A process for preparing zinc oxide comprises introducing, into an atmosphere, an aqueous solution of a zinc salt that is thermally decomposable to zinc oxide, the atmosphere having a temperature sufficient to decompose the salt to the oxide, and recovering zinc oxide. The zinc oxide so-prepared is in the form of discrete particles which can have an average particle size of 0.08 .mu.m or less in diameter and a surface area of at least 12.5 m.sup.2 /g and which is also free of zinc metal. The small particle size zinc oxide is particularly useful as a UV absorbing/scattering additive.

The ability of zinc oxide to absorb ultra-violet radiation is well known. However, zinc oxide produced by standard methods is a white, opaque powder and as such is unacceptable in appearance for use in certain applications where effective absorption of ultra-violet radiation is desirable, e.g. sunscreens, paints, varnishes, plastics, cosmetics etc.
In theory, reducing the particle size of zinc oxide to below the wavelength of visible light will result in visible light being transmitted through the zinc oxide thereby causing it to appear virtually transparent when in a dispersed form e.g. a dispersion in oil. At the same time however, such a small particle size will more effectively scatter and absorb ultra-violet light.
Methods have been developed in an attempt to provide zinc oxide having a reduced particle size so as to render it transparent when in a dispersed form.
The so-called French process comprises oxidation of zinc metal vapour by mixing with air and quenching with excess air. The particle size of the resulting zinc oxide can be decreased by increasing the rate of mixing and quenching. However, the process inevitably produces a proportion of unreacted zinc metal in the zinc oxide product, and the smaller the particle size of the oxide product the higher the level of zinc metal impurity.
Zinc metal is an extremely undesirable impurity, particularly when the zinc oxide contaminated with it is to be used in products such as sunscreens, paints, plastics etc., because it is capable of reaction with air, moisture and organic media to generate undesirable gaseous products. In addition, it tends to impart a grey tinge to the product which is aesthetically undesirable, and is often coarser than the zinc oxide thereby tending to impart a gritty feel to the product.
An article by S. Tichy, SOFW--Journal 119. Jahrgang, August 1993, discloses "micronized" zinc oxide produced by first precipitating the basic carbonate from a purified solution of zinc sulphate or zinc chloride, washing and filtering the carbonate, and finally subjecting it to calcination. The process involves a number of separate steps each of which tends to give rise to a loss in yield of the final product.
The "micronized" zinc oxide is transparent and allegedly has a particle size of about 20 nm and a surface area in the range 50 to 150 m.sup.2 /g. However, scanning electron micrograph studies of the "micronized" zinc oxide have shown it to have a particle size of around 1 .mu.m and to have a sponge-like, or internally porous, structure which accounts for the high surface area.
In addition, when zinc chloride is used in the process, the zinc oxide product tends to be contaminated with chloride which is undesirable, particularly in cosmetics applications, for example, where purity of ingredients is essential.
Another process for making small zinc oxide is disclosed in an article by Liu et al., Journal of Materials Science 21 (1986) 3698-3702. This process comprises dissolving zinc acetate dihydrate in methanol, atomising this solution into very fine (around 2 .mu.m) droplets using an ultrasonic atomiser, and passing these first into a low temperature electric furnace and subsequently into a high temperature electric furnace. One disadvantage with this process is in the use of methanol as a solvent, since this is both expensive, particularly in the high volumes used compared to a relatively small amount of zinc acetate, and dangerous due to its high flammability. Another disadvantage resides in the use of ultrasonic atomisation since this is both difficult and expensive to apply to a large sale.
The zinc oxide produced comprises slightly porous, spherical particles having a mean diameter of 0.15 .mu.m and having a surface area of about 50 m.sup.2 /g. Each particle consists of an agglomerate of a number of smaller individual, or "primary", particles each having a diameter in the range 100 to 200 nm. The relatively high surface area quoted is that of the agglomerate and includes the exposed surface area of each of the "primary" particles.
It would be desirable to produce zinc oxide having a small particle size and that is free of zinc metal impurity by a process that is simple, safe and economical when applied to a large, or production, scale.


A semiconductor memory device includes a first bank, a second bank disposed separately from the first bank along a first direction, a third bank disposed separately from the first bank along a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, a fourth bank disposed separately from the second bank along the second direction and from the third bank along the first direction, a first row control region, which is disposed between the first bank and the second bank, suitable for controlling a row decoding operation of the first bank and the second bank, a second row control region, which is disposed between the third bank and the fourth bank, suitable for controlling a row decoding operation of the third bank and the fourth bank, and a refresh control unit suitable for controlling a refresh operation of the first to fourth banks.

1. Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a semiconductor design technology, and more particularly, to a semiconductor memory device for reducing an area of a refresh logic circuit that prevents the data deterioration of a memory cell caused by the disturbance of word lines.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a semiconductor memory device such as a double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM) includes tens of millions of memory cells, and stores and outputs data in response to a command requested from a chipset. That is, if the chipset requests a write operation to the semiconductor memory device, the semiconductor memory device stores data on a memory cell corresponding to an address inputted from the chipset, and if the chipset requests a read operation to the semiconductor memory cell, the semiconductor memory device outputs the data stored on the memory, cell corresponding to the address inputted from the chipset.
A group of memory cells is referred to as a memory bank. The number of memory banks may be changed according to a design of the semiconductor memory device.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a conventional semiconductor memory device.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional semiconductor memory device 1000 includes a plurality of bank groups. Each 100 of the plurality of bank groups includes four memory banks 110A, 110B, 110C and 110D, two row control regions 120 and 130, four column control regions 140A, 1406, 140C and 140D, and two refresh control units 150 and 160. Each of the four memory banks 110A, 110B, 110C and 110D includes a plurality of memory cells. The two row control regions 120 and 130 and four column control regions 140A, 140B, 140C and 140D correspond to the four memory banks 110A, 110B, 110C and 110D. For reference, the two row control regions 120 and 130 include circuits for controlling a row access of the four memory banks 110A, 110B, 110C and 110D. The four column control regions 140A, 140B, 140C and 140D include circuits for controlling a column access of the four memory banks 110A, 1106, 1100 and 110D. The four memory banks 110A, 110B, 110C and 110D are disposed along a first direction in the conventional semiconductor memory device 1000.
As the integration of memory cells are increased, an interval among a plurality of word lines included in the conventional semiconductor memory device is reduced. As the interval among the word lines is reduced, a coupling effect among adjacent word lines is increased. As the coupling effect among the adjacent word lines is increased, data of memory cells coupled to the word lines, which are frequently activated, are damaged. This is referred to as a word line disturbance. Due to word line disturbance, data of memory cells are damaged before the memory cells are refreshed. Thus, a target row refresh (TRR) operation is performed to prevent the word line disturbance. The TRR operation represents that when a target word line having large or frequent number of active-precharges is detected, the memory cells coupled to the adjacent word lines are refreshed. The refresh control units 150 and 150 activate the word lines corresponding to a target row address, which is applied in response to control signals CTRL_SIGs, e.g., an active command, during a target row refresh mode. Since the refresh control units 150 and 160 are disposed closely to the row control regions 140A, 140B, 140C and 140D, the refresh control units 150 and 160 perform an operation related to a row region of the memory banks 110A, 110B, 1100 and 110D. Moreover, since the four memory banks 110A, 110B, 110C and 110D are disposed along a first direction in each 100 of the bank groups of the conventional semiconductor memory device 1000, two refresh control units 150 and 160 are necessary. However, as the integration of a semiconductor memory device is increased, a plurality of refresh control units are disposed in each of the plurality of bank groups, and the area of the plurality of refresh control units are increased.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a target row refresh operation of the conventional semiconductor memory device.
In general, a semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of word lines. A semiconductor controller provides command signals CMDs, addresses ADDs and data to the semiconductor memory device, and controls the semiconductor memory device. If a word line having large or frequent number of active-precharges is frequently access, memory cells coupled to adjacent word lines are affected. That is, data of the memory cells may be damaged. Thus, the TRR operation may be performed to overcome above-mentioned problem.
Referring to FIG. 2, through the TRR operation, the deterioration of memory cells caused by the word line disturbance is prevented by detecting a word line having a frequent access and performing a refresh operation on the adjacent word lines. The semiconductor memory device or the semiconductor controller detects a target row address of the target word line having large or frequent number of active-precharges. If the target row address is detected, the semiconductor controller provides the command signals CMDs and the addresses ADDs for instructing a target active operation of the semiconductor memory device. If the semiconductor memory device is set to the TRR mode by a mode register set (MRS), after the active-precharge command for the TRR operation is applied three times the TRR mode exits. The target row address "N" is applied to the semiconductor memory device in response to a first active command signal ACT, and a precharge command signal is applied to the semiconductor memory device after a predetermined time elapses. The semiconductor memory device activates and precharges the target word line corresponding to the target row address "N". Subsequently, a second active command signal ACT is applied to the semiconductor memory device, a word line adjacent to the target word line is access in response to the second active command signal ACT, and a precharge operation is performed. Next, a third active command signal ACT is applied to the semiconductor memory device, another word line adjacent to the target word line is access in response to the third active command signal ACT, and the TRR operation is performed.
A refresh operation must be performed through an active-precharge operation of the word line corresponding to the target row address "N", and adjacent word lines thereto. Thus, a target row counter for receiving and counting the target row address "N", and generating addresses corresponding to the adjacent word lines is needed.


A charging module for applying a uniform electrostatic charge to a charge retentive surface is provided. The charging module is operably electrically connectable to a power supply for supplying an electrical bias to the charging apparatus. The charging module is mountable into a process cartridge. The process cartridge includes a cartridge mounting surface for cooperation with the charging apparatus. The apparatus includes a housing including a housing mounting feature and an electrode. The electrode is mounted to the housing and is positioned adjacent the surface in a non-contact relationship therewith. The housing mounting feature is adapted to be cooperable with the cartridge mounting surface to secure the placement of the charging module into the cartridge without the need for any installation tools.

This invention relates to electrostatographic reproduction machines, and more particularly to an economical and capacity-extendible all-in-one process cartridge for easy adaptive use in a family of compact electrostatographic reproduction machines having different volume capacities and consumable life cycles. Specifically this invention relates to such a cartridge including a charging device module for use with print cartridge.
Generally, the process of electrostatographic reproduction, as practiced in electrostatographic reproduction machines, includes charging a photoconductive member to a substantially uniform potential so as to sensitize the surface thereof. A charged portion of the photoconductive surface is exposed at an exposure station to a light image of an original document to be reproduced. Typically, an original document to be reproduced is placed in registration, either manually or by means of an automatic document handler, on a platen for such exposure.
Exposing an image of an original document as such at the exposure station, records an electrostatic latent image of the original image onto the photoconductive member. The recorded latent image is subsequently developed using a development apparatus by bringing a charged dry or liquid developer material into contact with the latent image. Two component and single component developer materials are commonly used. A typical two-component dry developer material has magnetic carrier granules with fusible toner particles adhering triboelectrically thereto. A single component dry developer material typically comprising toner particles only can also be used. The toner image formed by such development is subsequently transferred at a transfer station onto a copy sheet fed to such transfer station, and on which the toner particles image is then heated and permanently fused so as to form a "hardcopy" of the original image.
It is well known to provide a number of the elements and components, of an electrostatographic reproduction machine, in the form of a customer or user replaceable unit (CRU). Typically such units are each formed as a cartridge that can be inserted or removed from the machine frame by a customer or user. Reproduction machines such as copiers and printers ordinarily include consumable materials such as toner, volume limiting components such as a waste toner container, and life cycle limiting components such as a photoreceptor and a cleaning device. Because these elements of the copying machine or printer must be replaced frequently, they are more likely to be incorporated into a replaceable cartridge as above.
There are therefore various types and sizes of cartridges, varying from single machine element cartridges such as a toner cartridge, to all-in-one electrostatographic toner image forming and transfer process cartridges. The design, particularly of an all-in-one cartridge can be very costly and complicated by a need to optimize the life cycles of different elements, as well as to integrate all the included elements, while not undermining the image quality. This is particularly true for all-in-one process cartridges to be used in a family of compact electrostatographic reproduction machines having different volume capacities and elements having different life cycles.
There is therefore a need for a quality image producing, economical and capacity-extendible all-in-one process cartridge that is easily adapted for use in various machines in a family of compact electrostatographic reproduction machines having different volume capacities and elements with different life cycles.
The xerographic process includes the step of charging the photoconductive surface prior to applying the latent image to the photoconductive surface and subsequently developing that latent image. The charging process is typically accomplished by an electric charging device either in the form of a contact charge roll or a non-contact electrode spaced from the photoconductive surface. In either event, whether a contact roller or a spaced electrode is used to charge the photoconductive surface, the charging device acquires contact with a power supply.
Installing of the charging device into a printing machine or correspondingly to a printing cartridge within the printing machine, requires a time consuming assembly of the charging components into the machine. manufacturing charging devices requires expensive, tedious welding, soldering or other assembly methods to electrically interconnect the electrical components. This intricate assembly is expensive and necessitates added cost and reliability problems. Furthermore, the charging device may experience a failure which may require repair or replacement of the cartridge unit.
The following disclosures may be relevant to various aspects of the present invention:

Charging device module for use with print cartridge


A method for suppressing messages from a medical system in a remote maintenance center during maintenance work includes generating an item of start information that indicates a start of the maintenance work on the medical system. The method also includes transmitting the start information to the remote maintenance center, and generating an item of end information that indicates an end of the maintenance work on the medical system. The method includes transmitting the end information to the remote maintenance center and suppressing the messages that are sent from the medical system to the remote maintenance center in a time between the start information and the end information, in the remote maintenance center.

A software component makes it possible for medical systems (e.g., angiography devices) to independently report system faults or deviations from standard operation to a remote maintenance center or service center.
The published patent application DE 10 2004 045743 A1 describes remote maintenance of imaging devices, for example. Such devices are often maintained, within the scope of a first service level, by the clinic's own service technicians who, in the event of the occurrence of more specific or more complex problems, access the support of the respective manufacturer or specialized service companies within the scope of higher service levels by remote maintenance. A number of potential technical problems may be attributed to causes that may be identified in a relatively simple manner and may accordingly be frequently rectified in a simple manner. Such problems (e.g., main cable not plugged in or printer ink empty) may be solved in situ without special device knowledge. In such cases, consumables may be purchased if necessary. More complex problems may also be identified by unspecialized service technicians in situ, i. In such a case, a test routine is to be executed under certain circumstances. The routine is to be executed in order to exclude possible but irrelevant causes of a problem or to trace back to the actual cause.
The systems therefore enable remote maintenance such that parameter values of particular monitoring parameters provided for this purpose are collected and remotely transmitted by corresponding sensors. In order to directly carry out checks on the device (e.g., the execution of fault search trees), in order to locate a problem, a service technician directly carries out the above-described test measures on the device in situ according to service documentation. In accordance with the service documentation, the service technician processes instructions from the fault search tree and carries out checks. The results of the checks lead to the identification of the cause of a problem through the branches of the search tree.
If such maintenance operations are carried out by service technicians, experience shows that system deviations from standard operation caused by maintenance and thus messages in the remote maintenance center result while the work is being carried out on the medical system. The messages give rise to measures in the remote maintenance center (e.g., making contact with the affected customer, planning further service technician operations). Since several thousand medical systems may be connected to a remote maintenance center, these system messages are disruptive.

Method and arrangement for suppressing messages from a medical system


A power steering system includes a wormshaft housed in a shaft housing portion and rotatably supported at one end by a bearing, a worm wheel adapted to mesh with the wormshaft, a bottomed, cylindrical bearing holder configured to enclose and fit onto the bearing for holding the bearing, and a preloading means located in the bearing holder for preloading the bearing in a direction of meshed-engagement of the worm gear. An adjustment-mechanism housing portion is formed at one end of the shaft housing portion for housing and retaining the bearing holder. A restriction wall is formed in the adjustment-mechanism housing portion for restricting a movement of the bearing holder. The preloading means includes a preload portion formed integral with the bearing holder, for forcing the bearing in the direction of meshed-engagement by a force of resiliency of the preload portion, thus ensuring sufficient accuracy of meshed-engagement without complicated machining.

For instance, an electric power steering system, which employs a speed reduction mechanism comprised of a worm wheel provided on the outer periphery of a steering shaft and a wormshaft, which is in meshed-engagement with the worm wheel and whose one axial end is connected to an electric motor, is well known as a typical power steering system. The electric power steering system is configured to assist a steering force by a driving force, produced by the electric motor and transmitted through the speed reduction mechanism, in response to a measure of torque in the steering shaft.
In such an electric power assisted steering system, in the presence of a large backlash between the toothed portion of the worm wheel and the toothed portion of the wormshaft meshing each other, there exists a problem with hammering noise generated between the worm wheel and the wormshaft meshing each other due to vibrations transmitted through road wheels. To avoid this problem, the following patent document 1 has proposed and disclosed a power steering system, capable of adjusting a backlash of a speed reduction mechanism.
This type of power steering system includes a bearing fitted onto the outer periphery of the other axial end of the wormshaft, which wormshaft is housed in a shaft housing portion defined in a housing in such a manner as to penetrate the inside of the housing for rotatably supporting the other axial end of the wormshaft, a preloading member adapted to force the wormshaft in the direction of the one axial end of the wormshaft (that is, toward the electric-motor side) through the bearing, an adjusting screw threadably engaged with the opening end of the shaft housing portion to which the other axial end of the wormshaft faces, such that the adjusting screw forces the preloading member toward the bearing for adjusting the magnitude of a preload of the preloading member by turning the adjusting screw, and a resilient: biasing means installed on the outer circumference of the bearing and adapted to act on the bearing to force the other axial end of the wormshaft in the direction perpendicular to the axis of the wormshaft through the bearing, so as to bias the other end of the wormshaft in the direction of meshed-engagement with the worm wheel. The previously-noted biasing means is comprised of an ring, which is fitted and retained in an annular groove, cut or formed in the inner peripheral surface of the opening end of the shaft housing portion. The O ring is laid out to face the outer peripheral surface of the bearing. The center of the annular groove when viewed in the radial direction is slightly offset from the center of the shaft housing portion when viewed in the radial direction, toward the worm-wheel side, thus enabling the other axial end of the wormshaft to be biased toward the worm-wheel side through the bearing by virtue of an elastic force of the O ring.
With the previously-noted arrangement, the magnitude of a preload of the preloading member can be adjusted by forward/backward rotary motion of the adjusting screw. Additionally, the elastic force of the O ring can be adjusted by selection of the cross-sectional dimension of the O ring and the eccentricity of the center of the groove when viewed in the radial direction with respect to the center of the shaft housing portion when viewed in the radial direction, and whereby the desired amount of biased displacement of the wormshaft in the direction of meshed-engagement with the worm wheel can be adjusted. In this manner, it is possible to realize an appropriate backlash between the toothed portion of the worm wheel and the toothed portion of the wormshaft meshing each other. Patent document 1: JP2002-518242TT (see FIG. 1 thereof)

Power steering system, speed reduction mechanism and bearing holder


An electronic steering control system for controlling the lateral movement of a vehicle powered by a pair of hydrostatic drive devices, where the system controls a pair of actuators. Each actuator is configured to move a control member associated with one of the hydrostatic drive devices.

This invention relates generally to hydrostatic transaxles.
Hydrostatic transaxles ("HSTs"), including integrated hydrostatic transaxles ("IHTs"), are known in the art and are more fully described in, among others, U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,387, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Generally, an HST includes a center section or the like on which is mounted a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic motor. The hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor each carry a plurality of reciprocating pistons that are in fluid communication through porting formed in the center section. As the hydraulic pump rotates, the pump pistons move axially as they bear against an adjustable swash plate where the degree of axial movement depends upon the angular orientation of the swash plate. Axial movement of the pump pistons forces a hydraulic fluid through the porting, which forces the motor pistons against a thrust bearing to thereby rotate the hydraulic motor. As the hydraulic motor rotates, hydraulic fluid is returned to the hydraulic pump through the porting. In this manner, the rotation of the hydraulic pump is translated to the hydraulic motor and the rotation of the hydraulic motor may be used to drive one or more axles of a riding lawn mower, small tractor, or the like.
Zero-turn, hydrostatic transaxles (HZTs) are also known in the art. Generally, an HZT is utilized in connection with a vehicle to provide for the independent control of each of the drive wheels of the vehicle. By way of example, HZTs are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,222, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Steering system for a hydraulic drive apparatus


A liquid container assembly for a spray gun can include a ring, a collapsible liner, and a lid for closing the open end of the liner. The ring can include a peripheral flange, a ring recess, an inner wall, and at least one rib segment extending from the inner wall. The collapsible liner can include a liner side wall formed with an open end and a liner lip at the open end. The liner can be is insertable through the ring such that the liner lip is received and supported by the ring recess. Further, the liner can be collapsible during use as liquid is removed from the liner. The lid can include at least one tab that can extend from an outer circumference of the lid. The tabs can engage the rib segments to threadably attach to the ring.

Spray guns are widely used for rapidly coating surfaces with liquids, such as paint. Liquid is contained in a container that attaches to the gun. The outlet of the container is typically a threaded coupling that connects to a corresponding threaded connector on the spray gun. Liquid flows from the container into the spray gun and is fed to a spray nozzle. The spray nozzle combines the liquid with compressed air, atomizing the liquid, forming a spray. At the end of the spraying operation, the container and the mating connection to the spray gun must be thoroughly cleaned so that liquid from one operation does not contaminate the liquid to be sprayed in the next spraying operation. Additionally, the coupling between container and spray gun must not retain any dried liquid that might interfere with the connection between container and spray gun. A container with a disposable liner and lid may be used advantageously to eliminate or reduce the labor required to clean the container and the coupling to the spray gun. A spray gun system with a disposable liner is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,824 to Joseph et al. Other spray gun systems with liners are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,432,104 to Kaltenbach; U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,929 to Sapien; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,501 to Lopresti.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

SAINT-GOBAIN ABRASIVES, INC./SAINT-GOBAIN ABRASIE


A dynamic pulse register which uses a standard clock signal and exhibits reduced propagation delay. The dynamic pulse register includes a precharge logic block configured to precharge an evaluate signal and an evaluate complement signal during a precharge phase. During an evaluate phase, a pulldown logic block is configured to discharge either the evaluate or evaluate complement signal in response to a valid data input to the pulse register. A driver logic block is configured to convey a data out signal as the complement of the evaluate complement signal, and a data out complement signal as the complement of the evaluate signal. Either the data out signal or the data out complement signal is thus charged (thereby producing the rising edge of the output pulse) in response to the discharging performed by the pulldown logic block. A subsequent rising edge of a delayed version of the clock signal is employed by a reset unit to generate a precharge signal which charges the evaluate and evaluate complement signal back to their precharge logic state. The data out and data out complement signals are correspondingly discharged, producing the falling edge of the output pulse and terminating assertion of the precharge signal. The dynamic pulse register is thus able to generate a pulse output in a single logic stage employing a standard clock signal. The speed of the pulse register may be advantageously increased without introducing the complexity of an early clock signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of dynamic logic design and, more particularly, to a method for generating a pulse output in a dynamic register.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many circuit designs employ dynamic logic. Unlike static logic gates, which only transition upon a corresponding input transition, dynamic logic gates may transition both during a precharge phase and an evaluate phase of a clock signal. In the precharge phase, a dynamic node is conditionally charged to a given logic state. In the evaluate phase, the node either remains charged or is discharged in accordance with the particular logic function being implemented. Correct operation of a dynamic logic gate thus depends upon the capacitance of the dynamic node retaining the precharged value until the precharge phase begins. Dynamic logic, while more complex than static logic, may be advantageously employed to achieve higher operating speeds.
One type of dynamic logic design technique is self-resetting circuitry. Instead of using the clock to control when the precharge and evaluate phases occur, narrow pulse signals are employed to initiate precharge and evaluation. Accordingly, pulse input data is often required as input to a logic block implemented in self-resetting circuitry.
As used herein, a "pulse" is a signal including two transitions: an inactive-to-active transition followed by an active-to-inactive transition. For circuits in which a logic high state represents the active state, a pulse includes a transition from a logic low state to a logic high state, followed by a transition from the logic high state to the logic low state. The amount of time a pulse remains in the active state is known as the pulse width. Self-resetting circuits may be configured to generate adjustable pulse output widths.
Turning now to FIG. 1A, a pulse circuit 10 is depicted which generates pulse output data from a given input. As shown, pulse circuit 10 includes a register 14 and a pulse generation circuit 18. Register 14 receives input data 12 and a standard clock 16, while pulse generation circuit 18 receives the contents of register 14 and conveys pulse data 20 as output.
Register 14 receives input data 12 when standard clock 16 becomes active. This information is then conveyed to pulse generation circuit 18. Because the pulse width of the standard clock signal may be different from the desired pulse width for pulse data 20, pulse generation circuit 18 conveys pulse data 20, which is of the desired pulse width. A disadvantage of pulse circuit 10, however, is that the input data must propagate through two stages of logic to reach the output, thus increasing delay.
Turning now to FIG. 1B, another technique for pulse generation is exemplified by pulse circuit 30. As depicted, pulse circuit 30 includes a register 22 and a pulse clock circuit 24. Register 22 receives input data 12, a pulse clock 26, and conveys pulse data 20 as output. Pulse clock circuit 24 receives standard clock 16 and conveys pulse clock 26 as output.
Pulse circuit 30 employs pulse clock circuit 24 to generate pulse clock 26, which has a pulse width which is desired for pulse data 20. In this manner, pulse clock 26 may be used to read from register 22, thereby conveying pulse data 20 with a pulse width equal to that of pulse clock 26. Like pulse circuit 10, however, two stages of logic are employed in generating pulse data 20 from input data 12 in pulse circuit 30. The overall delay is similarly increased.
Turning now to FIG. 1C, another pulse generation circuit, pulse circuit 40, is shown. As depicted, pulse circuit 40 includes a register 32 and a custom clock header 36. Register 32 receives input data 12, a special pulse clock 38, and conveys pulse data 20 as output. Custom clock header 36 receives early clock 34 as input and conveys special pulse clock 38 as output.
An early clock signal such as early clock 34 may be used as an input to custom clock header 36. The resulting output of custom clock header 36, special pulse clock 38, is a clock signal of the desired pulse width which aligns precisely with the rising edge of a standard clock signal. Because the rising edge of early clock 34 precedes a corresponding rising edge of a standard clock signal, special pulse clock 38 is available to register 32 at the same time the input data is sampled, thus reducing delay.
Early clock signals are not available in all logic circuits, however. Even if an early clock signal is available, design of custom clock header 36 may be difficult, since a precision early clock-to-standard clock delay match circuit is required. Precise rise and fall slew rates requirements for special pulse clock 38 add further design difficulties.
It would therefore be desirable to have a method for generating a pulse output from a dynamic register which employs a standard clock signal and exhibits reduced propagation delay.

Method for generating a pulse output in a dynamic register


Crosstalk compensation is achieved by connecting coupling devices (e.g., capacitors) between different pairs of conductors of a multi-pair connector. The coupling devices are selected to offset both differential-to-differential coupling as well as differential-to-common-mode coupling that would otherwise occur between pairs of conductors when one of the conductor pair is driven with a differential signal. The present invention can be used to achieve both differential and common-mode crosstalk compensation without relying on conductor crossover techniques.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors, and, in particular, to such connectors designed to reduce crosstalk between adjacent conductors of different transmission paths.
2. Description of the Related Art
Near-end crosstalk refers to unwanted signals induced in one transmission path due to signals that are transmitted over one or more other transmission paths appearing at the end nearest to where the transmitted signals are injected. Near-end crosstalk often occurs when the wires and/or other conductors that form the various transmission paths are in close proximity to one another. Classic examples of near-end crosstalk are the signals induced during some voice transmissions that result in parties to one telephone call hearing the conversation of parties to another call. An example that would benefit from this invention is when high-speed data transmission is impaired due to coupling of unwanted signals from one path to another.
In a conventional telephony or data application, a signal is transmitted over a transmission path consisting of a pair of conductors, neither of which is grounded. To achieve a balanced signal, one voltage is applied to one of the conductors and another voltage having the same magnitude but opposite sign is applied to the other conductor. The difference between these two voltages is referred to as the differential voltage and their sum divided by two is referred to as the common mode voltage. When the two voltages are exactly equal in magnitude and opposite in sign, only a differential voltage will exist. A balanced signal is also referred to a differential signal. When such a differential signal is transmitted over one pair of conductors, two different types of crosstalk can be induced in an adjacent pair of conductors: differential crosstalk and common-mode crosstalk. Differential crosstalk refers to a differential or balanced signal that is induced in the adjacent pair, while common-mode crosstalk refers to a common-mode or an unbalanced signal that is induced in the adjacent pair.
Existing crosstalk compensation schemes for adjacent pairs of conductors in electrical connectors are designed to compensate for differential crosstalk on an idle pair induced (i.e., coupled) from an adjacent driven pair. In so doing, however, these schemes do not provide compensation for the differential-to-common-mode crosstalk between the driven pair and the idle pair.
FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing representing an example of an existing crosstalk compensation scheme designed to compensate for differential crosstalk between Pairs 2 and 3 in a four-pair modular mated plug/jack combination, such as those typically used for telephony or data applications (e.g., conforming to the T568-B wiring convention of the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) 568-A Standard). If, for example, Pair 3 is driven differentially, any coupled differential signal on Pair 2 is canceled out. Unfortunately, coupled common-mode signals on Pair 2 are not addressed by the compensation scheme of FIG. 1. The presence of this common-mode signal on Pair 2 degrades the crosstalk performance of the connector when it is deployed in a short link (known in the industry as short-link resonance). It also results in unacceptable levels of ingress and egress of electromagnetic interference. One way to compensate for this differential-to-common-mode coupling is to crossover both pairs of conductors, as shown in FIG. 2
FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing representing an example of a crosstalk compensation scheme designed to compensate for differential-to-common-mode coupling. While the compensation scheme of FIG. 2 effectively cancels out any coupled common-mode signals, it does not address differential-to-differential crosstalk.
What is needed is a crosstalk compensation scheme for connectors that addresses both differential-to-differential crosstalk as well as differential-to-common-mode crosstalk.

Crosstalk compensation for electrical connectors


An apparatus and method for generating analyte ions from a sample. An ion generating device is provided having a chamber with an outlet and a surface having a material and means for applying a high velocity gas flow through the chamber toward the outlet such that charged particles are produced by physical interaction between the high velocity gas and the material. The charged particles then induce the generation of primary ions by interaction with molecules of the high velocity gas. The primary ions are emitted from the outlet of the ion generating device toward a sample-bearing surface and analyte ions are generated by impact of the primary ions on the analyte sample on the surface.

Mass spectrometry has benefited from numerous advances in ionization techniques over the past two decades. Among these ionization techniques, some are designed to operate on analytes presented in, or converted into gaseous form, such as atmospheric chemical ionization (APCI) and atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI), others on analytes presented in liquid form, such as electrospray ionization (ESI), and still others on analytes presented in solid form, such as matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) and desorption electrospray ionization (DESI). The latter techniques may be referred to as surface ionization techniques, since they involve desorption of analytes from a surface, followed by ionization of the analytes by various charge transfer processes.
Currently, MALDI (including AP-MALDI) is the most widely used surface ionization technique. In MALDI, analyte samples are diluted in a matrix material, deposited onto a surface, and then dried, whereby the analyte sample and matrix are co-crystallized. A pulsed laser beam, usually of ultraviolet (UV) frequency, is then focused onto the sample. The energy of the laser pulse is absorbed largely by the matrix, which desorbs (evaporates) from the surface, carrying with it analyte molecules. A portion of the desorbed matrix material is also ionized by absorption of laser radiation, and a portion of the desorbed analyte molecules is, in turn, ionized by a process of charge transfer from the matrix ions.
While MALDI has proven effective in many applications, the cost of the pulsed UV laser and its less-than-unlimited durability and reliability can be significant drawbacks. Furthermore, when analytes are prepared with matrix material, ions generated from the matrix create background noise at low mass levels. Additionally, co-crystallization of the matrix and analyte tends to be non-uniform, so that crystals are not uniformly distributed throughout the sample of interest. This non-uniformity necessitates rastering of the laser across the sample in small incremental steps, generally increasing the cost and complexity of the MALDI apparatus. These disadvantages have prompted the development of alternative surface ionization techniques that do not rely on the use of a laser or matrix material to generate analyte ions from a surface.
One surface ionization technique that does not rely on either a pulse laser or matrix-based sample preparation is desorption electrospray ionization (DESI). In this technique, an electrospray process is employed to generate a stream of ions that is directed at a low angle onto a sample-bearing surface. The stream of ions that is output collides with the surface, imparting sufficient energy to desorb and ionize analytes in the sample. While the DESI technique does not suffer from the above-mentioned drawbacks of the MALDI technique, it does require high voltages to generate ions through the electrospray process. Maintaining such high voltages (or high potential differences, depending on the configuration) also increases costs and instrumental complexity.

Method and apparatus for surface desorption ionization by charged particles


A computer system includes a processor and a prefetch engine. The processor is configured to generate a demand access stream. The prefetch engine is configured to initiate a first prefetch request based on the demand access stream and perform a first prefetch that includes performing a translation lookaside buffer (TLB) lookup on a TLB structure in response to the first prefetch request. The processor determines a TLB entry in response to performing the TLB lookup and performs at least one second prefetch based on the TLB entry without performing a subsequent TLB lookup on the TLB structure.

Embodiments of the present invention relate in general to computing processing systems, and in particular, computer processing associated with cache prefetching.
Computing processing systems that employ virtualized environments utilize one or more translation lookaside buffers (TLBs) that cache translations (i.e., mappings of virtual-to-physical addresses) for converting virtual addresses into the physical addresses that indicate the actual location of the requested data in the main memory. The translations stored in the TLBs are typically limited to recent mappings of virtual-physical addresses. By storing recent mappings of virtual-physical addresses in the faster TLBs, the time at which page-table access is reduced thereby improving processor performance.
To further boost execution performance, computing processing systems can employ a technique referred to as "cache prefetching." Cache prefetching utilizes a prefetch engine (commonly referred to as a "prefetcher") to monitor demand accesses generated by system programs, predict the memory requests (e.g., data stored in the main memory) of the program based on the demand accesses, and fetch the memory requests before it is actually needed by the program. In a virtualized environment, the prefetch engine also utilizes the TLBs to increase the speed at which to translate the virtual addresses of the prefetched memory requests into their corresponding physical addresses (also referred to as real addresses).

Power optimized prefetching in set-associative translation lookaside buffer structure

International Business Machines Corporation


A three-dimensional object detection device includes an image capturing unit, an image conversion unit, a three-dimensional object detection unit, a three-dimensional object assessment unit and a control unit. The image conversion unit converts images obtained by the image capturing unit to create bird's-eye view images. The three-dimensional object detection unit detects a presence of a three-dimensional object within a detection area based on differential waveform information or edge information. The stationary three-dimensional object assessment unit assesses whether the detected three-dimensional object is a shadow of a tree along a road traveled by the host vehicle. The three-dimensional object assessment unit assesses whether the three-dimensional object detected is a vehicle within the detection area. The control unit suppresses the assessment that the three-dimensional object is a vehicle when the detected three-dimensional object was determined to be a shadow of a tree along the road traveled by the host vehicle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a three-dimensional object detection device and a three-dimensional object detection method.
2. Background Information
In the past, detection devices have been known in which a camera for capturing images in a vehicle-lateral direction is provided, and images captured by the camera are matched with patterns stored in advance, whereby plants and other three-dimensional objects outside of the road are detected (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2008-227646).

Three-dimensional object detection device and three-dimensional object detection method


Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described for providing local broadcasts for group calls. A user equipment (UE) may request a group call, and either a base station or a local server dedicated to the base station may determine whether to allow the group call based at least in part on an assessed level of interest for the group call. If the group call occurs, the UE may perform one or more aspects of user plane processing for the broadcast data—such as setting Internet protocol (IP) addresses in IP packets, encryption, compression, or media formatting—and may transmit the broadcast data to the base station. The base station may then transmit the broadcast data to one or more interested UEs via one or more multicast transmissions without routing the broadcast data through other network nodes, which may reduce latency and provide other benefits.

The following relates generally to wireless communication, and more specifically to local broadcast for group calls.
Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include fourth generation (4G) systems such as a Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems or LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) systems, and fifth generation (5G) systems which may be referred to as New Radio (NR) systems. These systems may employ technologies such as code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), or discrete Fourier transform-spread-OFDM (DFT-S-OFDM). A wireless multiple-access communications system may include a number of base stations or network access nodes, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, which may be otherwise known as user equipment (UE).
Some wireless communications systems may support broadcast services, such as multimedia broadcast multicast services (MBMS), by which a base station may simultaneously transmit the same data to multiple UEs. Systems and methods for improving the flexibility, simplicity, reliability, and latency of broadcast services are desired, including for group calls among multiple UEs.


A compact polarization agile antenna includes a dual-orthogonal loop structure which is excited by a single RF feed (21). The loop structure includes a pair of loops (8, 10), each loop is connected to ground (45) through a complex impedance via a solid state switch (41, 43). Current flows in the loop when the switch (41, 43) is closed. The switches (41, 43) and impedances (47, 49) in each leg are independently controlled. Additionally, the relative phase of the current in each leg can be controlled over a narrow bandwidth via a complex impedance for narrowband circular polarized applications. Using this approach, orthogonal linear, slant, or left-hand and right-hand circular polarizations can be generated.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to antennas, and more particularly to polarization agile antennas. Even more particularly, the invention relates to an antenna formed of metallic radiating elements on a printed circuit board which form a dual-orthogonal loop structure having a single RF feed for generating orthogonal linear, slant and circular polarizations.
2. Background Information
Many antenna systems require some sort of polarization diversity for optimum performance. This need generally adds to the cost and complexity of the antenna system. A single feed antenna simplifies system design since there is only one RF port. Common prior art methods for polarization switching utilize multiple orthogonal antennas with the appropriate phase shift. A less sophisticated approach to polarization agility is to mechanically steer a linear polarized antenna. Such methods require either an RF switch or multiple RF channels which adds to cost and complexity.
There is, therefore, the need for dynamic polarization switching to optimize communication and radar system performance without requiring separate RF feeds for multiple antennas or mechanical steering.

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.


The present invention provides variable density fluid compositions and methods for using such compositions in a subterranean formation. One exemplary embodiment of the variable density fluid compositions of the present invention comprises a variable density fluid comprising: a base fluid, and a portion of variable pressure weighting material particles.

The present invention relates to subterranean treatment fluids. In particular, the present invention relates to variable density subterranean treatment fluids comprising variable density weighting materials and methods for preparing and for using such variable density subterranean treatment fluids.
A treatment fluid may be used in a subterranean formation in a variety of ways. For example, a fluid may be used to drill a bore hole in a subterranean formation, to stimulate a well bore in a subterranean formation, to clean up a well bore in a subterranean formation, as well as for numerous other purposes. The process of drilling a well typically requires the use of a drilling fluid. During the drilling process, the drilling fluid passes down through the inside of the drill string, exits through the drill bit and returns to the drilling rig through the annulus between the drill string and well bore. The circulating drilling fluid lubricates the drill bit, carries drill cuttings to the surface, and balances the formation pressure exerted on the well bore. Additionally, a properly prepared drilling fluid enhances well drilling safety by preventing "kicks." A kick is an uncontrolled flow of formation fluid into the well bore from the subterranean formation typically resulting from drilling into a zone of higher than expected or unanticipated pressure. Kicks are both dangerous and very costly to drillers. Thus, drilling operators inherently wish to avoid or minimize kicks, or at least detect kicks as early as possible.
Drilling offshore in deep waters requires specially blended drilling fluids that must be carefully formulated to account for the narrow range of pressure separating the pore pressure from the fracture gradient of the formation. As used herein, the term "pore pressure" refers to the pressure exerted on the borehole by fluids within the formation, while the term "fracture gradient" refers to that pressure which will fracture the formation. Fracturing the formation may result in, inter alia, flow of drilling fluids out of the bore hole into the formation, or possibly an uncontrolled blowout of the formation. Accordingly, the weight of the drilling fluid must be sufficient to balance the pore pressure (and thus provide the necessary protection against kicks) without inadvertently fracturing the sediment and rock around the drill bit.
The formulation of a drilling fluid satisfying these limitations is often complicated because the riser connecting the borehole to the drilling rig must often be quite long, particularly when drilling in deep water applications. As used herein, the term "riser" refers to a length of piping connecting the borehole to the drill ship or drilling rig, through which the drilling fluid is returned to the surface. The length of the riser column could be long, and thus the pressure exerted due to friction and hydrostatic forces could be considerable, even when at relatively shallow depths within the subterranean formation and even when using low density drilling fluids. Further complicating the formulation of the drilling fluid, at subsequent depths the hydrostatic and friction forces may be insufficient to prevent fluid influx from the formation.
Efforts to overcome this difficulty in drilling deep water wells have met with limited success. One proposed solution involves the installation of multiple strings of casing within the borehole to guard against inadvertent fracturing during the drilling process. This strategy is problematic because the installation of additional casing correspondingly reduces the usable diameter of the borehole. Furthermore, the installation of additional strings of casing may add greatly to the expense and complication of completing the well. Another option requires placement of pumps on the ocean floor, wherein drilling fluid exiting the well bore is diverted from the drilling riser annulus into the pumps. Subsequently, the pumps return the drilling fluid to the drill ship through the riser. Accordingly, in this method, the pumps remove the weight of the returning drilling fluid from the well bore. However, this method does not achieve desirable results because of the great expense involved in procuring and installing the system of pumps. Another proposed option has been to reduce the density of the drilling fluid as it exits the well bore by injecting hollow spheres into the drilling fluid to reduce the density of the drilling fluid. However, this method is problematic because of the cost and mechanical difficulty of injecting these spheres at the sea floor, and then separating them from the drilling fluid at the surface.
Analogous problems exist in other subterranean operations. For example, a fracturing or acidizing operation may involve additional expense in removing the spent fracturing or acidizing fluid from the well bore after the operation is conducted, due in part to the fixed-density nature of such fluids, which may necessitate additional manpower or pumping equipment to remove such fluid in a timely fashion.

Variable density treatment fluids and methods of using such fluids in subterranean formations


The present invention relates to a use of a biological surfactant as an anti-inflammatory agent and a tissue preservative solution. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an anti-inflammatory agent and a tissue preservative solution comprising a biological surfactant which blocks a reaction of a proinflammatory factor with a receptor by emulsifying the proinflammatory factor.

Innate immunomechanism plays a key role in a first defense against pathogen infection, and recognition and recovery of damaged tissue and is mediated by certain cells such as a macrophage and a dendritic cell, and humoral factors such as a complement system and a clotting system.
Particularly, inflammatory response of the innate immune system is a in vivo defense mechanism caused by bacterial endotoxins and tissue damages, and is accompanied by the increase of inflammatory cells (macrophages, dendritic cells, etc.) and proinflammatory cytokines (interleukine-12, TNF-α, etc.), fervescence, local effusion of tissue fluid, fibroplasia for recovery, etc. The activation of such proinflammatory cells can be confirmed by the proinflammatory cytokine production as well as the expression of nuclear transcription factors which are involved in the regulation of the transcription of inflammatory cell genes, and the expression of co-stimulating molecules (CD40, CD80, CD86) or major histocompatibility complexes (MHCs) which are involved in the activation of the inflammatory cells.
Also, the inflammatory cells including antigen presenting cells (APCs) in the innate immunomechanism induces directly or indirectly the activation of the acquired immunomechanism induced by T-cells and B-cells. The acquired immune response activated by systemic inflammatory response exacerbates inflammatory response as well.
Toxin (endotoxin of exotoxin) is an example of a material which can induce an abnormal activation of the innate immune system and an inflammatory response. Endotoxin such as glycolipid of E. coli is an amphiphilic molecule which has both hydrophilic regions and hydrophobic regions such as lipid region, and is a principal material constituting a cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria.
Particularly, it is known that the lipid region of the endotoxin has a strong hydrophobicity and plays an important role in the induction of the cytotoxicity. Therefore, various diseases and conditions are induced by the endotoxin. Sepsis, in particular, can cause serious problems in an emergency room or during an operation.
Sepsis induces a serious inflammation in bloods and various organs as bacterial toxins circulate through blood vessels. Sepsis also causes a variety of symptoms such as pyrexia, vomiting, diarrhea, blood pressure drop, tachypnea, tachycardia, frequent urination, stupor, etc.
Sepsis is the third major cause of death in the developed countries. More than 750,000 people are affected by sepsis annually in the United States, and 9% of total deaths in US die from sepsis.
Exotoxin excreted by Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria can also induce an inflammation. The exotoxin is comprised of proteins, and is produced and excreted during the metabolic process of Corynebacterium diphteriae, Clostridium tetani, Clostridium botulinum, etc. Similar exotoxins are produced by dysentery bacillus, streptococcus, etc.
Inflammatory responses through an abnormal innate immunoactivity are rising as important problems in an organ transplatation, and one of the problems is the immunorejection which occurs during transplanting porcine cells to a human. Such immunorejections are activated by tissues damaged during an operation as well as natural antibodies existing in blood, and cause tissue necrosis with a serious inflammatory response.
In particular, organ damages due to ischemic anoxia during the extirpation of an organ from a donor, damage during the preservation of an organ before transplantation, and formation of active oxygen and increase in immune responses after reperfusion, have been rising as an important problem.
Therefore, an organ preservative solution which can minimize damages of the organ to be transplanted and immunorejections, is required. Currently, various commercial organ preservative solutions, for example the University of Wisconsin solution developed by the University of Wisconsin in USA and HTK (Histidine-Tryptophan-Ketoglutarate) solution developed in Germany are available. The organ preservative solution is injected as a perfusate before the extirpation of an organ from a donor, or is used for the preservation of an organ before the transplantation of the organ to a patient. However, the conventional organ preservative solutions have limitations on the suppression of inflammatory responses induced by the organ damaged during the transplantation.
Like this, it is important for various inflammatory diseases as well as an organ transplantation to control inflammatory responses.
The conventional anti-inflammatory agents and immunosuppressive agents having an inflammatory suppression effect have disadvantages that the agents have a topical effect and are required for a continuous administration. The agents also have adverse effects when administering the agents.
Vioxx®, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), is used for the treatment of arthritis, and however it is reported that Vioxx® increases twice the morbidity of heart disease, according to clinical trials. Consequently, the safety of other drugs having an inflammation inhibition mechanism similar to that of Vioxx® is under investigation.
Steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs also have adverse effects. When these steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are abused, in vivo disease resistance decreases, and therefore the human body becomes sensitive to take diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis, etc.
Xigris®, the first commercialized therapeutic agent for sepsis, intervenes in the blood clotting process, and therefore can cause a severe bleeding or apoplexy.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,283,236 and 5,658,878 disclose sodium glycocholate and derivatives thereof. However, the above patents disclose a use of sodium glycocholate only as a drug delivery enhancing agent, not as an anti-inflammatory agent.
In addition, M. Katsrma et al. reported, in their study of the enhancement of drug delivery ability in colon, that the colonic absorption of insulin is enhanced when sodium glycocholate or polyethylene oxide is administered together with insulin (International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2006, pp. 156-162). However, Katsrma et al. do not also disclose the anti-inflammatory effect of sodium glycocholate and derivatives thereof.
Therefore, it has been keenly required for the development of a novel drug which can complement defects of the conventional anti-inflammatory agents and enhance the therapeutic effect of an anti-inflammatory agent on inflammation.

Use of biological surfactant as anti-inflammatory agent and tissue preservative solution


A functional unit, in particular for a tool, a tool accessory and/or a lighting apparatus, that includes a housing, a suction region, which is arranged on the housing and with which the fastening apparatus can be fastened releasably to a substrate, and an electrically operated negative-pressure unit, which is arranged in the housing and to provide a negative pressure in the suction region. The fastening apparatus also includes at least one fastening interface for fastening the functional unit. Alternatively, or additionally, the fastening apparatus includes the functional unit. The functional unit includes a guide device, in particular a guide rail, a router guide, a routing template, a rolling guide rail, a drilling apparatus, a lamp and/or a grazing light.

The fastening device in particular serves for fastening the function unit to a workpiece in a releasable manner. Concerning the function unit, it is preferably a guide device, in particular a guide rail. The guide device for example serves for guiding an electrical tool, in particular saw, relative to the workpiece.
US 2018/0036849 A1 describes a cutting device. A rail, on which a cutting tool can be guided, is fastened to a control plate via two rotatably mounted support elements. A beam, to which a suction cup is attached, is fastened to a first support element which extends upwards perpendicularly from the control plate.