In the preferred embodiment, an inkjet printer includes a replaceable print cartridge which is inserted into a scanning carriage. An ink tube extends from the scanning carriage to a separate ink supply located within the printer. A fluid interconnect on the print cartridge connects to a fluid interconnect on the carriage when the print cartridge is inserted into the carriage to complete the fluid connection between the external ink supply and the print cartridge. In one embodiment, the fluid interconnection is made between the print cartridge and the ink tube simply by placing the print cartridge into a stall in the scanning carriage. A pressure regulator, which may be internal or external to the print cartridge, regulates the flow of ink from the external ink supply to the print cartridge. The external ink supply may be pressurized or non-pressurized.

Inkjet printers are well known. One common type of inkjet printer uses a replaceable print cartridge which contains a printhead and a supply of ink contained within the print cartridge. The print cartridge is not intended to be refillable and, when the initial supply of ink is depleted, the print cartridge is disposed of and a new print cartridge is installed within the scanning carriage. Frequent replacement of the print cartridge results in a relatively high operating cost.
The printhead has a useable life which is significantly longer than the time it takes to deplete the ink within the print cartridge. It is known to refill print cartridges intermittently by creating an opening through the print cartridge and manually refilling the print cartridge with ink. However, these refilling methods require manipulation by the user and are undesirable for various other reasons.
It is also known to provide an external, stationary ink reservoir connected to the scanning print cartridge via a tube; however, these types of printing systems have various drawbacks including undesirable fluctuations in ink pressure in the print cartridge, an unreliable and complex fluid seal between the print cartridge and the external ink supply, increased printer size due to the external ink supply's connection to the print cartridge, blockage in the ink delivery system, air accumulation in the tubes leading to the print cartridge, leakage of ink, high cost, and complexity.
What is needed is an improved inkjet printer with a replaceable print cartridge and a separate ink delivery system connectable to the print cartridge.

Automatic ink interconnect between print cartridge and carriage


An apparatus for retaining and cleaning a circuit board array, which comprise a fixture having a generally elongated connecting surface and one or more terminating open ends, which may optionally integrate a hollow element, creating an aperture in the fixture adjacent to a tab on the circuit board array, wherein the terminating open ends extend toward a machine component having at least one cavity extending through the topside of the machine component, and a vacuum system connected to the cavity, wherein the vacuum system applies suction through the cavity and the terminating open ends.

The manufacture of circuit boards involves the production of a multitude of circuit boards manufactured from a single array, referred to as a circuit board array. The circuit board arrays are manufactured, tooled, and populated with electronic devices, and then cleaved into individual circuit boards so that the individual circuit boards can be assembled into a desired application. The process of removing individual circuit boards from a circuit board array is commonly referred to as de-paneling. One of the methods of de-paneling boards is routing. Circuit board routing is the process by which a number of tabs on a circuit board array are cleaved in order to singulate one circuit board from another circuit board and/or from the excess material (scrap) that may be adjacent to the circuit board. The tabs on the connected circuit board array are routed by a rotating mechanism containing an appropriate bit. The bit is positioned in an opening at the perimeter of the circuit board adjacent to the tab to be routed. The bit moves through the tab and grinds out the tab creating dust and debris, which must be removed.
Circuit board routing uses a fixture to locate and hold the circuit board while the circuit board is being routed. The fixture keeps the circuit board from moving during the routing process. As a circuit board is routed, a vacuum system is used to collect dust created during the routing operation. For dust collection to be effective, the suction created by a vacuum system must be concentrated at the area being routed. A vacuum system creates a space where the pressure is below normal atmospheric pressure, and has a practical result of imposing a suction on that space. A vacuum system applied to a small surface area has a greater suction velocity (pull) then when the same vacuum system is applied to a larger surface area. However, concentrating a vacuum system at the point of the routing operation becomes much more difficult when the circuit board is highly populated with electronic devices, such as integrated circuits, capacitors, resistors and other components.
Current vacuum systems apply suction over a broad surface area of the circuit board array and are unable to sufficiently remove the dust that accumulates in the spaces surrounding where the tabs have been routed. The resulting accumulation of dust can have a detrimental impact on the functionality of the electrical devices housed in the circuit board and/or create environmental concerns due to airborne dust.
As a result, it was desirable to provide an improved vacuum system employed to remove dust from circuit boards.

Apparatus and method for circuit board routing fixture


A spark plug coil assembly includes a primary core inside a secondary winding spool that is formed with a closed end. A terminal is embedded in the closed end of the spool and the secondary windings are terminated to the terminal, with the terminal being couplable to a spark plug. Ignition voltage generated in the secondary windings is thus routed to a center of the secondary windings to terminate at the terminal. No pole piece need be disposed between the primary core and the closed end of the spool.

Ignition coils are components that use the coupling between a primary winding and a secondary winding to transform relatively low voltages from the battery into high voltages that are supplied to the spark plugs in vehicle gasoline engines. The spark plugs start the internal combustion process that drives the rods and hence, crankshaft and axles. In older systems, a single ignition coil is provided, and a distributor sends the pulses from the coil through respective high voltage spark plug wires to the spark plugs in the cylinders in accordance with a timing that is established by the distributor.
In relatively modern engines, an engine can have several ignition coils, one for each cylinder or for each pair of cylinders, thereby advantageously eliminating the need for distributors and high voltage wires and also providing more precise control of the engine timing. One example of such an ignition coil system is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 6,556,118, owned by the present assignee and incorporated herein by reference.
Ignition coils have been made in a so-called "plug top coil" (PTC) configuration in which the coil is mounted above the spark plug well. As recognized herein, it is sometimes required that the axis of the coil be centered over the plug well, requiring in turn the high voltage to be routed around a pole piece of the primary coil core. The high voltage wire typically is protected from the pole piece by a separate plastic component that also is designed to reduce the strain between epoxy encapsulate in the coil assembly and the pole piece.


A charging device for an internal combustion engine with a shaft, a compressor wheel arranged on the shaft, a stator housing and a stator. The stator is arranged within the stator housing. A rotor is arranged on the shaft and a cooling channel for accommodating a coolant extends axially between the stator housing and the stator. A split tube is provided between the rotor and stator. A first seal is provided in the axial direction between the stator housing and a first end of the stator and a second seal is provided in the axial direction between the stator housing and a first end of the split tube. Alternatively to the split tube, a separation tube is arranged between the stator and the stator housing so that the cooling channel is formed in the radial direction between the separation tube and the stator housing.

Increasingly more vehicles of the more recent generation are equipped with charging devices. In order to achieve the target demands and the legal requirements, it is imperative to promote development in the complete drive train and also to optimize the individual components as well as the system as a whole with respect to their reliability and efficiency.
For example, exhaust gas turbochargers are known in which a turbine wheel is driven by the exhaust gas flow of the internal combustion engine. A compressor wheel, which is arranged with a turbine wheel on a mutual shaft, compresses the fresh air taken in for the engine. By this means, the air or oxygen amount, available to the engine for combustion, is increased, which in turn leads to an increased output of the internal combustion engine. The disadvantage in exhaust gas turbochargers is that their rotation rate or performance is dependent on the exhaust gas flow, thus on the engine loads. At low engine speeds, in particular, this may negatively affect the effectiveness and efficiency of exhaust gas turbochargers.
An alternative to exhaust gas turbochargers is presented by electric turbochargers, also called eBoosters. In these turbochargers, the shaft, on which the compressor wheel is arranged, is not driven by the exhaust gas flow from the engine or via a turbine wheel, but instead by an electric motor driving the shaft. For this purpose, a rotor is arranged on the shaft with a stator around the rotor. Shaft, rotor, and stator are surrounded by a stator housing. At high loads and during output peaks, these components heat up strongly. To prevent temperatures in the turbocharger that are too high, it is known to provide cooling channels, through which a coolant is supplied, for cooling the stator in the stator housing. However, these types of charging devices have a large design for the stator housing and a low efficiency for cooling the stator.
The same applies for electric or electrically supported charging devices as hybrid versions made from an exhaust gas turbocharger and an electric turbocharger, in which the drive of the compressor wheel is possible both by the exhaust flow via a turbine wheel and also via an electric motor arranged on the shaft, often between the turbine wheel and the compressor wheel.
The goal of the present invention is consequently to provide a charging device for an internal combustion engine with a compact design for the stator housing and simultaneously efficient cooling of the stator.

Electric charging device with fluid cooling


Embodiments are provided for organization and presentation of content. In some embodiments, a plurality of images and a plurality of similarity rules for image categorization are received. For each image in the plurality of images, the image from the plurality and each remaining image from the plurality is compared by: applying each similarity rule to the image and a remaining image from the plurality to obtain a numeric result, and recording the numeric result for the two images in a numeric representation, the numeric representation embodying similarities found between each of the plurality of images. The numeric representation is used as a reference for clustering the plurality of images into clusters of similar images, and each image is stored with a marker denoting a cluster to which it has been assigned.

Recent technological advancement in capturing and recording images include features that allow users to capture and record images in rapid succession, often within microseconds or seconds of each other, thus creating large sets of user photos. With the decrease in costs for storage, users often store a large number of their captured photos both on their cameras and in remote storage. Instead of reviewing and organizing photos on the camera or within storage when a user's memory about the recently captured photos is still fresh, users simply upload the entire set to content management systems to review and organize their captured images at a later date.
As the number of photos both on the camera and within storage increases, the task of organizing stored photos becomes overwhelming. Adding to the complexity in organizing photos, the user may also have images from other sources, such as images shared by others and/or from multiple devices, often times captured at events or subject matter of other photos stored by the user, but, the photos may not be stored together because they were uploaded from different sources or at different times. As the number of photos stored for a user both increases and are provided from multiple sources, organization and presentation of photos within a user interface that communicates in a meaningful way what images are stored for the user becomes more complex.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved organization and presentation of images.

Presentation and organization of content


Compounds that satisfy the general formula A.sub.1-Y.sup.4+ A.sub.Y.sup.1+ A.sub.Y.sup.3+ V.sub.2-X P.sub.X O.sub.7 exhibit isotropic NTE behavior in the range of normal ambient temperatures. Y is from about 0.0 to about 0.4, and more preferably is about 0.2. X is from about 0.6 to about 1.4, and is more preferably about 1. Particularly suitable NTE compounds have X about 1 and Y about 0. A.sup.4+ is selected from the group consisting of Hf, Zr, Zr.sub.a M.sub.b, Hf.sub.a M.sub.b and mixtures thereof wherein a plus b equals one and M is selected from the group consisting of Ti, Ce, Th, U, Mo, Pt, Pb, Sn, Ge and Si. More preferably, A.sup.4+ is selected from the group consisting of Hf and Zr. A.sup.1+ is selected from the group consisting of the alkali earth metals, and A.sup.3+ is selected from the group consisting of the rare earth metals. Such NTE materials exhibit isotropic negative linear expansion at a temperature below about 100.degree. C. The NTE materials also may be incorporated into compositions such as epoxy and ceramic compositions.

Most materials expand when they are heated and contract when they are cooled. Although it is rare, some materials expand when they are cooled, and therefore have a negative thermal expansion upon heating instead of a positive thermal expansion. Materials that exhibit a negative or a very low thermal expansion are useful primarily because of their resistance to damage from thermal shock on rapid heating or rapid cooling. This is particularly true if the magnitude of the NTE effect for a particular compound is sufficient to compensate for the positive thermal expansion coefficient of usual materials. For instance, combining NTE materials with other materials, such as ceramics and epoxies, would provide a composition that shows exceptionally low thermal expansion or contraction. Ceramics are stressed by abrupt expansion or contraction during temperature cycling, which may result in mechanical failure. "Thermal Expansion of ZrP.sub.2 O.sub.7 and Related Solid Solutions," J. Materials science, 22:3762-3764 (1987). Thus, adding a sufficient amount of an NTE material to a ceramic to form a ceramic-NTE composition would alleviate some of the stress induced by temperature changes.
Materials that exhibit negative thermal expansion or a small positive thermal expansion are known. Unfortunately, known compounds exhibit NTE only over certain temperature ranges, particularly temperatures above about 150.degree. C, and therefore are not suitable for most applications. Moreover, most known NTE materials have highly anisotropic thermal expansion. Anisotropic thermal expansion means that a compound expands in certain dimensions while contracting in at least one dimension. The magnitude of the contraction (negative expansion) in a first direction may be offset by expansion in a second direction. Hence, even though the sum of the expansion in all dimensions (the bulk expansion) may be negative, the magnitude of the negative expansion is reduced. It therefore would be preferable if the NTE was isotropic, i.e., if thermal expansion was substantially negative in each dimension. Isotropic NTE behavior also is important because anisotropic behavior may cause undesirable strain to occur in a material as it undergoes a change in temperature.
Keatite is a first example of a material that exhibits anisotropic negative linear expansion. Keatite is a rare and poorly defined form of SiO.sub.2. The result of both thermal expansion and contraction in different directions (anisotropic expansion) for Keatite is a net negative thermal volume expansion. A second example of an anisotropic NTE material is .beta.-eucryptite, which exhibits a very small volume thermal expansion. Apparently, .beta.-eucryptite expands in one direction of the material's unit cell (a unit cell is defined as the simplest, three dimensional polyhedron that by indefinite repetition makes up the lattice of a crystal and embodies all the characteristics of its structure), whereas the unit cell contracts in a second direction. "Thermal Contraction of .beta.-Eucryptite (Li.sub.2 O.Al.sub.2 O.sub.3.2SiO.sub.2) by X-ray and Dilatometer Methods," J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 42:175-177 (1959). The overall thermal expansion of .beta.-eucryptite is reported to be either slightly positive or slightly negative.
(ZrO).sub.2 P.sub.2 0.sub.7 (zirconyl phosphate) and ZrV.sub.2 O.sub.7 (zirconium pyrovanadate) also are known compounds that exhibit NTE. (ZrO).sub.2 P.sub.2 0.sub.7 is a largely anisotropic material that expands in two directions while actually contracting in only one direction. More specifically, the a and c axes of the unit cell for (ZrO).sub.2 P.sub.2 0.sub.7 expand continuously with increasing temperature, while the b axis contracts. "Low-Thermal-Expansion Polycrystalline Zirconyl Phosphate Ceramic," J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 68:273-278 (1985). The net effect is a small volume contraction over a limited temperature range, although ceramic materials made from (ZrO).sub.2 P.sub.2 0.sub.7 actually are reported to have a small positive thermal expansion (actual value=+2.0.times.10.sup.-6 /.degree.C.). Zirconium pyrovanadate also has been shown to exhibit negative thermal expansion. However, NTE for this compound occurs only above a temperature of about 150.degree. C. "Properties of Hot-Pressed Zirconium Pyrovanadate Ceramics," J. Electrochem. Soc., 130:1905-1910 (1983).
In addition to the NTE materials described above, compounds of the type A.sup.4+ P.sub.2 O.sub.7 exist where A.sup.4+ may be Th, U, Cs, Hf, Zr, Ti, Mo, Pt, Pb, Sn, Ge or Si. The basic structure for such compounds may be thought of as related to the NaCl structure. NaCl molecules are arranged in cubes wherein the Na.sup.+ and the Cl.sup.- ions are located at alternating corners of the cube. With A.sup.4+ P.sub.2 O.sub.7 compounds, A.sup.4+ has replaced Na+, and the (P.sub.2 O.sub.7).sup.4- group has replaced Cl.sup.-. Some compounds of the A.sup.4+ P.sub.2 O.sub.7 type show low thermal expansion behavior when they are at temperatures well above normal ambient temperature, and some even show NTE behavior at temperatures well above room temperature. For example, ThP.sub.2 O.sub.7 shows NTE behavior above about 300.degree. C. However, there have been no reports of NTE behavior in A.sup.4+ P.sub.2 O.sub.7 materials at or below about 100.degree. C.
Hence, a need exists for new materials that exhibit isotropic NTE, particularly where the temperature at which NTE behavior begins (NTE onset temperature) is within the range of normal ambient temperatures, such as less than about 100.degree. C., and more preferably from about 0.degree. C. to about 50.degree. C. Furthermore, a need exists for a homologous family of NTE materials in which the NTE onset temperature for each compound is different from other compounds within the family, or wherein the NTE onset temperature can be determined by varying the atomic ratios of the constituent elements. Such a family of compounds would provide a means for selecting a particular compound, having a particular NTE magnitude and onset temperature, to be used for a particular application.

State of Oregon Acting by and through the State Board of Higher Education on Behalf of Oregon State University


A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for managing versioning data for memory segments. Responsive to a request from a requester to allocate a memory segment, the memory segment is allocated. A versioning data structure is created for the memory segment. The versioning data structure is used to store changes in data for the memory segment, and the memory segment includes a pointer to the versioning data structure. When a change in the data is detected for the memory segment, wherein the change in the data forms the delta data. Responsive to detecting the change in the data for the memory segment, the delta data is stored in the versioning data structure, wherein the versioning data structure is used to return the data in the memory segment to a prior state.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an improved data processing system and in particular to a method and apparatus for processing data. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a method, apparatus, and computer instructions for an automated, incremental versioning, backup and restore mechanism for data elements within a computer system.
2. Description of Related Art
Data storage components, variables, collections, and multi-dimensional collections are used throughout all computer applications. During the execution of an application, the contents of these types of data storage elements will change or evolve. These changes occur due to modifications or updates to the data. These changes may be made by user input or through programmatic means. As the program logic of an application progresses, situations often arise in which the program state and the content of the data storage elements need to be reset to a prior state. This state may be an arbitrary state selected by the user or programmatically by an application. Mechanisms for incrementally saving and resetting data to a prior known state are present in many applications.
Currently available mechanisms are found in applications, such as word processors, for resetting or rolling back to a previous state. A word processor may allow a user to undo changes to a document, such as deletions, insertions, or formatting changes.
A significant problem with existing mechanisms is that they are prone to inefficiencies and require explicit management by the application programmer or end user. Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an improved method, apparatus, and computer instructions for data versioning and recovery management.

Method and apparatus for data versioning and recovery using delta content save and restore management


The present disclosure relates to a method of fabricating a flash memory device. According to the present disclosure, a hard mask layer to which surface roughnesses have been transferred by a metal silicide layer, including the surface roughness, is polished before or during a gate etch process in order to diminish the surface roughnesses. Thus, although surface roughnesses exist in the metal silicide layer, a SAC nitride layer formed over a gate can be prevented from being lost in a subsequent polishing process of a pre-metal dielectric layer, which is performed in order to form a contact plug. Accordingly, a hump phenomenon of a transistor can be improved.

The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a flash memory device and, more particularly, to a method of fabricating a flash memory device which can improve a hump characteristic of a transistor.
Semiconductor memory devices for storing data can be largely classified into volatile memory devices and non-volatile memory devices. The volatile memory devices lose stored data in the absence of electrical power, whereas non-volatile memory devices maintain stored data even though the supply of power is stopped.
The non-volatile memory device includes a flash memory device. A structure, including a tunnel dielectric layer, a floating gate, a dielectric layer and a control gate formed over an active region of a semiconductor substrate, has generally been adopted as a unit cell of the flash memory device.
In general, in forming the gate of the flash memory device, the control gate is formed of a stacked structure of a polysilicon layer and a tungsten silicide (WSix) layer. In a process of forming the tungsten silicide layer, surface roughness is generated, causing a step. The surface roughness generated in the process of forming the tungsten silicide layer is transferred to a hard mask layer, which is subsequently formed on the tungsten silicide layer, and also to a Self-Aligned Contact (SAC) nitride layer formed on the gate surface in order to protect the gate at the time of a polishing process of a pre-metal dielectric layer for forming a contact plug after the gate is etched. Consequently, a step is generated in regions in which the surface roughness has occurred.
Due to this, in the polishing process of the pre-metal dielectric layer for forming the contact plug, the SAC nitride layer formed in the region in which the surface roughness has occurred is lost. Thus, during a subsequent process, impurities such as hydrogen (H2) are infiltrated into the bottom of the gate through the lost portion of the SAC nitride layer, degrading the tunnel dielectric layer. Accordingly, a transistor hump phenomenon, such as that the leakage current is generated in the transistor, are generated due to the degradation of the tunnel dielectric layer. The hump phenomenon has an effect on the transistor, causing well stress fail and therefore reducing the yield.

Method of fabricating flash memory device


Disclosed herein is a post-treated salt of a sulfurized alkyl-substituted hydroxyaromatic composition which is a reaction product of (a) a salt of a sulfurized alkyl-substituted hydroxyaromatic composition, wherein the alkyl-substituted hydroxyaromatic compound is derived from alkylation of a hydroxyaromatic compound with one or more olefins comprising C9 to C18 oligomers of monomers selected from propylene, butylene or mixtures thereof, (b) a source of an aldehyde and (c) a primary and/or secondary monoamine compound having at least one active hydrogen. The post-treated salt of a sulfurized alkylhydroxyaromatic composition disclosed herein has a reduced content of unsulfurized alkyl-substituted hydroxyaromatic compound and its unsulfurized metal salt as compared to the content, by combined mass, of the unsulfurized alkyl-substituted hydroxyaromatic compound and its unsulfurized metal salt present in the non-post-treated salt of a sulfurized alkyl-substituted hydroxyaromatic composition.

1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to a post-treated sulfurized salt of an alkyl-substituted hydroxyaromatic composition. The present invention further relates to a post-treated sulfurized salt of an alkyl-substituted hydroxyaromatic composition having a reduced content of unsulfurized alkyl-substituted hydroxyaromatic compound and its unsulfurized metal salt, methods of making same and their use in lubricating oil compositions.
2. Description of the Related Art
The lubricant additive industry generally uses alkyl phenols (e.g., tetrapropenyl phenol, TPP) to prepare detergents comprising sulfurized metal alkyl phenate. Metal salts of sulfurized alkylphenols are useful lubricating oil additives which impart detergency and dispersancy properties to the lubricating oil composition for marine, automotive, railroad and air-cooled engines as well as providing for an alkalinity reserve in the oil. Alkalinity reserve is necessary in order to neutralize acids generated during engine operation. Without this alkalinity reserve, the acids so generated would result in harmful engine corrosion. However, there may be some unreacted alkyl phenols such as tetrapropenyl phenol present in the sulfurized metal alkyl phenate as well as in lubricating oils containing one or more of the sulfurized metal alkyl phenates.
A recent reproductive toxicity study in rats sponsored by the Petroleum Additives Panel of the American Chemistry Council shows that free or unreacted TPP may cause adverse effects on male and female reproductive organs. Further, it is believed that TPP may be corrosive or irritating to the skin.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20080070818 ("the '818 publication") discloses a lubricating oil composition including at least one sulphurized overbased metal phenate detergent prepared from a C9-C15 alkyl phenol, at least one sulphurizing agent, at least one metal and at least one overbasing agent; the detergent including less than 6.0% by combined mass of unsulphurized C9-C15 alkyl phenol and unsulphurized metal salts thereof. Examples A and B disclosed in the '818 publication obtained an overbased detergent having 5.58 and 3.84 mass %, respectively, of unsulphurized alkyl phenol and its unsulphurized calcium salt.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20090143264 ("the '264 publication") discloses sulfurized metal alkyl phenate compositions having a low alkyl phenol content. The sulfurized metal alkyl phenate compositions of the '264 publication can be prepared by reacting a phenol compound such as tetrapropenyl phenol with an aldehyde to form a phenolic resin and then reacting the phenolic resin simultaneously with a metal base and a first sulfurizing agent.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,649,229 ("the '229 patent") discloses a condensation product of (1) a high molecular weight alkyl-substituted hydroxyaromatic compound, wherein the alkyl group has a molecular weight from about 600 to about 3,000; (2) an amine which contains a HN< group, i.e., an active hydrogen, and (3) an aldehyde, wherein the respective molar ratio of the reactants is 1:0.1-10:0.1-10. Example 7 of die '229 patent discloses that Mannich reaction of polypropylphenol sulfide with diethylenetriamine and paraformaldehyde.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,088,586 ("the '586 patent") discloses a Mannich base prepared by condensing tetrapropenylphenol, formaldehyde and diethylenetriamine. The '586 patent further discloses that the calcium salt of the Mannich base is prepared using conventional methods, for example, by treating the Mannich base with calcium hydroxide in the presence of a promoter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,308 discloses Mannich bases and the alkaline earth metal salts thereof which are prepared by condensing formaldehyde and a polyamine with a phenolic mix tore consisting of (1) from 95 to 30% phenol alkylated with a propylene tetramer and (2) from 5 to 70% phenol alkylated with a straight-chain alpha-olefin of from 16 to about 28 carbon atoms or alpha-olefin mixtures wherein the alpha-olefins are of from 16 to about 28 carbon atoms.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,309 discloses Mannich bases and the alkaline earth metal salts thereof, which are prepared by condensing formaldehyde and a polyamine with a sulfur-containing phenolic mixture consisting of (1) from 5 to 35 mol percent of a sulfurized alkylphenol wherein the alkyl group is C8-C36 alkyl, and (2) from 95 to 65 mol percent of phenol alkylated with a propylene tetramer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,044 discloses Mannich bases and the alkaline earth metal salts thereof, which are prepared by condensing formaldehyde and a polyamine with a sulfur-containing phenolic mixture consisting of (1) from 5 to 40% of a sulfurized alkylphenol wherein the alkyl group is C8-C36 alkyl, and (2) from 95 to 60% of a phenolic mixture consisting of (a) from 95 to 30% phenol alkylated with a propylene tetramer and (b) from 5 to 70% phenol alkylated with a straight-chain alpha-olefin of from 16 to about 28 carbon atoms or alpha-olefin mixtures wherein the alpha-olefins are of from 16 to about 28 carbon atoms.
GB1604609 discloses in Examples G and 2 the condensation product of a mixture of alkyl phenol and a carbonated and non carbonated sulfurized alkylphenol/salt mixture, diethylamide triamine, and paraformaldehyde.
However, problems associated with the use of a polyamine in preparing a Mannich reaction product includes formation of sediment and plugging issues due to the multiple reactions occurring from the highly reactive polyamine, as well as being too viscous a material.
To reduce any potential health risks to customers and to avoid potential regulatory issues, there is a need to reduce the amount of free unsulfurized alkyl-substituted hydroxyaromatic compound and its metal salt in the salts of sulfurized alkyl-substituted hydroxyaromatic compositions. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved process for making post-treated salts of sulfurized alkyl-substituted hydroxyaromatic compositions which have relatively low levels of unsulfurized alkyl-substituted hydroxyaromatic compound and its metal salt.

Post-treated sulfurized salt of an alkyl-substituted hydroxyaromatic composition


A method for roughening the surface of a resin molded article to make it susceptible to metallizing is disclosed, including contacting a resin molded article at least the surface portion of which to be roughened mainly includes a block copolymer including 100 parts by weight of a polyarylene sulfide component block and from 100 to 200 parts by weight of a polyarylene sulfide ketone component block with a solvent capable of dissolving a polyarylene sulfide ketone more than a polyarylene sulfide.

With the recent demands for size and weight reductions of parts, metallizing of PAS molded articles is acquiring importance in the fields of substitutes for metals, printed circuit boards, condensers, etc.
There have been proposed many methods for surface roughening preceding metallizing of PAS molded articles, but the particular method according to the present invention is unknown.

Surface roughening of resin molded articles for metallizing


In a spread spectrum signal receiver, a frequency divider circuit divides the frequency of the output signal of a VCO having a phase synchronized with that of the output signal of first multiplier. A first spreading code generating circuit generates a spreading code in response to the output signal of the frequency divider circuit. A second spreading code generating circuit generates first through third spreading codes in response to the spreading code. A selection circuit selects one of the first through third spreading codes. A second multiplier despreads the spectrum using the spreading code output from the selection circuit. A correlation detector circuit detects correlation from the output signal of the second multiplier and a control signal generates a delay or advance control signal in response to the detected correlation. The frequency dividing ratio of the frequency divider circuit is switched according to the delay or advance control signal. The timing of generating a spreading code can be regulated by changing the frequency dividing ratio, and then the timing of the spreading code of the transmitter side and that of the receiver side coincide.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a direct spread type spread spectrum receiver and, more particularly, it relates to a spread spectrum receiver adapted to prevent the occurrence of phase errors in the transmitter side PN code and the receiver side PN code when a phase-locked loop is used for establishing and holding synchronism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The spread spectrum communication system has been well known as a radio communications system. With the spread spectrum system, the transmitter side modulates the carrier wave by means of an information signal, such as an audio signal or a data signal, and the modulated information signal is multiplied by a spreading code such as an Maximum length sequence spreading code (Maximum length code) for spectral spread. The spectrally spread signal is then transmitted by way of an antenna. On the receiver side, on the other hand, the received spread spectrum signal is multiplied by the same spreading code for despreading and demodulated to reproduce the original information signal.
With the spread spectrum communication system, the spreading code prepared by the receiver and the spreading code contained in the signal being received have to be synchronized and the received spread spectrum signal has to be multiplied by the prepared spreading code. A spread spectrum receiver as shown in FIG. 1 has been proposed and used for maintaining the synchronism of the spreading code prepared by the receiver side and the spreading code contained in the signal being received. Referring to FIG. 1, the received spread spectrum signal is subjected to frequency conversion to a lower frequency in a frequency conversion circuit (1) to facilitate the processing operations in the downstream circuits and subsequently multiplied in a multiplier (2) by the spreading code generated using a spreading code generating circuit (3). The output signal of the multiplier (2) is then compared with the output signal of a VCXO (voltage controlled crystal oscillator) (5) for phase comparison in a phase comparator circuit (4). The output signal of the phase comparator circuit (4) that reflects the outcome of the phase comparison is smoothed by an LPF (6) and thereafter applied to the VCXO (5) as a control signal so that the oscillation frequency of the VCXO (5) is altered according to the control signal. The output signal of the VCXO (5) is applied to the phase comparator circuit (4) and, at the same time, frequency-divided by a frequency divider (7) before being applied to the spreading code generating circuit (3). Note that the multiplier (2), the phase comparator circuit (4), the VCXO (5) and the LPF (6) form a PLL (phase-locked loop), which operates to nullify the phase difference between the two input signals of the phase comparator circuit (4). Thus, the timing of generating a spreading code of the spreading code generating circuit (3) changes according to the change in the oscillation frequency of the VCXO (5) and the PLL operates to synchronize the phases of the two input signals from the phase comparator circuit (4) so that consequently the phase of the output signal of the multiplier (2) and that of the output signal of the VCXO (5) become synchronized.
After the PLL is locked, a spreading code that is synchronized with the spread spectrum signal is generated by the spreading code generating circuit (3) and the spread spectrum signal is multiplied by the spreading code in the multiplier (2) for despreading. The output signal of the multiplier (2) generated by despreading is applied to a demodulator circuit (9) via the BPF (8) to reproduce the information signal by demodulation.
Referring to FIG. 1, the PLL operates to synchronize the phases of the two input signals of the phase comparator circuit in order to nullify the phase difference between the output signal of the multiplier (2) and that of the VCXO (5). However, in reality, the phase of the spreading code prepared by the receiver side and that of the spreading code contained in the received spread spectrum signal do not accurately coincide with each other and precise despreading cannot be realized due to the delay in the operation of some of the elements constituting the circuit of FIG. 1.


An electronic part assembly composed of a wiring board formed with a wiring circuit, and a plurality of electronic parts mounted to the wiring board, in which the wiring board is composed of a plurality of stages stacked up; the electronic parts are sorted into large parts which are high profile and small parts and disposed separately on the wiring board, while at least some of the small parts are each vertically disposed in the longitudinal direction of the wiring board and connected to adjacent stages of the wiring board by means of leads extending from the bath sides thereof.

The present invention relates to an electronic part assembly wherein electronic parts are assembled on a wiring board and connected to each other on the board to form an electronic circuit. More particularly, it relates to such an assembly capable of packaging many electronic parts in a small space by stacking up a plurality of wiring boards to form a three-dimensional structure.
In a typical example of a conventional assembly wherein electronic parts are assembled and connected to a wiring board to form an electronic circuit, a plurality of lead wires (hereinafter referred to as leads) of each electronic part are inserted respectively in holes of a printed wiring board which is formed by, for example, printing a wiring circuit on the lower surface of the printed wiring board and the inserted leads are soldered to the wiring board to make electric connections, thus forming an electronic circuit.
Recently, there has been an increase in surface-mounting type devices in which leadless-type electronic parts are mounted directly on the surface of a wiring board to provide electric connections of the parts. There is also a wiring board of the type having a wiring circuit on both the upper and lower sides thereof. In other words, there is also a double-sided board.
Further, to improve the packaging density for an increased number of electronic parts to be mounted, a double-sided board as shown in FIB. 2 is being utilized, wherein electronic parts 28 are mounted on both the upper 26 and lower 27 of a wiring board.
Recently such an IC as to have many pins compared with the conventional IC has been produced. Therefore, the IC is provided with leads densily so that a contact between adjacent leads tends to happen. For that reason, the IC having leads alternately bent upwardly and downwardly has been proposed. An assembly structure for mounting such IC on a wiring board, as shown in FIG. 3, wherein a supplemental wiring board 30 is disposed above a main wiring board 29 and an IC 31 is mounted and connected therebetween to form a circuit.
As described above, any of the conventional assembly is substantially a two-dimensional assembly wherein electronic parts are arranged on the same wiring board and each connected thereto with leads extending from its opposite sides. Accordingly, with an assembly structure in which intermingled are a low-profile part occupying a relatively large area of a wiring board and a high-profile part such as an electrolytic capacitor, the low-profile part occupies a fairly large packaging area while on the other hand the high-profile part occupies a space above the wiring board. Therefore, stacking up a plurality of assemblies of such type makes many useless spaces inevitably and lower the packaging density, thus resulting in hindrance to down-sizing of electronic apparatus.
An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic part assembly structure with an improved packaging density for contributing to down-sizing of electronic apparatus.


The present invention relates to a method and apparatus to control a focal length of a curved reflector in real time. An energy generation system includes curved reflectors, a tower, and an energy storing unit connected to the tower. The curved reflectors reflect and concentrate light from a light source onto the tower. The tower converts the received light into usable energy which is stored in the energy storing unit. Each of the curved reflectors can include a curved body, a stand, and/or an actuation unit. The curved body reflects the light from the light source to concentrate it onto the tower. When the light source moves, the curved body pivots about the stand to track the light source. The actuation unit is activated to adjust a focal length of the focal point of the curved body to ensure that the reflected light is concentrated at the tower.

1. Field
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus to control a focal length of a curved reflector in real time.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional heliostat can be a conventional curved reflector that is pivoted as the sun moves to focus light from a light source, such as the sun onto a target such as a tower. The energy from the conventional heliostat is then collected at the tower and converted into usable energy which is stored for later use. However, the conventional curved reflector usually only pivots in response to the movement of the light source. This is problematic because as the light source moves, the location of the focal point may change. That is, the focal point is usually located at a focal length away from the curved reflector. However, the movement of the light source usually changes the focal length. Thus, the light that is reflected from the conventional curved reflector may be focused at an area that is closer than the tower, or further away than the tower. This is undesirable because the focused energy is wasted if it is focused closer or further away than the tower.
Thus, there is a need for a method and apparatus to control a focal length of a curved reflector in real time.

Method and apparatus to control a focal length of a curved reflector in real time

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.


A cooling device (10) for heat dissipation for a heat-generating component includes a heat sink (14) and a heat pipe (13). The heat sink attached to the component includes a base (11) and a plurality of fins (12) extending from the base. A bottom portion of the heat pipe formed between the base and the fins, the remainder of the heat pipe formed through the fins. An apparatus for making the cooling device includes a mold (20) and a core (30) accommodated in the mold. The mold includes a base part (21) and a pair of symmetrical forming parts (22) slidably engaged on the base part. The forming parts defines a plurality of slots (222), a cavity (224), and a recess (225) respectively corresponding to the fins of the heat sink, the base of the heat sink, and the heat pipe.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cooling devices, and more particularly to a cooling device for heat dissipation for electronic components, and to an apparatus and method for making the cooling device.
2. Related Art
Electronic apparatuses such as computers generate large amounts of heat. In a typical personal computer, this is due to electronic components such as semiconductors having high-density integrated circuits and employing high frequency operational clocks. There is much concern as to how to maintain an electronic component within an operating temperature range that ensures normal operation. High-density integration of circuits in Central Processing Units (CPUs) has dramatically increased in recent years, and clock frequencies of these CPUs have increased commensurately. Heat dissipation is highly important for stable operation and long operating lifetimes.
A cooling device is often attached directly on a CPU for maximum heat dissipation. A conventional cooling device comprises a base, a heat sink having a plurality of fins, and a heat pipe. The base is mounted on the surface of a CPU. The heat sink is attached to the base by welding or gluing. The heat pipe is arranged between the base and the heat sink. One end of the heat pipe is attached to the base by welding or gluing, and the other end of the heat pipe extends through the fins of the heat sink and is attached therein by welding or gluing.
However, the base, heat sink and heat pipe of this cooling device are manufactured separately and then attached together. Three sets of molds are required for manufacturing the three individual components. Thus manufacturing costs of the cooling device are greatly inflated. In addition, the operation of welding or gluing the components together is unduly cumbersome and time consuming. Furthermore, cracks or seams may be formed during welding operations, and glues typically have low heat conductivity. These features can significantly reduce the heat dissipation efficiency of the cooling device.

Cooling device and apparatus and method for making the same

Fu Zhun Precision Industrial (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.


A method is provided for fabricating a semiconductor device. The method includes providing a substrate having a device region and a peripheral region; and forming device structures on the substrate in the device region so as to form trenches between adjacent device structures. The method also includes forming a stop layer on the substrate and the device structures; and forming a first dielectric layer on the stop layer such that a portion of the densified first dielectric layer fills the trenches and a top surface of a portion of the first dielectric layer in the peripheral region is lower than a surface of the stop layer on the device structures by a densify high aspect ratio process. Further, the method includes forming a second dielectric layer on the densified first dielectric layer; and performing a plurality of polishing processes until the top surface of the device structures is exposed.

With the rapid development of integrated circuit (IC) technology, the size of the semiconductor devices of ICs, especially the metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) devices, has become smaller and smaller to match the requirements of device miniaturization and integration. When the size of the MOS transistor is continually shrunk, the process using the gate dielectric layer made of silicon oxide or silicon nitride meets certain challenges. For example, the transistors having the gate dielectric layer made of silicon oxide and silicon nitride face certain problems, such as the increase of leakage current, and/or the diffusion of the impurities, etc. Such problems may affect the threshold voltage of the transistors; and the performance of the semiconductor devices may be significantly affected.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a high-K metal gate (HKMG) structure) has been introduced into the MOS transistors. The HKMG structure utilizes a high dielectric constant (high-K) material to substitute the conventionally used gate dielectric material, such as silicon oxide and silicon nitride, etc. The HKMG structure may reduce the leakage current of the transistor when the size of the transistor is reduced; and the performance of the transistor may be improved as well.
However, when the technical node of semiconductor process is further reduced, the size of transistors having HKMG structures is consistently reduced; and the device density is continuously increased, thus it may be difficult to control the fabrication process of the HKMG structures; and the performance of the transistors having the HKMG structures may be unstable. The disclosed device structures and methods are directed to solve one or more problems set forth above and other problems.

Semiconductor devices and fabrication method thereof

SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL (SHANGHAI) CORPORATION


Particular embodiments of a wireless communication system comprise a wireless device and a base station having at least one network connection and an RF transceiver. The base station may be configured to generate an RF signal and communicate with the wireless device using backscatter communication. The wireless device may be configured to generate operating power for the wireless device from the RF signal and to receive data transmitted using the RF signal and communicate data to the base station using backscatter communication.

Current communication devices such as mobile phones and Bluetooth headsets require battery power to operate. Users must frequently recharge the batteries in order to operate the devices. Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology enables wireless RFID tags to send simple identification data without a battery using backscatter communication techniques. An RFID reader supplies power and communicates with the RFID tags through the use of radio frequency (RF) waves. RFID tags transfer a small amount of data to the RFID reader to communicate the tag's identification. Some devices may require duty cycling of operation in order to achieve long battery life from background tasks that download content, such as those mentioned above. This duty cycle is low, preserving battery life to levels that allow operation throughout a day when a specific maximum volume of data is not exceeded. However, the duty cycle operation may come at the expense of latency.

Using a wireless radio to manage power consumption


A semiconductor memory device includes a mode register, an additional function executer, and an additional function controller. The mode register activates an additional function control signal when a mode register set code indicates that an additional function is to be executed concurrently with a refresh operation. The additional function controller controls the additional function executer to carry out the additional function concurrently with the refresh operation when the additional function control signal is activated.

This application claims priority under 35 USC § 119 to Korean Patent Application No. 2006-54272, filed on Jun. 16, 2006 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor memory devices, and more particularly, to controlling execution of an additional function concurrently during execution of a refresh operation in a semiconductor memory device such as a dynamic random access memory device (DRAM).
2. Background of the Invention
Semiconductor memory devices, and especially DRAMs (dynamic random access memories), refresh each memory cell at regular intervals in order to retain data. A refresh operation of a semiconductor memory device may be categorized into an auto-refresh operation and a self-refresh operation.
A semiconductor memory device performs an auto-refresh operation when an external controller applies a refresh signal to the semiconductor memory device in a steady mode. In that case, a row of memory cells of a memory cell array are refreshed for each auto-refresh operation. A counter of the semiconductor memory device increases a row address for consecutive auto-refresh operations. Thus, when the counter of the semiconductor memory device reaches the end row of the memory cell array, the counter returns to a first row of the memory cell array.
In comparison, when the semiconductor memory device does not operate for longer than a predetermined period of time, an internal refresh signal is periodically generated so that the semiconductor memory device performs a self-refresh operation.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional semiconductor memory device. Referring to FIG. 1, when the semiconductor memory device performs a read/write operation, an address register 11 receives an externally generated address ADD in response to an active signal ACT and a read/write signal RD/WR, divides the address ADD into a row address RA and a column address CA, and outputs the row address RA and the column address CA to a row decoder 12 and a column decoder 13, respectively. During an auto-refresh operation, the address register 11 does not output such addresses RA and CA to the row decoder 12 or the column decoder 13 since a refresh circuit portion 20 generates an internal row address IRA to perform a refresh operation.
During an active read/write operation, the row decoder 12 receives the row address RA from the address register 11 in response to the active signal ACT, decodes the row address RA, and designates a specific row of memory cells of a memory cell array 14 for the read/write operation. During the auto-refresh operation, the row decoder 12 receives the internal row address IRA from the refresh circuit portion 20 in response to an auto-refresh signal ARF and designates a row of memory cells of the memory cell array 14 to be refreshed.
The column decoder 13 receives the column address CA from the address register 11, decodes the column address CA, and designates a specific column of memory cells of the memory cell array 14 for the read/write operation. However, since the memory cells are refreshed a row at a time, the column decoder 13 does not operate during the refresh operation.
The memory cell array 14 includes a plurality of word lines, which are arranged in rows, and a plurality of bit lines, which are arranged in columns. Memory cells are arranged at respective intersections between the word lines and the bit lines. The memory cell array 14 further includes a plurality of sense amplifiers that sense and amplify data from the memory cells.
The memory cells of a word line of the memory cell array 14 are selected by the row decoder 12, and the sense amplifier is selected by the column decoder 13. The sense amplifier selected by the column decoder 13 amplifies data DQ of the selected memory cell and outputs the amplified data DQ to an external device in response to a read signal RD. Alternatively, the sense amplifier stores data DQ input from the external device into the selected memory cell in response to the write signal WR. The RD/WR signal is generated from a command decoder 17 to a data input/output portion 15.
Also, the sense amplifiers amplify data stored in the memory cells of the word line indicated by the refresh circuit portion 20 and re-store the amplified data therein when the semiconductor memory device performs the refresh operation.
A mode register 16 receives a mode register set (MRS) signal MRS from the command decoder 17 upon power-up of the semiconductor memory device. The mode register 16 decodes mode register set codes which are applied at address lines by an external device in response to the mode register set signal MRS and stores fundamental operational modes of the semiconductor memory device. The mode register set codes may be applied at address lines ADD of the address register 11 or may be applied as data DQ at the data input/output portion 15.
The command decoder 17 analyzes a command COM from the external device to generate the mode register set signal MRS that is an initial set signal of the semiconductor memory device to the mode register 16. The command decoder 17 also generates the auto-refresh signal ARF to the refresh circuit portion 20 and the address register 11. Further, the command decoder 17 generates the read/write signal RD/WR for controlling the data input/output portion 15.
The refresh circuit portion 20 receives the auto-refresh signal ARF from the command decoder 17 and generates the internal row address IRA to the row decoder 12. Such an internal row address IRA indicates the row of memory cells of the memory cell array 14 to be refreshed.
FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of the refresh circuit portion 20 of FIG. 1. The refresh operation of the conventional semiconductor memory device will now be described with reference to FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 2, a control signal generator 21 receives the auto-refresh signal ARF from the command decoder 17 and generates a refresh selection signal PRESH and an active command PRB.
During a self-refresh operation, a self-refresh signal generator 30 receives the refresh selection signal PRESH, and periodically generates a self-refresh signal SRFHP to an internal address generator 40 for performing a self-refresh operation. The internal address generator 40 generates a refresh address CNTi corresponding to the word line WL of the memory cell array 14 to be refreshed. A refresh generator 41 receives the refresh selection signal PRESH and the self-refresh signal SRFHP and generates a refresh signal PRFH during the self-refresh operation.
On the other hand, the refresh generator 41 receives the refresh selection signal PRESH and generates the refresh signal PRFH during the auto-refresh operation. A refresh pulse generator 44 generates a refresh pulse PRCNTP in response to the refresh signal PRFH. A refresh pulse counter 45 counts the refresh pulse PRCNTP and generates the refresh address CNTi. A counter latch 46 latches the refresh address CNTi and outputs the latched refresh address CNTi in response to the refresh pulse PRCNTP.
A refresh mode generator 42 outputs a refresh mode signal SRSP in response to the refresh signal PRFH. An active generator 43 outputs an active signal PRD in response to the active command PRB and the refresh mode signal SRSP. An internal address selector 47 outputs the refresh address CNTi as the internal row address IRA to the row decoder 12 in response to the active signal PRD.
The row decoder 12 receives the internal row address IRA from the internal address generator 40 in response to the auto-refresh signal ARF and enables the corresponding word line WL of the memory cell array 14. As illustrated in FIG. 2, since the semiconductor memory device performs the refresh operation for updating data stored in the memory cells MC of the memory cell array 14, the data input/output portion 15 of FIG. 1 for reading or writing data is typically not used during the refresh operation. In other words, while the semiconductor memory device is performing the refresh operation, some blocks including the data input/output portion 15 are not used.
Also, with demand for high operating speed of the semiconductor memory device, new functions are being added to the semiconductor memory device. For example, a semiconductor memory device may additionally execute a temperature sensing function. Generally, as the operating speed of a semiconductor memory device increases, the temperature of the semiconductor memory device also increases in proportion to the operating speed.
When the temperature of the semiconductor memory device is increased, the semiconductor memory device may become inoperative. However, when the temperature sense function is added, the semiconductor memory device includes a temperature sensor to periodically check a temperature and inform an external controller of the present temperature. The external controller then generates a control command to temporarily stop or slow down the operation of the semiconductor memory device when the temperature is undesirably high. As a result, the reliability of the semiconductor memory device may be enhanced.
Another example of an additional function of a semiconductor memory device is controlling the input/output impedance of a driver circuit of the semiconductor memory device, as described in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2005-0019453. In that case, the impedance of the driver circuit is controlled using a single external reference resistor and a single impedance code generator. However, the conventional semiconductor memory device principally employs the data input/output portion 15 shown in FIG. 1 in order to perform the additional function.
In other words, although the conventional semiconductor memory device does not use the data input/output portion 15 during the refresh operation, the impedance at the data input/output portion 15 is desired to be controlled. In the prior art, the refresh operation and the adjustment of the impedance at the data input/output portion 15 are performed during separately designated times resulting in loss of operating time.

Controlling execution of additional function during a refresh operation in a semiconductor memory device


The mixer includes a chamber having first and second, side-by-side tub like cavities with first and second rotatable shafts located in the first and second cavities respectively. Each shaft has two ribbon members coupled to the shaft and which extend helically around the shaft along a substantial length of the shaft with the two ribbon members located about 180 degrees apart. The ribbon members of the two shafts do not intermesh but are located close to each other. A drive mechanism is provided for rotating the two shafts in opposite directions to cause the ribbon members of the two shafts to move toward each other below the plane of the two shafts, upward, and away from each other above the plane of the two shafts for mixing the particulate material. The ribbon members of the two shafts cause the particulate material in the two cavities to move in opposite directions along their lengths. Pitched paddles coupled to one end of one shaft and to one end of the other shaft at opposite ends of the chamber, cause pressure equalization and the particulate material at one end of the chamber to move from the first cavity to the second cavity and at the other end of the chamber to move from the second cavity to the first cavity to provide lateral circulation of the particulate material in the mixer chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a mixer for mixing or blending particulate solids in the dry state or with liquid addition.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional mixing machines for mixing or blending particulate solids have taken various forms and have utilized various mechanical apparatuses to affect co-mingling of ingredients placed therein. The term mixing, however, has recently come to infer that a certain relationship by volume of each of the ingredients of the total mixer charge also exists in random samples taken from the mixed product batch. Since none of the prior art of mixers have been able to provide absolute perfection, most users of such equipment have adopted standards to express the accuracy of their specific mixing machines. Such standards usually utilize statistical formulae. In a similar manner, the requirements of todays mixing machines have been dictated with respect to the power consumed by the mixing operation.
Thus, the problem areas of the prior art mixers are the speed and accuracy of mixing and the power requirements.
Some of the known mixers use to rotatable shafts with paddles or helical ribbons, as disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,036,477; 4,278,355; 5,083,506; 4,941,132; and U.K. Patent No. 2,039,764A which are discussed subsequently. Reference also is made to German Patent Nos. 1,116,196; 1,097,411; 1,112,968; 1,045,372; 1,816,674; U.S. Patent Nos. 3,941,357 and 2,498,237.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,036,477. This machine utilizes both paddles and ribbons, however, ribbon 42 is utilized to induce discharge of material from the mixing machine. It also transfers product from one mixing tub to the other, as do paddles 36, 39 & 41. Mixing in the apparatus is accomplished by the use of paddles pitched to provide induced flow of the material from one tub to the other.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,355. This machine uses no ribbons, only paddles for mixing purposes. It also utilizes paddles to transfer product from one tub to the other, although the mixing technique is different from that of the machine of the '477 patent. The machine of the '355 patent creates a "fluidized" area in which the, the claim is made, rapid and gentle mixing takes place when the shaft rotation is controlled within certain specific ranges of revolutions unit time (expressed as peripheral speed). The paddles 13 of this patent are not pitched but are flat in that they are parallel with the axis of the shaft so that maximum transport of product can be achieved. Thus increases the power required for mixing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,506. The device of this patent utilizes a single course of helical ribbons for each of the two shafts. It relies on timely reversing of rotational direction to obtain retention in the machine so that adequate mixing can occur. In addition, the machine has jackets on the tub(s) through which steam or other heat inducing media is pumped. Further the machine is compartmented so as to allow for variance of temperature requirements in each compartment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,132. The machine of this patent uses a single helical ribbon mounted on each of two opposing shafts so arranged that product being mixed moves in opposite direction within the tub housing. The directions of rotation of the shafts are periodically reversed.
U.K. Patent No. 2,039,764. The machine of this patent has helical ribbons which vary in width or pitch. It uses flat paddles to transfer product from one mixing area to another, along with a form of a helical ribbon placed downstream from the paddle itself clearly intended as its only purpose to move product from one mixing area to the other.

Hayes & Stolz Industrial Manufacturing Company Inc.


A system that includes a detection device, an imaging device, and a control device is disclosed. The detection device may generate proximity data relating to a proximity of an undercarriage of a rail vehicle, and the imaging device may capture one or more thermal images of the undercarriage. The control device may receive a first thermal image and a second thermal image of the undercarriage. The first thermal image may be captured using a first integration time, and the second thermal image may be captured using a second integration time. The control device may determine composite thermal data associated with the undercarriage. The composite thermal data may include information mapping a first range of thermal data and mapping a second range of thermal data to one or more components of the undercarriage. The control device may cause an action to be performed in connection with the composite thermal data.

A railroad may be provided with a monitoring system to ensure safe and efficient operation of rail vehicles on the railroad. A monitoring system may include an arrangement of sensors that are installed on and/or attached to a rail bed, a rail, a rail tie, and/or another structure of the railroad and configured to assess a condition of an undercarriage component (e.g., a wheel, a bearing, an axle, a braking mechanism, and/or the like) of a passing rail vehicle. In some cases, worn or damaged undercarriage components can cause an increase in friction, cause more power to be consumed to propel the rail vehicle, and/or reduce overall efficiency of the rail vehicle. More significant wear or damage can cause undercarriage components to seize, cause damage to surrounding components and/or the railroad, and/or pose a potential safety hazard. A monitoring system may be used to identify signs of such wear or damage to an undercarriage component of the rail vehicle. Information from the monitoring system can be used to warn railroad operators and/or rail vehicle operators of potential safety hazards and/or to identify an undercarriage component in need of service or repair.
In some cases, a monitoring system may monitor temperatures of undercarriage components to determine a condition of the undercarriage components. For example, the monitoring system may use a combination of a proximity sensor and a set of infrared cameras designed to measure wheel and/or bearing temperatures of a passing rail vehicle. The proximity sensor is typically installed directly on the railroad and arranged to detect when a rail vehicle passes over and/or by the proximity sensor. The infrared cameras are also installed directly on the railroad and arranged to capture thermal images of wheels and bearings of the rail vehicle at appropriate times indicated via the proximity sensor. Accordingly, a significant number of sensors, detectors, controllers, cables, and/or other hardware may need to be installed directly on a railroad in order to implement a monitoring system. While it is generally desirable to minimize the number of such on-track hardware on the railroad, current monitoring systems may be less effective if installed elsewhere or with fewer on-track hardware components.
In particular, a proximity sensor (e.g., an inductance sensor and/or the like) of a monitoring system may rely on an electromagnetic interaction between the proximity sensor and a rail vehicle, which typically occurs when the rail vehicle is in relatively close range with the proximity sensor. In order to ensure sufficient electromagnetic interactions between the proximity sensor and the rail vehicle, and in order to effectively detect proximity of the rail vehicle, the proximity sensor may need be installed directly on the railroad. Similarly, to effectively detect thermal radiation from an undercarriage component (e.g., a wheel, a bearing, an axle, and/or the like) of the rail vehicle, a thermal camera may need to be positioned underneath the rail vehicle and directly on the railroad. Furthermore, due to a limited temperature range that a single thermal camera is capable of detecting in a single instance or scene, multiple on-track thermal cameras may be needed to adequately measure the different ranges of temperatures at which the different undercarriage components of the rail vehicle typically operate.
One attempt to provide a solution for evaluating a vehicle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,478,480, issued to Mian, et al. filed on Jul. 2, 2013 ("the '480 patent"). In particular, the '480 patent discloses a computer system that includes infrared devices, an evaluation device, an identification device, and sensing devices. The '480 patent discloses that the evaluation subsystem can communicate with an acquisition subsystem, a sensing subsystem, and/or an identification subsystem. The '480 patent further discloses that the acquisition subsystem can fuse multiple captured frames having different characteristics (e.g., longer exposure, different filters, and/or the like) into a higher-bit resolution digital image that maintains the temperature information in each separate frame. However, the '480 patent does not disclose a solution for minimizing a number of monitoring hardware components installed on a railroad. For instance, the '480 patent does not disclose an off-track solution for detecting a rail vehicle, or an imaging solution that captures multiple temperature ranges associated with different undercarriage components of a rail vehicle using a single imaging device.
A wheel detection and thermal imaging system of the present disclosure solves one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems in the art.

Train wheel detection and thermal imaging system


A system and method for updating electronic files and file components are provided. An upgrade client of a remote device receives a delta file block that codes differences between an original and a new version of a file. The upgrade client stores the delta file block in a first memory area. The upgrade client writes an original file block corresponding to the delta file block from an original memory area to a second memory area. A file updating algorithm generates an updated file block in the host device using the received delta file block and the original file block. This updated file block corresponds to the original file block, and is stored in a third memory area. The upgrade client updates the original file block of the remote device by writing the updated file block over the original file block in the original memory area of the remote device.

Software that runs on a Central Processing Unit (CPU) in order to fulfill certain functionality of the host device often changes over time. The changes may result from the need to correct software bugs, adapt to evolving technologies, or add new features to the host device. In particular, embedded software in mobile wireless devices like cellular telephones often includes more bugs than other portable devices or processing systems and generally requires more frequent updates to add new features to the device.
Software includes one or more files which can be in the form of American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) plain text files or binary code. Software files can be divided into smaller units that are often referred to as components or modules. In the current art, a UNIX platform or Personal Computer (PC) includes multiple software components, and each of the software components is managed and updated independently through a file system supported by a corresponding Operating System (OS). Information used to update software files or software components hosted on UNIX platforms or PCs can be transferred through the Internet or loaded from a secondary storage medium such as a floppy disk, a compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), or a compact flash card.
In contrast, in most mobile wireless devices, a real-time OS (RTOS) is typically used in which all software components are linked as a single large file. Further, no file system support is typically provided in these mobile wireless devices. In addition, the single large file needs to be preloaded, or embedded, into the device using a slow communication link like a radio, infrared, or serial link.
Obstacles to the update of large files via slow communication links include the time of delivering the updated file to the device. In cases where a difference file is transferred to the device hosting the files targeted for update/revision, this time includes both the communication time to transfer the difference file and the time used by the receiving device to process the difference file and update/revise the targeted files, referred to herein as the host device processing time. While use of a delta file to transfer updated software file or software component information significantly reduces the communication time, as described in the Related Application, reduction of the host device processing time is dictated at least in part by the host device architecture.
The host device can be any of a number of processor-based devices, including cellular telephones and other mobile communication devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and personal computers. Using cellular telephones as an example, the typical cellular telephone architecture includes flash read-only memory (ROM), referred to herein as flash ROM or flash memory, and an RTOS. Both the flash memory and the RTOS potentially introduce obstacles to the goal of reducing the host device processing time.
The problem that arises with respect to the flash memory in reducing the host device processing time involves the manner with which writes are performed to flash memory. Flash memory is allocated in units which are often referred to as blocks, sectors, or segments, each of which includes numerous bytes. A write (or rewrite) to the typical flash memory requires erasing and writing (or rewriting) an entire unit, meaning that single bits or bytes can not be written (or rewritten). Therefore the update or revision of a byte stored in flash memory requires erasing and rewriting the entire unit in which the byte is stored. Thus, the time required to update or revise files stored in flash memory is typically greater than that required to update or revise files stored in other types of storage or memory in which single bytes can be written (or rewritten).
The problem that arises with respect to the RTOS in reducing the host device processing time involves the manner in which host device software programs are organized and managed. The RTOS of typical cellular telephones does not support file management and dynamic address resolution for function calls at runtime. Therefore, all embedded software components or programs of the cellular telephone are linked into a single, large host program, and a function within the host program is called from any part of the host program directly through a precompiled start address of the function. Thus, in contrast to a typical computer OS in which file management and dynamic address resolution for function calls are supported, the typical cellular telephone RTOS does not have the capability to manage multiple software components as separate files and support the function calls from one of the software components to another via runtime calling address resolution. Consequently, the host program of a system including an RTOS manages a single, large program and uses static addressing to directly access functions of the program.
This typical device architecture can lead to a problem when updating and revising software components because when the revision or update results in changes in host program size there is a resultant change in the start addresses of the software components that follow the updated/revised software component in the host program. This change in the start address of a software component results in a need to update the corresponding calling addresses in the host program and the instruction/data addresses within the software component. This can be expensive in terms of processing time. Thus, host device processing time associated with embedded software updates/revisions is due in large part to the inefficient rewriting of data to flash memory and the fact that a small change to embedded software at the source code level can result in a large change to the embedded software at the binary code level.
In the drawings, the same reference numbers identify identical or substantially similar elements or acts. To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or act, the most significant digit or digits in a reference number refer to the Figure number in which that element is first introduced (e.g., element 118 is first introduced and discussed with respect to FIG. 1).
Unless described otherwise below, the construction and operation of the various blocks and structures shown in the Figures are of conventional design. As a result, such blocks need not be described in further detail herein, because they will be understood by those skilled in the relevant art. Such further detail is omitted for brevity and so as not to obscure the detailed description of the invention. Any modifications necessary to the Figures can be readily made by one skilled in the relevant art based on the detailed description provided herein.

Updating electronic files using byte-level file differencing and updating algorithms


A polyethylene based resin exhibiting excellent moldability and durability and having an excellent balance between impact resistance and stiffness; and a hollow plastic molded article using the foregoing resin, which exhibits excellent moldability, durability and barrier properties and has an excellent balance between impact resistance and stiffness, are provided. The polyethylene based resin satisfies the following requirements (1) to (4): (1) a high-load melt flow rate (HLMFR) is from 1 to 100 g/10 min; (2) a density is from 0.940 to 0.960 g/cm3; (3) a strain hardening parameter λmax of elongational viscosity is from 1.05 to 1.50; and (4) a rupture time in a full notch tensile creep test and a density satisfy the following relational expression (A): log(rupture time)≧−355×(density)+337.6(A).

Hollow plastic molded articles used for the storage or transport of liquid substances are widely used for daily living or industrial field. In particular, in automobile parts, a hollow plastic molded article to be used as a fuel tank is taking the place of a conventional metal material-made fuel tank. Furthermore, at present, plastics are a material most frequently used for production of a fuel can of inflammable liquids, noxious substances or the like and a carriage container such as plastic bottles or the like. Since plastic-made containers and tanks are low in a weight/voltage ratio as compared with those made of a metal material, they have such merits that it is possible to reduce the weight, corrosion such as rust and the like hardly occurs, and impact resistance is good, and they are acquiring wide uses more and more.
In many cases, the hollow plastic molded articles are mainly obtained by means of blow molding from high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Polyethylene containers are not sufficient in an intercepting action (barrier action) for mainly suppressing penetration of the contents toward the outside. In the case of automobiles, in view of the fact that a volatile substance such as a fuel and the like will be an environmental pollutant, severe legal regulations are imposed regarding the exhaust. Since the barrier action of polyethylene against the penetration of a volatile substance is low, grapping for reducing the penetration by adopting more measures is taken. A measure which is the most important for attaining this is a fluorine treatment of the surface of a container, or introduction of a battier layer made of a polar barrier plastic. The barrier layer of this kind is introduced as a wall within a container by a technology known as multi-layer co-extrusion blow molding.
In almost all cases, the barrier layer is low in mechanical strength in co-extrusion blow molding. In barrier layer-containing containers, the impact properties are more likely influences particularly at low temperatures, as compared with those of barrier layer-free non-coated high-density polyethylene containers.
In plastic fuel tanks obtained from polyethylene, attention should be paid especially to requirements which will be problems. Since the plastic fuel tanks are classified as an important safety part for ensuring safety of automobiles, they are required to provide with high levels especially with respect to mechanical strength, durability and impact resistance, and the development of materials for enhancing these matters to sufficiently high levels is desired.
As to the hollow plastic molded articles, for example, there are proposed hollow plastic molded articles having one or more layers made of polyethylene obtained using a fluorine-modified chromium catalyst (see Patent Document 1). But, as compared with the case where fluorine modification is not performed, when a fluorine-modified chromium catalyst is used, a molecular weight distribution of obtained polyethylene becomes narrow, and therefore, there are brought results that the durability does not sufficiently satisfy a level as a hollow plastic molded article, particularly a fuel tank for automobiles.
Also, as to polyethylene, there is proposed a method for producing polyethylene suitable for blow molded articles, particularly large blow molded articles, by performing polymerization using a trialkylaluminum compound-supported chromium catalyst while allowing hydrogen to coexist (see Patent Document 2). Also, the subject patent document also discloses a method for producing polyethylene using a dialkylaluminum alkoxide compound-supported chromium catalyst (Comparative Example 13). However, polyethylene suitable for hollow plastic molded articles, particularly a fuel tank for automobiles is not disclosed, and it is hard to say that a fuel tank for automobiles with a sufficient level of durability can be produced.
Also, there is proposed a method for producing polyethylene using a chromium catalyst by adding an organoaluminum compound as a co-catalyst to a polymerization system (see Patent Document 3). The subject patent document also discloses a method for producing polyethylene using a trialkylaluminum and/or dialkylaluminum alkoxide compound-supported chromium catalyst (Examples Nos. 2 to 6). However, polyethylene suitable for hollow plastic molded articles, particularly a fuel tank for automobiles is not disclosed. Furthermore, the subject patent document also discloses a method for producing polyethylene using a titania-containing chromium catalyst obtained by impregnating titanium tetraisopropoxide onto silica before activation of a Cr catalyst to achieve calcination activation. But, polyethylene obtained at that time tends to be low in its impact strength.
Also, there is proposed a method for producing polyethylene using a trialkylaluminum and/or dialkylaluminum alkoxide-supported chromium catalyst (see Patent Document 4). However, polyethylene suitable for hollow plastic molded articles, particularly a fuel tank for automobiles is not disclosed.
Also, there is proposed a catalyst for ethylene based polymerization composed of a solid chromium catalyst component prepared by allowing an inorganic oxide carrier to support a chromium compound in which at least a part of chromium atoms can be converted into a hexavalent chromium atom thereon by performing calcination activation in a non-reducing atmosphere, a dialkylaluminum functional group-containing alkoxide and a trialkylaluminum (see Patent Document 5). The subject patent document also discloses an ethylene based polymer for blow molded articles exhibiting excellent creep resistance and ESCR and having an HLMFR of from 1 to 100 g/10 min and a density of from 0.935 to 0.955 g/cm3. The subject patent document also discloses a method for producing polyethylene using a trialkylaluminum and/or dialkylaluminum alkoxide compound-supported chromium catalyst (Comparative Examples 3 and 13).
However, the subject patent document neither suggests nor discloses polyethylene suitable for hollow plastic molded articles, particularly a fuel tank for automobiles with excellent impact resistance.
Also, there is proposed a method for producing an ethylene based polymer using a chromium catalyst prepared by allowing a chromium compound-supported inorganic oxide carrier prepared by supporting a chromium compound on an inorganic oxide carrier and performing calcination activation in a non-reducing atmosphere, to convert at least a part of chromium atoms into a hexavalent chromium atom, thereby supporting a specified organoaluminum compound (alkoxides, siloxides, phenoxides, etc.) thereon in an inert hydrocarbon solvent (see Patent Document 6). The subject patent document discloses an ethylene based polymer having an excellent balance between environmental stress crack resistance (ESCR) and stiffness.
Also, there is proposed an ethylene based polymer producing catalyst which is characterized by being composed of a chromium catalyst prepared by supporting a chromium compound on an inorganic oxide carrier and performing calcination activation in a non-reducing atmosphere, thereby converting at least a part of chromium atoms into a hexavalent chromium atom and a specified organoaluminum compound (alkoxides, siloxides, phenoxides, etc.) (see Patent Document 7). The subject patent document discloses an ethylene based polymer exhibiting excellent ESCR or creep resistance.
Furthermore, there is proposed a method for producing an ethylene based polymer which is characterized in that in multistage polymerization of ethylene alone or copolymerization of ethylene and an α-olefin having from 3 to 8 carbon atoms continuously in a plurality of polymerization reactors connected in series by using a chromium catalyst prepared by supporting a chromium compound on an inorganic oxide carrier and performing calcination activation in a non-reducing atmosphere, thereby converting at least a part of chromium atoms into a hexavalent chromium atom, and a specified organoaluminum compound (alkoxides, siloxides, phenoxides, etc.) is introduced into any one or all of the polymerization reactors (see Patent Document 8). The subject patent document discloses an ethylene based polymer exhibiting excellent environmental stress crack resistance (ESCR) and creep resistance. However, in the foregoing patent document, though an ethylene based polymer having a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) of 20.9 (working examples) is disclosed, polyethylene suitable for hollow plastic molded articles, particularly a fuel tank for automobiles with excellent impact resistance is neither suggested nor disclosed.
Also, there is proposed a catalyst for ethylene based polymerization prepared by allowing a fluorinated chromium compound in which at least a part of chromium atoms can be converted into a hexavalent chromium atom by performing activation in a non-reducing atmosphere, to support a specified organic boron compound thereon (see Patent Document 9). The subject patent document also discloses a method for producing polyethylene using a trialkylaluminum and/or dialkylaluminum alkoxide compound-supported chromium catalyst (Comparative Examples 6 and 8). However, the subject patent document neither suggests nor discloses polyethylene suitable for hollow plastic molded articles, particularly a fuel tank for automobiles.
In addition to the above, as commercially available polyethylene used for a fuel tank for automobiles, for example, HB111R, manufactured by Japan Polyethylene Corporation; 4261AG, manufactured by Basell Polyolefins; and the like are known. Though these are a material which meets severe requirements of automobile manufactures and is acclaimed in the market, it may not be always said that they are on a sufficiently high level regarding a balance between durability and stiffness and issues of impact resistance and moldability.
Under such circumstances, there are desired polyethylene overcoming the problems of polyethylene so far, exhibiting excellent moldability and durability and having an excellent balance between impact resistance and stiffness and in particular, capable of realizing excellent high stiffness; and polyethylene suitable for hollow plastic molded articles, particularly fuel tanks with high performances.

Polyethylene based resin, producing catalyst for the same, method for producing the same, hollow plastic molded article containing polyethylene based resin, and use of the same


According to one embodiment, a server is automatically deployed using a pre-provisioned logical volume LV. A first world wide name WWN1 is associated 320 with a logical volume LV1 associated with a disk array controller 260. A second world wide name WWN1, which is assigned to a server S1, is received 335 at the disk array controller 260. If 340 the first world wide name WWN1 is the same as the second world wide name WWN1, the server S1 is enabled 350 to access the logical volume LV1. The first and second world wide names are not required to be assigned to any server S1, S2 at the time that the first world wide name is associated with the logical volume.

The first storage devices were dedicated to a particular computing resource, which may be a server. However, as technology and computing requirements have evolved, servers and the storage that they use are maintained separately and various methods of flexibly assigning storage resources to the servers have been developed. One method of flexibly assigning storage resources employs a pool of storage consisting of logical volumes that may be selected and assigned for a period of time to various servers. A storage administrator configures and maintains the pool of storage resources and a server administrator configures and maintains the servers. The pool of storage resources and the servers shall be referred to herein as "domains." Both administrators are experts with respect to their own domains and they use a separate set of tools and processes for configuring and maintaining their domains.
In order to preserve security and to adequately use their respective areas of expertise, a storage administrator is typically not allowed to perform server administrator tasks and vice versa. Therefore, the storage and server administrators engage in a multi-phase communication in order to deploy servers and provision storage resources for that server. First the server administrator will communicate to the storage administrator criteria for the storage that will be used to deploy a desired set of servers. The storage criteria shall include, among other things, the number of logical volumes, the size of each of the logical volumes, the RAID level, OS host mode, and so on. The storage administrator will prepare and configure logical volumes for the desired operating systems according to the server administrator's storage criteria, such as the size, RAID level, OS host mode, and so on, so that the desired set of servers can be deployed. The configured logical volumes that are used for booting servers shall be referred to as "boot logical volumes." The server administrator will configure the desired set of servers and verify that the desired set of servers can be booted using the configured boot logical volumes. Then the server administrator will communicate to the storage administrator storage criteria that will be used for private non-bootable storage that will contain, for example, application data and so on. The storage administrator will configure logical volumes as the server administrator requested to be used as private non-bootable storage. The logical volumes that are used as private non-bootable storage shall be referred to as "private logical volumes." The server administrator will verify that the servers can access and use the private logical volumes. The server administrator may have to engage in this multi-phase communication with the storage administrator for each server that the server administrator deploys. The multi-phase process of communicating back and forth between the storage and server administrators can take from a few days to several weeks depending on the size of a data center and the data center's protocol for how such communications are to be conducted. This results in a much more frequent interaction between server and storage administrators which in turn reduces the ability of the server administrator to efficiently react to changing business needs within the data center.
The drawings referred to in this Brief Description should not be understood as being drawn to scale unless specifically noted.

Automatic server deployment using a pre-provisioned logical volume

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.