In a computer network system that includes a multiplicity of nodes interconnected by a network of switches, each switch having multiple ports, a method for testing one of the switches includes assigning a respective one of the nodes to each of a plurality of the ports of the switch being tested. The network is configured so that the switch being tested is substantially isolated from data flow from and to the nodes in the network that are not assigned to the ports of the switch. Data are conveyed at a controlled rate between two or more of the assigned nodes through the respective ports, and behavior of the switch is observed in response to the data being conveyed.

This application is related to U.S. patent applications entitled xe2x80x9cSwitch Adapter Testingxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cError Injection Apparatus and Method,xe2x80x9d filed on even date, which are assigned to the assignee of the present patent application and are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates generally to packet-switched computer networks, and specifically to methods and apparatus for testing and diagnosing malfunctions in such networks.
Packet-switched, source-routing computer networks are used in a growing range of applications. Such networks link multiple computer processors, or nodes, via multiple switches. Typically, a packet of data sent from one of the nodes to another passes through a number of different switches. Each switch along the way reads routing information, which is commonly contained in a header of the data packet, and passes the packet on to the next switch along the way, or to the destination node. Typically, there are multiple different paths available through the network over which any given pair of nodes can communicate. An example of this type of network is the well-known Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network, which is used in communications between separate computers. Such networks are also used in multi-processor computers, such as the RS/6000 Scalable POWERParallel System (SP) series of computers produced by International Business Machines Corporation (Armonk, N.Y.). In the SP computer, as well as in certain other networks, successive packets in a communication stream between the nodes may be sent over different routes.
Because of the complex topology and hardware of packet-switched networks, when a fault occurs in such a network it can be difficult to identify the exact location and nature of the fault. The difficulty is exacerbated by the fact, noted above, that by their nature such networks use multiple different paths between nodes and are fault-tolerant. A network fault will typically appear not as a total breakdown (which would be relatively easy to find), but rather will present more subtle symptoms. For example, there may be a reduction in throughput between some or all of the nodes, or an increase in the number of xe2x80x9cbad packetsxe2x80x9dxe2x80x94data packets whose content is corrupted and must be discardedxe2x80x94at one or more of the nodes.
There are few efficient tools known in the art for diagnosis of such faults. The diagnostic process is time-consuming and heavily reliant on the intuition and experience of a human system administrator (or service engineer) in deciphering and drawing conclusions from the limited information that is available. This information is typically collected in various system files, such as topology files, error logs and trace files, as are known in the art. These files may be recorded at different nodes of the network and must somehow be collated and analyzed by the administrator. Because few network administrators have the know-how to perform this sort of diagnosis, costly service calls are frequently required.
A further problem in diagnosing network faults is non-deterministic failures, which may occur only under certain conditions, and may not arise at all while the diagnostic tests are being performed. Such failures are referred to with terms such as xe2x80x9csporadic,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cintermittent,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9coverheating,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9clightning,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9caging,xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cstatics,xe2x80x9d which generally mean only that the cause of the problem is unknown. For example, a high-speed switch or adapter may behave normally in light traffic, and break down only under certain particular stress conditions. At times the only way to find such a problem is to systematically bombard each suspect component of the network with packets from different sources, at controlled rates, gradually eliminating components from consideration until the failure is found. Such a process is difficult to automate, and may require that the network be taken off-line for an extended period. The cost of such down-time for prolonged testing and repair can be enormous. There is therefore a need for systematic methods of diagnostic testing, which can be performed while the network is on-line.
There is a similar lack of tools and techniques for systematically testing the response of switch-related network software to hardware fault conditions. Such techniques are needed particularly in software development and testing stages, to ensure that the software responds properly when faults occur. Current methods of testing use specially-designed simulation hardware, such as cables with broken pins, together with debugging clauses that can be activated in the software itself and dedicated debugging fields in associated data structures. The fault situations created by such methods, however, are limited to a small range of scenarios, which are for the most part different from the real hardware faults that occur in actual networks. Similarly, the software used in debugging mode for fault simulation is different from the actual software product that will be used in the field. Moreover, these testing tools are incapable of simulating the type of transient, non-deterministic failures described above. They do not allow errors to be injected and altered on the fly during a simulation.
It is an object of some aspects of the present invention to provide improved methods for fault simulation and diagnostics in packet-switched data networks.
It is a further object of some aspects of the present invention to provide diagnostic methods and apparatus for use in testing a switch in a network while the network is on-line.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention operate in the context of a packet data network, which comprises a plurality of nodes, or processors, mutually coupled by a plurality of switches, such that typically any one of the nodes can communicate with any other one of the nodes, preferably over multiple links. Each of the nodes is coupled to a respective port of one of the switches by a switch adapter, which performs data link functions, as are known in the art, with respect to each data packet sent or received through the network by the node. One of the nodes is a primary node, which manages the configuration of elements of the network, such as the other nodes and switches in the network.
In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the primary node controls testing and diagnosis of elements of the network in real time, while the network is on-line, or at least with minimal interruption of on-line operation, by appropriately setting parameters of the nodes and switches. The testing preferably includes diagnostic testing to locate suspected faults in the switches and switch adapters. Additionally or alternatively, for the purposes of testing, errors are intentionally injected into the network so as to simulate the response of the network elements to faults that may occur.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, a switch that is suspected of being faulty is isolated from the remainder of the network for testing, while the remainder of the network continues to operate in a substantially normal fashion. The suspect switch has multiple ports, each of which may be connected either to a node or to a port of another switch. Data packets are passed through the switch via different pairs of the ports, at controllable, preferably high rates, until conditions are created in which the switch fails, or until it is ascertained that the switch is not faulty. By isolating the suspect switch in this manner, it is possible to test the switch quickly and thoroughly, while minimizing interruption to the rest of the network.
Preferably, for every port of the suspect switch, the primary node assigns one of the nodes of the network to be an assistant node. Preferably, the assistant nodes are chosen to be the nodes closest in the network to the respective ports of the suspect switch. The assistant nodes do not need to be connected directly to the respective ports, but may rather be connected through other switches in the network. The assistant nodes are taken off-line in order to isolate the suspect switch. They are then controlled by the primary node to transmit heavy data traffic through the suspect switch, either through specific pairs or combinations of ports, or through all of the ports at once. The primary node receives from the assistant nodes records of the data packets that they have sent and/or received through the suspect switch and analyzes the records for any discrepancies, which are indicative of the fault in the switch.
Preferably, the primary node assigns the links over which the assistant nodes are to communicate with their respective ports on the suspect switch by downloading appropriate entries to a route table of the switch adapter of each of the assistant nodes. Typically, in normal network operation, such a route table includes several different routing links over which the node is to communicate, and the switch adapter sends data packets in alternation over the different links in order to balance the data traffic load among different switches and ports in the network. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, however, the entries downloaded to the route tables associated with the assistant nodes indicate that all of the packets are to be sent over the same links, so as to control and maximize the traffic load on the ports of the suspect switch.
There is therefore provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in a computer network system that includes a multiplicity of nodes interconnected by a network of switches, each switch having multiple ports, a method for testing one of the switches, including:
assigning a respective one of the nodes to each of a plurality of the ports of the switch being tested;
configuring the network so that the switch being tested is substantially isolated from data flow from and to the nodes in the network that are not assigned to the ports of the switch;
conveying data at a controlled rate between two or more of the assigned nodes through the respective ports; and
observing behavior of the switch in response to the data being conveyed.
Preferably, assigning the respective one of the nodes includes selecting a node that is connected to the respective port by a short path through the network relative to other nodes in the system.
Further preferably, configuring the network includes taking the switch being tested and the nodes assigned to the ports thereof off-line, while normal data transmission continues among other nodes and switches in the system.
Preferably, conveying the data includes transmitting data from at least one of the assigned nodes to at least one other of the assigned nodes through the corresponding ports at a substantially maximal transmission rate that the transmitting node can achieve. Further preferably, conveying the data includes conveying data through a selected pair of the ports of the switch being tested or, alternatively or additionally, conveying data through substantially all of the ports of the switch being tested.
Preferably, conveying the data includes conveying data packets, wherein observing the behavior of the switch includes comparing a number of data packets sent by at least one of the assigned nodes, to the number of packets received by one or more other assigned nodes and noting a discrepancy between the numbers. In a preferred embodiment, in normal operation of the system, the data packets are routed between any pair of the nodes over a plurality of different routes in alternation, and conveying the data includes routing substantially all of the packets conveyed from a first one of the assigned nodes to a second one of the assigned nodes over one assigned route through the switch being tested. Most preferably, the nodes are linked to the network by respective data link adapters, each of which routes data from the respective node through the network in accordance with a routing table stored in a memory thereof, and wherein routing substantially all of the packets includes downloading to the adapter of the first one of the assigned nodes a test routing table containing the assigned route.
There is additionally provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in a computer network system that includes a multiplicity of nodes interconnected by a network of switches, wherein the nodes are linked to the network by respective data link adapters, each of which in normal operation routes data packets from a corresponding one of the nodes through the network to a given destination node over a plurality of different routes in alternation, a method for testing of the system, including:
selecting at least one of the data link adapters;
programming the selected data link adapter so that substantially all of the data packets sent from the corresponding node to the given destination node are routed in repetition over a single route;
conveying data from the corresponding node to the destination node over the single route; and
observing operation of the system responsive to the conveyed data so as to identify a fault in the system.
Preferably, the selected data link adapter routes the data packets in accordance with a routing table stored in a memory, and programming the selected data link adapter includes downloading a test routing table to the memory, responsive to which the data packets are routed in repetition over the single route. In a preferred embodiment, the routing table normally contains multiple entries corresponding to the given destination node, each entry indicating one of the plurality of different routes, from among which entries the switch adapter in normal operation chooses the routes in alternation, and downloading the test routing table includes downloading a table including a plurality of identical entries corresponding to the given destination node.
There is moreover provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in a computer network system that includes a multiplicity of nodes interconnected by a network of switches, wherein the nodes are linked to the network by respective data link adapters, each of which routes data from the respective node through the network in accordance with a normal routing table stored in a memory thereof, a method for testing of the system, including:
selecting at least one of the data link adapters;
downloading to the selected data link adapter a respective test routing table, which differs substantially from the normal routing table thereof;
conveying data from the selected data link adapter through the network in accordance with the test routing table; and
observing operation of the system responsive to the conveyed data so as to identify a fault therein.
There is furthermore provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a manageable computer network system, including:
a network of switches, each switch having multiple ports; and
a multiplicity of nodes interconnected by the switches, wherein the nodes include a management node, which carries out a diagnostic test of a selected one of the switches by assigning a respective one of the nodes to each of a plurality of the ports of the selected switch, and by configuring the network so that the selected switch is substantially isolated from data flow from and to the remaining nodes in the network that are not assigned to the ports of the switch, and which issues a command to one or more of the nodes assigned to the ports to perform the test by conveying data at a controlled rate to another one or more of the assigned nodes through the respective ports, and receives information from the nodes in response to the test in order to detect a fault of the selected switch.
Preferably, the management node takes the selected switch and the nodes assigned to the ports thereof off-line, while normal data transmission continues among other nodes and switches in the system.
Further preferably, the network includes a packet-switched network.
There is also provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a manageable computer network system, including:
a multiplicity of nodes;
a network of switches, each switch having multiple ports; and
a multiplicity of data link adapters, each linking a respective one of the nodes to one of the ports of one of the switches, each of which adapters in normal operation routes data packets from the respective node through the network to a given destination node over a plurality of different routes in alternation,
wherein in a test mode of the system, at least one of the data link adapters is selected and programmed so that substantially all of the data packets sent from the corresponding node to the given destination node are routed in repetition over a single route, so that operation of the system can be observed while data are conveyed over the single route in order to identify a fault in the system.
Preferably, the selected data link adapter includes a memory and routes the data packets in accordance with a routing table stored in the memory, and a test routing table is downloaded to the selected adapter, responsive to which the data packets are routed in repetition over the single route. Further preferably, the routing table normally contains multiple entries corresponding to the given destination node, each entry indicating one of the plurality of different routes, and from among which entries the switch adapter in normal operation chooses the routes in alternation, and the test routing table includes a plurality of identical entries corresponding to the given destination node.
There is additionally provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a computer software product for testing a selected one of a plurality of switches, each switch having multiple ports, in a computer network system including a multiplicity of processor nodes coupled to the switches, one of which nodes is designated a primary node, the product including computer-readable code, which is read by the primary node, causing the primary node to assign a respective one of the nodes to each of a plurality of the ports of the selected switch, to configure the network so that the switch being tested is substantially isolated from data flow from and to the remaining nodes in the network that are not assigned to the ports of the switch, to cause data to be conveyed at a controlled rate between two of more of the assigned nodes through the respective ports of the switch, and to observe behavior of the switch while the data are being conveyed.
There is furthermore provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a computer software product for performing diagnostic testing in a computer network system that includes a multiplicity of nodes interconnected by a network of switches, wherein the nodes are linked to the network by respective data link adapters, each of which in normal operation routes data packets from a corresponding one of the nodes through the network to a given destination node over a plurality of different routes in alternation, the product including computer-readable code, which is read by a selected node among the multiplicity of nodes and causes the node to program a selected data link adapter so that substantially all of the data packets sent from the corresponding node to the given destination node are routed in repetition over a single route, whereby when data are transmitted from the corresponding node to the destination node over the single route, operation of the system responsive to the conveyed data is observed so as to identify a fault in the system.
The present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof, taken together with the drawings in which:


The present invention relates to a camera module and a method for driving the camera module, the module including: a photographing unit controlling a shutter speed to photograph an image in response to an inputted control signal; a display unit displaying the image; and a controller outputting a first shutter speed control signal to the photographing unit to allow an average brightness of two or more particular areas to become a set reference brightness, in a case the two or more particular areas in a plurality of divided areas in the display unit are selected.

A camera module mounted in small-sized terminals such as digital cameras or portable phones employs an image sensor or a photoelectric conversion device such as a charge coupled apparatus (CCD) type or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) type to converge light from objects to a photosensitive element and to form images of the objects. The camera module is embedded with an auto exposure (AE) function to adjust brightness level of an output image based on brightness of the image by detecting the image brightness of an object.
Generally, an AE method is configured to adjust brightness of an output image based on brightness of entire image photographed by the camera module, such that there is inconvenience of adjusting the brightness by a user in order to obtain a desired level of brightness in a particular area.

Camera module and method for driving the same


A mattress and adjustable foundation selection system and process generally includes a mattress having a pressure sensor pad configured to detect localized pressure changes on a sleeping surface as a function of a subject lying on the mattress optionally while the comfort of said mattress is adjusted by means of one or more fluid filled chambers; an adjustable foundation adjustably supporting the mattress and configured to change the mattress from a planar configuration to a non-planar configuration; and a display for displaying a contour map associated with the localized pressure changes. The method includes positioning a subject in a sleeping position on a planar surface of a mattress operatively coupled to an adjustable foundation; displaying to the subject a contour map of localized pressure changes as a function of positioning the subject on the mattress planar surface; adjusting the adjustable foundation and changing the planar surface to a non-planar surface; and displaying to the subject a contour map of the localized pressure changes associated with the mattress non-planar surface.

The present disclosure generally relates to a method and system for providing a consumer with a mattress and an adjustable foundation.
Choosing a mattress and adjustable foundation can be a difficult decision for the average consumer. With respect to mattress selection alone, there are many different mattress types and sizes of mattresses to choose from and oftentimes there is very little technical information about the mattresses provided by the retailer or manufacturer so making an intelligent comparison between different mattresses can be overwhelming. With regard to adjustable foundations, most consumers are only aware of adjustments associated with the convenience of watching television or reading a book in an elevated seated position. Most consumers are unaware of the health benefits associated with the use of an adjustable foundation.
Additionally, consumers generally have a challenging time verbalizing to the retail sales associate what they want in a mattress. This inability to verbalize the characteristics of a mattress creates a disconnect between a consumer and a sales associate in the typical retail environment. Often in the retail environment when a consumer walks into a store and asks to see a mattress, the salesperson likely posits the question, "What kind of a mattress are you looking for?" The customer usually then replies, "Firm," "Supportive," "Pillowtop," or "The one that's on sale." This exchange is unproductive. None of the consumer's answers help the salesperson understand how to match a mattress with the consumer's specific needs. Many times a consumer will think they want a "firm mattress." However, after sampling several "firm mattresses" offered by the salesperson and objecting to them because they "feel too hard," consumers eventually come to the realization that what they really need is a medium or plush mattress. Unfortunately, this process of repeatedly sampling mattresses offered by the salesperson tends to frustrate the consumer. More often than not, frustrated with the sales experience, the consumer will leave the store and the purchase of a mattress to another day—less often will the consumer doggedly persist through the sampling process to finally arrive at a mattress that fits his or her needs.
Ultimately, the consumer is looking for a better night's sleep and wants to purchase a quality mattress to improve their chances of achieving this. Further complicating the mattress selection process is the fact that there are two main variables affecting a consumer's purchasing decision, comfort and support. In order to find a quality mattress that meets the consumer's needs, it must have the right combination of both comfort and support. However, whether a quality mattress has the right combination of comfort and support for particular consumer is a very subjective individualized assessment. Currently, this assessment is made through the verbal exchange of the salesperson and consumer, as explained above. And as explained above, defining comfort or support verbally is not an easy task, and one which can easily frustrate the sales process and result in the consumer either leaving the store or choosing a mattress that is not a good fit for him or her. In the latter case, the store must then deal with returns, unhappy customers and/or lost profits.
Compounding the problem is that most consumers test a prospective new mattress while lying on their backs. Most consumers and salespersons ignore that approximately 65% of consumers actually sleep on their side. A mattress that feels good when one is lying on his or her back does not necessarily feel good when one is lying on his or her side. When lying on one's side, one will generate additional surface pressure as his or her weight is dispersed over a smaller area. In addition, when lying on one's side, the profile of the body is more generally pronounced. In other words, in the side lying position, the vertical height difference between the shoulder and the waist is generally greater than the vertical height difference between the lumbar and buttocks in the back lying (supine) position. This difference in weight distribution results in different pressure points for a side sleeper and a back sleeper. Thus, depending upon whether the consumer is predominantly a side sleeper or a back sleeper, the support structure of the mattress may need to be substantially different. Because of differences in a consumer's body profile and pressure points in the predominant sleep position, it is important for a consumer to define comfort and support in terms of his or her predominant sleep position.

Mattress and adjustable foundation selection system and process


An arrangement having a cooling circulation, a plurality of modular power semiconductor modules and at least one capacitor, wherein a power semiconductor module has a power electronics switch and a cooling device, which is capable of carrying a flow of a cooling fluid, for cooling the switch, the cooling device having at least one cooling face, and four connection devices for the cooling fluid. The connection devices are arranged in pairs on main sides of the power semiconductor module. The power semiconductor modules have their main sides strung together modularly by connecting corresponding connection devices on successive power semiconductor modules. To this end, at least two successive power semiconductor modules have a capacitor arranged between them which, for its part, is cooled by means of the cooling circulation of the cooling fluid as provided by the arrangement.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an arrangement having modular power semiconductor modules and at least one capacitor, particularly suitable for use in local power supply devices. For this purpose, the arrangement is provided with a liquid cooling device and can be used as an inverter circuit in wind power installations, for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modular power semiconductor modules and arrangements comprising them latter are known, by way of example from U.S. Pat. No. 7,190,070. The power semiconductor modules, which are called submodules therein, have a housing and load and auxiliary connections. The power semiconductor modules can be arranged next to one another on a cooling device and are connected by means of a connecting device to form an overall arrangement.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 7,835,151 discloses continuous-flow distribution modules and an arrangement comprising the latter. In this case, the continuous-flow distributor module has a housing, an inlet distributor, an outlet distributor and a multiplicity of continuous-flow cells as part of a cooling system. These cells may be in the form of open cells, configured to receive a power electronics switch. This produces a face that needs to be sealed between the continuous-flow distributor module and the power electronics switch.

Liquid-cooled arrangement having modular power semiconductor modules and at least one capacitor device, and power semiconductor module therefor


A concentric stranded conductor having a concentric strand having multiple strands. Each strand has multiple single wires. The concentric stranded conductor has a central core strand (5) and a first concentric strand layer (11) having multiple first-layer strands (9) twisted around the central core strand. The twist pitch of the central core strand is from 8 to 70 times the distance between diametrically opposed outer wires of the central core strand, the twist pitch of the first concentric strand layer is from 8 to 30 times the distance between diametrically opposed strands of the first concentric strand layer. |α−(β+γ)| is 15 degrees or less, where α is the twist angle of the central core strand and β and γ are the twist angles of the first-layer strands and first concentric strand layer, and the single wires are made of an aluminum or aluminum alloy to have elongation of 2% or more.

Copper has been the main material used for concentric stranded conductors (rope lay concentric conductors) for electrical transmission used in automobiles and the like. In recent years, automobiles and the like are required to be lightweight in view of considerations such as energy-saving and, environmental preservation. Therefore, weight reduction of the concentric stranded conductor for electrical transmission is desirable. As a method for reducing weight, it has been proposed to use aluminum, which has small specific gravity, in place of copper.
An example is a concentric stranded conductor for electrical transmission that is excellent in bending resistance and vibration resistance and is resistant to breakage by friction and wearing at the time of bending and vibration (for example, see JP-A-2003-303515 ("JP-A" means unexamined published Japanese patent application)).
FIG. 2(a) is a partially cut-away perspective view showing the concentric stranded conductor for electrical transmission described in JP-A-2003-303515. FIG. 2(b) is a schematic cross section of the concentric stranded conductor. The concentric stranded conductor (1) for electrical transmission described in JP-A-2003-303515 is a concentric strand formed by twisting a plurality of single wires (3), (7), or (13) into child strands (i.e. a wire structure consisting of bunched or concentric configurations) and then twisting a plurality of the child strands. The concentric stranded conductor comprises a child strand at the center (central core strand (5) (a "strand" consists of any number of wires twisted together in the same direction with wires having the same lay length being located randomly)), a first concentric strand layer (11) formed around the child strand by twisting first-layer strands (9) so that the twist direction of their child strands (i.e. the twist direction of the single wires forming each child strand) is the same as the twist direction of parent strand (herein, a "parent strand" or "rope strand" is a final bunched or concentric configuration constituted by child strands, and "twist direction of parent strand" means the twist direction of the child strands forming the parent strand), and at least one concentric strand layer (17) formed around the first concentric strand by twisting second-layer strands (15) so that parent twist directions of adjoining layers are in the opposite direction and so that the twist direction of the child strands of each layer is the same as the twist direction of the parent strands.
Automobiles equipped with large capacity batteries, such as electric cars and hybrid cars, have appeared in recent years. Aluminum concentric stranded wires are also used in such vehicles as conductors for transmission of electricity from the battery. Since the amount of electricity conducted is large in these automobiles, a concentric stranded wire having a larger diameter than conventional ones is used. However, this raises the concern that the larger diameter may make attachment of the concentric stranded wire to the body of the automobile difficult. In addition, wires are required to be installed in a limited space. A concentric stranded conductor with better flexibility is therefore desired.


A plastic package for an image sensor or other electronic component which comprises a plastic body, preferably of LCP material, molded around a leadframe and defining a cavity in which the image sensor is to be disposed. A lid assembly is provided having a transparent glass lid retained in a plastic lid frame which is weldable or otherwise bondable to the plastic body of the package to enclose the image sensor mounted in the cavity. The leadframe is usually composed of copper or a copper alloy, or a ferrous alloy having a copper coating. An interfacial layer is formed on the surfaces of the leadframe at least in those portions which are in contact with the plastic body which serves to provide substantially improved adhesion between the leadframe and the plastic material to achieve a hermetic bond between the metal and plastic materials. The interfacial layer is composed of a cuprous oxide base layer formed on a surface of the leadframe, and a cupric oxide layer formed on the cuprous oxide layer. The cupric oxide outer layer has an acicular structure which provides an interlocking mechanism for adhesion to the plastic material molded thereto in forming the package.

Image sensors such as those used in digital cameras and other optical or image sensing equipment are conventionally housed in a ceramic package. The ceramic package includes a ceramic frame which is epoxy bonded to a glass lid or cover. The ceramic package is expensive and not readily adapted to manufacture in strip form or other multiple unit form, as is widely employed in the semiconductor packaging industry. In addition, the use of epoxy as a bonding agent presents several problems such as moisture penetration through the epoxy bond, outgassing of the epoxy which can contaminate the semiconductor device, and air leakage which limits the ability to hermetically seal the ceramic package. Further, it is difficult to accurately align the glass cover to the ceramic frame so that the glass cover is parallel to the image sensor surface. This alignment difficulty is caused by an inability to control the thickness of an epoxy bead which is commonly employed to seal the glass lid to the ceramic frame.
A conventional ceramic sensor package is shown in sectional elevation view in FIG. 1. This package includes a two layer ceramic substrate composed of an outer ceramic substrate 10 and an inner ceramic substrate 12, on the upper surface of which is disposed a CCD or CMOS image sensor 14. A ceramic frame 16 defines the cavity 18 in which the image sensor is located. The ceramic frame is hermetically sealed to the peripheral surface of the substrate 10 and a boro-silicate glass lid or window 20 is sealed to the upper surface of frame 16 by a UV curable adhesive. The contacts of the image sensor are wire bonded to contacts 22 provided on the inner surface of substrate 10. These contacts 22 are electrically connected to outer contact pads 24 by conductive feedthroughs or vias provided in substrate 10. The feedthroughs 26 are typically plated with gold to enhance the electrical conduction between the inner and outer contact areas. A UV curable adhesive is usually employed to bond the glass window to the ceramic package frame to prevent exposure of the semiconductor sensors to high temperatures which are needed to cure other types of epoxy adhesives but which can degrade or destroy the semiconductor sensors. The requirement for UV curable adhesive materials limits the range of available epoxies which can be employed in the conventional ceramic package, since most epoxy adhesives are curable at elevated temperatures.
The reliability of semiconductor and other electronic device or component packages including image sensor packages is related to the "airtightness" or hermeticity of the package. Hermeticity is a measure of an ability of the package to protect the semiconductor or other device housed in the package from an entrance of fluids and moisture. Moisture or corrosive gases on or near a semiconductor device can cause corrosion of the metallic traces on the semiconductor device, and can lead to failure. Traditional hermetic packages are made from metal, ceramic, or vitreous materials. These materials have such low permeabilities that moisture and fluids typically are impeded by these materials, and cause a condensation on the semiconductor device or contamination by corrosive gasses.
In addition to a permeation of fluids or moisture, fluids or moisture can penetrate the image sensor package though "leaks" at several interfaces. The interfaces for a ceramic package include a metal/ceramic interface, along with epoxy/glass and epoxy/ceramic interfaces. Any small openings at these interfaces allow fluids or moisture to seep inside the image sensor package.


A multi-bit test value is loaded into a built-in latch of the IC component, and a pad of the component is selected for testing. A number of different sequences of test values are automatically generated, based on the stored test value, without scanning-in additional multi-bit values into the latch. A signal that is based on the different sequences of test values is driven into the selected pad and looped back. A difference between the test values and the looped back version of the test values is determined, while automatically adjusting driver and/or receiver characteristics to determine a margin of operation of on-chip I/O buffering for the selected pad.

Before an integrated circuit (IC) component, such as a processor or a main memory device, may be used in a system, proper functionality and timing within each input/output (I/O) buffer of the component needs to be verified. This may be accomplished by placing the component on a so called semiconductor tester which has a channel for each I/O pin of the component. Test patterns are then communicated back and forth between the component and the tester on each pin, and the proper functionality and timing of an I/O buffer is verified by comparing an actual received or driven test value with an expected received or driven test value.
In modern, high performance electronic systems, however, there is also a need to test the system or platform of which the IC component is a part. Traditionally, probing techniques have been used for such a purpose, where a probe is used to pick up signals that are being driven between IC components of the system. However, that technique is proving to be less reliable as signal switching speeds increase. To reduce the need for such probing, built-in self test circuitry can be added inside each IC component, to verify, at speed, inter-component communications in the system.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,477,674 assigned to the same assignee as that of this application, namely Intel Corp., an I/O loopback test is described for self testing the I/O buffers of an IC component using switching signals (hence the use of "AC"). Such a test may be carried out by driving test data out of the IC component through an output portion of an I/O buffer. Subsequently, the data is driven back through an input portion of the I/O buffer. A comparison is then made to verify that the correct data has been received. This helps verify whether the input and output portions of each I/O buffer associated with a pin of the component are functioning properly, without the need for external probing or connecting with a tester. The I/O circuitry thus tests itself, independent of the component's core logic. In that instance, an I/O buffer is described as having an I/O pad, an output driver, an input receiver, and a test circuit that generates test pattern signals when the I/O buffer is operating in a test mode. A latch is used to store an error signal that is generated as part of the test. The latch may be a boundary scan latch whose contents may be examined by other IC components of the system or by an external tester, as part of a boundary scan-chain (where test values from multiple IC components are shifted out serially). Using such a technique, test pattern values may be loaded into the latch one bit at a time, through a serial scan in port, and read out of the latch serially through a scan out port.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Automatic self test of an integrated circuit component via AC I/O loopback


A method of synthesizing a compound having the formula:

The present invention relates to the N-vinylformamide derivative compounds, to polymers thereof and to the synthesis of N-vinylformamide derivative compounds and polymers thereof.
N-vinylformamide (NVF) is a monomer with potentially useful properties in that it free-radically polymerizes to produce water-soluble poly(N-vinylformamide) (PNVF) and also undergoes controlled radical polymerization using RAFT methodology. Badesso, R. J.; Nordquist, A. F.; Pinschmidt, Jr. R. K.; and Sagl, D. J. "Hydrophilic polymers: performance with Environmental Acceptance", Glass, E.; Ed.; America Chemical Society, Washington, D.C., 1995, p 489. PNVF is probably the most practical precursor for preparation of poly(vinylamine). In that regard, PNVF is easily hydrolyzed under basic or acidic conditions (see Scheme 1) to form poly(vinylamine).

Copolymers of NVF with monomers such as styrene and methyl methacrylate have been generated and are reported to fit a broad range of commercial applications, including water treatment, coatings and paper manufacture. Pinschmidt, Jr. R. K.; Wasowski, L. A.; Orphanides, G. G.; Yacoub, K. Prog. Org. Coat. 1996, 27, 209; Burkert, H.; Brunnmuler, F.; Beyer, K.; Mkroner, M.; Muller, H. U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,667, 1984; Pinschimdt, Jr, R. K.; Chen, N. Polym. Prepr. 1998, 39, 639; Monech, D.; Hartmann, H.; Freudenberg, E.; Stange, A. U.S. Pat. No. 5,262,008, 1993.
NVF is also a multifunctional molecule. In addition to its C═C double bond for addition reactions or polymerization, NVF has a weakly acidic proton on the nitrogen flanked by the formyl and vinyl groups. NVF can thus act as a nucleophile.
A number of N-vinylformamide derivative monomers have been reported. For example, Kurtz, et al. described a process for preparing N-cyanoethyl-N-vinylformamide by the reaction of acrylonitrile and N-vinylformamide in benzene in the presence of potassium cyanide at room temperature. Kurtz, P.; Disselnkoetter, H. Liebigs Ann. 1972, 69–93, 764. Cramer et al. report a process for making N-methyl-N-vinylformamide by the reaction of methyl iodide and N-vinylformamide in the presence of 50% NaOH at room temperature. Cramer, J.; Dehmer, K.; Jensen, H.; Mitzlaff, M.; Pietsch, H.; Pistorius, R.; Schmidt, E. EP 19225, 1980.
Several additional synthetic routes for making N-vinylformamide derivative monomers have been reported. Pinschmidt, Jr., et al., for example, developed 3-(N-vinylformamido) propionates and 2-methyl-3-(N-vinylformamido)propionates by the Michael addition reaction of N-vinylformamide with acrylic or methacrylic acid esters using basic catalysts such as sodium methoxide, sodium hydride, or butyllithium. U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,110. Those monomers have been used in radical polymerizations or as components in photocurable coatings or crosslinking agents and chain extenders. Sugita et al. disclosed a process for making bifunctional crosslinking reagents such as N,N′-methylenebis(N-vinyl acetamide) including N,N′-methylenebis(N-vinylformamide)) by the reaction of N-vinylacetamide with dibromomethane at the room temperature. JP 03,227,310.
It is very desirable to develop new synthetic routes to existing and novel derivatives or analogs of N-vinylformamide as well as to develop new polymers synthesized from such compounds.

N-vinylformamide derivatives, polymers formed therefrom and synthesis thereof

Abstract: comprising the step of:                reacting a N-vinylformamide salt having the formula

Abstract: with a compound having the formula XR1R2; wherein X is Br, Cl or I, M is an alkali metal or an alkali earth metal, R1 is a C0–C25 alkylene group, a C0–C25 fluroalkylene group or a C0–C25 perfluoro alkylene group, R2 is H, provided R1 is not absent, an alkyl group, a fluroalkyl group, a perfluoroalkyl group, an aryl group, a hydroxy group, a polyether group, a heterocyclic group of 5 or 6 atoms wherein at least one of the atoms is not a carbon and is N, O, or S, —OR3, wherein, R3 is an alkyl group, a fluoroalkyl group, a perfluoroalkyl group, or an aryl group, —C(O)R4, —C(O)OR4, —OC(O)R4, —OC(O)R4, wherein R4 is an H, an alkyl group, a fluoroalkyl group, a perfluoroalkyl group, or an aryl group, a phthalimide group or NR5 R5 wherein R5 and R5 are independently H, —C(O)R4, an alkyl, a fluoroalkyl group, a perfluoroalkyl group or an aryl group.


To provide a signal analysis apparatus and a signal analysis method which can expand a dynamic range. A spectrum analyzer 1 includes a frequency conversion unit 10 that includes an S-ATT 11 which adjusts the level of an analog input signal and converts the input signal into a predetermined intermediate frequency signal, a V-ATT 21 that adjusts the level of an output signal from the frequency conversion unit 10, an ADC 23 that converts an output signal from the V-ATT 21 into a digital signal, an f-response correction filter 24 that corrects the frequency response of an output signal from the ADC 23, and a noise floor level subtraction unit 25 that subtracts the noise level of the ADC 23 from a noise floor level indicating an overall noise level of the S-ATT 11 to the f-response correction filter 24 in a predetermined frequency band.

In recent years, a spectrum analyzer has been known as a measurement device that displays the distribution (spectrum) of a frequency component included in a radio frequency signal, which is a measurement target, and analyzes the measurement signal. The spectrum analyzers include a sweep type and a fast Fourier transform (FFT) type.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a signal analysis apparatus as the sweep spectrum analyzer. The signal analysis apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes, for example, a sweep signal generation unit, a resolution bandwidth (RBW) filter, a logarithmic converter, and a video filter.
For example, a spectrum analyzer having the structure shown in FIG. 7 has been known as the FFT spectrum analyzer. The spectrum analyzer shown in FIG. 7 includes a frequency conversion unit 110, a variable attenuator (V-ATT) 101, an analog/digital converter (ADC) 103, a frequency response (f-response) correction filter 104, a signal analysis unit 105, and a display unit 106. The frequency conversion unit 110 includes a step attenuator (S-ATT) 111, a mixer 112, a BPF 113, and an intermediate frequency (IF) amplifier 114.
In this structure, the S-ATT 111 adjusts the step of a radio frequency signal to attenuate the radio frequency signal such that the radio frequency signal is input as an analysis target to the mixer 112 at the optimal level. The gain of the V-ATT 101 is set to a predetermined value corresponding to a predetermined reference level (reference level) such that the ADC 103 does not overflow and the V-ATT 101 attenuates the input signal.

Signal analysis apparatus and signal analysis method


Some embodiments may include a control system configured to monitor an online queue associated with a remote server for the presence of updated control software content; in the case of the presence of updated control software content in the online queue, provide data based thereon in an offline queue, wherein a portable computing device includes a storage for the offline queue; waiting for a time period in which a wired communication interface of the portable computing device is attached to a wired interface of the vehicle or a wireless communication interface of the vehicle is in range of a wireless communication interface of the portable computing device; and in the time period, transferring contents of the offline queue to the vehicle, wherein a processor of the vehicle distributes update(s) included in the contents to one or more of the GNSS receiver, the actuator assembly, and the steering control module.

Precision agriculture uses technologies such as global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), inertial measurement sensors, and computers to guide a tractor through a field (e.g., a farming workspace) following carefully defined paths to improve crop yield, reduce operator fatigue, comply to environmental regulations, and reduce cost. The cost of these systems limits their application to only the largest farms with the economies of large scale required to purchase them.
Reducing the cost of precision agriculture technologies can be accomplished by leveraging common smart devices such as smart-phones and tablet computers. The primary barrier to using these devices is their inherent non-determinism where disruptions to wireless communications, application processor time allocation, and multitasking can block the steering and guidance software. Disruptions to timely operation complicate smart device integration into larger systems.
Another costly aspect of precision agriculture technologies is updating the numerous programmable devices operating in agricultural vehicles with guidance and control systems, particularly to those with autosteering capabilities. These current architectures for agricultural vehicle autosteering systems may not implement a robust end-to-end wireless communication between all subsystems, while these subsystems are operating in an intermittent wireless connectivity environment (wireless network connectivity may not exist or may be unreliable where the agricultural vehicles operate). This results in costly and time-consuming processes to update software guidance systems operation in the field. In some cases, the guidance subsystem needs to be shipped back to the manufacturer so that updates can be implemented.
The disclosure that follows solves this and other problems.

Using smart-phones and other hand-held mobile devices in precision agriculture


Apparatus and methods for the generation of water in a direct oxidation fuel cell. Water, in addition to carbon dioxide and heat, is produced when carbonaceous fuel or fuel solution is oxidized in the presence of air and a suitable catalyst. This oxidation reaction is performed on a surface that allows for the introduction of oxygen in the presence of a catalyst. Water produced can then be directly added to the fuel solution thereby diluting the fuel solution to a desired concentration, or may be separately and then later added to fuel solution for the normal fuel cell operations depending on the permeability of the membrane to water.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of fuel cells and, more specifically, to a direct methanol fuel cell system in which the need to store water in the system or fuel supply is minimized or eliminated through the provision of a water generator.
2. Background Information
Fuel cells are devices in which an electrochemical reaction is used to generate electricity. A variety of materials may be suited for use as a fuel depending upon the materials chosen for the components of the cell. Organic materials, such as methanol or natural gas, are attractive choices for fuel due to the their high specific energy.
Fuel cell systems may be divided into "reformer-based" systems (i.e., those in which the fuel is processed in some fashion to extract hydrogen from the fuel before it is introduced into the fuel cell system) or "direct oxidation" systems in which the fuel is fed directly into the cell without the need for separate internal or external processing. Most currently available fuel cells are reformer-based fuel cell systems. However, because fuel-processing is complex, expensive and requires significant volume, reformer based systems are presently limited to comparatively high power applications.
Direct oxidation fuel cell systems may be better suited for a number of applications in smaller mobile devices (e.g., mobile phones, handheld and laptop computers), as well as in some larger applications. Typically, in direct oxidation fuel cells, a carbonaceous liquid fuel in an aqueous solution (typically aqueous methanol) is applied to the anode face of a membrane electrode assembly (MEA). The MEA contains a protonically-conductive, but electronically non-conductive membrane (PCM). Typically, a catalyst which enables direct oxidation of the fuel on the anode is disposed on the surface of the PCM (or is otherwise present in the anode chamber of the fuel cell). Diffusion layers are typically in contact with each of the catalyzed anode and cathode faces of the PCM to facilitate the introduction of reactants and removal of products of the reaction from the PCM, and also serve to conduct electrons. Protons (from hydrogen found in the fuel and water molecules involved in the anodic reaction) are separated from the electrons. The protons migrate through the PCM, which is impermeable to the electrons. The electrons thus seek a different path to reunite with the protons and oxygen molecules involved in the cathodic reaction and travel through a load, providing electrical power.
One example of a direct oxidation fuel cell system is a direct methanol fuel cell system or DMFC system. In a DMFC system, methanol in an aqueous solution is used as fuel (the "fuel mixture"), and oxygen, preferably from ambient air, is used as the oxidizing agent. There are two fundamental half reactions that occur in a DMFC which allow a DMFC system to provide electricity to power consuming devices: the anodic disassociation of the methanol and water fuel mixture into CO2, protons, and electrons; and the cathodic combination of protons, electrons and oxygen into water. The overall reaction may be limited by the failure of either of these reactions to proceed to completion at an acceptable rate (more specifically, failure to oxidize the fuel mixture will limit the cathodic generation of water, and vice versa).
Fuel cells and fuel cell systems have been the subject of intensified recent development because of their ability to efficiently convert the energy in carbonaceous fuels into electric power while emitting comparatively low levels of environmentally harmful substances. The adaptation of fuel cell systems to mobile uses, however, is not straight-forward because of the technical difficulties associated with reforming most carbonaceous fuels in a simple, cost effective manner, and within acceptable form factors and volume limits. Further, a safe and efficient storage means for substantially pure hydrogen (which is a gas under the relevant operating conditions), presents a challenge because hydrogen gas must be stored at high pressure and at cryogenic temperatures or in heavy adsorption matrices in order to achieve useful energy densities. It has been found, however, that a compact means for storing hydrogen is in a hydrogen rich compound with relatively weak chemical bonds, such as methanol or an aqueous methanol solution (and to some extent, ethanol, and other carbonaceous fluids or aqueous solutions thereof).
In particular, DMFCs are being developed for commercial production for use in portable electronic devices. Thus, the DMFC system, including the fuel cell, and the components may be fabricated using materials that not only optimize the electricity-generating reactions, but which are also cost effective, and allow the fuel cell system to fit demanding form factors. Furthermore, the manufacturing process associated with those materials should not be prohibitive in terms of labor intensity cost.
Typical DMFC systems include a fuel source, fluid and effluent management systems, and a direct methanol fuel cell ("fuel cell"). The fuel cell typically consists of a housing, and a membrane electrode assembly ("MEA") disposed within the housing.
A typical MEA includes a centrally disposed protonically conductive, electronically non-conductive membrane ("PCM"). One example of a commercially available PCM is Nafion® a registered trademark of E.I. Dupont de Nours and Company, a cation exchange membrane comprised of perfluorosulfonic acid, in a variety of thicknesses and equivalent weights. The PCM is typically coated on each face with an electrocatalyst such as platinum, or platinum/ruthenium mixtures or alloy particles. On either face of the catalyst coated PCM, the electrode assembly typically includes a diffusion layer. The diffusion layers function to evenly distribute the liquid fuel mixture across the catalyzed anode face of the PCM, or the gaseous oxygen from air or other source across the catalyzed cathode face of the PCM. In addition, flow field plates are often placed on the aspect of each diffusion layer that is not in contact with the catalyst-coated PCM. The flow field plates may function to provide mass transport of the reactants and by products of the electrochemical reactions and also have a current collection functionality to collect and conduct electrons through the load.
The direct oxidation fuel cell based on oxidation of methanol requires water and methanol to be present together at the anode catalyst in order for the oxidation half reaction of methanol to proceed to completion. However, in an energy conversion device based upon DMFC technology, for a given energy content, the size of the device is readily reduced by carrying only methanol in the fuel reservoir as opposed to a methanol-water solution. In some architectures, a portion of the water required will be present in the anode chamber, or may be recirculated from the cathode aspect of the DMFC, however, it may be necessary to generate additional water under some conditions. In other words, the volumetric energy density of the device can be maximized by reducing the amount of water stored in the methanol-water solution within the DMFC. This would require a method of water production within the device in order to drive the anodic half reaction to completion.
It is thus an object of the invention to provide a water generator that provides water for diluting the methanol supplied to the DMFC while increasing the volumetric energy returns of the fuel cell system over its lifetime.

Apparatus and methods for generating water in a fuel cell system


A device for affecting or enhancing erection of the penis comprises an external inflatable cuff which encircles the shaft of the penis at its base and extends distally. The cuff is provided with a plurality of volume expandable annular spaces arranged parallel to one another. The spaces are filled with fluid under pressure from a squeeze bulb to affect a tourniquet action. The spaces are inflated sequentially in a proximal to distal direction. As the spaces become sequentially pressurized, the inner diameter of the cuff is reduced, constricting the penis and trapping blood within the shaft and forcing it distally to thereby increase the rigidity of the penis.

This invention relates to devices for overcoming male impotence and more particularly to a device applied externally to the shaft of the penis that inflates to constrict the shaft to enhance rigidity.
With advancing age, and also in certain pathological conditions, men may not be able to achieve an erection with sufficient rigidity for satisfactory coitis. Various devices of the prior art for overcoming the problem are surgically implanted within the penis. Some are permanently rigid and hinged. Others provide a flaccid inflatable chamber which becomes rigid when inflated with fluid. The inflating apparatus is also implanted within the body. These invasive procedures destroy normal tissue, they are attended by the usual surgical risks, such as infection and hemorrhage, and they are not always successful. There is little chance of restoring normal function when they are removed.
There is no way to temporarily try the devices to predict success following the operation. It is devastating to go through the expense, trauma, and risk of an irreversible procedure and then find out that it does not improve function. It is also discouraging to the physician to deal with the dissatisfied patient for whom he has recommended the procedure. Non surgical treatments includes use of a vacuum chamber to expand the penis followed by a constrive cuff at the base.


An object of the invention is to provide a polishing pad that is prevented from slurry leaks and has high optical detection accuracy. The present invention relates to a polishing pad comprising a polishing region, a cushion layer, and a support film layered in this order, wherein a light-transmitting region is provided on the support film and in an opening part that passes through the polishing region and the cushion layer; the light-transmitting region has a peripheral part and a recessed part on the surface of a polishing platen-side; the support film is layered on the peripheral part; and the support film is not layered on the recessed part, which remains open.

Production of a semiconductor device involves a step of forming an electroconductive film on a surface of a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter also referred to as a wafer) to form a wiring layer by photolithography, etching or the like; a step of forming an interlaminar insulating film on the wiring layer; and the like; and an uneven surface made of an electroconductive material such as metal and an insulating material is formed on the surface of a wafer by these steps. In recent years, processing for fine wiring and multilayer wiring have been advancing for the purpose of higher integration of semiconductor integrated circuits, and accordingly techniques of planarizing an uneven surface of a wafer have become important.
As the method of planarizing an uneven surface of a wafer, a CMP method is generally used. CMP is a technique in which while the surface of a wafer to be polished is pressed against a polishing surface of a polishing pad, the surface of the wafer is polished with an abrasive in the form of slurry having abrasive grains dispersed therein (hereinafter, referred to as slurry).
As shown in FIG. 1, a polishing apparatus used generally in CMP is provided, for example, with a polishing platen 2 for supporting a polishing pad 1; a supporting stand (polishing head) 5 for supporting a polished material (wafer) 4; a backing material for uniformly pressurizing a wafer; and a mechanism of feeding an abrasive 3. The polishing pad 1 is fitted with the polishing platen 2, for example, by sticking with a double-sided tape. The polishing platen 2 and the supporting stand 5 are provided with rotating shafts 6 and 7, respectively, and are arranged such that the polishing pad 1 and the polished material 4, both of which are supported by them, are opposed to each other. The supporting stand 5 is provided with a pressurizing mechanism for pressing the polished material 4 against the polishing pad 1.
When such CMP is conducted, there is a problem of judging the planarity of wafer surface. That is, the point in time when desired surface properties or planar state are reached is required to be detected. With respect to the thickness of an oxide film, polishing speed and the like, the following has been conventionally conducted that a test wafer is periodically treated, the results are confirmed, and thereafter a wafer to be a product is subjected to a polishing treatment.
In this method, however, the treatment time of a test wafer and the cost for the treatment are wasteful, and the test wafer not subjected to processing at all in advance and a product wafer are different in polishing results due to a loading effect unique to CMP, and accurate prediction of processing results is difficult without actual processing of the product wafer.
Accordingly, there has been a need in recent years for a method capable of in situ detection of the point in time when desired surface properties and thickness are attained at the time of CMP processing, in order to solve the problem described above. In such detection, various methods are used. From the viewpoints of measurement accuracy and spatial resolution in non-contract measurement, optical detection means comes to be used mainly.
The optical detection means is specifically a method of detecting the end-point of polishing by irradiating a wafer via a polishing pad through a window (light-transmitting region) with light beam, and monitoring interference signal generated by reflection of the light beam.
In such method, the endpoint is determined by knowing an approximate depth of surface unevenness by monitoring a change in the thickness of a surface layer of a wafer. When such change in thickness becomes equal to the thickness of unevenness, the CMP process is finished. As a method of detecting the endpoint of polishing by such optical means and a polishing pad used in the method, various methods and polishing pads have been proposed.
Besides, a proposal is also offered for preventing a slurry from leaking out an interface (joint line) between a polishing region and a light-transmitting region (Patent Document 1 and 2).
Further, in order to prevent slurry leakage, there is disclosed a method for interposing, between an upper-layer pad and a lower-layer pad, a transparent film with an adhesive agent applied to upper and lower surfaces thereof (Patent Document 3). However, if an adhesive layer is interposed between a light-transmitting region and the transparent film, there is fear that the optical detection accuracy also decreases because of a reduction in light transmittance.
In addition, in order to prevent slurry leakage, there is disclosed a polishing pad, wherein a polishing layer and a porous subpad layer are laminated; a light transmissive window is disposed within the internal opening part between the polishing layer and the porous subpad layer; and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is attached to the bottom surface of the porous subpad layer and the light transmissive window (Patent Document 4). However, if there is a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer on the bottom surface of the light transmissive window, the same problem as above occurs.
Moreover, in order to prevent slurry leakage and improve optical detection accuracy, there is disclosed a lengthy polishing pad which is provided with a space between a light-transmitting region and a transparent support film (Patent Document 5). However, if there is a transparent support film on the bottom surface of the light-transmitting region, the same problem as above occurs.


An improved I/O cell is disclosed which includes a combined p-channel and n-channel transistor pullup configuration. In particular, such combination is connected in series between the chip operating voltage V.sub.cc, and the I/O cell output pad. The n-channel transistor is biased substantially continuously on its gate terminal with a pumped voltage from a charge pump, which permits it to pass voltages up to and including V.sub.cc. The p-channel transistor operates in its normal fashion, controllable via a pullup select signal applied to its gate terminal to pull the pad high. During normal operation, the n-channel transistor is always ON, thus reducing the substantial dynamic current drawn from the charge pump. The voltage appearing on the pad is fed back to a second n-channel transistor. When the voltage on the pad exceeds V.sub.cc for example, a 5 volt signal when V.sub.cc is 3.3 volts), the second n-channel transistor switches the gate of the first n-channel transistor to a reference signal, which is a diode drop below V.sub.cc. The first n-channel transistor, in response thereto, shuts-off, thus protecting the p-channel pullup transistor from the excessive voltages appearing on the pad.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to interface structures connected to a pad of a semiconductor device, and, in particular, to an input/output cell tolerant to high voltages applied to the pad.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the advancement of microelectronic devices, due in part to shrinking geometries, and the need for reduced power dissipation, a 3.3 volt operating voltage standard has emerged as an alternate standard to the ubiquitous 5 volt standard that has existed for many years. In a mixed operating voltage environment where both a 5 volt rail and a 3 volt rail exist, a 5 volt signal may be applied to a pin designed for 3 volts. This application of a relatively high voltage to a low voltage pin may occur by design, such as where 3.3 volt devices, as well as 5 volt devices share a common bus, or, alternatively, unintentionally, such as may occur during "live insertion," or, by other accident wherein a 5 volt signal is cross-connected to such a low voltage pin. The above-referenced "high" voltage may be defined as any voltage level that is greater than the V.sub.cc /operating voltage of the device.
Thus, designers of such microelectronic devices, and, in particular, the designers of interface structures, such as input/output (I/O) cells employed in such devices, have remained cognizant of such high voltage applications to low voltage pins.
One problem arising in view of the foregoing relates to the "pullup" circuit portion of the I/O cell. In particular, the specific problem relates to the use of a p-channel FET as the pullup device on a 3.3 volt operating voltage device when a relatively higher voltage, such as a 5.0 volt signal, is applied to the pin of such a device. Consider that the pullup p-channel transistor is formed in an n-well, which may be tied to V.sub.cc (e.g., 3.3 volts for a 3.3 volt part). When a 5 volt signal appears on the I/O pad, it is coupled to the drain p.sub.+ region of the pullup p-channel transistor. Large currents flow when this situation occurs for two reasons. First, a p-n junction, formed by the source/drain p.sup.+ and the n-well region, will be forward biased and will conduct a significant amount of current. Second, the p-channel pullup device itself may be turned "ON," since the gate voltage (which will have, at most, V.sub.cc applied thereto) will be lower than the drain terminal (connected to the I/O pad) by more than the device threshold level wherein the transistor conducts, thus shorting the high voltage on the output pad to the internal power supply rail (3.3 volt rail).
For 5 volt devices, conventional I/O cell designs have used an n-channel field effect transistor (FET) as the "pullup" transistor so the above problem does not occur. This design choice is acceptable for 5 volt devices since the pad, which is connected to the I/O cell, need not be pulled all the way up to 5 volts in most applications; that is, the reduction in output potential relative to V.sub.cc due to the requirement that V.sub.gs >V.sub.tn of the n-channel device used as a pullup device to keep it "on" still provides a high enough output voltage to define a logic high output state (i.e., V.sub.OH). However, with respect to 3.3 volt devices, the limitations of the n-channel device are unacceptable. In particular, the lowered output relative to the 3.3 volt V.sub.cc does not permit the I/O cell to drive the output pad to a high enough level to meet most V.sub.OH requirements.
Thus, it would be desirable to use a p-channel device as the "pullup" device for 3.3 volt parts but the above-described problems relating to high voltages (e.g., 5 volts) applied to low voltage (3.3 volt) I/O cells have circumscribed its use in the 3.3 volt environment for some applications.
One solution taken by the art in solving the above problems is to use a pumped n-channel pullup device for 3.3 volt devices wherein a high voltage gate drive signal, derived from a charge pump, is used to provide a full-rail swing to 3.3 volts on the output pad. A problem with this approach, however, is that a substantial dynamic current is required from the charge pump circuit to raise the n-channel transistor gate sufficiently above V.sub.cc so that the input/output pad can be pulled all the way to V.sub.cc. Some current is also required even when the pullup transistor is not switching to combat leakage so that a static current (I.sub.cc) drawn by such a microelectronic device may be relatively large--sometimes unacceptably large for a chip that is supposed to draw very few microamps when it is not switching.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide an I/O cell structure that minimizes or eliminates one or more of the problems as described above.

High voltage-tolerant low voltage input/output cell


A double-sided flexible circuit board with enhanced rigidity of terminals by using copper foil on an opposite side of the circuit board is provided. The flexible circuit board having wiring patterns P for connecting terminals on each of a front surface A and a back surface B of its periphery, includes: terminal patterns with linear-planar-shaped traces, the traces of which are equally spaced and disposed on the peripheries of each of the front surface and the back surface of the board; and backing patterns with planar-shaped traces, the traces of which are combined with the terminal patterns and bent so that the central portion of the backing pattern is offset from that of the terminal pattern, wherein the traces of the backing patterns are disposed on the corresponding opposite side of the traces of the terminal patterns on the board so as to be positioned overlapping with the traces of the terminal patterns.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flexible circuit board and particularly to reinforcing structure of the terminal portion thereof.
2. Related Art
With miniaturization of electronic devices, flexible circuit boards that are suitable for the densification of circuitry have been used for general purpose, and various terminal structures for the densified flexible circuit boards have been proposed (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1994-204636, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1996-37351, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-94225, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-94203 etc.).
FIGS. 5A and 5B show a terminal portion of a conventional single-side flexible circuit board. The terminal portion needs a certain degree of rigidity, because connector contacts abut on a contact surface 1 formed at a periphery of the board. On that account, reinforcement material 3 is bonded by means of adhesive 2 on a back surface of the contact surface 1 to provide rigidity to the terminal portion.
On the other hand, the densification of circuitry has shifted the type of flexible circuit boards from single-sided to double-sided, so that circuit boards with both sides thereof connected with a connector have been used. In this case, the circuit boards have contact surfaces on both sides of them.
In such double-sided flexible circuit boards, contact surfaces on both sides are offset each other in the longitudinal direction of traces of wiring pattern and reinforcing plates are bonded on the respective back surfaces in order to enhance the rigidity of the board, while the traces of the wiring pattern on the both sides are offset each other in their width direction in order to use the copper foil for reinforcing the rigidity of the board.
However, if the each trace of the wiring pattern of the both front and back sides is positioned on the back surface of the region between the traces of the respective other side in this manner, there is a problem that sufficient contact pressure can not be obtained when connector contacts are pressed onto the traces, because the space resides on the back surface between the traces of the other side.
The present invention is made in consideration of the above-mentioned problem and it is an object of the present invention to improve rigidity of terminals in a double-sided flexible circuit board by using copper foil on an opposite side of the circuit board.


A threaded rod has a ball at one end and a stationary jaw at an opposite end with an end cap covering the end of the rod. A threaded collar pushes a movable jaw along the threaded rod toward the stationary gripping jaw by turning the collar clockwise. The movable collar has a cylindrical dome which covers the threaded rod and the end cap. An interior sleeve secured to the threaded collar at one end by an interior ring has a ridge at the other end of the interior sleeve which pulls the movable jaw away from the stationary jaw by turning the collar counter-clockwise to release the jaws. The ball on one end of the clamp is inserted in an existing float and lock ball system attached to a stabilizing post on an operating table bed. The clamp secures surgical apparatus in place over the patient on the operating table.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to holders for positioning instruments and tools in an adjusted position, and in particular to an enclosed clamp for surgical apparatus, such as retractors and retractor holders such as rings and bars.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In surgery there is a need for clamping devices which hold apparatus, such as retractors and retractor holders, in stable positions in various orientations around the operating field. Retractor arms vary widely in size from 1/4" to 1" wide and from 1/8" to 1/2" thick.
A major consideration in an operating room is maintaining a sterile environment. The more complex the apparatus used in an operating room environment, the more opportunity there is for contamination. Exposed threads on screws and other parts of complex mechanical equipment present contamination hazards as well as posing a hazard of potential parts from a broken piece of equipment falling into the operating field. Exposed components also pose a hazard to the staff in the operating room in terms of bumping into protruding pieces of equipment with a potential of tearing gloves.
Most prior art clamps have exposed threads and other exposed parts which pose the difficulties suggested above.
Some prior art devices provide screw-tightened clamps which rely on the tension of a spring to maintain a tight connection. Springs lose their tension over time, and present an additional sterilization problem as well as a potential hazard of having the spring pop out into the operating field.


Described is a technology by existing IP address blacklist data associated are accessed to statistically determine which IP addresses in the range are spam-related IP addresses. If enough are identified, the rest of the range's IP addresses are considered as likely being spam-related addresses. The entire range may be then added to a range weighted blacklist used to detect spam. Before adding the range to the range weighted blacklist, the addresses may be further processed against known good traffic data and/or safe list data to determine whether an exception exists that indicates a good sender. If there is an exception, the range is not added to the range weighted blacklist; the range may be shrunk and re-processed until added to the weighted blacklist or until the size is too small.

E-mail spam refers to unsolicited email messages that are sent by "spammers" to large numbers of recipients, few of whom want to receive them. Spamming is undesirable in many ways, including that it costs recipients time to delete the messages, and requires email service providers to provide resources to distribute and/or store the generally unwanted messages.
To detect currently known senders of spam, email service providers maintain lists of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, referred to as blacklists. Messages from blacklisted IP addresses are (to a high probability) from spammers, and may be handled differently from other messages, e.g., the messages may be not accepted for distribution.
Spammers get around such blacklists by regularly changing their IP addresses. Each time a spammer changes an IP address, the email server accepts the email message, and uses CPU time to determine whether the mail being sent is spam, in which event it is automatically filtered into a junk mail folder or the like. Only after repeated processing of spam messages from such an IP address is that IP address added to the blacklist of "Bad" IP addresses on the receiving server. When this happens, the spammer switches to yet another IP address, and the process repeats.

Range weighted internet protocol address blacklist


An improved dual sensor motion detection system is disclosed wherein the sensitivity of at least one of the sensors is adjusted in accordance with the response signals or signal history received from the sensors. This arrangement has application for systems having at least two sensors and simplifies installation and adjustment of the system.

Dual sensor motion detection systems are quite common and various arrangements have been proposed for processing the signals of such dual sensor motion detection systems to reduce the possibility of false alarms. An alarm signal is normally only produced when both sensors confirm within a particular time period the presence of motion or a body in the room. Some systems, further process the signals whereby if a certain sensor is determined as having failed, the system produces a trouble indication or possibly an alarm when the one active sensor is activated or has been activated a number of times.
Other arrangements for processing signals in a motion detection system having at least two sensors are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,750 (Johnson), U.S. Pat. No. 4,195,286 (Galvin), U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,197 (Sansky), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,450 (Buccola et al).
Such systems, when installed, have the sensors adjusted to a certain sensitivity and in some cases where the system is oversensitive, an installer must return to the installation and readjust the system.
There remains a need for a simple system which is easy to install and is easy to operate by the end user.


A rifle bolt cleaning tool comprising a single piece of material with an annular bolt scraping chamber comprising a bottom and two inner walls that extend from the bottom of the scraping chamber upward and spread outward to form two top surfaces of the scraping chamber. The inner walls of the scraping chamber are concave in shape so as to fit snugly around a tail end of a rifle bolt. The distance between the two inner walls of the scraping chamber is roughly equivalent to the outside diameter of a rifle bolt. The inner walls of the scraping chamber extend upward from the bottom of the scraping chamber by a distance that is slightly greater than the length of the tail end of the bolt.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of semi-automatic and fully automatic firearms, and more specifically, to a bolt cleaner for firearms that utilize a rotating breech bolt (for example, the M-4 carbine, M16 and AR-15 rifles).
2. Description of the Related Art
The components included in the bolt carrier portion of a semi-automatic or fully automatic firearm are responsible for feeding live ammunition from the magazine, inserting it into the chamber, providing the firing pin strike that initiates the firing of the ammunition, and extracting and ejecting the spent round from the firing chamber. The operating system of these firearms routes high-pressure gas from the fired cartridge case directly into the bolt carrier to provide the necessary energy to operate the bolt once for every round fired. A problem that is unique to this "direct gas impingement" design arises with the accumulation of carbon from the gunpowder residue collecting inside the bolt carrier and on the aft or tail end of the bolt, in and around the bolt's gas sealing rings. If this carbon fouling is not removed regularly, the action of the bolt and bolt carrier can be slowed and eventually interrupted, thus causing the firearm to "jam" or fail to complete the process of extracting an empty round and loading a live one. In circumstances where the firearm is employed in a military or law enforcement application, these sudden stoppages can be life-threatening to the operator.
Current methods for cleaning carbon deposits from a bolt can best be described as "free-hand" in that a person takes a cleaning brush, pocket knife, modified brass cartridge case or the like and attempts to scrape away the carbon on the tail section of the bolt. These methods are imprecise, however, and they also risk scraping the gas sealing rings, which are situated immediately ahead of the tail section of the bolt where the carbon deposits build up. If the gas scaling rings are dislodged or damaged by a cleaning tool, the rifle operation will be disabled.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a means of cleaning the bolt that can be readily accomplished in low light conditions, harsh operating environments, and by gloved hands, if necessary. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tool that accomplishes precise cleaning of all of the edges on the tail end of the bolt. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bolt cleaning tool that scrapes only the tail end of the bolt and that does not come into contact with the gas sealing rings. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a bolt cleaning tool that is comprised of a single piece and that has no other parts that can be lost or misplaced. Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a bolt cleaning tool that is portable, light and small so that it can be carried in the field without burdening the operator with extra weight or bulk.


A system for generating a control program for a machine includes an optical image acquisition device, in particular a scanner and a machine control system connected to the scanner. The machine control system includes an image processing module that associated image data read by the image acquisition device with contour data and additional image data, a code generator for automatically generating the control program based on the contour data, and a memory that stores the control program.

The present invention relates to a system and a method for generating a control program for a machine, in particular a machine tool or production machine.
Nothing in the following discussion of the state of the art is to be construed as an admission of prior art.
Machines, in particular machine tools or production machines, frequently include numerical controllers that can be connected with a computer-aided system for generating drawings, thereby facilitating the generation of data, in particular of data conforming to the industrial standard DIN 66025 or the corresponding international standard ISO 6983, which can be processed by the machine controller.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide a device and method for generating a control program for a machine, which obviates prior art shortcomings and is able to automatically generate a control program based on an existing technical drawing with a low occurrence of errors.

System and method for generating a control program


A bias circuit sets a value of a bias current using a correction coefficient α=0.5 for a predetermined time period from when a state in which a first capacitor and a second capacitor are not charged, then changes the correction coefficient to α=0.9 which is larger than α=0.5, and sets a value of the bias current obtained by using the correction coefficient α=0.9. The constant current source supplies the light emitting element with the bias current obtained by using the correction coefficient α=0.9 and supplies the bias current with a switching current, and thus an electrostatic latent image is formed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bias current control in an electrophotographic type image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, image forming apparatuses, which use a laser scanning optical system in an exposure apparatus, have used a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) as a light source of the exposure apparatus to improve productivity and resolution thereof. In the VCSEL, it is difficult to extract rear light, and thus light amount control is generally executed using front light. For example, a beam splitter is used for the light amount control. A part of the front light of the VCSEL is reflected by the beam splitter, and a photodiode detects a light amount thereof. In the case of the light amount control using the beam splitter, the light amount to be detected by the photodiode is reduced by lowering reflectance of the beam splitter so that an adequate light amount is secured for exposure. If the light amount detected by the photodiode is small, an effect of a dark current of the photodiode cannot be ignored and will be an error with respect to a detected signal.
Thus, a dark current cancelling unit is required to remove an error caused by a dark current. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 07-167613 discusses a configuration in which a differentiating circuit removes a voltage corresponding to a dark current generated in a position detection element.
However, the dark current cancelling unit may sometimes affect settings of a bias current of the VCSEL. To a laser light source, the bias current is applied to increase a switching speed of the laser light source. In addition, automatic light amount control (APC) (hereinbelow, referred to as bias APC) is executed to obtain a threshold current value for setting the bias current. FIG. 14A is a graph illustrating an operation of the bias APC. As illustrated in FIG. 14A, an intersection point of a straight broken line obtained by executing the automatic light amount control with an X axis is obtained as a threshold current value Ith. Laser oscillation is started near the threshold current value Ith, and a minute amount of a laser beam is output. Generally, the threshold current value is scarcely affected by the minute light amount. However, the minute light amount may sometimes affect the threshold current value if the dark current cancelling unit is used. For example, when a dark current cancelling circuit as illustrated in FIG. 13A is used, the threshold current value Ith is obtained as a threshold current value Ith′ due to Poffset which is influence of the minute light amount as illustrated in FIG. 14B. In the case in FIG. 14B, the obtained threshold current value Ith′ is larger than an actual threshold current value Ith, and the minute light amount further increases.
When an APC sequence before image formation (hereinbelow, an initial APC sequence) is executed, a capacitor is charged from 0 V (a ground voltage: GND). Thus, in an early stage of the initial APC sequence, a voltage of the capacitor is not stable, and it is difficult to secure accuracy of the threshold current value. In such a circumstance, there is an issue that when a correction coefficient α multiplied by a threshold current is set to a value α at the time of image formation, a value of a bias current Ith′ exceeds a true threshold current value Ith as illustrated in FIG. 14B, a value of the bias current cannot be accurately set.
The present invention is directed to restraining deterioration of setting accuracy of a bias current value in consideration of the above-described issue.