The use of additives to stabilize DHA when compressed into tablets, or filled as a powder into capsules, for oral administration.

Docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, is a molecule of intense commercial interest of late due to emerging knowledge of its benefits in the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular and neurologic conditions, and the nutritional support and well-being of mothers and developing fetuses, among other health benefits. DHA is typically sold in bulk as an oil mixture that contains other polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), although commercial sources of purified DHA, which have nominal amounts of EPA, have recently emerged.
The molecule has historically been derived from fish oil, but more recently algal oils have been isolated that are highly enriched in omega-3 fatty acids. In the case of certain fermentatively produced algae rich in omega-3 fatty acids (e.g., Crypthecodinium cohnii and Schizochytrium sp.), the process has been scaled up and commercialized. This process involves growing the algae, stressing the organisms to induce the production of an oil, harvesting and drying the algae, extracting the oil with an organic solvent, and purifying the oil using processes well known in the art for vegetable oil processing.
The DHA-enriched oils, whether derived from fish or algae, are not as stable as other vegetable oils such as corn oil, soybean oil, canola oil, palm oil, etc., because the DHA and other fatty acids are polyunsaturated and inherently susceptible to oxidative breakdown. Various attempts have been made to stabilize fish oils through the use of lipophilic antioxidants such as vitamin B, or by setting up a physical barrier between the fish oil and the food product matrix using encapsulation or coating.
Fully or partially refined marine oil has also been treated with silica and stabilized by incorporating a mixture of lecithin, ascorbyl palmitate, and alpha-tocopherol. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,944. Hamilton et al., J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. (JAOCS) 75 (7), 813-822 (1998), disclose a ternary additive mixture (2% tocopherol, 0.1% ascorbyl palmitate, 0.5% lecithin) to prevent autoxidation of fish oils.
EP 340 635 describes a process of treating fish oils to increase their stability containing EPA and DHA by vacuum steam distillation under mild conditions to reduce low temperature boiling and less polar volatile flavor compounds, and subsequently contacting said oil with an adsorbent, e.g., silica gel, to reduce high temperature boiling and more polar volatile flavor compounds. The document also describes the combination of the purified oil with a rosemary extract antioxidant. US 2003/161918 A1 describes the preparation and stabilization of food-grade fish oils by treating a fish oil with silica, submitting it to a 2 hours batch vacuum steam deodorization in the presence of rosemary or sage extract and, if desired, adding ascorbyl palmitate and mixed tocopherol.
These methods, while successful, have been predominantly used to stabilize oils. To the inventors' knowledge, very little if any work has been done to stabilize polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly DHA, when present in a dry admixture such as a tablet or powder-filled capsule. This may be because bulk DHA is practically always supplied in oil form in combination with other fatty acids, and practically always processed into liquid-filled gel-caps for eventual use by the consumer. While spray dry and encapsulation methods exist for manufacturing powdered forms of the molecule, to the inventors' knowledge, none of these powdered forms of DHA has been successfully processed, on a commercial scale, into a stable tablet or powder-filled capsule dosage form.
Various patents report having made tablets that contain polyunsaturated fatty acids. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,843,919 to Burger describes mixtures of glucosamine and EPA, and tablets that contain such mixtures. The document does not disclose any formulations for such tablets, and does not describe any methods for improving the stability of such tablets.
EP 342795 A2 to Taiyo describes compositions for improving cerebral function which contain DHA. Tablets are mentioned as a possible dosage form, without giving any specific formulation or any consideration to molecular stability. No consideration is given to tableting or powder-filled capsules where the fatty acid component is in the form of an oil.
WO 88/02221 by Kabivitrum describes an EPA/DHA granulate comprising an oil-powder mixture containing 2-75% vegetable oil and/or marine oil containing essential fatty acids selected from gamma linolenic acid (GLA), EPA and/or DHA and/or other marine oils and a water-soluble carrier, in combination with a solid pulverulent filler and a binder. The reference also states that tablets can be made from said granulate, and gives various excipients for use in making such tablets, including various conventional fillers, binders and additives such as vitamins and minerals. The document states that alpha tocopherol and ascorbyl palmitate can be added to the oil for protection against oxidation, but otherwise does not give meaningful consideration to the stability of the tablets or powder filled capsules or how to improve the stability.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,022 to Hijiya describes EPA inclusion complexes with gamma cyclodextrins with up to 47.6% EPA in the solid prepared. No consideration is given to tableting or the preparation of powder-filled capsules where the fatty acid component is in the form of an oil, or to the stability of such tablets or powder-filled capsules.
WO 2008/146016 by Campbell describes complexes of fatty acid esters and cyclodextrins that can be compressed into tablets with reportedly high concentrations of the fatty acid compound. The document reports that the complexes can be mixed with various excipients prior to compression into a tablet, including microcrystalline cellulose, stearic acid and colloidal silica. The document also reports that various drugs, vitamins and minerals can be mixed into the tablet, including simvastatin, vitamin C, calcium carbonate, folic acid, vitamin D3, vitamin K, and vitamin E. The document does not report any stability data for the various combinations, and uses mixtures of omega-3 fatty acids in the tablets rather than purified DHA.

Stability additives for dry DHA dosage forms

Avema Pharma Solutions, division of PL Development


A panel system has an insulating material with a first channel disposed over a surface of the insulating material. A transporter is disposed over the first channel. A thermal transfer medium is disposed over the surface of the first panel to attain desired surface characteristics. The first panel includes a second channel intersecting the first channel. A second panel includes a second channel. The first panel is adjacent to the second panel. The first and second channels of the adjacent first and second panels are aligned. The transporter is disposed over the first and second channels. The first and second panels are mounted over a mounting surface. Keyways are formed in the channels. Retention clips are disposed over the keyways. Panels include panel wings with hinges mounted over the panel wings. The thermal transfer medium includes graphite. The transporter includes tubing.

As the cost of energy continues to rise, increased emphasis is placed on alternative energy sources such as solar energy and wind energy. Increased emphasis is also placed on development of efficient, cost-effective methods of providing basic services such as heating and cooling.
Radiant heat transfer systems rely on energy transfer by emission of electromagnetic waves from a surface. Energy is released from an object in the form of electromagnetic waves. The waves propagate away from the emitting object and increase the energy level of any other objects that absorb the wave. Radiant heating systems rely at least in part on bodies absorbing electromagnetic waves in the infrared spectrum to increase temperature of the bodies. For example, a person standing outside in direct sunlight on a winter's day may feel comfortable without a coat while in the sunlight but feel much colder when standing in the shade despite identical ambient air temperatures.
In radiant heating systems, thermal energy radiates from a heated element such as a wall, floor, or overhead panel to heat people and objects in a conditioned space. Conversely, in radiant cooling systems, cooled elements in walls, floors, or ceilings can absorb thermal energy radiated from warmer objects and dissipate energy away from a conditioned space. Occupants can achieve thermal comfort despite uncomfortable air temperatures by using radiant cooling or heating. Radiant systems can result in significant savings relative to conventional forced air systems that rely on inefficiently passing air over heated or cooled coils and pumping the air into a conditioned space.
Heated or cooled elements can transfer heat energy to or from objects in contact with the elements by conduction. Conduction is the transfer of heat between objects in contact with one another. Heat can also be moved from one area to another by convection, using the movement of the liquid or gas to deliver or absorb heat. In air conditioning systems convection is used to deliver heating or cooling to a conditioned space by moving heated or cooled air into the space. In a radiant system, electromagnetic radiation plays a large role in delivering heat or cooling but conduction and convection still contribute to the system's overall performance. By utilizing radiation energy that would otherwise escape, a radiant system offers increased efficiency over traditional heating and cooling methods.
Radiant heating and cooling systems can be implemented using panels. Conventional heating and cooling panels contain pre-placed tubing. One disadvantage of conventional panels is that panels do not fit the variety of shapes and obstructions frequently encountered in many structures and cannot be easily modified. A building's design limits the area that the panels can cover. The incompatibility results in gaps in the radiant system.
Conventional panels also have a fixed tubing pattern that cannot be varied for different regions in the system. A hallway must be cooled or heated to the same extent as a bedroom. Efficiency decreases as unused areas are heated or cooled. Conventional panels also have proprietary designs. Each manufacturer purposely designs panels that are compatible with the manufacturer's particular accessories such as the manufacturer's particular style of tubing or particular method of attachment.

Thermal transfer panels with channel structures and method of using thermal transfer panels


An IC card is disclosed which would not be deformed, and hence, which maintains its quality reliability. A frame is provided to house a substrate which mounts ICs. Panels for protecting the ICs are fixed to the frame by first adhesive material layers. A connector is disposed, in contact with the substrate, between the panels. The connector is fixed to the frame by a second adhesive material layer. This prohibits that external force which acts on the connector at insertion and detachment of the IC card into and from external equipment from acting on the first adhesive material layers. Hence, insertion and detachment of the IC card do not cause deterioration in adhesion between the panels and the frame. Thus, deformation of the ICs due to the external force is prevented, thereby the quality reliability of the IC card being better maintained.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an IC card which is connected to external equipment by a connector of a two-piece or other type.
2. Description of the Background Art
FIGS. 1 to 3 show the structure of a conventional IC card with a two-piece type connector. A two-piece type connector is an indirect type connector used for a printed circuit board. Indirect type connectors connect a male or a female connector which is attached to a conductive part of a printed circuit board with a connector which is attached to another external device or external equipment. In FIGS. 1 to 3, indicated at 1 is a box like frame to house a circuit substrate 2 for mounting ICs. Indicated at 3 are panels for protecting ICs 5 against environmental disturbances from outside. The panels 3 are fixed to the frame 1 by adhesive sheets 4 so that the panels 3 and the circuit substrate 2 are in an opposed relation. A connector, indicated at 6, is disposed between the panels 3 and connected to the circuit substrate 2. The connector 6 is a two-piece type connector, for example.
Electrical connection between the IC card structured as above and external equipment (not shown) is ensured by the connector 6. In actual use, the IC card is inserted to and detached from the external equipment.
The conventional IC card requires that the connector 6 is fixed to the frame 1 by the adhesive sheets 4 which also fixes the panels 3 to the frame 1. When the IC card is inserted to or detached from the external equipment, this structure causes external force to act on the adhesive sheets 4 through the connector 6. The external force adversely affects the adhesion between the frame 1 and the panels 3, and further, deforms the IC card. Hence, deterioration in quality could result in the conventional IC card.


A modular wheel suspension includes a frame mounting plate having a central support member affixed thereto. The central support member mounts a pivot shaft bracket support. A pivot shaft bracket is adjustably mounted on the pivot shaft bracket support. The pivot shaft bracket pivotally mounts a shaft which is connected to one end of a beam arm, the other end of which mounts a wheel axle on which a wheel is mounted. A rubber shear spring is mounted between the beam arm and a portion of the frame mounting plate. The adjustable mounting of the pivot shaft bracket provides for toe and camber adjustment of the wheel.

The present invention relates to a modular wheel suspension for vehicles.
There are numerous modular wheel suspensions for vehicles in existence. However, in certain of these suspensions the wheels on opposite sides of the vehicle were linked by a common axle, that is, they were not independently suspended. Furthermore, insofar as known, modular suspensions did not have convenient toe-in and camber adjustments nor could they be adjusted for height relative to the frame of the vehicle on which they were mounted.

Rubber spring modular wheel suspension for vehicles


A method for vehicle control comprises determining a braking capability of a braking system of a rail vehicle or other vehicle, and modifying application of at least one mission parameter by a control system of the vehicle based on the determined braking capability. Braking capability may be determined by activating the braking system of the vehicle to apply a braking force on the vehicle, and concurrently, applying a level of tractive effort of the vehicle is sufficient to overcome the braking force. The braking capability is determined based on the level of tractive effort.

1. Field
Embodiments of the invention relate to vehicles, e.g., rail vehicles. Other embodiments relate to methods and systems for controlling rail vehicles or other vehicles.
2. Discussion of Art
Especially when various on-board systems are integrated with a vehicle braking system for conjointly operating the vehicle, the vehicle may be operated according to a "worst case" assumption of braking capability. For example, in the case of a locomotive or other rail vehicle, the rail vehicle may be operated according to the assumption that only fifty percent of mechanical braking capability (e.g., air brakes) is available and with no dynamic brake capability. Making such assumptions may result in the rail vehicle being slowed earlier than necessary, which results in a loss of average speed over a full duration of a trip/mission. Additionally, this may result in delay and loss of route capacity, considering that other vehicles also operate of the same route. Furthermore, the actual braking capability may actually be less than what is assumed, due to discrepancies between actual capabilities and assumed capabilities, brake system failures during a trip, environmental conditions, etc.
One approach currently utilized to assess braking capability of a rail vehicle is to check the air brakes prior to departure to ensure that air pressure is present. This approach, however, does not provide for a true determination of braking capability or effectiveness. This is because checking for air pressure does not convey any information about how much braking force would be applied in actually using the brakes during motoring, e.g., actual braking pads or shoes may not function properly, thus not being able to apply a full breaking force to wheels of the rail vehicle, even though a positive air pressure reading is obtained.
It may be desirable to have a vehicle control system, taking into account braking system capability, that differs from those vehicle control systems that are currently available.

System and method for controlling a vehicle


The present invention relates to an ion exchange chromatography process for purifying GLP-1 or an analog or a derivative thereof from a mixture containing said GLP-1 and related impurities, and to an industrial method including such ion exchange chromatography process.

For the purification and analysis of proteins and peptides, chromatography is a well-known and widely used method. A number of different chromatographic principles are applied, among these ion exchange chromatography (IEC). The IEC principle includes two different approaches: anion exchange and cation exchange according to the charge of the ligands on the ion exchange resin. A conventional IEC purification process usually consists of one or more: equilibration sections, application or loading sections, wash sections, elution sections, and regeneration sections (cf. Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gennaro, ed., Mack Publishing Co., Easton, Pa., 1990, or Remington: The Science and Practice of Pharmacy, 19th Edition (1995)).
The main principle of elution in IEC in industrial purification processes is salt component gradients in an aqueous buffer solution at constant pH, either as step or linear gradients (cf. S. Bjørn and L. Thim, Activation of Coagulation Factor VII to VIIa, Res. Discl. No. 269, 564-565, 1986). Isocratic elution is possible, but seldom used. Organic solvents or modifiers have occasionally been added to the solutions to keep the protein or peptide on the desired form or just in solution (cf. K. H. Jørgensen, Process for Purifying Insulin, U.S. Pat. No. 3,907,676, Sep. 23, 1975; and J. Brange, O. Hallund and E. Sørensen, Chemical Stability of Insulin 5. Isolation, Characterisation and Identification of Insulin Transformation Products, Acta Pharm. Nord. 4(4), 223-232, 1992).
Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) (cf. Schmidt et al. in Diabetologia 28 704-707, 1985) and analogues as well as derivatives thereof may be used in the treatment of diabetes, as disclosed in WO 98/08871. A GLP-1 peptide and related analogues are easily dissolved in aqueous solvents and kept in a monomized form. Traditional IEC purification of GLP-1 with salt gradients in aqueous solvents may, however, be problematic due to the lack of selectivity between a GLP-1 target moiety and related impurities.
WO 87/06941 (The General Hospital Corporation) disclose peptide fragments which comprises GLP-1(7-37) and functional derivatives thereof and to its use as an insulinotropic agent.
WO 90/11296 (The General Hospital Corporation) disclose peptide fragments which comprise GLP-1(7-36) and functional derivatives thereof and have an insulinotropic activity which exceeds the insulinotropic activity of GLP-1(1-36) or GLP-1(1-37) and to their use as insulinotropic agents.
WO 91/11457 (Buckley et al.) discloses analogues of the active GLP-1 peptides 7-34, 7-35, 7-36, and 7-37.
WO 98/08871 discloses GLP-1 derivatives in which a lipophilic substituent is attached to at least one amino acid residue. The lipophilic substituents are in particular long-chain groups containing e.g. 12-24 carbon atoms.
WO 98/08872 discloses GLP-2 derivatives in which a lipophilic substituent is attached to at least one amino acid residue. The lipophilic substituents are in particular long-chain groups containing e.g. 12-24 carbon atoms.
WO 96/32414 discloses GLP-2 analogues.
EP 0699686-A2 (Eli Lilly & Co.) discloses certain N-terminal truncated fragments of GLP-1 that are reported to be biologically active.
EP 0708179-A2 (Eli Lilly & Co.) discloses GLP-1 analogues and derivatives that include an N-terminal imidazole group and optionally an unbranched C6-C10 acyl group in attached to the lysine residue in position 34.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Ion exchange chromatography of GLP-1, analogs and derivatives thereof


A transparency adapter for a flat bed scanner of the type commonly used as a stand-alone computer peripheral, including a source of light, either white light such as fluorescent, or a series of red, green and blue light emitting diodes placed in a generally rectangular housing having a length corresponding to the width of the glass platen of a flat bed scanner, and including magnets at either longitudinal end of the transparency adapter, further including magnets positioned on the carriage inside of the flat bed scanner housing, whereby the magnets of the carriage are aligned with the magnets of the transparency adapter so that upon advancement of the carriage along the rails inside of the scanner from one end of the scanner to the other, the magnetic force of the attached magnets causes the transparency adapter to advance along the top surface of the glass platen and to move the transparency adapter in alignment with the carriage.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a transparency adapter for a flat bed scanner.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Transparency adapters for flat bed scanners are known. However, conventional transparency adapters include a separate carriage, rails, motor, platen, hinge-type cover and control software which, together, is of significant cost and complexity in relation to that of the scanner itself. Also, in use, it has been found that alignment problems due to use and misuse of the hinges for the transparency adapter have arisen.

Transparency adapter for flatbed scanner


A system for dynamically graphically presenting a concept of interest related to the operation of a software target sub-system asks the sub-system to include changes in values relevant to the concept of interest in a telemetry stream propagated by the target sub-system. These values are held by receptors and collections of values relevant to the concept of interest are utilized to create renderings indicating characteristics of the concept of interest. A holder is provided for each value and a single value may be used to create different renderings thereby reducing the cost to the target sub-system. Whenever a value change is propagated each collection is notified so that the renderings are updated.

1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates generally to the control and management of multiple software sub-systems and, more particularly, relates to a computer program for monitoring changes in values or items in a keyed list propagated by a telemetry stream from a target sub-system.
2. Description of the Relevant Art.
Typically, it is necessary or desirable to monitor certain parameters relating to the operation of a target sub-system. For example, if the target sub-system were a transaction managing sub-system, some parameters of interest would be the number of transactions beginning each second and various threshold values.
In one prior art system, the target sub-system is queried when the value of a relevant parameter is to be monitored. The target sub-system reacts to the query by providing the value of the parameter at the time of the query.
Thus, each time the value is to be monitored the target sub-system must be queried so that the target sub-system provides information to be monitored on demand.
Another known method for monitoring the performance of a target sub-system is to poll the system at regular intervals to request values of parameters.
Both of the above-described methods require that the target sub-system interrupt its current task to provide the information requested. This interruption takes place regardless of whether any changes to the value of the monitored parameter have occurred. Conversely, if an important change takes place between requests the change will not be reported until the next request.
In a transaction managing sub-system, it is important to monitor the system at times of high activity. However, the very act of monitoring decreases the efficiency of the sub-system at a time of high activity.
Further, if the information being monitored is required by different users duplicate requests for the same information may be made.

Method and apparatus for dynamically presenting graphical representation of instrumentation


The coupler consists of an essentially cylindrical outer layer of glass fiber-reinforced plastic and an inner layer consisting of polyurethane. This inner layer has, approximately in the middle between the two coupler ends, a rib which serves as a stop for the ends of the two pipes to be connected to one another. The coupler has, between this rib and one coupler end (a), an approximately conical inner shape which has a diameter which increases in an outward direction, this conical surface also being provided with two sealing beads. A cylindrical section, a sawtooth-like rib and an annular groove are present between the other coupler end and the rib, A coupler of this type can be mounted relatively simply on the end of a pipe and can be nondetachably connected to it also by means of an adhesive, A pipe of essentially the same diameter can be inserted into the other coupler end and gives a tight fit in the coupler even when the axes of the coupler and the pipe do not coincide but make a small angle with one another.

Couplers are used for connecting two pipes. The couplers used are either cylindrical pipe sections into which one end of each pipe can be screwed or pushed and fastened in some manner from each side. However, it is also possible, during production, to provide one end of a pipe with an extension which serves as a coupler and into which the unextended end of an identical pipe can then be pushed. These two methods are also known in the case of plastic pipes. The advantages and the disadvantages of these types of couplers are also known.
To ensure a tight connection between the pipe and the sleeve, either the pipe or the coupler can be provided with sealing means. It is known that a groove can be provided close to the pipe end, in which groove a sealing means, such as, for example, an 0-ring or something similar, is housed. Since this reduces the wall thickness of the pipe, which is undesirable particularly in pipes which are laid in the ground and are governed by the pressing method, and therefore should be avoided, couplers which consist of a resilient inner part provided with lips and a covering of solid material applied on said inner part are also known. Couplers of this type are very complicated to produce and are therefore expensive.

Coupler for connecting two plastic pipes and process and mold for producing the coupler


In one aspect, a method of determining lateral edges of an asphalt mat deposited by a paving machine includes obtaining thermal image data of the asphalt mat at a thermal measuring device associated with the paving machine, and determining, on the paving machine, the lateral edges of the asphalt mat based on a threshold temperature value and the thermal image data. Other aspects include a method of generating a thermal map of an asphalt mat formed by paving machine, and a system for determining lateral edges of an asphalt mat deposited by a paving machine.

Thermal mapping data of asphalt mats deposited by paving machines is used to assess uniformity of the asphalt mats in terms of compaction and density, and to verify an actual size of the asphalt mats. Irregularities in compaction and density may occur if, for example, ambient temperature or a temperature of a paving machine are cold or the paving material supply has a varied temperature. Maintaining compaction uniformity ensures a reduction of cracks in the asphalt mat, which can lead to pot holes if and when water flows into those cracks. Maintaining compaction uniformity also ensures a reduction of streaks in the asphalt mat. Maintaining density uniformity ensures a reduction of soft spots in the asphalt mat which also can lead to cracks and pot holes. Setting levels of compaction uniformity and density uniformity of the asphalt mat helps to ensure longevity of the asphalt mat.
In addition, thermal mapping data of asphalt mats may be required and used by local or governmental agencies to ensure compliance with specifications of construction contracts. For example, a local agency or a governmental agency may require transmission of thermal mapping data for each lot (i.e., a rectangular area of deposited asphalt, the area being of a predetermined width and a predetermined length) deposited by a paving machine. The thermal data to be transmitted may be required to conform to specifications of a construction contract issued by the agency. If the transmitted thermal mapping data indicates a density uniformity of less than 85%, for example, the agency may reduce payment on the construction contract.
Known thermal profiling systems record thermal data within a field of view of a thermal measuring device, such as a thermal camera or a thermal line scanner. These thermal profiling systems capture wanted data, i.e., temperature values of a hot asphalt mat, as well as unwanted data, i.e., temperature values along the sides of the asphalt mat, as wide as the thermal measuring device can record. The unwanted thermal data increases the amount of data that must be stored, and requires a user to post-process the data with a third party application (such as Veta) to remove the unwanted data so that the temperatures of the hot asphalt mat can be analyzed.
Such post-processing may also require the user to determine the edges of the asphalt map before performing the trimming of the thermal mapping data. To that end some paving devices include sensors provided on outer edges of a screed to measure a width of the asphalt map. A problem occurs, however, when only a portion (i.e., one side) of a paving device is used to deposit asphalt, i.e., a reduced width asphalt mat is formed, as is the case when paving a culde-sac or a merging area of a road. When sensors are provided at each end of a screed of a paving device, the sensors may not reflect an actual width of such a reduced width asphalt mat. These paving devices, therefore, require a user to make further adjustments to the thermal data by deleting data for those areas outside the edges of the reduced width asphalt mat.
In addition, when a paving device obtains infrared (IR) data of an asphalt mat using an infrared (IR) sensor, IR data is obtained for individual points on the asphalt mat while the paving machine moves. The IR data obtained may not be captured along a true line, i.e., a line that is perpendicular to an axis along which the paving machine moves, and that spans a width of the asphalt mat. In addition, if a speed of the paving machine increases, the IR sensor may not necessarily increase a frequency of capturing the IR data and IR data, therefore, may be lost. As a result, thermal data output by such a paving device may not necessarily include all of the thermal data of the asphalt mat corresponding to a lot (i.e., a rectangular area), and may be incomplete.
The method of trimming thermal mapping data of asphalt mats according to the present disclosure may solve one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems in the art. The scope of the current disclosure, however, is defined by the attached claims, and not by the ability to solve any specific problem.

Method and system to trim asphalt thermal mapping data


One aspect of the present invention can include a vehicular seat having a first member, a cooperatively moving apparatus configured to release a lock apparatus from being locked in cooperation with a movement of the first member, and a second member configured to be adjusted when the lock apparatus is released. Further, the cooperatively moving apparatus includes a main cooperatively moving member connected to the first member and capable of cooperative movement with the first member, and a sub cooperatively moving member connected to the lock apparatus and capable of being moved by receiving a force from the main cooperatively moving member. Also, a hold mechanism is provided between the main cooperatively moving member and the sub cooperatively moving member, the hold mechanism is capable of holding the lock apparatus in a lock release state by holding a portion of the sub cooperatively moving member by a predetermined amount while operating the main cooperatively moving member. And, when the lock apparatus is maintained in the lock release state, the second member is set to one of a plurality of set states, the lock apparatus is able to be brought into a lock state before and after operating the hold mechanism.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicular seat mounted in a car or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a background art, a known vehicular seat includes a seat cushion, a seat back connected to the seat cushion to be able to adjust an angle, a lock apparatus for locking the seat cushion by a vehicle floor face, and a cooperatively moving apparatus (refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 2002-67761). The cooperatively moving apparatus may release the lock apparatus from being locked in cooperation with a movement of the seat back onto the seat cushion. The lock apparatus includes an interlock of maintaining a lock release state by being operated once by the cooperatively moving apparatus. The interlock is released by utilizing a force of pressing the lock apparatus to an anchor, and the interlock may change the lock apparatus into a lock state.
However, in recent years, a seat which can be changed to various modes or positions has been developed. Such a seat includes a member inclined by releasing a lock apparatus from being locked. And it is possible to intend to lock the lock apparatus after setting the member to one of a plurality of set states in a lock release state. However, when the lock apparatus is released from being locked directly by a cooperatively moving apparatus of the background art, the lock apparatus is switched to a lock state, the lock release state, the lock state momentarily. Therefore, it is difficult to set the member to a desired set state.
On the other hand, when the lock apparatus is maintained in the lock release state by using the interlock of the background art, an operation for releasing the interlock is needed. Therefore, this makes such a configuration more difficult to use. Hence, in a seat including a member capable of being set to a plurality of set states by releasing a lock apparatus, there is a need for a vehicular seat capable of easily changing a mode or the like of a seat.


A wave pool for generating surfable waves is disclosed. The wave pool includes a pool for containing water. The pool defines a channel having a first side wall, a second side wall, and a bottom with a contour that slopes upward from a deep area proximate the first side wall toward a sill defined by the second side wall. The wave pool further includes at least one foil at least partially submerged in the water near the side wall, and being adapted for movement by a moving mechanism in a direction along the side wall for generating a wave in the channel that forms a breaking wave on the sill. The wave pool further includes one or more passive flow control mechanisms to mitigate a mean flow of the water induced by the movement of the at least one foil in the direction along the side wall.

Ocean waves have been used recreationally for hundreds of years. One of the most popular sports at any beach with well-formed, breaking waves is surfing. Surfing and other board sports have become so popular, in fact, that the water near any surf break that is suitable for surfing is usually crowded and overburdened with surfers, such that each surfer has to compete for each wave and exposure to activity is limited. Further, the majority of the planet's population does not have suitable access to ocean waves in order to even enjoy surfing or other ocean wave sports.
Another problem is that the waves at any spot are varied and inconsistent, with occasional "sets" of nicely formed waves that are sought after to be ridden, interspersed with less desirable and, in some cases, unrideable waves. Even when a surfer manages to be able to ride a selected wave, the duration of the ride lasts only a mere 2-30 seconds on average, with most rides being between 5 and 10 seconds long.
Ocean surface waves are waves that propagate along the interface between water and air, the restoring force is provided by gravity, and so they are often referred to as surface gravity waves. FIG. 1 illustrates the principles that govern surface gravity waves entering shallow water. Waves in deep water generally have a constant wave length. As the wave interacts with the bottom, it starts to "shoal." Typically, this occurs when the depth gets shallower than half of the wave's length, the wave length shortens and the wave amplitude increases. As the wave amplitude increases, the wave may become unstable as the crest of the wave is moving faster than the trough. When the amplitude is approximately 80% of the water depth the wave starts to "break" and we get surf. This run up and breaking process is dependent on the slope angle and contour of the beach, the angle at which the waves approach the beach, and the water depth and properties of the deep water waves approaching the beach. Refraction and focusing of these waves is possible through changes to the bottom topography.
Ocean waves generally have five stages: generation, propagation, shoaling, breaking, and decay. The shoaling and breaking stages are the most desirable for rideable waves. The point of breaking being strongly dependent on the ratio of the water depth to the wave's amplitude but also depends on the contour, depth and shape of the ocean floor. In addition, velocity, wavelength and height of the wave, among other factors, can also contribute to the breaking of a wave. In general, a wave can be characterized to result in one of four principal breaker types: spilling, plunging, collapsing, and surging. Of these wave types the spilling waves are preferred by beginner surfers while the plunging waves are revered by more experienced surfers. These breaker types are illustrated in FIG. 2.
Various systems and techniques have been tried to replicate ocean waves in a man-made environment. Some of these systems include directing a fast moving, relatively shallow sheet of water against a solid sculpted waveform to produce water effect that is ridable but is not actually a wave. Other systems use linearly-actuated paddles, hydraulics or pneumatics caissons or simply large controlled injections of water to generate actual waves. However, all of these systems are inefficient in transferring energy to the "wave", and none of these systems, for various reasons and shortcomings, have yet to come close to generating a wave that replicates the desired size, form, speed and break of the most desirable waves that are sought to be ridden, i.e. waves entering shallow water that plunge, breaking with a tube and which have a relatively long duration and sufficient face for the surfer to maneuver.

Surface gravity wave generator and wave pool


A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) receiving method for use with an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is provided. The method includes reading, at a receiving point, information from RFID tags included on delivered items, which are not recorded on an Advanced Shipment Notification (ASN). An item arrival journal including item arrival lines is generated. By calling a mapping form, the item arrival lines are displayed along with RFID tag information indicative of delivered items. Then, mapping form logic is used to automatically map at least some of the delivered items corresponding to the RFID tags to item arrival lines to thereby match delivered items with ordered items.

The present invention relates to Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. In particular, the present invention relates to methods and systems for utilizing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags with ERP systems.
Enterprise resource planning (or ERP) is a phrase used to describe a broad set of activities supported by multi-module application software that helps a manufacturer or other business manage the important parts of its business, including product planning, parts purchasing, maintaining inventories, order tracking, interacting with suppliers, providing customer service, finance, human resources, etc. Often, an ERP system uses or is integrated with a relational database system. An example of an ERP system is Microsoft® Business Solutions-Axapta®. Axapta provides functionality to support many needs of a business, for example including: manufacturing; distribution, supply chain management, project management, financial management, human resource management, business analysis, enterprise portal, commerce gateway, etc.
There is an ongoing effort to introduce transmitters, such as RFID tags, into consumer goods. In particular, RFID tags are being used to identify products. An RFID tag is energized when it is placed in the proximity of an RFID tag reader. This causes circuitry within the RFID tag to transmit digital data which is received by the tag reader and stored in memory. The data can be used to identify the goods associated with the RFID tag. RFID tags can be placed on the individual goods themselves, and/or they can be placed on pallets or containers used to ship the goods. Ideally, RFID tags can be used to assist in automating the inventory and supply chain processes.
With a wide range of capabilities, RFID tags are a growing area in tracking technology. Unlike barcodes, RFID tags can be read through thick packaging and are unaffected by moisture and heat making them highly effective in manufacturing and distribution environments. RFID tags enable automatic identification with no physical contact. Depending on the specific type of RFID tag employed, the read range extends from a few inches to hundreds of feet.
In general terms, RFID is a means of identifying an object using a radio frequency transmission, typically 125 kHz, 13.56 MHz or 800-900 MHz. RFID has been extensively used in applications such as toll collection, access control, ticketing, and car immobilization devices (also called immobilizers). In recent years, the technology has received increased attention due to a confluence of actions including technology advancement, heightened security concerns, supply chain automation, and a continuing emphasis on cost control within industrial systems.
The AIDC (Automatic Identification Data Capture) industry is moving rapidly towards the use of RFID in a number of high-value and high-volume market segments. The primary benefit of RFID tags over barcodes is their ease of use and reliability. RFID tags can be read or written at distances up to several feet, while in motion, in any orientation, regardless of dirt or smudges, and through intervening objects. Perhaps most significant is the fact that many RFID tags can be read at once automatically, while barcodes have to be scanned manually, one by one.
An RFID tag will only communicate when it is in range of a read/write device (a transceiver, a transmitter/receiver, or a reader) and can be accessed at anytime. RFID tags are durable and have a long life span, no battery requirement with most tag types, and large data memory capacity. RFID tags are available in a variety of different shapes and sizes.
In construction an RFID tag has a microchip attached to an antenna. RFID tags are developed using a frequency according to the needs of the system including read range and the environment in which the tag will be read. Tags are either active or passive. Active RFID tags are powered by an internal battery and are typically read/write devices. Active RFID tags are more expensive and larger than passive RFID tags. However, they are also more powerful and have a greater read range. Passive RFID tags are powered by the field generated by the reader. Passive tags are typically much lighter than active tags, less expensive, and offer a virtually unlimited operational lifetime. However, they have shorter read ranges and require a higher-powered reader than active tags.
An RFID reader, usually connected to a personal computer, serves the same purpose as a barcode scanner. It can also be battery-powered to allow mobile transactions with RFID tags. The RFID reader handles the communication between the information system and the RFID tag. An RFID antenna connected to the RFID reader, can be of various sizes and structures, depending on the communication distance required for a given system's performance. The antenna activates the RFID tag and transfers data by emitting wireless pulses.
While RFID tags can be used to collect additional data related to a supply chain process, fully using this data can present problems, particularly in existing ERP systems. For example, while an RFID tag can provide information which identifies the particular goods associated with the tag, it does not provide information which would allow a purchaser to know which of multiple like or identical products a particular received item corresponds to. For instance, in a supply chain when a manufacturer regularly orders (through purchase orders) the same item, when a shipment including a pallet containing that item arrives, if an Advanced Shipment Notification (ASN) is not received as well, it is not readily apparent which purchase order the received item corresponds to. Other obstacles exist which may prevent the RFID tag information from being fully utilized to improve the process.

RFID receiving process for use with enterprise resource planning systems


A data transmitting method for preventing direct copying of digital bi-level signals. When processing input digital data from an input terminal 11 by circuits 13 to 16, modulating the data by a modulation circuit 17 and appending synchronization signals by a synchronization appendage circuit 18, the synchronization signals are appended using a synchronization format which is different from the synchronization format conforming to the standard and which is usually not used. For example, the synchronization pattern different from the regular synchronization pattern may be used, or the synchronization signal may be inserted at a position different from the regular position. If attempts are made for direct copying of the digital bi-level signal having such synchronization format, synchronization may be disengaged, for example, thus obstructing and prohibiting duplication.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a data transmitting method, a data recording apparatus, a data record medium(recording, recordable or recorded) and a data reproducing apparatus, which may be applied to prevention of duplication or unauthorized use of transmitted or recorded/reproduced digital data.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, with increased capacity and coming into widespread use of digital recording media, such as optical discs, prohibition of duplication or unauthorized use thereof has become incumbent. That is, digital audio data or digital video data can be duplicated by copying or dubbing without deterioration, while computer data can be duplicated to give data which are the same as the original data, so that troubles are caused due to unauthorized duplication.
For evading unauthorized duplication of digital audio data or digital video data, the standards for so-called serial copying management system (SCMS) or the copying generation management system (CGMS) have so far been known. However, since these standards set a copying inhibiting flag at a specified portion of recording data, data may be extracted by whole copying, that is so-called dump copying, of digital bi-level signals.
There is shown of JP Patent Kokai Publication JP-A-7-182766 (1995) a method consisting in recording non-duplicatable information (confidential information) on a record medium and using this information for prohibiting unauthorized copying. However, this method is not immune from the above problem of data extraction by dump copying.
In particular, the whole copying or dump copying is carried out by a technique of directly extracting digital bi-level signals read out by a reproducing head, such as an optical head, thus causing troubles.
The same may be said of the currently developed digital video disc (DVD), such that, in a replay-only disc that may be duplicated in large quantities, some measures must be taken in connection with formatting.

Data transmitting method, data recording apparatus, data record medium and data reproducing apparatus


A new wood notching system for cutting grooves into wood before the wood is to be cut by a saw. The inventive device includes an elongated throat plate positioned within an elongated opening in a table top saw. The throat plate has a large slotted aperture and a small slotted aperture therethrough. The large slotted aperture receives a saw blade of the table top saw therethrough. A scoring knife is adjustably received within the small slotted aperture of the throat plate. The scoring knife is adjustable in an up and down orientation and a side to side orientation. The scoring knife has a sharpened upper edge and an aperture through a lower portion thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
the present invention relates to scoring saws and more particularly pertains to a new wood notching system for cutting grooves into wood before the wood is to be cut by a saw.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of scoring saws is known in the prior art, more specifically, scoring saws heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art scoring saws include U.S. Pat. No. 5,159,864 to Wedemeyer et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,245,390 to Bond; U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,535 to Ducharme; U.S. Pat. No. 4,176,572 to Pennington; U.S. Pat. No. 4,087,914 to Bates; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 354,757 to Wixey.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new wood notching system. The inventive device includes an elongated throat plate positioned within an elongated opening in a table top saw. The throat plate has a large slotted aperture and a small slotted aperture therethrough. The large slotted aperture receives a saw blade of the table top saw therethrough. A scoring knife is adjustably received within the small slotted aperture of the throat plate. The scoring knife is adjustable in an up and down orientation and a side to side orientation. The scoring knife has a sharpened upper edge and an aperture through a lower portion thereof.
In these respects, the wood notching system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of cutting grooves into wood before the wood is to be cut by a saw.


A method of forming an interconnection in a semiconductor device includes forming a first liner in a dielectric layer therein; depositing a tungsten filler on top of the first liner; performing chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) to smooth out and remove the first liner and tungsten filler from the semiconductor's exposed surface; selectively removing the first liner and tungsten filler in the via; wherein the selective removing results in the first liner and the tungsten filler being removed in an upper region of the via; forming a second liner in the upper region of the via and tungsten filler; selectively removing the second liner from the tungsten filler; forming a copper seed layer on top of the tungsten filler; depositing a copper filler on top of the copper seed layer; and performing chemical CMP to smooth out and remove the second liner and copper filler from the semiconductor's exposed surface.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to semiconductor manufacture and more particularly to structures and methods for forming low resistance, high aspect ratio interconnections.
2. Description of the Background
The increasing densities and continued miniaturization of microelectronic features has lead to the increased usage of high aspect ratio (AR) (defined as the ratio of height to width) features. For example, in very large scale integration (VLSI) high aspect ratio features include contacts, vias, lines, and other apertures. Reliable formation of high aspect ratio features is a key to the continued evolution of VLSI and microelectronic design.
However, contact resistance increases exponentially with technology scaling. Until recently, tungsten (W) has been the metal of choice for filling VLSI features, however the need to reduce contact resistances has lead to the introduction of alternative conductive fillers. Copper (Cu) is being considered as an alternative conductive metal for filling the VLSI features due to its low resistivity, however copper readily diffuses into neighboring layers, such as dielectric layers and silicon. Such Cu diffusion causes current leakage and reliability failure in circuits. Diffusion barriers or liners are introduced to prevent the copper diffusion, to encapsulate the copper interconnect, and to provide improved adhesion to the dielectric layers. For high aspect ratio features, the diffusion barrier should be thin and uniform in order to avoid the introduction of substantial resistance to the interconnection. Preferred diffusion barrier materials are refractory materials such as tantalum, tungsten, tantalum nitride, tungsten nitride, titanium and titanium nitride. However, the additional resistance introduced by the liner/diffusion barrier has the potential to mitigate the advantages of copper over tungsten. In addition, conformality of barrier/liner films and Cu fill integrity degrades significantly with increasing aspect ratios.

Structure and method for low resistance interconnections

International Business Machines Corporation


Provided are a mussel adhesive protein-mimetic dispersion stabilizing agent to disperse nanoparticles in an aqueous medium, a colloidal solution including nanoparticles dispersed and stabilized by the dispersion stabilizing agent, and a contrast agent including the colloidal solution. More particularly, the mussel adhesive protein-mimetic dispersion stabilizer is a polyethyleneimine-graft-(poly-ethyleneglycol;polyDOPA) PEI-graft-(PEG;PDOPA). The graft polymer is formed of two parts. One is polyethyleneglycol grafted with a polyethyleneime which has an affinity to an aqueous medium, and the other is polyDOPA which has an affinity to the surface of nanoparticles. Because of those characteristics, the stabilizer shows a stable dispersion of nano particles in the aqueous medium.

Nanoparticles are used in a broad range of applications such as nano-electronic convergence technology, in vivo imaging technology, medical applications, etc. Specifically, super-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are widely used in a variety of biomedical applications including, for example, a magnetic resonance imaging ('MRI') contrast agent, celltherapy, hyperthermia, drug delivery, cell isolation, nucleic acid preparation, or the like.
The most important requirement for application in biomedical applications is primarily to ensure high quality nanoparticles and, in addition, to allow nanoparticles to have excellent dispersibility and dispersion stability in an aqueous medium. Here, the high quality nanoparticle may mean nanoparticles with features of; (i) uniformity of particle size, (ii) easy control of particle size, (iii) particle crystallinity, (iv) possibility in controlling particle morphology, etc.
However, nanoparticles commercially available in the art are mostly synthesized in an aqueous system or may be obtained by synthesis in a gas phase. Nanoparticles generated by the foregoing processes have difficulty in preparing particles with a uniform shape and generally show deteriorated crystallinity. Further, it is difficult to manufacture nanoparticles having a uniform size and control the size of a particle.
Recently, numerous studies have been executed to develop a novel method for manufacturing metal oxide nanoparticles in an organic system, which have relatively high quality, that is, uniform size and favorable crystallinity, compared to nanoparticles synthesized in an aqueous system according to the related art.
As such, in the case where nanoparticles are synthesized in an organic solvent, uniformity and size control of the nanoparticles may sometimes be achieved by stabilization thereof using an organic additive during a synthesizing process. In this regard, since the surface condition of nanoparticles is influenced by a hydrophobic portion of an organic additive, the metal oxide nanoparticles may be easily dispersed in a hydrophobic organic solvent. However, when they are mixed with water, they do not have sufficient stability.
For such nanoparticles prepared in an organic solvent, hydrophobic properties of the surface of the nanoparticles may obscure stable dispersion of the nanoparticles in water, thus causing a problem for use in biomedical applications. Therefore, in order to use the nanoparticles in the foregoing applications, there is a need to develop a biocompatible dispersion stabilizer that reforms (or modifies) the surface of the nanoparticles in order to have hydrophilic properties and ensures a suitable condition so as to be homogeneously dispersed in an aqueous medium. In addition, development of a nanoparticle dispersion stabilizer that is prepared using the biocompatible dispersion stabilizer described above, wherein the dispersion state is stably maintained in an aqueous system, is also required.
Among methods for dispersing nanoparticles in an aqueous system according to techniques in the related art, use of a thin silica layer has currently been disclosed in the Journal of American Chemical Society, 2005, 127, 4990. According to the foregoing article, polyoxyethylene nonylphenylether is introduced to a cyclohexane solution and mixed with the same to form micro-micelle emulsion drops. Next, a sol-gel reaction of tetraethyl ortho-silicate (TEOS) is induced and nanoparticles are coated with a silica layer and dispersed in water. The above document described a process of coating the outer side of the nanoparticles with a hydrophilic silica layer to disperse the nanoparticles in water, wherein the nanoparticles were prepared in an organic solvent. In this case, the silica coating method using micro-emulsion entails a problem in that, since an amount of nanoparticles to be coated at just one time is very small, an amount of nanoparticle dispersion in an aqueous system manufactured in a single process is also greatly reduced. Moreover, according to the amount of nanoparticle colloids manufactured in the single process or an amount of polyoxyethylene nonylphenylether, conditions of the micro-emulsion are altered. Therefore, there are difficulties in finely regulating a desired thickness of a silica layer, and attaining uniformity of the coated particles since the number of nanoparticles contained in the silica layer is altered. In the case where nanoparticles are stabilized by a silica layer, the foregoing techniques in the related art entail problems in that silane functional groups on the surface of the silica are not sufficiently stable but react to one another, therefore, the nanoparticles coated with the silica and dispersed in water were combined and became agglomerated over time. As a result, it was difficult to ensure storage stability of the dispersion over a long period of time.
In recent years, a method for dispersing nanoparticles in water using a polymer composed of phosphine oxide and polyethyleneglycol has been disclosed in the Journal of America Chemical Society (2005, 127, 4556). More particularly, the foregoing article described a nanoparticle dispersing method wherein, after reacting polyethyleneglycol with 1,2-bis(dichlorophosphino)ethane to synthesize a polymer having polyethyleneglycols bonded together, the polymer is subjected to a ligand exchange reaction with nanoparticles dispersed in a hydrophobic solvent, thereby enabling dispersion stabilization of the nanoparticles and uniformly dispersing the same in water. The disclosed method uses a simple preparation method and utilizes ligand exchange to disperse nanoparticles in water. However, since phosphorus atom (P) is likely to oxidize and become a phosphoryl group, a coating polymer must be synthesized in an inert atmosphere using nitrogen or argon. Further, since the polymer is in a cross-linked state, a problem in introducing a functional group to bond functional ligands in vivo such as DNA, RNA, a monoclonal antibody or other functional proteins, still remains.
Scientists have recently conducted a number of studies upon mussels as a potential origin of bio-adhesives. Mussels generate and secrete a sticky material which is functionally differentiated to allow the mussels to be stationary or anchor in the water, in a marine environment having characteristics of salinity, humidity, tidal flow, turbulent flow, waves, etc. The mussel strongly adheres to the surface of a material in water, using threads composed of a fiber bundle secreted from legs thereof. At the end of each fiber, a plaque comprising a water-proof adhesive is present to allow the mussel to adhere to a wet solid surface. Such thread protein contains a large quantity of 3,4-dihydroxyphynyl-L-alanine (DOPA), which is an amino acid obtained by hydroxylation of tyrosine groups using a polyphenol oxidase. 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl (catechol) on a side branch of DOPA may create a very strong hydrogen bond with the hydrophilic surface and/or be strongly bonded with metal ions, metal oxides (Fe3+, Mn3+), semi-metal (silicon), or the like.

Biocompatible agent for dispersing nanoparticles into an aqueous medium using mussel adhesive protein-mimetic polymer


Described herein is an implementation that reduces the battery consumption of an energy-constrained computing device that is capable of communicating over a wireless network. As conditions and circumstances warrant, the implementation selects one of multiple radios (e.g., two)—with each having a unique combination of characteristics (in terms of power-consumption, data-rate, range and/or frequency band of operation) for wireless communications to and from a wireless device. The implementation selects one radio to minimize power-consumption while maintaining effective wireless data communication. This abstract itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. The scope of the present invention is pointed out in the appending claims.

Wireless computing devices, such as laptop computers, personal digital assistant devices, etc., which communicate with other devices through wireless signals, are becoming increasingly popular. Wireless computing devices are typically mobile and battery-powered. Since the battery capacity is limited, minimizing the energy consumption of a device in order to extend its operation time is an important consideration in the design of battery-operated wireless devices.
A particular component of a wireless device that consumes a significant amount of energy is the network interface card (NIC), which handles the wireless transmission and reception of network communication data. It has been estimated that, on average, about twenty percent of the total energy available to a wireless device is dissipated as a result of using the NIC, or other wireless network interfacing component.
This phenomenon is due to the fact that the NIC of the wireless device must be in a constant "listening" state in order to receive data via the network. As a result, the battery is used to power the device and the NIC even when no data is being received by or transmitted by the device. The NIC also consumes energy while transmitting and receiving messages. However, in typical use, it expends a significant amount of energy in idle mode while waiting for messages.
To improve the battery lifetime of conventional wireless devices, various schemes have been developed and implemented to reduce battery consumption.
One power management scheme often employed by wireless devices entails switching the NIC between different power states that have different energy consumption levels. Those states include a high-power state, in which the NIC is powered up to enable the transmission of network communication data, and a low-power state, in which the network interface card is put in a sleep mode.
When the NIC is in a low-power state, data transmissions can be significantly delayed while the NIC switches to the high-power state and attempts to reconnect to the network. Consequently, the delayed data has to be buffered until the NIC is ready for data communication. A significant amount of delayed network traffic data must be buffered if the interface network card is kept in the low-power state too often or for too long.

Energy-aware communications for a multi-radio system


Embodiments herein describe, when executing an average pooling operation in a neural network, scaling input operands before performing an accumulate operation. Performing average pooling in a neural network averages the values in each face of a 3D volume, thereby downsampling or subsampling the data. This can be performed by adding all the values in a face and then dividing the total accumulated value by the total values in the face. However, the order of operations in a multiply-accumulator (MAC) is reversed from the order of operations for performing average pooling. To more efficiently use the MAC, the order of operations when performing average pooling is reversed so that determining the average value for a face can be performed on a single MAC. To do so, the values in the face are first scaled by a multiplier before being summed by an accumulator.

A convolutional neural network (CNN) works on 3D volumes of data as a consequence of convolving a 2D input with a number of different 'filters' (also known as weights or parameters) and concatenating the result of these convolutions. Each filter is the result of training the network against a dataset, and through convolution, can extract features, such as edges, from a region of the input. A CNN processes an input color image with three channels (RGB). Equally, however, a CNN's input data could be single-channel like audio data, or a black and white 2D image. Performing convolution with multiple filters and then concatenating those results yields a 3D volume which could be processed further by subsequent layers. A pooling operation performs a form of downsampling/subsampling of a larger 3D volume to yield a 3D volume of reduced dimensions.
One pooling operation is average pooling where the values in each face (or 2D slice) of the 3D volume are averaged to yield a single result. For example, a 3D volume with a height, width, and depth of 7×7×1024 can be converted into a 1×1×1024 output vector (e.g., a one-dimensional vector). Stated differently, the 3D volume is converted into a vector of average values where each value is the average of the values in one face of the volume (where the volume has 1024 faces in the example). However, the algorithm for performing average pooling might not match the underlying hardware structure that generates the vector of average values.
In some implementations, average pooling is not performed over the full face of the 3D volume, but over a sub region, which results in an output 3D volume with the same or reduced dimensions (in the case of downsampling). For example, rather than averaging all the values in the face into one value, a 2×2 pooling region could be selected which is then swept through the 3D volume to generate a plurality of average values (one for each 2×2 subregion in the face) which reduces the height and width of the faces in the 3D volume.


Technology for an electronic device is described. The electronic device can include a fingerprint sensor, a heart rate sensor, and a controller. The controller can receive a fingerprint of a user captured using the fingerprint sensor. The controller can determine whether the fingerprint of the user matches a predefined fingerprint stored in a data store of the electronic device. The controller can receive heart rate information of the user captured using the heart rate sensor. The controller can determine whether the heart rate information is within a defined range. The controller can unlock the electronic device to allow the user to access the electronic device when the fingerprint of the user matches the predefined fingerprint stored in the data store and the heart rate information is within the defined range.

Device security or mobile device security has become an increasingly important aspect in mobile and personal computing. One particular concern is the security of personal and business information stored on mobile devices and other personal computing devices. To prevent unauthorized access to devices, a number of security measures can be incorporated into the device. For example, a device user can set a password or personal identification number (PIN) that is to be correctly entered in order to gain access to the device. If an unauthorized person gains possession of the device, most attempts of the unauthorized person to gain access to the device can be thwarted due to the device being password or PIN protected. Similarly, some devices include components that allow biometric identification of a user (e.g. via a finger print or facial recognition). In some cases, the user can enter their fingerprint in order to gain access to the device. When the device is fingerprint-protected, unauthorized persons can have difficulty gaining access to the device, thereby protecting data that is stored on the device.
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation on technology scope is thereby intended.


The invention relates to a super mini umbrella, which has a shorter length for facilitating carrying by people. The umbrella includes a shaft having its lowest tube with many impressions covered with glue to insert into a connector in a handle of the umbrella. A runner of the umbrella is thus capable of being moved around the connector when the umbrella is closed that can decrease the length of the closed umbrella perfectly.

As shown in FIG. 1, it shows a conventional mini umbrella, which is designed for facilitating carrying by people, in the event that it is so small when closed. The conventional umbrella includes an umbrella frame (1), a runner (2), and a shaft (3) having multiple tubes. The shaft (3) has its lowest tube (31) insert into a connector (41) in a handle (4) of the umbrella and a pin (42) is provided for connecting both together firmly.


A photoelectric conversion device includes a front electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer formed of a semiconductor material, a transparent conductive layer formed of a transparent conductive oxide, a back electrode formed of a metal material, and a conductive layer formed of a semiconductor material primarily of silicon and having a refractive index higher than the transparent conductive layer contactually sandwiched between the transparent conductive layer and the back electrode. The photoelectric conversion device exhibits a high photoelectric conversion efficiency by keeping low the electrical resistance between the semiconductor layer and the back electrode and by increasing reflectance for light having passed though the semiconductor layer.

In photoelectric conversion devices such as solar cells that convert sunlight and the like into electricity, a positive electrode and a negative electrode are formed on the respective sides of a semiconductor layer having a junction, and positive and negative carriers generated in the semiconductor layer are collected to the respective electrodes to output them outside. When light absorption of the semiconductor layer is low, light that is not converted into electricity passes through the semiconductor layer, resulting reduction in efficiency. Hence, the photoelectric conversion efficiency is improved by reflecting back to the semiconductor layer the light having been passed through. To reflect the light, the back electrode on the opposite side to incident sunlight with respect to the semiconductor layer is generally formed of a high reflective metal electrode. Furthermore, a transparent conductive layer is sometimes sandwiched between the semiconductor layer and the back electrode.
Patent Document 1 discloses a structure for enhancing efficiency of a thin-film silicon solar cell, in which a refractive-index adjusting layer, which is formed of a material having a refractive index smaller than the transparent conductive layer formed on the front side of the back electrode, is sandwiched between the back electrode and the transparent conductive layer. For example, when the transparent conductive layer is formed of a gallium-doped zinc oxide (GZO), a silicon dioxide (SiO2) layer is sandwiched between the back electrode formed of silver (Ag) and the transparent conductive layer, thus reducing light that penetrates into and is absorbed by the back electrode and improving the light reflectance of the back electrode.
Patent Document 2 discloses a solar cell that includes a front electrode layer, a back electrode layer, and deposited layers that are sandwiched between the front electrode layer and the back electrode layer, wherein the deposited layers include a first photoelectric conversion layer and a reflection layer that reflects toward the first photoelectric conversion layer a part of light having passed though the first photoelectric conversion layer. The reflection layer is formed of a low refractive-index layer containing a refractive-index adjusting material and a contact layer sandwiched between the low refractive-index layer and the first photoelectric conversion layer. The refractive-index adjusting material is formed of a material having a refractive index lower than the material that the contact layer is formed of, so that the refractive index of the low refractive-index layer is smaller than that of the contact layer. This enhances the reflectance to a level higher than that of a conventional reflection layer consisting primarily of ZnO.


The invention relates to a flexible floor for an intercommunication bellows between two cars which, while they are traveling in a straight line, move in a longitudinal direction, said floor presenting transverse undulations enabling it to follow the relative displacements of said cars as they are going around bends, while also enabling passengers to go between the cars by walking on the top face of the floor, said transverse undulations being reinforced by metal blades extending in a transverse direction of the floor, and said floor being provided with an elastomer reinforcement interposed between the blades of each pair of said metal blades. In the floor, said elastomer reinforcements are of substantially the same transverse dimension 2L0, and each of them is constituted by at least one elastomer block, and, for at least one pair of metal blades adjacent to a longitudinal end of the floor, the elastomer reinforcement interposed between said metal blades is made up of at least two blocks which are spaced apart from the longitudinal plane symmetry of the floor, which plane is parallel to said longitudinal direction.

Such a floor is known, for example, from European Patent EP 860 305 filed by Hutchinson on Feb. 16, 1998.
Such a floor has transverse undulations which are reinforced by metal blades, and, in addition, the bottom portion of the floor is itself reinforced by interposing elastomer reinforcements which are disposed between the metal reinforcing blades in the central portion of the floor that constitutes a gangway zone. On the top face of the floor, or of the mat covering the floor, said gangway zone is plane and marked with tread in relief.
Each gap between the blades thus receives a reinforcement of width that is at a minimum in the middle of the floor, and that increases progressively going towards the longitudinal edges of the floor that are secured to the bodies of respective cars once the support has been assembled.
Such known reinforcements essentially suffer from the drawback of not making it possible to optimize the distribution of the displacements while the cars are moving in configurations corresponding to a tight bend followed by a bend back the other way, in which configurations the longitudinal axes of the cars remain parallel, but are offset transversely, with a fan-type deployment through a total pivot angle αM.

Floor for an intercommunication bellows between two cars


A privacy protection system in which a user accesses via his/her personal computer (10) one or more web service providers (14, 16, 18) provides a trusted area (20) which includes storage memory (22) in which the user's profile is stored. The memory (22) is connected to fake identity generator (24) designed to generate a plurality of fake user identities (26a to 26c) and to transmit these to the service providers (14 to 18). The trusted area (20) also includes a response analyzer (30) for analyzing the responses (28a to 28c) generated by the service providers (14 to 18). From the responses the response analyzer generates the correct response, or an approximation of the correct response, for the user's true identity The system provides for obtaining personalized responses form service providers but without revealing the user's true identity.

It is the desire of service providers to be able to personalise data for users, in order to supply data appropriate for the user, for marketing purposes and the like. In order to be able to achieve this, service providers typically store user data in a user profile. Such data includes, for example, the user's name, address, income details, job details, transaction histories and so on. An example of this is shown in FIG. 1, in which user or client 10 communicates with a third party service provider 12 over the Internet. The service provider 12 includes a processor unit 14 and a database 16 in which the client's details are stored substantially permanently. In practice, as is well known, the service provider 12 may communicate with numerous other data providers (not shown in FIG. 1), which may or may not be part of the same organisation.
Generally, such data should be protected by the service provider and there are policies such as P3P and SAML to do just this. However, not all service providers honour such privacy policies and even when they do there are risks associated with theft of the service provider's data through hacking and by employees. Moreover, there are occasions where a user does not want to disclose certain data to a third party service provider but nevertheless wishes to receive data related to his/her preferences or other personal characteristics. The problem is compounded with the fact that many web sites are not secure and are actually monitored or provided by separate entities, often without the user's knowledge. These other entities can be associated companies, advertisers and so on. Furthermore, even if a company can only obtain a part of a user's profile from one source, software and tracking are sufficiently advanced that such entities are able to aggregate partial data to reconstruct a user's profile from separate sources, again without the user's knowledge.
A prior art solution to this problem involves locating on a user's device (computer, mobile telephone, PDA and so on) a service provider private agent which stores the user's profile within the user's device and transmits unpersonalised requests to the service provider. In response, the service provider returns unpersonalised data which is then analysed by the private agent to personalise that data. An example of such a system is shown in FIG. 2, in which a client device 10′ is protected by a firewall 20 of conventional type and stores its private profile in memory 22. Within the client device 10′ there is also provided the service provider private agent 24 which is associated with the external service provider 12′ in so far as it is set up to receive and analyse unpersonalised responses sent by the service provider 12′ to unpersonalised requests sent by the client device 10′. For this purpose, the service provider 12′ can access public or semi-private data providers 26 to obtain data for the client 10′.
Although such a system can keep a user's data private, it requires co-operation from the service providers in order to work. This therefore makes it of limited practical use.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A transmitter includes first to third power supply terminals, a first buffer that is electrically coupled between the first power supply terminal and the second power supply terminal and buffers and outputs a first input signal, and a second buffer that is electrically coupled between the second power supply terminal and the third power supply terminal and buffers and outputs a second input signal that is in a differential relation to the first input signal.

1. Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a semiconductor design technology, and more particularly, to a transmitter/receiver that supports differential signaling.
2. Description of the Related Art
Communication systems transmit, receive, store, and search a great amount of data. In complicated systems, transmitters/receivers (Tx/Rx) used for data transmission between integrated circuits (ICs) should perform a high speed operation while supporting various signaling schemes, generate minimum noise, be tolerant to interference, consume low power, and occupy a minimum area on an IC.
Transmitters/receivers according to the conventional art typically support only one signal type, that is, single-ended signaling.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating a transmitter/receiver using a single-ended signaling scheme according to the conventional art.
Referring to FIG. 1, a transmitter 110 and a receiver 120 may include buffers 111 and 121, respectively. The receiver 120 physically uses the same reference signal Vref in receiving a signal OUT outputted from the transmitter 110. Therefore, when the transmitter 110 transmits N signals, since N+1 signal lines (N receiving lines+one reference signal line) are necessary, the cost for circuit configuration is low. However, a concern exists in that the receiver 120 is sensitive to noise.
To resolve this concern of the single-ended signaling scheme, a differential signaling scheme is used.
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram illustrating a transmitter/receiver using a differential signaling scheme according to the conventional art.
Referring to FIG. 2, a transmitter 210 terminates differential signals D and DB to a first power supply terminal VDD or a second power supply terminal VSS through a buffer 211, and outputs signals OUT and OUTB. Accordingly, a receiver 220 may operate by receiving (IN and INB) which are the differential signals OUT and OUTB outputted from the transmitter 210.
As described above, in the differential signaling scheme when N signals are transmitted/received, signals having phases opposite to those of the N signals are sent together with the N signals, therefore signal lines increase by a factor of two. Furthermore since the difference between the two signals is constant, electromagnetic interference to the signals is reduced when the signals are toggled, so that the differential signaling scheme is advantageous in high speed transmission. However, since two signals having opposite phases are terminated a the first power supply terminal VDD or the second power supply terminal VSS, current is always consumed regardless of signal phase.

Transmitter/receiver for supporting differential signaling and semiconductor transmitter/receiver system including the same


A master slave storage circuit can include a first master portion coupled to a first master data storage node and a first slave portion coupled to a first slave data storage node. The first master portion can comprise one of a first master latch or a first master capacitive element coupled to the first master data storage node and the first slave portion comprises one of a first slave latch or a first slave capacitive element coupled to the first slave data storage node. If the first master portion comprises the first master latch, the first slave portion comprises the first slave capacitive element, and if the first master portion comprises the first master capacitive element, the first slave portion comprises the first slave latch.

Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates in general to semiconductor devices, and more specifically to capacitive storage for latch redundancy.
Description of the Related Art
As transistors dimensions shrink to enable smaller electronic devices, the possibility of failures induced by soft errors and/or single event upset (SEU) increases. SEU can occur, for example, when external energy (such as energy due to radiation particle bombardment) is imparted onto the circuit, causing values in a latch, memory, voltage detectors and/or other devices, to change to erroneous values. Therefore, as device geometries continue to shrink, redundancy becomes increasingly important. Additionally, it is important to reduce power and area consumed by redundant circuitry so that energy costs are reduced and portable devices can be made smaller and operate for longer time periods between battery recharges.

Devices and methods with capacitive storage for latch redundancy


A method of producing a device initially includes providing a component. The component includes a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, a first contact formed on the first surface, a second contact formed on the second surface, and an electrical circuit disposed between the first contact and the second contact. The component further includes a conductive connection between the first contact on the first surface of the component and the second surface of the component. A first conductive layer serving as the pad of the device is formed on the second surface of the component such that same is in contact with the conductive connection.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and to a method for manufacturing the same, and here, in particular, to a device with pads enabling good contacting with lead wires.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the prior art, there is the tendency to shrink or to miniaturize components and electric circuits further and further, so that for example on a single wafer or substrate a multiplicity of components are manufactured in high density, which are subsequently diced for further use.
The advantage of this miniaturization consists in that on the one hand the room occupied by the components may be reduced in other components, and, which is also very substantial, a multiplicity of such components can be manufactured in a single substrate, so that the resources required for the manufacture are taken advantage of more and more optimally. For one substrate, now a multiplicity of components is obtained, so that by employment of the same amount of material, increased yield may be obtained, so that the overall costs for each individual component are reduced with regard to the substrate material used corresponding to the room occupied by the component.
One problem that is encountered with this progressive miniaturization consists in that also the available contact areas for the connection of the device become smaller as the device is shrinking. For example, the available contact area in such miniaturized devices does not permit sufficient mechanical strength for the connection to lead wires or other connection locations, so that a reduced connection reliability results, in particular when lead wires are used.
An example for the solution of these problems is described in the post-published German patent application DE 103 56 367 A, in which small components are introduced into a support element such that opposing pads thereof are arranged on an upper side and a lower side of the support, respectively, which are again covered with a conductive layer, so that an enlargement of the effective pad results. This procedure is advantageous for such components, in which the components have contact areas extending across the side faces thereof, so that in a vertical arrangement thereof the corresponding pads face the upper side and the lower side of the support in a recess of the support. This procedure for the enlargement of the contact pad, however, is not suited for components in which the contact areas are arranged on a common surface.
On the basis of FIG. 1, such a conventional component is described in greater detail, which is for example a sensor chip. This component includes a substrate 100, for example a ceramic substrate. On an upper surface 102 of the ceramic substrate 100, a metal layer 104, for example a platinum film, is formed. The sensor chip includes a first contact area 106 and a second contact area 108, between which a structured platinum film 110 is arranged, for example in meander-shaped manner. Contact reinforcements 112 and 114 of conductive material are each arranged on the contact areas 106 and 108. In the example shown in FIG. 1 of a conventional temperature measurement sensor, the measurement film 110 is protected by a glaze layer 116 arranged between the contact reinforcements 112 and 114.
As can be seen, the contact areas 112, 114 are relatively small as compared with the overall dimension of the element, and with increasing miniaturization of the overall element, here also the available contact area for connection to lead wires or the like is reduced, so that here the above-mentioned problems in connection with the quality of the terminal connection arise.

Device and method for manufacturing the same


A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a substrate and forming a projecting alignment mark. The substrate includes an insulating layer and a semiconductor layer on the insulating layer, and the substrate includes device areas and a scribe line area which surrounds the device area in the semiconductor layer. The projecting alignment mark is formed on the scribe line area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device which has an alignment mark.
2. Description of the Related Art
A photolithography method is commonly used for manufacturing a semiconductor device. In the photolithography method, a photoresist which is formed on a semiconductor wafer is exposed by using a photomask and developed for forming a circuit pattern. Then, a layer which is located under the photoresist is etched.
For example, a photomask may include a glass substrate and a circuit pattern of chrome which is formed on the glass substrate.
In the exposing step, the photomask must be aligned with the semiconductor wafer correctly. Alignment marks which are formed in the photomask and in the wafer are used for the alignment. The alignment mark which is formed in the photomask is aligned with the alignment mark which is formed in the semiconductor wafer, before performing the exposing step. The position of the alignment mark of the semiconductor wafer is detected by using a light that is reflected or diffracted from the alignment mark of the wafer. The reflected light or the diffracted light is made by emitting a light onto the alignment mark of the semiconductor wafer.
An alignment mark structure having a concave portion or a convex portion that is formed in a semiconductor wafer is disclosed in reference 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-128118.
An alignment mark structure having a convex portion which is formed in a semiconductor wafer, and having a light shielding film formed on the convex portion, is disclosed in reference 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-308916.
Recently, SOI(Silicon on Insulator) devices have been used for obtaining high performance semiconductor devices. An SOI device includes a silicon substrate, an insulating layer on the silicon substrate, and a thin silicon layer on the insulating layer. Circuit elements are formed in the thin silicon layer. SOI devices having high-speed operation and low power consumption can be obtained.
An alignment mark structure for an SOI device is disclosed in reference 3: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-307999. The alignment mark which is disclosed in reference 3 is silicon dioxide which is embedded in the thin silicon layer.
Also, an alignment mark structure for an SOI device is disclosed in reference 4: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-353120. The alignment mark which is disclosed in reference 4 is a concave portion which penetrates to the silicon substrate.
Recently however, a thickness of the thin silicon layer has been reduced for inhibiting a short channel effect of a transistor which is formed in the SOI substrate. As a result, a depth of an alignment mark which is formed in the thin silicon layer is not enough for detecting. Also, the alignment mark which is formed in the thin silicon layer might be removed in a manufacturing step.

Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having an alignment mark


This disclosure discloses a printer comprising a feeder, a printing head, a substantially cuboid-like shaped housing, a touch panel, and a cover. The printing head performs desired printing on a print-receiving medium fed by the feeder. The touch panel is capable of executing desired operation input. The cover is provided to the housing or the touch panel. The cover comprises a plurality of locking hooks. The plurality of locking hooks is provided to areas other than a center part of the cover along a longitudinal direction. The housing or the touch panel comprises a plurality of locked parts to which the plurality of locking hooks is respectively to be locked.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a printer that performs printing on a print-receiving medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are already known configurations of electronic devices that use a touch panel as operation device. In this prior art, an operator can perform desired operation input by touching a touch panel using a fingertip, etc., from above. At this time, a cover (holding plate) is disposed so as to overlap the touch panel in an up-down direction.
On the other hand, there are known printers that form desired print on a print-receiving medium. Normally, the printer is provided with feeder configured to feed the print-receiving medium and printing head configured to perform desired printing on the print-receiving medium thus fed, in the interior of a housing with a substantially cuboid-like shape, for example. Further, operation device for performing operations related to the print contents by the printing head and other action is provided to the housing.
Hence, the touch panel of the prior art described above can be conceivably applied to the printer to provide a touch panel to the upper part of housing with a substantially cuboid-like shape. In this case, the cover is provided to the housing (or the touch panel) so as to cover the touch panel from above.
Hence, as a form of usage of the printer, the operator may grip the overall apparatus by hand from above to carry the apparatus, for example. In a case where the cover is provided to the upper part of the housing as described above, a way to ensure that the cover does not mistakenly come off when the printer is carried by the operator, even if it is assumed that the operator grips the cover, needs to be devised.