) high-voltage air break switches when the drive assembly used to open and close the switch, whether manual or motor-driven, is disconnected or de-coupled for maintenance. In addition, it would be desirable that such a device be capable of employment with a wide variety of air break switch designs, and be capable of being retrofitted to such air break switches that are currently used in electricity transmission and distribution substations. The device should be portable so that there is no need to install a lock on every switch where locking is desired. Further, it would be desirable to have such a device that can be readily installed and removed by maintenance personnel in a short amount of time, without specialized equipment or tools and without specialized additional training. These desires are achieved, and the limitations of the related art devices are overcome, in the present invention as described below.


This integrated circuit comprises:                a substrate,        a first electrical conductor comprising a first end, the first electrical conductor being electrically insulated from the substrate,        a second electrical conductor comprising a second end, the second electrical conductor being electrically insulated from the substrate and electrically insulated from the first electrical conductor except at the second end which is mechanically and electrically directly in contact with the first end to form an electrical junction.

An integrated circuit comprises a substrate on the surface of which and/or inside of which are produced electronic components to form one or more electronic chips.
These integrated circuits are produced by using collective fabrication methods often called "microelectronics" methods. For example, these methods implement a machining of the substrate or layer by photolithography and etching (for example DRIE (Deep Reactive Ion Etching)) and/or a structuring by epitaxial growth and deposition of conductive material. By virtue of these microelectronics methods, the fabricated electronic components are small. In many cases, these components have dimensions of a micrometric or nanometric order. The dimension of micrometric or nanometric order is generally less than 10 μm and, typically, less than 1 μm.
The substrate can be homogeneous, such as a block. Or, the substrate can be heterogeneous, such as a plurality of stacked thin layers. In this case, the electronic components are produced on the surface and/or inside this substrate and the electronic chip or chips are arranged at least partly on the surface of this substrate.
The substrate can also be a "multilayer" substrate. Such a substrate is made of up of a stack of substrates assembled one on top of the other. The stacked substrates can themselves be homogeneous or heterogeneous. Here, to distinguish this substrate from the stacked substrates of which it is composed, the stacked substrates are called "layers." In the case of a multilayer substrate, the stacked layers are not thin layers. In particular, each stacked layer exhibits a sufficient rigidity in itself to be handled without being bonded onto another substrate. To this end, typically, the stacked layers have a thickness at least 10 or 100 times greater than the thickness of the thin layers. For example, the thin layers have a thickness of less than 1 μm or 0.1 μm, whereas the stacked layers have a thickness greater than 5 or 10 or 100 μm. Several of these layers can include electronic components on the level of the assembly interface between two successive layers of the substrate. These electronic components produced on the surface of the stacked layers constitute one or more electronic chips. The integrated circuit then comprises a stack of electronic chips, stacked one on top of the other. These integrated circuits in which a plurality of electronic chips are stacked one on top of the other are often called "3D integrated circuits."
One of the main limitations on performance of integrated circuits is the quantity of heat that they produce and which has to be removed. This problem is even greater in 3D integrated circuits.
In order to evaluate, as correctly as possible, the heat from an integrated circuit, it is useful to know the places inside this integrated circuit where the heat is concentrated and reaches a maximum. These places are called "hot spots." It is also important to know the diffusion from these hot spots inside the circuit.
One of the difficulties commonly encountered is that of knowing both the positions of these hot spots and the diffusion from these hot spots. This difficulty is exacerbated when the hots spots are inside the substrate, especially if they are more than 5 μm away from an outer face of the substrate.
It is known to measure temperature on the surface of the substrate, but now how to directly measure temperature inside the substrate. Thus, currently, to estimate the temperature of a hot spot situated inside the substrate, simulation software is used. Such software is based on mathematical models that make it possible to predict the flow of the heat fluxes inside the substrate. To improve the estimation of this software, the latter can also use, as input data, the temperatures measured on the surface of the substrate. However, these models can prove imprecise, notably in estimating the dynamic aspects of certain thermal phenomena.
The prior art is also known from: FR2878077A1, DE102010029526A1 and US2010/219525A1.

Integrated circuit and method for fabricating an integrated circuit equipped with a temperature probe

Abstract: The first and second ends are entirely buried to at least 5 μm depth inside the substrate and produced, respectively, in different first and second materials chosen for the absolute value of the Seebeck coefficient of the junction to be greater than 1 μV/K at 20° C. such that the combination of these first and second conductors forms a temperature probe.

Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives


A two-level scratch game is disclosed which comprises a substrate on which is printed a first grid of randomly selected numbers, each number being printed in a separate box which forms part of the grid. At least one instant price in the form of a price amount or of a game symbol is printed in at least one of the boxes of the first grid. A scratchable rub-off coating is applied onto the first grid to hide the numbers and instant prices printed in the boxes of this first grid. A second grid identical in size to the first grid and containing the same randomly selected numbers is printed on the rub-off coating exactly over the first grid. In use, a player owning the game will benefit from two levels of playing activity upon a drawing of numbers at random by an authorized authority, namely (1) to try to get a complete horizontal, vertical or diagonal row of numbers as in a Bingo game in order to win a given price, and simultaneously (2) to scratch the boxes containing the drawn numbers in order to find and win an instant price. A method of manufacturing this two-level scratch game is also disclosed.

a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a two-level scratch game to be used and sold in a lottery. The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing this two-level scratch game.
b) Brief Description of the Prior Art
Scratch games comprising a substrate on which a scratchable rub-off coating is applied in order to hide instant prices in the form of a price amount, or a game symbol which is printed directly onto the substrate, are well known and commonly used by lotteries and advertising companies for promotional purposes. With such scratch games, the play essentially consists of scratching the rub-off coating or a part thereof in order to hopefully find that one of the instant prices has been printed on the substrate. If an instant price is found, the possessor of the scratch piece wins that amount.
A game called Bingo is also well known. This game makes use of cards on which two dimensional grids .Iadd.form individual boxes. Each box has a .Iaddend.randomly selected number printed therein.[.part.]..Iadd.. .Iaddend.Bingo random numbers are drawn by some authority. A player marks the corresponding numbers on their card. In trying to get a complete horizontal, vertical or diagonal row of the numbers marked. When a player accomplishes this objective, they win a price amount that is usually predetermined before the drawing of numbers starts.
Another scratch game derived from the Bingo game has already been suggested and is presently marketed in France under the tradename GROLO. This game comprises a substrate on which has a first grid of boxes printed thereon, containing winning or losing symbols which are randomly distributed. This first grid is hidden by a scratchable rub-off coating upon which another grid is printed and superimposed over the first grid. This second grid contains numbers sequentially printed in its boxes to allow identification of the boxes. In use, a plurality of numbers are drawn at random by some authority. Then, each player scratches the rub-off coating of the boxes bearing the numbers that are drawn in order to uncover the symbols printed within the corresponding boxes of the first grid. If a given number of winning symbols are uncovered, the player will win a specific price amount.
The second grid of numbers printed on the rub-off coating of all of these games is always the same, and only the first grid of randomly selected winning and losing symbols vary from one card to the other. In addition, there is only a single way of playing this scratch game.


A method, computer program product, and system for analyzing data using a data warehouse application are provided. The method, computer program product, and system provide for displaying a facet in a user interface of the data warehouse application, the facet classifying a plurality of documents, and displaying a facet attribute of the facet in the user interface of the data warehouse application, the facet attribute corresponding to a characteristic associated with each of the plurality of documents classified by the facet.

Data is sometimes categorized or classified into facets (e.g., categories, classes, etc.) and analyzed through traversal of the facets. However, based solely on the facets, a user is unable to determine whether the data is properly classified or categorized (e.g., accurate, current, and so forth). Without this knowledge, the user's analysis of the data may be incorrect. Incorrect data analysis could lead to, for example, erroneous decision-making.

International Business Machines Corporation


A voltage-controlled oscillator includes a voltage regulator, and a delay unit. The voltage regulator independently receives a first oscillation control signal and a second oscillation control signal to provide a regulated voltage signal which is represented by a regular ratio of combination of the first and second oscillation control signals, and the regulated voltage signal is feedback to the voltage regulator. The delay unit generates an output signal having a frequency varying in response to the regulated voltage signal.

1. Technical Field
Example embodiments relate to a multi-media system, and more particularly to a clock generator used in the multi-media system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, the required operating speed of a multi-media system (hereinafter "system") has increased dramatically. As a result, required data processing speed has also greatly increased to accommodate the increase in system operating speed. Clock signals having high frequency are required to increase the operating speed of the system.
As a feature size used during the manufacturing process of the clock generator decreases, a voltage level of the supply voltage decreases, and thus, a gain of a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) increases. When the gain of the VCO increases, a jitter characteristic of the VCO is degraded.

Voltage-controlled oscillator, phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit, and clock generator


Methods, systems, and media for associating scenes depicted in media content with a map of where the media content was produced are provided. In some embodiments, a method for presenting map information with video information is provided, the method comprising: receiving a request for a video from a user device; determining if there is location information associated with portions of the video; in response to determining that there is location information associated with the video, causing first map information corresponding to the location information to be presented in a first format during presentation of the video; receiving an indication that the first map information has been selected; in response to receiving the indication, causing second map information corresponding to the portion of the video that was being presented to be presented by the user device, wherein the second map information is presented in a second format.

Consumers interested in particular media content may be interested in learning more about the locations where the media content was created. For example, certain locations where popular movies or television shows were produced have become tourist attractions. However, in order to determine where content was produced, a consumer needs to use a separate service, such as a search engine, to try to locate information about the media content. This can be frustrating for the consumer as they may have to sift through many results that are not relevant, or may not be able to easily access the information at all.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide methods, systems, and media for associating scenes depicted in media content with a map of where the media content was produced.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A method of operating a bar code scanning system adapted for assembling information bearing indicia (IBI) information from partial scans of IBI data which may comprise some undecodable characters, the method comprising the steps of: converting light reflected from a target into output signals representative thereof utilizing an image sensor; illuminating the target utilizing an illumination source; directing light from the target to the image sensor array utilizing receive optics; determining if information contained in IBI within the target derived from the output signals is not decodable; transmitting an image of the IBI to a host processor if the IBI is not decoded; and housing the processor, image sensor, receive optics, illumination source and display in a common housing for hand held operation.

Indicia reading devices (also referred to as scanners, image reader, readers, etc.) typically read data represented by printed indicia, (also referred to as symbols, symbology, bar codes, etc.) For instance one type of a symbol is an array of rectangular bars and spaces that are arranged in a specific way to represent elements of data in machine readable form. Indicia reading devices typically transmit light onto a symbol and receive light scattered and/or reflected back from a bar code symbol or indicia. The received light is interpreted by a processor which performs signal and/or image processing to extract the data represented by the symbol. Optical indicia reading devices typically utilize visible light. Laser indicia reading devices typically utilize transmitted laser light.
One-dimensional (1D) optical bar code readers are characterized by reading data that is encoded along a single axis, in the widths of bars and spaces, so that such symbols may be read from a single scan along that axis, provided that the symbol is sampled with a sufficiently high resolution along that axis.
In order to allow the encoding of larger amounts of data in a single bar code symbol, a number of 1D stacked bar code symbologies have been developed which partition encoded data into multiple rows, each including a respective 1D bar code pattern, some or all of which must be scanned and decoded, then linked together to form a complete message. Scanning still requires relatively higher resolution in one dimension only, but multiple linear scans at different locations on a second dimension are needed to read the whole symbol.
A class of bar code symbologies known as two dimensional (2D) matrix symbologies have been developed which require image based reading and offer greater data densities and capacities than 1D symbologies. 2D matrix codes encode data as dark or light data elements within a regular polygonal matrix, accompanied by graphical finder, orientation and reference structures.
Often times an optical reader may be portable and wireless in nature thereby providing added flexibility. In these circumstances, such readers form part of a wireless network in which data collected within the terminals is communicated to a host computer situated on a hardwired backbone via a wireless link. For example, the readers may include a radio or optical transceiver for communicating with a remote computer.
Some data collection devices, such as hand-held image readers, are capable of capturing images as well as reading barcodes. The reading and decoding of a barcode represents an operation distinct from that involved in capturing an image. The reading and decoding of a bar code involves the imaging and then decoding of a one or two dimensional graphic symbol into the alphanumeric, full ASCII or other data sequence encoded by the symbol. The capturing of an image involves storing an electronic visual copy/representation of the image.
Efforts regarding such systems have led to continuing developments to improve their versatility, practicality and efficiency.

Automatic image transmission of difficult to read symbols


A rotary electric apparatus, such as motor, comprises a rotor and a stator arranged to face the rotor in the radial direction. The rotor rotates together with a rotation shaft. The stator has a cylindrical stator core, a stator winding wound in the stator core to have coil-end blocks arranged to protrude respectively from both ends of the stator core in the axial direction and being arranged on both sides of the stator core in the circumferential direction, and a lead wire taken from the windings. The lead wire includes a first wire portion taken along the axial direction from one of the coil-end blocks, a second wire portion extended from the first wire portion and arranged partly along the circumferential direction to be secured with resin material on the coil-end block, and a third wire portion extended from the second wire portion and arranged outwards in the radial direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to rotary electric apparatuses, such as electric motors and electric generators, mounted on automobiles and trucks, and in particular, to a rotary electric apparatus in which stator windings are wound to have coil-end blocks from one of which lead wires are drawn out.
2. Description of the Related Art
A variety of types of rotary electric apparatuses have now been used, one type of which is proposed by Japanese Patent Laid-open publication No. 2002-335657. This publication provides a rotary electric apparatus which is realized as an electric motor and an electric generator, which have a stator having a stator core around which stator windings are wound. The stator windings are connected with lead wires which extend axially in order to electrically connect with other electric parts. Specifically, the lead wires extend out backward from a coil-end block in the axial direction, and wired along the coil-end block so that the lead wires extend backward axially to connect with a rectifier. Other than those lead wires, the stator windings are electrically connected with each other by a connector near to the coil-end block and the connector is arranged to axially protrude more than the coil-end block.
In the above construction taught by the publication, the lead wires drawn out of the stator windings are arranged along the coil-end block to given positions corresponding to connections of the rectifier. However, as the wiring along the coil-end block becomes longer, the lead wires are likely to cause vibration, which may lead to breaking of the wires. In other words, there is a problem that the lead wires are obliged to have a decrease in durability.
Additionally, the lead wires connecting to the rectifier extend backward more than the coil-end block in the axial direction, which may prevent welding jigs from moving. However, the welding jigs are used during a welding process to form the connector being protruded from the coil-end block. Thus, this will affect the productivity of the rotary electric apparatus.

Rotary electric apparatus with coil-end block from which lead wires are drawn out


A furrow opener apparatus has an arm assembly adapted at a front end thereof for pivotal attachment to a seeder frame. A single disc is rotatably attached to the arm assembly about a disc axis at an angle to the travel. A walking beam is pivotally attached to the arm assembly rearward of the disc about a beam axis transverse to the travel direction. A bias element exerts a force on the arm assembly such that a downward bias force is exerted on the walking beam at the beam axis. A packer wheel is rotatably attached at a rear end of the walking beam, and a gauge wheel is rotatably attached at a front end of the walking beam. The gauge wheel is configured to roll along the ground adjacent to the leading face of the disc, and the packer wheel is configured to roll along the furrow.

Seeding implements typically comprise a frame adapted for travel over the ground, a plurality of furrow opener assemblies attached to the frame to open one or more furrows, and a distribution system for depositing agricultural materials such as seed and fertilizer into the furrows.
The furrow opener assemblies vary widely in design, but an important object of any design is to maintain the depth of the furrow as constant as possible, such that seed placement is at a constant depth to ensure uniform plant emergence as nearly as possible. The actual furrow opening element will be a hoe or knife type that essentially drags through the soil to form the furrow, or a disc opener comprising a disc which rolls through the soil at an angle to the travel direction to form the furrow.
Disc assemblies may be double disc openers with two discs oriented at an angle such that the discs converge and meet at a lower forward point of the discs to cut the suil at that point, and then diverge rearward of the contact point to form the furrow. A tube is located to drop seed and fertilizer between the discs and into the furrow.
Disc assemblies may also be single disc openers where a single disc engages the soil at an angle to the travel direction, such that a leading face of the disc pushes soil toward one side, such that seed and fertilizer can be deposited into the furrow by a tube adjacent to the trailing face of the disc.
Depth control on disc openers can be accomplished by providing a gauge wheel adjacent to the leading face of the disc. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,331,205 to Sorenson et al. discloses a double disc opener with a gauge wheel adjacent to each disc. The gauge wheels can be moved closer to the disc where it is desired to clean wet soil from the disc face, or farther away from the disc as desired. U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,806 to Bigbee discloses a single disc opener with a gauge wheel adjacent to the leading face of the disc. In Bigbee the gauge wheel actually rotates in contact with the leading side of the disc to clean the disc.
A downward bias force is exerted on the furrow opener assembly to force the discs down into the ground to a depth where the gauge wheel contacts the ground and prevents the disc from going any deeper. Such a gauge wheel provides very accurate depth control, since the gauge wheel rolls very close to the disc. Such gauge wheels also have disadvantages in some conditions.
With the gauge wheel close to the disc, the disc is very sensitive to lumps of soil or crop residue in the field. When the gauge wheel rolls up and over an obstruction, the disc also moves up an equal distance, causing uneven seeding depth in conditions of heavy trash or uneven field conditions.
Soil conditions vary across a field and it is necessary to provide sufficient downward force to penetrate harder field areas. In field areas where the soil is soft, especially with a single disc opener this downward force on the gauge wheel can force the gauge wheel down into softer soils, making a furrow that is too deep. High downward forces on the gauge wheel can also lead to over compaction on the sidewall of the furrow in some conditions, and also pulverization of vulnerable soil leading to increased erosion. Soil moved by the disc to form the furrow can pile up in front of the gauge wheel and cause the gauge wheel to stop rotating and bulldoze the soil when excessive downward force on the gauge wheel prevents the gauge wheel from rolling up over this soil.
Each opener type has advantages and disadvantages. For example single disc openers are preferred where the soil is firm, such as in no-till seeding operations where the soil is not cultivated prior to seeding. Single disc openers penetrate the soil better, generally disturb the soil less, and also are less prone to "hair pinning," a condition where straw and trash left on the soil surface are pushed down into the furrow. Double disc openers are preferred for softer soils, such as where the soil is cultivated prior to seeding.
Where the furrow is a seed furrow, once seed is deposited in the furrow it is generally desired to move soil back over the furrow and pack the soil on the furrow. Depending on the particular furrow opener assembly, soil may simply fall back into the furrow or a furrow closing means may be provided. Typically a packer wheel then rolls along the furrow to pack the soil.
In a common furrow opener assembly configured to maintain consistent seed depth, the front end of a trailing arm is pivotally attached to the seeder frame such that the arm extends generally rearward and downward from the frame and can pivot up and down with respect to the seeder frame. A packer wheel is then rotatably attached to support the rear end of the trailing arm. A furrow opener is attached to the trailing arm ahead of the packer wheel such that the vertical position of the bottom of the furrow opener with respect to the bottom of the packer wheel can be fixed at a desired location to substantially set the depth of the furrow. A bias element is provided to force the trailing arm downward to push the furrow opener into the soil and force the packer wheel again it the ground.
The packer wheel pushes down the soil over the seed in the furrow and the bottom of the packer wheel corresponds to the soil surface. The depth of the furrow is substantially determined by the vertical distance that the bottom end of the furrow opener extends below the bottom of the packer wheel. Such a trailing arm furrow opener assembly is disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 7,159,523 to Bourgault et al., particularly in FIG. 1 thereof. U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,851 to Beaujot and U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,114 to Barton disclose trailing arm furrow opener assemblies that operate in a similar way.
A problem occurs with trailing arm furrow opener assemblies such as that of Bourgault, Barton, and Beaujot in uneven terrain where the distance between the frame and the ground varies. As the vertical distance of the frame above the ground varies the trailing arm moves up and down about its pivotal attachment to the frame and the angle of the trailing arm changes such that the distance from the middle portion of the arm, where the furrow opener is attached, to the ground varies, and thus the actual depth of the seed furrow varies.
To improve the consistency of the furrow depth Bourgault et al. also disclose, in FIGS. 5-9 of U.S. Pat. No. 7,159,523, a trailing arm formed by upper and lower parallel arms connected at each end by front and rear links. Such a parallel link assembly has the property that the rear link is maintained in a constant horizontal and vertical orientation through the vertical range of motion without tilting forward or rearward. The front link thereof is fixed to the implement frame and the rear packer wheel and the furrow opener are fixed to the rear link. Thus as the packer wheel moves up and down relative to the frame in uneven terrain, the packer wheel and furrow opener move together vertically and so the furrow depth is maintained at a constant depth. Such a parallel arm however is very sensitive again to lumps of soil or crop residue in the field. Like the gauge wheel closely adjacent to the furrow opening disc described above, when the packer wheel in FIG. 5 of Bourgault moves up over a lump, the furrow opening element moves up the same amount causing uneven seed depth in lumpy field conditions.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,191,715 to Wendte et al. discloses a planting unit attached to a frame with a parallel link mechanism. The unit includes hoppers for carrying seed and fertilizer and a metering system to deliver this material to the furrow. Wendt discloses a double disc furrow opener assembly with a gauge wheel beside each disc and with a walking beam arrangement to reduce the sensitivity of the apparatus to lumps on the field. Each gauge wheel is mounted to the front end of a walking beam beside the discs, and a packer wheel is mounted to the rear end of each walking beam. Closer discs move soil back over the furrow in front of the packer wheels. The unit is supported on the walking beam at the mid-point of the walking beam. Thus when either the front gauge wheel or rear packer wheel rolls over a lump and moves up by the height of the lump, the mid point of the beam only moves up only one half of the height of the lump. Wendte also discloses that a swivel can be provided between the right and left rear packer wheels to further reduce movement of the furrow opening discs when the rear packer wheel rolls over a lump.
Similar walking beam planter units are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,635 to Hulicsko and U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,993 to Ikumoto et al. Also U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,441 to Pfenninger and U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,084 to Sigle disclose a furrow opener supported at the mid-point of a walking beam. The beam has wheels at its front and rear ends and the furrow opener is located between the front and rear wheels.

Single disc furrow opener with walking beam


A constant velocity universal joint is provided, having a hollow outer joint member, an inner joint member, an outer roller including a cylindrical surface, an inner roller including a concave sphere, and plural leg shafts each including a convex sphere formed in a tip portion and engaging with the concave sphere, where the cylindrical surface of the outer roller satisfies the following:W1>PCR(1−cos θ)/2+μ3R3+μ2R1W2>3PCR(1−cos θ)/2−μ3R3+μ2R1,where W1 indicates a length of the cylindrical surface from a center of the leg shaft and an intersection of the cylindrical surface and an upper side taper portion of the outer roller, W2 indicates a length of the cylindrical surface from the center of the leg shaft and an intersection of the cylindrical surface and a lower side taper portion of the outer roller, and θ indicates a maximum joint angle.

Constant velocity universal joints (CV joints) are sometimes used in a drive shaft of a vehicle. CV joints connect two shafts on a drive side and a driven side such that a rotational force can be transmitted at a constant velocity even when there is an angle between the two shafts. A CV joint including a leg shaft and a roller (for example, a tripod constant velocity universal joint) is known. In the case of the tripod constant velocity universal joint, an inner joint member is connected to one shaft, an outer joint member is connected to the other shaft, and a roller fitted to the leg shaft is housed in the guide groove of the outer joint member, whereby the two shafts are connected to each other and torque is transmitted. The inner joint member includes three leg shafts that protrude in a radial direction. The outer joint member is a hollow cylinder that includes three guide grooves that extend in an axial direction of the outer joint member.
In a known tripod type CV joint (such as that shown in FIG. 10, for example), a roller 6 includes an inner roller 6b and an outer roller 6a that can be moved in the axial direction with respect to each other such that the roller 6 can be moved in parallel along a guide groove 2a. A convex sphere is formed in a tip portion of a leg shaft 5a, and a concave sphere is formed in an inner peripheral surface of inner roller 6b such that leg shaft 5a and the inner roller 6b can be oscillated with respect to each other (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-147482, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference). With this configuration, when a CV joint 1 is rotated at an angle (the joint angle), inner roller 6b fitted to leg shaft 5a is moved in the axial direction with respect to outer roller 6a. However, outer roller 6a is moved only in parallel along guide groove 2a. Therefore, less friction occurs as compared to when the entire roller 6 is displaced in the axial direction. Thus, it is possible to suppress a thrust force of outer joint member 2 in the axial direction that is generated due to the friction. In turn, it is possible to suppress vibration caused by this thrust force.
In a CV joint having the aforementioned structure, the outer roller may make angular contact with the guide groove of the outer joint member in order to make the posture of the outer roller stable. FIG. 11 shows a case where the outer roller 6a makes angular contact with the guide groove 2a of the outer joint member 2. The outer roller 6a makes contact with the guide groove 2a at contact points A and B. Points A and B are symmetrical with respect to a plane that passes through the center of outer roller 6a in the axial direction and that is perpendicular to the axis.
However, when the outer roller makes angular contact with the groove of the outer joint member, since a contact point between the leg shaft and the inner roller is moved due to rotation of the joint, a thrust force is generated in the axial direction of the outer joint member (the Z-axis direction). This thrust force causes vibration in the CV joint member, as described in detail below.
Referring to FIG. 11, when CV joint 1 is rotated by a joint angle, leg shaft 5a and inner roller 6b are moved in the axial direction of inner roller 6b (the Y-axis direction), and friction occurs between inner roller 6b and a needle bearing 7. Therefore, the contact point between leg shaft 5a and inner roller 6b is moved along the inner sphere of inner roller 6b as shown by arrow D so that force balancing with the frictional force is generated at the contact point.
When the contact point between leg shaft 5a and inner roller 6b is moved as shown by arrow D and as described above, moment Mz around the Z-axis is generated between outer roller 6a and needle bearing 7. In order to balance with moment Mz, a contact load is generated, for example, at a point K on a rear surface side which is opposed to a side where a load is applied. When roller unit 6 is moved in the Z-axis direction while the contact load is applied, a frictional force Rk is generated at point K. Further, moment My around the Y-axis is generated due to frictional force Rk. Therefore, in order to balance moment My generated due to the frictional force Rk, frictional forces Ra and Rb are generated also at contact points A and B (respectively) between outer roller 6a and outer joint member 2 on the side where the load is applied. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the directions of frictional forces Ra and Rb. FIG. 12 a schematic arrow cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII in FIG. 11. As shown in FIG. 12, the frictional forces Ra and Rb, which are generated at the contact points A and B in order to make the moment My zero, are applied in the same direction as the direction in which the frictional force Rk is applied. Therefore, the thrust force is a resultant force of the three frictional forces Rk, Ra, and Rb, as expressed in Equation 1. Also, frictional forces Ra and Rb are obtained according to Equation 2, which indicates the balance between frictional forces Ra and Rb and moment My. Thus, the large thrust force in the Z-axis direction is generated when the contact point between leg shaft 5a and inner roller 6b is moved.Thrust force=−(Rk+Ra+Rb)  (Equation 1)My=Rk×d1−(Ra+Rb)×d2=0.
In Equation 2, d1 indicates a length in an X-axis direction from an axis of the inner roller to point K, and d2 indicates a length in the X-axis direction from the axis of the inner roller to point A (or point B).


The present invention provides an apparatus and method for storing instruction set information. The apparatus comprises a processing circuit for executing processing instructions from any of a plurality of instruction sets of processing instructions, each processing instruction being specified by an instruction address identifying that processing instruction's location in memory. A different number of instruction address bits need to be specified in the instruction address for processing instructions in different instruction sets. The apparatus further comprises encoding logic for encoding an instruction address with an indication of the instruction set corresponding to that instruction to generate an n-bit encoded instruction address. The encoding logic is arranged to perform the encoding by performing a computation equivalent to extending the specified instruction address bits to n-bits by prepending a pattern of bits to the specified instruction address bits, the pattern of bits prepended being dependent on the instruction set corresponding to that instruction. Preferably, the encoded instruction address is then compressed. This approach provides a particularly efficient technique for incorporating instruction set information with instruction addresses, and will be useful in any implementations where it is desired to track such information, one example being in tracing mechanisms used to trace the activity of a processing circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to data processing apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to a data processing apparatus and method for storing instruction set information.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Data processing apparatus may be provided with processing circuits that are able to execute processing instructions from a number of different instruction sets. There are a number of situations where it is desirable to keep track of the processing being performed by the processing circuit, and in such situations it may be desirable to be able to identify at any point in time which instruction set is being used. For example, such information is useful during the development of data processing systems, where it is often desirable to track the activity of the processing circuit. An example of a tool that may be used to assist in such a process is a tracing tool.
Tracing the activity of a data processing system whereby a trace stream is generated including data representing the step-by-step activity within the system is a highly useful tool in system development. However, with the general move towards more deeply embedded processor cores, it becomes more difficult to track the state of the processor core via externally accessible pins. Accordingly, as well as off-chip tracing mechanisms for capturing and analysing trace data, increased amounts of tracing functionality are being placed on-chip. Examples of such on-chip tracing mechanisms are the Embedded Trace Macrocell provided by ARM Limited, Cambridge, England in association with their ARM7 and ARM9 processors.
Such tracing mechanisms produce in real time a trace stream of data representing activities of the data processing system that are desired to be traced. This trace stream can then subsequently be used to facilitate debugging of sequences of processing instructions being executed by the data processing system.
It is known to provide tracing and debugging mechanisms incorporating trigger points that serve to control the tracing and debugging operation, such as starting or stopping tracing upon access to a particular register, address or data value. Such mechanisms are very useful for diagnosing specific parts of a system or types of behaviour. As an example, if a particular system bug is associated with exception behaviour, then tracing the full operation of the system would produce an inconveniently large volume of data when what is really required is tracing of the exception behaviour with this being triggered upon access to the appropriate exception handling vector.
As data processing systems increase in complexity whilst it is desired to also reduce development time for new systems, there is a need to improve the debug and tracing tools and mechanisms that may be used within the development of data processing systems.
In situations where the processing circuit may be able to execute processing instructions from any of a number of different instruction sets, then it would be desirable for tracing mechanisms to also keep track of that instruction set information. However, it is also desirable wherever possible to reduce the amount of data that needs to be traced.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an efficient technique for storing such instruction set information.

Apparatus and method for efficiently incorporating instruction set information with instruction addresses


A floor display for products, in the form of a shelf system having a base, a back wall, side walls, and preferably having a top wall or canopy, although this is an optional feature, and shelves fitted at progressively increasing angles from bottom to top of the display for displaying products in a manner convenient for viewing.

Product display shelving and racks are available in a wide variety of constructions. Usually they are designed for displaying the maximum amount of products in a minimum space, so that the largest number of different products can be displayed within a given square footage of retail space.
Vinyl tiles are conventionally displayed by means of a plurality of vertically mounted swinging panels, usually at counter height, so that customers may easily view the panels by simply swinging them to and fro. Vinyl tiles are secured for example by adhesives on the swinging panels, although they may be releasably secured in some cases.
Such systems lend themselves to erection along the walls of a retail space, and have been popular and effective in the past.
However, it is clearly desirable, when displaying products such as vinyl tiles, that the display shall not be confined simply to the walls of the retail space.
In order to use the swinging panel system, for filling a retail space relatively substantial intermediate walls must then be erected within the retail space. These walls then tend to divide up the retail space into a number of relatively small compartments or cubicles, making it awkward for customers to move around.
In addition, the erection of such walls and swinging panels represents a substantial cost to the retail establishment. Furthermore, if the establishment wishes to re-arrange its displays, it is relatively difficult, and expensive, for the establishment to rearrange the display, or to move the panels to a different location.
For all of these reasons therefore it is desirable to provide free standing product displays which can readily be placed anywhere on the floor of a retail establishment, and, in the case of the display of vinyl tiles, will display a very large number of vinyl tiles to prospective customers, without the need for swinging vertically hinged panels to and fro.
Preferably such a free-standing display will display a large number of different tiles all of which can simply be viewed by standing in front of the display, without the customer having to move anything.
This will enable a number of customers to be able to view the display simultaneously, without interfering with one another's shopping experience or view of the display.


Numerous embodiments of a method to assemble nano-materials on a platform are described. In one embodiment, a nano-material is functionalized with a first bondable group. The functionalized nano-material is disposed on an assembly platform having an electrode to form a first layer. Additional layers of the nano-material may be formed above the first layer to form a semiconductor device. In one embodiment, the nano-material may be a carbon nanotube.

The shrinking dimensions of active devices on silicon chips are approaching its limit due to restrictions set by photolithographic techniques. For example, wave properties of radiation, such as interference and diffraction, can limit device size and density. Considerable research has taken place to overcome the limitations of photolithographic techniques.
Carbon-based nano-materials are considered one type of alternative materials for manufacturing active devices. One example of a nano-material is carbon nanotubes, which are tubular carbon molecules with properties that make them potentially useful in extremely small scale electronic and mechanical applications. They exhibit high strength and advantageous electrical properties, and are extremely efficient conductors of heat. Also, because of their unique dimensions and unusual current conduction mechanism, carbon nanotubes may be ideal components of electrical circuits, transistors, MEMS devices, interconnects, and other circuit elements. FIG. 1 illustrates a carbon nanotube 100 having carbon atoms along the surface of the cylindrical shape and a hemispherical shape in its end portions. The carbon nanotube 100 has a metallic or semiconductor property depending on the number of carbon atoms constituting the cylindrical shape and the coupling direction of them.
One problem with using nano-materials such as carbon nanotubes in circuits relates to fabrication difficulties. The carbon nanotube production processes are very different from the traditional integrated circuit (IC) fabrication process in that a conventional top-to-bottom approach is not used (e.g., films are deposited onto a wafer and pattern-etched away). Today, there is no reliable way to arrange carbon nanotubes into a circuit. In one currect fabrication method, carbon nanotubes are manipulated one-by-one with the tip of an atomic force microscope in a painstaking, time-consuming process.

Method to assemble structures from nano-materials


A sector gear is formed as one of a pair of mirror image gears (12, 14). Each of the sector gears has an arcuate portion (16) having a series of teeth (18) on an outer periphery thereof, and a V-shaped base portion (20) having a first leg (22), a second leg (24) and an apex portion (26). The first leg (22) has an S-shaped configuration and connects with the arcuate portion (16) at a first end thereof. The second leg (24) has an inverted S-shape and connects with the arcuate portion (16) near an arcuate mid-length of the arcuate portion (16). The first leg (22) and second leg (24) merge smoothly with the apex portion (26). The apex portion (26) has an aperture (30) at a radial center of the arcuate portion (16). Each of the gears has an inner periphery (28) that enables complementary nesting of the pair of sector gears (12, 14).

Window regulators on vehicles commonly employ sector gears in order to reduce the effort required to open and close a window. The prior art sectors gears are "pie slice" shaped. The outer curved edged has a series of teeth, while the narrow end has an aperture defining the center of rotation of the gear. The intermediate portion between the outer periphery and the center of rotation is often removed in order to reduce weight of the sector gear.
The prior art sector gears are stamped from sheet metal. If the sector gear has an angle of about 45°, a plurality of sector gears can be stamped in an alternating fashion in order to reduce scrap. However, the intermediate portion must still be stamped out and discarded or recycling.
If the sector gear has an angle of greater than 45° (FIG. 3), the sector gears cannot be arranged in an efficient manner. The size of sheet metal required to stamp a single gear is approximately the length of the longest dimension by the narrow dimension. The corners and the intermediate portions are discarded or recycled.


Artificial fingernail packages are provided that contain a collection of artificial fingernails, that enable a potential user to easily inspect the size, shape and other features of the included artificial fingernails, to compare the features of the included artificial fingernails to the user's natural fingernails, and to simulate trying on one or more of the artificial fingernails without opening the package.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to artificial fingernails. More particularly, this invention relates to packaging for artificial fingernails, wherein the package, or kit, allows a potential purchaser to see the product fingernails clearly while the fingernails remain in the package prior to purchase. It is a further purpose of this invention to provide a package for the distribution, retail display and retail sale of artificial fingernails that provides an easy way for the consumer to sample or "try on" the artificial fingernails contained in the package while the fingernails remain in the package prior to purchase.
Artificial fingernails are generally used for the purpose of cosmetic enhancement. They may be applied by a technician or manicurist in a fingernail salon, or may be purchased in a variety of different packages at retail stores and applied directly by the wearer. Users of artificial fingernails include, for example, individuals seeking to hide a cracked or chipped natural fingernail, or those who simply find it difficult to grow healthy natural nails to the length they desire. In addition, artificial fingernails are often employed by individuals seeking to deter a habit of nail biting, and by those who simply desire to have low maintenance nails that are easy to apply and remove in response to changing daily needs.
Currently, there are many different types of artificial fingernails ("nails") that are well known. Different types of artificial nails include, for example, sculptured nails, acrylic nails, gel nails, nail wraps, pre-glued self-adhesive nails, nail tips and full-cover nails, with each type of nail having different benefits and drawbacks that are also generally well known.
In order to maximize comfort, ease of application, and durability on the wearer's finger, it is desirable that the artificial fingernails ("nails") to be used fit a user's natural fingernails properly. Given this need for proper fit, nails are produced and generally available in a variety of different sizes, shapes and styles to match the individual needs of a user. Nevertheless, the nails that a user may find in available packaging are often not adequate to provide the user with a properly-fitting nail for each of the user's natural fingernails.
Traditionally, packages have been sold containing ten or more nails. The nails sold in these conventional retail packages generally vary in size (e.g., width), and there are typically multiple nails of each size so that a user may preferably find in the package a nail of proper size for each natural fingernail. Among the nails of a particular size, however, the nails are typically identical in shape.
Given that a user's natural fingernails are likely to vary not only in size but also in shape, the collection of nails provided in such conventional artificial fingernail packages may not provide the wearer with a proper-fitting nail for each finger. Even in instances where there is some variation in shape among the nails in a package as the nails vary in size, the relatively-uniform shape available for each of the sizes may not provide a satisfactory fit for each of the user's natural fingernails. As a result, one or more of the user's natural fingernails may be left without a proper-fitting artificial nail, forcing the user either to apply improperly-fitting nails to some of her natural fingernails, or to purchase a separate package of artificial fingernails containing nails having different shapes for a given size.
Another problem associated with conventional packages for nails is that they generally include a plurality of loosely-contained nails, or nails attached to a sprue, such that various features (e.g., size and shape) of the nails are hidden from the consumer prior to the opening of the package. As a result, consumers of artificial fingernails cannot compare the size and shape of the included nails in a conventional package to the size and shape of the user's natural fingernails, and thus cannot determine prior to purchasing and opening the package whether or not the nails will fit properly. Consequently, potential users often have no choice but to purchase the package containing the nails before the nails can be adequately inspected (e.g., compared to the various sizes and shapes of the user's natural fingernails). Often, this results in a user purchasing nails that are not suitable given the sizes and shapes of the user's natural fingernails.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide packaging for nails that is capable of storing and displaying a collection of individual nails of varying size and shape such that each of a user's natural fingernails may be lifted with an artificial fingernail of the right size and shape.
It would also be desirable to provide packaging for artificial fingernails that includes nails having, for each nail size, a variety of nail shapes.
It would also be desirable to provide packaging for artificial fingernails that allows a user to examine the features (e.g., color, size and shape) of one or more of the included nails and to optionally compare such features to the features of the user's natural fingernails.
In particular, it would be desirable to provide a user with an artificial fingernail package that allows the user to "try on" one or more of the nails without removing any of the nails from the package.

Try-on package for artificial fingernails


A system includes a secure module structured to prevent information stored therein from being externally referenced; and an information processing apparatus configured to enable communication with the secure module. The information processing apparatus includes a first computer configured to execute a first verification process of verifying whether an application under execution by the information processing apparatus is in a secure state. The secure module includes a second computer, and a storage unit configured to store at least any one among a first feature amount obtained by extracting a feature of execution code of the first verification process, and execution code of an authentication process of authenticating the first verification process. The second computer is configured to execute a second verification process of verifying whether the first verification process under execution by the first computer is in a secure state, based on stored contents of the storage unit.

Conventionally, an apparatus called a "secure module" verifies whether the state of an application under execution by an information processing apparatus connected to the secure module, is secure. For example, according to a related technique, a program to be written into a main memory whose security is not guaranteed is encrypted by a secure module whose reliability is guaranteed, and is written into the main memory. According to another technique, a secure module recovers an encrypted program in a first storage unit to the executable state thereof, writes the recovered program into a second storage unit, and deletes the recovered program from the second storage unit after execution of the recovered program by a CPU. According to another technique, if no falsification has been made to load destination information that indicates a memory area of an address space in the memory, to be occupied by an execution image of a program, the execution image of the program is generated and is used for the execution; and thereby, the execution image is loaded to the memory area indicated by the load destination information. According to yet another technique, when a processor executes a program in a safety mode, the program accesses safety data that is inaccessible when the processor operates in a non-safety mode, and switching between the safety mode and the non-safety mode is executed through a monitor mode. For examples, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 2012-234362, 2005-135265, and 2007-133860; and Published Japanese-Translation of PCT Application, Publication No. 2006-506751.
However, according to the conventional techniques, the processing load on the secure module increases when the number of applications under execution by the information processing apparatus in a system that includes a secure module is great, or when the volume of execution code of the applications is great.

System, information processing apparatus, secure module, and verification method


A miller, a non-transitory computer-readable medium, and a method for milling a multi-layered object. The method may include milling each structural element of an array of structural elements that are spaced apart from each other by gaps to provide the milled structural elements, wherein each milled structural element has a flat upper surface, wherein prior the milling each one of the structural elements of the array has a flat upper surface of a certain width, wherein the certain width is of a nanometric scale. The milling of each structural element of the array may include scanning a defocused ion beam of the certain width along a longitudinal axis of the structural element. A current intensity of the defocused ion beam decreases with a distance from a middle of the defocused ion beam.

Objects such as various semiconductor objects (e.g. semiconductor wafers, display panels, solar wafers) may include arrays of structural elements that have a substantial rectangular cross section and are separated from each other by empty gaps. Non-limiting example of such structural elements may include memory cells, memory arrays, and the like.
An even milling of these structural elements will result in milled structural elements that have a sloped cross section such as a triangular cross section. An even milling is obtained when substantially each point receive substantially the same amount of radiation during the milling process.
The triangular cross section is obtained because the number of emitted material atoms increases near the edges of the structural elements. The chances of an irradiated material atom to escape from a structural element increases as the irradiated material atom is closer to any external surface of the structural element. Accordingly—irradiated material atoms that are closer to the sidewalls of the structural element may escape through the sidewalls of the structural elements—and not only through the top surface of the structural element. Accordingly, the actual milling yield increases as a function of distance from the center of the structural element.
FIG. 1 illustrates, from top to bottom:                a. An array of structural elements 111 before the milling. The structural elements 111 are spaced apart from each other by gaps 115. Each structural element has a flat top surface 112, and vertical sidewalls 113 and 114. It is assumed that the different structural elements of the array are ideally identical.        b. An array of partially milled structural elements 121. The partially milled structural elements 121 are the outcome of a first milling iteration. The top part of each one of the partially milled structural elements has a triangular cross section. The lower part of each one of the partially milled structural elements has sidewalls. The partially milled structural elements 121 are spaced apart by gaps 125.        c. An array of milled structural elements 131. The milled structural elements are the outcome of a second milling iteration. Each one of the milled structural elements 131 has a triangular shaped cross section. The milled structural elements 131 are spaced apart by gaps 135.
There is a growing need to generate milled structural elements having flat top surfaces.

Generating milled structural elements with a flat upper surface


Operating system deactivation of write protection for a storage block is provided absent quiescing of processors in a multi-processor computing environment. The process includes receiving an address translation protection exception interrupt resulting from an attempted write access by a processor to a storage block, and determining by the operating system whether write protection for the storage block is active. Based on write protection for the storage block not being active, the operating system issues an instruction to clear or modify translation lookaside buffer entries of the processor associated with the storage block, absent waiting for an action by another processor of multiple processors of the computing environment, to facilitate write access to the storage block proceeding at the processor.

One or more aspects relate, in general, to facilitating processing within a computing environment, and in particular, to improving such processing.
Computer architectures typically provide a mechanism for an operating system (OS) program to activate and deactivate write protection for blocks of storage. Memory management provided by the operating system in such a case can include, in one or more embodiments, a sequence of events, including the operating system activating write protection for a particular storage block, and an application program attempting to write to that particular storage block, causing the processor or central processing unit (CPU) to prevent the write and inform the operating system of the attempted write. The operating system responds by performing appropriate memory management processes and deactivating write protection for that particular storage block. The application program repeats the attempt to write to the particular storage block, and is now permitted to perform the operation.
When the operating system changes the write permission for a storage block, all processors in the computing environment are informed, via a broadcast operation, and each performs actions to ensure the change is observed locally. The process of broadcasting and serialization required among all processors in the computing environment is referred to as a quiescing operation. As part of the quiescing operation, each processor must reach an interruptible point, perform any actions needed locally (e.g., remove any now obsolete translation lookaside buffer (TLB) data) to guarantee the change is observable, and respond to the initiating processor that it has done so. Any instruction processing which may rely on the updated permission is suspended until after all processors in the configuration have indicated their responses and the initiator has made the system-wide update to the write permission for the specified storage block.
The described sequence of events can occur during frequent memory management operations, such as copy-on-write and change-tracking. The more processors in the computing environment, the longer it takes to perform the quiescing operation.

Operating system deactivation of storage block write protection absent quiescing of processors

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


An imaging apparatus including a light source is provided. The imaging apparatus includes a light-emitting device and a photoelectric conversion device in a pixel, and a pixel circuit has a function of outputting third data generated by multiplying obtained first data by second data (weight). Calculating the third data externally enables more detailed information on a subject with respect to a specific wavelength to be obtained. In addition, reading out collectively a plurality of pixels to which proper weight is given enables output of difference data between pixels and the like, which allows external calculation to be omitted.

A technique for forming a transistor by using an oxide semiconductor thin film formed over a substrate has attracted attention. For example, an imaging apparatus with a structure in which a transistor including an oxide semiconductor and having an extremely low off-state current is used in a pixel circuit is disclosed in Patent Document 1.


Provided is a method of providing a smart helipad configured to support landing of a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, the method including adaptively displaying an imaged marker recognizable by a camera mounted to the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft; obtaining tilting information about a ground surface and a sea surface using a gyro sensor; and adjusting a landing pad connected to a display unit on which the marker is displayed to be in parallel with a horizontal line based on the tilting information, using a motion platform having change responsiveness to all of the directions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a smart helipad configured to support landing of a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, a system including the smart helipad, and a method of providing the smart helipad, and more particularly, to a technology regarding a smart helipad configured to support landing of a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft using a camera mounted to the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft and a motion platform.
2. Description of the Related Art
A helipad providing technology in a helipad system that supports landing of a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft refers to a technology that provides a planar landing pad having a predetermined size sufficient to enable landing of the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. Accordingly, a system including such helipad may be installed in, for example, a land, a building, a mountain, a vehicle, and a ship.

Smart helipad for supporting landing of vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, system including the smart helipad, and method of providing the smart helipad

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE


An electronic oxygen conserving device for controlling a flow of oxygen from an oxygen storage container to a user. When a conserve setting is selected, a flow of oxygen travels through an oxygen regulating valve that has an open state and a closed state. A temporary electrical charge or current is provided to the oxygen regulating valve during the initial inhalation of oxygen by an individual, opening the regulating valve opens to delivery oxygen to the user. The oxygen regulating valve remains open even after termination of the electric current. After a predetermined timed delivery dose or upon exhalation by the individual, a subsequent temporary electric charge or current is provided to oxygen regulating valve, closing the regulating valve closes to prevent delivery of oxygen to the user, thus conserving oxygen. The oxygen regulating valve remains closed even after termination of the subsequent electric current.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to respiratory gas delivery devices, and, more particularly, to a gas conserving device that utilizes an electronically controlled latching valve to regulate the flow of gas to a user.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well known to deliver a flow of respiratory gas to a user in the form of supplemental oxygen. The delivery of supplemental oxygen to a patient is typically prescribed for individuals suffering from pulmonary/respiratory problems. The prescription and delivery of supplemental oxygen is undertaken to ensure that sufficient oxygen levels are being received by the patient. Situations in which supplemental oxygen may be prescribed include individual suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, diseased or damaged lungs.
The delivery of supplemental oxygen may be provided utilizing one of three predominant methods. For non-ambulatory patients, or for use during the non-ambulatory period of an individual, oxygen may be provided from a stationary oxygen concentrator that generate oxygen from air, typically using a pressure swing absorption gas separation system. While suitable for their intended purpose, oxygen concentrators are generally ill-suited for portability due the relatively bulky gas compressor and sieve beds needed to generate a practical quantity of oxygen, and, therefore, are not intended for use with an ambulatory individual.
A second predominant oxygen delivery method is a compressed oxygen system in which the oxygen to be consumed by the user is compressed and stored in a high pressure storage vessel or tank. These storage vessels can be made small enough so as to be portable. Compressed gas storage systems are generally prescribed when the user does not need oxygen all the time, such as only when walking or performing physical activity. One disadvantage of compressed oxygen systems is that oxygen is stored under pressure may create a hazard if the storage vessel is damaged, which can occur if it is dropped, bumped, punctured, etc. Also, small, portable oxygen tanks hold a relatively small amount of gas. Thus, they are limited in how long the oxygen inside the tank will last depending on the prescribed flow rate and the type/size of the tank.
A third predominant oxygen delivery method, which is typically used as an alternative to compressed oxygen systems, is a liquid oxygen ("LOX") system. A LOX system includes a large stationary LOX storage canister that stays in the user's home. The stationary LOX canister is replenished periodically from a mobile LOX storage vessels, which is typically a truck carrying a large quantity of LOX. The LOX system also includes a small, portable delivery apparatus weighing from five to thirteen pounds that can be filled from the stationary unit for trips outside the home. The portable delivery apparatus converts the liquid oxygen to a breathable gas for consumption by the user. These systems have limited utilization due to the low LOX capacity of the portable delivery apparatus and the administered LOX flow rate. Furthermore, even when not in use, the LOX within the portable delivery apparatus evaporates at a typical rate of one pound per day, empting the portable delivery apparatus LOX supply over time even if it is not used. Consequently, a disadvantage of a portable LOX system includes the requirement that the user must return home regularly, such as by the end of the day, to refill the portable delivery apparatus from the home stationary LOX storing canister.
A limiting factor in the utilization of compressed gas and LOX is the small quantity of oxygen stored by these respective systems. In order to ensure the portability of these systems, they tend to be as small as possible, hence limiting the oxygen capacity available for therapeutic utilization. Accordingly, to ensure that the oxygen lasts as long as possible, oxygen conserving devices are typically used in conjunction with these devices. A typical oxygen conserving device controls the delivery of oxygen such that oxygen is delivered to the user during inhalation and terminates during exhalation, i.e., upon detection of cessation of inhalation.
Oxygen conservers typically include a valve for regulating the flow of oxygen to the patient. The control of these valves may either be done electrically or pneumatically. Electrical oxygen conserving devices utilize an electric current to maintain the valve open. A traditional electrical oxygen conserving device utilizes the electric current during the entire inhalation phase of a patient. Accordingly, one of the major drawbacks of an electrical oxygen conserving device is that the power supply, namely the battery or batteries, runs down relatively quickly, necessitating frequent changing of the batteries and constant monitoring of the battery charge. For patients that are elderly or infirm, this maintenance requirement is difficult, if not impossible, and/or burdensome.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,928,189 illustrates an alternative to the traditional electrical oxygen conserving device. This patent illustrates a device including an oxygen valve having a coil that is energized with an electric pulse of a first polarity to open the valve and a subsequent electric pulse of a second polarity to close the valve. The valve is maintained in the open position by residual magnetic flux present in the magnetic circuit. The valve includes a pole piece and plunger, which are simultaneously magnetized by the electric current passing through the coil. While suitable for its intended purpose, this design has two drawbacks. First, the valve remains open only as long as there is a residual magnetic flux in the coil. Consequently, as time passes after the current is terminated, the residual magnetic flux dissipates, removing any magnetic attraction between the pole piece and plunger subjecting the valve to close due to a spring bias. Thus, the duration which the valve may be maintained in an open position is fixed depending upon the current charge provided. An additional drawback to this design is that the circuitry requires a continuous current to be supplied to the control logic, which undersirably limits the useful life of a power source.
Pneumatic oxygen conserving devices do not utilize a power source for manipulating a valve for delivering oxygen, but utilize a dual diaphragm system. A typical prior art pneumatic oxygen conserving device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,484,721. In the device taught by this patent, a primary diaphragm controls the flow of oxygen from an oxygen source to a patient. The primary diaphragm has an open position enabling the oxygen to flow and a closed position preventing the oxygen to flow. A second, or master diaphragm, is utilized for relieving pneumatic pressure on the primary diaphragm. This is accomplished by the negative pressure caused by the patient inhaling directly or indirectly moving the slave diaphragm, which results in the pneumatic pressure being released on the primary diaphragm.
A primary drawback of a typical pneumatic oxygen conserving device is the sensitivity of the master diaphragm to an individual's inhalation pressure. If the inhalation pressure produced the patient is too small, the master diaphragm will not respond, and no oxygen will be provided to the patient during that inspiratory cycle. This situation is most likely to occur with patients having diminished respiratory effort, such an elderly patient. Likewise, there may be a time delay between the initial inhalation of the patient and the operation of the pneumatic system before oxygen is permitted to flow to the patient. These drawbacks are the result of a purely mechanical system for controlling the flow of oxygen. Furthermore, by a requiring dual diaphragm construction, multiple components are required. This results in a complex interaction of the components, which may jeopardize the reliability of the conservation device. Also, the addition components may result in a bulky and costly device. Additionally, when rating the utilization of electronic versus pneumatic controllers, electronic controllers generally provide better oxygen conservation results than pneumatic controllers.
There is a need for an oxygen conserving device that operates quickly for the delivery of oxygen to a patient and reliably. There is also a need for an oxygen conserving device that utilizes an electronic control system functioning in a way such that the longevity of its power source is extended, and provides various rates of flows of gas to the patient depending upon the patient's needs.


A ring purging station for a token-ring network is disclosed. The station performs purging operations to remove no-owner frames and frame remnants from the network. The station begins a purging operation by detecting the token on the network and removing it. The station then begins stripping all frame and remnants of frames that it receives from the network, transmits one or more purge marker frames, and sets a purge operation timer to expire after a predetermined period of time. The predetermined period of time is greater than the maximum time required for a frame to propagate around the token ring network when the ring is not malfunctioning. The predetermined period of time may also be less than a valid transmission time period. When the station either detects one of the one or more purge marker frames it transmitted, or when the purge operation timer expires, the station ends the purging operation, and releases the token back onto the ring. The station is also capable of selecting, in cooperation with the other stations, which station is to operate as purging station. The station is further capable of performing duplicate address tests, and will terminate any purging operation upon detection of a duplicate address. In this way no-owner frames and frame fragments are removed from the network, while the ring is otherwise normally operating.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of computer networks comprising a plurality of stations which communicate data in a ring using a token-based protocol and more specifically to a mechanism for removing extraneous or erroneous data or ring control information from the network.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A computer network enables various devices, such as processors, mass storage devices, and printers, to communicate with each other over high speed communication links. The devices are connected, that is, coupled, to the network, and thus transfer data to and from the network through stations. The stations are interconnected by the communication links.
One example of such a network is a Local Area Network (LAN). A LAN allows high-bandwidth communication among devices within a limited geographic area. The communication links are typically composed of fiber optics, coaxial cable or twisted conductor pairs.
LAN's may be configured as rings, with network stations transmitting data in one direction around the ring. Thus when a station transmits data onto the ring, the data travels around the ring from station to station, with each station receiving the data from the preceding station and repeating it to the succeeding station, until the data reaches the station that is to receive it. In a well-known ring network the receiving, or destination, station also repeats the data to its downstream successor and the data thus continues around the ring to the originating, or source, station.
The stations operate in accordance with communication protocols which facilitate the orderly transfer of data over the communication links. One type of communication protocol is a token-ring system. Such systems use a token, that is, a specific string of bits, to indicate that a transmitting station has completed its transmission. A succeeding station may then, following the dictates of the protocol, begin transmitting data upon receipt of the token.
In a token-ring system a station may not transmit data over the ring unless it actually holds the token. Thus if a station has data to transmit around the ring, it removes the token from the ring data stream, that is, it "captures" the token, when it receives it from the preceding station. The capturing station then begins its data transmission. When the station is finished with the data transmission it retransmits the token, effectively releasing it. The succeeding stations thereafter transfer the token around the ring until a station captures it in order to make another transmission.
Network stations transmit and receive data in the form of frames. The frames contain, in addition to the data, addresses, an error detection sequence and status flags, for example, a flag indicating receipt of the frame by the intended receiving, or destination, station. The frame addresses identify the source station and destination station or stations.
Every station and every attached device is identified by a unique address. Thus each station has associated with it its unique station-address and the addresses of its attached devices. The stations may have other addresses, for example, logical addresses, associated with them, also. A frame directed from a source station to a single destination station thus contains the address of the source station and, for example, the address of a specific device attached to the destination station. Each station may maintain a list of its associated addresses, such that the station receives the frames containing any one of its addresses.
A destination station, in addition to repeating the frame to its succeeding station, copies the frame for use by the appropriate device(s) associated with the station. The destination station may also set the applicable status flags indicating receipt of the frame.
When the frame has returned to the source station, the station, recognizing the frame as its own, for example, by recognizing the source address in the frame as its own, removes, or strips, the frame from the ring data stream. After a transmission, the first frames received by the source station over the ring are the frames it transmitted, assuming proper operation of the stations on the ring.
Frames may be altered as they travel around the ring. The alteration may affect the source addresses in a number of frames, rendering them unrecognizable to the source stations. The source stations will not then strip the frames, and these frames will travel continuously around the ring. Thus a station listed as a destination station will repeatedly receive and process the frames. The processing will ordinarily detect the duplication, but it does require the use of station resources that might conflict with or delay other operations of the station.
A similar situation occurs when a station which has transmitted frames on to the ring becomes inoperative before it strips the transmitted frames. These frames, like the frames with altered source addresses, continuously travel around the ring because none of the stations then operating on the ring recognize the frames as their own and strip them. Accordingly, these frames, the altered-address frames and any other frames continuously traversing the ring are commonly referred to as "no-owner" frames. No-owner frames needlessly take up ring bandwidth by continuously traveling around the ring. These frames may also cause processing backlogs in the destination stations because the stations must process them each time they receive them. The no-owner frames often require frequent and fast processing because they return to the destination stations in the time it takes the frames to traverse the ring, which is typically faster than frames are ordinarily received. Thus it is desirable to rid the ring of no-owner frames.
A mechanism to purge no-owner frames from rings operating under the IEEE 802.5 standard protocol involves stripping all data from the ring, and then re-initializing the ring. Re-initializing the ring causes it to perform all actions necessary to re-start the ring and make it operational. For example, the initialization includes a claim token operation and the creation of a new token. The claim token operation involves an arbitration process during which the winner of the arbitration, also called the claim token winner, creates the new token. Ring re-initialization may take a considerable period of time and result in lost performance during this period. Thus, for performance considerations, ring re-initializations should be performed as infrequently as possible.
To detect a no-owner frame, that is, to determine when a ring re-initialization is necessary, a station, referred to in the IEEE 802.5 standard protocol as an Active Monitor, places a marker at the beginning of each frame it repeats over the ring. If the Active Monitor thereafter detects a frame containing a marker, indicating that the frame traveled completely around the ring without being stripped, it begins a purge operation which includes a ring re-initialization. The marker is not protected by the frame error detection sequence. Thus an error in the marker may either start a purging operation unnecessarily or prevent one from occurring.
A purge operation begins with the Active Monitor placing a purge frame on the ring and then stripping everything off the ring that it receives. The Active Monitor may transmit multiple purge frames or it may transmit idle frames to fill the ring while it continues stripping everything, including the token, from the ring. When the Active Monitor receives one of its purge frames, indicating that it has essentially filled the ring with the purge and idle frames, it re-initializes the ring and issues a new token. Thus each purge operation causes the loss of all data then on the ring. There is a need for an improved purge mechanism which minimizes the loss of data on the ring and which does not require ring re-initialization and/or ring operation interruption.
The purge operation described above may be used only with ring protocols which allow markers to be placed at the beginning of a frame, for example, the IEEE 802.5 protocol At the present time, protocols such as the ANSI Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) protocol which do not allow frame markers at the start of frames do not have any mechanism to handle no-owner frames. Thus a purge mechanism which may be used with any token-ring protocol and/or frame format is desirable.
Every time a ring is initialized, a station must be designated as the ring purging station. If the ring is operating according to the IEEE 802.5 protocol the same station, i.e., the Active Monitor, is designated the ring purger after each ring initialization. If the Active Monitor station later fails or is otherwise removed from the ring, the ring must operate without a ring purger until after the ring is initialized. Thus there is a need for an improved mechanism to select a ring purging station. The mechanism should operate after each ring initialization. It should also operate between initializations whenever a previously operating ring purger becomes inoperative.
Token rings may occasionally experience an error condition in which multiple tokens are simultaneously traveling around the ring. This condition may result in multiple stations simultaneously transmitting data onto the ring. If a station which is transmitting receives data frames over the ring, it removes them. Thus data frames transmitted by one station may be removed by a second transmitting station. If the frames are removed before they reach the intended destination, ring operations may be disrupted and data may be lost. Normal operations of the ring may correct the multiple token condition, for example, the second token may be removed by a transmitting station. However, if the multiple token error condition persists, other protocol operations may also be affected, and ring operations may be significantly disrupted. Neither the IEEE 802.5 protocol nor the ANSI FDDI protocol has any mechanism for the detection of a multiple token error condition. Thus the condition will go unchecked until the amount of data which is lost disrupts the operation of the ring enough to cause a ring initialization. Accordingly, there is a need for a mechanism which deterministically detects multiple tokens on the ring.

No-owner frame and multiple token removal mechanism for token ring networks