An apparatus for playing back an optical recording medium automatically and quickly identifies the kind of optically recorded disc (CD or DVD) loaded in the apparatus. After a disc to be checked has been loaded in the apparatus, the disc is first driven in a DVD servo mode. If a peak value of a focus error signal detected in this mode is larger than a threshold value, the checked disc is recognized as a DVD. If the detected peak value of the focus error signal is smaller than the threshold value, the checked disc is thereafter driven in a CD servo mode. The checked disc is recognized as a CD if a peak value of a focus error signal detected in this mode is larger than a threshold value, which may be different from the above-mentioned threshold value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for playing back an optical recording medium and, more particularly, to a digital disc player capable of reproduction both from a digital versatile disc (DVD) and a compact disc (CD).
2. Description of the Related Art
MEPG2 video/audio information compression techniques have been improved to a practical level, and the development of DVD players for reproducing images and sounds recorded on DVDs of the CD size using techniques of this kind are being promoted. A DVD loaded in such a DVD player has one or two signal recording surfaces formed on one side. Holes ("pits") are formed in each signal recording surface. There are several types of pit, differing in length. A track is formed by arranging such pits differing in length. During reproduction (play back) of a signal recorded on the disc, the pits are read along the track and various kinds of signal processing are performed on the read out signal to output video and audio signals.
Playback from the well-known CD is the same as that for a DVD with respect to signal reading along the sequence of pits formed on the disc, but differs in signal processing performed on the read-out signal.
On DVDs and CDs, signals are recorded by basically the same method. Also, basically the same signal reading method is used for DVDs and CDs. However, DVDs and CDs differ in both storage capacity and pit size. For example, a dual-layer DVD disc having two signal recording surface layers on one side has a capacity of 8.5 gigabytes, and a single-layer DVD disc having one signal recording surface layer has a capacity of 4..7 gigabytes. On the other hand, CDs have a capacity of about 780 megabytes. With respect to the pit size, both the length and width of DVD pits is approximately half that of CD pits.
As described above, DVDs and CDs differ from each other in the size of the pits formed in the signal recording surface. Therefore, if these two kinds of discs are played back by one dual mode player, changing the numerical aperture of an objective lens and the amplification factor of an RF amplifier in the player as well as other operations are required. As a prerequisite for such changes, identification of the kind of a disc as a DVD or CD actually loaded in the player must be made.
However, since DVDs and CDs are the same in contour and size, a user of the disc player cannot discriminate between a DVD and a CD from the external appearance of the disc, and may fail to indicate to the disc player the type of disc being played.

Dual CD/DVD player with automatic disc identification


A multiaxial nonwoven fabric is disclosed which is comprised of a selected warp material and a multiplicity of selected continuous yarns assembled in a specified lay pattern and bonded on to the warp material. Each of the yarns is oriented in a scalene or right-angled triangle shape, and the resulting yarn assembly is built of intersections at least in warp, weft and oblique axes, whereby structural strength and dimensional stability are greatly improved. A method and an apparatus are also disclosed for producing the fabric.

1. Technical Field
This invention is concerned with nonwoven fabrics and more particularly with a multiaxial nonwoven fabric in which a multiplicity of selected continuous yarns are assembled in a specified lay pattern by mechanical interlocking. The invention further relates to a method of and an apparatus for producing such multiaxial fabric.
By the term multiaxial nonwoven fabric used herein is meant a fabric designed to have its constituent yarns intersected in two or more different axes and even in a weftwise axis.
2. Prior Art
Certain nonwoven fabrics have been developed and marketed, one of which is formed of a number of parallel continuous yarns obliquely crossed and adhesively bonded to a substrate such as paper, film, aluminum foil or cloth. Another fabric is of a triaxial structure having bound an additional group of arranged warps. Both fabrics are formed typically by a method in which the basic or constituent yarns are allowed to reciprocally run at right angle to the path of travel of a conveyor belt and when brought into hooking engagement, upon arrival at their turning points, with two arrays of pins each located on and along one longitudinal edge of the belt, they are crossed obliquely with one another.
In such prior fabrics, however, the basic yarns each are oriented in the shape of an isosceles triangle when one vertex is taken against the base between the two other vertices. These fabrics, though physically adequate in both a warp and an oblique direction, are mechanically weak and dimensionally unstable in a weft direction.
To cope with the above problems, the conveyor belt is required to travel at low speed so as to reciprocate the basic yarns while being held obliquely at an identical angle and nearly at a weftwise level, rendering the final fabric laterally dense. Such mode of formation is undesirable for practical purposes as it is rather tedious and complicated, less productive and yet susceptible to quality irregularities and cost burdens.

Multiaxial nonwoven fabric, and method of making the same

Polymer Processing Research Institute Ltd.


A new and distinct cultivar of Buxus plant named ‘Eseles’, characterized by its compact, mounded and uniform plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance; green and yellow variegated leaves; and good winter hardiness.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Buxus plant, commercially produced as an ornamental shrub, botanically known as Buxus microphylla var. koreana and hereinafter referred to by the name 'Eseles' .
The new Buxus plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of Buxus microphylla var. koreana 'Winter Gem', not patented. The new Buxus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor on a single plant of 'Winter Gem' in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Muskegon, Mich.
Asexual reproduction of the new Buxus plant by hardwood cuttings in a controlled environment in Grand Haven, Mich. since December, 1990, has shown that the unique features of this new Buxus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.


A method for producing standardization samples (11, 21) for obtaining the quench curve which describes the relationship between the counting efficiency and the amount of the quench of the sample is described. According to this method the different quench levels of the standardization samples are performed by covering different standardization samples with scintillation photons permeable foils (12, 13, 14, 25) having variable amounts of black dots (22, 23, 24), which absorb of produced scintillation photons.

Liquid scintillation counters are commonly used to measure the count rate or activity of samples containing low energy beta particles or corresponding particles emitting radionuclides such as tritium, iodine-125, carbon-14, sulphur-35, calcium-40 and chromium-51.
The range of the low energy beta particles in the sample is in generally few tens of micrometers at the most. As a consequence, the sample to be measured has to be placed in direct contact with a scintillation medium by dissolving or suspending the sample within the liquid scintillation medium in a container so that the emitted beta particles can interact with the molecules of the liquid scintillation medium, which comprises a solvent or solvents and a solute or solutes present in a few percent by weight of the solution. In this interaction process most of the kinetic energy of the interacted beta particle is absorbed by the solvent and then transferred to the solute which emits scintillation photons, whose amount is proportional to the energy of the interacted beta particle. These scintillation photons are detected by two, in coincidence operating, photomultiplier tubes producing electric pulses. The sum pulse height is proportional to the energy of the interacted beta particle.
Traditional liquid scintillation counters are provided with one detector and they are designed to measure samples in 7 ml or 20 ml glass or plastic vials.
In addition to the above mentioned conventional liquid scintillation counters three special purpose liquid scintillation counters exist, which counts samples directly from filter mats or multi-well sample plates.
First special purpose liquid scintillation counter is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,298,796, which apparatus counts liquid scintillation or corresponding samples directly from support layer, which is disposed within a container which contains the liquid or gel scintillant. The apparatus has one or several detectors in order to count one or several samples at a time.
Second special purpose liquid scintallation counter is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,853, which apparatus counts liquid scintillation or corresponding samples directly from sample plates which comprises several separate sample wells or vials. The apparatus has one or several detectors in order to count one or several samples at a time. The sample plate is placed in the counting position or before counting position manually or automatically on a rigid plate holder made of photon attenuating material and having holes for the wells of the sample plate. The walls of the holes are reflecting or scattering in order to guide the photons from the liquid scintillation sample to the detectors, built of two photomultiplier tubes operating in coincidence and situated on the opposite sides of the holes of the plate holder. The wells of the sample plate can be closed by an adhesive transparent tape. The apparatus can be used also for counting gamma radiation emitting samples if the holes of the sample plate are surrounded by gamma radiation sensitive detectors.
Third special purpose scintillation counting system for in-situ measurement of radioactive samples in a multiple-well plate is presented under European Patent Publication Number 0425767 A1. This apparatus is provided with multiple photomultiplier tubes positioned adjacent to the sample wells containing the scintillator for simultaneously measuring the radioactivity of multiple samples with only a single photomultiplier tube sensing the scintillations from each well and converting the sensed scintillations into corresponding electrical pulses. The electrical pulses from each photomultiplier tube are processed to discriminate between pulses attributable to sample events within the wells and pulses attributable to non-sample events such as photomultiplier tube noise. The discrimination is effected by determining whether a selected number of electrical pulses occurs with a prescribed time interval, the occurrence of the selected number of pulses within the prescribed time interval signifying a sample event. Only the electrical pulses attributable to sample events are supplied to a pulse analyzer.
The multi-well sample plates have typically eight rows of wells, whose diameter is 7-8 mm arranged in twelve columns with 9 millimeters distance between the center points of the wells. The typical volumes of sample wells of such 96-well sample plates are 200-400 microliters depending on the height of the plate.
When measuring sample activities with liquid scintillation counters, the basic problem is the reduction of the counting efficiency due to the quenching of the sample, which can be classifield in two main types: the chemical quench and the color quench. The chemical quench is a phenomenom, where the solution formed by the sample and the scintillation medium contains some impurities, which reduce the efficiency of the counting system to detect the emitted beta particles by absorbing them. The color quench is a phenomenom, where the solution formed by the sample and the scintillation medium contains some impurities, which absorb produced scintillation phtotons. The consequence of this is also the reduction of the counting efficiency.
It is known in the liquid scintillation counting that the reduction of the counting efficiency due to the quenching of the sample can be corrected by a means of a quench curve which describes the relationship between the counting efficiency and the amount of the quench of the sample. The quench curve is obtained by measuring a set of standards, which have same activity but different amount of quench. Standards are prepared for example in the following way:
1) 10 ml scintillation liquid is pipetted into 20 ml sample vials. Normally 5- 10 vials are used. PA1 2) A constant amount of activity of used isotope is added into each vials. The vials are shaken well and the solution is often allowed to stand overnight. PA1 3) The standard solution samples in vials are quenched by adding an amount of quencher, for example carbontetrachloride (CCl-4) which is a chemical quencher, into the vials, a different volume into each vial. Instead of a chemical quencher a color quencher, for example appropriate color dye, can be used. Carbontetrachloride is added for example as follows: PA1 If samples to be analyzed are deposited and counted directly from sample plates which comprises several separate sample wells or vials, then preparation of the standards continues as follows: PA1 4) From each of the standard vials for example 200 microliters of quench standard solution is pipetted into the appropriate wells on the sample plate.
______________________________________ Vial No CCl-4 (microliters) ______________________________________ 1 0 2 5 3 10 4 15 5 30 6 50 7 70 8 90 9 120 10 150 ______________________________________
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,554 (Lehtinen, Yrjonen, Ostrup) is shown a method of producing a carrier for a plurality of radioactive sample to be monitored in a liquid scintillation counter. According to this method sample plate is sealed with two photon permeable adhesive foils and at least one of the foils can be colored in order to simulate quenching. Due to the expensiveness of producing colored foils with exactly variable optical densities and spectra, the present invention shows a more reliable and simplier method, where standardization samples are quenched by covering them with photon permeable foils, which are provided with small separate black dots arranged in matrix form. Those scintillation photons produced by sample which hit these black dots are absorbed. Thus quenching of the sample depends on the relative total area of the black dots on the foil.

Method of producing standardization samples for liquid scintillation counting quench curve and a foil


A semiconductor device of the present invention is a semiconductor device having a semiconductor layer comprising a wide band gap semiconductor, wherein the semiconductor layer includes: a first conductivity-type source region, a second conductivity-type channel region and a first conductivity-type drain region, which are formed in this order from the surface side of the semiconductor layer; a source trench lying from the surface of the semiconductor layer through the source region and the channel region to the drain region; a gate insulating film formed so as to contact the channel region; a gate electrode facing the channel region with the gate insulating film interposed therebetween; and a first breakdown voltage holding region of a second conductivity type formed selectively on the side face or the bottom face of the source trench, and the semiconductor device includes a barrier formation layer, which is joined with the drain region in the source trench, for forming, by junction with the drain region, a junction barrier lower than a diffusion potential of a body diode formed by p-n junction between the channel region and the drain region.

As an alternative power device material to a Si semiconductor, a SiC (silicon carbide) semiconductor which can realize higher withstanding voltage, higher current, lower ON resistance and the like than a Si semiconductor has become the focus of attention in recent years (see Patent Document 1, for example).
A SiC power device is utilized as a switching element of various kinds of inverter circuits to be incorporated in, for example, a motor control system, an electricity exchange system or the like.
When a SiC power device (a switching element) in a motor control circuit or the like is turned off to interrupt electric current flowing through a motor coil, electromagnetic induction of the motor coil causes a diode to consume counter electromotive force generated in the motor coil.
In particular, application of high counter electromotive force to a switching element is prevented by causing electric current generated due to the counter electromotive force to flow to a motor coil as reflux current, by virtue of rectification of a parasitic diode (a body diode) by p-n junction between a p-type channel region and an n-type drain region existing in a device.

Semiconductor device having a breakdown voltage holding region


An object of the present invention is to provide a magenta toner having high dispersibility of a colorant and good spectral characteristics.

Recently, color images are widely spread, and higher image quality has been increasingly demanded. In digital full color copiers and printers, a color image manuscript is subjected to color separation with filters of blue, green, and red, and latent images corresponding to the original image are developed with developers of yellow, magenta, and cyan, which are complementary colors of blue, green, and red, and a black developer. For this reason, the colorants in the developers of the respective colors give a great influence to image quality, particularly, color tone, transparency, and color reproducibility. In the color toners, the magenta toner is important in reproduction of a skin color. Further, the color tone of the skin in a human figure is a halftone. Accordingly, high developing properties are also demanded. For such demands, as a colorant for a magenta toner, quinacridone colorants, thioindigo colorants, xanthene colorants, monoazo colorants, perylene colorants, and diketopyrrole colorants are known.
Usually, in the case where a pigment is used in the colorant for magenta, the pigment has good light resistance property, but does not demonstrate sufficient color tone and transparency. In order to improve these properties, it is desired that the pigment is finely dispersed in a variety of media. Unfortunately, it is difficult to form a sufficiently fine pigment in a toner produced by a toner production process, and uniformly disperse the pigment.
Meanwhile, in the case where a dye is used in the colorant for magenta, the dye demonstrates a vivid magenta color in the initial period. The dye, however, has low light resistance property, and color nuance tends to greatly change after the dye is left under an ambient light. Moreover, in the case of a light color, a bright and sharp image is obtained. In a region of a dark color, however, a sufficient image density is difficult to obtain. Particularly, in the case where the colors are mixed and a dark red color and a dark blue color are reproduced, the range of the color to be reproduced is likely to be narrower. The xanthene colorant is a colorant having good color reproducibility and color tone, but the light resistance properties is significantly reduced when the colorant is used in a liquid form. Accordingly, various measures are needed (see Patent Literatures 1 and 2). Additionally, along with higher functions of the color multifunction machine these days, in order to obtain an image that satisfies the transparency and is closer to the manuscript, a magenta toner having further improved color tone, saturation, and electrophotographic properties is strongly desired.

Magenta toner and method for producing the same

Abstract: A magenta toner includes a magenta toner particle including at least a binder resin, a compound represented by the formula (1), and a colorant, wherein the colorant includes a pigment having a quinacridone skeleton:

Abstract: (wherein R1 and R2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, or an aralkyl group.)


A camera capable of compensating for facial field of a person to a proper brightness, and maintaining the luminance scale of the background, comprising an imaging portion for generating the picture data of the person; a gamma compensator for performing gamma compensation for the picture data; a facial field detecting portion for detecting a facial field from the picture data; a photometric portion for exposure metering value of the facial field detected by the facial field detecting portion; an exposure controlling portion for calculating a target exposure amount in response to the output of the photometric portion and controlling exposure depending on the target exposure amount; and a gamma compensation controlling portion for determining a luminance scale characteristic in accordance with the target exposure amount, wherein the gamma compensating portion is controlled on the basis of the luminance scale characteristic determined by the gamma compensation controlling portion.

JP-A-2007-180892, known as one of the related prior art techniques, discloses a camera comprising a face detecting circuit, a gamma compensation controller and a picture signal processing circuit, wherein the face detecting circuit detects a face from an inputted picture signal and calculates a brightness change estimation value for the facial area including the detected face; the gamma compensation controller determines a luminance scale characteristic on the basis of the brightness change estimation value calculated by the face detecting circuit; and the picture signal processing circuit performs gamma compensation for the inputted picture signal on the basis of the luminance scale characteristic determined by the gamma compensation controller.
With the popularization of digital cameras capable of taking motion pictures as well as still pictures, it has come to be possible for every body to take good pictures. People are the most favorite objects that are most often photographed. Therefore, such cameras are increasing on the market as are equipped with face recognition and optimization functions which automatically recognize the face of a person and optimizes the camera setting according to the recognized face.
Such a face recognizing function as equipped in the cameras mentioned above, compares the inputted picture signal with the pattern stored previously in the memory in the camera, and detects the area in the imaging surface in the camera on which the face is focused (this area is hereafter referred to as "facial field"). Data gathered from within the detected facial field include the position of the facial field, exposure metering value, color, etc. When the detected facial field is actually photographed, proper procedures is automatically performed on the basis of the gathered data. The proper procedures meant here includes, for example, providing proper brightness on the facial field, focusing of the facial field preferentially, controlling white balance such that the facial field is properly colored, and adjusting the chrominance signal such that natural skin color can be displayed.
The automatic compensation of brightness in the facial field to maintain it at a proper level of brightness, which was enumerated above as the first of the proper procedures mentioned above, is strongly required by users. When a person is photographed, it often happens that the picture is taken against the sun, that is, the difference in brightness between the object and the background is very large. In such a case, the brightness of the object, i.e. person, cannot usually be maintained at a proper level since the brightness of the background adversely affects that of the object. It might be possible in this case to properly adjust the brightness of the object manually, but such manual compensation is awkward and especially difficult for ordinary users to do.
There is known a conventional technique for automatically compensating for the brightness of the facial field such that it is maintained at a proper level of brightness. According to the conventional technique, exposure control value (for proper control of iris, shutter and AGC, i.e. automatic gain control, circuit) is varied in accordance with the target exposure amount calculated on the basis of the exposure metering value in the facial field. However, since the exposure control value is that which controls the brightness of the entire imaged picture, the brightness of the facial field can indeed be maintained at a proper level, but the brightness of the background becomes improper so that overexposure or underexposure may occur in the background.
There is also known a conventional technique for automatically compensating for the brightness of the facial field to maintain it at a proper level of brightness, and preventing such overexposure and underexposure. According to this technique, gamma compensation control is varied in accordance with the target exposure amount calculated on the basis of the exposure metering value in the facial field. The gamma compensation control is to change the luminance scale characteristic of an imaged picture. And by properly controlling the gamma compensation, the brightness of the facial field and the luminance scale of the background can be made compatible with each other.
A technique for changing the luminance scale characteristic through the control of gamma compensation in accordance with the data collected in the facial field by the face recognition function, is disclosed in, for example, in the above mentioned JP-A-2007-180892. According to JP-A-2007-180892, even if there is difference in brightness within the facial field, proper brightness can be reproduced by calculating the difference in brightness within the facial field and then by using the luminance scale characteristic in accordance with the calculated brightness difference. According to this method, however, only the difference in brightness within the facial field is regarded as the criterion for gamma compensation, the reproducibility of the luminance scale of the background brightness is not so much taken into consideration.
As described in the foregoing, in order to make compatible the brightness of the face of a person and the luminance scale of the background in photographing the person, it is necessary to properly control exposure and gamma compensation on the basis of the data collected within the facial field and to select such exposure control value and luminance scale characteristic as correspond to a picture to be imaged.
Conventional face recognition and optimization function has not taken it into consideration to reproduce the luminance scale of the background brightness since only difference in brightness within the facial field is regarded as the criterion for gamma compensation.


The present invention provides a clay extruder usable for shaping clay into desired patterns. The extruder has a screw disposed within a sleeve, a plunger located on the screw and inside the sleeve, a handle located on the screw and outside of the sleeve, and a perforated disk opposite the insertion of the screw into the sleeve. The handle is used to turn the screw and move the plunger through the sleeve. As the plunger pushes clay out the sleeve, an o-ring around the plunger prevents clay from leaking back, and a perforated disk molds the clay into a desired pattern. Metal construction allows the extruder to be subjected to high amounts of torque and pressure without damage or failure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to clay shaping tools, and more particularly, to clay extruders.
2. Description of the Prior Art
To aid in the shaping of clay, artisans have long used clay extruders. Simple clay extruders consist of a plunger that is pushed through a hollow structure by application of pressure on a handle connected to the plunger. By use of holes with different designs at the ends of extruders, clay can be extruded into different shapes. Hand held extruders are basically syringes for clay. Plastic syringe type clay extruders require great force to extrude clay and are subject to failure from the stress required to push clay through an open end. Metal syringe type extruders are more rigid than plastic extruders and are able to accommodate more force than plastic extruder. However, metal extruders are also difficult to operate. Both metal and plastic extruders are prone to leaking back of clay past the plunger.
It is therefore desirable to have an extruder that prevents leaking back of clay. It is also desirable to have an extruder that needs less force to operate. It is further desirable to have an extruder that can accommodate a high amount of torque.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A row address decoder includes a first main word line decoding unit decoding first and second row addresses to generate first to fourth main decoding signals. When a data storage test is performed, the first to fourth main decoding signals are enabled at first to fourth timings, respectively. The row address decoder also includes a second main word line decoding unit decoding third and fourth row addresses to generate fifth to eighth main decoding signals. When a data storage test is performed, the fifth to eight main decoding signals are enabled at first to fourth timings, respectively. A main word line enable signal generating unit decodes the first to fourth main decoding signals and the fifth to eighth main decoding signals to generate first to sixteenth main word line enable signals that are enabled at different times.

The present invention relates generally to a semiconductor memory apparatus, and more particularly, to a row address decoder and a semiconductor memory apparatus having the same.
A typical dynamic random access memory (DRAM) stores data in a large number of memory cells, with each memory cell having a transistor and a capacitor. Each memory cell is connected to a word line and a bit line where the word line and bit line intersect. When a word line is activated, each memory cell receives data from the bit line or outputs data to the bit line. The word line is divided into a main word line and a sub-word line. A single main word line is connected to a plurality of preset sub-word line drivers (e.g. eight sub-word line drivers). These sub-word line drivers are respectively connected to the sub-word lines. Each sub-word line is directly connected to a plurality of memory cells.
In order to activate the main word line and the sub-word line, the semiconductor memory apparatus includes a row address decoder. The row address decoder decodes a plurality of externally received row addresses. At this time, some of the row addresses (generally, six row addresses) are input into the row address decoder and are used to activate the main word lines (here, 64 main word lines), and the remaining row addresses (generally, three row addresses) are used to activate the main word lines (here, 8 main word lines).
A typical semiconductor memory apparatus requires a test process for testing and guaranteeing the quality of the device after it is designed. During this test process, the data storage capability of the memory cells is also tested. Typically, the data storage capability of the memory cells is tested by: inputting data corresponding to a first logic value (e.g. '1') into all of the memory cells, activating a quarter of the sub-word lines (e.g. if there are 512 sub-word lines 128 of the sub-word lines are activated), inputting data corresponding to a second logic value (e.g. '0') into the activated sub-word lines, and determining whether or not the stored data is lost, which may be caused by the influence of coupling noise, or the like.
However, when the data storage capability of the memory cells is tested according to the method just described, each of the very large number of sub-word lines is activated at the same time, and thus an extensive peak current results. As a consequence, the sub-word line driver realizes a reduction in its ability to drive the sub-word line. For this reason, there is a possibility of an error occurring in the test itself, which results in the test having a reduced reliability. In other words, conventional tests for determining the data storage capability of memory cells have a possibility of failure.

Row address decoder and semiconductor memory device having the same


A partition management system is disclosed for a database comprising at least one database table. The system comprises a partition controller arranged to automatically create at least one table partition in advance so that at least one table partition is available prior to when the table partition is required by the database. A corresponding method is also disclosed.

Modern databases are capable of holding significant amounts of data which is often structured into several tables. In order to maintain satisfactory manageability, performance and availability of data in the database, tables having a significant amount of data are generally divided into several partitions with each partition holding data falling within a predefined unique data range. Failure to regularly partition database tables can be problematic. For example, a back office database (BODB) of a client-server based gaming system typically receives several terabytes of data each week and, accordingly, if regular partitioning of database tables does not occur, the performance of the database will quickly deteriorate.
However, partitioning of databases is currently carried out manually by database administrators, typically once per hour for a client-server based gaming system. This imposes a significant workload on the database administrators.


A heterojunction bipolar transistor comprises a collector layer, a base layer, and an emitter layer stacked sequentially. The base layer comprises a first base layer joined to the collector layer in an inward base area directly below the emitter layer and a second base layer joined to the collector layer in an outward base area adjacent to the inward base area. The second base layer is formed of a semiconductor with a wider energy band gap than the collector layer.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heterojunction bipolar transistor comprising different kinds of joined semiconductors, and a manufacturing method thereof.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
A heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) is a transistor for use in compound semiconductor integrated circuits. As an exemplary device structure of the HBT, FIG. 1 shows a structure of an npn-type HBT with its emitter on the top, and FIGS. 2a to 2f illustrate manufacturing steps thereof.
In the first place, as shown in FIG. 2a, subcollector layer 102, collector layer 103, base layer 105, and emitter layer 106 are sequentially formed on insulating substrate 101 by using an epitaxial growth method or the like. Then, a metal film which is to serve as emitter electrode 113, later described, is deposited over the entire surface thereof.
Next, as shown in FIG. 2b, photoresist 10 of a predetermined pattern is formed on the metal film and used as a mask to process the metal film, thereby providing emitter electrode 113. Then, photoresist 10 and emitter electrode 113 are used as a mask to remove emitter layer 106 until the surface of base layer 105 is exposed as shown in FIG. 2c.
Subsequently, photoresist 10 is removed, and a new photoresist mask of a predetermined pattern is formed on the exposed surface of base layer 105 and used to form base electrode 112 as shown in FIG. 2d through vapor deposition and lift-off procedures. Next, as shown in FIG. 2e, photoresist 11 of a predetermined pattern is formed and used as a mask to remove collector layer 103 until the surface of subcollector layer 102 is exposed.
Then, photoresist 11 is removed and photoresist 12 of a predetermined pattern is formed and used as a mask to inject a predetermined impurity into subcollector layer 102 with an ion implantation technique, thereby forming insulating injection area 114 as shown in FIG. 2f.
Finally, photoresist 12 is removed, a photoresist of a predetermined pattern is formed on the exposed surface of subcollector layer 102 and used as a mask to form collector electrode 111 through vapor deposition and lift-off procedures, thereby obtaining the npn-type HBT device in FIG. 1.
In the aforementioned npn-type HBT, since the junction area (SBC) between base layer 105 and collector layer 103 is larger than the junction area (SBE) between emitter layer 106 and base layer 105, offset voltage occurs in a three-terminal I-V characteristic as shown in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, the vertical axis represents collector current IC(A) while the horizontal axis represents voltage VCE(V) between the collector and the emitter. The offset voltage shown in FIG. 3 also occurs on conditions as described below.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing energy bands in an HBT. In the example, difference xcex94EBC (=Egcxe2x88x92Egb) between the band gap (Egb) of base layer 302 and the band gap (Egc) of collector layer 303 is smaller than difference xcex94EBE (=Egexe2x88x92Egb) between the band gap (Ege) of emitter layer 301 and the band gap (Egb) of base layer 302. The offset voltage occurs when xcex94EBC less than xcex94EBE as in the example.
When the aforementioned offset voltage is large, power consumption is greater in a digital IC using an HTB, or power added efficiency is lower in a power amplifier using an HBT, for example.
To avoid the problems, several device structures have been proposed for reducing the offset voltage. As an example, FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional structure of an HBT which achieves a reduction in offset voltage. The HBT includes collector layer insulation area 131 obtained by insulating the portion of collector layer 103 in the aforementioned HBT shown in FIG. 1 which is joined to an outward base area (an area adjacent to an inward base area directly below the emitter layer) of base layer 105. The provision of collector layer insulation area 131 in collector layer 103 in this manner can reduce the junction area (SBC) between base layer 105 and collector layer 103 to achieve a reduction in the offset voltage.
A structure capable of reducing the offset voltage without using ion implantation is a DHBT (Double Heterojunction Bipolar Transistor). FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional structure of such a DHBT. The HBT includes collector layer 141 using a semiconductor with a wide energy band gap instead of collector layer 103 in the structure of the aforementioned HBT shown in FIG. 1. With the structure, xcex94EBE can be equal to xcex94EBC to allow a reduction in the offset voltage.
The aforementioned structures of the respective HBTs capable of reducing the offset voltage, however, present problems as below.
In the structure of the HBT shown in FIG. 5, since collector layer insulation area 131 is formed by ion-implanting an impurity into the portion joined to the outward base area close to a device intrinsic area, it is conceivable that the impurity can be diffused to the device intrinsic area. Such diffusion of the impurity to the device intrinsic area brings about a lower current gain in an HTPT test (high temperature passage test) to contribute to reduce reliability of the device.
In the structure of the DHBT shown in FIG. 6, xcex94EBE is equal to xcex94EBC and thus xcex94EBC causes carriers in operation of the device to be blocked, thereby presenting a problem of reducing collector injection efficiency.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a heterojunction bipolar transistor capable of solving the aforementioned problems, providing high reliability of a device, and reducing offset voltage without reducing collector injection efficiency, and a manufacturing method thereof.
To achieve the aforementioned object, a heterojunction bipolar transistor of the present invention comprises a collector layer, a base layer, and an emitter layer stacked sequentially, wherein the base layer comprises a first base layer joined to the collector layer in an inward base area directly below the emitter layer and a second base layer joined to the collector layer in an outward base area adjacent to the inward base area. The second base layer is formed of a semiconductor with a wider energy band gap than the collector layer.
A method of manufacturing a heterojunction bipolar transistor comprises a first step of sequentially stacking a collector layer, a first base layer, and an emitter layer, a second step of removing the first base layer in an outward base area adjacent to an inward base area directly below the emitter layer and a portion of the collector layer directly below the outward base area, and a third step of forming an insulating film made of a predetermined material on the entire surface of the inward base area to sequentially form a second base layer made of a semiconductor with a wider energy band gap than the collector layer and the first base layer on the collector layer from which the portion has been removed in the second step through selective re-growth by using the insulating film.
Another method of manufacturing a heterojunction bipolar transistor comprises a first step of sequentially stacking a collector layer and a first base layer made of a semiconductor with a wider energy band gap than the collector, a second step of forming an insulating film made of a predetermined material on the entire surface of the first base layer and removing the first base layer in an inward base area directly below an emitter layer to be formed on the first base layer and the insulating film on the inward base area to expose a surface of the collector layer, a third step of re-growing a second collector layer on the surface of the collector layer exposed in the second step, and a fourth step of removing the insulating film and then sequentially forming a second base layer made of a predetermined material and the emitter layer made of a semiconductor with a wider energy band gap than the second base layer through re-growth.
As described above, in the present invention, since the energy band gap of the second base layer joined to the collector layer in the outward base area is wider than that of the collector layer, the second base layer suppresses current injection from the collector layer in the junction. In this case, the occurrence of offset voltage is determined by the relationship between the junction area (SBE) between the emitter layer and the first base layer and the junction area (SBC) between the first base layer and the collector layer. In this manner, in the present invention, the junction area (SBC) can be reduced by the provision of the second base layer in the outward base area. Thus, the junction area (SBE) can be substantially the same size as the junction area (SBC).
According to the present invention, the difference in band gaps between the second base layer and the collector layer joined to each other in the outward base area can be larger than the difference in band gaps between the first base layer and the emitter layer joined to each other in the inward base area. with this configuration, collector current in the outward base area is reduced.
In addition, according to the present invention, since a semiconductor of the same material system is used for the first base layer and the collector layer joined to each other in the inward device area, collector injection efficiency is not reduced due to the wide band gap in these layers.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, a material with a wide band gap is used for the second base layer in the outward base area in contact with a base electrode, thereby causing no increase in contact resistance.
As described above, according to the present invention, since ion implantation is not performed near a device intrinsic area, reduced device reliability as conventional is not found. In addition, the use of a semiconductor with a wide band gap only in the outward base area results in no reduction in collector injection efficiency.

Heterojunction bipolar transistor with reduced offset voltage


A tool tote that is collapsible to reduce storage space is disclosed. The tool tote may be generally rectangular and include an upper opening facilitating access into the main compartment of the tote. The tote may include a removable rigidity enhancement device enabling the tote to be a self supporting tote when fully erected and enabling the tote to be collapsible when the rigidity enhancement device is pivoted out of position.

Tool totes have been used to effectively store a tradesman's tools such that the tools are easily accessible. The tool totes have typically been rigid containers formed from resilient materials capable of enduring use in rugged conditions, such as at construction sites and at other locations as well. While rigid tool totes have effectively contained the tools, the rigid tool totes often present storage difficulties because the rigid tool totes are typically nonconforming.


A stereoscopic image display device includes a liquid crystal panel section, a light source section, a light detection section, a light source control section, a shutter glasses section, and a timing generation section generating a light emission drive signal, a light detection gate signal, and shutter switching signals in synchronization with an image synchronization signal. The timing generation section, generates the light emission drive signal which causes each of the regions of the light source section to emit light in accordance with scanning performed in the liquid crystal panel section, and which causes all the regions of the light source section to emit light in a predetermined period, and generates the light detection gate signal which enables detection of the light detection section in the predetermined period, and generates the shutter switching signals for switching left and right shutters to a non-transmissive mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stereoscopic image display device which displays a right-eye dedicated image and a left-eye dedicated image on a liquid crystal panel in a time-sharing manner, and which displays a stereoscopic image separating the right-eye dedicated image and the left-eye dedicated image from each other through use of shutters.
2. Description of the Background Art
In recent years, as an image displaying technique for allowing the user to virtually experience stereoscopic viewing, the stereoscopic image displaying technique using parallax between the eyes is known. As such a stereoscopic image displaying technique, the following scheme is proposed. A left-eye dedicated image and a right-eye dedicated image are temporally alternatively displayed on a display device. At the same time, in synchronization with the timing at which the images are switched, the right and left field of views are temporally separated from each other through use of shutter glasses, which shut the right and left field of views, respectively. Thus, the right-eye dedicated image and the left-eye dedicated image are presented to the right and left eyes of the user, respectively.
Such a stereoscopic image display device involves problem of 3D crosstalk, i.e., the left-eye dedicated image not intended to be incident upon the right eye of the user is incident upon the right eye, or the right-eye dedicated image not intended to be incident upon the left eye is incident upon the left eye.
Further, such a stereoscopic image display device involves another problem. That is, the luminance and white color of the light source used as the backlight, which emits light on the back side of the liquid crystal panel, change because of variations in temperature and aging.
Addressing such problems, a liquid crystal display device of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-295689 (1999) discloses a technique of employing three types of backlight differing from one another in illumination colors and optical sensors corresponding to the illumination colors, to thereby achieve the operation in which the illumination colors are always equal to set values, despite the variations in temperature and aging of the backlight.
A stereoscopic video display device of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-276928 discloses a technique of suppressing 3D crosstalk by allowing scanning to be performed with divided backlights in synchronization with a video image such that the backlights are successively lit up for short periods (backlight scanning).
However, in an attempt to solve the two problems noted above at the same time, when the backlight sources of different illumination colors are used as in the liquid crystal display device of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-295689 (1999), and control is exerted to perform scanning with the divided backlight sources in synchronization with an image such that light is successively emitted for short periods as in the stereoscopic video display device of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-276928, the optical sensors will be affected by the light amount of adjacent backlight sources. Thus, it invites problem of the output values of the optical sensors not becoming constant. Accordingly, it is difficult to maintain the illumination colors of the backlight sources to be constant against variations in temperature and aging of the backlight sources.


A method for determining assignment data is carried out in a method for determining a geometry calibration. The 3D calibration phantom features a calibration object with a number of calibration elements, which are arranged so that a descriptor based on the spatial arrangement is projectively invariant. Based upon the descriptor the calibration elements mapped in the 2D transmission element can be assigned to the calibration elements of the calibration object, so that the geometry calibration is determined on the basis of this assignment and the arrangement of the calibration elements in the three-dimensional space as well as on the 2D image.

In transmission imaging, to create a transmission image, radiation is conveyed through an object to be examined and, after passing through the object to be examined, strikes a 2D detector. Such transmission imaging is known in particular from computed tomography. In such cases the imaging device is a computed tomography unit, which, as a radiation source, usually has an x-ray source and which usually detects via its 2D detector the extent to which the (x-ray) radiation has been changed, in particular has been absorbed, by the object to be examined.
In computed tomography systems there is a trend towards more open and thus in particular more flexible systems. Thus current C-arms, somewhat differently from conventional computed tomography systems, move with a robot arm, to which the radiation source and the 2D detector is attached, around the object to be examined. In this way rigid tubes are not required and therefore such systems usually need less space and can be used more flexibly—which is especially relevant in applications such as interventional use or in materials testing of a diversity of parts in industry. However the geometry of such systems is usually—for instance as a result of mechanical restrictions—not a perfect arc of a circle or a perfect spiral and/or is less precisely known.
In imaging systems of which the exact geometry and/or imaging characteristics—for instance because of mechanical restrictions and/or their method of operation—are not known exactly, but which image the objects to be examined in a reproducible way, a geometric calibration is able to be carried out. In this way, the radiation source and the 2D detector of a computed tomography system with C-arm can be moved in a reproducible way around the object to be examined and in this way reproducible images, i.e. in particular with reproducible errors, can be created.
A geometric calibration allows these reproducible errors to be compensated for. The data for a geometry calibration required for such a geometric calibration—abbreviated to geometry calibration—is usually determined by a dedicated recording of a known and exactly made test object (a so-called 3D calibration phantom) for each individual image—thus for each view of the 3D calibration phantom and its respective 2D transmission image. Typically such a 3D calibration phantom has a number of exactly positioned metal spheres, such as for example the PDS2 from N. K. Strobel et al, Improving 3D Image Quality of X-Ray C-Arm Imaging Systems by Using Properly Designed Pose Determination Systems for Calibrating the Projection Geometry, Proceedings of SPIE.
It should be noted that in a 2D transmission image the metal spheres usually used for a 3D calibration phantom all appear the same, i.e. in particular in computed tomography only their respective shadows are visible in the x-ray radiation, so that the spheres cannot be distinguished from one another. In the algorithms for geometric calibration usually used one is restricted to a few 3D calibration phantoms and also to trajectories specifically adapted for the phantoms—i.e. in particular tracks for particular views and thus 2D transmission images of the respective 3D calibration phantom from different positions of the 2D detector and/or of the radiation source. A restriction also arises on those spatial extents for which such calibration phantoms are present.

Method and device for determining a geometry calibration for an imaging device and also method for determining assignment data for the geometry calibration


A closed loop dispensing system for use on a liquid container such as a bottle or the like for dispensing the liquid contents from the bottle. The outlet opening of the bottle is closed by a throat plug having a valve positioned therein which is open when the container cap is mounted on the container, but which automatically closes when the cap is removed from the container. A dip tube extends downwardly from the container insert and is in communication with the valve so that liquid in the bottle may be drawn therethrough. A closure cap is mounted on the bottle and has a dispensing tube extending therefrom for dispensing liquid from the container to a mixing machine or the like. A check valve is associated with the cap for preventing backflow from the dispensing tube to the container and for permitting liquid flow from the container to the dispensing tube in response to suction being applied to the dispensing tube.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a closed loop dispensing system and more particularly to a dispensing system for dispensing corrosive liquid chemicals or dangerous medical liquid products which are typically drawn from a container, such as a bottle or the like, to a mixing machine or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Corrosive liquid chemicals and dangerous medical liquid products are typically contained in a container such as a bottle or the like and are frequently dispensed therefrom to a mixing machine. Normally, a cap is placed on the bottle with a dip tube extending therefrom downwardly into the interior of the bottle for drawing the liquid upwardly thereinto. Normally, a dispensing tube extends from the cap to a mixing machine or to some other piece of equipment which creates suction in the dispensing tube to draw the liquid from the interior of the bottle. In some prior art devices, when the suction or vacuum is removed from the dispensing tube, backflow may occur. Further, when the cap is removed from the bottle, backflow from the dispensing tube may also occur. Additionally, when the cap is removed from the bottle, liquid residue in the bottle may spill therefrom. Additionally, the conventional prior art systems normally do not prevent the re-use of the bottle which is prohibited in some cases. Yet another disadvantage of the prior art is that a reliable and efficient venting means for the bottle is not normally provided for relieving vacuum pressure from within the bottle.


A method and/or system for managing media library merchandising promotions may include determining one or more current promotions from a plurality of promotions. A universal score may be assigned to each of the one or more current promotions, wherein the universal score is updated dynamically based on interactions with the one or more current promotions by one or more users. A personal score for each of the one or more current promotions may be assigned for a particular user, wherein the personal score is updated dynamically based on interactions with the one or more current promotions by the particular user. Personalized digital content promotions may be determined for the particular user from the current promotions based on the personal score and/or the universal score. The personalized promotions may be presented to the particular user.

Digital media merchandising promotions are broadly advertised to users regardless of whether the users are interested in the content of the promotions. The traditional algorithmic presentation of the promotions is inefficient in generating sales of the promoted content. There exists a need of presenting to users digital media merchandising promotions that the users are interested in.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such approaches with some aspects of the present method and/or system set forth in the remainder of this disclosure with reference to the drawings.

Managing media library merchandising promotions


Systems and apparatus are provided for an inverter module for use in a vehicle. The inverter module comprises a first electrical base and a second electrical base each having an electrically conductive mounting surface, wherein the electrical bases are physically distinct and electrically coupled. A first semiconductor switch has a surface terminal that is coupled to the electrically conductive mounting surface of the first electrical base. A second semiconductor switch has a surface terminal that is coupled to the electrically conductive mounting surface of the first electrical base. A first semiconductor diode and a second semiconductor diode each have a surface terminal, the surface terminals are coupled to the electrically conductive mounting surface of the second electrical base. The first semiconductor switch and first semiconductor diode are antiparallel, and the second semiconductor switch and second semiconductor diode are antiparallel.

In recent years, advances in technology, as well as ever evolving tastes in style, have led to substantial changes in the design of automobiles. One of the changes involves the power usage and complexity of the various electrical systems within automobiles, particularly alternative fuel vehicles, such as hybrid, electric, and fuel cell vehicles.
Many of the electrical components, including the electric motors used in such vehicles, receive electrical power from alternating current (AC) power supplies. However, the power sources (e.g., batteries) used in such applications provide only direct current (DC) power. Thus, devices known as "power inverters" are used to convert the DC power to AC power, which often utilize several of switches, or transistors, operated at various intervals to convert the DC power to AC power.
In many inverters, the switches have antiparallel diodes connected across each switch to provide a path for the load current (i.e., the motor current) when the switch is off. The transistors and diodes are often implemented using semiconductor devices placed on the same electrical substrate to create an inverter module. The substrate is often made of copper or another conductive material, which also generally has a high thermal conductivity, thereby causing the transistors and diodes packaged together to operate at the same temperature.
Commercially available silicon-carbide diodes are capable of operating efficiently at higher operating temperatures than silicon counterparts. However, most semiconductor transistors or switches are formed from silicon. Because the diodes and transistors are thermally coupled by virtue of their physical proximity and placement on the same electrical substrate, the silicon devices determine the maximum operating temperature for the inverter module and limit the operating temperature of silicon-carbide diodes. Furthermore, the silicon devices require higher surface area electrical substrates in order to avoid exceeding the maximum operating temperature, and also affect the placement of the electrical substrate within the inverter module. Thus, current inverter layouts deprive vehicle power systems of the advantages afforded by silicon-carbide devices.

Inverter module with thermally separated semiconductor devices


Method affecting the interior of human flesh, providing modulated power signal to at least one solenoid to create a modulated solenoid action delivered through a mechanical interface to the human flesh to create a modulated audio effect into the interior. Providing the modulated power signal may include receiving an audio signal to create the modulated power signal, which may include fetching a down-converted audio signal and the audio signal from a memory device and/or frequency-down-converting the audio signal to create the down-converted audio signal. Receiving the audio signal may further include solenoid amplifying the down-converted signal to create the modulated power signal. The modulated audio effect into the interior of the human flesh, the modulated power signal and the down-converted audio signal are products of this method. Apparatus implementing the solenoid amplifying, receiving the audio signal, frequency-down-converting the audio signal in a variety of configurations.

There are a large number of devices, which mechanically affect interior human flesh. In particular, there are various massage related devices, which act upon to push, pull and/or suction skin to affect human flesh. Most of these machines use an electric motor to repeatedly perform the same mechanical action. The effect of these machines is to induce a mechanical vibration on the affected human flesh whose frequency spectrum is essentially an unmodulated single carrier frequency. Such machines, while able to affect the interior human flesh to some extent, have some serious problems. Many people report the "buzzing" effect to grow increasingly annoying, in some cases, making the machines unacceptable for use. Some of these devices are used to as sex aids. Again, the "buzzing" is often a problem, leading these devices to tend to be used for arousal, but often being unable to bring sexual climax to the user. What is needed are devices which can effectively deliver modulated audio action to the interior of human flesh.
Some devices claim to be or have "vibro-acoustic speakers", which purportedly have some special ability to deliver acoustic vibrations into flesh. However, these devices often rely upon fairly standard acoustic speaker technology, often woofer and/or sub-woofers, to deliver the acoustic vibrations to the skin. There are several problems with this approach. First, an acoustic wave crossing from air through skin to flesh experiences a large and varied attenuation. Some parts of the human body, such as bone conduct sound quite well, whereas several of the soft tissues absorb it for the most part. Second, there is little that can be done to control where the sound is delivered. By way of example, a woofer or sub-woofer may well be 30 centimeters (cm) or 12 inches across. This is far wider than even the largest muscles of the human leg or arm. Mechanisms and methods are needed which can deliver modulated audio actions to specific regions of the interior of human flesh.
There are a number of devices which deliver a mechanical vibration to skin which can induce an unmodulated carrier frequency in the acoustic or sub-acoustic frequency ranges. What is needed is a mechanism or method by which such devices could induce modulated audio action to interior human flesh.
Several devices provide pulse wave modulated actions to skin, for various stated reasons. These devices often feel as though someone is being tapped or hit repeatedly, and can grow quite irritating over a relatively short period of time. What is needed are mechanisms and methods which deliver a smoother modulation to the skin.

Method and apparatus mechanically providing and/or using modulated audio effects into the interior of human flesh


A file reading scheme in a client-server information communication system, capable of efficiently utilizing files cached into a local file storage region of the client regardless of an environment under which the client is operated. Whether the client is in a state in which an access to the server according to a specified protocol is possible or not is judged when each file transfer request is issued at the client. Then, an access to the server according to the specified protocol is made when it is judged that the client is in a state in which an access to the server according to the specified protocol is possible. On the other hand, a requested file specified by each file transfer request is read from files cached in the local file storage region when it is judged that the client is in a state in which an access to the server according to the specified protocol is not possible.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a file reading method and a file requesting client device to be used in a client-server information communication system formed by a file server which realizes a file providing service and a file requesting client which issues a file transfer request to the file server and cache the file transferred from the file server in response to that file transfer request into its own cache region.
2. Description of the Background Art
The WWW (World Wide Web) is a known file providing program which provides files such as documents from a server to a client through the Internet. The WWW comprises a WWW server and a WWW client, and provides files such as documents from the WWW server to the WWW client according to the prescribed file transfer protocol called HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol).
In general, a file transfer through a network is associated with problems such as a considerable amount of transfer time required and an increase of traffic in the network, so that it is preferable to avoid unnecessary file transfer as much as possible.
For this reason, there is a type of WWW client which has a function for transmitting a file transfer request according to HTTP to the WWW server, and temporarily storing a file transferred from the WWW server in response to that file transfer request into a local file storage region within its own storage medium called cache. Then, when another file transfer request for the same file occurs, the WWW client notifies the creation date and time of the cached file to the WWW server. At the WWW server, the notified creation date and time are compared with the creation date and time of the requested file, and if the creation date and time coincide, this fact is notified from the WWW server to the WWW client. In response, the WWW client reads out the corresponding file from its own storage medium. In this manner, the file is transferred from the WWW server to the WWW client only when the creation date and time do not coincide, i.e., the requested file has been updated since it was originally transferred from the WWW server to the WWW client, so that it is possible to reduce traffic in the network.
However, under the circumstance in which the WWW client cannot make a normal access to the WWW server as in a case where the client side computer is not connected to the network, the files stored in the cache cannot be utilized even when the stored files include a file requested by the file transfer request according to HTTP.
This is because the conventional WWW client has such a configuration that, when the file transfer request in the HTTP format is received, even if the requested file is stored in the cache of this conventional WWW client, it is necessary for this conventional WWW client to communicate with the WWW server in order to ascertain whether the cached file is the latest one or not, and when an access for this purpose is not carried out normally, a communication error message is presented to a user. Consequently, in the conventional WWW client, the cached file cannot be utilized unless the access to the WWW server is carried out normally.
On the other hand, the present inventors recently proposed a new file transfer method in which a file requested by a user as well as its related files are transferred from the server to the client together in response to a single file transfer request (see Japanese Patent Application No. 7-292910 (1995) for detail). According to this new file transfer method, a transfer of multiple files from the server to the client can be realized by a single command from a user, without requiring a user to specify files to be transferred one by one. Using this new file transfer method, it is possible to realize an efficient file caching scheme in which those files (related files) which are likely to be requested by a user later on are cached in advance in the client computer. This scheme is particularly effective in a case where the client computer is a device such as a portable terminal which is not necessarily used under an environment in which a connection to a network is always possible.
With this new file transfer method, however, the similar problem as described above also arises at a time of utilizing the cached files. Namely, any of the cached files cannot be utilized unless the access to the WWW server is carried out normally.
It is to be noted here that, in a case of Netscape Navigator (registered trademark), a user has an option to require the checking as to whether the cached file is the latest one or not. When this checking is required, if no response is received from the server for some reasons such as the server is not in operation or the connection to the network is disconnected, no cached file will be displayed at the client. When this checking is not required, the cached file will be displayed without requiring a network access.

File reading method and file requesting client device in client-server information communication system


Adjustment of the noble metal catalytic activity in the production of noble metal alloyed catalyst preparation using alloying metals capable of multiple valence states improves the alloying metal loading. A noble metal is precipitated from a liquid onto a support. Prior to the addition of an alloying metal which is capable of a low valence state having low solubility and a high valence state having high solubility, the catalytic activity of the noble metal precipitate is reduced. Reduction is accomplished by adjusting the temperature and/or pH of the liquid such that a minimal amount of the alloying metal will be converted from the lower to the higher valence state. By maintaining the alloying metal in the lower valence state, a greater amount of the alloying metal which has been dissolved into the liquid is precipitated onto the support, thereby attaining high loadings, reducing waste of the alloying metal, making the loadings predictable, and making the waste liquid more environmentally sound.

Noble metal alloy catalyst preparation has typically consisted of first preparing or more commonly, purchasing, a noble metal precursor. The precursor was formed by precipitating a noble metal from solution onto a support, reducing the precipitated noble metal to the metal form with a reducing agent, such as formaldehyde. The precursor was the dispersed in a solution of alloying metals and the solvent was boiled away to disperse the alloying metals onto the precursor. Finally, the precursor with the alloying metals was heated in a calciner to alloy the metals.
Noble metal alloy catalysts have been produced without the use of a precursor. These catalysts were produced by precipitating a noble metal compound and alloying metals from solution and using a reducing agent to reduce the noble metal. The solution was then dried and calcined to alloy the metals.
Although this process required less steps, no precursor was formed and all the metals were deposited in one process, it also produced an environmentally harmful waste product. The liquid solution which contained a reducing agent such as formaldehyde had to be disposed of.
However, it was believed that the reducing agent was essential in attaining a high activity catalyst. The reducing agent seemed to precondition the support and/or the noble metal allowing high activity catalysts to be produced. Without the use of the reducing agent, the alloy metal loadings were low and inconsistent, and the catalyst had a low activity.
Additionally, there was a fear that if the noble metal was not reduced to its metal form prior to calcination, the noble metal surface area would be significantly reduced due to sintering, again lowering the resulting catalytic activity.
Therefore, what is needed in this art is an improved method of catalyst production which consistently and predictably produces high performance catalysts through simple, environmentally sound processes.


A method and control system for a transmission in communication with an engine includes a pedal input interpreter module determining a power demand signal from a pedal position and a vehicle speed. The system also includes a real time gear selection module determining an engine speed of each gear in response to the vehicle speed and power demand signal, determining an engine torque of each gear in response to the vehicle speed and power demand signal, determining a transmission component speed of each gear in response to the vehicle speed and power demand signal and determining a gear selection for the transmission from the power demand signal, the engine speed, the engine torque, and the transmission component speed. The system may also use the cost signal of each gear and penalty signal of each gear for determining the gear selection.

Internal combustion (IC) engines generate torque by combusting a fuel and air mixture. The torque provides propulsion force to the wheels through a transmission and other drivetrain components.
Referring now to FIG. 1, an automatic transmission uses shift maps to define the points for upshifting and downshifting of the transmission into the various gears. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a typical shift map is illustrated having the solid lines representing up-shifts speed lines and the broken lines illustrating down-shifts speed lines. The up-shift and down-shift lines are based upon the position of the throttle and the vehicle speed. Because the control is limited to only two variables, control is limited. Certain conditions may not be properly accounted for in the shift determination.

Transmission gear selection and engine torque control method and system


The present invention is an absorbent article, such as incontinence pads, absorbent personal pads for involuntary bladder elimination, feminine guards for incontinence, catamenial products, sanitary napkins, maxi pads, mini pads, liners, pantiliners, pads, nursing pads, menstruation tampons, sanitary tampons, tampons, feminine hygiene pads, menstruation pads, and sanitary pads. By allowing the user to utilize an absorbent article by itself, or multiple absorbent articles connected together, and by incorporating a unique design and shape, the present invention provides the user with a form-fitting and comfortable shape, maximum flexibility of use to conform to the user's body and garment type, an efficient means of catching of urine and/or other bodily liquids or discharges, the ability to hide the absorbent article underneath the user's undergarments regardless of the type, materials, or color of the undergarment worn, and the ability to hide pubic or other hair located underneath or protruding from the user's undergarments.

An absorbent article for urine and/or other bodily liquid or discharge absorption, such as a pantiliner, sanitary napkin, or incontinence pad, when taken from its packaging, is commonly a "single size fits all" that is sold for use for a variety of different, individual body shapes and sizes, and garment styles, but does not take into account specific body and undergarment types or sizes, or other wants and desires of the user.
Some prior art discloses absorbent articles with perforated lines for the user to make their own adjustments for size, shape, style, type of garment, etc., by using utensils and tools, such as scissors, to actually perform their own operation on the product, which can be problematic for a variety of reasons including the waste of product due to errors made by the user when making their own adjustments during their operation on the product and user frustration at the required adjustments left to the user to administer.
There is prior art that discloses an absorbent article having removable portions that can reduce the dimensions of the article. The disclosed preferred embodiment in a prior art can be adjusted in size by tearing the absorbent article along one or more perforated lines and removing the portions that lie outside of said perforated lines. However, the resultant absorbent article of the prior art is commonly designed for garments having a full sized crotch portion and is not adaptable for thong garments. Additionally, the designs in prior art do not usually protect against leakage when there is a tear in or along the perforated lines. Other prior art discloses sanitary napkins capable of being elongated by unfolding pleats at the longitudinal ends and at least one adds a second absorbent element to a first element.
Further, a pad is easily visible when worn with any undergarment. If a pad is worn with an undergarment, lines of the pad become visible either directly by way of protrusions of the pad from the sides of the undergarment, or through the material, particularly if said pad is secured to an undergarment that is made of lace or similar material, or if the undergarments are tight around the user's body.
As described above, users that wear various types of undergarments often have the expense and bother of purchasing assorted sized protection products to meet their needs. In addition, pantiliners are often visible through, and inconvenient to be worn with underwear. Often, a user compromises and chooses only one size and color of incontinence protection even though such selection may be less than ideal for such user's needs.
Typical pads are designed for use with garments having a full sized crotch portion (e.g., briefs and bikinis.) However, such pads do not readily lend themselves for use with garments having an abbreviated crotch portion (e.g., thong garments.) As a result, many users purchase multiple types of sanitary and/or incontinent protection products so said users can be protected regardless of the type of underwear style they decide to wear.
Therefore, a need exists for a cost effective absorbent article that offers incontinence protection while also being adaptable to fit and work with various garments, and appear neutral and invisible behind the underwear regardless of whether such underwear be lace, thong, bikini, or any color and feel fresh and comfortable.
In at least one embodiment, the present invention has at least two multiple absorbent articles that can be attached together and/or separated by the user so any one of the absorbent articles can be used separately and alone, which provides the user with a maximum flexibility of use to conform to the user's body and garment type. In at least one embodiment of the present invention, the top sheet of the pad can form to the body in a curve, which aids in catching urine and/or other bodily liquids or discharges, and provides a form-fitting, comfortable shape for each user. In addition to the aiding in catching urine and/or other bodily liquids or discharges, and providing a form-fitting, comfortable shape for the user, the design of the present invention allows for its use with a variety of types or shapes of undergarment, and covers hair located around the pubic, crotch, or, in the case of female users, the vaginal areas of the body.
In at least one embodiment, the present invention hides neatly inside the undergarment of the wearer, regardless of whether the undergarment is lace, thong, cotton, bikini or other, by utilizing a "Back Sheet Cloaking Device" as defined herein in the "Definitions" section.


A screen unlocking method applied to an electronic device including a touch screen and storing graphic patterns and a plurality of text data is provided. Each of the graphic patterns corresponds to one piece of the text data. Display an unlocking mark on the touch screen locked. Detect a movement trace of an object touching the touch screen. When the object touches the unlocking mark, search for the graphic pattern most similar to the movement trace. Enable an interface for displaying at least the text data corresponding to the graphic pattern most similar to the movement trace. Selectively transmit an image of at least one part of the interface to a social networking website or a social application that is random or preset, and unlock the touch screen after a preset condition is satisfied.

Electronic devices having a touch screen nowadays have a lock screen function that prevents the electronic device from accidental touches that may make the electronic device perform undesired applications or operation. The lock screen function supported by these electronic devices in the market requires users to perform a certain action: such as entering a preset password, dragging a lock icon or an app icon shown on the touch screen, or performing a preset gesture using the touch screen. However, these unlock mechanisms are unchangeable and have no variety such that users may feel bored with the unlock mechanisms to unlock the electronic devices.


A gene cluster is disclosed having open reading frames which encode polypeptides sufficient to direct the synthesis of a safracin molecule. In addition, the present disclosure is directed to a nucleic acid sequence, suitably an isolated nucleic acid sequence, which includes or comprises at least SEQ ID NO:1, variants or portions thereof, or at least one of the sacA, sacB, sacC, sacC, sacD, sacE, sacF, sacG, sacH, sacH, saI, sacJ, orf1, orf2, orf3 or orf4 genes, including variants or portions.

Safracins, a family of new compounds with a potent broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, were discovered in a culture broth of Pseudomonas sp. Safracin occurs in two Pseudomonas sp. strains, Pseudomonas fluorescens A2-2 isolated from a soil sample collected in Tagawagun, Fukuoka, Japan (Ikeda et al. J. Antibiotics 1983, 36,1279-1283; WO 82 00146 and JP 58113192) and Pseudomonas fluorescens SC 12695 isolated from water samples taken from the Raritan-Delaware Canal, near New Jersey (Meyers et al. J. Antibiot. 1983, 36(2), 190-193). Safracins A and B, produced by Pseudomonas fluorescens A2-2, have been examined against different tumor cell lines and has been found to possess antitumor activity in addition to antibacterial activity.
Due to the structural similarities between safracin B and ET-743 safracin offers the possibility of hemi-synthesis of the highly promising potent new antitumor agent ET-743, isolated from the marine tunicate Ecteinascidia turbinata and which is currently in Phase II clinical trials in Europe and the United States. A hemisynthesis of ET-743 has been achieved starting from safracin B (Cuevas et al. Organic Lett. 2000, 10, 2545-2548; WO 00 69862 and WO 01 87895).
As an alternative of making safracins or its structural analogs by chemical synthesis, manipulating genes of governing secondary metabolism offer a promising alternative and allows for preparation of these compounds biosynthetically. Additionally, safracin structure offers exciting possibilities for combinatorial biosynthesis.
In view of the complex structure of the safracins and the limitations in their obtention from Pseudomonas fluorescens A2-2, it would be highly desirable to understand the genetic basis of their synthesis in order to create the means to influence them in a targeted manner. This could increase the amounts of safracins being produced, because natural production strains generally yield only low concentrations of the secondary metabolites that are of interest. It could also allow the production of safracins in hosts that otherwise do not produce these compounds. Additionally, the genetic manipulation could be used for combinatorial creation of novel safracin analogs that could exhibit improved properties and that could be used in the hemi-synthesis of new ecteinascidins compounds.
However, the success of a biosynthetic approach depends critically on the availability of novel genetic systems and on genes encoding novel enzyme activities. Elucidation of the safracin gene cluster contributes to the general field of combinatorial biosynthesis by expanding the repertoire of genes uniquely associated with safracin biosynthesis, leading to the possibility of making novel precursors and safracins via combinatorial biosynthesis.

Gene cluster involved in safracin biosynthesis and its uses for genetic engineering


A control system in a vehicle configured to rotate a drive wheel by a driving power generated in a driving power source mounted in the vehicle; comprises a slip value measuring unit configured to measure a slip value indicating a degree to which the drive wheel spins; a change rate calculator configured to calculate a change rate of the slip value measured by the slip value measuring unit; and a road surface condition determiner configured to determine a road surface condition according to the change rate of the slip value calculated by the change rate calculator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control system in a vehicle configured to rotate a drive wheel by a driving power generated in a driving power source, and a method of controlling the vehicle. Particularly, the present invention relates to a system and a method for determining a condition of a road surface on which the vehicle is driving. Moreover, the present invention relates to a system and a method for evaluating a characteristic of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a motorcycle, an internal combustion engine is typically mounted as a driving power source. A torque generated in the internal combustion engine is transmitted to a drive wheel via a driving power transmission path and the drive wheel transmits the driving power to a road surface, thereby enabling the motorcycle to be propelled. If the driving power transmitted to the drive wheel is beyond a gripping capability of the vehicle, the drive wheel spins. The motorcycle can be propelled even under a state where the drive wheel is spinning a little. When the motorcycle is driving off-road, for example, on a road surface with a low friction coefficient, the drive wheel tends to spin significantly. If the spin of the drive wheel becomes severe, driving of the motorcycle becomes unstable. Under the circumstances, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2008-111430 discloses that a driving power transmitted to a drive wheel is reduced when a slip value indicating a degree to which the drive wheel spins is more than a predetermined value, thereby suppressing the drive wheel from spinning.
As described above, when the motorcycle is driving off-road, for example, on the road surface with a low friction coefficient, the drive wheel tends to spin to a greater degree. On the other hand, the driver could permit a little spin when the motorcycle is driving on a road surface with a high friction coefficient. There is a tendency that the driver tries to steer the motorcycle carefully to prevent the drive wheel from spinning or to suppress a degree to which the drive wheel is going to spin when driving on the road surface with a low friction coefficient. Therefore, it is difficult to determine accurately a condition of a road surface on which the motorcycle is driving, merely by referring to a slip value indicating the degree to which the drive wheel spins.
As described above, when the torque generated in the driving power source is in excess and is beyond the gripping capability of the vehicle, the drive wheel starts spinning. If both of the generated torque and the gripping capability can be detected during driving, then it is possible to determine accurately whether or not the drive wheel is spinning. However, to accurately detect the generated torque and the gripping capability during driving by calculation of numeric values, a number of parameters are required and the calculation formulas are complex. For these reasons, actually, it is very difficult to detect the generated torque and the gripping capability.

Control system in vehicle and method of controlling vehicle


An apparatus includes a device having at least one exposed region. First and second metal seals bond and/or secure with, and surround, the exposed region of the device. An enclosure seals the device between the first and second metal seals. The enclosure has a first substrate and a second substrate, each with end surfaces including a deformable metal layer. The deformable metal layer seals the corresponding surfaces in response to the application of a compressive force and/or energy to the first and second substrates. The enclosure may be constructed to include a cavity, and/or constructed of relative short length. The enclosure may be used to secure to a portion of an optical fiber, fiber optic device and/or device, and/or may be used to encase a portion or all of an optical fiber, fiber optic device and/or device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for bonding optical fiber and/or device to external element using compliant material interface, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for bonding an optical fiber and/or device to an external substrate for strength, support, and protection.
2. Background of the Related Art
Currently, various techniques exist for stabilizing an optical fiber and/or device to an external substrate. For example, one technique involves using an epoxy to affix the optical fiber to an external substrate. Another technique disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,784 to Bookbinder, et al. encapsulates a segment of organic material of an optical component, such as a junction, by directly placing molten metal around the component and solidifying the metal.
However, the resulting bonded optical fiber(s) or device according to these prior techniques often times is not properly protected and/or affixed. These processes are difficult to automate as well. Thus, this process does not provide good yield results. Further, these crude processes limit the types of optical devices that can be packaged and protected thereby.
It is therefore desirable to provide accurate and consistent production of high quality optical fibers and/or devices that are bonded to an external substrate for strength, support, and protection.
It is also desirable to provide high quality optical fibers and/or devices that are packaged to protect same.
It is also desirable to provide production techniques to package optical fibers and/or devices that may be highly temperature sensitive, e.g., planar optical fiber.
It is also desirable to provide production techniques to package and/or hermetically package optical fibers and/or devices quickly, inexpensively and in a highly automated manner.
It is also desirable to provide production techniques to package and/or hermetically package optical fibers and/or devices for a passive fiber optic component manufacturer.

Apparatus and method bonding optical fiber and/or device to external element using compliant material interface


In a television system in which at least program title information for programs which are to be transmitted in the future is transmitted in advance to form a channel guide listing, apparatus is provided for searching for specific television programs which satisfy certain criteria concerning a user's viewing preferences, and upon successful conclusion to the search, the apparatus generates a list of such television programs in order to predict for the viewer certain programs which may be of interest. In a first embodiment of the invention the apparatus stores information about the particular television shows which the user watches, as search criteria. In a second embodiment of the invention the search criteria is editable by the viewer to further refine the searches.

The act of selecting a television program to watch has become more complicated in that the number of available channels has increased dramatically of late. For example RCA.RTM. DSS.RTM. direct broadcast satellite receivers provide as many as 150 channels to choose from. Heretofore, a user who wanted to see "what's on" could merely consult a television schedule printed in his local newspaper in the hope that he would eventually find a program which sparked his interest.
Such a practice may work well when there are only a few television channel schedules to examine, however, it is unlikely that a viewer would be able to examine the complete schedules for 150 television channels, just to see "what's on" at a given time. Such a task would be daunting even if all of the programs were to be listed by category. A viewer may find that there are only a few programs of interest to him out of the vast number of available programs. That is, the chaff outnumbers and tends to hide the wheat. Consequently, it is felt that as the number of channels increases, the chances of successfully locating a desirable program in a short time becomes more and more unlikely.

Scheduler employing a predictive agent for use in a television receiver


Disclosed are processes for producing monolithic and metal doped monolithic porous carbon disks from prepolymer organic precursors in the powder form composed of either or both polyimide and polybenzimidazole. The powders are consolidated (compressed) into disks and then pyrolyzed to form the desired porous carbon disk.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the preparation of prepolymers composed of either or both of polyimide and polybenzimidazole as organic precursors for producing monolithic porous carbon disks with density less than or equal to 1.0 g/cc; and the processes for producing monolithic porous carbon disks from either or both of polyimide and polybenzimidazole procurers in the form of powders. The present invention further relates to the processes for producing monolithic porous carbon disks derived from either or both of polyimide and polybenzimidazole precursors having one or more than one metals dispersed therein. The present invention even further relates to the processes for producing monolithic porous carbon disks derived from either or both of polyimide and polybenzimidazole precursors such that the carbon disks having pyridine-like structure wherein the transition metal atoms are caged in or complex with.
2. Description of Related Art
Monolithic porous carbon disks, which possess interpenetrating pore structure, high density, high surface area, suitable pore size, and well defined pore size distribution, are highly desirable as electrode materials for lithium batteries, electrochemical capacitors, fuel cells, as well as other electrochemical devices.
One approach to produce monolithic porous carbon disk is through sol-gel technologies. The sol-gel technology generally consists of preparation of gels from solution, drying the gel while minimizing the gel shrinkage. The pyrolysis of thin gel films yields porous monolithic carbon disks. RF carbon aerogel currently in the market as electrode material for supercapacitors is derived from resorcinol and formaldehyde organic precursors. RF carbon aerogel provide high surface area and narrow pore size distribution. Yet, the potential market of RF carbon aerogel as electrode material for ultracapacitors is severely limited by the low operating voltage of the capacitor (<=5V) and high manufacturing cost of monolithic RF carbon aerogel materials.
Another approach to produce monolithic porous carbon disks is from powders of porous polymeric precursors by compressing them into monolithic disks followed by pyrolysis. There are two (2) obstacles in this approach. One is the compressibility of the polymer precursor and other is the difficulty in retaining interpenetrating network of the pores during the compression process. U.S. Pat. No. 6,544,648 discloses a process for making monolithic carbon disks by compressing carbon black powder with high surface area under vacuum environment at temperatures at or beyond 800° C. and a pressure at or beyond 3000 psi. This approach produces carbon disks with more undesirable micro-pores with pore diameter less than 2 nm than the ones by sol-gel approach. The compression of carbon powder under vacuum at 800° C. displays sever technical challenges and high manufacturing costs.
Bearing in mind the problems and deficiencies of the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide monolithic porous carbon disks with high surface area, high pore volume, high surface activity, well defined pore structure and morphology, and good mechanical properties. It would also be desirable to provide a process for producing such monolithic porous carbon disks with significantly lower cost as compared to the processes currently in the market.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.

Process for producing monolithic porous carbon disks from aromatic organic precursors