Provided is a method for preparing a substrate for growing gallium nitride and a gallium nitride substrate. The method includes performing thermal cleaning on a surface of a silicon substrate, forming a silicon nitride (Si3N4) micro-mask on the surface of the silicon substrate in an in situ manner, and growing a gallium nitride layer through epitaxial lateral overgrowth (ELO) using an opening in the micro-mask. According to the method, by improving the typical ELO, it is possible to simplify the method for preparing the substrate for growing gallium nitride and the gallium nitride substrate and reduce process cost.

The present disclosure relates to a single crystal layer formed of gallium nitride (GaN) or a nitride of gallium and other metal, and a method for forming the single crystal layer. The present disclosure also relates to a method for preparing a substrate used in manufacturing electronic or photo-electronic devices including the single crystal layer. The present disclosure pertains to a technical field for forming a nitride based semiconductor material layer on a substrate, and more particularly, to a technical field for preparing a substrate for forming a high quality nitride based semiconductor layer.
Semiconductors based on nitrides of Group III elements or Group V elements already hold important positions in electronic and photo-electronic fields, which will be important more and more. In fact, the nitride based semiconductors may be used in a wide range of fields from laser diodes (LD) to transistors operating at high frequency and high temperature. The nitride based semiconductors may also be used in ultraviolet photo-detectors, surface acoustic wave detectors and light emitting diodes.
Particularly, gallium nitride is widely known for its usefulness in blue light emitting diodes and high frequency and high temperature transistors. However, it is also being extensively researched for use in microelectronic devices. As used herein, gallium nitride includes gallium nitride alloys such as aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN), indium gallium nitride (InGaN) and aluminum indium gallium nitride (AlInGaN).
To grow a gallium nitride layer of low defect density is important in manufacturing gallium nitride microelectronic devices. One of the causes known to generate the defects is a substrate on which gallium nitride is grown. However, it is difficult to prepare a gallium nitride substrate or a substrate for growing gallium nitride without defects. Since the gallium nitride is difficult to melt, typical methods such as Czochralski method where the crystal is grown from a melt cannot be used in producing gallium nitride single crystal for the substrate. Surely, gallium nitride can be molten under ultrahigh pressure, however, this is currently unavailable for commercial use due to the low productivity.
Therefore, in such devices, the most frequently used for growing the gallium nitride layer are sapphire substrate, and next, a silicon carbide (SiC) substrate. However, sapphire is an electric insulator and a poor thermal conductor, and silicon carbide is expensive and has variable quality.
Accordingly, silicon has been proposed as a substitute for sapphire and silicon carbide. Surely, silicon is economically and technologically attractive in comparison to sapphire and silicon. Particularly, silicon is a good thermal conductor and may be easily removed. In addition, silicon is preferred as a substrate material for low cost mass production. This is because there has been developed a silicon based technology system that can be controlled perfectly in industry scale, and a silicon substrate can be manufactured at a much lower cost than the sapphire substrate and the silicon carbide substrate. However, gallium nitride is difficult to grow on the silicon substrate because of the great difference in lattice constant and thermal expansion coefficient between silicon and gallium nitride.
Recently, epitaxial lateral overgrowth (ELO) method is widely used to grow a high quality gallium nitride layer that determines internal quantum efficiency. The ELO method is being used for manufacturing high speed devices such as blue laser diodes, ultraviolet laser diodes, high temperature/high power devices, high electron mobility transistors (HEMT), and hetero-junction bipolar transistors (HBT), by homoepitaxy.
In a typical ELO method, a stripe-shaped silicon dioxide (SiO2) mask is used to reduce stress caused by the lattice mismatch and the thermal expansion coefficient difference between the substrate and the gallium nitride layer. The typical ELO method will be described below with reference to FIG. 1, which shows a cross-sectional view of the substrate for growing gallium nitride according to the typical ELO method.
In the typical ELO method, the gallium nitride layer 2 is grown on the substrate 1 in a furnace. Then, the substrate 1 is taken out of the furnace. After depositing silicon dioxide on the gallium nitride layer in a deposition apparatus, the substrate 1 is taken out of the deposition apparatus. The silicon dioxide layer is patterned using a photolithography technique to form a silicon dioxide mask 3 on the gallium nitride layer 2, and then the substrate 1 is placed again in the furnace so that an ELO gallium nitride layer 4 is grown on the gallium nitride layer 2.
A portion of the ELO gallium nitride layer 4 that is laterally grown over the silicon dioxide mask 3 has relatively high quality compared to a vertically grown portion. This is because it is difficult to propagate defects such as dislocations through the laterally grown portion. Therefore, by forming a device in the portion of the ELO gallium nitride layer 4 that is laterally grown over the silicon dioxide mask 3, excellent properties can be obtained.
However, the ELO method requires the above described complex process such as an additional external process for forming the silicon dioxide mask, increasing process time and process cost. In addition, recently, as a plurality of silicon dioxide masks are used to improve and enlarge the function of the ELO, the number of the processes of forming the silicon dioxide mask and growing the gallium nitride layer is also increased correspondingly. Consequently, this may result in increased process cost, process complexity, time loss and economical loss, and thus in decreased process yield.

Method for preparing substrate for growing gallium nitride and method for preparing gallium nitride substrate


The linear object identification tag 10 can be attached to and detached from a linear object 40. This tag has a clip body having a pair of clip parts 1a, 1b openably joined to a base part 6, and a holding part 8, 9 which holds the linear object 40 inside the linear object identification tag and is formed on an inner face of at least one of the clip parts 1a, 1b. Installation is thus efficiently performed by simply inserting the linear object 40 through an aperture part. 7. An installation tool (FIGS. 12, 13) with guide parts (22c, 22d) for opening the clip parts (1a, 1b) as they are slid along the tool is disclosed. In another embodiment, labels (719, 720) may be applied to plugs (75) and receptacle (72) and an instrument (722) with optical readers (723, 724) used to read codes on the labels.

Conventionally, an identification tag such as that shown in FIG. 28 and FIG. 29 for the individual management and identification of a linear object such as a cord or a wire, has been known.
In FIG. 28, the identification tag has plate-like clip parts 100a and 100b with one of their edges joined so that they are able to open. On each of the inner faces of the clip parts 100a and 100b, grooves 200 of semicircular cross-section are respectively formed to hold a linear object, and the grooves 200 extend in a direction parallel to the joint part (the left longitudinal edge in the figure) of each of the clip parts 100a and 100b. Then, after opening each of the clip parts 100a and 100b and fitting a linear object in the grooves 200, the identification tag is installed on the linear object 40 as shown in FIG. 29 by pressing both clip parts 100a and 100b together and closing them with a hook 300.
Incidentally, the shape and dimension of the grooves 200 need to substantially correspond to the shape and dimension of the linear object 40 in order to be properly able to lock onto the linear object 40, that is, so that the identification tag does not fall when it is installed on a linear object 40 which is provided vertically. As a result, the shape and dimensions of the grooves 200 require high accuracy, and there is a concern of increasing production cost. Also, in order to suppress changes in the shape and dimensions of the groove 200 caused by temperature change in the environment, there is also concern that material with a low coefficient of linear expansion needs to be selected for the identification tag, and restrictions to the environment of use thus occur.
Furthermore, for linear objects with a different shape and dimensions, even if the differences in shape and dimensions are small, an identification tag corresponding to each linear object needs to be individually prepared. As a result, the cost of the identification tags becomes relatively high, and working efficiency decreases as the installation operation has to be carried out while selecting identification tags.
Moreover, when opening each of the clip parts 100a and 100b and fitting the linear object in the groove 200 as mentioned above, the linear object may become parted from the groove 200 before each of clip parts are pressed together, and the installation of the linear object must therefore to be carried out cautiously. Hence workability is reduced. Especially when the linear object has a flexure tendency or such, the installation needs to be carried out cautiously with careful attention to the direction of flexure, and workability is thus reduced further.
Also, when installing on a number of linear objects arranged with high density in a narrow space, because handling the identification tags and determining the positioning of the grooves and the linear objects become difficult, installation workability becomes reduced even further. If each of the clip parts is forced together while the linear object is dislocated from the grooves 200, then the linear object will be pressed by the part outside the grooves, and there is a possibility of causing a defect in one or both of the linear object and the identification tag.
In consideration of the above, an improved version of a linear object identification tag shown in FIG. 30 has also been developed. This linear object identification tag does not require the dimension of the groove to be the same as the dimension of the linear object that the tag is to be installed on, and the dimension of the groove is allowed a margin.
In this figure, an inner space 210 linking with a groove 200″ and also having its diameter larger than that of the groove 200″ is formed on the center of the inner face of one of clip parts 100b′, and a blade spring 220 is provided on the wall surface of the inner space 210. In this case, when the linear object is fitted into the groove 200″ and 200′ and both clip parts 100a and 100b are put together and the hook 300 closed, the linear object is forced against the groove 200′ side by the blade spring 220 and is pressed against the groove 200′ and locked. Therefore, the dimension of the groove is allowed a margin because even if the dimension of the groove is larger than that of the linear object, the identification tag will not fall from the linear object.
However, this margin is generally given to be only slightly larger than the dimension of the groove and linear object, and is only able for example to absorb the dimensional change due to temperature change. Therefore, the possibility of installation of a single identification tag on linear objects with differing shape and dimensions is not achieved, and the inefficient operation of installing while selecting the identification tag is still involved. Also, because there is still an operation of fitting the linear object in the groove while opening the clip parts, and closing and pressing together the clip parts while paying careful attention not to have the linear object parted from the groove, problems such as the reduction of operation workability, the linear object being pressed by parts other than the grooves, or the operation of installation onto a linear object with flexure tendency being difficult, still cannot be solved.
Also, because both of the two types of identification tags mentioned above require the operation of pressing together the clipping parts after fitting the linear object in the grooves, the installation operation naturally requires both hands. Therefore, especially when having a number of linear objects provided (at high density) in a narrow space, there are concerns such as that the workability of the installation of a linear object identification tag is reduced due to the restrictions on the movement of hands and fingers, that the identification tag may be dropped, and that the linear object may become defective while fumbling with linear objects during the installation. Because of these concerns, there has been a demand for the development of an identification tag which can be easily installed onto a linear object, or an instrument or a method of installation which allow easy identification tag installation to a linear object.
An object of the present invention is to provide a linear object identification tag having excellent workability of installation onto a linear object when managing and identifying linear objects such as cord, wire and tube, and being applicable to linear objects with differing shapes and dimension, and an instrument and method of installation for the same.
Next, FIG. 31 shows a connector receptacle board 63 used at a communication equipment station. This connector receptacle board 63 has a number of connector receptacles 62 to which communication lines with connectors are connected. The conventional connector interconnection and management method using this connector receptacle board 63 is described below.
Reference symbol 61 in the figure denotes a communication line connected to a remote device. A connector receptacle 62 is respectively connected to each individual end of some communication lines 61, and these connector receptacles 62 are interconnected in grid form on the front face of the connector receptacle board 63. Reference symbol 64 denotes a communication line that links communication devices in the communication station, and reference symbol 65 denotes connectors that are provided at both ends of the communication line 64. A communication line with connectors 66 comprises the communication line 64 and the connectors 65 at both ends.
By connecting the connector 65 of the communication line with connectors 66 to the connector receptacle 62 of the connector receptacle board 63, a remote device is connected to a device in the station via the communication line 61, the connector receptacle 62, and the communication line with connectors 66. By changing the device in the station connecting to the connector 65 of the communication line with connectors 66, the remote device can be freely switched to a connection with devices in the station having different functions.
When the connection from the remote device to the device in the station falls into disuse, the communication line is removed by unplugging the connector 65 of the communication line with connectors 66. Reference symbol 67 denotes a label having hand written data identifying the communication line with connectors, which is attached to the above mentioned communication line with connectors 66 with a string. Also, reference symbols 68 and 69 are code-labels respectively positioned in a longitudinal direction and crosswise direction on the connector receptacle board to identify the connector receptacle 62.
In this way, conventionally, the interconnection status of connectors, or communication lines with connectors, to a connector receptacle has been managed by identifying a communication line with connectors with a hand written label, and identifying a connector receptacle with the two code-labels positioned in a longitudinal direction and crosswise direction on the connector receptacle board, and furthermore by handwriting into a management table or entering manually into a management database whether a given connector receptacle was connected, or free.
That is to say, the conventional connector interconnection status management led easily to incorrect management information due to the records on the labels being handwritten by the operator, connector receptacle selection being carried out by means of visual checking, and records of connection presence status of the connector receptacle being hand written. In addition it had the disadvantage of the possibility of communication failure and so forth caused by incorrectly removing a connector in communication due to this incorrect information.
Also, because the dimensions of the label 67 can not be made small due to being handwritten and because it is formed to be hung on a communication line, then on a connector receptacle board that has connector receptacles arranged at high density, the density of the communication lines with connectors that are connected to this also becomes high, and a number of the labels come to hang between the communication lines. Therefore, there is the disadvantage that operation efficiency becomes drastically reduced as communication lines get damaged due to entanglements between labels, or between labels and communication lines, during the operation of connection and removal of the communication lines with connectors. Furthermore, there is the major disadvantage that this leads to serious failures such as removal of the incorrect communication line with connectors, or connection to an incorrect connector receptacle due to erroneous visual recognition of a label.
Another conventional method for connector interconnection management is described making reference to FIG. 32. Reference symbol 610 denotes a label to which is attached the identification code of the connector converted into a two dimensional code, and reference symbols 611 and 612 denote labels in which the codes in a longitudinal direction and crosswise direction respectively are converted into two dimensional codes to identify a connector receptacle. Also, reference symbol 613 denotes a two-dimensional code reader device comprising a reader part 614 and a hand-held device 615 having the function of controlling the reader part 614 and displaying the read data.
This method reduces incorrect entries to labels, and mistakes such as disconnection of incorrect connectors can be reduced compared to the case of handwriting, because identification codes of connectors are formulated and converted into two dimensional codes and printed on labels by a computer device. Also, because the connector identification code and connector receptacle identification code are verified and simultaneously recorded as an operation record on the hand-held device by reading the labels 610, 611 and 612 with the reader device 613, if the connector identification code and connector receptacle identification codes of the connectors to be operated on, are registered on the hand-held device beforehand, it becomes possible to check the registered contents against the actual operation record so that operation mistakes will be reduced even further.
Furthermore, by converting information such as connector identification code into two dimensional code, the dimensions of the label become smaller, and it can be directly attached to a communication line with connectors as shown in FIG. 32, and tangling of labels or of a label and a communication line can be prevented.
However, as connector receptacles are interconnected to the connector receptacle board in high density, the density of communication lines with connectors 66 extending from the connector receptacle becomes higher, and the operation of removal and connection of connectors provided in the inmost recesses of dense connector communication lines has become difficult to carry out by hand.
An example of a conventional connector interconnection instrument 618 used for connector connection removal operation on the terminal strip of connector receptacles provided in high density is shown in FIG. 33. The connector interconnection instrument 618 has a connector grip part 616 to hold a connector and a control button to control the operation of the grip part by hand.
When this connector interconnection instrument 618 is used, the cumbersome task of using two instruments, namely the two-dimensional code reader device 613 shown in FIG. 32, and the connector interconnection instrument 618 shown in FIG. 33, occurs during the operation of connecting and removing a single connector. For example, when removing a connector, after reading the label 610 of the communication line with connectors and the labels 611 and 612 of the connector receptacle board with the reader device 613, the hand-held reader device 613 needs to be exchanged for the connector interconnection instrument 618, and the previously verified communication line with connectors is removed from the connector receptacle which has also been verified with the reader device in the same manner.
As just described, not only is the operation cumbersome and of reduced workability, but the communication line with connectors, and the connector receptacle, which are the objects of the operation, need to be kept or verified at all times while two types of hand held instruments are exchanged, and if care is not taken, the incorrect communication line with connectors will be removed and there is a risk of communication failure occurring.
Moreover, the connector connection information which indicates whether or not a connector is connected to the connector receptacle needs to be manually entered, and in this there is no change from the prior art in FIG. 1. Therefore, the risk of entering incorrect information at this stage remains.

Linear object identification tag, and installation instrument and installation method for same, linear object with connector


A conveyor-belt moisture control sensor apparatus (10) includes a sensor device (12) having an electrically-insulative block (30) with two adjacent electrodes (32, 34) extending therefrom to contact a top surface (22) of a return portion (24) of a conveyor belt (26). Two wires (36, 38) are mounted on the electrically-insulative block and connected to connection ends of the electrodes at encapsulated points in the electrically-insulative block. A hinge mechanism (40) mounts the electrically-insulative block to a conveyor-belt support frame (44) for allowing the electrically-insulative block to rotate, thereby bringing the electrodes into contact with the conveyor belt. A drip guard (98) extends from the electrically-insulative block above the electrodes.

This invention relates generally to the art of endless conveyor belts and more particularly to apparatus for monitoring and maintaining moisture contents of such conveyor belts.
When aggregate material, such as coal, for example, is conveyed on a troughed conveyor belt, a great deal of dust is created which can be both a health hazard and a f ire hazard. In order to reduce this dust, systems have been developed for spraying water onto moving conveyor belts for keeping them and materials transported by them moist, thereby not allowing dust to develop. When such systems are employed, it is undesirable to spray too much water, because this creates unwanted water puddles and sludge which in turn must be cleaned up. For this reason, some such systems which have been suggested have involved monitoring the moisture level of the endless conveyor belts, and/or their contents, for controlling sprayers which spray water onto the belts f or achieving desired moisture-content levels.
Prior art systems which have functioned as described above, have employed various types of sensors for sensing moisture levels of conveyor belts and their contents. However, some of these sensors have not properly functioned within the unfriendly environments of coal mines and coal transporting areas. That is, some such sensors have not been sturdy enough to withstand these unfriendly environments. Also, many such sensors have not been sufficiently accurate. Further, some such sensors have contacted the conveyor belts and in doing so have caused damage to the conveyor belts or, conversely, the conveyor belts have caused damage to the sensors. In this respect, U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,385 to Shelby discloses a particular endless belt moisture control apparatus whose sensors contact conveyor rollers which, in turn, contact a conveyor belt, so that damage to the conveyor belt and to the sensors is effectively avoided.
It is an object of this invention to provide a sensor device for a conveyor-belt moisture control sensor apparatus which is sturdy, accurate, relatively inexpensive and which does not easily damage a conveyor belt nor is easily damaged by the conveyor belt.

Conveyor-belt moisture control sensor apparatus


Systems and methods are provided herein for storing data to enable inexpensive and/or guaranteed deletion of data. In various embodiments, a customer specifies a data deletion indication associated with a data object to be stored, specifying when and/or how to delete the data object. Such a data deletion indication may be based, for example, on a regulatory compliance requirement. Based at least in part on the data deletion indication, the storage system may select, from a plurality of storage devices, a storage device to store the data object. Data objects with similar data deletion indications may be stored in the same storage device. In some embodiments, a data object stored in a storage device using the methods described herein may be deleted as part of the deletion of all or a portion of the storage device near a time specified by the data deletion indication of the data object.

With rapidly increasing amount of data to be stored, there is a need for storage systems to cheaply and promptly remove data that is no longer in use. Traditionally, storage systems have relied on processes such as garbage collectors to identify useful data and to reclaim unused storage space. However, such processes, even if run in the background, consume substantial computing resources. Further, such processes are typically run infrequently, leading to the accumulation of storage space that can otherwise be reclaimed earlier. Finally adding to the cost of data deletion is the often stringent data deletion standards that may be associated with the storage of sensitive data.

Inexpensive deletion in a data storage system


The generation of electronic identifiers for network interface units connected to a data network for use in detecting unauthorized decryption of encrypted data transmitted over the data network. A random number is generated for use as a private key decryption code and is stored in memory in each network interface unit. A public key is calculated from the stored private key using a non-invertible mathematical formula. If the calculated public key is unique, then a portion of the public key (e.g. a subset of its bits) is stored in a data provider database as an electronic identifier for use in detecting unauthorized decryption of data by the interface unit.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to identification codes for terminal devices connected to a data network. More particularly, the present invention relates to the generation of electronic identifiers which are assigned to network terminal devices and which can be used for monitoring access to network services.
II. Description of the Related Art
There is presently an epidemic in the communications industry involving theft of services. Such problem is particularly prevalent throughout the subscriber television industry wherein encrypted information or data (e.g. pay programming) is typically transmitted to subscribers' homes, only some of which are authorized to decrypt the information. The data is transmitted via cable or satellite and is received by an interface unit such as a set-top box connected to a television, or VCR, or computer which, for authorized subscribers, is programmed or configured to decrypt the received information.
The problem with such a system is that the interface units that receive and decrypt the transmitted data are frequently stolen, electronically manipulated or pirated, thereby enabling non-paying customers to obtain access to the transmitted data. As can be appreciated, such activity results in substantial lost revenues to the data providers, such as the subscriber television industry.
In response to the piracy and manipulation of decrypting devices such as set-top boxes which result in widespread theft of services, several techniques have been developed for terminating the ongoing reception and decryption of data by unauthorized users. Such techniques typically involve transmission of a high voltage signal over the transmission medium which, when received by the pirated devices, renders such devices inoperable. The problem with such techniques is that they do not sufficiently deter theft and manipulation of the interface units because the encrypted data will be accessible by the unauthorized users for at least a period of time i.e. until the unauthorized devices are rendered inoperable. Moreover, such techniques do not identify the location of the unauthorized interface units.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system for providing unique electronic identifiers to network terminal devices to facilitate monitoring of network services and to curtail theft of services and piracy of network interface units.

Electronic identifiers for network terminal devices


Systems and methods for managing optimized branching in executable instructions are disclosed. In one implementation, a processing device may identify, in a sequence of executable instructions, a branching instruction associated with a safe static key, the branching instruction specifying a first target location. The processing device may determine whether a value of the safe static key is initialized. Responsive to determining that the value of the safe static key is initialized, the processing device may further replace the branching instruction with an unconditional branching instruction specifying the first target location. Responsive to determining that the value of the safe static key is uninitialized, the processing device may replace the branching instruction with a conditional branching instruction specifying the first target location.

Source code is a list of human-readable instructions that a programmer writes when developing software. Compilers are used to translate source code, which is a list of human-readable instructions that a programmer writes when developing software, into object code comprising a sequence of executable instructions. Code optimization may be a method of code modification to improve the quality and efficiency of the source code.

Optimized branching using safe static keys


A method for repairing a rocker arm including smoothing out a bore in an injector arm of the rocker arm to remove at least a portion of worn threads within the bore, and securing a threaded insert within the bore. The threaded insert may include threads on an internal surface of the threaded insert, a smooth portion on an external surface of the threaded insert, and a flange on an end of the threaded insert.

Rocker arm assemblies for an internal combustion engine pivot about a fixed point, thereby displacing a valve of the internal combustion engine. The rocker arm can be considered part of a valve train of the internal combustion engine, which may be disposed within a cylinder head of the engine. The valve train also includes valves, springs and camshafts. The rocker arm can also include an injection arm with threads located in the injection arm. However, the threads of the injection arm can wear out over time.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,601,663 ('663 Patent) discloses methods for structurally repairing a component having a damaged internally threaded opening. The damaged internally threaded opening is machined to a predetermined diameter, thereby forming a machined opening. At least one notch is formed in the machined opening, thereby forming a notched opening. A selected amount of repair material is cold sprayed into the notched opening, including into the at least one notch. A plurality of internal threads are formed from the repair material to form a repaired internally threaded opening in the component. However, spraying repair material may be undesirable from a cost or manufacturing perspective.
The system and method of the present disclosure solves one or more problems set forth above and/or other problems in the art.


Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for indicating a page number of an active document page within a document are provided. Embodiments include detecting, by a presentation controller, activation of a document page on a presentation device; in response to detecting the activation of the document page on the presentation device, tracking, by the presentation controller, an amount of time that the document page is consecutively active on the presentation device; determining, by the presentation controller, that the amount of time that the document page is consecutively active on the presentation device exceeds a predetermined threshold; and in response to determining that the predetermined threshold has been exceeded, providing to a target source, by the presentation controller, an output indicating a page number of the document page while the document page is active on the presentation device.

Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is data processing, or, more specifically, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for indicating a page number of an active document page within a document.
Description of Related Art
Recent advancements in technology have increased the ease of presenting documents to a number of attendees. However, in some situations, the presentation attendees do not have the ability to view a presenter's screen and therefore must follow along on their own screens or printed materials. As such, it is common for an attendee to lose track of which page of a document is currently being presented.

Indicating a page number of an active document page within a document

International Business Machines Corporation


A gas separation module and assembly for housing ceramic tubular membranes. The module includes a plurality of tubes containing the ceramic tubular membranes. The tubes are arranged parallel to one another and are supported by tube sheet plates at each end. Gas-tight seals surround each membrane, preventing a permeate gas within the inner lumen of the membrane from mixing with a feed or residue gas in the tube interior. The module also contains a gas distribution pipe for introducing feed gas into, and withdrawing residue out of, the module. This configuration allows for ceramic tubular membranes to be modularized for use in an assembly that carries out many types of gas separations.

Industrial gas separations require large, and costly, amounts of membrane in order to carry out the necessary processes. To perform such separations, hundreds to thousands of square meters of membrane are packaged into membrane modules. The development of different technologies for efficiently packing membranes into modules at a low cost has been ongoing since the 1960s.
Current module designs include plate-and-frame and spiral-wound modules for flat-sheet membranes, and potted hollow-fiber designs for polymeric hollow-fiber membranes. Tubular modules are used for tubular membrane configurations, including ceramic tubular membranes as described herein.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,404,843, to Kaschemekat et al. (Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.), discloses one design for housing membranes, including tubular membranes, within an assembly. The assembly contains a plurality of tubes, each housing membrane modules. The tubes are supported by a tube sheet place at one end of the assembly (the feed end) and another tube sheet at the opposite end (the permeate end). A feed gas enters the assembly via a feed port and flows through the feed end tube sheet and into the membrane modules. A permeate gas which has permeated the membrane is collected in a permeate pipe that extends beyond the permeate end tube sheet and allows the permeate gas to exit the assembly via a permeate port. A residue gas flows out of the tubes through openings found on each tube and eventually out of the assembly via a residue port.
Another design for housing tubular membranes within a module is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,790,350, to Pex et al. (Stichting Energieonderzoek Centnrum Nederland). Here, the tubular membranes are housed within larger diameter tubes and are arranged adjacent and parallel to one another. Individual membranes may be in series or two pairs in parallel with the pairs being arranged in series. While this design provides for an optimized feed flow, it is limited by its serial configuration of tubes.
Despite these designs, there remains a need for an improved gas separation module for housing ceramic tubular membranes that permits parallel flow to all membranes, allows for a sweep gas to be introduced or a second permeate stream to be withdrawn from it, is inexpensive to manufacture, and provides for easy replacement of modules within an overall assembly.


According to the embodiments, a memory device includes a memory to which data is written using memory cells as a write unit and a controller which controls the memory. In response to a request to write data with a logical address to the memory from a host device, the controller requests the host device to transmit a segment of the write data with a size specified by the controller. The controller writes the write data with additional data to the memory. The write-data segment has a size determined to allow the combined size of the write-data segment and corresponding additional data to be the largest while smaller than the size of the write unit or has a multiple integral of the size.

There are many kinds of media for storing data. One such medium is a memory device based on a client/server model. A memory system which includes a memory device and a host device based on the client/server model differs from another memory system in several regards. For example, roles assumed by the memory device and the host device based on the client/server model are different from those based on a non-client/server model. Therefore, transmissions between the host device and the memory device also differ between the client/server-model system and another system.
A memory system may need to comply with a specific standard. One of memory systems based on the client/server model may include a universal flash storage (UFS) memory device and its host device. Respects defined by a standard need to be satisfied. There are, however, also regards not defined by the standard and a designer of the memory system can determine them. Such flexible matters should be determined to realize desirable performance with characteristics suitable for the memory system. There are demands for a memory device with increased performance with such flexible design matters properly determined.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Memory device that specifies a size of a segment of write data


Methods of forming charge-trapping dielectric layer structures in semiconductor memory devices which comprise: (a) providing a semiconductor substrate; (b) forming an oxide layer on at least a portion of the substrate; (c) forming two or more source/drain regions in the substrate below the oxide layer; (d) re-oxidizing the oxide layer; (e) forming a charge-trapping dielectric layer on the oxide layer; and (f) forming an insulating layer on the charge-trapping dielectric layer; as well as methods which comprise: (a) providing a semiconductor substrate; (b) forming an oxide layer on at least a portion of the substrate in a dry atmosphere; (c) forming two or more source/drain regions in the substrate below the oxide layer; (d) forming a charge-trapping dielectric layer on the oxide layer; (e) forming an insulating layer on the charge-trapping dielectric layer; and (f) annealing the insulating layer in an atmosphere having a hydrogen content of less than about 0.01% are described.

Non-volatile memory ("NVM") refers to semiconductor memory which is able to continually store information even when the supply of electricity is removed from the device containing the NVM cell. NVM includes Mask Read-Only Memory (Mask ROM), Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM), Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), and Flash Memory. Non-volatile memory is extensively used in the semiconductor industry and is a class of memory developed to prevent loss of programmed data. Typically, non-volatile memory can be programmed, read and/or erased based on the device's end-use requirements, and the programmed data can be stored for a long period of time.
Non-volatile memory cells generally include a charge-trapping layer structure situated between a control gate and a substrate having a source and a drain region. Often the charge-trapping structure is constructed of multiple layers, for example, a first insulating layer disposed on the substrate, a charge-trapping layer disposed on the first insulating layer, and a second insulating layer disposed on the charge-trapping layer beneath the gate electrode. Charge-trapping layers may be of a type which hold charge in a localized manner, or they may comprise floating gates which are comprised of a conductive material such that the stored charge is spread throughout the floating gate layer. Charge-trapping layers which store charge in a localized manner, such as silicon nitride, are capable of storing more than one area of charge per memory cell. Such localized charge storage allows one charge (bit-1) to be stored in the charge-trapping layer in an area adjacent to one source/drain region and another charge (bit-2) to be stored in the charge-trapping layer in an area adjacent to the other source/drain region. Two-bit memory cells have received a great deal of attention in recent years as demands for reduced memory cell size and increased memory capacity have grown.
Unfortunately, non-volatile memory cells which employ charge-trapping layers and store charge in a localized manner are not without problems. For example, in nitride storage memory cells where the charge-trapping layer generally comprises a silicon nitride layer sandwiched between two silicon dioxide layers ("ONO structure"), hydrogen atoms may become trapped at the interfacial sites between the silicon substrate and the bottom oxide (first insulating) layer of the charge-storage ONO structure. It is believed that interfacially trapped hydrogen is at least partly responsible for some loss of threshold voltage in memory devices having an interface between silicon and another material.
In addition, source/drain regions in memory devices are often formed as a series of parallel lines of buried-diffusion doped implants (i.e., bit lines) beneath the surface of the substrate. The formation of bit lines in a substrate, for example, by ion implantation, can damage other layers of material (e.g., a silicon dioxide dielectric layer) which have already been deposited on the substrate and may also damage the substrate/oxide layer interface. Such damage to these additional layers is believed to also cause data storage and other performance problems in memory devices.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved methods of forming non-volatile memory cells and devices which employ localized charge-trapping layers.

Methods of forming charge-trapping dielectric layers for semiconductor memory devices


A dispenser is disclosed which is capable of dispensing articles from two locations. The dispenser includes first and second members pivotally connected together by a first hinge to form a first entrance into the dispenser. The first and second members are capable of housing a plurality of wet or dry, sheet-like articles. The first entrance provides reach-in access wherein multiple sheet-like articles can be withdrawn at one time. The second member also has a second entrance formed therein from which the sheet-like articles can be individually withdrawn. The dispenser further includes a third member secured to the second member at a first location and has a second hinge spaced apart from the first location. The first and second hinges are situated on opposite sides of the dispenser. The third member is capable of pivoting on the second hinge to cover the second entrance.

Sheet-like articles are available in a variety of shapes, sizes and compositions and can be either wet or dry. One common wet article is referred to as a "wet wipe" which is a pre-moistened, disposable towelette. Such wet wipes can be utilized in a variety of applications both domestic and industrial and can perform a variety of functions. Wet wipes are typically used to wipe surfaces both animate and inanimate, and may provide numerous benefits such as cleaning, cleansing, disinfecting, and skin care benefits. A common dry article is a tissue used by a human to blow his or her nose. One commercially available tissue is sold under the name KLEENEX®, which is a registered trademark of Kimberly-Clark Corporation, having an office at 401 North Lake Street, Neenah, Wis. 54956.
One particular application of sheet-like, pre-moistened articles is for wiping parts of a human body particularly when wash water is not available, for example, when traveling. Wipes are also commonly used for human cleansing and wiping in general, such as anal, perineal and genital cleansing, and face and hand cleansing. One example of such a wipe is an intimate feminine hygiene wipe. Wipes may also be used for application of substances to the body including removing or applying make-up, skin conditioners and medications. Another application of wipes is during diaper changes and also for the treatment of adult and baby dermatitis, partly caused by the use of diapers and incontinence undergarments. In addition, wipes are also applicable for wiping and or cleaning other surfaces or for the application of compositions to surfaces, for example, kitchen and bathroom surfaces, eyeglasses, shoes and surfaces which require cleaning in industry. Examples of industrial applications include cleaning surfaces of tools, machinery and raw material from dust, dirt, grease, chemical substances, etc. Wipes can also be used for the cleaning or grooming of household pets, like cats and dogs.
Various dispenser designs are commercially available today for housing, storing and dispensing such sheet-like articles. Some are large tubs or flexible packages that are several inches in vertical height that are designed to hold over eighty articles while other designs include slim travel packs that can contain less than twenty-five articles. Some dispensers allow for removal of an individual sheet or wipe while others permit multiple sheet-like articles or wipes to be simultaneously withdrawn from the dispenser. One issue with many dispensers is the lack of ease in removing a single sheet-like article with one hand. For example, a mother in the act of changing an infant's diaper may be required to use her right hand to hold the baby still while using only her left hand to open and grab a wet wipe. The wet wipe is then used to wipe the buttock of the baby before a clean diaper is placed on the baby. Another issue that sometimes arises is that the user needs to remove several wipes from the dispenser at a single time. In this case, it is not efficient to remove the wipes one at a time. Therefore, there is a need for a dispenser that is capable of dispensing articles in a pop-up mode as well as in a reach-in mode.
Now a dispenser has been invented that can dispense articles either one at a time in a pop-up mode or provide reach-in access wherein several articles can be simultaneously withdrawn.

Dispenser capable of dispensing sheet-like articles


An industrial dishwashing machine with at least one essentially closed water circuit in which washing water is circulated, and with at least one water inflow which makes rinsing water available which is received into the water circuit after a rinsing operation following a washing operation. An air circuit is provided for drying the batchwith the air circuit being dehumidified by means of the water of the water inflow.

The invention relates to an industrial dishwashing machine with at least one essentially closed water circuit in which washing water is circulated.
Industrial dishwashing machines of this type usually perform about 30 to 200 work cycles a day, a work cycle lasting about 1 to 2 minutes. In contrast to this, a domestic dishwashing machine is in use only about one to 3 times a day, the washing duration being about one hour here. In known industrial dishwashing machines, a work cycle comprises, as a rule, a washing stage, a rinsing stage, and what is known as a drying operation. On opening of the industrial dishwashing machine after the drying operation, in order to remove the batch, results in the steam formed in the washing compartment during the drying operation escaping into the surroundings. One disadvantage of this is that a hot humid climate occurs in the workspace in which the dishwashing machine is standing and becomes more extreme with each work cycle of the dishwashing machine. Furthermore, whenever the dishwashing machine is opened after the drying operation, a large quantity of energy is released, which is not available for further work cycles.
GB 2 030 446 A discloses a continuously operating dishwashing machine, in which a batch is delivered on one side and is transported through the entire dishwashing machine via a conveyer belt, so that it is discharged on the other side after the rinsing operation. This publication discloses, furthermore, a suction extraction device for the suction extraction of hot humid air, this air being cooled and dehumidified in a heat exchanger device, whereupon it is discharged as spent air into the surroundings.
An object of the present invention is to make available an industrial dishwashing machine, in which the formation of a hot humid climate in the surroundings is avoided as efficiently as possible, but at the same time an effective drying operation becomes possible. An object of the present invention is, furthermore, to make available a corresponding method.


Disclosed is a pH responsive polymer made with mono-[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]phthalate and/or mono-[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl hexahydro]phthalate. Also disclosed is an aqueous coating composition including at least one latex polymer derived from at least one monomer copolymerized or blended with alkali swellable acrylate copolymer. Also provided is an aqueous coating composition including at least one latex polymer derived from at least one monomer blended with alkali swellable acrylate copolymer, at least one pigment, and water. Also provided is a method of preparing an aqueous coating composition such as a latex paint including the above components. Also provided are methods of preparing mono-[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]phthalate. Also provided are compositions and methods using the polymer in hydraulic fracturing, personal care and or home and industrial cleaners.

Rheological additives are chemical compositions, which, added even in small amounts, modify a liquid system's rheological properties, such as viscosity and response to shear. Such additives or thickeners may be used in a variety of liquid systems including aqueous systems such as paints, aqueous inks, and personal care products and compositions for treating subterranean formations. The additives improve the rheological properties by also affecting the dispersion, suspension and emulsification of pigments, binders and other solids within a vehicle.
Thixotropic promoters are a category of rheology additives widely used in the coating industry. They can be categorized as organic clay, polyethylene waxes and titanium derivatives. These thixotropic promoters have been used for a long time in latex paints and other architectural coatings. Many types of thixotropic promoters are used because each of them has its own limitations. Some, such as the organic clay, are very effective but they have disadvantages such as decreasing the gloss of the paint significantly. Thixotropic promoters are also used in hydraulic fracturing of subterranean formations, such as oil and natural gas wells, and other methods of secondary oil recovery.
Hydrophobically modified alkali swellable emulsion (HASE, also known as Hydrophobically modified alkali soluble) polymer systems and alkali soluble emulsion (ASE) polymer systems are commonly employed to modify the rheological properties of aqueous emulsion systems. These polymers are substantially insoluble in water at a low pH. However, at higher pH they become swellable or soluble in water and thus exhibit thickening behavior. Under the influence of a base, organic or inorganic, the HASE particles gradually swell and expand to form a three-dimensional network by intermolecular hydrophobic aggregation between HASE copolymer chains and/or with components of the emulsion. This network, combined with the hydrodynamic exclusion volume created by the expanded HASE chains, produces a thickening effect. This network is sensitive to applied stress so it breaks down under shear and recovers when the stress is relieved. Such rheological properties are particularly desirable for paints and coatings because they make the formulation easy to apply onto a surface while providing the thickness needed for uniform coverage and avoid spattering.
These alkali-swellable and alkali-soluble polymers are carboxyl functional polymers synthesized by free radical polymerization. HASE copolymer systems can be prepared from the following monomers: (a) an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, (b) a nonionic ethylenically unsaturated monomer, and (c) an ethylenically unsaturated hydrophobic monomer. Representative HASE copolymer systems include those shown in EP 226097 B1, EP 705852 B1, U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,096, U.S. Pat. No. 5,874,495, U.S. Pat. No. 7,217,752 B2, and US patent application publication 2006/0270563 A1, now U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,772,421 and 8,071,674, all incorporated herein by reference.
Three categories of polymers produced by emulsion polymerization are: (1) Synthetic rubber: some grades of styrene-butadiene (SBR), some grades of polybutadiene, polychloroprene (Neoprene), nitrile rubber, acrylic rubber, fluoroelastomer (FKM); (2) Plastic: some grades of PVC, some grades of polystyrene, some grades of PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer (ABS), polyvinylidene fluoride, polytertrafluoroethylene (PTFE); and (3) Dispersions (i.e., polymers sold as aqueous dispersions).
Latex is an example of an emulsion polymer which is a water based polymer dispersion. Latex paints are used for a variety of applications including interior and exterior, and flat, semi-gloss and gloss applications. Latex is a stable dispersion (colloidal emulsion) of rubber or plastic polymer microparticles in an aqueous medium. Latexes may be natural or synthetic.
It would be desirable to have a as a thixotropic promoter that provides improved viscosity control, sagging, and leveling, while maintaining gloss in latex paints and coatings.
Hydraulic fracturing of the subterranean formation is conducted to increase oil and/or gas production. Fracturing is caused by injecting a viscous fracturing fluid or a foam at a high pressure (hereinafter injection pressure) into the well to form a fracture. As the fracture is formed, the particulate material, referred to as a "propping agent" or "proppant" is placed in the formation to maintain the fracture in a propped condition when the injection pressure is released. Coated and/or uncoated particles are often used as proppants to keep open fractures imposed by hydraulic fracturing upon a subterranean formation, e.g., an oil or gas bearing strata. Particles typically used to prop fractures generally comprise sand or sintered ceramic particles as the fracture forms, the proppants are carried into the fracture by suspending them in additional fluid or foam to fill the fracture with slurry of proppant in the fluid or foam. Upon release of the pressure, the proppants form a pack that serves to hold open the fractures. Thus, the proppants increase production of oil and/or gas by providing a conductive channel in the formation. There is a need for a proppant carrier that can prevent settling of proppants or sand being positioned in the fractures.
During primary recovery a subterranean formation produces the oil by pressure depletion. In pressure depletion, the pressure difference between the formation and a production well or wells forces the oil contained within the formation toward a production well where it can be recovered. Typically, up to 35 percent of the oil initially contained in a formation can be recovered using pressure depletion. Methods have been developed to recover oil which could not be recovered using only pressure depletion techniques or secondary recovery techniques. These methods are typically referred to as "enhanced oil recovery techniques" (EOR).
One enhanced oil recovery process is referred to as surfactant flooding. This generally covers the use of an aqueous fluid containing surfactant injected into an oil rich formation to displace oil from the formation and the displaced oil is then recovered.
Another enhanced oil recovery process is referred to as chemical flooding. This generally covers the use of polymer and/or surfactant slugs. In polymer flooding, a polymer solution is injected to displace oil toward producing wells. The polymer solution is designed to develop a favorable mobility ratio between the injected polymer solution and the oil/water bank being displaced ahead of the polymer. In surfactant flooding, an aqueous solution containing surfactant is injected into the oil rich formation. Residual oil drops are deformed as a result of low interfacial tension provided by surfactant solution and drops are displaced through the pore throats and displaced oil is then recovered.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,881, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses an aqueous liquid medium having increased low shear viscosity as provided by dispersing into the aqueous medium (1) a water-soluble polymer having pendant hydrophobic groups, e.g., an acrylamide dodecyl acrylate copolymer, and (2) a water-dispersible surfactant, e.g., sodium oleate, or dodecyl polyethyleneoxy glycol monoether.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,935, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses fracturing processes which use aqueous hydraulic fracturing fluids. The fluids comprise: (a) an aqueous medium, and (b) a thickening amount of a thickener composition comprising (i) a water-soluble or water-dispersible interpolymer having pendant hydrophobic groups chemically bonded thereto, (ii) a nonionic surfactant having a hydrophobic group(s) capable of associating with the hydrophobic groups on said organic polymer, and (iii) a water-soluble electrolyte.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,760, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a fracturing fluid comprising surfactants and hydrophobically-modified polymers.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,084,095, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses addition of polymers to a viscoelastic surfactant base system allows adjusting the rheological properties of the base fluid.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,427,583, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, describes an aqueous viscoelastic fracturing fluid for use in the recovery of hydrocarbons. The fluid comprises a viscoelastic surfactant and a hydrophobically modified polymer.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,727,937 to Pauls et al, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses acidic treatment fluids used in industrial and/or subterranean operations, and more particularly, acidic treatment fluids comprising clarified xanthan gelling agents, and methods of use in industrial and/or subterranean operations.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,772,421 to Yang et al, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a hydraulic fracturing composition comprising water, a pH responsive polymer and a proppant.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,789,160 to Hough et al, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety discloses an aqueous fluid useful for the recovery of crude oil from a subterranean formation, which includes a composition including a mixture of water, a water soluble block copolymer, an inorganic salt and at least one member of the group of a nonionic surfactant having an HLB of less than 12, and methods for using same.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,857,055 to Li et al, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a fluid for treating a subterranean formation comprising an aqueous solution of a polysaccharide, a polyacrylamide, a crosslinking agent, and less than 0.1% by weight of any clay component, wherein the polyacrylamide is present in an amount of from about 0.01 percent to about 1 percent by weight of the fluid.
It would be desirable to provide stable fracturing fluids and EOR fluids for subterranean formations, such as natural gas and/or oil field.
Also, there is a need to enhance viscosity to improve personal care compositions. In personal care applications, consumers are increasingly demanding formulations that provide multiple benefits such as, but not limited to, unique sensory experience, enhanced moisturization, increased conditioning, improved delivery of active ingredients and compatibility. Synthetic rheology modifier polymers can be employed to assist in achieving one or more of these properties.
Also there is a need to enhance viscosity to improve cleaning compositions for home and industry.

Compositions with pH responsive copolymer containing MAEP and/or MAHP and method for using same


A computer-implemented system keeps records of communications between participants as a conversation. All communications between participants in a transaction are stored as part of the conversation including documents, photographs, forms etc. needed to complete the transaction. A computer system interacts with a wallet service of one or more participants to keep a record of, or to affect the transfer of, consideration between participants in the transaction. Conversations can occur for any topic or conversations for a particular topic can be selected and a template provided for documents and/or conversation participants most often needed to complete an associated transaction.

For anything but the most simple of transactions, a person often uses multiple electronic devices to communicate with several parties in order to complete a transaction. For example, in the case of an automobile accident, a party may need to involve the police, witnesses, car body repair shops, insurance agencies, attorneys and maybe others to settle a claim and repair a car. Letters drafted on computers are sent between parties, phone calls are made, e-mails are sent. A user has to keep track of all these communications in order to make sure that the underlying issues are resolved.
Given the complexity of tracking, storing and analyzing records of each of these communications, there is a need for a system that can help reduce transaction costs by facilitating communications between parties about a transaction in order see a transaction through to its completion.

System and method for facilitating transactions as conversations between participants


Methods and apparatus process a financial transaction initiated by a consumer with a contactless transaction device. An electromagnetic transmission identifying a financial account and an adjunct identifier is received from the device. Transaction data are electromagnetically transmitted to the device. Another electromagnetic transmission providing authentication data and a digital signature originated from the transaction data is received from the device. The device is authenticated with an analysis of the authentication data and digital signature. An authorization request for approval of the financial transaction is transmitted over a payment network to an issuer system, and a response is received. The adjunct identifier is transmitted to an adjunct system distinct from the issuer system for implementation of functions adjunct to the financial transaction. The financial transaction is acted on in accordance with the response to the authorization request.

This application relates generally to transaction systems. More specifically, this application relates to a transaction system that uses contactless chip initiation.
Contactless transaction initiation is often performed with a "smart" card. Such a card typically includes radio-frequency identification ("RFID") components for contactless communication with a point-of-sale device, a chip, and a magnetic stripe that permits the card also to be used in a conventional magnetic-stripe card reader. The information communicated via the RFID components is generally similar or identical to the information recorded on the magnetic stripe. Payment systems that use contactless cards are generally restricted to provided a mechanism for a payment channel. In some systems, payment requests are routed through a conventional debit or credit authorization network, while in other systems, payment requests are processed offline by the card, which includes a "stored value" account balance. These offline cards are sometimes referred to in the art as "electronic wallets," "e-wallets," "electronic purses," or "e-purses."
Other types of stored-value cards, commonly sold as gift cards, are associated with a centralized and remote stored-value account. Such cards are typically not contactless, but are instead simple plastic cards with magnetic stripes. The remote account is charged when the card is used through an exchange of information over a network, and can often be replenished by the cardholder or a third party. When the card is used, an account number comprised by the card permits access to the account. These cards also typically provided only a single payment channel, with all payment requests being directed to the remote account that stores the account balance.


A grommet is mounted into an opening formed in a mating member after a wire harness containing a plurality of wires tied up in a bundle is inserted through the grommet. The grommet has a base portion formed of rubber or resin and has in the annular outer peripheral wall thereof a mounting groove fittable with an opening edge of the mating member, a roof portion extending inwardly from the opening end of the base portion, a medium diameter portion formed in a cylindrical shape having an inside diameter larger than the diameter of the wire harness to be inserted therethrough and extending upwardly in the axial direction of the grommet from the roof portion, and a small diameter portion reducing continuously in diameter from the opening end of the medium diameter portion and extending further upwardly in the axial direction of the grommet in a cylindrical manner. In the grommet, there is further formed an annular cavity in the portion of the inner peripheral wall of the base portion that corresponds to the position of the mounting groove.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a grommet which is used to protect a wire harness in an extending-through portion formed in a vehicle body or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a vehicle body such as a dash panel, a cowl panel and the like, there is formed an opening through which a wire harness consisting of a plurality of wires tied up together in a bundle can be inserted.
Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 14, when a wire harness 7 is inserted through an opening 91, after a grommet C formed of a rubber ring is inserted into the wire harness 7, the wire harness 7 and grommet C are pulled together from a vehicle room side toward an engine room side so that the grommet C can be mounted into the opening 91. This is to protect the wire harness 7 by the grommet C and also to prevent water from leaking into the vehicle room.
FIG. 15 shows a state in which the grommet C is mounted on and fitted with an opening edge 92 of a mating member 9, and in a burring 93 in which the grommet C takes a stand-up position perpendicular to the mating member 9, the grommet C is well fitted with the opening edge 92.
However, in recent years, the number of parts to be provided in the engine room and vehicle room have increased and thus the cowl panel and the like have been inclined in order to avoid such increased parts, whereas the direction of forming the opening 91 (that is, the opening molding direction) has been left unchanged, so that the stand-up position or attitude of the burring 93 has failed to be perpendicular to the panels. As a result, the burring 93 has been inclined and projected toward the engine room side. As shown in FIG. 12, the angle of inclination .theta. of the burring 93 varies in the range of 0-20 degrees although the inclination angle .theta. depends upon the kinds of vehicles. Under these conditions, if the grommet C is mounted, then there is produced a gap S in a mounting groove 11 fitted with the opening edge of the mating member as shown in FIG. 16, which inconveniently leads to the leakage of water into the vehicle room.
Further, the wire harness 7 is normally disposed in such a manner that it is extremely bent from around the exit of the grommet C, as indicated by arrows in FIGS. 15 and 16, and this bending further expands the gap S, with the result that water more easily leaks into the vehicle room. In addition, the plane area of the grommet C existing around the opening 91 and corresponding to the mating member 9 has a tendency to decrease, and even if there is provided in the outer edge of the mounting groove 11 an annular projection P for sealing, a gap M easily appears between the mating member 9 and the annular projection P, with the result that the annular projection P is often found not useful, as shown in FIG. 15.
Moreover, in recent years, in order to prevent water from leaking through gaps between the wires which cooperate together in forming the wire harness, a filler has been loaded into the grommet. However, if the filler of this kind is loaded into the grommet, the portion of the grommet that holds the filler is then stiffened too much to be bent. Therefore, if the wire harness is so disposed as to be bent, the above-mentioned gaps S and M are expanded further.


A method of establishing a trusted path of data and a method of verifying the integrity of data presented for signing to a user of the personalized device in a public-key cryptographic scheme. The method comprises establishing a trusted path between the user and secure module residing on the personalized device. The secure module holds the user's private key, displays information about the data message directly to the user, and generates the signature only when instructed to do so. The decision whether or not to sign the data message is determined by the user.

Electronic commerce is hampered by privacy and security concerns, as there is no reliable way to ensure that the sender of an electronic transmission is in fact who they purport to be. Due to the non-physical nature of the medium, traditional methods of is physically marking the media with a seal or signature, for various business and legal purposes, are not practical. Rather, some mark must be coded into the information itself in order to identify the source and authenticate the contents.
In business, whether online or face-to-face, the client and the merchant must provide identification, authentication and authorization. Identification is the process that enables recognition of a user described to an automated data processing system and authentication is the act of verifying the claimed identity of an individual, station or originator, and finally authorization is the granting of the right of access to a user, program, or process.
A solution to the problems of identification, authentication, confidentiality, authentication, integrity and non-repudiation in information systems lies in the field of cryptography. For confidentiality, encryption is used to scramble information sent between users so that eavesdroppers cannot understand the data's content. Authentication usually employs digital signatures to identify the author of a message such that the recipient of the message can verify the identity of the person who signed the message. Digital signatures can be used in conjunction with passwords or as an alternative to them.
Message integrity is determined by methods that verify that a message has not been modified, such methods typically employ message digest codes. Non-repudiation describes the creation of cryptographic receipts so that an author of a message cannot falsely deny sending a message. Thus the Internet reveals the full complexity of trust relationships among people, computers, and organizations.
As mentioned above, one method of authentication involves digital signatures. Digital signatures use public-key cryptographic techniques employing two related keys, a public key and a private key. In public-key cryptography, the public key is made available to anyone who wants to correspond with the owner of the corresponding private key. The public key can be used to verify a message signed with the private key or encrypt messages that can only be decrypted using the private key. The secrecy of messages encrypted this way, and the authenticity of the messages signed this way relies on the security of the private key. Thus, the private key is kept secret by the owner in order to protect the key against unauthorized use.
Traditionally smart cards have been used as signing tokens for authenticating a user, smartcards are an alternative name for a microprocessor card, in that it refers to a chip card that is 'smart'. The expression 'Smart Card' is used to refer to all types of chip cards, however SMARTCARD® is a registered trademark of Groupmark. Smart cards place digital certificates, cryptographic keys and other information on a PIN-protected token carried by the end-user, which is more secure than storing it on a computer device which may be vulnerable to unauthorized access. All the cryptographic algorithms involving the private key such as digital signatures and key exchanges are performed on the card. By signing transactions in such an environment, users are assured a modicum of integrity and privacy of the data exchanged between each other. The private key need not be revealed outside of the token.
One of the disadvantages of smartcards is that the owner is not protected from abuse of the smart card. For example, because of the lack of a user interface, such as a display screen, the owner may not be sure about the contents of the actual message being signed with the smartcard. Another drawback of smartcards is that any entity or person in possession of the smartcard and the PIN, who may not be the rightful owner or which may be a malicious application, in effect has knowledge of the private key.
Another solution is the implementation of a personalized device, such as a wireless application protocol (WAP) capable mobile phone or wireless personal digital assistant (PDA), as a signing token. Such a personalized device can store private key and sign transactions on behalf of its owner. In such a situation, the holder of the personalized device is assumed to be its rightful owner or authorized representative as determined by an appropriate access-control mechanism. The data message may be generated on an external device, such as an external computer, and then presented to the personalized device for signing. Alternatively, the data message can be generated completely on the personalized device. However, there exists substantial risk for fraud in both of these situations.
With reference to the first situation in which a data message is prepared on a personal computer, or similar, and then conveyed to the personalized device for signing and transmission, integrity of the message may be comprised. In this example, the owner of the personalized device may wish to employ the larger viewing area or the computing power available on a personal computer to browse and assemble the transaction. Once the data message has been assembled on the personal computer, the data is transmitted to the personalized device for signing. The personalized device calculates a signature, and the signed data message is transmitted via the personalized device. The personalized device thus acts both as a signing token and as a transmitting device.
In this situation, it is assumed that the external computer can be trusted and that this computer does not contain malicious software or has been programmed by unscrupulous individuals to alter the content of the message. Should the data presented for signing be different from that displayed, then the owner of the private key would then sign fraudulent or financially harmful transactions.
With reference to the second situation, an example of potential fraud will now be described. Suppose that the personalized device operating system becomes corrupted through any number of ways, such as, by unintentionally installed software containing malicious code, script embedded in messages, or by compromise of the personalized device operating system via security holes. This malicious code could then alter the contents of transactions, as described above.
Indeed, there is greater potential for fraud as transactions could be created, signed, and transmitted without the knowledge of the owner. The non-repudiation of such fraudulently obtained signed transactions would be difficult to contest as prima facie the personalized device's owner appears to have sanctioned the data message by appending a valid signature.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to mitigate at least one of the above disadvantages.

System and method for trusted communication


Described herein are antipyschotic compounds of formula (I)

Currently there are many drugs available for the treatment of disorders of the central nervous system. Among these drugs is a category known as antipsychotics for treating serious mental conditions such as schizophrenia and schizophreniform illnesses. The drugs available for such conditions are often associated with undesirable adverse events, and there is a need for better products that control or eliminate the symptoms in a safer and more effective way.
Patients suffering from schizophrenia, a condition of unknown etiology, exhibit a group of both positive and negative symptoms. Positive symptoms include delusions, hallucinations, disordered thoughts, and disorganized speech, while negative symptoms include flat affect, anhedonia, social withdrawal, emotional detachment, cognitive deficits, and poverty of speech. Not only does schizophrenia cause personal suffering by the patient, it also severely affects the patient's occupational and social functions, so that often the patient must be institutionalized, which results in a high cost to society.
A leading hypothesis suggests that the positive symptoms of schizophrenia can be effectively treated by compounds that act as antagonists at certain dopamine receptors. Currently, five principal dopamine receptors (D1–D5) that have been identified. Antipsychotic efficacy has been most closely associated with blockade of the D2 class of dopamine receptors. The typical antipsychotic agents (eg. haloperidol) are effective in controlling the positive symptoms of schizophrenia but do not adequately treat the negative symptoms and also induce significant adverse events, principally extrapyramidal side effects, hyperprolactinemia, and tardive dyskinesia.
One approach to developing better antipsychotic agents, involves the identification of compounds that combine D2 receptor blockade with actions at other receptors. One such agent is clozapine.
Clozapine was the first drug identified as an "atypical" antipsychotic, i.e., a drug effective in treating both the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Additionally, it did not cause EPS and the other adverse events seen with classical, "typical" antipsychotics. Although clozapine is an effective drug, its utility in treating schizophrenia has been limited because of the clinical observation that 1–2% of treated patients developed a potentially fatal blood disorder. More recently, olanzapine has been widely accepted as an atypical antipsychotic with relatively few adverse events. Atypical antipsychotics like clozapine and olanzapine are D2 receptor antagonists and also interact with receptor subtypes for several neurotransmitters, including dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, histamine, and acetylcholine. It is believed that some of these additional receptor activities are responsible for the improved efficacy of the atypical antipsychotics and that the adverse events of these agents may be mediated by interactions with others. The success of the atypical antipsychotic drugs has inspired research to produce even more effective drugs for the treatment of schizophrenia that would have negligible instances of adverse events.
The present invention provides antipsychotic compounds and methods of using those compounds to treat psychotic disorders, in particular, schizophrenia and mood disorders, such as bipolar disorders. These compounds offer certain improvements and advantages over the antipsychotics currently in clinical use.

Piperazine substituted aryl benzodiazepines and their use as dopamine receptor antagonists for the treatment of psychotic disorders

Abstract: wherein,                A is an optionally benzo-fused five or six member aromatic ring having zero to three hetero atoms independently selected from N, O, and S;        Alk is (C1-4) alkylene optionally substituted with OH, methoxy, ethoxy, or F;        Ar is optionally substituted phenyl, naphthyl, monocyclic heteroaromatic, or bicyclic heteroaromatic;        R1 is hydrogen or (C1-4) alkyl optionally substituted with OH, OR3, or OCH2CH2OH,                    wherein R3 is (C1-2) alkyl;                        R2 is H, (C1-6) alkyl, halogen, fluorinated (C1-6) alkyl, OR4, SR4, NO2, CN, COR4, CONR5R6, SO2NR5R6, NR5R6, NR5COR4, NR5SO2R4, or optionally substituted phenyl,                    wherein            R4 is hydrogen, (C1-6) alkyl, fluorinated (C1-6) alkyl, or optionally substituted phenyl,            R5 and R6 are independently hydrogen, (C1-6) alkyl, or optionally substituted phenyl;                        Z is one or two substituents independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, (C1-6) alkyl, fluorinated (C1-6) alkyl, OR7, SR7, NO2, CN, COR7, CONR8R9, SO2NR8R9, NR8SO2R7, NR8R9, or optionally substituted phenyl,                    wherein            R7 is hydrogen, (C1-6) alkyl, fluorinated alkyl, or optionally substituted phenyl,            R8 and R9 are independently hydrogen, (C1-6) alkyl, or optionally substituted phenyl;                        and salts, solvates, and crystal forms thereof.Also described are the use of the compounds of formula (I) as antagonists of the dopamine D2 receptor and as agents for the treatment of psychosis and bipolar disorder, and pharmaceutical formulations of the compounds of formula (I).


An electrical card connector comprising an insulative housing 4 and a plurality of contacts 5 which received in the insulative housing, each contact 5 includes a retention portion 51, an elastic portion 52 which extends from one end of the retention portion 51, a contact portion 53 which connects with the elastic portion 52, a preload portion 54 which extends from the end of the contact portion 53 and a soldering portion 55, wherein the contact 5 further includes a connect portion 56 which extends from the soldering portion 55 and a block portion 57 which extends from the end of the connect portion 56.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to card connector, especially to a card connector contact with pre-load so as to securely ensure a prepressing sustained thereon.
2. Background of the Invention
Electrical cards are known in the art and contain intelligence in the form of a memory circuit or other electronic program. Some form of card reader retrieve the information or data stored on the card. Such cards are used in many applications in today's electronic society, including video cameras, digital still cameras, smart phones, PDAs, music players, ATMs, cable television decoders, toys, games, PC adapters, multi-media cards and other electronic applications, etc.
Example of prior art card-receiving connectors of U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,394B comprises an insulative housing and a plurality of contacts received in the insulative housing. The said contact includes a soldering portion, a connect portion, a retention portion, an elastic portion, a contact portion and a crossbeam. The soldering portion and the retention portion are connected by the connect portion, the elastic portion extends from one end of the retention portion and connect with the contact portion, the crossbeam protrudes and extends from the end of the contact portion. A block portion is set on the insulative housing to support the crossbeam.
Unfortunately, problems continue to be encountered with the electrical card connectors mentioned above. The contact portion can bring an upward prepressing through the block portion, when the prepressing becomes bigger, the insulative housing would warp and become deformed. Therefore, an improved electrical card connector is desired to overcome the disadvantages of the prior arts.

Electrical card connector with contacts having preload portions


A portable electronic device includes a housing, a processor unit received in the housing, and an anemometer unit mounted on the housing and electrically connected to the processor unit. The anemometer unit transforms pressure of wind blowing thereon into electronic signals, and the processor unit receives and processes the electronic signals to obtain wind pressures and velocities.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to multifunctional portable electronic devices and methods for using the same, and particularly to a portable electronic device integrated with an anemometer and a method for using the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Anemometers are often used in researches, explorations, and scientific surveys to measure wind pressures and velocities. Generally, a conventional anemometer only has the function of measuring wind pressures and velocities, and thus carrying the anemometer may increase the burden of its user. If the anemometer is integrated with a more frequently used instrument, it may add value to be carried and used more easily.
Nowadays, portable electronic devices, such as mobile phones, digital cameras, and personal digital assistants (PDA), are widely used. The portable electronic devices are easy to be carried and can have many additional functions.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

Multifunctional electronic device and method for using the same

Shenzhen Futaihong Precision Industry Co., Ltd.


A network design apparatus includes: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor executes a process including: calculating an allocation pattern not requiring cancellation of a connection request from among a plurality of allocation candidates, when the connection request transmitted/received between nodes on a network is to be allocated to a slot that constructs a link on the network; determining a change procedure of the connection request in order to change an allocation pattern provided before the network is re-optimized to the allocation pattern calculated at the calculating; and outputting the allocation pattern calculated at the calculating as an allocation pattern after the network is re-optimized, along with the change procedure determined at the determining.

An optical network adopting a WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplex) system in the related art is designed to make the most of a resource (such as a bandwidth of an optical line) at the start of operation. As time passes, however, the network usually experiences a situation where the resource is not used to the fullest due to the change in distribution of a demand from a client, the change in network topology, or equipment failure, for example. Under such situation, it is effective for a network design apparatus to re-optimize the network by redesigning the network that is once optimized.
The network design apparatus in the attempt to re-optimize the network allocates the demand to each time slot (hereinafter simply referred to as a "slot") of the optical line in a way different from the previous way. There is a possibility that the allocation causes communication interruption in the network in operation when the allocation of the demand to the slot is cancelled (hereinafter referred to as "demand cancellation" as needed) without preparing a substitute optical line in advance. Being a factor of interrupting a service provided by a telecommunications carrier, the communication interruption is desirably avoided as much as possible.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2012-199644
However, the aforementioned network design has had a problem as follows. That is, the network design apparatus in the related art has performed the allocation to the slot without considering the procedure of changing each demand in re-optimizing the network. The network design apparatus has therefore been unable to derive a procedure by which the network can be re-optimized without performing the demand cancellation (hereinafter referred to as a "best procedure") in a short period of time when such procedure is available. Moreover, the network design apparatus has been unable to derive, in a short period of time, a procedure by which the network can be re-optimized with the smallest number of demand cancellations (hereinafter referred to as a "second best procedure") when the best procedure is not available. These have been the factors of inhibiting the procedure that is effective in efficiently re-optimizing the network from being promptly presented to a user.

Network design apparatus and network design method