A rinsing solution for lithography which comprises a homogeneous solution of a water-soluble organic solvent and water. The water-soluble organic solvent may be any water-miscible organic solvent that have been used as solvents or rinsing solutions for resists or anti-reflective coatings. Preferred examples of the water-soluble organic solvent are a mixture of propylene glycol monoethyl ether and propylene glycol monometyl ether acetate, a mixture of propylene glycol monomethyl ether and propylene glycol monometyl ether acetate, and ethyl lactate. This rinsing solution is useful for dissolving away or stripping away cured or non-cured unnecessary resists, anti-reflective coatings, etc. from substrates such as in integrated circuit elements, color filters, liquid crystal display elements, etc. or from a resist-applying apparatus.

This invention relates to a rinsing solution for lithography and, more particularly, to a rinsing solution for lithography which is useful for dissolving away or stripping away cured or non-cured unnecessary resists, anti-reflective coatings, etc. from substrates such as in integrated circuit elements, color filters, liquid crystal display elements, etc. or from a resist-applying apparatus.
Lithographic technique has conventionally been employed for manufacturing integrated circuit elements, color filters, liquid crystal display elements, etc. In manufacturing integrated circuits or the like, a positive- or negative-working resist is applied onto a substrate directly or after forming thereon an anti-reflective coating and, after removing a solvent from the coated layer by baking, an anti-reflective coating is optionally formed on the resist film, patternwise exposure is conducted from the coated side using a radiation such as ultraviolet rays, deep ultraviolet rays, electron beams, X-rays, etc., and the exposed coat is subjected to developing procedure to form a resist pattern. The above-described procedure of coating a resist or the like is conducted by employing a known one selected from various known methods such as spin-coating, roller-coating, reverse roller-coating, cast coating, doctor coating, dip coating, etc. In manufacturing, for example, integrated circuit elements, spin coating method is mainly employed as a resist-coating method. In the spin-coating method, a resist-forming solution is dropped onto a substrate, the dropped resist solution is then cast toward the periphery of the substrate by rotation of the substrate, with excess resist-forming solution being scattered out of the periphery of substrate, thus a resist layer with a desired thickness being formed. In this procedure, however, there arises a problem that a part of the resist-forming solution runs to the backside of the substrate, or that the resist-forming solution remains in more thickness at the periphery of the substrate than in the rest of the substrate, which is called bead formation. So, it is necessary to remove unnecessary resist from the periphery or backside of the substrate or to remove the bead. The same applies to manufacture of color filters, liquid crystal display elements, etc. In other coating methods than the spin-coating method, too, a resist can adhere to unnecessary and undesirable portions as with the spin-coating method. In addition, with manufacture of integrated circuits using an anti-reflective coating between the substrate and the resist layer, the anti-reflective coating must be removed after formation of a pattern. On the other hand, the resist-forming solution adheres to the coating apparatus, and it must be washed prior to the next use thereof. A rinsing solution comprising an organic solvent has been considered preferable for removal or delamination of such resist or anti-reflective coating, prevention of bead formation and, further, washing of a coating apparatus, and hence rinsing solutions consisting of an organic solvent alone has been employed (for example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. H4-49938). These rinsing solutions are still required to acquire more improved solubilizing or stripping properties for a resist or an anti-reflective coating.
On the other hand, it has been proposed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos.H5-188598, H6-69120, H6-148896, etc. to form an anti-reflective coating from an aqueous solution and, in recent years, aqueous solutions have increasingly been used to form anti-reflective coating. It has also been desired to provide a rinsing solution which shows a preferable rinsing effect of shortening the time required for dissolving away the anti-reflective film formed from the aqueous solution and which further satisfies requirement for safety against fire and in handling. Conventional rinsing solutions, however, fail to completely satisfy these requirements.


The present disclosure provides a pixel circuit and a driving method thereof, and a display device. The pixel circuit includes: a data switching circuit configured to transmit a data voltage signal received from a data line in response to an on-signal; a data storage circuit configured to store the data voltage signal and output a first voltage and a second voltage according to the data voltage signal, wherein the first voltage is lower than the second voltage; a first light emitting circuit configured to emit light when turned on by a voltage difference between the first voltage and a power supply voltage; and a second light emitting circuit configured to emit light when turned on by a voltage difference between the second voltage and the power supply voltage.

The OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) pixel structure in related art may comprise two transistors (one switching transistor and one driving transistor) and one capacitor, etc. The function of the switching transistor is to write a data signal from a data line to the capacitor. The capacitor stores the data signal for controlling a gate voltage of the driving transistor, and the driving transistor controls a current flowing through an OLED.

Pixel circuit and driving method thereof, display device

Beijing BOE Display Technology Co., Ltd.


A BiCMOS amplifier provides full swing with fast transitions from V.sub.dd to V.sub.ss and from V.sub.ss to V.sub.dd, and therefore has important applications in low voltage BiCMOS VLSI circuits. A bipolar totem pole output transistor pair is connected between a supply voltage, V.sub.dd and ground, V.sub.ss. A fast output transition from V.sub.dd to V.sub.ss is accomplished by extending the conduction range of the pull down bipolar transistor. An n-channel MOSFET is fabricated to provide a 0 V.sub.t pass transistor. The pass transistor is coupled to a first of the bipolar output transistor pair, the pull up transistor, to inject carriers into the base of the output transistor and extend the transistor's conduction, such that the transistor provides a fast output upswing from V.sub.ss to V.sub.dd.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to electronic circuits. More particularly, the present invention relates to electronic amplifiers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Integrated circuits are typically fabricated in one of several different semiconductor technologies, such as bipolar, MOS, GaAs, etc. Each of these technologies offers well recognized design advantages. For example, bipolar devices are fast and capable of handling higher power levels, while MOS devices operate efficiently at low power levels.
Integrated circuit designers are increasingly exploiting the different advantages of each of these technologies by fabricating integrated circuits that include devices of more than one technology type on a common substrate. One such combination that is becoming increasingly important is that of bipolar and CMOS technologies, referred to as `BiCMOS`. For example, it is now common practice to produce BiCMOS amplifiers.
A BiCMOS amplifier typically includes an output stage, consisting of a pair of bipolar transistors arranged in a totem pole or push-pull configuration. That is, the emitters and collectors of the transistor pair are connected in series between a supply voltage and ground terminal, with an amplifier output connected to commonly connected emitter-collector terminals of the transistor pair. The bases of the transistor pair are connected to respond to an input signal, such that the transistor pair provides an output signal having a voltage that swings between a voltage slightly less than the supply voltage and slightly more than ground. This arrangement is best understood with reference to transistors 15 and 17, as shown in FIG. 1.
It is well recognized that a full swing between a supply voltage and ground at the amplifier output is not presently possible with an amplifier of the above design. For example, if V.sub.dd and V.sub.ss are the upper and lower rail voltages respectively, then the maximum available output voltage swing is between V.sub.dd- V.sub.be and V.sub.ss+ V.sub.be, where V.sub.be.apprxeq. 0.6 volts, i.e. V.sub.be= the base-emitter voltage of a bipolar transistor at the onset of conduction.
A less than full output voltage swing is not a critical problem when circuit devices are operated at higher voltages, such as 5 volts, where the devices are less sensitive to the small offsets in voltage swing that the devices themselves introduce. However, the clear trend is to produce smaller and faster devices that use less power and produce less heat. One way this is accomplished is by designing devices that operate at lower voltages, such as 4 volts, 3.3 volts, and even 2 volts. At such device operating voltages, the loss of any portion of the operating voltage swing due to the devices themselves is unacceptable.
A full swing between the supply voltage and ground can be achieved by adding MOS devices to the above amplifier circuit. The output waveform of this type of amplifier is characterized by a fast rise time from V.sub.ss to V.sub.dd- V.sub.be, followed by a slow rise to V.sub.dd. Similarly, a fast transition from V.sub.dd to V.sub.ss+ V.sub.be is followed by a slow tail to V.sub.ss. The steep part of this output waveform corresponds to the drive of the capacitive load by the bipolar transistors, while the slow tails result from the drive by MOS devices, which are much weaker than the bipolar transistors. Thus, although a full swing output signal may be achieved, response time is seriously degraded.
A more recent type of amplifier achieves a fast transition from V.sub.dd to V.sub.ss by extending the conduction range of the pull down bipolar transistor. However, the up-going transition is as described above, i.e. with a slow tail to V.sub.dd. See, for example, K. Yano, M. Hiraki, S. Shukuri, Y. Sawahata, M. Hirao, N. Ohki, T. Nishida, K. Seki, K; Shimohigashi, Quasi-Complementary BiCMOS for Sub-3-V Digital Circuits, 1991 Symposium on VLSI Circuits, The Japan Society of Applied Physics/The IEEE Solid-State Circuits Council (1991).
Until an amplifier having a fast response time and a full output swing from supply voltage (V.sub.dd) to ground (V.sub.ss), and from ground to supply voltage is available, the ability to produce useful BiCMOS integrated circuits having lower operating voltages will be limited.


An automatic in-feed conveyor system for use with an ice injector, having three sections of roller conveyors, a pallet shuttle, and sensors for detecting stacks of cartons and providing signals to a controller. The first conveyor section is a powered conveyor for receiving pallets loaded with cartons of produce. The second conveyor section positions a loaded pallet for insertion into the ice injector and supports the shuttle for inserting and retrieving the pallet into and out of the ice injector. The third conveyor is a discharge conveyor for moving the loaded pallet away from the ice injector. The second and third conveyors have catch basins for collecting the ice melt water from the loaded cartons and returning it to the ice injector.

It is well known in the art to preserve harvested produce with ice for the period of time the produce is en route from the field to the marketplace. It is also well known that the quality of the produce when it arrives at the marketplace is affected by the speed with which it is chilled out the outset from field temperature to the desired transportation and holding temperature.
The first use of icing as a means of preservation involved placing ice in each shipping container or box as it was filled, or later at a central point as the containers were readied for loading on the transport vehicle. This laborious manual procedure has been supplanted by an automated procedure which is capable of icing more than one container at a time.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,484,448 to Crabb describes an ice injector which is capable of accepting pallets loaded with a plurality of containers of produce and injecting a slurry of ice and water into all containers simultaneously. The patent teaches that the ice injector may be loaded, operated and unloaded in a few minutes, saving time over the previous practice of manually icing individual containers one at a time.
In the present market, the consumer chooses produce using both quality and price criteria. The quality is directly affected by the rapidity with which the produce is received in the marketplace after harvesting. Price is affected to a great extent by the economy with which the numerous required actions between harvesting and presentation to the consumer are performed.
The ice injector disclosed in the patent referred to above operates at a speed determined by the slowest step in the action sequence. Typically, loading and unloading are done with a folk lift which loads and unloads one pallet at a time from the ice injector. The icing step occurs at a set time period determined by the number of containers on the pallet and the size of the containers. This step is relatively inflexible and cannot be speeded up without endangering the produce within the containers, hereafter referred to as box. The slowest steps in the sequence, and those most likely to be improved, are the in-feed operation and the unloading step.
The ice injector is provided with means to capture and recycle excess chilled water that drains from the boxes on the pallet. However, the pallet is not permitted to remain in the ice injector for more time than is necessary to inject the ice water slurry into the boxes on the pallet. Consequently, as the pallet is removed from the ice injector, excess chilled water is still draining from the boxes and is not captured for recycling because it spills onto the ground and goes to waste. Collection and reuse of the excess chilled water would provide economies in the cost of the water and the cost of chilling it, but permitting the pallet to dwell in the ice injector until drainage is complete would take too much time.
The present invention provides a way to expedite the loading and unloading activities so that the ice injector may be operated at peak efficiency in time and energy consumption and provide nearly 100% water recycling.
The present invention also allows the use of multiple-pallet handling equipment for simultaneously loading or unloading of more than one pallet, further enhancing the system operating efficiency.

Automatic in-feed conveyor system for an ice injector system


Reverse-Rotation Displays produce unexpected motion. They are especially useful for teaching high school and college students principles of the physical sciences. In addition, these Displays can be used for commercial and noncommercial purposes. Another use involves the design of special purpose flywheels that are capable of storing energy and/or converting rotational speed. The Displays move in the forward direction because of a motor. They move in the reverse direction because of forces that come from magnets embedded in a Display, and the Earth's magnetic field.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to Reverse-Rotation Displays, and, more particularly, to Reverse-Rotation Displays that produce variable rotational speeds.
2. Prior Art
There is something very special about how the eyes and the brain perceive moving objects. Things that move always captivate us; they demand our attention. That's easy to see by watching a cat play with a ball. Motion, of all kinds, is used in a wide range of activities. However, the motion of interest here is rotational motion for education and certain other uses. Rotational motion, typically, has the advantage of being able to accomplish specific objectives in a limited space. Examples are easily seen in store windows where rotating displays are common.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,919,795 to Jinivisian et al. (1975) describes a motorized mobile for use over a child's bed or crib. That patent includes a motor for driving a mobile. The direction of rotation is determined by the construction of the mobile. Operation in the reverse direction is not possible.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,105 to Gregg (1993), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,798 to Brainard et al. (2001), use motors to rotate crystals to redirect sunlight within a room. These displays are used to entertain, or for aesthetic purposes. In both cases, the crystals always move in the direction that the motor turns. There are at least two ways to overcome this limitation; both would make the displays more expensive. First, provide the added feature that would allow the motor to reverse direction at regular intervals. Second, add a second display: one to rotate the crystals clockwise; one to rotate them counterclockwise. Its likely neither would be pragmatic.
Two U.S. patents issued to French, U.S. Pat. No. 6,853,283 (2005), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,937,125 (2005), involve self-powered spherical displays. Those patents show two concentric hollow spheres separated by a transparent fluid. The spheres define the inventions. The only external force tolerated by the inner sphere is a magnetic force. Mechanical contact, from outside the two concentric spheres, to the inner sphere, would throw the "self-powered moving display" into disorder. For example, if the inner sphere of one display was mechanically coupled to the inner sphere of another display, neither display would function.
Please Note: The term Display(s) is used throughout this application to mean Reverse-Rotation Display(s).


Provided is a transmitting terminal capable of sharing an encryption key among a number of specific apparatuses using fewer resources and securely. A transmitting terminal (400) has an inquiry ID generation unit (420) which embeds an encryption key in logical results of an XOR between an ID of a receiving terminal and random blocks according to predetermined key embedding rules in order to generate an inquiry ID. The key embedding rules are stipulations for inverting the values of bit positions corresponding to each bit value of the encryption key, in the block position correspondence relationships between the bit positions of the encryption key and the positions of the blocks into which the logical result of the XOR have been partitioned and the bit position correspondence relationships between the bit values of the encryption key and the bit positions within the blocks, which have been predefined.

There are numerous network systems, each including a specific large number of terminals and an apparatus that communicates with them. One such example is a sensor network with a huge number of sensors and an apparatus collecting data therefrom.
Such network systems generally have two requirements; first, they must provide secure communications; and second, there must be a lightweight encryption key sharing scheme and/or encryption scheme for the secure communications.
For example, the technology described in Patent Literature 1 (hereinafter called "conventional technology") is available. In the conventional technology, a bit sequence representing a terminal ID is divided into multiple blocks of a given bit size and then an encryption key fragment is assigned to each of all the values that can be represented by each block on a one-to-one basis. The correspondence relationship between the value that can be represented by each block and the corresponding encryption key fragment is pre-shared among terminals that share the encryption keys. Each terminal restores the encryption key from the terminal ID for an encryption process. In other words, the conventional technology retains the relationship between terminal identification and encryption keys in a hierarchical structure. This allows a specific large number of apparatuses to share encryption keys only by specifying terminal IDs, without transmission or reception of encryption keys.

Transmitting terminal, receiving terminal, ID numbering device, and key transmission method

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


An interior trim panel for a vehicle interior. The panel includes an air distributing member for distributing the air, a first air distribution channel for distributing the airflow from the air distributing member into the vehicle interior. A canopy is configured to partly cover an accessory arranged on the interior trim panel. Further, the interior trim panel includes a second air distribution channel configured in a gap formed between the canopy and the accessory for distributing the airflow from the air distributing member. Further, the air distributing from the second distribution channel is deviated towards the vehicle interior by a curved extension of the canopy.

Generally, interior trim panel such as instrument panel or door panel or central console with air distributing members (air vents) is provided in a vehicle interior for circulating air to the vehicle interior of a vehicle. These air distributing members are connected to an HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) unit through ducts arranged inside the vehicle. These interior trim panels may also provide with accessories such as a display, a music system or a speedometer or a glove box or such accessories, which provide a specific provision to passengers of the vehicle.
In existing vehicles, the air distributing channels are generally provided at the lower side of the accessories (display). When air is discharging from the air distributing members arranged on the interior trim panel, the air is directed towards the middle or lower portion of a backrest of the seat. So, the passenger resting on the seat could not be able to get air at his/her upper portion. Therefore, to provide airflow at a different position, separate air distributing channels needs to be configured in the interior trim panel. These air distributing channels consumes more space in the vehicle interiors. Also, user comfort with existing air distributing channels is less.
Some of the existing vehicles feature multiple air distributing channels arranged in multiple positions inside the vehicle interiors. But, the construction of these air distributing members, ducts connecting these channels to the HVAC unit of the vehicle is complex. Also, the user cannot be able to choose airflow from multiple channels selectively.
Furthermore, the existing air distributing channels includes tabs. These tabs accumulate dust. These tabs also configured as grids. These grids are complex in structure.
Therefore, there is a need for an interior trim panel, which overcomes few or all of the drawbacks of the existing air distributing systems.

Interior trim panel for a vehicle interior


A laminate type organic electrophotographic photoconductor uses a thick undercoating layer as an intermediate layer for reducing the influence of a conductive substrate on a charge generation layer. An organosilicon coupling agent is bonded to the surfaces of small particles of titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, aluminum oxide or cerium oxide, at an Existence Ratio represented by the peak intensity ratio (Si2p/Me2p, Me=Ti, Zr or Al) or (Si2p/Ce3d) of from 0.15 to 0.6 of a bonding energy spectrum measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The metal oxide small particles, the surfaces of which have been treated mechanochemically, are cleaned to reduce the ionic impurity concentration of the undercoating layer to below 1 ppm. The cleaned metal oxide small particles are dispersed into the polyamide copolymer binder resin for the undercoating layer. The undercoating layer produced in this manner results in a electrophotographic photoconductor whose electrical properties are constant despite environmental changes and repeated use. The electrophotographic photoconductor also resists residual potential rise after repeated use, and also resists image defect formation despite changes in environmental conditions and operating conditions.

The present invention relates to a laminate-type electrophotographic photoconductor which has an undercoating layer on an electrically conductive substrate and a photosensitive layer laminated on the undercoating layer. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electrophotographic photoconductor which has an improved undercoating layer and a method of manufacturing the improved photoconductor.
Electrophotographic photoconductors capable of rapidly producing high-resolution images are widely employed in copying machines, printers and facsimile machines. Many conventional photoconductors use photosensitive inorganic materials, such as selenium, selenium alloys, zinc oxide, and cadmium sulfide. Recently, photoconductors which use photosensitive organic materials have also been developed. These organic photoconductors provide the additional advantages of simple film formation, nontoxicity, light weight and other favorable characteristics. Among the organic photoconductors are the so-called laminate-type organic photoconductors, which include separate charge generation and charge transport layers. By properly choosing optimal material combinations for the layers, the sensitivity of the laminate-type organic photoconductor may be greatly improved. The laminate-type organic photoconductors also permit setting spectroscopic sensitivity at a desired wavelength of exposure light. Because of these and other features, laminate-type organic photoconductors have increasingly been used in electrophotographic apparatuses, such as copying machines, printers and facsimile machines.
Many of the laminate-type organic photoconductors now in practical use include a charge generation layer laminated on a conductive substrate and a charge transport layer laminated on the charge generation layer. The charge generation layer is formed by coating and drying a charge generation dispersion liquid onto a conductive substrate. The charge generation dispersion liquid consists of an organic solvent, into which an organic charge generating agent and a resin binder are dispersed. The charge transport layer is subsequently formed by coating and drying a charge transport dispersion liquid onto the charge generation layer. The charge transport dispersion liquid consists of an organic solvent into which an organic charge transport agent and a resin binder are dispersed.
The basic layer structure described above provides a photoconductor that exhibits the fundamental functions necessary for image formation. In practice, however, it is important to obtain high-quality, defect-free images, and it is also important to maintain high image quality after the photoconductor has been used repeatedly over long periods of time. To meet these requirements, the photosensitive layer must be homogeneous and free from defects. It is also important that the photoconductor exhibit excellent electrical properties. The film quality and electrical properties of the photoconductor should be stable enough to not deteriorate after the photoconductor has been used repeatedly over long periods of time.
The charge generation layer absorbs light to generate electric charge carriers, consisting of an electron and a hole. Since an electrostatic latent image should be formed on the surface of the photoconductor according to the applied field, the holes and the electrons must be quickly injected into the conductive substrate and the charge transport layer, respectively, before annihilation by recombination or trapping occurs in the charge generation layer. Therefore, the charge generation layer should be as thin as possible. The photoconductors now in practical use in electrophotographic apparatuses have charge generation layers as thin as several tenths of a micron or less. Since the charge generation layer must be such a thin film, dirt on the conductive substrate, nonuniformities in the shape and properties of the conductive substrate and surface roughness of the conductive substrate can result in a nonuniform charge generation layer. A nonuniform charge generation layer can result in image defects, such as voids, black spots and/or print density variations.
Usually, the conductive substrate is formed by drawing an aluminum alloy cylindrical tube. Alternatively, the conductive substrate may be formed by cutting and polishing the surface of an aluminum alloy cylindrical tube. In the aluminum alloy substrate, surface roughness differences, surface dirt, differences in the amount and size of the constituent metal precipitates, and uneven oxidation across the substrate surface may result in nonuniformity of the charge generation layer formed on the substrate surface. These nonuniformities in the charge generation layer may adversely affect the image quality.
To avoid nonuniformity in the charge generation layer, an intermediate layer (or undercoating layer) made of a resin with low electrical resistance is interposed between the substrate and the charge generation layer. The intermediate layer also creates a blocking effect that prevents hole injection from the conductive substrate, and thereby avoids diminution in the charge retention capability of the photoconductor.
Solvent-soluble polyamide, polyvinyl alcohol, poly(vinyl butyral), casein, and similar resins are used for the undercoating layer. A resin undercoating layer as thin as 0.1 .mu.m or less is sufficient to act only as a blocking layer. However, to smooth out variations in the surface profile and properties of the conductive substrate, to cover dirt on the conductive substrate, and to improve the wetness of the coating liquid for the charge generation layer and thereby avoid nonuniform formation of the charge generation layer, the undercoating layer should be as thick as 0.5 .mu.m or more. Depending on the preparation conditions of the substrate and the degree of contamination of the substrate surface, the undercoating layer may have to be as thick as 1 .mu.m or more. Such a thick resin layer made of the polyvinyl alcohol, solvent-soluble polyamide, or casein resins described above causes residual potential rise and change of the electrical properties of the photoconductor in extreme temperature and humidity environments. The residual potential rise and electrical property changes in turn cause image defects, such as residual images (called "memories") in a low temperature and low humidity environment, and minute black spots and voids in a high temperature and high humidity environment. The resins described above also absorb considerable amounts of water. Ion conduction by hydrogen ions and hydroxyl ions dissociated from the absorbed water are then responsible for most of the electrical conductance of the resins. Therefore, the electrical resistance of the resin layer could vary greatly, depending on the amount of water contained in the resin layer. This could produce further undesirable variations in image quality.
Various materials have been proposed to create a thick undercoating layer which has low electrical resistance, and which does not Vary with changes in the environmental conditions. The Japanese Unexamined Laid Open Patent Applications (hereinafter referred to as "JULOPA") Nos. H02-193152, H03-288157 and H04-31870 specify the chemical structure of a solvent-soluble polyamide resin. The Japanese Examined Patent Application (hereinafter referred to as "JEPA") No. H02-59458, and JULOPA Nos. H03-150572 and H02-53070 disclose additives that inhibit variations in the electrical resistance of the polyamide resin arising from changes in the environmental conditions. JULOPA Nos. H03-145652, H03-81778 and H02-281262 disclose mixtures of polyamide resin and other resins that allow adjustment of the electrical resistance of the resin, and thereby weaken the influence of environmental changes.
Other materials that may be used in place of polyamide resin include cellulose derivatives (JULOPA No. H02-238459), polyetherurethane (JULOPA Nos. H02-115858 and H02-280170), polyvinylpyrrolidone (JULOPA No. H02-105349) and polyglycolether (JULOPA No. H02-79859). Proposed crosslinked resins whose water content does not vary with changes in the environmental conditions include melamine resin (JULOPA No. H04-22966, and JEPA Nos. H04-31576 and H04-31577) and phenolic resin (JULOPA No. H03-48256).
However, the influences of temperature and humidity are unavoidable, so long as polyamide resins are used as a main constituent of the undercoating layer. Though the other materials mentioned above are effective if the resin layer is very thin, increases in the thickness of the resin layer cause increases in the electrical resistance of the photoconductor. Therefore, residual potential rise still occurs when the resin layer is as thick as several microns.

Electrophotographic photoconductor and method of manufacturing same


A resin sealing type semiconductor device capable of making a resin burr hard to occur when formed by molds and of restraining cracks in solder, is actualized by providing a stepped portion on a resin sealing body for covering a circuit forming surface of a semiconductor chip, making leads exposed from this exposed surface and joining solder bumps to the leads.

The present invention relates generally to a semiconductor device and, more particularly, to a structure of the semiconductor device of a resin sealing type known as a chip scale package in which leads are provided within a size of a semiconductor chip.
With advancements of an IC card (an integrated circuit) and a memory card, semiconductor devices incorporated into these cards have been required to be reduced both in thickness and in size. A chip scale package has been developed to meet those demands, and is contrived to downsize the whole by accommodating leads connected to a circuit forming surface of a semiconductor chip within a size of the chip as well as to reduce the thickness by forming a sealing resin layer in such a form that a reverse surface to the circuit forming surface is exposed.
FIGS. 6a and 6b are structural views illustrating a resin sealing type semiconductor device of the prior art chip scale package. FIG. 6a is a perspective view showing an external appearance thereof. FIG. 6b is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line A--A in FIG. 6a. This semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip 1, and a plurality of electrodes 2 are formed at a central portion of a circuit forming surface 1a serving as one surface thereof.
A lead 4 is a thin metal plate crooked at two points. The lead 4 has a electrode connecting portion 4a bonded to the circuit forming surface 1a at the central portion of the circuit forming surface 1a through an adhesive tape 3 exhibiting an insulating property, an external connecting portion 4b formed with a step substantially in parallel to the connecting portion 4a, and an inclined middle portion 4c for connecting the electrode connecting portion 4a to the external connecting portion 4b. The electrode connecting portion 4a of the lead 4 is electrically connected to the electrode 2 via a metal wire 5. The external connecting portion 4b is disposed at a predetermined interval with respect to the circuit forming surface 1a.
The circuit forming surface 1a of the semiconductor chip 1 and the peripheral side surface are sealed with a sealing resin layer 6 formed by molding in a state where only the external connecting portion 4b of the lead 4 is exposed. On the other hand, a reverse surface 1b opposite to the circuit forming surface 1a of the semiconductor chip 1 is not covered with the sealing resin layer 6 and is in a state of being exposed.
The thus constructed semiconductor device is manufactured by, e.g., the following processes.
To start with, the lead 4 of a molded lead frame is bonded to the circuit forming surface 1a of the semiconductor chip 1 by use of the adhesive tape 3, and thereafter the electrode connecting portion 4a of this lead 4 is electrically connected to the electrode 2 on the semiconductor chip 1 through bonding of the metal wire 5. The electrode connecting portion 4a is silver-plated for wire bonding when manufacturing the lead frame.
Next, the semiconductor chip 1 is mounted into a bottom mold for molding in such a state that the lead frame is bonded. At this time, the semiconductor chip 1 is mounted so that the reverse surface 1b of the semiconductor chip 1 comes into contact with a bottom portion of the bottom mold for molding while a frame member of the lead frame is positioned in a predetermined place in a frame of the bottom mold. Further, the bottom mold into which the semiconductor chip 1 is mounted, is covered with a top mold paired with this bottom mold, and a liquid mold resin is poured into the molds from a gate.
After the mold resin has been hardened, the semiconductor chip molded by the sealing resin layer 6 is taken out of the molds, and an unnecessary portion of the lead frame is cut off. Then, the external connecting portion 4b of the lead 4 is silver-plated for soldering, thus completing the semiconductor device.
When the thus constructed semiconductor device is packaged on the printed-circuit board, cream solder is coated by screen printing etc over a foot print on a parts mounting surface of the printed-circuit board. Then, the semiconductor device is mounted so that the external connecting portion 4b of the lead 4 comes into contact with an upper area of the cream solder. The mounted semiconductor device is put into a reflow device and heated at approximately 300.degree. C. enough to melt the cream solder, thereby soldering the semiconductor device to the printed-circuit board.
There arise, however, mainly two problems, as shown in FIGS. 7a and 7b, inherent in the conventional resin sealing type semiconductor device. A first problem is that the mold resin is forced out onto a part of the external connecting portion 4b of the lead 4 of the semiconductor device when in the molding process, resulting in a production of a so-called resin burr 7 illustrated in a perspective view of FIG. 7a. When the lead frame is mounted into the molds, the external connecting portion 4b of the lead 4 comes into a state of floating within a cavity, and there is no contrivance to press it against an internal upper surface of the top mold. Therefore, an adhesion to the top mold is weak, and there might be a high possibility in which the mold resin poured into the molds permeates between the external connecting portion 4b and the internal upper surface of the top mold, thereby producing the resin burr 7. The resin burr 7 hinders the semiconductor device from being soldered to the printed-circuit board, and hence there is a necessity for removing the resin burr 7 by a contrivance such as, e.g., flushing the burrs away by high-pressure water before being packaged on the printed-circuit board. This conduces to a problem of increasing the number of processes therefor.
Moreover, concomitantly with the first problem, the prior art resin sealing type semiconductor device has a problem of requiring two plating processes with respect to the lead 4 before and after forming the sealing resin layer 6. More specifically, if the resin burr 7 is produced, as described above, the process of removing this burr is needed, and hence the silver plating for soldering, which is effected on the external connecting portion 4b, is required to be executed after the process of removing the resin burr 7. While on the other hand, it is required that the silver plating for wire bonding with respect to the electrode connecting portion 4a be executed when manufacturing the lead frame.
A second problem is that a crack 11 tends to be caused in the solder 10 for a connection to a foot print 9 on a printed-circuit board 8 as illustrated in FIG. 7b showing a packaged state of the semiconductor device on the printed-circuit board. The crack is derived from a brittle fracture in the solder 10, which is caused in such a process that if used in an environment where the temperature fluctuates wildly after being packaged on the printed-circuit board, or when cooled down to a normal temperature after being heated by the reflow device, a stress is applied upon the solder 10 due to a difference in terms of thermal expansion coefficient between the sealing resin layer 6 and the printed-circuit board 8. If the crack 11 is produced in the solder 10, there arises a problem in which a mechanical connecting strength between the printed-circuit board 8 and the semiconductor device decreases, and the electrical connection becomes unstable.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention, which was contrived in view of the above problems inherent in the prior art, to provide a resin sealing type semiconductor device capable of making a resin burr hard to occur when in a molding process and preventing cracks from being produced in solder.


A non-silyated, ternary boron nitride film (18, 38) is provided for semiconductor device applications. The non-silyated, ternary boron nitride film is preferably formed by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition using non-silyated compounds of boron, nitrogen, and either oxygen, germanium, germanium oxide, fluorine, or carbon. In one embodiment, boron oxynitride (BNO) is deposited in a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition reactor using ammonia (NH.sub.3), diborane (B.sub.2 H.sub.6), and nitrous oxide (N.sub.2 O). The BNO film has a dielectric constant of about 3.3 and exhibits a negligible removal rate in a commercial polishing apparatus. Because of its low dielectric constant and high hardness, the ternary boron nitride film formed in accordance with the invention can be advantageously used as a polish-stop layer and as a interlevel dielectric layer in a semiconductor device.

Recently, boron nitride (BN) films have found increasing application in semiconductor devices. For example, boron nitride films have been recognized as useful for dielectric isolation in integrated circuits where excessive signal propagation delay is caused by stray capacitance between adjacent electrically conductive leads. Boron nitride has a low dielectric constant relative to other commonly used insulators, such as silicon nitride and silicon dioxide. In addition, boron nitride exhibits high hardness. The high hardness of a boron nitride film enables it to be used as a polish-stop layer for a polish planarization process.
Although BN possesses many desirable characteristics, under certain conditions it can absorb moisture, which changes its physical and electrical properties. Additionally, unless care is taken during the deposition process to insure that a specific microstructure is formed, the BN film is somewhat brittle. In an effort to further enhance the utility of BN as a dielectric material, and to increase the toughness of BN, silicon has been added to boron nitride to form silicon boron nitride (SiBN). The addition of silicon to BN increase the durability and reduces water absorption characteristics of the film by stabilizing the microstructure of the BN during deposition. The actual structure of the film is a composite of silicon nitride and boron nitride. The low dielectric constant and film durability makes SiBN a useful interlevel dielectric material.
While the addition of silicon to BN yields improved film characteristics, advanced VLSI integrated circuits require dielectric films having even lower dielectric constants than that provided by SiBN. To further reduce the dielectric constant of SiBN, oxygen can be added to the SiBN film. An oxygen-doped SiBN film has a lower dielectric constant than undoped SiBN. Although a reduction in the dielectric constant is obtained with the addition of silicon to a BN film and a further reduction is observed with the addition of oxygen to SiBN, the addition of many elements makes the film deposition process more complex. For example, for each additional element, a source must be provided and a new set of optimum deposition conditions must be ascertained. Moreover, as the number of elements in the film increases, the control of the microstructure during film deposition becomes more difficult. In view of the advantages inherent in the use of BN as a thin-film in semiconductor devices, further development work is necessary to provide a high-quality BN film and deposition method.

Semiconductor device having a ternary boron nitride film and a method for forming the same


Grooves as ball rolling grooves are formed in a side peripheral wall of a preparatory formed body that is to be an inner member. A recess opened so as to be continuous to curved bottom sections of the grooves, which face a through-hole, is formed in one end surface of the preparatory formed body. In carburizing, carburizing gas entering into space between the through-hole and a support shaft member flows through the recess after coming into contact with inner teeth, and is then discharged to the outside of the preparatory formed body via the curved bottom sections of the grooves. On the contrary, the carburizing gas having been in contact with the curved bottom sections of the grooves flows through the recess to come to be in contact with the inner teeth and is then discharged through the space.

When a member made of metal is subjected to a hardening treatment, the carburizing treatment, in which carbon is diffused into the surface layer portion to provide a hardened layer at the surface layer portion, has been hitherto widely carried out. For example, in the case of an inner member for constructing a Birfield type constant velocity universal joint, the carburizing treatment is applied to an internal spline formed on an inner circumferential wall of a through-hole.
When the carburizing treatment is applied to such an inner member, it is necessary to avoid forming a hardened layer having an excess thickness on the internal spline, for the following reason. That is, the toughness is lowered, and thus the crack tends to appear, because the hardness of the internal spline is unnecessarily increased.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2-298249 proposes application of an anti-carburization agent to an internal spline, and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 6-2102 proposes to apply an anti-carburization treatment such as nickel plating. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 4-263060 and 60-103123 disclose that an internal spline is surrounded by a seal or a spacer in order to regulate the degree of formation of the hardened layer.
When the carburization-preventive agent is used, it is necessary that the carburization-preventive agent is exfoliated and removed from the inner member after applying the carburizing treatment, which is complicated. Further, it is impossible to adjust the depth of the hardened layer.
When the seal or the spacer is used, it is necessary for the operator to manually install the seal, the spacer or the like. Therefore, it is time consuming, and hence the production efficiency is lowered.
The present applicant has proposed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 9-324257 that a support shaft member, which is composed of, for example, a pipe standing on a frame, is inserted into through-holes of a plurality of inner members so that the plurality of inner members are successively stacked. While maintaining a constant annular gap between the inner circumferential surfaces of the inner members and the outer circumferential surface of the support shaft member, the carburizing gas is supplied to the gap. Accordingly, the depth of the hardened layer formed on the inner circumferential surface of the inner member is substantially uniform. Further, the hardened layer formed on the inner circumferential surface is shallower than the hardened layer formed on the outer circumferential surface.
In this procedure, the end surfaces of the inner members are stacked while making close contact with each other. Therefore, the carburizing agent (gas) does not leak or leaks very little from the space between the inner members adjoining vertically. Accordingly, the carburizing agent contacts only the exposed surfaces of the stacked inner members, i.e., the two portions of the lower end surface of the lowermost inner member disposed just above the frame and the upper end surface of the inner member stacked at the uppermost position. Therefore, it is not easy to apply the carburizing treatment to the respective end surfaces of all of the stacked inner members.
Further, the hardened layer is formed on only one end surface of each of the inner members disposed at the lowermost and uppermost positions as described above. This sometimes causes the relatively large difference in the hardening strain in each of the inner members disposed at the lowermost and uppermost positions as shown in FIG. 9. In such a situation, it is difficult to maintain the dimensional accuracy of the inner member as well as that of the internal spline. In particular, when the inner member is made of high strength steel, for example, boron steel in which the crystal grain boundary is reinforced by elemental addition, a large hardening strain difference causes, because the structure sensitivity of the high strength steel is higher than that of a general case hardening steel such as SCM steel (see FIG. 9). SCM steel is an alloy steel for machine structural use which is defined by the Japanese Industrial Standards. The numerical values shown in FIG. 9 represent the results obtained on condition that the number of stacked inner members is five. In the column of the "stacked position, " "1", indicates the inner member disposed at the uppermost position, "3" indicates the inner member disposed at the middle position, and "5" indicates the inner member disposed at the lowermost position. "2" and "4" indicate the inner members interposed between "1" and "3" and between "3" and "5," respectively. The hardening strain difference is dimensional difference before and after the hardening treatment at the identical portion of each of the inner members. Each inner member is measured at a position corresponding to measured positions in other inner members.

Member with inner teeth and method of producing the same


In a storage system in which: LSW 110 is a local switch, GSW 115 is a global switch, and 21 is a global shared memory unit; when a host computer 3 makes a data read request to a disk control cluster 1-1, a channel interface unit 11 accesses to a local shared memory unit 22 via the LSW 110, and if the data exists in the disk control cluster 1-1, the channel interface unit 11 read the data from the local shared memory unit 22 or the disk drive 2 so as to transfer to the host computer 3. If the data is not in the disk control cluster 1-1, the channel interface unit 11 accesses to the global shared memory unit 21, check a disk control cluster with the requested data stored therein, obtains the requested data from the disk control cluster where the requested data is stored, and transfer the data to the host computer 3. This provides a storage system with a configuration of a desirable scalability and with architecture for high reliability and high performance of the disk control clusters that can deal with a wide range of configurations from a small-scale configuration to a super huge configuration

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a storage system for storing data in a plurality of disk drives and disk conclusters composing the storage system.
2. Description of Related Art
I/O performance of a main memory of a computer having a semiconductor recording device as its recording medium is greater by 3 to 4 orders of magnitude than I/O performance of a disk subsystem (hereinafter, referred to as "subsystem") having a magnetic disk as its recording medium. Narrowing differences in performance, i.e., improvement of the I/O performance of the subsystem, has been an attempt for some time.
One way to improve the I/O performance of the subsystem is to include a plurality of disk drives for every subsystem to store data on a plurality of the disk drives. Such system is known as so called "disk array" system.
For example, FIG. 2 shows a conventional technique, in which, a system include: a plurality of channel interface units 11 for transferring data between a host computer 3 and a disk controller 4; a plurality of disk interface units 16 for transferring data between a disk drive 2 and the disk controller 4; and a shared memory unit 20 for storing control information about data on the disk drive 2 and a disk controller 4 (e.g., information about the data transfer control within the disk controller 4 and management information about data to be stored in the disk drive 2). In such system, the shared memory unit 20 within one disk controller 4 is accessible from all channel interface units 11 and disk interface units 16.
In the disk controller 4, an interconnection 30 connects between the channel interface units 11 and disk interface units and the shared memory unit 20.
The channel interface unit 11 has an interface to connect with the host computer 3 and a microprocessor (not shown) for controlling input and output to the host computer 3.
The disk interface unit 16 has an interface to connect with the disk drive 2 and a microprocessor (not shown) for controlling input and output to the disk drive 2. The disk interface unit 16 also performs a RAID function.
With a spread of the Internet and the like, business firms handles more and more data, and at a data center or the like, it becomes necessary to store an amount of data greater than one disk controller can deal with.
In order to deal with such a situation, a plurality of disk controllers 4 are used as shown in FIG. 2, and the interface to the host computer 3 thereof is connected to the host computer 3 via an SAN switch 5.
As the amount of data increases, a number of disk controllers 4 connecting to the SAN switch 5 increase. As a result, management of an entire system including the host computer 3 and the SAN switch 5 (the system is hereinafter referred to as a storage area network (SAN)) becomes more complicated.
The following process deals with the problem. First, an SAN appliance 6 is connected to the SAN switch 5. The SAN appliance 6 performs a directory service of data managed by all the disk controllers 4 connected to the SAN switch 5, so that a plurality of the disk controllers 4 appear to be one storage system with respect to the host computer 3. That is, a storage areas provided by individual disk controller 4 appear as one large storage area, and a required amount thereof is allocated to the host computer 3.
Big businesses such as banks, securities firms, and telecommunication companies tend to reduce costs required for operation, maintenance and management of a computer system and storage system by centralizing computers and storages distributed to different places in a data center or the like.
With such a trend, there is a demand for a large scale/high-end disk controller with a support (connectivity) of a channel interface for connecting with hundreds of host computers as well as a support for recording capacity exceeding hundreds of terabytes.
On the other hand, with expansion of an open market in recent years and spread of the storage area network (SAN) there is an increasing demand for a small-scale (compact) disk controller of rich function and high reliability equivalent to the large-scale/high-end disk controller.
To fulfill the former demand, a plurality of conventional large-scale/high-end disk controllers can be connected to form a super huge storage system.
For the latter demand, a smallest model of a conventional large-scale/high/end disk controller may form a device with a smaller rack used therefore.
Also, by connecting a plurality of the devices in smaller racks may provide a storage system for supporting a mid-sized or huge configuration, which is supported by the conventional disk controller.
As described above, there is an increasing need for a system with a scalability that can support a variety of configuration ranging from small-scaled to an ultra-huge with the same architecture with rich function and high reliability. To meet the need, there is a need for a storage system that can operate as one system by clustering a plurality of disk controllers.
In the conventional technique shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of disk controllers 4 are connected with the host computer 3 through the SAN switch 5, whereby the SAN appliance 6 makes the plurality of the disk controller 4 look as one storage system with respect to the host computer 3.
However, a software run on the SAN appliance 6 operates the plurality of the disk controllers 4 as one system, whereby reliability and availability gets lowered compared to a conventional single large-scale disk controller.
Moreover, the disk controller 4 with data requested from the host computer 3 is searched on the SAN appliance 6, whereby its performance is deteriorated.
An object of the present invention is to provide a storage system of a configuration with a scalability that can deal with configurations of wide range of sizes from small-scaled to ultra-huge scale with the same architecture of rich function and high reliability.
Specifically, the object of the present invention is to provide a high-performance and high reliability system used for a storage system using a plurality of disk controllers as single system.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Storage system, disk control cluster including channel interface units, disk interface units, local shared memory units, and connection portions, and a method of increasing of disk control cluster


A method of controlling execution of a series of jobs includes the steps of executing the series of jobs sequentially, determining jobs to be rerun in the series of jobs as rerun jobs in accordance with the file access information when one of the series of jobs is terminated abnormally, the file access information indicating access to each of the files by each of the jobs, and rerunning the rerun jobs. When the rerun jobs are determined, the necessity of access to each of the files by each of the rerun jobs is determined in accordance with the file access information, and access to the files by each of said rerun jobs is selectively skipped in accordance with the result of determining the necessity of the access. Furthermore, when the series of jobs are executed, the files are allocated to an allocatable storage device in accordance with the file access information so that the jobs to be rerun become minimal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of controlling execution of jobs for executing a plurality of jobs or job steps each being a unit for computer execution collectively and a system therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to obtain a desired result by utilizing a computer system, it is required in general to collectively execute a plurality of execution units, each being called a job or a job step (hereafter, described as a job collectively). For such a purpose, it is necessary for a user to inform execution sequence and execution condition of a series of jobs to the computer system. In order to provide a simple interface therefor, the execution sequence and the execution condition of a series of jobs are defined in advance of execution of jobs and a job execution management system controls the execution sequence of the jobs in accordance with the definition, as described in, for example, Hitachi Software Engineering Co., Ltd. APP VOS 3, VOS 3/SP, VOS 3/ES1 Integrated Operation Management System HOPSS 3 (Hitachi Operation Support System) General Statement APP-A-268-70, pp. 15-42. When a job under execution of the series of jobs is abnormally terminated, rerun is performed, in response to a command from a user, from a job corresponding to a job name indicated in the command.
In above-mentioned related art, when a certain job is abnormally terminated during execution of a series of jobs, it has been required that the user investigates the cause of abnormal termination of the job to determine from which job rerun is to be started, and input a rerun command which designates a name of the job to be started to rerun the series of jobs. Thus, it was necessary for an operator to stand-by for the abnormal termination.
Further, in determining the rerun starting job, when termination is made abnormally because of detection of trouble in a reading operation of data from a file, for instance, it is required to rerun from a job in which the file was written. Among the jobs on the way, however, there are jobs which only back up a certain file or which only output processing results to a printer. Such jobs are not required to rerun. In such a case, the rerun time has been made longer for that portion.
Furthermore, it is possible that a file which is stored in the same storage device as the file in which the trouble was detected has been destructed in a similar manner. Therefore, it is also required to determine the rerun job so that these files are specified and recreated. In that case, there is a method of allocating respective files to storage devices such that the storage device which stores that file is not specified in advance, but a storage destination is determined in a storage device having a vacant area among several storage devices at the time of job execution. When such a method is used, the scope of destructed files is expanded because the data of variety of files are stored in the same device, thus the scope of the jobs to be rerun are expanded, too.

Method of controlling execution of jobs and system for the same


According to some embodiments of the invention, a system for protecting a device formed from polystyrene is provided. The system includes a body formed from polystyrene. The system also includes a protective layer formed from thermoplastic elastomer. The protective layer is coupled to the body during a molding process used to form the body.

A physical impact to the head of a person may cause serious injury or death. To reduce the probability of such consequences, protective gear, such as a helmet, is often used in activities that are associated with an increased level of risk for a head injury. Examples of such activities include, but are not limited to, skiing, snowboarding, bicycling, rollerblading, rock climbing, skate boarding, and motorcycling.


A method of managing an external device includes obtaining parameter information of the external device, loading a service module according to the parameter information of the external device, and enabling a communication between a user interface module and a network interface corresponding to the service module.

A development acceleration of communication control applications or industrial control applications can be possible by using program frameworks such as VC/MFC, WinForm and QT. An updating or setting up of an application, which is developed using those program frameworks, can be complicated and error-prone due to a strong coupling between modules of the application. Moreover, an existing application may have limited functionality and extensibility, leading to bad user experience.

Method, apparatus and system of managing external devices, memory and unmanned aerial vehicle


The container (2) consists of two individual cans united by an easy separated connecting ring (4) so that the subject container (2) provide to the consumer with more functions and more flexibilities and due to this special design derive a series combination drink packing system FIG. 6.1 to FIG. 6.4 and people can enjoy more and more different kind of drinks and flavors in a very convenance way just to separate the container and to mix them making a lot of drink choice and to carry this so called container to any where and any time to meet the consumer's need at this Space Age.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a new type of container using to fill with all kind of drinks and can be separated from one to two instantly.
2. Description of Prior Art
There is not any more an era of the manufacturing to lead the consumer to their products. On the contrary, the consumer has the right to choose their product that has more functions and more flexibilities. The traditional aluminum container of the drink is an old design that no longer meet the requirements of the space age.
After a long time of observation of the consumer's drinking habits, when they enjoy the drink the most is the first couple of mouthfuls and then the taste will decrease gradually. This is the reason people always leave the unfinished drink and are not willing to finish it anymore. Beside that, the evaporation of the carbonated water will reduce the flavor and the taste as well.
The size of an aluminum container does not meet the need of the consumer. When you can't finish a whole can of drink and you don't want to throw it away, the opened can will give you many troubles. If you put it back to an ice box the taste is no longer as fresh as a new one. Before you only had one can of drink and there is no way to share with someone else unless you have an extra cup or just say sorry. Also the old design needless to say its only size totally ignores the children's need.
People who like to drink beer know the taste makes a lot of difference between the beginning mouthful and the last drop. Even on the half way they already find the rest of the beer is not enjoyable any more. How many times have you forced yourself to finish a drink? Is this your fault? Not really, it is because you don't have too many choices. If you want to have two different flavors in a single container so you can enjoy twice the flavor and twice the freshness and without drinking too much and it is almost impossible. And if you spill it then you lose the whole can.
If you like to have an instant cocktail or ginger ale or you want to have juice with soda . . . etc., but you just can't find this kind of drink from the traditional aluminum can. Everyone has their own taste, and the traditional aluminum container apparently cannot satisfy their need. The tradition packing limited the development of drink itself. That is the reason why in nearly a century we still using this traditional can without any break through in this territory. We should not be just satisfied with its easy carrying and easy opening. We have a lot of new things to explore in our drinking industry.
In brief the current aluminum can have following inconveniences:
(a) The can can't provide more choices once you opened it. PA1 (b) the can's volume toward to its taste is over filled. PA1 (c) The can can't split into two cans for more functions. PA1 (e) The can can't provide twice freshness and twice flavors. PA1 (f) The can causes people waste more money. PA1 (g) The can's sanitary concern is always existing. PA1 (a) The container provides more choice after opened. PA1 (b) The container reserves the taste of other half after opened. PA1 (c) The container can be separated instantly. PA1 (d) The container can provide two different flavor or any kind of combinations and mixed them on the spot. PA1 (f) The container let people save money and have more fun. PA1 (g) The container will not spill all if it falls down. PA1 (h) The container provides a better shape to hold it. PA1 (i) The container provides more strong base for anti-crush loss. PA1 (j) The container can pack in six with recycle material polyester, actually they carry 12 individual cans at the same time. PA1 (a) a first normally closed beverage container having a first top and first bottom wherein said first top has a first opening means operable to gain access into said first normally closed beverage container; and PA1 (b) a second normally closed beverage container having a second top and a second bottom wherein said second top has a second opening means operable to gain access into said second normally closed beverage container; wherein said first and second beverage container being joined to each other with the first bottom of said first container connected to said second bottom of said second container by said connecting ring described above wherein said first bottom bonded by said bonding material to said upper surface of said ring and said second bottom bonded to said lower surface of said ring.

Dual container connecting ring and the combination thereof


In a voltage converter with a high-side short-circuit protection before an input voltage provided by a high-voltage power supply reaches a first threshold, a driver detects the input voltage and the output voltage of the converter to turn on the low-side transistor of the converter and turn off the high-voltage power supply when the input voltage ranges between the first threshold and a second threshold and the output voltage reaches a third threshold, to thereby avoid damages to the circuit connected to the output node of the converter. The driver comprises a front-end drive circuit to switch the high-side and low-side transistors and a low-voltage logic control circuit for the turning-on of the low-side transistor.

A DC-to-DC buck converter is used to convert an input voltage from a high-voltage power supply to a lower voltage supplied to the circuit or apparatus connected to the output node of the converter. In a converter, a controller is typically used to control a driver to manipulate the high-side and low-side transistors to switch to generate the desired output voltage and current, and generally, the controller and driver are integrated in a single chip. However, the efficiency of the converter is better when the driver is closer to the load connected with the converter, while the controller is more interfered with noise when it is closer to the load.
To solve the above problem, another converter separating the controller and driver to different chips is proposed. Even the original problem is solved, separating the controller and driver introduces new problem. Due to the driver operated only under high voltage, the controller will not provide any control signal to the driver before the input voltage of the converter reaches the predetermined high voltage, and as a result, the switching transistors of the converter cannot be controlled to switch during this period. For an example, as shown in FIG. 1, when power on, the input voltage Vin of the converter rises from 0 V to 9 V and the controller and driver are not operated during this period. If the high-side circuit of the converter is shorted during this period, the input voltage Vin will be connected directly to the output node of the converter and thus damages the load circuit or apparatus connected to the output node of the converter. In other words, the conventional converter lacks of high-side short-circuit protection under abnormal operation period.
Therefore, it is desired a driver with high-side short-circuit protection for a voltage converter.

High-side short-circuit protection for a voltage converter


The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes identifying a search query that was submitted through a map interface, determining that a number of specific query indicators that are included in the search query meets a pre-specified number of specific query indicators, wherein the specific query indicators are selected, at least in part, from a set consisting of commas and capital letters, classifying, in response to the determination, the search query as a specific place query, and providing, based on the determination, content that excludes sponsored content in response to the search query.

The rise of the Internet has facilitated easy access to information for millions of people. Some website publishers freely publish their content to increase the number of visitors to their respective websites. For example, some news organizations freely provide news coverage to visitors of their respective websites; and some entertainment related websites freely provide entertainment articles and stories to visitors of their respective websites; etc.
To generate revenue, these publishers sell space (e.g. to be populated with sponsored content (e.g., advertising)) on their websites to derive income. For example, in a sponsored content syndication model, advertisers can extend their marketing reach by distributing sponsored content to publishers. The publishers can place advertisers' text, video or image advertisements on web pages that have content related to the sponsored content. As the users are likely interested in the particular content on the publisher webpage, they may also be interested in the product or service featured in the sponsored content. Accordingly, such targeted sponsored content placement can help drive online customers to the advertiser's website, which, in turn, can generate revenue for the publishers.
One service that publishers can include in a website is online map service. Some of these conventional services provide maps that are very sophisticated and allow users to view traditional street maps, street maps including representations of the actual buildings, and even satellite images.


A radiation-protection device is provided that includes a substrate and a surface structure formed on the substrate. The surface structure has an arrangement and interacts with radiation and the substrate to at least (a) substantially transmit or attenuate radiation at a wavelength and an energy below a threshold energy, and (b) substantially reflect radiation at the wavelength and an energy above the threshold energy.

Delicate optical devices, such as image sensors, can be damaged by high intensity light. In this regard, directed energy weapons in the optical range are becoming more widely available, more powerful, and more compact. Accordingly, such weapons pose an increasing threat for optically dependent instruments.
Conventional techniques for protecting an optically dependent instrument involved use of shutters. Upon detection of overly intense radiation, the shutter would be closed to protect the optically dependent instrument. However, because of a delay between detection of the overly intense radiation and the closing of the shutter, some of the overly intense radiation would impact the optically dependent instrument and could cause damage.
Accordingly, a need in the art exists for improved solutions to protecting delicate optical devices from overly intense light.

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.


The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for controlling the presentation of submissions within a real-time communication session by sequentially organizing and displaying messages immediately followed by their corresponding responses for allowing participants within the session to easily view, follow and participate within such session. Sequential tags are associated with each submission displayed within the session, whereby these tags are used to sequentially sort the messages along with their corresponding responses. Time stamps associated with each message and response may further be used for sequentially sorting such messages along with their corresponding responses. These sequentially sorted messages and corresponding responses are viewed in a modified display window, optionally along with the unmodified display window of the real-time communication session, on a display screen. This modified display window may be continually refreshed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to real-time communication via data networks, and in particular, to methods and apparatus for maintaining the context of real-time communication sessions across cellular, public or private data networks by controlling the presentation order of submissions displayed within such sessions.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of the Internet as a generalized communication medium has become increasingly popular over the years. As the Internet is expanded in its capabilities and surges in popularity it is manifesting itself in nontraditional ways, the scope of which had never been fully anticipated. In particular, with the exponential rise in the number of Internet users, real-time Web based interaction, such as that seen in Internet "chat" or "instant messaging" has emerged as an amazingly popular and persuasive mode of communication.
Instant messaging and/or chat are well known means of real-time communication between users at remote data network communication devices. Traditional instant messaging and/or chat systems operate through computer-based systems hardwired to the Internet, whereby software enables users to communicate with friends, family, colleagues and the like, and optionally be alerted when such users go on-line for real-time communication. More recently available real-time communication systems include wireless and non-wireless instant message communication environments. A subscriber of these more current systems can send and receive messages by means of a mobile unit device, such as a cell phone. Messages received may originate from a computer on a public data network, such as the Internet, or from other mobile unit devices. Other more recent wireless and non-wireless messaging environments include those that send and receive messages by means of a command-line interface.
Whether the real-time messaging systems are through computer-based systems or wireless and non-wireless environments, the instant messaging software may be preinstalled in such data network systems, or a user may download or installing such software. Once provided with the messaging software, a user of the system registers a personal identifier for distinguishing himself from other users of such messaging software. The user is then able to exchange real-time messages with other users of the real-time messaging software. In the more traditional computer-based systems, real-time messaging allows users to exchange messages in one window without interrupting task(s) in progress in other windows. It is also a valuable resource for allowing colleagues in different geographical locations to quickly and easily communicate in real time for exchanging information, ideas and collaborate together on any given project.
When communicating through an instant message or chat session, a first user is allowed to compose and send a first message to either a selected second user within an instant message session or a group of users within a chat room. However, once the real-time communication session has been initiated, there can be several users and/or messages with responses thereto being concurrently posted within such real-time message sessions. This often leads to messages, and the responses thereto, being posted out of order, making the real-time postings disorderly and difficult to follow, read and respond thereto. For instance, when a user is responding to a posted message, the user may find that another message has been posted during the time which it takes such user to type and post his response, thereby making the user's response outdated or taken out of context. In real-time communication sessions with many participants and/or several messages being posted concurrently or simultaneously, this disorder can be a significant problem.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide methods, systems and apparatus that maintain the context of instant messaging submissions by controlling the display order of such instant messages submissions, as well as the order of the responses thereto.

International Business Machines Corporation


An electrical connector is provided that includes a housing, terminals, and a stuffer. The housing has a plurality of terminal channels extending from a rear to a front of the housing. The front of the housing is configured to interface with a mating connector. The terminals are loaded into corresponding terminal channels from the rear of the housing. The terminals extend along a terminal axis between a mating end and a terminating end. The terminating end includes at least one tab that protrudes radially outward from the terminal axis. The stuffer is coupled to the rear of the housing. The stuffer includes multiple teeth received in corresponding terminal channels. When one terminal is not fully loaded in the terminal channel, the corresponding tooth engages one or more of the at least one tab of the terminal and forces the terminal further into the terminal channel.

The subject matter herein relates generally to electrical connectors with terminal position assurance devices.
Some electrical connectors are designed for multi-pin connections. The electrical connectors may be mated to mating connectors terminated to wires or mounted on circuit boards. Such multi-pin connectors are generally assembled by coupling terminals to wires, then loading the terminals into a cavity in a connector housing. Generally, there is a retention feature on the terminal and/or in the cavity that is engaged once a terminal reaches a designated position within the length of the cavity in order to prevent the terminal from backing out of the cavity unintentionally during use of the connector. Sometimes the retention feature fails to prevent the terminal from exiting the cavity, such as if the retention feature is dysfunctional or the terminal was not inserted far enough into the cavity to properly engage the retention feature. If a terminal is not properly retained within a cavity, when the electrical connector is mated to a mating connector, a corresponding mating contact may not connect properly to the subject terminal. For example, the incoming mating contact may drive the terminal back out of the housing, preventing a proper electrical connection between the terminal and the mating contact. Each housing may hold up to twenty or more terminals, and even a single missed electrical connection may compromise the functionality of the entire connector system and the devices they connect.
Electrical connectors in the art may attempt to prevent terminals from unintentional movement in the cavities by adding a restraining device. For example, a device may be added to a rear of the housing that is configured to act as a barrier and/or push any terminals that are not at the designated position further into the respective cavities towards the designated position. However, such devices have various problems. For example, the terminals may be terminated to insulated wires that extend from the rear of the housing and make it difficult to access the terminals (e.g., to push and/or block rearward movement of the terminals), especially when the terminals are grouped into multiple columns and/or rows. A restraining device may not be able to be installed between adjacent rows of terminals due to crowding of the insulated wires. Furthermore, even if a restraining device is installed, it might not be able to engage any features of the terminal for various reasons. For example, the insulated wire may have a larger diameter than some parts of the terminal such that when the device navigates beyond the wire, it might slip past a certain part of the terminal that it was intended to engaged. In addition, different terminal types (e.g., pin or socket), sizes, and orientations provide varying features that a restraining device may engage in order to push and/or retain the terminal in the cavity. For example, the same device may effectively engage a roof of a receptacle terminal, but slip past and fail to engage a pin terminal or even the same receptacle terminal oriented upside down.
A need remains for an electrical connector that assures complete installation of terminals into the cavities of a connector housing to allow a successful electrical connection with a mating connector.

Electrical connector with terminal position assurance


A method of controlling a well experiencing gas kicks, which includes the step of increasing pressure above maximum allowable casing pressure to offset decreases in circulating pressure. The method includes calculating a difference between initial circulating pressure and present circulating pressure to arrive at a net loss in circulating pressure. Pressure is increased above maximum allowable casing pressure by an amount approximating the net loss in circulating pressure.

In the oil fields, the accepted rule is not to exceed the maximum allowable casing pressure, hereafter referred to as the MACP, while circulating the kick out of the well.
MACP is, consequently, not exceeded, even when gas is at surface.
At a typical well site, a MACP number (with gas at surface) is posted at the rig on the assumption that all the mud from the annulus has been displaced by gas. A new MACP number can be calculated with gas at surface, by multiplying the "Leak off" gradient with the shoe depth. In this method of calculating the MACP, gas density is ignored, without any consideration being given to the amount of gas in the returning mud giving a very high number for MACP. In actuality, after setting the casing, a leak off test is not usually done. Rather the leak off gradient is assumed to be 18.1 kPa/m. The formation may or may not hold this equivalent leak off gradient. In the absence of a leak off test, there is a concern as to the integrity of the cement job on the casing. Even if a leak off test is conducted, as soon as the drilling continues further, the open hole section exposed below the shoe is not tested to more than the Annular Pressure Loss and the hydrostatic pressure.
Pressure test # 1 is Hydrostatic pressure+Annular Pressure Loss which is a normal pressure on an open hole while drilling.
The first real pressure test on the open hole is the Shut In Drill Pipe Pressure above the hydrostatic pressure.
Pressure test # 2 is Shut In Drill Pipe Pressure plus hydrostatic pressure which is the pressure applied to open hole/well during shut in. This test is like a reverse "Leak off" test. Pressure is applied by the formation instead of a high pressure pump.
Most often the room to MACP which is the difference between Shut In Casing Pressure and Max allowable casing pressure, is a function of kick volume in the well and not a function of abnormal formation pressure. Therefore the bigger the kick taken the more chances that MACP will be reached during the circulation.
During the circulation of the kick the well is subjected to pressure test #3 which is Shut In Drill Pipe Pressure plus Hydrostatic Pressure+Annular Pressure Loss. This is the pressure applied to the open hole during kick circulation. Once the initial circulation pressure is established, without a drop in the drill pipe pressure, the open hole is capable of handling the applied pressure.
Pressure test #4 is where the established pressure is RSPP+Shut In Drill Pipe Pressure+Annular Pressure Loss+Overkill, if any is used.
Modified low choke method of well control presently reads that the MACP should be held constant throughout the circulation. This allows the second kick to be smaller than the first kick. This is only possible if there is a big difference between the Shut In Casing Pressure and the MACP or the MACP is reached when the gas is close to surface.
Usually this does not happen. By the time the first kick reaches surface, the choke being used is wide open and the second choke has to be opened to stay below the MACP. This move results in further lowering the bottom hole pressure due to the fact that the friction pressure through the choke is already dropping as gas cut mud is leaving the wellbore. If this mode of operation is kept up, most of the mud is displaced from the well. In a worst case scenario, the gut line is opened to allow the mud to escape to the flare pit. During this time the drill pipe pressure keeps dropping as there is the least amount of resistance to flow.

Method of controlling a well experiencing gas kicks


An electrical connector for electrically connecting with a chip module includes an insulating body having a bottom wall, multiple rows of terminals located in the bottom wall for electrically connecting the chip module, and a carrier for carrying the chip module to the insulating body. Two first side walls extend from two opposite sides of the bottom wall upward, and two second side walls extend from the other two opposite sides of the bottom wall upward. There are a first gap between the first side wall and a most peripheral terminal corresponding to the first side wall, and a second gap between the second side wall and a most peripheral terminal corresponding to the second side wall. The first gap is greater than the second gap. The carrier has a buckling portion, received in the first gap, and for buckling a bottom surface of the chip module.

An electrical connector for electrically connecting with a chip module in the industry includes an insulating body, conducting terminals received in the insulating body, a frame disposed around the insulating body, and a cover and a lever that are assembled onto the frame. During operation, the lever is first rotated and opened, and then the cover is rotated and opened. The chip module is placed on the insulating body and contacts the conducting terminals. Then the cover is rotated and closed, finally the lever is rotated and closed, and the lever presses the cover to enable the cover to press the chip module, so that good electrical connection is achieved between the chip module and the conducting terminals.
During use of the foregoing electrical connector, the chip module needs to be manually assembled onto the insulating body, and a situation in which alignment between the chip module and the conducting terminals is not accurate easily occurs, which affects contact quality of the entire electrical connector.
Therefore, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the art to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.

Electrical connector with a carrier and terminals located at different distances from side walls


An inter-variable dependency analyzing unit analyzes a relation between an argument and a return value between instructions of a plurality of instructions included in a sequence control program, which is a control program written in a language for sequence control. A PLC instruction sorting/division unit at least either changes an instruction execution order of the plurality of instructions or divides the sequence control program in units of instructions, based on the relation between the argument and the return value between the instructions analyzed by the inter-variable dependency analyzing unit.

A software PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) programming device is disclosed in Patent Literature 1. The software PLC programming device of Patent Literature 1 converts, by using a conversion program, a sequence control program generated by a user using PLC instructions to a program using instructions in a general-purpose high-level language. Then, from the program after conversion, by using a general-purpose compiler, the software PLC programming device generates binary code (hereinafter also simply referred to as binary) for a general-purpose CPU (Central Processing Unit). This allows sequence control by a general-purpose computer.

Program editing device, program editing method, and computer readable medium


In an embodiment, a method includes accessing a first rendered frame generated at a first frame rate. The method includes generating, based on the first rendered frame, one or more sub-frames at a second frame rate that is higher than the first frame rate. A first sub-frame of the one or more sub-frames is generated by determining a displacement measure associated with an anticipated movement of an optics component of a display system and applying, based on the displacement measure, one or more transformations to the first rendered frame to generate the first sub-frame. The first sub-frame is to be perceived by a user using the optics component of the display system. The method includes outputting the one or more sub-frames for display at the second frame rate. The one or more sub-frames are perceived by the user using the optics component of the display system.

Use of portable displays has increased dramatically, increasing demand for lightweight and power efficient displays. However, some such displays may sacrifice clarity or frame rate to allow for reduced power requirements, and, in the case of body-carried displays, more comfortable wear. However, user experience often suffers because of these sacrifices. Displays may reduce brightness, or lower resolution, color depth, or maximum display frame rate, which reduces the appeal of using such a display. Displays with low frame rates may not even be practical for certain applications. Particularly in scenarios where the display is used to provide an artificial reality experience to the user, display quality impacts the perception of the quality of the experience itself. Further complicating the issue is the high computing cost required to render and support high quality user experiences.

Pan-warping and modifying sub-frames with an up-sampled frame rate


A tin oxide fiber expressed by the general formula EQU Sn.sub.(1-y) Z.sub.y O.sub.2 (I). wherein Z is a metal element of the Group V of the periodic table, and y is 0 to 0.3, having a diameter which is greater than 1 .mu.m or having a length which is greater than 3 mm and having an aspect ratio which is greater than 10.. This fiber is process for producing a tin oxide fiber comprising spinning an alcohol solution of a tin compound soluble in alcohol, or spinning an alcohol solution of said tin compound and a compound of a metal of the Group V of the periodic table that is soluble in alcohol, followed by heating.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel tin oxide fiber and a process for producing the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a novel tin oxide fiber having a diameter which is greater than 1 .mu.m or having a length which is greater than 3 mm and having an aspect ratio which is greater than 10, and to a process for producing the same.
2. Prior Art
A tin oxide fiber has been widely known. Being limited by the process of production, however, the tin oxide fibers that have been known so far all have diameters which are smaller than 1 .mu.m. It has been demanded to develop a tin oxide fiber having a large diameter and an increased length to meet a variety of applications. However, a technology that satisfies the above demand has not yet been developed.
In the field of gas sensors, it has been strongly desired to provide the tin oxide in the form of a fiber from the standpoint of improving sensitivity and response time. It has further been attempted to add a carbon fiber or the like in order to give electric conductivity to the high molecular materials. When carbon is used, however, there arise a problem in that the black color of carbon makes it difficult to obtain materials in bright colors. Therefore, it has been attempted to add a metal fiber or the powder of a metal oxide. However, the metal fiber which has a high electric conductivity permits the fiber surfaces to be oxidized or corroded after long periods of time and decreases electric conductivity. Moreover, a conventional metal oxide powder does not have electric conductivity that is as high as that of the metal fibers, and must be added in relatively large amounts to give electric conductivity to the high molecular materials, causing the properties inherent in the high molecular materials to be deteriorated. Attempts have further been made to add the tin oxide having excellent resistance against the chemicals and the heat in the form of a powder. Here, it has been known that the effect for giving electric conductivity increases with an increase in the aspect ratio of the electric conductivity-imparting material. It has therefore been demanded to provide the tin oxide having high electric conductivity in the form of a fiber.
The tin oxide fibers have heretofore been obtained exclusively by the so-called melt-precipitation method according to which the starting material of tin compound is melted at high temperatures in order to precipitate the tin oxide fiber. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 54997/1985 and 161337/1985 teach tin oxide fibers having a diameter of 0.5 .mu.m and a maximum length of 3 mm obtained by the above melt-precipitation method.
The above methods, however, require a reaction temperature which is higher than 1000.degree. C. and a reaction time of several days. In addition, the obtained fiber has a diameter that is so small that the handling becomes difficult. When used as a composite material, therefore, the functions are not sufficiently exhibited and the applications are restricted. Moreover, the length is so small that paper-like materials cannot be prepared therefrom.

Tin oxide fiber and a process for producing the same