A unique transmission based on a servo-automated gearbox is disclosed wherein each of its gear pairs is self-disengaging and self-engaging requiring only the switching of dedicated hydraulic valves to transition from the disengagement of a gear pair to the engagement of a newly selected pair. During shifting, one servo controls the zeroing of the difference between the speed of the engine and the speed of the gearbox output shaft as required by the gear ratio of the selected gear pair. Concurrently another servo, by controlling the slip of several gear pairs, maintains the current vehicle acceleration or deceleration while also decelerating or accelerating, respectively, the slip-engaged engine toward the required speed.

Of the various attempts to develop a transmission that improves the efficiency of the fluid-coupled automatic transmission, the dual clutch, automated gearbox currently in production accomplishes this goal. The transmission, however, is equally complex and more than doubles the size, weight and cost of the current manually operated gearbox. Actually, since the proposed servo-automated transmission eliminates all clutches, synchronizers, engagement dogs and their associated mechanical actuation, its size and weight is less than that of a manual gearbox. It will be shown that by involving servo control of the system, self-clutching and self-disengagement/engagement with near instant shifts are not only possible, they are seamless without loss or gain of transmitted torque:


Power systems and methods of using the same to deliver power. A power system referenced herein can include a housing capable of attaching to a workstation, one or more cradles or mounting fixtures to receive at least one energy storage device, electronic circuitry to communicate status of the at least one energy storage device, state of charge of the at least one energy storage device, and/or overall health of the at least one energy storage device, and one or more electrical connectors to allow the at least one energy storage device to charge and/or discharge and communicate with the electronic circuitry, with said housing having an internal power supply and charge circuitry, said power supply capable of receiving input power from an external AC or DC power source; wherein the power system is configured to deliver power to the workstation.

In late 1990's to the early 2000's, mobile medical workstations (carts) were used to make computers portable so that nurses could document care at the patient bedside instead of transcribing notes. Early (and perhaps the first) mobile workstation and battery systems were referenced within U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,492,220 and 7,222,031. These patents reference a basic workstation with a basic rechargeable battery. The most commercially available battery at that time was a sealed lead acid (SLA), which were relatively inexpensive and mass produced for the automobile market. The characteristics of the SLA chemistry provide great 'cranking power' to start a car, for example, but does not provide a long life when it is discharged over a long period, such as used in medical facilities. The SLA battery would only provide 6-8 months of useful life before it needed to be replaced.
The advancements in battery technology provided opportunities for mobile workstation power systems to improve efficiency and functionality. Nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries where a good replacement for SLA as they offered longer life and faster charging. By 2010-2013, the cost of lithium-ion (Li-Ion) batteries fell to a level that compelled the mobile workstation market to adopt Li-Ion chemistry.
Up until 2008, mobile workstation batteries were 'fixed' mounted within a housing mounted to the bottom of a workstation. The 'fixed' battery forced the user to take the cart out of service in-order to charge which created a hassle because nurses forget or unwilling to plug-in the cart to recharge the batteries. The number one point of failure with workstations is the battery because the user fails to plug-in. Downtime due to 'dead batteries' forces hospitals to buy more carts which creates budget and other problems. In 2008, Stinger Medical, now owned by Enovate medical, developed and patented the first hot swappable battery system whereby a removable battery is placed in a holster and communicates with a small backup battery at the bottom of the cart to provide continuous power when the removable battery is removed. The user has then had two minutes to replace the removable battery with a second battery that was charged remotely on a wall charger. This system was patented in 2008 (U.S. Pat. No. 7,800,255).
However, and even as battery technologies have improved, medical carts (workstations) still generally suffer from inefficient, interrupted, unreliable, and short-lived power delivery. Said power systems also all rely on fans to cool the batteries, noting that the air movement over dirty components, especially within a hospital or other medical setting, could contaminate the air and potentially cause or contribute to hospital acquired infections.
In view of the same, a power system configured to deliver efficient, uninterrupted, and reliable power, using one or more hot swappable long life batteries that are efficiently charged, without the added risk of contaminating a medical environment, would be well received in the marketplace.


A method and apparatus for transceiving data in a micro-area network includes processing that begins by obtaining a data unit for transmission by a first data transceiving entity of a micro area network. The processing then continues when the first data transceiving entity formats the payload data using a first transmission format convention. The first data transceiving entity also formats the overhead data using a second transmission formatting convention to produce formatted overhead data. The formatting of the overhead data and/or payload data may include encoding and/or modulating the data. The processing continues when the first data transceiving entity transmits the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data to at least one target entity within the micro-area network. The process continues when a target entity receives the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data. The target entity then deformats the formatted payload data using the first transmission format convention to recapture the payload data and deformats the formatted overhead data using the second transmission format convention to retrieve the overhead data. The target entity then reconstructs the data unit from the retrieved payload data and the retrieved overhead data.

Communication systems are known to transport large amounts of data between a plurality of end user devices. Such end user devices include telephones, facsimile machines, computers, television sets, cellular phones, personal digital assistants, et cetera. As is also known, such communication systems may be a local area network (LAN) and/or a wide area network (WAN). A local area network is generally understood to be a network that interconnects a plurality of end user devices distributed over a localized area (e.g., up to a radius of 10 kilometers). For example, a local area network may be used to interconnect workstations distributed within an office of a single building or a group of buildings, to interconnect computer based equipment distributed around a factory or hospital, et cetera.
As is further known, local area networks may be wired local area networks or wireless local area networks. Wired local area networks typically have a star topology, ring topology, bus topology or hub/tree topology. A local area network that utilizes a star topology includes a private automatic branch exchange (PABX) and/or a private digital exchange (PDX). Such devices switch data among the end user devices and/or data terminal equipment (DTE). Such exchange devices allow for voice and/or data to be conveyed between the end user devices and/or the DTE's of the local area network.
A local area network that utilizes a ring topology passes cable access from one DTE and/or end user device to another until the DTE's and/or end user devices are interconnected in a loop or ring. A local area network that utilizes a bus topology typically employs one of the Ethernet protocols to convey data within the network. As is known, there are a variety of Ethernet protocols that range from conveying data at rates of 10 megabits per second to multiple gigabits per second. A local area network that utilizes a hub technology is essentially a bus or ring topology with the wiring collapsed into a central unit. The central unit includes a set of repeaters that retransmit all of the signals received from DTE's and/or end user devices to other DTE's and/or end user devices on the same bus or in the same ring.
Wireless local area networks have the end user devices and/or DTE's operably coupled to a server via a wireless connection via a portable access unit. The wireless coupling may be a fixed wire placement, such as for application by a personal computer, or via portable devices that roam within the local area network. The wireless local area network may utilize a variety of modulation schemes including spread spectrum, quadrature amplitude modulation, time division multiple access, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing or frequency division multiple access.
A wide area network is generally understood to be a network that covers a wide geographic area. Wide area networks include both public data networks and enterprise wide private data networks. A public data network is established and operated by a national network administrator specifically for data transmission. Such public data networks facilitate the inner working of equipment from different manufacturers. Accordingly, standardizations by the ITU-T have been established for conveying data within public data networks. Currently, there are two main types of public data networks: packet switched public data networks and circuit switched public data networks. For example, the public switched telephone network is a circuit switched public data network while the Internet is a packet switched public data network. Other examples of wide area networks include integrated service digital networks (ISDN) and broadband multiservice networks.
Regardless of the type of communication system (e.g., LAN or WAN), each communication system employs a data conveyance protocol to ensure that data is accurately conveyed within the system. All such data conveyance protocols (hereinafter referred to as protocols) are based on layers 1, 2, 3 and/or 4 of the open system interconnection (OSI) 7 layer reference model. As is known, the layers include a physical layer (Layer 1), a data link layer (Layer 2), a network layer (Layer 3), a transport layer (Layer 4), a session layer (Layer 5), a presentation layer (Layer 6), and an application layer (Layer 7).
In general, a protocol is a formal set of rules and conventions that govern how end user devices and/or DTE's exchange information within the communication system. A wide variety of protocols exist, but can be generally categorized into one of four types of protocols: a local area network protocol, a wide area network protocol, network protocol, or routing protocol. Local area network protocols operate at the physical and data link layers and define communication over various local area network media. Wide area network protocols operate at the lowest three layers of the OSI model and define communication over the various wide area media. Routing protocols are network layer protocols that are responsible for path determination and traffic switching. Network protocols are the various upper layer protocols that exist in a given protocol suite. Examples of such protocols include asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), frame relay, TCP/IP, Ethernet, et cetera.
As is further known, communication systems may be networked together to yield larger communication systems, where such networking is typically referred to as internetworking. Internetworking is achieved via internetworking units that allow communication networks using the same or different protocols to be linked together. The internetworking units may be routers, gateways, protocol converters, bridges, and/or switches.
Routers are intelligent devices that connect like and unlike local area networks. They also connect to metropolitan area networks and wide area networks, such as X.25, frame relay and/or ATM based networks. Accordingly, routers operate at the physical layer, link layer and/or network layer of the OSI model to provide addressing and switching. In addition, routers may also operate at Layer 4, the transport layer, in order to ensure end-to-end reliability of data transfers.
A gateway provides an entrance and an exit into a communication system. For example, a gateway may be a connection between local area networks, between a local area network and a wide area network, or between wide area networks. Accordingly, a gateway is a node on both networks and provides mapping to all 7 layers of the OSI model. Thus allowing interfacing between 2 incompatible systems (e.g., mail system and data file transfer system) to be interconnected.
A bridge is a data communications device that connects two or more network segments and forwards packets between them. A bridge operates at the physical layer of the OSI reference model and serves as a physical connection between segments, amplifies carrier signals and buffers data during periods of network congestion. As is known, bridges are protocol specific (e.g., supports only one of Ethernet, token ring, et cetera).
A switch works at the physical and data link layers of the OSI reference model with emphasis on the data link layer. A switch reads incoming data (e.g., voice or data) to determine a destination address, or addresses. Based on each address, a transmission path is set up through a switch matrix between an incoming communication port and an outgoing physical communication port. In addition, switches include buffering to hold data packets until the necessary resources are available to allow packets to be forwarded.
A protocol converter is a communication device that translates a binary data stream from one protocol format into another according to a fixed algorithm. Accordingly, the protocol converter converts data from one protocol to another and may be incorporated into a switch, a bridge, a router and/or a gateway.
As is also known, the internetworking unit processes data in accordance with the protocols of the networks it is coupled to. Such data includes a header, or overhead, section and a data payload section. The header section includes the addressing, routing, packet identification, et cetera that is particular to a certain protocol, which ensures proper transporting of the data within the network. For example, the overhead section of an Ethernet frame includes a preamble, destination address, source address, type/link field, and frame check. If the data conveyance is via the Internet and/or a local area network, the data section of the Ethernet frame will include a TCP/IP frame, or packet, which, in itself, includes an overhead section and a data section. As is further known, the bit rate of the overhead section may be slower than the bit rate of the data section such that up to 80% of an internetworking units bandwidth is consumed by conveying overhead information. As such, the throughput for the actual data is limited due to the overhead being conveyed.
To provide a minimum level of interconnection between communication systems, each type of internetworking unit processes millions of bits of data per second. Accordingly, each internetworking unit includes high-speed interfaces to efficiently input and output data. Such interfaces, in processing circuitry, are implemented in integrated circuits that are mounted on printed circuit boards. A group of printed circuit boards are mounted on a motherboard and placed in a rack.
Since each internetworking unit is the conduit for data flow between communication systems, the speed of the internetworking unit is critical to avoid bottlenecking of the internetworking process. As is known, bottlenecking occurs when one device is in the critical path of data conveyance and its speed is the limiting factor for conveying data over the path.
In an effort to meet the ever-increasing challenges of improving speed within an internetworking unit, each internetworking unit includes an increasing number of racks, which includes an increasing number of printed circuit boards (PCBs), which in turn includes an increasing number of integrated circuits that are becoming more and more complex. The racks and PCB's are coupled together using coaxial cables, fiber optics, connectors, and/or wires. The integrated circuits on a printed circuit board are operably coupled together via copper traces (e.g., FR4 connections). Data is transported over these interconnections using the latest transmission protocols, such as 10 gigabits per second Ethernet standards. While this provides greater data throughput than earlier generations of internetworking units, there are still limitations. For example, at 10 gigabits per second, the distance that data can travel over a printed circuit board trace, wire and/or coaxial cable is limited to approximately 45″. If the data must traverse a connector, the distance is even less. One solution to overcome the distance limitation is to use multiple lower rate paths to convey the data, which has the inherent issues of additional circuitry to transmit the data, synchronization of data transmissions and data recovery.
Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus that improves data throughput within networks and/or between networks.

Method and apparatus for transceiving data in a micro-area network


An application identifier control system controls an application dependency identification system to access request logs in one or more front end server systems that are providing access to a hosted application and identify dependencies. The dependencies are identified by identifying successful data access requests to an endpoint to be migrated, that originate from a separate, requesting application. A surfacing control system controls surfacing logic to surface the dependencies.

Computing systems are currently in wide use. Some such computing systems host applications that are accessible by separate computing systems or applications.
For instance, some computing systems host applications and provide access to the hosted applications through a front end computing system. Separate applications can make data access requests to the hosted application, through the front end computing system.
It is not uncommon for persons maintaining the hosted application to migrate portions, or all, of the hosted application to a different location. By way of example, it may be that the hosted application is hosted in an on-premise computing system. However, it may be that portions or all of the hosted application are to be migrated to a cloud-based server environment.
When this happens, the separate, requesting applications, that are separate from the hosted environment hosting the application, may continue to make data access requests to the particular endpoint of the hosted application, at its old location (at the location before it was migrated). These separate, requesting applications are often client side applications that are using data generated or maintained by the hosted application. Therefore, when they make a data access request to an endpoint at its old location, this can cause the client side application to malfunction. Not only does this inhibit the client side application from working properly, but it can also be strongly detrimental to the user experience of a user who is using the client side application.
The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Controlling an application dependency identifier


The invention eliminates recirculation or back draft associated cooling air flows in systems that use two or more cooling fans/blowers (or other possible cooling devices). The inventive device with accomplish this by mean of an “Iris-like” in-plane device. The solution described herein is to be passive in nature (although it could be made to respond to electronic or other signals/commands/control mechanisms) and will be capable of responding to a filed fan/blower and engage at the time of fan/blower failure simply by detecting the change of pressure associated with the failed cooling device. The inventive device will reduce the space required and the cost associated with back draft damping or recirculation. In addition, the device can be retrofitted to existing systems and can be designed to be an integral part of a finger guard (a safety feature) of a cooling fan. The device will also provide acoustic advantages of more traditional back draft or recirculation as the Iris will retract completely out of the airflow during normal operation and therefore not result in the acoustic vibrations associated with many of the existing solutions.

When cooling electronic or other systems, for which temperature regulation is required, it is often necessary to employ multiple cooling devices (fans, blowers, etc. . . . ). In the event that one or more of the cooling devices fail, there is often a need to prevent the recirculation of cooling air between active the remaining operational devices and those (1 or more—most often only 1, which will be replaced with routine maintenance) which have failed. To illustrate this please refer to prior art FIG. 1, in which a standard prior art ventilation flow is shown. The desired rotation of the fan rotor I indicated by the number "1" and the associated desired airflows are indicated by the green arrows. When the fan fails the rotor will rotate in the opposite direction, indicated by the number "2" and the associated undesirable airflows are indicated by the arrows. The entire recirculation (or back flow) loop is now established. The majority of the related prior art solutions employ devices such as louvers (indexed as "L") or vanes to relieve the recirculation issue.
Prior art FIG. 2 illustrates a "vanes" or "louvers" thermal solution. In this prior art solution, when the fan is operation under normal conditions, there are louvers (or vanes) that rotate to a position that I perpendicular to the desired airflow and on "fan failure" the louvers/vanes fall to cover the face of the fan that would be on the downstream side of the airflow, when under normal operating conditions.
One of the problems with the vanes or louvers is that they require space that is downstream of the fan, noted as FP(2) or "footprint" and that this space is wasted. In addition, vanes often become an issue from the perspective of acoustic noise, due to vibration of the vanes when floating in the airflow from the cooling devices.

In-plane airflow circulation contingency and control system


The detector applies an analog input signal through respectively positive and negative offset voltages to the inputs of two comparators, one of which produces a first output signal as the input signal passes beyond a predetermined minimum voltage in the positive going direction, and the other of which produces a second output signal when the input voltage exceeds a minimum predetermined value in a negative going direction. The input signal is also applied directly to the input of a third comparator the output of which produces a third signal each time the input signal crosses over zero voltage in a positive going direction. The first and second comparator output signals are applied to the reset and set terminals, respectively, of a first flip flop. The output of this first flip flop, and the output of the third comparator are applied through an AND gate to the set terminal of a second flip flop. The second flip flop produces at its output a digital signal precisely at the time that a signal is produced at the output of the third comparator, provided the outputs of the first and second comparators have been successively generated in the cycle of the input voltage immediately preceding the output signal of the third comparator.

This invention relates to analog signal sensing circuits, and more particularly to analog sensor circuitry used in automotive ignition systems and the like. Even more particularly, this invention relates to an improved method for accurately detecting the threshold crossover events of an analog signal, and an improved crossover detector therefor having digital noise rejection accomplished without the use of hysteresis.
Threshold crossover detection of an analog signal is necessary for numerous applications. For example, crossover detectors are used in conjunction with a Hall sensor for the regulation of spark plug firing in conventional ignition systems. In these applications noise introduced through cross-talk with other circuits may interfere with the analog output of the Hall sensor, and may thus produce false threshold or zero crossover events. Such false events may initiate an untimed, erroneous spark plug response, thereby creating poor engine operation. To insure the accuracy of the detector, it is therefore desirable to remove the noise from the analog signal prior to the transmission of the signal to the spark plugs.
Many sensors operate at low analog input signal levels, and ideally at crossover produce a digital output signal. For sensors such as these, there is generally a trade-off between output signal accuracy (timing) and the ability to reject noise by means of hysteresis. Heretofore, efforts have been made to achieve noise rejection without sacrificing the accuracy of the output signal by selectively altering the effective hysteresis of a switching circuit during different portions of the analog input signal, as disclosed for example in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,916,328. This prior art, however, has revealed certain shortcomings of the analog method, such as the requirement of additional components for maintenance of hysteresis while switching analog levels.
Both U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,818,358 and 4,795,915 disclose what are termed as zero crossover digital noise rejection filters, but neither filter produces an output signal exactly at zero crossover of the input signal. More pertinent is U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,722, which discloses a threshold-crossing detection device with improved noise rejection that utilizes an integrated form of the sensor output to produce a binary signal having high and low levels. This binary signal is further processed for removal of multiple unwanted transitions resulting from noise. This prior art, however, has generally failed to produce a zero crossover detection device which is completely accurate and therefore free of output signal timing delays. Such timing delays are caused by the use of hysteresis or possibly other means for noise reduction.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved method of detecting a threshold crossover of the type described, and a novel detector whose digital output signal is accurately timed and substantially completely free of noise error.
Another object of this invention is to provide a threshold crossover detector which utilizes digital logic rather than hysteresis for rejection of noise present in an analog input signal, thus freeing the output signal from undesirable timing delays.
Other objects of this invention will become apparent hereinafter from the recital of the specification and appended claims, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Threshold crossover detector with improved digital noise rejection


A flash memory cell is provided. The flash memory cell includes a substrate having a source and a drain formed therein, a bit line contact formed above the drain, a control gate formed above the substrate, a spacer floating gate formed above the substrate and adjacent to the control gate, and a first spacer formed between the bit line contact and the control gate, wherein the first spacer is in contact with both the bit line contact and the control gate.

In recent years, flash memories such as floating gate flash memories have been widely used in electronic products such as digital cameras, camcorders, mobile phones, mobile computers, etc. Advantages of flash memories include non-volatility, i.e., information may be stored in the memory even when power supply is disconnected, and fast erasure speed. A floating gate flash memory may be manufactured on a semiconductor substrate and generally includes an array of memory cells each having a control gate and a floating gates. Electric charges may be stored in the floating gate, thereby changing a status of the respective memory cell. The structure of a conventional floating gate flash memory 100 is described in the following with reference to FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a part of floating gate memory 100 formed on a semiconductor substrate 102. A memory cell 104 of memory 100 as shown in FIG. 1 includes a source region 106 and a drain region 108 formed in substrate 102, a floating gate 110, and a control gate 112. A first layer of oxide 114 is formed between floating gate 110 and substrate 102. A protection layer 116 is formed above floating gate 110. A second layer of oxide 118 isolates control gate 112 from floating gate 110. A source line 120 is formed to provide contact to source region 106. An interlayer dielectric (ILD) 122 is formed above control gate 112, protection layer 116, and source line 120. ILD 122 has formed therein a via hole 124. A bit line contact 126 is formed to provide contact to drain region 108. A first spacer 128 is formed on sidewalls of floating gate 110 and protection layer 116 and isolates source line 120 from floating gate 110. A second spacer 130 is formed on a sidewall of control gate 112.
Problems associated with memory cell 104 as shown in FIG. 1 are that a thickness and a critical dimension (CD) of control gate 112 are hard to control during fabrication and that, because control gate 112 must be spaced apart from bit line contact 126 by a distance (indicated by "L" in FIG. 1) to avoid short circuit, a degree of integration is limited. Further, during the fabrication of memory 100, misalignments of masks used in photolithography steps may result in open circuits or short circuits, thus affecting yield of fabrication.

Structure of a non-volatile memory cell and method of forming the same


An aluminum brazing method includes the steps of preheating aluminum members in the form of workpieces coated with flux and brazing material in antioxidizing atmosphere gas up to a temperature around the flux activating temperature, and then heating the aluminum members from the temperature around the flux activating temperature to the brazing temperature mainly by forced convection of the anti-oxidizing atmosphere gas. An aluminum brazing furnace includes radiation intercepting members which are provided in the brazing chamber and which intercept the heat radiation to the work-pieces.

This invention relates to an aluminum brazing method and a furnace conducting the method. Herein, the wording of the aluminum brazing means to braze aluminum alloys or aluminum with the same kind of materials or other kind of metals.
An aluminum brazing method has been known according to which aluminum members are brazed in an anti-oxidizing atmosphere by forced-convection heating and radiation heating. Due to the ultilization of forced-convection heating, this conventional brazing method provides relatively high heating efficiency and high productivity as compared with methods in which brazing is performed solely by radiation in a muffle furnace or the like. A problem with this conventional method, however, is that the brazing is adversely affected, for example, by the detrimental gas components (e.g., oxygen gas and steam) adsorbed on the aluminum members to be brazed (hereinafter referred to as the "work-pieces") or the detrimental gas components remaining in the gas constituting the anti-oxidizing atmosphere.
To overcome this problem, a method has been disclosed in JP-B2-57-42420 according to which the aluminum members are efficiently preheated by forced convection and radiation in the anti-oxidizing atmosphere and are then brazed mainly by radiation heating. This arrangement helps to reduce, during brazing, the anti-oxidizing atmosphere-gas flow around the sections to be brazed, thereby reducing the amount of detrimental gas components coming into contact with the sections to be brazed.
Apart from this, there has been proposed a method according to which work-pieces coated with flux are brazed in an anti-oxidizing atmosphere primarily by radiation heating and secondarily by convection heating.
Both the brazing method disclosed in the publication mentioned above and the conventional method described above, in which work-pieces coated with flux are brazed in an anti-oxidizing atmosphere primarily by radiation, have the following problem: since the heating of the work-pieces is effected mainly by radiation, temperature variations may occur between work-pieces and work-piece sections depending upon the configuration and arrangement of the work-pieces. When such a temperature variation occurs, the brazing material does not flow to a sufficient degree at those positions where the requisite temperature rise is hard to effect, resulting in deterioration in brazing quality. This problem is particularly serious in a case where the work-piece has a very complicated configuration or in a case where, for the sake of high productivity, the work-pieces are arranged at high density so as to be collectively brazed.
Such a temperature variation might of course be reduced by heating the work-pieces for a longer time at the requisite brazing temperature. Such an increase in heating time, however, would lead to another problem, for example, of erosion of the aluminum members, i.e., the work-pieces, by the brazing material, resulting in a deterioration in productivity. Further, in the case of work-pieces coated with flux, heating the work-pieces for a long time leads to defective brazing due to evaporation of the flux.
The temperature variation due to radiation might also be reduced by arranging the work-pieces at reduced density. That, however, would lead to deterioration in productivity in proportion to the reduction in the arrangement density.

Aluminum brazing method and furnace therefor


Disclosed within is a fist bracket comprising a base and a circumferential portion extending from the base in which the circumferential portion comprises an outer surface and an inner surface and the outer surface comprises a curved section and a planar section. Also disclosed within is a combination of a motor mount bracket and fist bracket comprising a fist bracket with a base and a circumferential portion extending from the base. The circumferential portion includes an outer surface and an inner surface and the outer surface comprises a curved section and a planar section. The combination further includes a bushing disposed within the circumferential portion of the fist bracket.

The present invention relates to an improved vibratory screening machine which will produce linear motion with only a single vibratory motor which is mounted thereon by unique mounting structure and to components of the unique motor mounting structure.
By way of background, in vibratory screening machines two vibratory motors are utilized in tandem to produce desired linear motion for effecting the vibratory screening operation. As is well known in the art, the two motors are rigidly secured to the resiliently mounted inner frame of the vibratory screening machine. These two motors are operated in opposite directions to thereby produce linear motion for conveying the material which is being screened. Insofar as known, a single motor mounted on a vibratory screening machine always produced orbital motion and was incapable of producing linear motion.

Vibratory screening machine with single motor mounted to produce linear motion


The invention relates to a plastic dispersion as coating for inorganic and organic particles, such as pigment particles and colourant particles.. The plastic dispersion is a dispersion of a polymer based on. a. a vinyl monomer, PA0 b. (C.sub.1 -C.sub.12) alkyl(meth)acrylate, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.12) dialkylitaconate, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.12) dialkylfumarate and/or (C.sub.1 -C.sub.12) dialkylmaleate, PA0 c. a monomer containing sulphonic acid groups, or a corresponding salt of it, and PA0 d. 0-0.3% (wt) organic unsaturated mono- and/or dicarboxylic acid.

The invention relates to the use of a plastic dispersion as coating for inorganic and organic particles, such as pigment particles and colourant particles.
The use of plastic dispersions as coatings for inorganic and organic particles, such as pigment particles and colourant particles, is described on page 165 of the Pigment Handbook (Volume III, by Temple C. Patton, 1973). Such pigment particles or colourant particles coated with plastic dispersions can be mixed into various plastics After mixing with plastics, such coated pigment particles often cause problems owing to the formation of agglomerates. In general the coated pigment particles are suited only for mixing with highly specific plastics That is why plastic dispersions are sought resulting in a good homogeneous distribution of pigments and colourants in a plurality of plastics without agglomerates being formed

Method for coating inorganic and organic pigment or colorant particles with a plastic dispersion


In the present invention, when power is restored after a loss of power; an intelligent TV can receive communication services with correct current time information by displaying the clock set menu for resetting the current time by (a) checking for the presence of time information to determine whether there has been a loss of power; (b) displaying a clock set menu screen to enable resetting of the current time if a loss of power is detected in the step (a); and (c) transmitting the reset current time information to the information signal processor of the intelligent TV. Also, in the present invention, a message alerting the user that the current time should be reset gives the user the option to reset the current time when power is restored after a loss of power, by (aa) checking for the presence of time information to determine whether there has been a loss of power; (bb) displaying a message indicating that the current time should be reset if a loss of power is detected in step (aa); (cc) resetting the current time by displaying the clock set menu screen in accordance with a key input; and (dd) transmitting the reset current time data to the information signal processor of the intelligent TV.

The present invention relates to a time reset and display method for an intelligent television. More particularly, the invention relates to a method to adjust the current time in an intelligent television, which is capable of receiving communication services, by displaying a clock set menu screen when current time data is lost due to a power failure, etc.
An intelligent TV receives communication services through a connection to a value added communication network (VAN). The intelligent TV includes an information signal processor for receiving information communication data (hereinafter, information data) when the intelligent TV is connected to a value added network, and for outputting information R, G, B signals and a switching control signal in order to display the information data on the screen. The intelligent TV selects and displays information R, G, B signals processed in the information signal processor or TV R, G, B signals processed in a TV signal processor depending on the switching control signal output from the information signal processor.
Because the intelligent TV makes it possible to view several communication services transmitted through value added networks, such as stock quotes, news services, weather, and TV program listings on a TV screen, even persons who are not familiar with the use of computers can easily receive such communication services.
In the intelligent TV, an information signal processor continuously receives time information from a TV microcomputer to update the time information. The information signal processor also operates to display the current time on the screen when a user presses a time display key. The current time display of the intelligent TV is an important factor in receiving communication services, and the display of correct time is also essential.
However, if the current time data is lost due to a power failure, the current time cannot be accurately displayed when power is restored. Unless a user checks the time stored in the TV microcomputer by pressing a time display key after the power is restored, the time information in the TV microcomputer is not displayed on the screen. Therefore, the current time cannot be verified for correctness.

Time reset and display method for an intelligent television


A keyless entry system for use with a mobile transmitter for transmitting an ID code specified therefor along with a command for vehicle door lock/unlock remote control to a control unit. The control unit is operable in an ID code registration mode for registering an ID code transmitted from the mobile transmitter. The transmitted ID code is compared with the registered ID code to permit the remote control specified by the transmitted command when the transmitted ID code is identical with the registered ID code. Upon completion of a first predetermined procedure including a plurality of sequential events of at least one first movable vehicle member provided on the vehicle, a second movable vehicle member is changed from a first position to a second position. The control unit is placed in the ID code registration mode upon the sequential occurrence of three events of (1) the second movable member is changed to the second position, (2) the ignition key is placed in a predetermined position within the key receptacle and (3) the second movable member is returned to the first position in this order.

This invention relates to a keyless entry system for vehicles door lock or unlock remote control.
Keyless entry systems have been used for vehicle door lock/unlock control at a position remote from the vehicle. Such a conventional keyless entry system is used with a mobile transmitter of the type having door lock/unlock buttons for transmitting a function code causing the vehicle doors to be locked or unlocked when depressed at a position remote from the vehicle. The keyless entry system has a keyless entry control unit which permits the remote control only when the ID code transmitted along with the function code from the mobile transmitter is identical with the ID code registered therein. If the transmitted and registered ID codes are not identical, however, the remote control is terminated with no door lock/unlock operation. For this reason, it takes much time to confirm which one of the mobile transmitter and the keyless entry control unit is subject to failure.


An illumination system including a diffractive optical element (DOE) having an uneven surface that produces an illumination shape. The DOE comprising an uneven surface that produces a multipole illumination shape having angular scope element, wherein the angular scope element is a function of a radius and an angle of the produced multipole illumination shape, and wherein a position of the poles and sizes of the poles in an angular scope vary with a radial scope used in producing the multipole illumination shape, and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to an illumination system of a lithographic apparatus for fabricating a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to an illumination system using a diffractive optical element (DOE) that provides a multipole illumination.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a lithographic apparatus having an illumination system is used to obtain optimized illumination conditions for forming a fine pattern on a semiconductor device. For example, FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional illumination system including a conventional diffractive optical element (DOE). Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional illumination system 100 includes a conventional DOE 10. The DOE 10 divides a laser beam 5 projected from a light source (not shown) into several beams, determines the mutual angles of the divided beams, and provides a multipole illumination shape such as a quadrupole, dipole, or cross-pole. FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the conventional DOE in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2, the DOE 10 is a non-spherical, light-diffracting device equipped with an uneven surface 13 formed with a predetermined pitch and depth on a surface of a base material 11.
The illumination system 100 produces the quadrupole illumination 15 by projecting the laser beam 5 through the DOE 10. An inner and outer sigma σ of the quadrupole illumination 15 are determined when passing through a zoom lens 20. Thereafter, the quadrupole illumination 15 is reflected by mirrors M1 and M2 and passes through a condenser lens 25, which condenses the quadrupole illumination 15. Then, the condensed quadrupole illumination is directed to a reticle 30 where a mask pattern of the reticle 30 is projected onto a wafer 40 by a projection lens 35.
The advantage of the lithographic apparatus having the above illumination system 100 is that light intensity does not decrease since an aperture, which blocks part of the light, for forming the multipole is not required. In addition, the poles may be enlarged or reduced, and the poles radial scope can be changed by the zoom lens 20.
However, once the illumination condition, that is the quadrupole, dipole, cross-pole, etc., is fixed by the DOE 10, a position of the poles in an angular scope and the relative sizes of the poles cannot be adjusted.
FIG. 3 illustrates the shape of the quadrupole illumination 15 produced by the DOE of FIG. 1. In this case, an illumination shape I(r, θ) can be expressed by multiplying a radial scope element A(r) by an angular scope element C(θ) where (r, θ) are polar coordinates. A(r) is 1 if rinner<r<router, otherwise A(r) is 0. C(θ) is 1 if b<θ<c, otherwise C(θ) is 0 (b and c are constants). The position of the poles in the angular scope is fixed at (b+c)/2 independent of rinner and router. The conventional quadrupole illumination 15 has four poles 15a, 15b, 15c, and 15d, each located in a different quadrant of the xy-plane and being symmetric about the x and y axes.
FIG. 4 shows a shape of a conventional cross-pole illumination 55 produced by another conventional DOE. In this case, an illumination shape I(r,e) can be expressed by multiplying the radial scope element A(r) and the angular scope element C(θ), wherein (r,θ) are polar coordinates. A(r) is 1 only if rinner<r<router, otherwise A(r) is 0. C(θ) is 1 if 0<θ<b and d<θ<π/2, otherwise C(θ) is 0. A ratio of areas between the poles, b/(π/2-d)=1, is fixed. That is, angles between poles 55a, 55b, 55c, and 55d are each π/2, and these poles are located on the x and y axes.
As a consequence, the illumination shapes formed by the conventional DOEs depend on C(θ), which is only a function of θ, and has no dependence on r. Thus, even if the radial scope used is changed, the position of the poles in the angular scope and the relative sizes of the poles do not change. Accordingly, the conventional DOE has little pliability. Furthermore, in order to design the optimized illumination, each pole may be required to have a different size. However, it is very difficult to embody other illumination conditions by using the conventional DOE, which already embodies the optimized illumination condition.
Thus, problems in conventional DOEs include the small amount of pliability due to the fixed illumination mode, difficulty of changing a position and sizes of the poles, and difficulty of selecting and combining the illumination conditions.
Therefore, a need exists for a diffractive optical element (DOE) that produces a multipole illumination shape and is capable of changing a position of poles and sizes of the poles of the multipole illumination shape depending on a radial scope used.

Diffractive optical element, illumination system comprising the same, and method of manufacturing semiconductor device using illumination system


A substrate processing method includes: holding a substrate having a processing target surface and an opposite surface which is opposite to the processing target surface; preheating a center portion of the opposite surface of the substrate; after the preheating, ejecting a sulfuric acid hydrogen peroxide mixture (SPM) to a peripheral edge portion of the processing target surface of the substrate; and after the ejecting, moving an ejection position of the SPM from the peripheral edge portion of the processing target surface to a center portion of the substrate.

In the related art, there is known a technique that processes a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer or a glass substrate using an SPM that is a mixed solution of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2018-107455). According to the technique, the substrate may be processed using the reaction heat generated by the reaction between sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide.

Substrate processing method and substrate processing apparatus


The techniques described herein relate ascertaining resources of a radio access network that can be switched off during low network utilization, wherein the method comprises ascertaining an overlap of at least one sector of a base station of the radio access network by at least one sector of a surrounding base station of the radio access network. At least one candidate sector is determined to be switched off as a function of the ascertained overlap, wherein the candidate sector is essentially completely covered by the at least one sector of the surrounding base stations. The techniques may include selection from among the candidate sectors a combination of sectors that are to be switched off, and switching off the candidate sectors of the selected combination.

An objective of the refinement of communication networks is to lower their energy consumption in order to reduce the environmental burden, and to improve the cost-effectiveness of the operation of communication networks. In the context of mobile telecommunications systems, the focus of energy savings is on the radio access network, which accounts for the highest share of the energy consumption in a mobile telecommunications system, namely, about 60% to 80%. Evaluations of traffic data of mobile telecommunications systems have shown that there is very little mobile telecommunications traffic, especially in the night hours and on weekends, as a result of which the existing capacities of radio access networks, which are generally dimensioned to handle the maximum network load, are only used to a small extent. Therefore, during such low-traffic periods, the potential exists to lower the energy consumption of the radio access network by using radio resources more efficiently.
The publication "Traffic-Driven Power Saving in Operational 3G Cellular Networks", by C. Peng et al. MobiCom 2011, proposes switching off selected base stations during low-traffic periods in order to reduce the energy required to operate the radio access network. A traffic-grid-based method is used to select the base stations that are to be switched off during the energy-saving mode of operation.

Disconnection of resources of a radio access network with a low network load


The invention includes methods of producing dianhydrosugars. A polyol is reacted in the presence of a first catalyst to form a monocyclic sugar. The monocyclic sugar is transferred to a second reactor where it is converted to a dianhydrosugar alcohol in the presence of a second catalyst. The invention includes a process of forming isosorbide. An initial reaction is conducted at a first temperature in the presence of a solid acid catalyst. The initial reaction involves reacting sorbitol to produce 1,4-sorbitan, 3,6-sorbitan, 2,5-mannitan and 2,5-iditan. Utilizing a second temperature, the 1,4-sorbitan and 3,6-sorbitan are converted to isosorbide. The invention includes a method of purifying isosorbide from a mixture containing isosorbide and at least one additional component. A first distillation removes a first portion of the isosorbide from the mixture. A second distillation is then conducted at a higher temperature to remove a second portion of isosorbide from the mixture.

Anhydrosugars, dianhydrosugar alcohols and their derivatives are commercially valuable for a variety of applications including therapeutic uses and use as copolymers to improve properties of polymer materials. Conventional production of dianhydrosugar alcohols such as isosorbide can be expensive and inefficient. Additionally, conventional processes can be environmentally unfriendly.
It is desirable to develop alternative methods for producing anhydro and dianhydrosugar alcohols.

Method of forming a dianhydrosugar alcohol


A bone plating system for fixating distal or proximal ends of long bones includes a bone plate having a head portion and a shaft portion, and a plurality of bone screws, at least one of which is a locking bone screw and at least one non-locking cancellous bone screw. The bone plate has a plurality of plate holes in the head portion and a plurality of plate holes in the shaft portion. The head portion or the shaft portion of the bone plate may have a plurality of threaded plate holes for engaging the at least one locking bone screw and at least one non-threaded plate hole for engaging the non-locking cancellous bone screw. The non-locking cancellous bone screw and the at least one non-threaded plate hole are configured and dimensioned to have a particularly useful dimensional relationship.

For bone fractures such as peri-articular fractures, bone plating systems that provide fixed angular relationship between the bone plate and the bone screw are known to be beneficial. Many of these devices require suitable bone quantity and quality, and a fracture pattern that is compatible with the device to be effective. Where these requirements are not satisfied, e.g. bone fractures involving severely comminuted bone or missing bone segments, conventional bone plate and screw systems must be used. Although these conventional systems are particularly well-suited to promoting healing of the fracture by compressing the fracture ends together and drawing the bone into close apposition with other fragments and the bone plate, the angular relationships between the plate and screws are not fixed and can change postoperatively. This can lead to malalignment and poor clinical results.
The primary mechanism for the change in angular relationship between the bone plate and the bone screws is the movement between the bone plate and the compressed bone caused by the dynamic loading from physiological conditions. The shear forces generated by the dynamic loading often cause the bone plate and screws to come loose and release the stored energy in the compressed bone.
Securing or locking the bone screws to the bone plate provides a fixed angular relationship between the plate and screw and reduces the incidence of loosening. One method of securing the bone screws to the bone plate involves the use of locking screws. A locking screw has threading on an outer surface of its head that mates with corresponding threads on the surface of a plate hole to lock the screw to the plate. Bone plates having threaded holes for accommodating locking screws are known. As the relationship between the locking screws and the bone plate is fixed, locking screws provide a high resistance to shear or torsional forces. However, locking screws have a limited capability to compress bone fragments.
In summary, conventional non-locking bone screws, i.e. screws that do not lock in a fixed angular relationship to a bone plate, effectively compress bone fragments, but generally possess a low resistance to shear forces that can lead to loosening of the screw. Locking screws, on the other hand, have a high resistance to shear forces ensuring stability at the bone screw-to-plate hole interface, but possess a limited ability to compress the bone fragments. Thus, a bone plating system that combines non-locking screws with locking screws in long bone applications has been introduced in the industry. One such example is a bone plating system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,623,486 to Weaver et al.
Thus, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved bone plating system that would enhance the effectiveness and useability of these bone plating systems.

Distal radius bone plating system with locking and non-locking screws


A drive assembly of an electric bicycle is disclosed. A shell tube of an electric bicycle is transfixed with a crank shaft sheathed with an outer shaft set. The outer shaft set links to a tubular motor set. A first side of the crank shaft is provided with a left positioning set sheathed and limited in a left hole of the shell tube. A second side of the crank shaft is provided with a right positioning set sheathed and limited in a right hole of the shell tube. The right positioning set is fixed with a chain wheel set. A displacement of the crank shaft pulled by a bicycle chain is detected by a torque detection unit, and a torque is accessed by a control unit based upon the displacement to control the output power of the tubular motor set, thereby assisting pedaling the bicycle with feet.

a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drive assembly of an electric bicycle, and more particularly to a drive assembly of an electric bicycle which is able to assist pedaling the bicycle with feet, wherein a displacement of a crank shaft pulled by a bicycle chain is used to acquire a torque, such that an output power of a tubular motor set can be controlled, thereby achieving a purpose of assisting pedaling the bicycle with feet.                b) Description of the Prior Art
A bicycle is not only a vehicle of transportation, but also sport equipment for spending a leisure time. The bicycle is primarily operated by pedaling with a rider's feet to drive a chain wheel set that links to a bicycle chain, thereby driving a rear wheel to rotate, as a power for moving the bicycle forward. However, the road condition that an ordinary bicycle travels is not always the same; sometimes the road is smooth, and sometimes the road is a ramp. When riding the bicycle for a long distance, some people with an inferior physical strength, such as elders, women or children, may be incapable of completing the whole journey. Therefore, there are electric bicycles to solve this kind of problem.
The existing electric bicycle is operated primarily by an electric motor which generates a power to drive the chain wheel set to move a bicycle chain that links to and rotates a rear wheel to move the bicycle forward. The related technical means can be referred to in prior arts of U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,586, U.S. Pat. No. 8,418,584, EP 11164464.7, and TW 201238831A1.
As mentioned above, in addition to providing for manually pedaling a bicycle, the electric bicycle can even allow the rider to choose using electricity as a power source for moving the bicycle forward. Nevertheless, the problem lies in that the design concept of the ordinary electric bicycle does not take the ability of pedaling the bicycle with feet into consideration, but only allows the rider to choose one operation mode for driving the bicycle forward between the manual pedaling and the electric power. The prior arts U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,586, U.S. Pat. No. 8,418,584, EP 11164464.7, and TW 201238831A1 also belong to this design concept. Yet, for a true lover of riding a bicycle, it will basically make no difference from riding a motorcycle if the bicycle can be only ridden by the electric power, and the rider will not enjoy the pleasure of pedaling a bicycle and the sense of accomplishment in conquering a physical limit at all.
Accordingly, there are vendors who utilize a detected rotational torque of the crank shaft of the bicycle to control the output power of the electric motor, serving as a power to assist pedaling the bicycle with feet. The related technical applications can be referred to in prior arts TW 451316 and TW 453843. However, the common idea of these prior arts is the detection of the rotational torque of the crank shaft, which is not able to accurately detect the ability of pedaling a bicycle of a rider. To put it simply, although the rotation of the crank shaft is indeed related to the ability of pedaling a bicycle, the conventional method for detecting the torque cannot detect whether the rider is difficult in pedaling the bicycle, and even the rotational torque and the rotational speed of the crank shaft are under a same condition, the physical burden of pedaling the bicycle is not the same for all the riders. This is the blind spot of the existing method that uses the torque detection to determine the ability of pedaling the bicycle.
Furthermore, most of the existing torque detection devices and speed detection devices are hung externally and therefore can be damaged easily by collision or an external force. In addition, there are some shortcomings when hanging these devices externally; for example, the accuracy of detection can be easily affected by other external factors mixing with other parameters, during the detection process.


A method for generating cut surfaces in the cornea of an eye in order to correct ametropia using an apparatus. The method includes providing the apparatus including a laser unit, which focuses pulsed laser radiation into the cornea and moves the focused radiation in the cornea to generate cut surfaces, and a control unit, which controls the laser unit for generating cut surfaces. The method includes forming at least two mutually spaced apart cut surfaces as opening cuts by application of the pulsed laser radiation from the laser unit, each opening cut extending from an anterior corneal surface into the cornea and forming a further cut surface as a relieving cut by application of the pulsed laser radiation from the laser unit, which relieving cut extends from the anterior corneal surface into the cornea. The position and shape of the relieving cut is selected such that the relieving cut contributes to the correction of the ametropia of the eye.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for generating cut surfaces in the cornea of an eye in order to correct ametropia, said apparatus comprising a laser unit, which can focus pulsed laser radiation for generating cut surfaces into the cornea and move the radiation therein, and a control unit, which controls the laser unit for generating cut surfaces such that a predetermined lenticle to be removed is separated from the surrounding corneal material in the cornea by at least one cut surface and such that at least two mutually spaced apart cut surfaces are formed as opening cuts, each extending from the lenticle to the anterior corneal surface.
The invention further relates to a method for generating cut surfaces in the cornea of an eye in order to correct ametropia, wherein the pulsed laser radiation for generating cut surfaces is focused into the cornea and moved therein such that a predetermined lenticle to be removed is separated from the surrounding corneal material in the cornea by at least one cut surface and such that at least two mutually spaced apart cut surfaces are formed as opening cuts, each extending from the lenticle to the anterior corneal surface.
2. Background
Such apparatus and method are known, for example, from WO 2004/105661 A1. However, the desired correction of ametropia of the eye is frequently not achieved by such apparatus and method.

Apparatus and method for generating cut surfaces in the cornea of an eye for correction of ametropia


A method for reducing power consumption in an integrated circuit and an integrated circuit having a power reduction feature. The integrated circuit has at least two functional circuit blocks and two upper supply rails. A first upper supply rail is coupled to the first functional circuit block and a second upper supply rail is coupled to the second functional circuit block. A lower supply rail is coupled to the first and second functional circuit blocks. In an active mode of operation, a first source of operating potential is electrically coupled to the first upper supply rail and a second source of operating potential is electrically coupled to the second upper supply rail. In an idle mode of operation, the first upper supply rail remains electrically coupled to the first source of operating potential and the second source of operating potential is electrically decoupled from the second functional circuit block.

Integrated circuits such as microprocessors, memory elements, counters, serial adder/subtractors, and the like are typically comprised of subcircuits or functional blocks that communicate with each other through electrical interconnects. For example, the functional blocks of a microprocessor may include a microprocessor core, an integer arithmetic logic unit, an execution core, registers, cache, a floating point unit, an instruction decode and prefetch unit, a branch predictor, a bus interface, and the like. The functional blocks of a memory element, on the other hand, may include charge storage devices, sequential logic circuitry, and combinatorial logic circuitry. The functional blocks in turn comprise active and passive circuit elements such as transistors, capacitors, resistors, and inductors.
In operation, a power or a bias signal is supplied to the integrated circuit before it can receive, process, and transmit electrical signals. The power or bias signal is transmitted to the transistors of each functional block whether the functional blocks are in an active mode of operation or a standby mode of operation. Thus, the circuit elements, e.g., the transistors, receive power whether they are in active operation or not. A drawback of this type of configuration is that all the transistors in the circuit receive operating power, whether or not they are processing electrical signals. Because transistors that are receiving operating power leak current, they consume power. In portable applications such as laptop computers and cellular phones in which power is supplied by batteries, this power consumption limits the amount of time the portable device may be used before it should be recharged or the batteries replaced.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have an integrated circuit capable of operating at a reduced power consumption and a method for reducing power consumption of the integrated circuit. It would be of further advantage for the method and structure to be cost efficient.

System for controlling power to sequential and combinatorial logic circuitry in an integrated circuit


A distributor element, in particular a feed distributor, is provided for the metering of lubricants for lubricating installations. The element includes a valve piston featuring a bore. The valve piston moves under the pressure of a lubricant operating at a lubricant inlet against the force of a first return spring from a starting position in which the bore releases a connection between a dispensing chamber and a metering chamber via a connecting passage, to a metering position in which the valve piston releases a passage from the lubricant inlet to the connecting passage and therefore to the metering chamber. Furthermore, the distributor element features a dispensing piston which under the effect of a lubricant entering the metering chamber moves against the force of a second return spring from a starting position and thereby pushes the lubricant volume present in the dispensing chamber between the valve piston and the dispensing piston into a lubricant outlet. The valve piston may also be moved into an intermediate position until equalization of pressure has occurred, in which position the valve piston blocks the passage from the lubricant inlet to the connecting passage and therefore to the metering chamber. Upon pressure relief at the lubricant inlet, the valve piston is moved back to its starting position by the first return spring and the dispensing piston is moved back to its starting position by the second return spring.

The invention concerns a distributor element, particularly a feed distributor, for metering lubricants like grease for lubricating installations.
A known lubricant distributor of this type features a valve piston with a bore. The valve piston moves under the lubricant pressure operating at a lubricant inlet against the force of a single return spring from a starting position in which the bore releases a connection via a connection passage from a metering chamber to a dispensing chamber, to a metering position in which the valve piston releases a passage from the lubricant inlet to the connecting passage and therefore to the metering chamber. Additionally, this lubricant distributor has a dispensing piston which can be moved against the force of the only return spring under the effect of lubricant entering the metering chamber. As a result of the lubricant pressure building up in the metering chamber, the lubricant volume present in the dispensing chamber between the valve piston and the dispensing piston is pushed into at least one lubricant outlet and the valve piston is moved by the dispensing piston into an intermediate position until pressure equalization has occurred, in which position the valve piston blocks the passage from the lubricant inlet to the connecting passage and therefore to the metering chamber. Upon a subsequent pressure relief at the lubricant inlet the valve piston and also the dispensing piston are returned to their starting position by the only return spring. A disadvantage of such a distributor element is that the hydraulic lubricant pressure (working pressure) of e.g. up to 250 bar operating at the valve inlet, must be reduced to a relatively low residual pressure of e.g. about 45 bar for the required pressure relief to ensure reliable operation.
The known design, in particular if several lubricant distributors are connected in series, can lead to impaired functioning of the last lubricant distributor because of pressure reduction occurring in the lubricant line. The problem of a too low relief pressure cannot be solved by strengthening the only return spring provided in this state of the art, because this does not only cooperate with the valve piston but in the other direction also with the dispensing piston. A stronger return spring would lead to an increase of the pressure which must move the dispensing piston into its final position.

Distributing element for lubricating systems


Dental composite composition including a glass ceramic and a curable organic material is described in which the glass ceramic includes a crystal phase having an average grain size of 50 to 400 nm, and the dental composite composition is provided as a dental prosthetic material exhibiting superior transparency and mechanical properties comparing to conventional composite products containing micro-sized crystal grains and also has excellent aesthetics and processability required for prosthetic materials for same-day dental prosthetic service.

Porcelain and metal, which are conventionally used prosthetic materials, are, with the development of the dental industry, becoming problematic in terms of physical properties or tooth aesthetics, and the market share thereof is gradually decreasing. Meanwhile, the market share of replacement materials such as glass ceramic, zirconia and the like is increasing. Moreover, a hot-pressing process, which is conventionally used to manufacture prostheses, takes a long period of time to manufacture prostheses, so it is difficult to manufacture a prosthesis in one day, as required in the current dental market, thus triggering a change to CAD/CAM systems. In order to support this change, the effectiveness of materials for 1:1 processing capable of implantation immediately after processing without additional heat treatment, as is the case with glass ceramic, is also improving.
Due to the development of zirconia, glass ceramic and the like, materials showing good aesthetics and desirable physical properties are mainly used. However, most ceramic materials undergo crystallization heat treatment after processing, making it difficult to use the same to provide same-day prosthetic service.
Furthermore, a ceramic material that is currently subjected to 1:1 processing is problematic because the processability thereof is low due to the use of a ceramic material, which has already been subjected to crystallization, and because fracture occurs in the margin portion (the boundary between the prosthesis and the tooth).
With the goal of solving these problems and fulfilling the requirements of the current dental market, a composite in which organic and inorganic materials are hybridized has been developed. The composite is a complementary material in which the organic material serves to reduce brittleness, which is the disadvantage with the inorganic material, and the inorganic material serves to improve the physical properties of the organic material, such as the low strength thereof. Moreover, since the composite may be advantageously used for 1:1 processing capable of implantation in the oral cavity immediately after processing, new products thereof are being introduced through continuous technical development. The composite has strength of about 150 to 200 MPa depending on the type of currently commercialized product, and the processability thereof is also superior to that of conventional glass-ceramics capable of being used for 1:1 processing.
With regard to the manufacture of such a composite, Korean Patent No. 10-1325281 discloses a dental composite composition comprising a glass ceramic-ceramic, a monomer and/or oligomer having an unsaturated double bond, a polymerization initiator for initiating polymerization, and a nano-sized filler. Here, it is disclosed that a composite composition having superior mechanical strength, aesthetics and abrasion resistance may be obtained by adding barium aluminosilicate as the inorganic filler and adjusting the amount of glass ceramic-ceramic.
Moreover, Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2014-0132694 discloses a dental material including (a) at least one curable monomer and/or polymer and (b) at least one filler, in which the (b) at least one filler includes agglomerated oxide particles, the oxide particles include a matrix and a doping component, the matrix includes silicon dioxide, and the doping component includes zirconium dioxide. Here, it is disclosed that the transparency of the dental material may be improved using, as the filler, agglomerated silicon dioxide primary particles doped with zirconium dioxide.
In addition, there are a number of conventional documents related to methods of manufacturing a composite, which is a prosthetic material for teeth, but as the use of the composite as a dental prosthesis material increases, new technologies are continuously being added through research and development of superior products.

Dental composite comprising glass ceramic


Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods of managing hierarchical reference data. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a hierarchical data management program can maintain a master set of reference data corresponding to the reference data being managed. From the master set of reference data, the hierarchy management program can instantiate centralized hierarchies, validate changes to the centralized hierarchies and enforce business rules with respect to the centralized hierarchies. The hierarchy management program can publish the centralized hierarchies to subscribing systems for use by the subscribing systems in managing data of interest.

Many organizations store financial data, manufacturing data and other critical data in databases or other electronic storage formats. For purposes of understanding the data, the data must be reported in some form that makes sense to human or programmatic users. In other words, users typically want to see quantitative information "by" some criteria. For example, a user may want to see sales in dollars by month, by cost center, by region and so on. The data used to enforce the criteria is referred to as reference data. Oftentimes, individual pieces of reference data are interrelated in some manner. For example, the piece of reference data representing a cost center can be related to the piece of reference data representing a geographical region. The organization of the reference data to reflect these relationships is referred to as its hierarchy.
A single organization can have multiple systems for storing and reporting data. Often, these systems are heterogeneous, with each system having its own hierarchy or hierarchies for reference data. FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a prior art system for storing and reporting data. In FIG. 1, system 100 can include an accounting system 102 having hierarchy 104 for organizing data in database 106 and electronic transaction system 108 having hierarchy 110 for organizing data in database 107. Each hierarchy can organize different or overlapping sets of reference data according to different criteria. For example, hierarchy 104 can organize data of interest according to the corporate organization, with the reference data indicating the department, the section and the cost center associated with the piece of data. Hierarchy 110, on the other hand, can organize the data geographically according to continent, country region and cost center. Typically a system using a particular hierarchy, such as hierarchy 104, will have no knowledge of the hierarchies employed by other systems, even if a portion of the reference data overlaps.
To further complicate matters, other systems that use the data may have their own hierarchies for reporting the data. A financial reporting system 114, for example, can have its own hierarchy 116 to organize data imported from accounting system 102 or transaction system 108 into reports for users. Reporting hierarchy 116 can require, for example, that data be accessed based on country and department, requiring coordination of hierarchy 104 and hierarchy 110 to access data. An Extract Transform Load ("ETL") system 118 can map data from accounting system 102, electronic transaction system 108 and other systems to financial reporting system 114.
Current systems suffer several shortcomings in managing multiple hierarchies, particularly when the hierarchies change. Suppose local users in an organization decide to add an additional cost center for the purposes of tracking electronic transactions. In this case, hierarchy 110 can be updated to associate the new cost center with particular pieces of transaction data. However, since accounting system 102 does not have knowledge of hierarchy 110, the update to hierarchy 110 will not change hierarchy 104, meaning that accounting system 102 and electronic transaction system 108 are tracking transactions according to a different set of cost centers. While this is just one example of change in one hierarchy that should be reflected in another hierarchy, there may be a great many changes due to new cost centers being added, products changing product lines or names, revised accounting standards or other circumstances that require changes to be propagated to multiple hierarchies, particularly in a large organization.
Management of hierarchy changes in prior art systems was often handled manually. Continuing with the example above, an administrator of electronic transaction system 108 would notify an administrator of accounting system 102 via email or other communication of the addition of the new cost center to hierarchy 110 and the second administrator will try to update hierarchy 104 accordingly. Additionally, the mappings of ETL system 118 could then be updated, typically through implementation of custom code, so that the augmented hierarchies 110 and 104 could be mapped to hierarchy 116. When a large number of changes are made to hierarchies, updating other hierarchies and mappings becomes an increasingly time consuming and error prone process.
Another shortcoming of many prior art systems is the lack of effective management of business rules across hierarchies. Often, knowledge of business rules is owned at a departmental or individual user level. The rules can be buried in hard-coded system interfaces, spreadsheets and desktop databases. Consequently, a particular user or set of users may not have knowledge of various business rules implicated for a particular hierarchy change. From the perspective of business transaction system 108, the addition of a cost center may not be restricted, however, from the perspective of accounting system 102, a business rule may exist that new cost centers should not be added for regulatory reasons. Therefore, while a new cost center can be added to hierarchy 110, the same cost center can not be added to hierarchy 104, leading to a discrepancy between cost centers used by different hierarchies. Such discrepancies across hierarchies can cause minor inconvenience or lead to significant errors in financial and regulatory reporting.

Hierarchical reference data management system and method


A bisazo compound represented by the following general formula (I) or its salt is a useful fiber-reactive dye: ##STR1## where D is a phenyl or naphthyl group; B is a phenylene group, etc.; U is an aliphatic or aromatic linking group; Z is a vinyl group, etc.; and X and Y are a halogen atom, a pyridinio group, etc.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fiber-reactive bisazo compound.
2) Related Art
Various reactive dyes have been so far known and widely used in the field of dyeing and printing of fibrous materials. For example, bisazo compounds are known as fiber-reactive red dyes from JP-A 54(1979)-73827, 5(1993)-125288, etc.
As a result of extensive studies to develop reactive dyes capable of giving red-dyed fibrous materials having better dyeability at a low salt concentration, and better reproducibility, levelling property, build-up property, effective dyeing ratio, wash-off property, etc. and also better color fastnesses to chlorine, light, sweat, sweat and sun light, acid hydrolysis, alkali, washing, peroxide washing, etc. in the dyeing or printing of fibrous materials than the above-mentioned known dyes, the present inventors have found that a bisazo compound having two triazine rings and at least one vinylsulfon type reactive group had the desired properties as mentioned above and have established the present invention.

Bisazo compound and method for dyeing or printing fibrous materials using the same


To maintain a monolayer of scandium, which is necessary for a satisfactory emission on the surface of a scandate cathode, at least the top layer of the cathode is provided with a scandium-containing oxidic phase from which Scandium is supplied by segregation of scandium from this oxidic phase.

The invention relates to a scandate cathode having a cathode body which comprises a matrix of a high-melting point metal and/or alloy, a barium compound in contact with the matrix material, to supply barium to the emissive surface by a chemical reaction with the matrix material, and a top layer of a Scandium containing material.
The invention also relates to methods of manufacturing such a cathode.
Cathodes of the type mentioned in the opening paragraph are described in the article "Properties and manufacture of top-layer scandate cathodes", Applied Surface Science, 26 (1986), pages 173-195, by J. Hasker, J. van Esdonk and J. E. Crombeen. In the cathodes described in this article scandium oxide (Sc.sub.2 O.sub.3) grains of several microns or tungsten (W) grains which are partially coated with either scandium (Sc) or scandium hydride (ScH.sub.2) are present at least in the top layer of the cathode body. The cathode body is manufactured by pressing and sintering tungsten grains, whereafter the pores between the grains are impregnated with barium-calcium-aluminate. The barium-calcium-aluminate supplies barium to the emissive surface by a chemical reaction with the tungsten of the matrix in order to maintain electron emission during operation of the cathode. During impregnation, in the cathodes manufactured with W which is partly coated with Sc or ScH.sub.2 the Sc is oxidized to Sc.sub.2 O.sub.3. In a very high load after mounting application in, for example, a cathode ray tube for television, it is important that a scandium-containing layer having a thickness of one monolayer be formed on the cathode surface during impregnation by means of a reaction with the impregnant. However, as has been proved in experiments described in the above-mentioned article, the scandium-containing layer may be partly or completely removed by ion bombardment which may occur during the manufacture of such television tubes, which detrimentally affects electron emission during later tube operation. Since Sc.sub.2 O.sub.3 is not very mobile, said scandium-containing layer cannot be fully regenerated by reactivation of the cathode. As compared with an impregnated tungsten cathode or an impregnant tungsten cathode coated with osmium-rhutenium or irridium, this may be considered as a drawback.

Scandate cathode and methods of making it


Disclosed are a connecting method of a sense amplifier and a semiconductor memory device using the same. The semiconductor memory device comprises a memory cell array including a plurality of word lines connected respectively to a plurality of memory cell blocks, each of which is composed of a plurality of memory cells, in a row direction of the memory cells, and a plurality of pairs of bit lines connected respectively to the plurality of memory cell blocks in a column direction of the memory cells; and a plurality of sense amplifier arrays, each of which includes a plurality of sense amplifiers, each of which is connected to bit lines and complementary bit lines of the plurality of pairs of bit lines, for sensing a potential difference between the bit lines and the complementary bit lines.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device and a connecting method of a sense amplifier, and more particularly to a connecting method of a sense amplifier, which is capable of achieving high integration of a semiconductor memory device by optimizing a method of connecting bit lines and complementary bit lines of a memory cell array to the sense amplifier, and a semiconductor memory device using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the development of computer systems and electronic communications, volatile semiconductor memory chips used for storage of information have become low-priced, miniaturized, and increased in their capacity. Particularly, the miniaturization of the memory chips has provided a basis of techniques for implementation of mass storage.
Recently, in addition to techniques for reducing the size of memory chips by optimizing the size and arrangement of memory cells, studies of miniaturization of the memory chips by simplifying peripheral circuits of the memory chips and reducing the number of signal lines have been actively conducted. The present invention has been conceived in view of these technical trends.
In general, a cell block for storing data of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device has a structure where a number of cells, each of which is composed of one n-type metal oxide silicon (NMOS) transistor and one capacitor, are respectively connected to word lines and bit lines, which are connected to each other in the form of matrix.
Hereinafter, operation of a general DRAM device will be briefly described.
First, when a /RAS signal, which is a main signal for operating the DRAM device, goes into an active state (low level), address signals are inputted to a row address buffer. Thereafter, the inputted address signals are decoded and a row decoding operation for selecting one of the word lines in the cell block is performed based on the decoded address signals.
At this time, when data of cells connected to the selected word line is loaded on a pair of bit lines BL and /BL, which is composed of a bit line and a complementary bit line, a signal indicating a time-point of operation of a sense amplifier is enabled to drive a sense amplifier driving circuit in a cell block selected by the address signal. In addition, sense amplifier bias potentials are shifted to a core potential Vcore and a ground potential Vss, respectively, to drive the sense amplifier. When the sense amplifier begins to be operated, a minute potential difference which is being maintained by the pair of bit lines BL and /BL is shifted to a large potential difference, and thereafter, a column decoder selected by a column address turns on a column transfer transistor for transferring data loaded on the pair of bit lines BL and /BL to a pair of data bus lines DB and /DB through which the data is outputted to the outside of the DRAM device.
More specifically, in the operation as described above, the pair of bit lines BL and /BL is pre-charged to ½ Vcc in a standby mode before the DRAM device begins to be operated. Thereafter, when the DRAM device is operated, data of the cells is loaded on the pair of bit lines BL and /BL. Accordingly, the pair of bit lines BL and /BL has a minute potential difference there between. In this state, when the sense amplifier begins to be operated to amplify potentials of the pair of bit lines BL and /BL, such that the pair of bit lines BL and /BL which maintain the minute potential difference there between has the core potential Vcore and the ground potential Vss, respectively. Data on the pair of bit lines BL and /BL having the amplified potentials, i.e., the potential Vcore and the ground potential Vss, is transferred to the pair of data bus lines DB and /DB.
Hereinafter, a conventional connecting method of the sense amplifier, operation of the sense amplifier, and related problems will be described with reference to FIG. 1.
In general, the semiconductor memory device, particularly, the DRAM, includes a memory cell array including a plurality of word lines xWLy connected respectively to a plurality of memory cell blocks, each of which is composed of a plurality of memory cells, in a row direction of the memory cells, and a plurality of pairs of bit lines, each of which is composed of a bit line xBLy and a complementary bit line x/Bly, connected respectively to the plurality of memory cell blocks in a column direction of the memory cells; and a plurality of sense amplifier arrays, each of which includes a plurality of sense amplifiers xSAy, each of which is connected to the bit line xBLy and the complementary bit line x/BLy, for sensing a potential difference between the bit line xBLy and the complementary bit line x/Bly.
Where, 'x' and 'y' are random numbers, 'x' in the word lines xWLy indicates an x-th memory cell block from top to bottom of the memory cell arrays, 'y' in the word lines xWLy indicates a word line at a y-th row from top of bottom of the memory cell blocks, 'x' in the bit line xBLy and the bit line x/BLy indicates an x-th memory cell block from top to bottom of the memory cell arrays, and 'y' in the bit line xBLy and the bit line x/BLy indicates a bit line or a complementary bit line at a y-th column from left to right of the memory cell blocks. In addition, 'x' in the sense amplifiers xSAy indicates a sense amplifier of an x-th sense amplifier array from top to bottom of the memory cell arrays, and 'y' in the sense amplifier xSAy indicates a y-th sense amplifier from left to right of the sense amplifier arrays.
As shown in FIG. 1, in the conventional semiconductor memory device, the sense amplifiers are connected to the pairs of bit lines of respective memory cell blocks, which are adjacent above and below the sense amplifiers. For example, in FIG. 1, a sense amplifier 2SA1 is connected to a pair of bit lines 1BL2 and 1/BL2 of an adjacent upper memory cell block 100 and a pair of bit lines 2BL2 and 2/BL2 of an adjacent lower memory cell block 200.
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a portion 10 indicated by a dotted line. Now, sensing and amplifying operation of the conventional sense amplifier will be described with reference to FIG. 2.
Referring to FIG. 2, if a voltage charge-shared by a bit line 1BL2 and a complementary bit line 1/BL2 is to be sensed, NMOSs N12 and N1/2, which are a switching device, are turned on by applying control signals bis12 and bis1/2 of high level to gate electrodes of the NMOSs N12 and N1/2, respectively, such that only the pair of bit lines is selected. At this time, other switching devices except the NMOSs N12 and N1/2 are turned off by applying control signals of low level to gate electrodes of other switching devices in order to prevent charges from being introduced from pairs of bit lines to other switching devices.
Next, a sense amplifier 2SA1 senses data of memory cells transferred to the pair of bit lines 1BL2 and 1/BL2 and amplifies the sensed data to full-logic level. More specifically, if a level of the data transferred from the bit line 1BL2 is sensed to have a high level, an NMOS N2 is turned on, and accordingly, a potential at a node B is shifted to a ground potential Vss. This ground potential Vss at the node B is applied to a gate of a PMOS P1, thus turning on the PMOS P1. Accordingly, a potential at a node A is shifted from a high level to a core potential Vcore level. On the contrary, if the level of the data transferred from the bit line 1BL2 is sensed to have a low level, a PMOS P2 is turned on, and accordingly, the potential at the node B is shifted to the core potential Vcore. This core potential Vcore at the node B is applied to a gate of an NMOS N1, thus turning on the NMOS N1. Accordingly, the potential at the node A is shifted from a low level to a ground potential Vss level.
In addition, if a voltage charge-shared by a pair of bit lines 2BL2 and 2/BL2 is to be sensed, NMOSs N22 and N2/2 are tuned on by applying control signals bis22 and bis2/2 of high level to gate electrodes of the NMOSs N22 and N2/2, and thereafter, the same operation as described above is performed.
However, the conventional connecting method of the sense amplifier and the semiconductor memory device using the same method have a problem of going against the technical trend toward high integration. Namely, since the conventional sense amplifier performs a sensing operation in charge of only adjacent upper and lower memory cell blocks, there is a problem in that a large number of sense amplifiers are required, and accordingly, an area occupied by sense amplifiers in a memory chip becomes large. Accordingly, as the overall size of the memory chip increases, there arises a problem of going against the trend of semiconductor memory techniques to accomplish low-price, high integration, and high-capacity semiconductor memory devices.

Semiconductor memory device and connecting method of sense amplifier


A window regulator for a vehicle includes first, second, third, fourth belt guiding members, a loop belt member including a plurality of teeth at a first surface and installed on the belt guiding members with exhibiting an eight-shape, and a rotational member engaged with the belt member and driven by a motor. The belt member includes first and second moving portions, which are arranged in parallel with each other, and third and fourth moving portions, which are arranged to intersect each other. First and second supporting members are connected to the belt member at the first and second moving portions, respectively. First and second twisted portions are provided at the belt member at the third and fourth moving portions, respectively, by twisting the belt member for reversing first and second surfaces of the belt member. Accordingly, the teeth of the belt member contact all of the belt guiding members.

A window regulator for upwardly and downwardly moving a window glass of a vehicle is provided between an outer panel and an inner panel, which structure a door panel of the vehicle. The window glass is guided to move upwardly and downwardly by a pair of side frames. The window regulator operates a window glass supporting portion (connecting portion), which is fixedly provided at the window glass, to move upwardly and downwardly by means of a loop wire, thereby driving the window glass to move upwardly and downwardly. Such wire-operational type window regulator includes a window regulator with a guiding rails(s) for guiding a glass supporting portion thereof to move upwardly and downwardly, and a guideless window regulator which does not include such guiding rails.
JP2006-348627A (hereinafter, referred to as reference 1) and JP2007-239435A (hereinafter, referred to as reference 2) disclose the guideless wire-operational type window regulator. According to the references 1 and 2, a loop wire is wound around four guide members (pulleys) so as to exhibit a shape of an "8". Further, a part of the loop wire is wound around a drum. The drum is driven to rotate by an actuator in first and second rotational directions, so that the loop wire is moved along the 8-shaped locus. First and second window glass supporting portions are fixedly connected to the loop wire at first and second vertical positions, at which the loop wire moves in the vertical direction (upper and lower direction), on the locus of the loop wire, respectively. Accordingly, when the wire is driven to move by the drum, the window glass supporting portions are driven to move upwardly and downwardly.
However, according to the references 1 and 2, the loop wire is not covered with any covering member. Further, components of the window regulator, such as the guide members and the wire, are not fixed to one another. Therefore, a manual assembling operation for assembling the window regulator onto an inner surface of an inner panel of a door panel may be difficult. Further, when performing the manual assembling operation, element wires structuring the loop wire may be damaged when making contact with other members such as the door panel. Therefore, the loop wire may break by being cut.
A need thus exists for a window regulator, which is not susceptible to the drawback mentioned above.