A head supporting mechanism including a loading beam, a flexure and a head slider. The loading beam has a proximal portion, a distal portion and an intermediate portion defined between the proximal portion and the distal portion while at least partially overlapping with the head slider. A width of the intermediate portion is smaller than those of the head slider and the flexure. Accordingly, the flexure is exposed on opposite sides of the intermediate portion of the loading beam. When the head slider is attached to the flexure after the flexure has been mounted to the loading beam, a jig is disposed while bridging the intermediate portion of the loading beam to press the exposed part of the flexure. The distal portion and the intermediate portion have the same width and the same cross-sectional shape.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a head supporting mechanism for supporting a magnetic head for writing information to a disk device or reading the same therefrom.
2. Description of the Related Art
The magnetic disk device includes a plurality of magnetic disks and a magnetic head for having access to the magnetic disk. The magnetic head is provided on a head slider, and the head slider is supported by a suspension. The head supporting mechanism includes a loading beam constituting the suspension, a flexure attached to the loading beam and the head slider attached to the flexure. The flexure has a wiring pattern, and a terminal of a head element is connected to the wiring pattern of the flexure.
A suspension of a CSS (contact start stop) type magnetic disk device is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 1-245477. The suspension disclosed in this publication has a groove on a back surface of a head slider for fixing a loading beam and a flexure on a bottom of the groove formed on the back surface of the head slider.
A magnet disk device having a loading and unloading suspension is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) Nos. 8-263946 and 11-250603. In the case of the loading and unloading suspension, a loading beam extends longer than a head slider to form a so-called lift tab at a distal end thereof. When the magnet disk is stopping, the lift tab engages with a ramp disposed in the vicinity of the magnetic disk so as to hold the head slider away from the magnetic disk.
When a head supporting mechanism is manufactured, the flexure is first attached to the loading beam and then the head slider is fixed to the flexure. To fix the head slider to the flexure, it is necessary to press the head slider and the flexure to each other. For this purpose, jigs for fixing the head slider are used. One jig supports the head slider from the underside thereof, and the other presses the flexure from the upside thereof.
In the case of the loading and unloading suspension, however, because a distal portion of the loading beam extends over the head slider, the flexure and the head slider are covered with the loading beam. When the head slider is fixed to the flexure, it is impossible to bring the jig into contact with the flexure because the flexure has already been mounted to the loading beams which will disturb such an operation. Accordingly, in the prior art, the loading beam is provided with a window through which the jig is inserted to be in contact with the flexure so that the head slider is fixed to the flexure.
FIG. 12 is a plan view illustrating the head supporting mechanism of the conventional loading and unloading suspension. A lift tab 142 is provided at a distal end of a loading beam 128. A flexure 130 is disposed beneath the loading beam 128, and a head slider (not shown) is disposed beneath the flexure 130. The head slider is mounted onto a slider fixing section 134 of the flexure 130. The loading beam 128 has two windows 150 so that the slider fixing section 134 of the flexure 130 is exposed from the windows 150. The jig is inserted into the windows 150 to press the flexure 130. Thus, it is possible to fix the head slider to the flexure 130.
If the windows are provided in the loading beam, however, it is necessary to increase a width of a portion in the loading beam in which the head slider is positioned. Thereby, a mass of the portion in the loading beam in which the head slider is positioned increases to cause a problem in that the resonance frequency of the suspension lowers to deteriorate the positioning accuracy of the head.


A driving apparatus for moving an object. The apparatus includes a first actuator which drives the object in X and Y directions, a second actuator which drives a reaction force counter which receives a reaction force generated when the first actuator drives the object, and a controller which controls the second actuator on the basis of X- and Y-direction positions of the object and X- and Y-direction accelerations of the object so as to cancel, by the second actuator, the reaction force to be received by the reaction force counter when the object is driven by the first actuator.

A typical example of an exposure apparatus used to manufacture a device, such as a semiconductor device, includes a step & repeat exposure apparatus (stepper), which sequentially exposes the pattern of a master (reticle or mask) onto a plurality of exposure regions on a substrate (e.g., a wafer or glass substrate) through a projection optical system while stepping the substrate, and a step & scan type exposure apparatus (scanner), which repeats stepping and scanning exposure to repeat exposures and transfer on the plurality of regions on a substrate. In particular, the step & scan type exposure apparatus uses exposure light after limiting it with a slit to a component comparatively close to the optical axis of a projection optical system, so that it can expose a micropattern at a higher accuracy with a wider angle of view. Some exposure apparatuses draw a pattern on a substrate with an electrosensitive particle beam, such as an electron beam or ion beam, in place of light.
Each of the exposure apparatuses has a stage device or driving apparatus (wafer stage or reticle stage) which aligns a wafer or reticle by moving it at high speed. In such an exposure apparatus, when the stage is driven, a reaction force of an inertia force accompanying acceleration and deceleration is generated. When the reaction force is transmitted to a stage surface plate on which the stage is mounted, the stage surface may swing or vibrate. Such vibration induces characteristic vibration of the mechanism system of the exposure apparatus to generate high-frequency vibration which may interfere with faster, higher-accuracy alignment.
To solve the problems relating to the reaction force, several proposals have been made. For example, according to the apparatus described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-77126, the stator of a linear motor which drives a stage is supported on the floor independently of a stage surface plate, so that swing of the stage surface plate caused by the reaction force is prevented. According to the apparatus described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-12.1294, a machine frame supports a wafer stage and projection lens. An actuator which generates a force in the horizontal direction applies to the machine frame a compensating force equivalent to a reaction force accompanying the drive of the stage. Swing of the apparatus caused by the reaction force is thus decreased.
In any of the conventional examples described above, although the swing of the stage apparatus itself can be decreased, the reaction force accompanying the drive of the stage is transmitted to the floor directly or through a member that can be substantially regarded as being integral with the floor. This may oscillate the floor and vibrate devices set around the exposure apparatus, thus, adversely affecting the peripheral devices. Usually, the floor where the exposure apparatus is installed has a natural frequency of about 20 Hz to 40 Hz. As the exposure apparatus is operated, when the characteristic vibration of the floor is induced, it adversely largely affects the peripheral devices.
Recently, as the processing speed (throughput) increases, the stage acceleration increases more and more. For example, in a step & scan type exposure apparatus, the maximal acceleration of the stage reaches as high as 4 G in the reticle stage and 1 G in the wafer stage. As the reticle or substrate increases in size, the stage mass also increases. Therefore, the driving force defined by <mass of a moving object>×<acceleration> becomes very large, and its reaction force is enormous. As the reaction force increases in this manner, oscillation of the floor for installation caused by the reaction force has become a non-negligible issue.
The size of the apparatus also increases largely, and in a manufacturing factory where many manufacturing apparatuses are installed, an increase in an area occupied by the apparatuses is becoming an apparent issue. More specifically, when the vibration transmitted from one apparatus to the floor is large, to prevent the other apparatuses from being influenced by the vibration, the distances among the apparatuses must be increased, and finally, the area actually occupied by the respective apparatuses increases.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-318082 discloses, in a driving apparatus which drives an object by a linear motor, use of the stator of the linear motor as a reaction force counter. According to the driving apparatus described in this document, when an object which stays still at the first position is to be moved to the second position and be set still, the linear motor is controlled so that the object moves along a straight line connecting the first and second positions, to cancel a moment reaction force accompanying acceleration and deceleration of the object.
According to the technique described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-318082, the wafer stage must be moved along a straight line. In the step & scan type exposure apparatus, assume that the entire moving path of a wafer stage to sequentially expose a plurality of exposure regions S is formed of straight lines, as shown in FIG. 5. The wafer stage must be stopped at the terminal point of each straight line. This can interfere with an increase in throughput. In view of this, to sequentially expose the plurality of exposure regions S while continuously driving the wafer stage along a smooth curved line, as exemplified in FIG. 6, is sought.
To continuously move the wafer stage along the smooth curved lines, moderation of the limit for a Y-direction (X-direction) driving pattern by an X-direction (Y-direction) driving pattern (driving profile) is sought.

Driving apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method


The wind propelled generator is an electrical generator uniquely adapted for installation and use with a pitched roof of a house. The electrical generator includes a housing that is suspended from a bottom surface of the sub-surface of the pitched roof. A hole is included to enable the rotor of said electrical generator to extend vertically there through and from which the wind vanes are positioned above the pitched roof surface whereby outdoor wind is able to actuate and rotate said wind vanes thereby producing electrical power.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of electrical generators, more specifically, an electrical generator that is specially adapted for use on a pitched roof of a house.
B. Discussion of the Prior Art
As will be discussed immediately below, no prior art discloses an electrical generator that is uniquely adapted for installation and use with a pitched roof of a house; wherein the electrical generator includes a housing that is designed to be installed and suspended from a bottom surface of the sub-surface of the pitched roof and whereby a hole is included to enable the rotor of said electrical generator to extend vertically there through and from which the wind vanes are positioned above the pitched roof surface whereby outdoor wind is able to actuate and rotate said wind vanes thereby producing electrical power, which is transmitted to a breaker panel of the respective house; wherein the housing of the electrical generator includes a pair of vertically-oriented tracks integrated on a first side surface of the housing, and upon which a slideable bracket is engaged thereon; wherein the slideable bracket includes a first hinged member; wherein the housing includes a non-slideable bracket that is hingedly affixed to a second hinged member; wherein the non-slideable bracket is located a second side surface of the housing; wherein the first hinged member works in concert with the second hinged bracket secure to the bottom surface of the sub-surface of the pitched roof; wherein the first hinged bracket and the second hinged bracket insure that the housing, rotor, and wind vanes are vertically oriented with respect to the ground.
The Barzilai Patent Application Publication (U.S. Pub. No. 2011/0215579) discloses an air and direct power generator device attached to the air stream of a fan or directly to a shaft of a fan which could be on a roof of a building. However, the generator does not utilize natural wind, and requires the use of an existing exhaust fan or other wind generating device. Additionally, the generator does not include a hinge system to mount the generator inside the structure.
The Paggi Patent Application Publication (U.S. Pub. No. 2010/0126086) discloses an electric wind generator for the roof ridge of a building. However, the generator is designed to be used only with a gabled roof, and also the fan is mounted within an enclosure. Additionally, the generator can only be placed on a roof ridge.
The Gordon Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 7,518,255) discloses a roof mounted wind turbine. However, the generator does not include a vertically mounted fan blade to utilize the wind power coming from any direction, and includes an enclosed cowl surrounding the turbine blades. Additionally, the generator does not does not include a hinge system to mount the generator inside the structure.
The Flood Patent Application Publication (U.S. Pub. No. 2010/0171315) discloses a roof mounted wind turbine for generating electricity. However, the generator uses a wind scoop to catch wind, and does not include a external fan blade or turbine system to utilize wind power.
The Candelas Perez et al. Patent Application (U.S. Pub. No. 2009/0256360) discloses a wind turbine which mounts on the roof of a building. However, the generator utilizes an exterior housing used to contain all components of the generator, and also does not include an external, vertically mounted fan blade system to utilize the wind power coming from any direction. Additionally, the generator does not does not include a hinge system to mount the generator inside the structure.
The Hanson patent (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 252,572) illustrates an ornamental design for a wind turbine. However, the generator utilizes a cylindrical, vertical mount with a horizontally mounted turbine, and also does not does not include a hinge system to mount the generator inside the structure.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective and particular objects and requirements, they do not describe an electrical generator that is uniquely adapted for installation and use with a pitched roof of a house; wherein the electrical generator includes a housing that is designed to be installed and suspended from a bottom surface of the sub-surface of the pitched roof and whereby a hole is included to enable the rotor of said electrical generator to extend vertically there through and from which the wind vanes are positioned above the pitched roof surface whereby outdoor wind is able to actuate and rotate said wind vanes thereby producing electrical power, which is transmitted to a breaker panel of the respective house; wherein the housing of the electrical generator includes a pair of vertically-oriented tracks integrated on a first side surface of the housing, and upon which a slideable bracket is engaged thereon; wherein the slideable bracket includes a first hinged member; wherein the housing includes a non-slideable bracket that is hingedly affixed to a second hinged member; wherein the non-slideable bracket is located a second side surface of the housing; wherein the first hinged member works in concert with the second hinged bracket secure to the bottom surface of the sub-surface of the pitched roof; wherein the first hinged bracket and the second hinged bracket insure that the housing, rotor, and wind vanes are vertically oriented with respect to the ground. In this regard, the wind propelled generator departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art.


An electrical connector having positioning posts is disclosed. The electrical connector comprises a first and a second positioning posts formed on both longitudinal ends of a front surface of an insulating housing for inserting into a pair of holes of a printed circuit board. Each of the first and second positioning posts defines a respective longitudinal direction, and includes a pair of positioning members on both longitudinal ends, a stop bar between the pair of positioning members, and an open slot between each of the positioning members and the stop bar. The width of the positioning post defined by both sides of the stop bar is shorter than the length of the positioning post defined between respective longitudinal outer surfaces of the positioning members.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electrical connector, particularly to an electrical connector having positioning posts.
2. The Prior Art
A conventional electrical connector 10 having positioning posts 13 is shown in FIG. 1. The electrical connector 10 generally comprises an elongated insulating housing 11, two rows of passageways 12 for receiving conductive contacts, positioning means including two positioning posts 13 for positioning into a PCB (printed circuit board) 1 provided on both end portions of a surface of the housing 11, which surface is to be mounted to the PCB 1. Also referring now to FIG. 2, each of the positioning posts 13 is substantially circular and includes an open slot 15 extending through its center in the lengthwise direction of the housing 13 and a pair of positioning members 14 on both sides of the open slot 15. Each positioning member 14 is resilient and has an arcuate outer profile conforming to the side wall of a mating hole 2 of the PCB 1. When the connector 10 is mounted on the PCB 1 and the positioning posts 13 are inserted into the mating holes 2, the positioning members 14 will abut against the walls of the holes 2 for interferingly positioning the connector 10 relative to the PCB 1, and the opens 15 provide a space for elastic deformation of the positioning members 14.
Such positioning means, however, has the defect that the distance between the centers of the pair of positioning posts 13 (hereinafter referring to as "center distance of posts 13") should be precisely made to match the distance between the centers of a pair of mating holes 2 (hereinafter referring to as "center distance of holes 2") of the PCB 1, which increases the difficulty of manufacturing of the connector 10. In addition, this precisely matching requirement also makes it difficult to mount the connector 10 onto the PCB 1. Moreover, the positioning members 14 can be fractured due to over-deformation if an unmatch exists between the center distance of the posts 13 and the center distance of the holes 2. Furthermore, the open slots 15 are designed to be relatively wide to provide space enough for simultaneous inward elastic deformation of a pair of positioning members 14, while the positioning members 14 are designed to be relatively thin to provide resilient force enough to hold the connector 10 on the PCB 1 since the positioning posts 13 are fixed to the holes 2 by means of directly interfering fit therebetween, which seriously decreases the maximum deformation can be taken by the positioning members 14. As a result, a positioning member 14 is very likely fractured by over-deformation whenever only one said positioning member 14 is deformed due to an unmatch exists between the center distance of the posts 13 and the center distance of the holes 2.
Hence, there is a need for an electrical connector having positioning means that can overcome the above-mentioned defects.

Electrical connector having positioning posts


In a method of controlling adjustable operating parameters of an internal combustion engine with direct fuel injection which includes at least one cylinder having a piston delimiting a combustion chamber, a fuel injector and a spark plug, wherein air supplied to the combustion chamber through an air intake passage forms with the fuel injected by the fuel injector a fuel/air mixture which is compressed and produces a plasma cloud which is then ignited by a spark generated between the electrodes of the spark plug, the ionization degree of the plasma cloud is measured and an ionization signal is formed and supplied to an electronic control unit where it is utilized to control at least one operating parameter of the internal combustion engine.

The invention relates to a method of controlling the adjustable operating parameters of an internal combustion engine with direct fuel injection which includes a cylinder with a piston forming a combustion chamber.
Air and fuel supplied to the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine forms therein a fuel/air mixture, which is ignited by a spark formed between the electrodes of a spark plug. Under partial load, the mixture forms a stratified charge over a large engine operating range. The stratified charge is achieved by injection of the fuel during a relatively late phase of the compression stroke. In order to improve fuel consumption, and consequently, the efficiency of the engine, an internal mixture with high lambda values is desired wherein, depending on the engine load, a rich and consequently easily ignitable mixture is formed at the electrodes of the spark plug, but in the rest of the combustion chamber, the mixture becomes leaner with increasing distance from the electrodes of the spark plug.
Such an internal combustion engine is known, for example, from DE OS 43 24 642 A1.
The comparatively low NO.sub.x -- and CO emissions and the large amount of excess air present during stratified charge operation may lead to a deterioration of the operating behavior of the internal combustion engine by ignition misses and a slow combustion. A good operating behavior, that is smooth engine operation, is therefore usually achieved by substantial throttling of the intake air. This however leads to throttling losses of the engine performance. Known methods for the control of the adjustable operating parameters require extensive changes in the engine design in order to facilitate the continuous gathering of measurement data which give an indication of the operating state of the internal combustion engine on which an optimal adjustment of the engine operating conditions could be based.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a method of controlling the adjustable operating parameters of an internal combustion engine with direct fuel injection, wherein without changes in the engine design, at every operating point individual measuring data with information concerning the respective engine operating condition can be determined on which data the operating state-dependent adjustment of the engine operating conditions can be based.

Method of controlling an adjustable operating parameter of an internal combustion engine with direct fuel injection


High density MOS technology power device structure, including body regions of a first conductivity type formed in a semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type, wherein the body regions include at least one plurality of substantially rectilinear and substantially parallel body stripes each joined at its ends to adjacent body stripes by junction regions, so that the at least one plurality of body stripes and the junction regions form a continuous, serpentine-shaped body region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to MOS technology power devices, such as power MOSFETs, Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs) and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to MOS technology power device structures suitable for achieving a high integration density.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The basic structure of a MOS technology power device is well known. In a lightly doped semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type (xe2x80x9cdrain layerxe2x80x9d), generally formed by epitaxial growth over a heavily doped semiconductor substrate of the same or, as in the case of IGBTs, of a second opposite conductivity type, so-called xe2x80x9cbody regionsxe2x80x9d of the second conductivity type are formed. The body regions can be in the form of polygonal cells, for example square, rectangular or hexagonal, or they can be in the form of elongated stripes. The body regions include channel regions which are covered by an insulated gate layer, generally made of polysilicon. Inside the body regions, source regions of the first conductivity type are provided.
Each body region, together with the associated channel regions and source regions, forms an elementary MOS device. All the elementary MOS devices are connected in parallel to each other, and contribute a respective fraction to the overall current of the MOS technology power device.
In the quest to improve the performance of power MOS devices, the density of integration is constantly increasing; in this way, the chip area can be better exploited. An increased density of integration means an increased number of elementary MOS devices integrated in a same chip. This in turn means a progressive reduction of the size of the elementary MOS devices, i.e. of the body regions. A significant improvement in the integration density can be obtained by forming the body regions as elongated stripes instead of square or hexagons.
However, the reduction in size of the body regions poses some problems. Reference is made for example to the case of generally rectangular body regions shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a small portion of a MOS technology power device chip, at the level of the surface of the drain layer 1 which, in the example, is assumed to be of the N conductivity type. The N type drain layer 1 is formed over a substrate 2 which can be of the N conductivity type or of the P conductivity type, depending on the kind of device (FIG. 3). In FIG. 1, four elementary MOS devices are shown. Each elementary MOS device comprises a respective body region 3, of the P conductivity type. Each body region includes a channel region 4 which, as shown in FIG. 3, is covered by an insulated gate 55 including a gate oxide layer 51 and a conductive gate layer 52, generally made of polysilicon. For the sake of clarity, the source regions are not depicted, since they are not relevant to the following explanation.
The body regions are generally rectangular. As better shown in FIG. 2, which is an enlarged view of an end of a body region, due to the reduction in size of the body regions, the short sides of the rectangle are actually rounded. Rh denotes the horizontal radius of the junction between the body region and the drain layer, while Rv in FIG. 3 denotes the vertical radius of such a junction.
It is generally known that the smaller the radius of a PN junction, the lower the reverse voltage it can sustain before entering breakdown. There is a lower limit in the size of the elementary MOS devices below which the horizontal radius Rh of the junction between the body region and the drain layer becomes more critical than the vertical radius Rv of the same junction, from the viewpoint of junction breakdown. By way of example, it has been verified that with a junction depth of about 2 xcexcm an early breakdown of the body region-drain layer junction is experienced for body regions smaller than 5 xcexcm. This poses a serious limitation to the increase of the integration density.
EP-A-0782201 discloses a structure for a MOS technology power device that achieves high integration density without incurring the above mentioned problem. The structure provides for forming the body regions in the form of elongated stripes (xe2x80x9cbody stripesxe2x80x9d), and providing in the drain layer a continuous region of the second conductivity type surrounding all the body stripes, the ends of which are merged with the continuous region. In this way, it is possible to avoid the presence of junctions having a small radius of curvature. The resulting structure is similar to a mesh formed in the drain layer, and is useful for achieving a reduction of the minimum feature size down to 1 to 3 xcexcm.
However, the provision of the continuous region surrounding the body stripes requires a dedicated mask and a dedicated implant. This makes the above solution rather disadvantageous in the case of MOS technology power devices designed for operating at low voltages (i.e., up to 100 V); these power devices do not need an edge structure (edge ring), so all the process steps necessary for the formation of the continuous doped region surrounding the body stripes are added to the normal manufacturing process flow.
In view of this state of the art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a MOS technology power device structure suitable for achieving a high integration density without exhibiting problems of early junction breakdown, and not requiring additional process steps with respect to the conventional manufacturing process.
According to the present invention, this and other objects are achieved in a high density MOS technology power device structure, comprising body regions of a first conductivity type formed in a semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type, wherein said body regions comprise at least one plurality of substantially rectilinear and substantially parallel body stripes each joined at its ends to adjacent body stripes by means of junction regions, so that said at least one plurality of body stripes and said junction regions form a continuous, serpentine-shaped body region.
As a result of the present invention, high densities of integration can be achieved. The provision of the body regions in the form of stripes allows increasing the integration density, as mentioned in the above discussion. The width of the stripes can be reduced down to the minimum feature size of the technological process. Additionally, the fact that the stripes are joined at their free, ends by junction regions eliminates the presence of regions having a small horizontal radius of curvature. Thus, early breakdown can be prevented. Compared to the solution proposed in EP-A-0782201, providing for the formation of a continuous region surrounding and merged with the body stripes, the present invention does not need any dedicated process step for its fabrication, and this is a clear advantage.

High integration density MOS technology power device structure


A method in gateway node (100) for handling an address of a resource of a device (110) in a communications network, the method comprising: generating a first alias representing the address of the device (110) resource, storing the generated alias, in association with the address, receiving a request from an application (120) including the address of the device (110) resource, translating the address to the stored alias, and forwarding the request including the alias to the device (110), thereby enabling the device to resolve the request by use of the alias in said request.

The usage of machine to machine communication is expected to grow. Typically machine to machine communication is defined as communication between machines, computers, computerized systems, etc, without human interaction. Further the number of devices connected to communication networks is expected to grow in the future. With an increasing number of connected devices, capable of communication, the machine to machine communication may take advantage of the connected devices.
The devices may be providing a wide variety of features. In the area of home automation, devices may be providing sensor capabilities such as, sensing temperature, humidity, open/closed/locked doors or windows, energy meters, water meters and similar, as well as various actuators such as for turning on heater/cooler, switching lights or pumps on/off, and similar applications related to home automation. Another area that can use machine to machine communication is security and surveillance related to homes and offices. Various sensors such as motion sensors, smoke detectors, cameras, etc, are connected to local or central security systems, which in turn are connected to actuators such as sirens, sprinklers, speakers, etc. Another area is automotive where vehicles may include a wide range of different kind of sensors and actuates. Another area is transportation and logistics where both logistics centers as well as vehicles for transportation may contain both sensors and actuators for tracking of or creation of documents at certain toll gates. Material and goods may contain sensors and/or actuators, for example to monitor or control that certain quality requirements are fulfilled, such as temperature or mechanical shock.
Today's technology may provide substantial computing power through various processors integrated into CPU's (Central Processing Units) or other types of integrated chips. Further, it is possible to meet various bandwidth needs both through wired as well as wireless technologies for communication. Over the wired or wireless communication networks, there are a variety of protocols which may enable communication. A few examples of such protocols are: TCP/UDP IP (Transfer Control Protocol/User Datagram Protocol/Internet Protocol), UPnP (Universal Plug and Play), Bonjour, Z-wave, ZigBee, CoAP (Constrained Application Protocol), TR069 (Technical Report 069), plain text (e.g. txt files), XML (eXtensible markup Language), or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), e-mail, http (Hypertext Transfer protocol), https (http secure), ftp (file transfer protocol), SIP (Session Initiation Protocol), Bluetooth, as well as proprietary protocols such as ANT+ (proprietary wireless sensor network technology), not limiting usage of other protocols. At least some of the above mentioned protocols are considered high level protocols. When adopting devices for connection via such protocols, it is easy for application and device developers to connect applications or devices to the Internet or other communication networks. Commonly, messages over these protocols are communicated via plain text.
However, it is a desire to keep the cost of each device low, and to facilitate distribution and usage of various devices. Typically the more powerful processing unit, the higher cost. Another issue related to cost is power consumption. An increasing number of connected devices may add undesired electrical power consumption, which have a direct economical cost impact as well as going opposite to environmental policies focusing on reducing power consumption. In a case where a device is wirelessly connected to a communications network, it may carry some kind of electrical battery or other internal source of electrical energy. In such wireless device it is desired to prolong the battery life time as long as possible, to minimize the maintenance frequency, and if using a non-renewable battery, minimize the battery waste.
A problem with today's solutions is a contradiction between creation of devices which are capable to use convenient support high level protocols and capable to support various application developer's desires, and at the same time keep the manufacturing cost of a single device as low as possible. Another problem is how to make communication with devices simple in such a manner that requests and responses are processed as quickly as possible. Another problem is how to minimize energy use in a wired network, or how to preserve energy in wireless devices. From a user perspective it may also be a problem how to name various devices, for example, in a home environment, such that devices are easy to recognize for everybody in a family.

Methods and nodes for handling an address of a resource


An improved method and apparatus for selecting invalid members as victims in a least recently used cache system. An invalid cache line selection unit has an input connected to a cache directory and an output connected to a most recently used update logic. In response to a miss in the cache, an invalid cache line is identified from information in the cache directory by the invalid cache line selection unit. This invalid cache line is updated to be the next victim by the most recently used update logic, rather than attempting to override the current victim selection by a least recently used victim selection logic. The next victim also may be selected in response to a cache hit in which information from the cache directory also is read.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system, and in particular, to an improved method and apparatus for caching data in a memory.
2. Description of Related Art
Most early data processing systems consisted basically of a central processing unit, a main memory, and some sort of secondary input/output ("I/O") capability. In these earlier systems, the main memory was the limiting element. Typically, the main memory was designed first and the CPU was then created to match the speed of the memory. This matching was performed to optimize the processing speed and is necessary even with today's high speed computers. Over time, logic circuit speeds increased along with the capacity requirements of main memory. With the need for increasing capacity in the main memory, the speed of the main memory could not keep up with the increasing speed of the CPU. Consequently, a gap developed between the main memory and the processor cycle time, which resulted in un-optimized processing speeds. As a result, a cache memory was developed to bridge the gap between the memory and the processor cycle time.
Using a cache to bridge the performance gap between a processor and main memory has become important in data processing systems of various designs from personal computers to work stations to data processing systems with high performance processors. A cache memory is an auxiliary memory that provides a buffering capability through which a relatively slow main memory can interface with a processor at the processor's cycle time to optimize the performance of the data processing system. Requests are first sent to the cache to determine whether the data or instructions requested are present in the cache memory. A "hit" occurs when the desired information is found in the cache. A "miss" occurs when a request or access to the cache does not produce the desired information. In response to a miss, one of the cache "lines" is replaced with a new one. The method to select a line to replace is called a replacement policy.
A number of different schemes for organizing a cache memory exist. For example, a fully associative mapping organization may be employed whereby a data address may exist in any location in the cache, or a direct mapping scheme may be employed in a cache memory whereby a data address may exist in only one location in the cache. A set associative scheme may be employed by partitioning the cache into distinct classes of lines, wherein each class contains a small fixed number of lines. This approach is somewhere between a direct mapped and a full associative cache. The classes of lines are usually referred to as "congruence classes." The lines in a congruence class are usually referred to as sets (which indicate the number of locations an address can reside) in a congruence class in a set associative cache.
One generally used type of replacement policy is the least recently used (LRU) policy. An LRU policy is built upon the premise that the least recently used cache line in a congruence class is the least worthy of being retained. So, when it becomes necessary to evict a cache line to make room for a new one, an LRU policy chooses as a victim a cache line which is the least recently accessed set (or member) within a congruence class.
For an LRU policy, two types of operations must be carried out against the LRU state (which is maintained for each congruence class in a cache).
A most recently used-update (MRU-update) operation typically occurs due to a cache hit. It adjusts the LRU state such that the "hit" member is ordered ahead of all other members in that congruence class, establishing the cache line in that member position as the most worthy member in the congruence class.
A least recently used-victim-selection (LRU-victim-selection) operation typically occurs when a cache miss requires that a member be allocated to hold a cache line arriving from elsewhere in the storage hierarchy. The operation determines which cache line is the least worthy of being retained in the congruence class, evicts that cache line, and places the newly arriving cache line in its member position.
Often, favorable operating characteristics and reduced complexity implementations for a cache can be achieved when the victim selection and state update portions of a cache allocation policy are tightly integrated with a common pipeline for accessing the cache arrays, directory arrays, and allocation policy (e.g. LRU) state arrays.
Further, in such implementations, further benefits are typically derived when the victim selection occurs as early as possible in the common pipeline, and when for each operational use of the pipeline, at most one cache allocation policy state update is performed.
Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize the following properties. The state information for the invalid member selection override exists in the directory. As caches grow larger (affecting size of data array, directory array, and LRU state array), the latency through a directory and to the victim selection logic grows relative to the latency through the LRU state array to the victim selection logic. Also, the circuit complexity (and latency) grows. Increases in the aggressiveness of processor operating frequencies compound this latency difference, making it more and more difficult to balance the desire to select a victim early with difference in latency between early arriving LRU state information and ever-later arriving invalid cache state information. With the currently available invalid cache line selection processes, the redirection or selection of an invalid cache line as a victim is not made quickly enough with respect to operating frequencies of the hardware. As a result, attempting to set an invalid cache line as a victim may not occur quickly enough with respect to the least recently used victim selection logic.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an improved method, apparatus, and computer instructions for marking or selecting an invalid cache line as a victim.

Cache allocation mechanism for biasing subsequent allocations based upon cache directory state

International Business Machines Corporation


An airbag device for protecting motor vehicle occupants is disclosed. The airbag device comprises an airbag, which is accommodated folded-up in the roof area of the vehicle prior to inflation. The airbag unfolds downwards curtain-like when triggered, with a first section of the folded-up airbag extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle from its roof frame. A second airbag section is arranged within the roof strut above the windshield, which runs at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The second section of the airbag is bent inwards around a folding point and disposed above the windshield. A fastening means arranged in the vicinity of the folding point fastens the first section of the folded airbag running along the roof frame to the roof frame.

The invention relates to an airbag device for protecting vehicle occupants, said airbag device comprising an airbag, which is accommodated folded-up in the roof area of the vehicle and which unfolds downwards curtain-like when triggered, wherein one section of the folded-up airbag extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle along its roof frame.
Patent EP 0 808 257 B1 describes an airbag device having the above features. In one embodiment, the airbag belonging to this airbag device extends along the associated roof frame over the length of the vehicle passenger compartment, wherein the airbag is divided into single chambers that run vertically. Before being triggered, the airbag is folded up and accommodated along the roof frame underneath a vehicle interior covering. The folded airbag can additionally be accommodated in a module housing. To this end, the airbag device known in the art covers the region of the side doors of the vehicle, including the side windows.
It would be advantageous to develop an airbag device of the type mentioned in the introduction in such a manner that it also effectively provides protection in the areas of the motor vehicle located in front of the vehicle occupants in order to protect the vehicle occupant in an accident not only against side impact, but also against a frontal impact on parts of the vehicle.
A solution to this problem, including advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention, follows from the content of the following description and claims.


A vehicle seat has a seat member and a back rest connected to the seat member. The seat member and the back rest have an upholstery cover. An airbag module is mounted within the back rest or the seat member. The airbag module has an airbag and a module cover for enclosing the airbag. The module cover has a rated break line for releasing the airbag upon activation of the airbag module. The upholstery cover has a slit with opposed longitudinal edges. The module cover is positioned such that the rated break line extends parallel to an adjacent to slit such that the airbag is able to pass through the upholstery cover after activation of the airbag module. The opposed longitudinal edges are fastened to the module cover on opposite sides of the rated break line.

The present invention relates to a vehicle seat with an airbag module arranged in its interior and covered by an upholstery cover. The airbag module includes an airbag which upon actuation is inflated with the effective filling pressure and upon filling penetrates to the exterior through an opening within the upholstery cover of the vehicle seat whereby the airbag module at the exit side for the airbag comprises a cover that is provided with a rated break line.
A vehicle seat with an integrated lateral airbag with the aforementioned features is known from German Gebrauchsmuster 296 01 257. As disclosed in this prior art document, for such a lateral airbag there exists the problem that for the formation of the unfolding opening within the upholstery cover of the vehicle seat special measures must be taken at the exterior of the seat, especially at the exterior side of the upholstery cover. For this reason it is suggested in the cited prior art solution to provide a separating means within the vehicle seat which acts mechanically and is activated by the filling pressure during inflation of the airbag in order to thus produce the unfolding opening within the upholstery cover. This solution has the disadvantage that the additional means for separating requires additional expenditures with respect to manufacture and mounting, but also results in a weak point of the construction with respect to reliability because, when this separating means does not operate properly, a quick inflation of the airbag and penetration through the closed upholstery cover is questionable. Furthermore, injuries to the person to be protected within the seat as well as damage to the airbag can not be prevented.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle seat of the aforementioned kind, including an unfolding opening within the upholstery cover that is easy to mount, is functionally reliable, and visually pleasing.

Vehicle seat with integrated lateral airbag


A panel for a multi-panel folding door includes a semi-rigid, transparent partition with insulating layers disposed on opposing sides thereof. A collapsible nose seal adjacent to a lateral edge of the panel and extending substantially the length thereof is adapted for engagement with another similar panel also having a collapsible nose seal to provide an interlocking, insulated seal between the panels when the door is closed while permitting the panels to be separated when the door is opened. A magnet in the collapsible nose seal of each panel is adapted for magnetic coupling to a metal plate in the other panel to provide a weather-tight, thermal insulating seal. Each of the insulating layers includes an aperture, with the apertures in mutual alignment to form a window in the panel.

This invention relates generally to multi-section, high speed, motor driven, impact-resistant folding doors and is particularly directed to an improved seal for the lead, or center, panels of a multi-section folding door.
Electrically operated folding partitions, or doors, having a plurality of vertically oriented panels are commonly used in doorways to provide isolation between two rooms or between the outside and inside of a building. Such folding partitions are also frequently used to divide off two or more areas of a given room. The vertically oriented panels are typically suspended from a longitudinal, horizontal track along which the panels are movable. The panels may be coupled together in an accordian-like manner or they may be detached from one another such as in a strip door. Where the panels are coupled together, they are automatically positioned in a straight line, flat arrangement when in the fully closed position and are automatically moved to a folded, stacked configuration when in the fully open position. Such structures are often referred to as operable walls in that they provide a movable wall section for space isolation purposes.
These types of multi-panel folding doors are frequently sometimes used in low temperature environments to isolate those areas on opposing sides of the door. Perhaps the most common low temperature application of these doors is in freezers. In this environment, the individual panels are preferably comprised of materials capable of withstanding low temperatures without deforming or cracking particularly upon impact by a moving object such as a vehicle. When the door is open, there is inevitably a reduction in the temperature differential across the doorway. Present multi-panel folding doors offer only a limited insulating and sealing capability when closed for isolating adjacent spaces separated by the door. Available folding doors are subject to heat leakage particularly in the area of the overlapping lead, or center, panels and thermal transmission through the individual panels which are thin and lightweight because of the high speeds at which those doors are required to operate.
The present invention is intended to overcome the aforementioned limitations of the prior art by providing a multi-panel, high speed folding door having insulated panels which are particularly adapted for use in low temperature environments such as in freezers. The two lead, or inner, panels are provided with respective overlapping collapsible nose seals which incorporate a magnetic coupler for an improved seal in the center portion of the door. Each panel includes a center transparent, sheet-like partition and an insulating sheet on each side of the transparent partition with aligned apertures for more easily and inexpensively providing the panel with a window.


A simple operating caster is provided, which is braked by simple operation of brake pedal, and by which shaft and wheel are braked at once, as the equipped push-type brake pedal (12) to solid axle (13) can be installed always to the outside of bogie (11) exposed so that composed for the operation of user anytime, and brake and brake release of pivot (14) and wheel (15) is performed by the brake pedal (12) at once. The brake method is operated by brake pedal (12) and composed of the pivot brake part, and the wheel brake part, which brakes and releases brake of wheel (15), and pivot brake part and wheel brake part above is operated by push-type brake pedal (12) at once, and by which brake and brake release of pivot (14) and wheel (15) is performed at once, and as the pivot brake part and the wheel brake part is composed of each spring to be elastic-supported and buffered.

Generally at the bottom part of the object, which includes hospital bed, cart, handcart, mechanical equipment, furniture, chair and 4-wheeled hand cart etc (hereinafter called as 'cart'), at least more than one castor is installed provides ease transfer of objects including person.
The above castor is, for example, a domestically registered caster in utility model registration No. 20-0396105 (registered Sep. 1, 2005), which is equipped with a wheel, that performs rotation with/without 360° plane rotation centrally supporting shaft, and the mounted brake system of the castor performs brake through hindering of rolling motion of the wheel, which is the method of increasing friction by pressurizing surface of wheel in large.
Therefore, as the above brake system is a plane rotation structure with/without circling according to wheel, and has a negative effect of hiding inward according to moving direction of cart, when trying to brake or to release brake, man must experience inconveniences and troubles to find hidden casters inward of cart with pushing or rotating cart, moreover in worse, for example if the place were too narrow or low, then must have quite difficulties to pull the hidden castor out by hand or put some work tool into the bottom of cart.
Furthermore, in case of fixed type castor, which only requires driving straight ahead, can brake wheel with one brake system, while in case of rotating type castor, which is feasible for 360° plane rotation, has some inconvenient problems to use because of its structural characters, that one brake system to brake castor supporting shaft and another brake system to brake wheel are mounted respectively.
Furthermore, as its structure is to brake by the method of increased friction in large through pressurizing surface of wheel with friction pad of brake system, when braking it is required of braking pressure as considerable force, and also for releasing of braking power it is required considerable force too, so it is not only inconvenient, but also full of troubles frequently.

Caster with braked shaft and wheel at once


A thermal management system for a propulsion engine of a supersonic or hypersonic aircraft is provided that uses a single flow of endothermic fluid as engine fuel and as a heat sink for engine cooling. The system includes a plurality of heat exchangers in flow series arrangement. Each heat exchanger has a reactor portion, containing a catalyst, in heat exchange relation with a heat source portion. The single fluid flow flows through each of the reactor portions and heat source portions. The heat for the reaction in the reactor portions is provided by the fluid in the heat source portion which as a result is cooled. This cooled fluid is then reheated by flowing it past a hot portion of the engine after which the fluid can flow to another reactor portion or to the engine's combustor where it is ignited.

Thermal management systems are used to cool components, such as turbine blades, in aircraft propulsion engines. For aircraft operating at Mach 3 or less these systems employ bleed air from the engine as the heat sink. As the aircraft exceeds Mach 3, the air stagnation temperature, in the engine, rises rapidly rendering the bleed air ineffective as a heat sink. An obvious alternate heat sink is the engine's fuel. However, the relatively low thermal stability temperature of conventional jet engine fuels limits their heat sink capability to temperatures at which they begin to coke. This coking temperature is about 450.degree. K. (350.degree. F.) for Jet Propellant(JP)-4 and about 650.degree. K. (700.degree. F.) for JP-7. In aircraft operating at speeds greater than Mach 3the temperature of the engine's components can easily exceed these limits. In such cases the fuel cannot be used directly for cooling but instead must be used to cool bleed air or some other stable fluid in an intermediate cooling loop. The intermediate cooling loop requires, for safety reasons, buffered heat exchangers which have a buffer space between the fuel and the bleed air which needs to be monitored for leaks of either fuel or oxidant.
Endothermic fuels are fluids which with the addition of heat and in the presence of a catalyst decompose into two, or more, gaseous compounds at least one of which is combustible. Because of their sensible and latent heat capacities and their endothermic chemical reaction energy absorbtion mechanism,endothermic fuels have higher heat sink capabilities than Jet Propellants.
Accordingly, for aircraft operating at speeds greater than Mach 3there is a need for an engine thermal management system that uses an endothermic fluid as a heat sink and as fuel for the engine.

Endothermic fluid based thermal management system


The present invention provides a prosthetic wrist implant comprising: a radial implant component having an elongated radial stem extending proximally adapted for attachment to radius, a carpal implant component having a distal surface adapted for attachment to one or more carpal bones, and a interposed component between the radial implant component and the carpal implant component that is flexible and allows for changes in orientation between the radial component and the carpal components relative to each other component.

Orthopedic replacement of damaged or degenerated natural wrist joints is well known in the orthopedic arts. Prior to the introduction of a prosthetic joint replacement for the wrist, individuals suffering from a joint disease in the wrist such as radio-carpal arthritis are often surgically treated by a fusion procedure. Fusion involves repairing the injured wrist joint structures with a fixed plate or rod that stiffens the wrist. That is, the joint is fixed in position by a device that allows no movement of the wrist. While this is an improvement over a diseased or injured wrist joint, it is clearly unsatisfactory.
Existing orthopedic prostheses for wrist joint implantation have a number of limitations. Currently, most prosthetic wrist implants provide the patient with only limited functionality of the wrist, as otherwise the implant becomes unstable. A major function of the wrist is to transfer pronosupination torques from the forearm to the hand, in all positions without losing stability. This critical functional aspect of the wrist joint is overlooked in current arthroplasty designs.
It has been found that implants that allow metal to metal contact between the radial and carpal components tend to cause shedding of metal particles that may migrate into surrounding tissues and may cause tissue necrosis and consequent implant failure. Furthermore, typical metal and high molecular weight polyethylene implants succumb to wear phenomena and subsequent osteolysis and other complications.
It would be valuable for a prosthetic wrist implant to provide a secure, strong, and stable attachment to the surrounding bones in order to lower complications related to implant loosening. Further, it would be beneficial to avoid or limit metal-to-metal and metal on high molecular weight polyethylene contact between the radial and carpal components to limit wear phenomena of typical prosthetic joints with bearing surfaces. The prosthetic wrist implant of the present invention addresses the needs and limitations of current designs.


The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a tool string positionable in a wellbore that includes a spur gear driven by a source of input rotation, a planetary gearbox having an attachment structure to connect to the spur gear. The gearbox includes a central sun gear, a collection of planet gears disposed in a planet gear carrier disposed around the central sun gear, and a ring gear disposed around the planet gears and planet gear carrier. The attachment structure drives a hydraulic pump or electrical generator at a rotational speed different than a rotational speed of the source of input rotation.

In oil and gas exploration, it is important to provide rotational energy to downhole tools connected to a drill string. In some implementations, a drilling rig located at or above the surface rotates a drill string disposed in the wellbore below the surface. The surface equipment on the drilling rig rotates the drill string and the drill bit as it bores into the Earth's crust to form a wellbore. In some implementations, the drill string may include a downhole power section (e.g., positive displacement mud motor) that includes a stator and a rotor that are rotated and transfer torque to a drill bit or other downhole equipment (referred to generally as the "tool string") disposed below the downhole power section. In some implementations, both surface and downhole sources of rotations are used (e.g., the surface equipment rotates the stator connected to the drill string, and the rotor of the positive displacement downhole motor is rotated due to a fluid pressure differential of the pumped drilling fluid flowing across the power section relative to the stator.


Systems, methods, and kits useful for cleansing the eyelids and maintaining eyelid hygiene are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system for treating or cleansing an ocular region is disclosed. The system consists essentially of: (A) a tubular applicator, wherein the applicator comprises: (i) a first chamber and a second chamber; and (ii) a sealable element situated between the first chamber and the second chamber, wherein at least the second chamber is substantially pre-filled with an ocular composition, and (B) a dispenser, wherein the dispenser is bonded to an external surface of a first end of the applicator.

The eyelids are important to ocular health because they protect the eyes from airborne contaminants, such as pollen, dust particles or other foreign bodies. The eyelids contain several glands including the lacrimal glands and the specialized form of the sebaceous glands, the meibomian glands, which produce layers of tear film that are critical for healthy eyes.
The eyelids are subject to problems like blepharitis, dry eyes and inflammation of the meibomian glands. Another complication is the infestation of the arachnid, Demodex folliculorum (Demodex mites). The Demodex mite infestation is common in humans; anecdotal evidence suggests that the mites can be found in ten percent of the eyelashes of healthy persons. The occurrence of the infestation may also be age related.
Demodex mites reside inside the sebaceous glands and hair follicles. They cause damage to the cell walls by sucking nutrients from the hair roots. They burrow into the skin, lay eggs, introduce bacteria, and infect the skin. Some of the symptoms of infestation include itching and inflammation of the eyelids. Additionally, there is evidence that the mites can also be one of the causes of the skin disease rosacca.

Systems, methods and kits for cleansing an ocular region


An ion generating device provided in an image forming apparatus of the present invention as a charging device for charging before a first transfer, a charging device for charging before a second transfer, or a charge device for charging an electrostatic latent image is arranged such that a discharge electrode can move with respect to a dielectric material and the relative positions of the discharge electrode and the dielectric material can be changed. This makes it possible to provide: a long-life ion generating device whose life has been extended by making effective use of a dielectric material; and an image forming apparatus including the ion generating device.

Some image forming apparatuses such as copiers, printers, and facsimile machines employ an electrophotographic method as a recording method, and the market for such image forming apparatuses have been rapidly growing.
Conventionally, in such an image forming apparatus employing an electrophotographic method, ion generating devices have been used as a charging device for charging a photoreceptor or the like, as an electricity-removing device for removing electricity from a photoreceptor or the like, and as a transfer device for transferring a toner image onto a transfer receiving material. Currently mainstream examples of the ion generating devices include corotron or scorotron corona charging devices and roller-type contact charging devices.
However, now that image forming apparatuses have been miniaturized, there is a demand for miniaturization of charging devices. In reality, such ion generating devices as corona charging devices and roller-type contact device described above cannot sufficiently meet the demand for miniaturization.
Specifically, a corona charging device is arranged such that a corona wire is so covered with a case as to be approximately 1 cm away from the case. This makes it difficult to miniaturize the charging device. A roller-type contact charging device also requires a space, albeit not as large as a corona charging device does, in which a roller is disposed.
Studied in response to the demand as an ion generating device capable of charging even in a small space is an ion generating device, referred to also as "solid ion generating device, which uses a creeping discharge element that generates ions along with creeping discharge. Such an ion generating device can greatly reduce the amount of ozone to be generated.
FIG. 16 shows an arrangement of a conventional ion generating device for generating ions along with creeping discharge. As shown in FIG. 16, the ion generating device includes: a dielectric material 101; and a creeping discharge element 104, which has a discharge electrode 103 and an inductive electrode 102 disposed so as to face each other via the dielectric material 101.
Each of the discharge electrode 103 and the inductive electrode 102 is formed by forming an electrode film such as a tungsten electrode film on (a surface of) the dielectric material 101 and shaping the electrode film into a ribbon (stripe) with use of a photolithographic technique or the like.
When an alternating voltage is applied between the discharge electrode 103 and the inductive electrode 102, creeping discharge occurs near the discharge electrode 103, so that ions are generated accordingly. In the case of the ribbon discharge electrode 103, discharge occurs in two edge portions that extend in a longitudinal direction of the ribbon discharge electrode 103.
Further, commonly-used examples of the dielectric material 101 include mica paper made by joining pieces of mica on top of each other with resin. Other usable examples of the dielectric material include raw mica, ceramic, and a resin sheet. However, it is very difficult to obtain raw mica having a large amount of space, and such raw mica is expensive. Further, ceramic is expensive, albeit not as expensive as raw mica. Moreover, ceramic is prone to breakages and cracks. This makes it difficult to shape ceramic into a thin plate.
Conventionally, a creeping discharge element in such an ion generating device or the device has been judged to have reached the end of its life when it becomes unable to ensure uniformity in ion generating ability or when its ion generating ability falls short of an allowable lower limit.
In the case of the dielectric material 101 made of mica paper as shown in FIG. 16, there is a minute hole 106 formed in a space between mica flakes 105. As the accumulated amount of discharge time becomes larger, the minute hole 106 grows larger or comes to contain water. That part of the minute hole 106 which has grown larger or contains water deteriorates in insulation resistance, and therefore becomes incapable of discharging. This makes it impossible to ensure uniformity in discharge, thereby causing nonuniformity in ion generating ability.
Further, when a high voltage is applied to the discharge electrode 103, a strong electric field is formed between the discharge electrode 103 and a part of the dielectric material 101 in contact with the discharge electrode 103. Therefore, as the accumulated amount of discharge time becomes larger, the dielectric material 101 suffers from a change in color (burn-in). When the dielectric material 101 suffers from such a change in color, the dielectric material 101 cannot maintain the required ion generating ability.
As described above, conventionally, the creeping discharge element 104 or the ion generating device has been judged to have reached the end of its life at a point of time where the dielectric material 101 deteriorates.
Examples of prior art documents of an ion generating device including a creeping discharge element include Patent Documents 1 and 2. In order to prevent deterioration from being caused by discharge, Patent Documents 1 and 2 teach that a surface of a discharge electrode and a surface of a dielectric material on which the discharge electrode is provided are coated with an inorganic coating agent. Patent Documents 1 and 2 also teach that: the coating agent performs a function of preventing the discharge electrode from being wearing due to discharge and prevents the dielectric material from deteriorating due to discharge, thereby greatly improving the life of the ion generating device.
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 237368/2002 (Tokukai 2002-237368; published on Aug. 23, 2006)
[Patent Document 2]
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 47642/2006 (Tokukai 2006-47642; published on Feb. 16, 2006)
However, even in the arrangement, described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, in which the discharge electrode and the dielectric material are coated with the inorganic coating agent, it is hard to say that the life of the ion generating device is sufficiently long. A proposal for a technique for further extending the life of a creeping discharge element or an ion generating device has been expected.
Furthermore, such a conventional ion generating device as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 has problems with cost of manufacturing and running cost.
That is, in the above arrangement, the discharge electrode 103 and the inductive electrode 102 are formed by forming an electrode film on a surface of the dielectric material 101 and patterning the electrode film with use of a photolithographic technique or the like. This inevitably causes a rise in cost of manufacturing.
Further, in the case of the discharge electrode 103 made by patterning the electrode film, creeping discharge occurs mainly in the edge portions as shown in FIG. 16, so that the amount of space of discharge is small. Therefore, the amount of discharge is small with respect to the alternating voltage applied between the discharge electrode 103 and the inductive electrode 102. In order to ensure the amount of discharge, it is necessary to apply a high alternating voltage to some extent. This causes an increase in power consumption, and shortens the life of an ion generating device or a creeping discharge element by accelerating deterioration of the dielectric material 101, thereby causing a rise in running cost.

Ion generating device and image forming apparatus including same


An electrical adapter assembly has a cable and an adapter. The cable has a distal end having a plug and a proximal end having a connector. The connector comprises a shell having an inner space, a first end and a second end having an output hole allowing the cable to be mounted in the inner space. The second end of the connector has an outer surface, a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a thermal sensor mounted in the inner space of the connector. The adapter connects to the cable and has a circuit board and a socket corresponding to the plug. Because the thermal sensor can sense the temperature in the connector and cut off the current when the temperature is too high, the cable will not be damaged and users will not be in danger.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical adapter assembly, and more particularly to an electrical adapter assembly that can detect temperature in a cable to prevent the cable from being overheated to cause damage.
2. Description of the Related Art
Power source for an automobile has a battery and a smoke lighter. In the past, the smoke lighter is set in an automobile for a driver and passengers who are smokers. Recently, the smokers will not smoke in cars for health and safety reasons. The smoke lighter is not used to light cigarettes, but offers electricity to an electrical appliance such as a laptop, a personal digital assistant (PDA), mobile phone or the like.
A conventional adapter assembly has an adapter and a cable.
The adapter can receive input electricity that may have 150 watts (W) or 200 W electric power and has a circuit board and a socket. The socket board is mounted in the adapter to transform the direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) (770V/220V). The socket has a contact. The contact is mounted in the socket and connects with the circuit board.
The cable connects the adapter with a battery or a smoke lighter and has a distal end and a proximal end. The distal end has a plug. The plug is mounted on the distal end of the cable, detachably plugs into the socket and contact the contact. The proximal end has a connector. The connector is mounted on the proximal end, connects with the power source and may be a smoke lighter connector or have two crocodile clips. When the connector is the smoke lighter connector, the connector connects with the smoke lighter to allow electricity that has electric power only below 150 W to input the cable. When the connector has the two crocodile clips, the crocodile clips clip the battery to allow electricity that has electric power upper to 200 W to be inputted in the cable.
However, if the plug of the cable with the smoke lighter connector plugs into the socket of the adapter that can stand for 200 W electricity, electricity current will overload the cable. Thus, the cable will be overheated to cause damage and even users will be injured.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides an electrical adapter assembly to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned.


A print control method performs print processing in an optical operation mode that is automatically determined in response to a print request from an application program. The print control method queries a user about evaluation of print speed or the result of printing obtained in the print processing, and obtains a response to the query. When performing print processing in response to a later print request, the operation mode is determined based on the response. The print control method generates print data in intermediate condition which is not dependent on a particular page description language, and performs print processing based on the result of analyzing the print data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a print data processing apparatus, a print control method, a computer-readable print control program, and a storage medium containing the print control program, which are used to perform printing processes in response to image-forming commands from an application.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional print processing (specifically, printer driver processing) in a print data processing system, concerning the selection of print modes for use in printing in a case in which a printer has a plurality of print conditions (print modes), for example, a printer description language (PDL) mode and an image mode, an apparatus that has a function of automatically selecting a print mode for use in printing has been proposed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-129583. Other print conditions, such as color gradation and resolution, are designated by a user, or are fixed for processing.
A printer driver having such a function of automatically selecting a print mode has an advantage in that print settings, which are complicated to the user, do not need to be determined. However, a user who is discontent with the time and result of printing executed by the print settings determined by the automatically selecting function operates or selects the print mode.
In order that the user may operate and set a print condition (print mode), the user must understand combinations of the characteristics of documents to be printed and optimal print conditions (print modes) thereto. Thus, in general, ordinary users who are not interested in print processing must use the automatically selecting function which frees them from complicated operations, even if they are discontent with print conditions determined by the automatically selecting function. Accordingly, a problem occurs in that the automatically selecting function cannot cope with a user's intention for each time. In addition, known automatic determination of print modes by a printer driver does not reflect the characteristic of each application. Depending on the type of application, even applications belonging to a series have different characteristics. For example, even drawing (figure drawing) applications include an application adapted for the PDL mode and an application adapted for the image mode, depending on the output form of an image-forming function to the graphics engine of an operating system (OS). This causes a problem in that the conventional print-mode automatic-selecting function cannot cope with an application in use.

Print data processing apparatus, print control method, and print control program


A motorcycle tire for running on rough terrain comprises a tread portion provided with blocks each having a polygonal ground contacting top surface. The blocks include a twist block having a twisted portion from the top surface toward the radially inside.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-241062 discloses a motorcycle tire for running on rough terrain, wherein the tread portion is provided with a plurality of blocks whose ground contacting top surface is rectangle. When running on rough terrain, the edges of the ground contacting top surfaces of such blocks dig into the ground surface to generate a gripping force.
The ground contacting top surface of such block has a contour shape similar to the contour shape of a cross section of the block at the base, therefore, it is difficult to improve the durability of the block, and the traction performance and mud self-ejection performance of the tire in good balance.
For example, in order to focus on an improvement in the traction performance during cornering, it is conceivable to incline, with respect to the tire axial direction, an edge of the ground contacting top surface of a block which edge is on the heel-side in the tire rotation direction. As a result, the heel-side edge of the cross sectional shape of the block at the base is also inclined with respect to the tire axial direction. In this case, for example when running on rough terrain, an heel-side end portion of the heel-side edge at the base of the block, is more likely to be subjected to a large stress, and there is a possibility that the block is damaged starting from the heel-side end portion.
Meanwhile, in order to focus on an improvement in the mud self-ejection performance of the tread portion, it is conceivable to incline the heel-side edge of the cross sectional shape of the block at the base with respect to the tire axial direction. As a result, the heel-side edge of the ground contacting top surface of the block is also inclined with respect to the tire axial direction. In this case, there is a problem such that the traction performance is decreased during straight running in particular.

Motorcycle tire for running on rough terrain


An interchangeable base system is provided for use with an electrical power and/or data unit in a work area or the like. The base system includes a bottom housing portion associated with the electrical unit, with the bottom housing portion having a mechanical receptacle portion. The base system further includes at least two different mounts, each having an engaging portion configured to mate with the receptacle portion, and each having a different distal mounting portion. The different distal mounting portions are configured for mounting to different types of surfaces, so that the electrical unit may be configured for installation in different locations or in different ways.

Electrical power units and other devices are commonly located at or near work surfaces, such as tables, desks, wall panels, and the like. Such power units may rest atop a work surface, or may be permanently or temporarily secured to the work surface, or to another nearby surface, via attachment hardware.


A process for determining the genotype of an individual with respect to the alleles at the HLA DP locus involves obtaining a sample of nucleic acid from the individual, and hybridizing the nucleic acids with a panel of probes specific for variant segments of DPalpha and DPbeta genes. Because the variation between DPbeta alleles is highly dispersed throughout the second exon of the DPbeta gene, the discovery of many different DPbeta alleles makes the process far more discriminating and informative than cellular, RFLP, or serological methods. The process can also be carried out on amplified nucleic acid produced by the polymerase chain reaction using primers specific for the second exon of the DPalpha and DPbeta genes. HLA DP DNA typing methods are useful in the prevention of graft rejection and host versus graft disease, in determining susceptibility to autoimmune diseases, in providing evidence concerning the derivation from an individual of forensic samples, and in paternity testing.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and compositions for determining the HLA DP genotype of an individual. In a preferred embodiment, the invention relates to using gene amplification methodology disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195 and 4,683,202 and the dot-blot and allele-specific oligonucleotide probe technology as disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,194. The methods and probes of the invention specifically relate to the detection of the polymorphic class II HLA DP genes. The invention relates to the fields of molecular biology, diagnostic medicine, and forensics.
2. Description of the Related Art
The class II loci of the human major histocompatibility complex encode the HLA D cell surface glycoproteins which are expressed on B lymphocytes, activated T lymphocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells. These proteins, which are individually designated DR, DQ, and DP, are composed of an alpha and a highly polymorphic beta subunit and are responsible for the presentation of antigen to T cells. The variability in the highly polymorphic beta subunit is localized to the amino-terminal extracellular domain, which is thought to interact with the T cell receptor and antigen peptide fragments. The genes encoding the class II HLA proteins are located on the short arm of chromosome six in humans. The genes encoding the HLA DPalpha and DPbeta chains are clustered at the centromeric end of this region and, perhaps due to low levels of expression, were the last of the HLA D genes to be discovered and are, therefore, the least well characterized. The structures, sequences, and polymorphisms in the HLA D region have been reviewed in Trowsdale et al., 1985, Immunol. Rev. 85:5-43, incorporated herein by reference.
The polymorphism of the HLA D region gene products has, in general, been defined by serologic typing reagents and by the mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) reaction in which T cell proliferation in response to homozygous typing cells (HTC) is measured in culture. The HLA DP antigens were originally defined by their ability to stimulate a strong secondary response in specifically primed T cells, a method known as primed lymphocyte typing (PLT) and described by Mawas et al., 1981, Tissue Antigens 15:458-466; Wank et al., 1978, Immunogenetics 6:107-115; and Shaw et al., 1980, J. Exp. Med. 152:565-580. The HLA DP antigens elicit only a weak response in a primary MLC, and unlike the studies of HLA DR and HLA DQ polymorphism, the analysis of allelic variation in the HLA DP region has been complicated by the lack of availability of serologic reagents and of typing cells. In addition, the specific cell lines used in the PLT assay are difficult to generate, and the typing assay is slow and somewhat variable from laboratory to laboratory.
Cellular (see Odum et al., 1987, Tissue Antigens 29:101-109), biochemical (see Lotteau et al., 1987, Immunogenetics 25:403-407), and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP, see Hyldig-Nielsen et al., 1987, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:1644-1648) analyses have indicated that the degree of polymorphism in the DP region may be more extensive than the currently serologically, immunologically, or PLT-defined DPw1 through DPw6 types. The RFLP approach showed that the RFLP of the DP region was relatively extensive and that some of the fragments were strongly associated with certain DP antigens. However, the RFLP technique has certain limitations. An allele carrying a variant sequence is identifiable only if the variant nucleotide is within the recognition site of a restriction enzyme used in the analysis or if a polymorphic restriction site is in linkage disequilibrium with a specific coding sequence variation. In addition, RFLP analysis simply provides evidence that a coding sequence variation exists but does not provide information on the exact nature of the variation. Moreover, relatively large fragments of the genomic nucleic acid must be used for the analysis. This latter requirement often rules out the use of samples which have been kept under conditions which result in the degradation of the genomic DNA.
Accurate DP typing may prove important in several medical applications. Genetic recombination between the DP loci and the serologically typed DR loci can occur such that serologically identical sibs may not be matched at DP. The HLA-DP differences have been revealed by RFLP analysis in several cases of acute graft vs. host disease between apparently HLA-identical donor and recipient pairs, as described by Amar et al., 1987, J. Immunology 138:1947-1953. Furthermore, several autoimmune diseases, including coeliac disease, have been shown to be associated with specific DP types, defined either by PLT, Odum et al., 1986, Tissue Antigens 28:245-250, or by RFLP, Howell et al., 1988, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:222-226, analysis.
A significant improvement in DNA amplification, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, was disclosed by Mullis in U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,202, and methods for utilizing PCR in the cloning and detection of nucleic acids were disclosed by Mullis et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,195, both of which patent disclosures are hereby incorporated herein by reference. See also U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,188 and abandoned U.S. Ser. No. 899,513, filed Aug. 22, 1986, each of which is incorporated herein by reference. In the PCR technique, short oligonucleotide primers are prepared to match opposite ends of the sequence to be amplified. The sequence between the primers need not be known. A sample of nucleic acid (DNA or RNA, although RNA is first converted to cDNA in the PCR process) is extracted and denatured, preferably by heat, and hybridized with oligonucleotide primers which are present in molar excess. Polymerization is catalyzed by a polymerase in the presence of deoxynucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs). This results in two "long products" which contain the respective primers at their 5'-termini, covalently linked to the newly synthesized complements of the original strands. The replicated DNA is again denatured, hybridized with oligonucleotide primers, returned to polymerizing conditions, and a second cycle of replication is initiated. The second cycle provides the two original strands, the two long products from cycle 1 and two long products of cycle 2, and two "short products" replicated from the long products produced in cycle 1. The short products contain sequences (sense or antisense) derived from the target sequence and flanked at the 5' end with a primer and at the 3'-end with a sequence complementary to a primer. On each additional cycle, the number of short products is replicated exponentially. Thus, the PCR process causes the amplification of a specific target sequence and allows for the detection of sequences initially present in a sample in only extremely small amounts.
Allelic sequence variations in the gene encoding beta-globin of hemoglobin and in the gene encoding HLA DQalpha have been detected by utilizing allele-specific oligonucleotides (ASO), which will only anneal to sequences that match them perfectly, as described by Saiki et al., 1986, Nature 324:163-166. These studies also utilized the PCR procedure to amplify the DNA sequences present in the samples and a dot-blot technique to detect probe hybridization to the sample.


An electrical machine, in particular a generator, preferably a claw pole generator, having a contact element for electrically connecting electrical components, which is made up of a generally arc-shaped, electrically non-conductive substrate having arc end areas, including electrical conductors for connecting the components. At least one of the electrical conductors is designed as an external connection conductor, which runs outside the substrate from one arc end area to the other arc end area.

Conventionally, contact elements are employed in electrical machines for electrically connecting electrical components.
European Patent No. EP 0 960 464 describes an electrical machine having a contact element which is of a generally arc-shaped design and has arc end areas. The contact element has a plurality of conductors that run within a substrate of the contact element. A conductor is provided in the contact element which extends from one arc end area to the other arc end area. The conductor extends through the substrate with an angular path. The angular path is needed so that the conductor does not come into electrical contact with other conductors present in the substrate and thus produce a short circuit. This results in a very complex wiring geometry, which is complicated and expensive to produce and requires great accuracy during installation in the substrate. Furthermore, the angular path within the substrate due to the arc-shaped path of the contact element results in great wiring length, which leads to line losses. A contact element is needed which may be manufactured in a simple and reliable way and reduces conventional line losses.

Electrical machine having a contact element for electrically connecting electrical components


An invention is disclosed for conducting a remote presentation session with a client that uses a web browser to conduct the session. In embodiments, a proxy server exists between the remote presentation server and the client. The proxy server establishes a HTTP session with the client and a remote presentation session with the client. The server generates graphics encoded with a remote presentation protocol and sends them to the proxy, which re-encodes them as video and sends them to the client for display in the web browser. The client captures user input at the web browser and sends it to the proxy, which encodes it with the remote presentation protocol and sends it to the server to be processed.

In a remote presentation session, a client computer and a server computer communicate across a communications network. The client sends the server locally-received input, such as mouse cursor movements and keyboard presses. In turn, the server receives this input and performs processing associated with it, such as executing an application in a user session. When the server performs processing that results in output, such as graphical output or sound, the server sends this output to the client for presentation. In this manner, applications appear to a user of the client to execute locally on the client when, they in fact, execute on the server.
A problem with conventional remote presentation sessions is that the client participating in the remote presentation session needs to have installed upon it a remote presentation session application—an application that is configured to communicate with the server in accordance with the remote presentation session protocol. This requirement means that there may be many computers accessible to a user that have a network connection that may communicate with the remote presentation session server, but lack the remote presentation session application with which to conduct a remote presentation session.
There are also techniques for a client to conduct a remote presentation session with a web browser, rather than a remote-presentation-session-specific application. In these techniques, commonly the remoted desktop image is subdivided into a plurality of tiles, and each of these image tiles are sent to the client (or an indication of the tile, where the client has cached the tile), and displayed in the client's web browser. When the remoted desktop image changes, the "dirty" tiles are determined—those tiles where the image has changed—and those dirty tiles are sent to the client for display via the web browser.
There are many problems with these techniques for a client conducting a remote presentation session using a web browser, some of which are well known.

Web-browser based desktop and application remoting solution