The present invention includes a high-quality, large-area bulk GaN seed crystal for ammonothermal GaN growth and method for fabricating. The seed crystal is of ultra-low defect density, has flat surfaces free of bowing, and is free of foreign substrate material. The seed crystal is useful for producing large-volume, high-quality bulk GaN crystals by ammonothermal growth methods for eventual wafering into large-area GaN substrates for device fabrication.

The present invention relates generally to crystalline materials. More particularly, the present invention provides an ultra-low defect density, large-area bulk gallium nitride wafer which is free of bowing. The resulting wafer can be used, for example, as a substrate or seed crystal for subsequent growth of crystalline materials, e.g., GaN, AlN, InN, among other applications. The present invention provides a method using a first seed structure which is large-area and free of bowing or other imperfections. The present invention includes lateral growth in one or more embodiments. In a specific embodiment, the resulting large-area bulk gallium nitride wafer can be used in an ammonothermal growth process or the like. In a specific embodiment, the resulting bulk gallium nitride wafer can be used to produce a volume of gallium nitride material which can be cut into a plurality of bulk gallium nitride wafers. Merely by way of example, the present wafer can be used in applications such as light emitting diodes, laser diodes, integrated circuits, MEMS, medical devices, combination of these, among others.
Single-crystal gallium nitride (GaN) containing compounds and related alloy compounds containing aluminum and indium (AlN, AlxGa1-xN, InN, InxGa1-xN) and possibly boron are useful semiconducting materials. Such semiconductor materials can be useful for a variety of applications due to their large bandgap and high chemical and thermal stability. In recent years, there has been significant technological advancement in electronic and optoelectronic devices based on these materials, such as transistors, solar cells, light-emitting diodes, and lasers, among others. Although some of these products are available in the commercial market today, lack of a suitable GaN substrate on which to grow these materials remains a limitation to both performance and providing low cost, volume production of devices.
Conventional approaches to growth of GaN, AlN or InN containing compounds (collectively referred to herein as "(Al,In)GaN" compounds or "(Al,B,In,Ga)N" compounds) and devices employ foreign substrate materials (where "foreign" herein refers to a material containing one or more primary chemical species which is different from Ga, Al, In, or N), a process known as "heteroepitaxy". Heteroepitaxial approaches to growth of (Al,In)GaN containing compounds result in epitaxial films with high defect densities (commonly 1010 cm-2 or higher) due to the large lattice mismatch, chemical dissimilarity and thermal expansion coefficient difference between the nitride materials and substrate. The presence of defects is well-known to be detrimental to device performance. The thermal expansion coefficient difference between the substrate and the epitaxial layer in heteroepitaxy results in strain gradients in the material which can lead to wafer curvature, referred to as bow or warp, after growth. As used herein, the terms bow and warp are used in a manner which is well understood in this art. Definitions, for example, can be found from SEMI (www.semi.org), but others can be commonly known.
Additionally, heteroepitaxy of gallium nitride and related materials on foreign substrates can result in incorporation of impurities into the gallium nitride material. This can be caused by the exposed foreign substrate material being introduced into the growth environment. By varying techniques, the growth environment can involve corrosive gases, high temperatures and pressures, among other process characteristics. Such process characteristics can cause decomposition of the foreign substrate material into its constituent elements, or diffusion of one or more constituent elements into a growing material, or a combination of these effects. For example, common substrates for nitride epitaxy such as sapphire (Al2O3) and SiC can decompose into their constituent elements Al and O, or Si and C, respectively. These constituent elements can then incorporate into growing nitride materials as impurities and can act as dopants, causing what is known as "unintentional doping" or "UID". There is therefore a need for bulk GaN substrates of high crystalline quality, ideally cut from large volume bulk GaN ingots.
Ammonothermal growth is a promising low cost and potentially highly scalable approach to produce such a GaN ingot. Ammonothermal growth has provided high quality crystalline material, however, drawbacks exist. As an example, ammonothermal growth techniques currently lead to small sized crystals, which are often not useful for commercial applications. Additionally, a significant limitation is that defects in the seed material used for ammonothermal growth are known to replicate on any grown crystal structures. For example, a commonly used method to produce bulk or pseudo-bulk GaN layers is hydride vapor phase epitaxy (also generally known as HVPE). The high growth rates achievable by HVPE allow heteroepitaxy of thick films (on the order of hundreds of microns) on a foreign substrate, resulting in dislocation densities on the order of 107 cm−2, for example. GaN layers can be sliced from such HVPE material and subsequently used as a seed for ammonothermal growth, however threading dislocations, strain, and grain or tilt boundaries exist in the HVPE material and will persist in any epitaxial layers subsequently deposited and in any devices fabricated from these layers. These and other limitations often exist with ammonothermal techniques.
From the above, it is seen that techniques for improving crystal growth are highly desired.

Large-area bulk gallium nitride wafer and method of manufacture


A method of controlling a positioning control apparatus includes the steps of: deriving a predetermined relational expression in advance; detecting the pressing force during machining by a force sensor; calculating the sideslip amount corresponding to the pressing force detected by the force sensor, in accordance with the predetermined relational expression at any time; correcting a position command value of an arm tip of the positioning control apparatus based on the calculated sideslip amount; and machining the workpiece while moving the arm tip of the positioning control apparatus in accordance with the corrected position command value.

Typically, when performing machining (for example, drilling) which requires highly accurate positioning and generates machining reaction force, a positional displacement of a tip end of a machining tool is caused by the machining reaction force, and this deteriorates the accuracy of a machining position. As a result, a machining target (hereinafter referred to as a "workpiece") is damaged. In order to prevent this phenomenon, the machining tool attached to a tip end of a positioning control apparatus is pressed before the machining against the workpiece by force (hereinafter may be referred to as "pressing force") that is equal to or more than the machining reaction force. At this time, deflection of the positioning control apparatus is caused by reaction force of the pressing force. As a result, the positional displacement of the tip end of the machining tool occurs. The occurrence of the positional displacement influences the accuracy of the machining position.
In order to correct the deflection of the positioning control apparatus, there is a conventional method of using a rigidity value of the positioning control apparatus and calculating a deflection amount of the positioning control apparatus from force acting on the positioning control apparatus (see PTL 1, for example).
Further, as conventional art, there is a method in which: a force sensor is attached to a tip end of an arm of a robot; force acting on a member held by the robot and deflection by this force are calculated by the force sensor; and with this, the position of the member held by the robot is corrected (see PTL 2, for example). Furthermore, there is a method in which at the time of machining of a drilling robot, a feed device attached to an arm tip end portion together with a tool is fixed to a support base for a workpiece (see PTL 3, for example).

Method of controlling positioning control apparatus and positioning control apparatus


A gas diffusion electrode in which a microporous layer is provided on at least one surface of a conductive porous substrate, wherein the areas obtained by dividing the cross section perpendicular to the plane of the microporous layer into three equal parts in the thickness direction are a first area, a second area, and a third area, with respect to the conductive porous substrate side, the fluorine strength of the third area being 0.8 to 1.2 times the fluorine strength of the second area.

A fuel cell is a system in which energy generated in production of water by reaction of hydrogen and oxygen is electrically extracted. Fuel cells are expected to come into wide use as clean energy sources because they have high energy efficiency, and discharge only water. Among them, polymer electrolyte fuel cells are known as fuel cells to be used as power sources for fuel cell vehicles etc.
An electrode to be used for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell is disposed so as to be sandwiched between two bipolar plates in the polymer electrolyte fuel cell. Such an electrode has a structure in which on both sides of a polymer electrolyte membrane, a catalyst layer is formed on the surface of the polymer electrolyte membrane, and a gas diffusion layer is formed outside the catalyst layer. As an individual member for forming a gas diffusion layer in an electrode, a gas diffusion electrode is distributed. The gas diffusion electrode is required to have performance such as, for example, gas diffusivity, electrical conductivity for collecting electricity generated in the catalyst layer, and water removal performance for efficiently removing water generated on the surface of the catalyst layer. For obtaining such a gas diffusion electrode, an electrically conductive porous substrate having both gas diffusion performance and electrical conductivity is generally used.
Specific examples of the electrically conductive porous substrate that is used include carbon felts, carbon papers and carbon cloths. Among them, carbon papers are most preferable from the viewpoint of mechanical strength etc.
In addition, a fuel cell is a system in which energy generated in production of water by reaction of hydrogen and oxygen is electrically extracted. Thus, when an electrical load increases, i.e. a current to be extracted outside the cell increases, a large amount of water (water vapor) is generated. At a low temperature, the water vapor is condensed into water droplets, so that pores of the gas diffusion electrode are closed, and the amount of a gas (oxygen or hydrogen) supplied to the catalyst layer decreases. When all the pores are ultimately closed, power generation is stopped (this phenomenon is referred to as flooding).
The gas diffusion electrode is required to have water removal performance so that occurrence of the flooding is inhibited as much as possible. As means for improving the water removal performance, a gas diffusion electrode substrate with an electrically conductive porous substrate subjected to a hydrophobic treatment is normally used.
When an electrically conductive porous substrate subjected to a hydrophobic treatment as described above is used directly as a gas diffusion electrode, condensation of water vapor leads to generation of large water droplets because the substrate has a coarse fiber, and thus flooding easily occurs. Thus, a coating material in which electrically conductive fine particles of carbon black etc. are dispersed may be applied, dried and sintered to provide a layer called a microporous layer on an electrically conductive porous substrate subjected to a hydrophobic treatment. It is known that a fluororesin is added as a hydrophobic resin in the microporous layer for imparting hydrophobicity to the microporous layer (Patent Documents 1 and 2). As a role of the microporous layer, mention is made of, in addition to that described above, an effect of preventing penetration of the catalyst layer into a coarse gas diffusion electrode substrate (Patent Document 3). As another role of the microporous layer, mention is made of a makeup effect for preventing transfer of coarseness of the electrically conductive porous substrate to the electrolyte membrane.
On the other hand, for fuel cells for fuel cell vehicles and the like, power generation performance under operation conditions at high temperature is also required. At high temperature, the electrolyte membrane is easily dried, and therefore the ion conductivity of the electrolyte membrane is reduced, leading to deterioration of power generation performance (this phenomenon is referred to as dry-out).


The present invention 10 discloses a portable spraying apparatus for motor vehicles comprised of a source of water 16, a pump 18 for pressurizing the water, and conduit 20 having a plurality of water outlet apertures 50 therein positioned substantially horizontal to the undercarriage. The portable spraying apparatus for motor vehicles 12 has spaced apart conduit 20 positioned under the vehicle to produce a vigorous spray 42 at the undercarriage 44. The conduit 20 is positioned parallel to the vehicle 12 having conduit positioned adjacent the vehicle with risers 30 for cleaning the exterior sides 46 and wheel wells 48 and under the vehicle with multiple apertures 50 positioned to deliver a spray 42 from 90 to 30 degrees relative to the horizontal. Positioned within the conduit 20 and forming an integral part therewith is at least one connective member 38 having threaded distal ends whereby rotation of one member relative to another can occur to compensate for uneven ground.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to portable washing apparatus and, more specifically, to a portable spraying apparatus for motor vehicles whereby the exterior, especially the undercarriage is sprayed with a fluid for the removal of debris that may contain organic matter, such as noxious weeds.
While motor vehicles have revolutionized society by providing the means for traveling great distances in a short period of time, it has also introduced unforeseen hazards. One of these hazards is addressed by the present invention, the introduction of invasive plants that are harmful to a native ecosystem. These plants spread by seeds that are carried by water, animals and human transportation systems and once established are difficult, if not impossible to eradicate and if left unchecked damage an ecosystem, such as national forests.
The present invention provides means whereby vehicles, especially forestry service vehicles, can be subjected to a vigorous spray of water along the undercarriage and tires to remove mud and seeds. When these vehicles are used in infested areas, the present invention can be assembled to wash the vehicles and thereby severely reduce the potential of carrying noxious weeds to other area. In the preferred embodiment, the use is primarily targeted at the spread of noxious weed but is not limited to such, as it may be determined that flushing the undercarriages of vehicles produces other advantages. By adding detergent or insecticide to the water may reduce the spread of certain insects.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is other spraying device designed for undercarriages. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 2,749,180 issued to Andrews on Jun. 5, 1956.
Another patent was issued to Braunger on May 30, 1967 as U.S. Pat. No. 3,321,793. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 3,795,254 was issued to Blosser on Mar. 5, 1974 and still yet another was issued on Dec. 2, 1975 to Lancaster as U.S. Pat. No. 3,923,658.
Another patent was issued to Allen, et al. on Sep. 18, 1979 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,231. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,147 was issued to Chandler on Dec. 26, 1989. Another was issued to Chayer on Jul. 9, 1991 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,758 and still yet another was issued on Sep. 17, 1996 to Van Der Est as U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,535.
Another patent was issued to Kaipainen on Jun. 1, 1999 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,550 and still yet another was issued on Jan. 29, 2003 to Payne as U.K. Patent No. GB 2 377 879.

Portable flushing apparatus for motor vehicles


A toner storage unit provided in an image forming apparatus that enables a user to replace the toner storage unit when the user opens the door of the image forming apparatus, moves a developing cartridge in a direction corresponding to removal of the developing cartridge, and places the developing cartridge in the toner storage unit replacement position where the toner storage unit can be removed and replaced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developing cartridge in which a toner storage unit (toner cartridge) is removably mounted in a main unit and to an image forming apparatus in which the developing cartridge is removably mounted.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus (electrophotographic image forming apparatus) that uses the electrophotographic image forming process, cartridge systems have been used to allow the process unit in the apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus (apparatus main body) to be replaced as one unit.
One cartridge system is a developing cartridge in which a developing device, such as a developing roller, is provided in the cartridge. Another cartridge system is a process cartridge in which the electrophotographic photosensitive drum and the process unit, which acts on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, are integrated into a cartridge as one unit. A process cartridge may also be provided with a photosensitive member in a developing cartridge having a developing roller that works as the process unit.
Still another cartridge system is a toner cartridge system that is removably provided, with a toner storage unit that stores toner, in a developing cartridge. The toner cartridge system allows the user to replace the toner storage unit independently of the other parts that configure the developing cartridge such as the photosensitive drum and developing roller.
Therefore, the toner cartridge system is advantageous when the consumption cycle of toner stored in the toner storage unit differs from the product lifetime of the other parts configuring the developing cartridge such as a photosensitive drum and a developing roller.
According to the image forming apparatus discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-333929, a user who wants to replace the toner cartridge opens a door of the image forming apparatus provided for replacing toner cartridge and replaces the toner cartridge. This configuration allows the user to replace the toner cartridge without having to take the main unit of the developing cartridge out of the image forming apparatus.
The image forming apparatus in the above-described art requires that the door for replacing the toner storage unit is separate from the door for replacing the main unit of the developing cartridge. Therefore, when the image forming apparatus in the art is compared with an image forming apparatus where the same door is used for replacing both the main unit of the developing cartridge and the toner storage unit, several differences becomes apparent.
The use of multiple doors requires an increase in the number of parts for the image forming apparatus. More specifically, additional doors result in an increase in door bodies, hinge axes of the doors, and door handles. The use of multiple doors also results in a decrease in the strength of the main body of the image forming apparatus. That is, the more holes bored on the side-plate of the image forming apparatus for providing door openings, the weaker the strength of the side-plate becomes.

Image forming apparatus for replacing toner from the main body of the image forming apparatus


Apparatus and a method for killing a live well after activation of a well blowout preventer is described. This is achieved by providing apparatus in the form of a shear or kill sleeve (34) in a string (26) above a sub-sea test tree and which is located between the pipe rams (22, 24) and shear rams (18) of a blowout preventer (12). In the event that the shear rams (18) are activated and seal the string above the kill sleeve (34), the sleeve includes a pressure sensitive valve (84) which may be opened, by pressurising between the blowout preventer rams (18, 22), to permit fluid to be pumped from the blowout preventer (12) through the valve (84) and into the string (40), to choke or kill the well. After the well has been killed, the blowout preventer (12) may be opened to permit removal of the well tools. Embodiments of the invention are described.

During well testing (drilling) operations and the like, which are carried out from a floating vessel, such as a drillship or semi-submersible, well control is achieved by a sub-sea blowout preventer, which is mounted on the sea-bed to the well head. Such blowout preventers typically comprise a tubular central housing on which are mounted a number of sets of hydraulic rams, for example, four which carry various sealing and cutting tools. The rams are axially spaced along the housing. The lower, or pipe rams, are provided with semi-circular sealing faces, so that when these rams are activated the semi-circular faces mate with the outer surfaces of the well tool. The uppermost set of rams are known as shear rams and are provided with cutting surfaces which can cut through or close the bore of the well tool and isolate the pressurised reservoir fluid from the riser and the upper part of the well tool.
In oil and gas well testing, well pressure control equipment is utilised in addition to the downhole test equipment mounted at the end of the test string, the well pressure control equipment being located above the well head and blowout preventer on the landing string. This equipment provides various safety features and allows for complete well control.
One of the tools utilised in well testing is a sub-sea test tree, a safety valve which is located inside the blowout preventer. During well test operations it is necessary to control both the tubing and annulus pressures, that is the pressure within the string and the pressure between the string and the riser, well casing and well lining. The sub-sea safety tree provides a primary safety system to control tubing pressure and to provide means to disconnect the riser rapidly and safely from the well should adverse conditions occur, such as bad weather or loss of a floating vessels' positioning system. This is partly achieved by providing "fail-safe" valves in the tree, which, for example, are held open during normal operating conditions by supplied hydraulic pressure. If the hydraulic pressure is cut-off, the valves will close, isolating the test string below the tree. An upper portion of the tree may then be unlatched from the lower portion of the tree containing the valves, and the landing string and other well pressure control equipment located above the tree withdrawn.
In situations where a blowout appears likely to occur, the shearing rams of the blowout preventer are activated and seal the string by shearing through the landing string above the sub-sea tree leaving it inside the blowout preventer. The pipe rams are normally extended during well testing and thus also form a seal around the outside of the string. To bring the well back to a safe condition and permit retrieval of the downhole test tools it is necessary to "kill" the live well, such that an uncontrolled flow of fluid will not result when the blowout preventer is opened. This is accomplished by reducing the well pressure, which may be achieved by, for example, pumping a fluid such as barium mud, brine or sea water into the string.

Exploration & Production Services (North Sea) Ltd.


A timing synchronization detects a temporary timing in a manner such that the presence of a first known signal in the received packet signal is detected by performing correlation processing on the first known signal in the received packet signal. The timing synchronization detects a timing in a manner that when the presence of a second known signal is detected, correlation processing is performed on the second known signal in the received packet signal. In the timing synchronization unit, a correlator is commonly used to perform two correlation processings.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the receiving technology, and it particularly relates to a receiving method and apparatus for detecting the timing of a received packet signal, and a communication system utilizing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) modulation scheme is one of multicarrier communication schemes that can realize the high-speed data transmission and are robust in the multipath environment. This OFDM modulation scheme has been applied to the wireless standards for wireless Local Area Network (LAN), such as IEEE802.11a/g and HIPERLAN/2. The packet signals in such a wireless LAN are generally transferred via a time-varying channel environment and are also subject to the effect of frequency selective fading. Hence, a receiving apparatus generally carries out the channel estimation dynamically.
In order for the receiving apparatus to carry out the channel estimation, two kinds of known signals are provided within a packet signal. One is the known signal, provided for all carriers in the beginning of the burst signal, which is the so-called preamble or training signal. The other one is the known signal, provided for part of carriers in the data area of the packet signal, which is the so-called pilot signal (See Reference (1) in the following Related Art List, for instance).
Related Art List
    (1) Sinem Coleri, Mustafa Ergen, Anuj Puri and Ahmad Bahai, "Channel Estimation Techniques Based on Pilot Arrangement in OFDM Systems", IEEE Transactions on broadcasting, vol. 48, No. 3, pp. 223-229, September 2002.
In wireless communications, adaptive array antenna technology is one of the technologies to realize the effective utilization of frequency resources. In adaptive array antenna technology, the directional patterns of antennas are controlled by controlling the amplitude and phase of signals, to be processed, in a plurality of antennas, respectively. One of techniques to realize higher data transmission rates by using such an adaptive array antenna technology is the MIMO (Multiple-Input Multiple-Output) system. In this MIMO system, a transmitting apparatus and a receiving apparatus are each equipped with a plurality of antennas, and a plurality of packet signals to be transmitted in parallel are set (hereinafter, each of data to be transmitted in parallel in the packet signal is called "stream"). That is, streams up to the maximum number of antennas are set for the communications between the transmitting apparatus and the receiving apparatus so as to improve the data transmission rates.
Moreover, combining such a MIMO system with the OFDM modulation scheme results in a higher data transmission rate. A known signal defined in a communication system which is not compatible with a MIMO system (hereinafter referred to "legacy system") is assigned to a leading part of a packet signal in such a MIMO system. Accordingly, a receiving apparatus of a legacy system recognizes the leading part of a packet signal and can recognize that it is the packet signal which is not to be received by the legacy system. As a result, the receiving apparatus of a legacy system stops receiving the rest of parts in the packet signal, thus reducing the power consumption. In the packet signal in a MIMO system, a known signal defined in a MIMO system is also assigned posterior to the known signal of a legacy system. The reason for this is as follows. A plurality of streams are transmitted in a MIMO system, whereas a single stream is transmitted in a legacy system. Hence, the signal strengths in the receiving apparatus differ, and the receiving apparatus sets the gain of amplifier according to the signal strengths.
Based on the known signals, the receiving apparatus detects the timing, detects the frequency offset, derives the receiving weight vectors, estimates the channel and so forth. Here, the detection of timing will be discussed. When the receiving apparatus receives packet signals, it detects the presence of a packet signal and at the same time detects the timing. Accordingly, the receiving apparatus performs correlation processing on between the received packet signal and a legacy known signal so as to detect the peak of correlation values. In so doing, a packet signal whose delay time is long shall also be received in order to raise the accuracy in detecting the presence of packet signal and therefore the range over which the addition is executed (hereinafter this range will be referred to as "correlation window") needs to be broad. However, when the correlation widow is broad, the timing in which a plurality of delayed wave components contained in the received packet signal are combined is detected. Thus, timing in which the effect of a plurality of delayed wave components contained in the received packet are taken into account is no longer detected. As a result, the highly accurate timing detection cannot be executed.

Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) timing synchronization using correlation with first and second known signal


A refrigerant leak-preventive structure in a heat exchanger is described. The refrigerant leak-preventive structure includes a tube group having refrigerant leak-preventive grooves recessed at ends of the fin-tubes group, and headers having refrigerant leak-preventive projections formed by double injection molding solution introduced into and cooled in the refrigerant leak-preventive grooves when being coupled with the both ends of the tube group by a double injection molding.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat exchanger, and more particularly, to a refrigerant leak-preventive structure in a heat exchanger of a refrigerator, in which refrigerant pressurized by a compressor to a high temperature and high pressure or a low temperature and low pressure flows. The refrigerant leak-prevention structure prevents leakage of refrigerant and introduction of external air both of which are generated at bonded sections between refrigerant tubes and headers. However, the heat exchanger of the invention is not restricted only to the refrigerator.
2. Description of the Related Art
A refrigerator includes a compressor, a condenser, a throttle valve and an evaporator all of which constitute a system operation in the order named. In the refrigerator, heat is absorbed in the evaporator while more heat is discharged out of the refrigerator via the condenser. In particular, the condenser and the evaporator function as a heat exchanger by absorbing and discharging heat.
The conventional heat exchanger performs heat exchange of refrigerant with a pair of metal refrigerant tubes for introducing or discharging refrigerant, headers fixed to both ends of the metal refrigerant tubes and a plurality of fins formed in outer peripheries of the metal refrigerant tubes. In particular, the fins and the refrigerant tubes are coupled by using expansion of the refrigerant tubes and thus typically have a predetermined gap between the metal bodies.
Owing to the metal structure, however, the conventional heat exchanger made of metal has a problem in that noises are generated at contact points between the metal bodies in on/off operation of the refrigerator, thereby causing inconvenience to the user. In order to improve this problem, a plastic heat exchanger is generally used at present.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional plastic heat exchanger in the form of a tri-tube heat exchanger having an integral structure of a fin, a refrigerant tube and a defrosting tube.
Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional plastic heat exchanger 112 includes a refrigerant tube, a fin and tube group or fin-tubes group 118 which is defined by combining a number of fins and defrosting tubes, fin-tubes group headers or headers 120 disposed at both ends of the fin-tubes group 118, right and left header tanks 124 and 126 extended from the headers 120. In particular, the fin-tubes group 118 indicates an array of ducts, in which at least a refrigerant tube and fins are integrally formed in each duct.
A method of fabricating the above plastic heat exchanger, in particular, for bonding the fin-tubes group 118 and the headers 120 has been disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/954,056, which will be briefly described as follows.
The undesignated reference numbers 130 and 132 indicate an inlet tube and an outlet tube of refrigerant, respectively.
FIG. 2 illustrates a process of combining the fin-tubes group 118 and the headers 120.
Referring to FIG. 2, the process of combining the fin-tubes group 118 and the headers 120 includes: primarily forming plastic into the fin-tubes group 118; double extruding at both ends of the plastic fin-tubes group 118 to form the headers 120; and placing thermal fusion jigs 136 into interspaces of the plastic headers 120 in a supporting fashion and thermal pressing an upper central portion of the fin-tubes group 118 using a thermal fusion apparatus 128 having thermal fusion molds 134 to thermal fuse the fin-tubes group 118 and the headers 120 more strongly.
In particular, the thermal fusion molds 134 are in the shape of an overturned triangle so that ends of the fin-tubes group 118 are flared strongly bonding to the header 120. The non-described numeral 140 indicates power lines.
The headers 120 are thermal fused to both ends of the fin-tubes group 118 according to the above fusion process, thereby possibly preventing abnormal noise from occurring in on/off operation of a refrigerator which has been a problem in the conventional heat exchanger made of metal.
In particular, since the fin-tubes group 118 is bonded to the header 120 via thermal fusion, there are advantages in that the plastic heat exchanger 112 is readily fabricated and the manufacturing cost thereof can be reduced.
Where the conventional heat exchanger 112 constructed according to the above bonding process is utilized as an evaporator, refrigerant is introduced under an atmospheric pressure (e.g., 0.9 to 1 atm.) similar to the atmospheric pressure and thus refrigerant leak or introduction owing to differential pressure may not take place.
However, where the conventional heat exchanger 112 is utilized as a condenser, refrigerant having a high temperature and pressure (e.g., 9 to 10 atm.) is introduced as heated and pressurized by a compressor.
In this circumstances, there is a problem that the high pressure of refrigerant opens between the fin-tubes group 118 and the headers 120 which are bonded through thermal fusion and thus refrigerant leaks through openings formed as above.
Furthermore, when refrigerant leaks from the heat exchanger 112 as above, it is impossible to maintain the refrigerant pressure within the condenser 112 in a set cooling cycle or the refrigerant pressure of the entire cooling cycle. As the refrigerant pressure is decreased as above, the refrigerator fails to properly perform the cooling cycle while the discharged quantity of refrigerant may not correspond to the set temperature of the refrigerator.

Structure for preventing refrigerant from leaking in heat exchanger and method for forming the same


The present invention relates to an optical signal shaping device such as an optical filter having a profile such that transmission of light through the device varies as a function of frequency over a selected bandwidth. The optical signal shaping device of the present invention includes a frequency dependent disperser that disperses the input optical signal to form a dispersed signal having a plurality of frequencies, a frequency selective modulator that modulates at least one of the plurality of frequencies and a frequency dependent combiner that combines the frequencies to form a modulated output signal.

Because of the large inherent bandwidth of optical systems, such systems are being increasingly utilized for transmitting information, generally over fiber optic cables, in telephone, cable television, data transmission and processing and other applications. Heretofore, such systems have typically used amplitude modulation (AM) because it is simple to implement. However, frequency modulation (FM) is more power efficient as compared with amplitude modulation and can provide an order of magnitude or more increase in signal-to-noise ratio. While this signal-to-noise ratio advantage has been taken advantage of for many years in radio, FM is not widely employed to any extent in optical communications. Thus, even though wireless transmission encodes signals via FM because FM offers substantial power savings over AM, optical transmission tends towards AM because component technology for FM receivers and sources is limited.
For analog communication or communication involving a multiplicity of discrete optical frequency levels, where noise may present problems, current optical frequency discriminators are typically non-linear and have been found to provide linearity over only such a short frequency range that it is difficult to obtain distortion free outputs over a useful range of modulating frequencies. The lack of an optical frequency discriminator which provides a substantially linear output over an extended frequency range still presents a problem.
A need therefore exists for an improved frequency discriminator for use in optical FM communication systems and other applications, which provides a substantially linear output over a selected bandwidth.


A method, apparatus and computer program for editing recorded information having a format where both a video signal and an audio signal are recorded on a recording medium. When the recorded information is reproduced, a detection is conducted to determine a position where a predetermined condition is produced in the audio signal. Discriminating information indicative of an editing position is produced based on the position where the predetermined condition is detected and displayed on a screen of a display apparatus.

The present invention generally relates to an editing method for picture information. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a recorded information editing method, apparatus and computer program for effectively executing an editing work while displaying an editing subject position in picture (video) information.
In television broadcasting stations for handling television program broadcasting and in CATV (cable television) stations for handling wired program broadcasting, for instance, program materials of picture information such as dramas and movies (films) are purchased from program producing firms, and then desirable programs are produced based on these program materials. While a program material is divided and a predetermined portion of the divided material is deleted thereby to reduce the program material, if necessary, a CM (commercial message) is inserted into a proper position within this reduced program to thereby obtain the edited program which will then be finally broadcasted.
For example, in the case that the purchased program material corresponds to a drama reproducible for 30 minutes, this drama is reduced into a drama reproducible for 24 minutes, and a CM reproducible for 6 minutes is inserted into this reduced drama reproducible for 24 minutes. Finally, an edited drama program (desirable program) reproducible for 30 minutes is broadcasted. To this end, the editing work is required to shorten the purchased drama reproducible for 30 minutes to obtain the drama reproducible for 24 minutes. In general, editing of a program material is called "role editing". In this case, the expression "role" implies a portion of a program whose contents are continued and which is transmitted without making any interruption in the contents.
Now, a description will be provided of the editing method in the case that the program material is role-edited to produce a broadcasting program reproducible of 30 minutes by employing the conventional picture 15 (video) editing apparatus. In this editing work, as a CM to be inserted into this broadcasting program reproducible for 30 minutes, this commercial message is subdivided into 4 CM portions, namely a pre-CM, an intermediate CM1, another intermediate CM2, and a post-CM. These four sub-divided CMs are inserted into positions within a predetermined range of this program reproducible for 30 minutes.
FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram representing one example of a general-purpose picture editing apparatus. In FIG. 4, in a VTR (video tape recorder) 50, a video (picture) signal is reproduced from a video tape on which a program material and a CM content have been recorded, and then the reproduced video signal is outputted. In a control apparatus 54, the video signal reproduced from the VTR 50 is inputted, and editing control information is produced based on the inputted video signal in response to an instruction of an operator. As this editing control information, there are information used to designate a position of a picture dividing point in the program material, and information used to designate a fade-in position, or a fade-out position. Also, the video signal entered from the VTR 50 is outputted from the control apparatus 54 to a monitor 52 and also to another VTR 51. The monitor 52 displays an image based upon the entered video signal, so that the images of the program material reproduced by the VTR 50 may be displayed. In the VTR 51, the video signal corresponding to the entered editing result is recorded, and further either the inputted video signal or the recorded video signal is outputted to the monitor 53. The monitor 53 displays an image in response to the inputted video signal, and also displays the images of the program material inputted to the VTR 51. It should be noted that the reproducing operations and the recording operations of the VTR 50 and the VTR 51 are controlled in response to various control signals outputted from the control apparatus 54. Next, referring now to a flow chart shown in FIG. 10, operations of the conventional editing method for performing the role editing work with employment of the above-described editing apparatus indicated in FIG. 4 will be described. It should be noted that all of the flow operations shown in FIG. 10 are executed by manually operating the control apparatus 54 while an editor observes the images reproduced on the monitor 52.
First at a step 802 of FIG. 10, the video tape on which the program material has been recorded is set to the VTR 50, and then the VTR 50 reproduces this program material. At this time, the time code signal is superimposed on the reproduced video (picture) signal, and the superimposed video signal is derived from the VTR 50. The reproduction starting operation and the fast forwarding operation of the program material by this VTR 50 are controlled by outputting the control signals from the control apparatus 54, for instance, in accordance with the instruction issued from the operator. In this case, while the operator observes the images which are reproduced by the VTR So and displayed on the monitor 52, this operator instructs the control apparatus 54 to control the operations of the VTR 50.
At the next step 803, the operator visually detects a cuttable (dividable) subject (nominated) position of the program material. When at this step 803, a proper dividable subject position is detected and this detected position is instructed via the control apparatus 54 by the operator, the process operation is advanced to a step 804. Conversely, when the proper dividable subject position is not detected but also no instruction is made by the operator, the process operation is advanced to a step 805. At the step 804, the time code signal of the detected dividable subject position is recorded by the control apparatus 54, and then the process operation is advanced to a step 805. It should be understood that a memorandum related to a summary of a scene content, and a picture continuity may be separately written down by the operator, if required.
At the step 805, the control apparatus 54 confirms as to whether or not the program material from which the dividable subject positions should be detected at the above step 803 is accomplished. When this program material is accomplished, the process operation is advanced to a step 806. To the contrary, if this program material is not yet accomplished, then the process operation is returned to the previous step 803 in order to detect the dividable subject positions of the remaining program material.
As a result, when the retrieving operation for detecting the dividable subject positions with respect to the program material from which the dividable subject positions are detected is accomplished, an editing work is carried out after the next step 806, in which the video signal is correctly recorded.
At the step 806, two sorts of proper role dividing points are finally determined from several dividable subject positions by the operator. That is, both a position of an IN point corresponding to a starting point of a role, and a position of an OUT point corresponding to an end point of the role are finally determined by the operator. In this case, the positions of the respective points are determined in such a manner that assuming that a time period defined from each of the OUT points (containing the starting position of the program material) to the next nearest IN point (containing the end position of the program material) is recognized as a deletion period, an accumulated value which is summed up all of these deletion periods becomes 6 minutes which are calculated by subtracting 24 minutes from 30 minutes.
In general, there are many possibilities that a range of a time zone when a CM is inserted into one program is previously set. At this step 806, the positions of the several IN points and the positions of the several OUT points are located within a predetermined time zone during which this CM is inserted, if necessary.
In this example, the CM inserting subject (nominated) points are determined in such a way that since a total time period of the program is 30 minutes, the pre-CM is inserted into such a time zone close to the program starting time (namely, after 2 minutes to 3 minutes have passed from the commencement of this program). Next, the intermediate CM1 is inserted in such a time zone defined by that approximately 10 minutes have passed after the program was commenced. Also, the intermediate CM2 is inserted into such a time zone defined by that approximately 20 minutes have passed after the program was started. The last post-CM is inserted into such a time zone close to the end of this program (namely, 2 minutes to 3 minutes before this program is ended).
At the next step 807, the reproduction for the video signal is again commenced from the VTR 50. At a further step 808, based upon the information such as the time code signals about the IN point and the OUT point determined at the step 806, the video signal and the audio (sound) signal of the program material between the OUT point and the IN point are deleted. On the other hand, the CM picture material is reproduced by the VTR 50, and the reproduced CM picture is started to be inserted at the position of the OUT point. At a step 809, the insertion of this CM picture is ended at the next IN point. During a time period of the operation of the step 808 to the step 809, the edited picture information into which the CM picture (containing sound) has been inserted is recorded by the VTR 51.
In this case, since the recorded pictures are displayed on the monitor 53 while the edited video signal is recorded on the VTR 51, the contents of the images can be confirmed.
At the next step 810, a confirmation is made as to whether or not the editing works are accomplished with respect to all of the material portions which should be edited at the step between the step 807 and the step 809. When the editing works have been accomplished, the process operation is advanced to a step 811. Conversely, when the editing works are not yet ended, the process operation is returned to the above-described step 807 in order to execute the role editing work with respect to the remaining material portions which should be role edited.
As previously described, in the conventional editing method, while simultaneously monitoring the reproduced image and the reproduced sound based upon the video signal and the audio signal produced by reproducing the program material, the operator manually determines the IN point and the OUT point, which will constitute the role dividing points. Then, the information related to these IN point and OUT point is recorded. For instance, the time code information in which the field period is used as a minimum unit is recorded. This time code information is immediately called during the dubbing operation. To determine such a role dividing point, the program portion where the content of the program is interrupted while the material is reproduced, the transit portion between the continuous scenes, or such a specific program portion is searched. The specific program portion can be broadcasted even when the CM is inserted into the content of the program. Generally speaking, there are very large amounts of picture information, and there is the variety of these picture contents, so that the role dividing points are manually determined by the operator. As a result, while the program material to be edited is reproduced during this role-dividing-point determining work, the operator is forcibly restricted to this role-dividing-point determining work irrelevant to such a fact as to whether or not the role dividing point is actually detected.
Also, in this conventional editing method, when the program material is reproduced, a person observes/listens to the contents of the reproduced program material while confirming that the image is synchronized with the sound, considering such a fact that the role dividing points are manually detected by this person. In this case, since the program material is reproduced based on the reproducing speed fitted to feelings of the person, namely the reproducing speed is limited to the substantially normal reproducing speed, there is no possibility to increase the detection work speed.
Japanese Patent Application Un-examined laid-open publication No. JP-A-2-184181 shows a moving picture editing apparatus wherein a dividable point of a moving picture is detected by analyzing sound volume related to the moving picture. Another Japanese Patent Application Unexamined laid-open publication No. JP-A-5-290549 teaches an adding apparatus in editing of picture wherein a picture information is divided with a dividing standard of an audio information such as a pause of music, a condition of existing a certain speaker detected by a speech recognition, a noise level, and a noise characteristic.
Furthermore, various conventional methods and apparatuses are disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,467,288, 4,602,297 and 5,227,892, and International Publication No. Wo 94/16443 and UK Patent Application No. GB 2,245,748A (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,227,892). Detailed descriptions of these references are as follows.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,288 discloses a system for editing the digital audio portion of video programs, that is, the editing of audio data is aided by displaying any video information which corresponds to the audio data. U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,297 discloses that the video content of the television signal may be sensed at the beginning and end of each commercial of a multi-commercial group to determine whether the amplitude drop in the video and audio content actually represented a commercial, so that the system operates to prevent the recording of all of the commercial massages in the group precisely from the start of the first commercial to the end of the last commercial. U.S. Pat. No. 5,227,892 discloses methods and apparatus for editing a digital audio signal recorded on a record medium in association with a video signal. International Publication No. WO 94/16443 discloses a computerized multimedia editing system which facilitate audio editing, that is, to facilitate editing, a display system is developed which represents an audio track as a discrete waveform indicating the presence of sound energy above user-set thresholds. In the above described conventional methods and apparatuses there is no description of editing a video signal based on an audio signal. Particularly, there is no teaching of editing a video signal to produce a plurality of candidates, each of which has a suitable period, marking video information on the video signal based on the audio signal in order to insert commercial messages, confirming by an operator on a display whether the commercial messages are properly inserted, and deciding to insert the proper commercial message after has confirmed.


A modified folded dipole antenna (20) comprises a central feeder (23), first and second portions (38 and 40) coupled to the feeder. The first and second portions have first and second folded ends (42 and 44). The folded ends are in close proximity to each other and are electromagnetically coupled to each other. Thus, a modified folded dipole antenna is formed which receives and/or transmits radio signals in at orthogonal orientations.

Referring to FIG. 1A, there is shown a wristwatch radio 10 having a known antenna system. The antenna system includes a a first loop antenna 16 mounted on the wrist band and a second loop antenna 18 attached to the radio housing 12. The direction of the H field is along the axis of the helix and the direction of the E field is orthogonal to the plane of the front face of the wristwatch radio 10. The two loop antennas are oriented perpendicular from each other so that the radio receives E and H field signals in different orientations.
Referring to FIG. 1B there is shown an exploded view of the loop antenna 18 of the of the antenna system of FIG. 1A. The second loop antenna includes a conductive helix 21 wrapped around a ferrite core 19. The direction of the H field is indicated by an arrow passing along the axis of the helix 21.
If the wristwatch radio 10 had only one of the antennas reception would be poor when the person wearing the wristwatch radio 10 places the wristwatch radio 10 in an orientation not suitable for the antenna to properly receive signals. Therefore, two antennas are required for good reception and/or transmission. However, having two antennas requires more space in the radio and increases the complexity, quality and cost of the radio. Thus, it is desirable to have an antenna suitable for use on a wristwatch radio that operates well in various orientations.


In a vibration wave driven motor wherein an AC electric field is applied to an electro-mechanical energy conversion element secured to an elastic member to thereby excite a plurality of standing waves differing in phase from each other in the elastic member and a travelling wave is formed in the elastic member by the combination of the standing waves, whereby a member which is in pressure contact with the elastic member and the elastic member are moved relative to each other by a frictional force, provision is made of means for making the contact pressure on the surface of contact between the elastic member and the member which is in pressure contact with the elastic member non-uniform, and means for making the dynamic rigidity of a vibration member non-uniform in an unnecessary vibration mode created by the means for making the contact pressure non-uniform, whereby the occurrence of noise is prevented by simple and inexpensive means.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a vibration wave driven motor in which electrical energy is converted into vibration energy by an electro-mechanical energy conversion element and a mechanical output is obtained from the vibration energy through friction.
2. Related Background Art
Generally, a vibration wave driven motor is comprised of a vibration member having an electro-mechanical energy conversion element such as a piezo-electric element secured to an elastic member, and a movable member brought into pressure contact with the elastic member. An AC voltage is applied to the two driving phases of the piezo-electric element to excite a travelling wave in the elastic member and the elastic member and the movable member are moved relative to each other of the vibration energy by the travelling wave through the frictional force with the movable member, and the relative movement is used as the output of the motor. Accordingly, the elastic member is formed of a material of small vibration loss (internal loss) for the purpose of improving the efficiency of the motor, and as the material of the elastic member, use is made of a material of very high Q, e.g. Q=100-300 so that vibration may be readily generated by small energy.
Now, in such a vibration wave driven motor, the movable member is in a state in which it is pressed against the elastic member to take out the output of the motor. Therefore, the elastic member is subjected to a vertical force (a force in the direction of pressure contact) and a frictional force (a moment by a frictional force) during the driving of the motor, and in some cases, vibrations other than the driving wave are also excited due to such forces.
These vibrations are chiefly the natural vibrations of the vibration member (though the vibration member is weakly compounded with the movable member through a frictional force), and provide noise when the frequencies of these vibrations are within an audible range. Also, even if the frequencies of these vibrations themselves are not within the audible range, there will be created the difference thereof from the vibration frequency of the driving mode and a component harmonic wave by the non-linearity of the vibration of the vibration member in a state in which it is combined with the movable member, and if these are within the audible range, they will pose a problem as noise.
I have made motors of various types by way of trial and have studied the vibration mode when the problem of noise arises.
As a result, I have found that there are chiefly two types of noise, one of which is a component harmonic wave of the driving mode created by forced vibration and the other is self-excited vibration created by a frictional force.
It has further been found that the cause of creation of the latter self-excited vibration is divided chiefly into two cases, i.e., a case where it is determined by the dimensions of the movable member and the vibration member, and the dynamic rigidity, friction constant, etc. of the contact portion, and a case where it is caused in a mode one order lower than the driving wave (the out-of-plane mode), irrespective of the dimensions. Further examination of the situation in which the self-excited vibration occurs in the vibration mode one order lower than the driving wave (the out-of-plane mode) has found that the self-excited vibration occurs when the contact between the movable member and the elastic member is not kept uniform.
FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings shows a typical example of the vibration spectrum at such time. The vibration member used is a circular ring-shaped one. The ordinate represents the output from a sensor layer provided on the vibration member (a sensor layer which produces a voltage conforming to the vibration of the vibration member by the piezo-electric effect, and the abscissa represents frequency.
"f" represents the characteristic in the driving vibration mode (the out-of-plane flexure 7-th-order mode of the circular ring), and "g" represents the characteristic in the vibration mode which has occurred as the self-excited vibration by a frictional force, i.e., the characteristic of the vibration in the mode one order lower than the characteristic "f", i.e., the out-of-plane flexure 6th-order mode. A characteristic "h" is the difference between the characteristic "f" and the characteristic "g", and vibration of about 8 KHz of this characteristic causes noise. Thus, I have confirmed empirically that if there is irregularity of contact (irregularity of pressure) between the elastic member and the movable member, the vibration mode one order lower than the driving wave (i.e., vibration having a number of waves less by one than the number of waves of the driving wave) occurs and any unnecessary vibration mode other than this vibration mode, for example, the vibration mode two orders lower than the vibration mode of the driving wave, does not occur. That is, it has been found that when there is irregularity of contact (irregularity of pressure), the vibration which causes noise is limited to the vibration of the mode one order lower than the driving mode.
Also, examination of the noise when the irregularity of contact (the irregularity of pressure) is small has found that the noise vibration mode changes depending on the structure, materials, friction constants, driving order numbers, etc. of the movable member and elastic member, but in the case of the driving of seven waves, the driving wave is limited to one of three, four, five and six waves or a combination thereof.
FIG. 9 of the accompanying drawings shows a typical example of the noise when the irregularity of pressure is null.
"f" represents the characteristic of the driving vibration mode, "k" represents the characteristic of the 3rd-order vibration mode, and "j" represents the characteristic of the 4th-order vibration mode.
It has been found from what has been described that where there is adopted structure in which no irregularity of pressure occurs, for a case where the driving wave comprises seven waves, a mode free of noise can be realized if a countermeasure for noise is applied to the 3rd-order, 4th-order, 5th-order and 6th-order modes.
On the other hand, it has already been proposed in U.S. application Ser. No. 480,201 filed on Feb. 14, 1990 to provide a portion of non-uniform rigidity in the elastic member or the like as a countermeasure for noise.
The principle of driving of the vibration wave driven motor is that by an AC electric field being applied to the piezo-electric element, two standing waves positionally deviating from each other by .pi./2, i.e., a standing wave of sin mode and a standing wave of cos mode, are excited in the elastic member and a travelling wave is formed by the combination of the two standing waves, and if a difference occurs between the natural frequencies of the two standing waves, a travelling wave will no longer be formed.
From this, it follows that to prevent the generation of a travelling wave of the unnecessary order number which causes noise, a difference in natural frequency may be provided between two standing waves in that order number.
As a method of providing a difference between the natural frequencies of standing waves, for example in a case where the elastic member is of an annular shape and a plurality of slits are formed at equal pitches in the upper surface thereof along the circumferential direction thereof, the depth of the slit at a location corresponding, for example, to the node of one standing wave but to the antinode in the other standing wave is made greater than the depth of the other slits, whereby it becomes possible to provide a difference between the natural frequencies.


In washing agents containing tensides and cellulase, the properties of the cellulase which are relevant to the application were to be improved. This was essentially achieved in that use was made of a cellulase mixture in which the first component, with a CMCase activity of 1 U per liter and a protein concentration of a most 3 mg per liter, gives an increase in remission of at least 5 units in the secondary washing test and the second component, with a CMCase activity of 20 U per liter gives an increase in absorption in the cellulose decomposition test of at least 0.075.

This invention relates to a detergent containing a combination of at least two cellulases, to a washing process using the cellulase combination and to the use of the cellulase combination for the production of detergents.
1. Field of the Invention
Enzymes, particularly proteases, lipases and cellulases, are widely used in detergents, washing aids and cleaners. Whereas proteases and lipases are used primarily for removing protein-containing or fatty soil, cellulases perform a more differentiated function in the washing process.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
By virtue of their ability to degrade cellulose, cellulases have been known for some time as softening agents for cotton fabrics, for example from DE-PS 21 48 278 and from DE-OS 31 17 250. So far as the relevant action mechanism is concerned, it is assumed that fabric-softening cellulases preferentially hydrolyze and remove microfibrous cellulose, so-called fibrils, which project from the surface of the cotton fibers and prevent them from sliding freely over one another. A secondary effect of this degradation of fibrils is intensification of the optical color impression, the so-called freshening of colors described in EP 220 016, which is obtained in the treatment of colored cotton fabrics with cellulases when the uncolored fibrils emanating from damage within the fiber are removed.
On the other hand, other known cellulases are distinguished by the fact that, as described for example in DE-OS 32 07 828, they have a cleaning effect to the extent that they are capable of removing solid inorganic soil from the fabric to be cleaned.
To obtain both these effects of cellulases desirable in the washing process, it has already been proposed on several occasions to use mixtures of cellulases, cf. for example International patent application WO 95/02675. This document is concerned with detergents containing two cellulase components, the first cellulase component having the ability to remove particulate soil and the second cellulase component having color-freshening properties. However, the choice of cellulases according to these criteria leaves important washing-related questions unanswered.
Problem soils which cannot be satisfactorily removed with conventional detergents include cellulose and paper soils. Normally, these soils are only formed during the washing process when paper, for example in the form of banknotes or paper handkerchiefs, remain in and are washed with the laundry to be cleaned, for example in pockets. The problems are attributable to the formation of large visible flocks which adhere to the washing and are not washed out.
The ability to remove soil from the fabric to be cleaned is normally referred to as single wash cycle performance. Besides ingredients with this crucially important property essential to the washing process, detergents also generally contain active substances which contribute towards multiple wash cycle performance. This is understood to be the property whereby soil detached from the fabrics can be kept dissolved or suspended in the wash liquor in such a way that it is not deposited on the cleaned fabric. This effect is also known as anti-redeposition. In the case of detergents, it is desirable that as many of their ingredients as possible, including the cellulase used, contribute towards multiple cycle wash performance through their anti-redeposition effect.


In an apparatus for reading a data storage medium, a control unit controls a first driving unit so as to enable the first driving unit to drive a carrier frame loaded with the data storage medium thereon to move back and forth between first and second limit positions along a first direction, receives optically detectable information read by an optical detecting unit from the data storage medium, and activates a second driving unit to move the optical detecting unit by a predetermined distance along a second direction transverse to the first direction upon detection that the carrier frame has been moved by the first driving unit from one of the first and second limit positions to the other one of the first and second limit positions.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for reading a data storage medium, more particularly to an apparatus for reading a data storage medium that is convenient to carry.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optical disks have been widely used as a data storage medium. However, a conventional apparatus for reading an optical disk, which has a diameter of 12 cm and a memory capacity of 650 M bytes, has a relatively large size, and is thus inconvenient to carry.

Apparatus for reading a data storage medium


A key bit position of a first Gray code is determined based on the bit values of the first Gray code. The first Gray code and a second Gray code that differs from the first Gray code only in the key bit position correspond to two associated numbers that differ by one.

This description relates to determination of key bit positions in Gray codes.
Gray codes are useful in information and communication systems. In one example, a sequence of N binary Gray codes are used to represent a sequence of N binary numbers according to a one-to-one mapping relationship, N being an integer. FIG. 1 shows an example of a sequence of Gray codes that maps to a sequence of binary numbers 0000 to 1111. Adjacent binary numbers n and n+1 (or n and n−1) are represented by Gray codes that differ by a single digit. A Gray code can be generated by using exclusive-OR operations on bit values of a corresponding binary number. For example, for a 12-bit binary number expressed as b=(b11,b10,b9,b8,b7,b6,b5,b4,b3,b2, b1, b0), the corresponding 12-bit Gray code expressed as    g=(g11,g10,g9,g8,g7,g6,g5,g4,g3,g2,g1,g0) can be determined as follows:g11=b11gm=bm⊕bm+1, for m=0, 1, 2, . . . , 10.The most significant bit of a gray code (e.g., g11) is the same as the most significant bit (e.g., b11) of the corresponding binary number. Each of the other bits (e.g., gm) of the Gray code can be calculated from the exclusive-OR value of the corresponding bit (e.g., bm) in the binary number and the bit (e.g., bm+1) that is one digit higher than the corresponding bit.
A binary number b can be decoded from a corresponding Gray code g by using exclusive-OR operations. In the example above, given the Gray code g, the corresponding binary number b can be determined as follows:b11=g11bm=gm⊕bm+1=gm⊕gm+1⊕ . . . ⊕g11, for m=0, 1, 2, . . . , 10.The most significant bit (e.g., b11) of the binary number is the same as the most significant bit (e.g., g11) of the corresponding Gray code. Each of the other bits (e.g., bm) of the binary number is calculated from the exclusive-OR value of its corresponding bit (e.g., gm) in the Gray code and the bit (e.g., bm+1) that is one digit higher in the binary number. The mth bit of the binary number (other than the most significant bit) can also be calculated as the exclusive-OR value of all bits of the Gray code having bit positions equal to or higher than m.

Determination of key bit positions in gray codes


A compiler for incorporating error detection into executable code generates conventional assembler language object code from a source code file. The compiler identifies an error detection segment (EDS) in the assembler code, where the EDS includes a subset of basic blocks in the assembler code. The compiler also identifies register and memory references in the EDS and inserts a set of instructions into the EDS. The inserted instructions record an entry state and an exit state of the referenced registers and memory locations. The state information is stored in a checkpoint portion of system memory. The compiler may generate shadow EDS code including instructions mirroring the instructions in the main EDS and verifying instructions that compare results produced by the mirroring instructions with results produced by the main EDS. The shadow EDS initiates an error recovery process if results produced by the shadow EDS and the main EDS differ.

1. Field of the Present Invention
The invention is in the field of data processing systems and, more particularly, error detection in data processing systems.
2. History of Related Art
Computer systems represent information in bi-state transistors that can assume the logical values of "1" or "0". These logical values are implemented by electrical signals, where a certain voltage level is assigned to represent a value of "1", and a second level, sufficiently different from the first, is assigned to represent a value of "0". Computer systems are susceptible to a type of error called "soft" errors that occur while the system is in operation. These errors result from electrical noise, cosmic rays, thermal effects, and other factors that may alter an electrical signal that is stored in a transistor. For example, cosmic alpha particles can hit a transistor and change the value of the electrical signal stored in it, such that the logical value stored in the transistor can be altered from "1" to "0" or vice versa.
The effect of soft errors is transient—they do not cause any permanent damage to the machine hardware. However, soft errors corrupt the values stored in transistors used in the computation, and thus the machine may produce incorrect results for the programs that were running when the soft error occurred. Computer designers have recognized these problems since the early days of computing and invented several mechanisms of redundancy to overcome them. Three notable techniques are Error Checking and Correction (ECC) codes, hardware system redundancy, and circuit-level testing and redundancy. ECC codes are used in substantially every computer to detect and possibly recover from the effects of soft errors on the values stored in main memory and machine registers. Depending on the code, one can detect one bit errors, two-bit errors, etc. Moreover, some codes can be used to undo or correct the effects of soft errors when they alter the values stored in main memory or machine register. ECC codes are useful in guarding data that is being stored in main memory or machine registers, and can also be used to guard data while it is being transferred (e.g., over a data bus). ECC codes, however, cannot be used in a straightforward manner in protecting against soft errors that may affect circuit logic, such as the Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU), the Branch Unit (BU), etc. For these components the hardware system redundancy and circuit-level testing and redundancy techniques are more effective.
Hardware-level redundancy can guard against the effects of soft errors and other types of failures as well. Systems and subsystems are replicated to detect and possibly recover from errors. This technique depends on the reasonable assumption that errors will occur differently in different replicas. The degree of replication can vary. For a degree of replication of 2, one can detect the effects of soft errors if they alter the results of computation in the replica in which the error occurs. This can be done by simply comparing the output of both replicas and declaring an error if the results do not match. One can increase the degree of replication to 3, in which case the "correct" result will be determined by voting. Assuming that one error occurs, it will drive one of the 3 replicas to produce an incorrect output that is different from the correct outputs that are generating by the two other replicas. Thus, a 2-out-of-3 voting can determine the correct input. Unfortunately, hardware redundancy requires deterministic execution by the application, which is not always feasible for modern, multithreaded applications that use a thread library such as POSIX Threads (pthread) or applications written in the Java® programming language developed by Sun Microsystems.
Circuit-level testing and redundancy are used to guard against the effects of soft errors as they relate to logical circuits that are used to compute rather than store information. For example, logical AND or OR gates can be affected by soft errors and produce erroneous results. Circuit-level testing and redundancy can guard against these errors by several techniques, all of which fundamentally depend on recomputing the values on the same circuit or similar circuit to produce the results at different times or places. The idea is that a transient error would affect the results in one of the two computations, and thus by comparing the results of the two computations one can detect the effect of the error if a discrepancy exists. This is similar to the system-level replication, except that it is done at the circuit level. As a result, the detection is done within the time span of executing a single instruction. This method is popular as it masks the effects of errors and simplifies the design of the upper system hardware and software layers.
The existing approaches have several shortcomings including cost, inefficiency, and rigidity. With respect to cost, adding redundancy at the hardware level or through system-level replication increases the cost of the design, test, manufacture, and deployment. Cost escalates because of the additional components that are needed to execute the circuit self-test, comparisons, and recomputations. These extra components also reduce the yield that we receive on semiconductor chip fabrication, and thus increase cost further.
Regarding the inefficiency of existing methods, the additional hardware and built-in tests reduce the speed of the machine at the lowest level, forcing circuit designers to use slower components and architectures. Existing methods also fail to exploit new features that can be used to implement redundancy at higher levels, such as simultaneous multi-threading (SMT) and multi-core chip design at the hardware level. It is desirable therefore if more efficient error detection and recovery techniques be implemented at a higher level and reduce the implementation overhead at the hardware level.
With respect to the rigidity of existing approaches, conventional error detection techniques do not generally reflect the actual deployment environment. For instance, the requirement of deterministic execution is necessary for system-level redundancy, which is very difficult to ascertain in real systems. These methods also fail to recognize that errors can occur at different rates in different environments, and that the importance of reliability in an application depends on its criticality. It is recognized that soft errors, for instance, occur more frequently at high altitudes than at sea level. Additionally, one would assume that it is more important to secure mission-critical applications than to secure entertainment programs against soft errors. Thus, it would be desirable if error detection and recovery can be adapted to offer a tradeoff in performance and cost versus the degree of error coverage and recovery that would be desired.

Error detection in a data processing system

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for controlling the autodoping during epitaxial silicon deposition. First, the substrate (10) is cleaned to remove any native oxide. After being cleaned, the substrate (10) is transferred to the deposition chamber in an inert or vacuum atmosphere to inhibit the growth of a native oxide on the surface of the wafers. A lower temperature (i.e., 500-850.degree. C.) capping layer (14) is deposited to prevent autodoping. Then, the temperature is increased to the desired deposition temperature and the remainder of the epitaxial layer (18) is deposited.

An integral part of bipolar and BiCMOS integrated circuits is an epitaxial layer which serves as the collector and provides a highly ordered crystalline layer into which subsequent diffusions and implants of dopants can be made during the device fabrication. A buried collector is diffused or implanted into patterned areas of the substrate before the epitaxial layer is formed. For fabrication of NPN transistors, lightly-doped n-type (or intrinsic) epitaxial silicon is deposited above the heavily doped n-type buried layer (sub-collector). The dopant concentration in the buried layer is typically about 3-5 orders of magnitude higher than in the epitaxial layer.
In the limiting case of RF circuits for BiCMOS technologies, isolation schemes are required that provide reduced collector-substrate capacitances for NPN bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) while supporting high packing density for MOS and bipolar junction transistors. The use of buried collectors with highly doped shallow junctions and reduced lateral diffusion allow lower isolation doses to support minimum device spacings. This reduced peripheral area of the buried layer results in a reduction in the peripheral component of the collector-substrate capacitance which is typically dominant in NPN transistors. In order to achieve formation of abrupt, low-resistance buried collectors, epitaxial deposition processes are needed which are capable of depositing thin (<2 um) films without significant diffusion of the dopant occurring during the deposition processes either into the substrate or into the forming epitaxial layer. It is also important to minimize loss of the buried layer dopant through evaporation during the epitaxial deposition process and to minimize the reincorporation of evaporated dopant (referred to as autodoping) either vertical or lateral to the buried layer.
Because of its higher solid solubility, arsenic (As) is the preferred dopant for the formation of the buried collector profile. However, due to a high sticking coefficient, arsenic has the disadvantage of making the epitaxial film growth process very susceptible to autodoping. Vertical autodoping effects the intrinsic collector doping and decreases collector-base breakdown voltages. Lateral autodoping compensates isolation autodoping and, in turn, degrades the trade-off between peripheral substrate capacitance and device packing density.
Conventional methods for forming an epitaxial layer use a high temperature (1150-1200.degree. C.) pre-bake in a hydrogen ambient before epitaxial deposition. The high temperature pre-bake removes the native oxide from the surface and causes dopants from the buried layer to outgas and evaporate into the gas ambient above the wafer surface or become mobile atoms absorbed to the wafer surface. Although lower temperatures can be used to effectively rid the surface of native oxide, the sticking coefficient if the arsenic atoms increases with decreasing temperature and can result in severe vertical and lateral autodoping profiles. For this reason, a high temperature pre-bake is typically used to remove the surface oxide and evaporate some of the arsenic from the surface while it exhibits lower propensity to stick to the surface. Low pressure is used during the pre-bake to draw the outgassed dopants away from the wafer surface and out of the reactor to exhaust. A thin epitaxial layer may next be deposited to cap the buried layer followed by a flush step to reduce the dopant concentration in the reactor after the dopant source has been capped. The temperature may then be further lowered (to minimize diffusion of the buried collector) to deposit the remaining portion of the epitaxial layer. The high temperatures involved in order to minimize autodoping cause significant amounts to outgas from the buried layers. Thus, the buried layers must be more heavily doped initially to compensate for the loss during the epitaxial pre-bake steps. This, in turn, allows more diffusion of the buried layer in the substrate consequently increasing collector-substrate capacitance and also requires higher temperature anneals to remove implant damage. A method that further reduces the amount of updiffusion and lateral autodoping is needed.

Process for controlling autodoping during epitaxial silicon deposition


A thin-film resistor with a layer structure with a Ti layer and a TiN layer is described, wherein a layer thickness of the Ti layer and a layer thickness of the TiN layer are selected such that a resulting temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) is smaller than 1000 ppm/° C.

In many discrete or integrated circuits, precise and, above all, temperature-independent or almost temperature-independent resistors are a substantial element to guarantee the needed accuracy of the circuit over the entire permitted temperature range.
The electrical resistance of most materials has a relatively high temperature dependence. In metals, the resistance generally increases with increasing temperature, with semiconductors, it decreases. The temperature coefficient of resistance, which in English is also called temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) and which is on the order of 4,000 ppm/° C. (ppm=part per million) for typical metals such as aluminum, is a measure for the temperature dependence. Only some special materials have a very small temperature dependence of resistance, with those, the TCR is close to 0 ppm/° C., depending on the manufacturing method. Examples for such materials are various alloys such as NiCr, NiCrAl, SiCr or compounds such as TaN.
In CMOS processes (CMOS=complementary metal oxide semiconductor), the wiring of the devices is made, as a rule, through several metal planes connected among each other by contacts. FIG. 4 shows a schematic design of the wiring planes of a standard CMOS device, or process, by example of a three-sheet metallization. The CMOS device comprises four sheets, a first sheet 410 with polysilicon conductive traces 412, a second sheet 420 with the first metal plane, or the first plane of metal conductive traces 422, a third sheet 430 with the second metal plane 432, or the second plane of metal conductive traces, and a fourth sheet 440 with a third metal plane 442, or a third plane of metal conductive traces, the conductors, i.e. the polysilicon conductive traces 412 as well as the conductive traces of the first metal plane 422, the second metal plane 432 and the third metal plane 442 being isolated by an isolator 450 of silicon oxide, and wherein the polysilicon conductive traces 412 are further connected to the conductive traces of the first metal plane 422 by a contact 414 and the conductive traces of the first metal plane 422, the second metal plane 432 and the third metal plane 442 are connected to the respective next metal plane by contacts 424 and 434.
For many applications, particularly in the field of integrated circuits fabricated in the so-called CMOS technology, temperature-independent resistors are needed as reference elements. However, all the resistor layers used as a standard in the CMOS process have TCR values significantly too high, so that they cannot be used for highly precise applications. Thus, in some cases, specially extended CMOS processes are employed, in which thin-film resistors are integrated with the above-mentioned materials. In association with CMOS processes, however, these materials have serious disadvantages. On the one hand, apparatuses for depositing and patterning these materials are not present in the common fabrication lines, only TaN is here an exception in processes with very small structure sizes. Therefore, their employment is associated with significant additional costs. On the other hand, most of the materials have a potentially negative influence on the CMOS devices. If contaminations which can be caused by these special materials come into the range of the devices, they can lead to significant parameter changes or even to a failure of the circuits.

Thin-film resistor with a layer structure and method for manufacturing a thin-film resistor with a layer structure

Fraunhofer—Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.


A resistance variable memory element and a method for forming the same. The memory element has an amorphous carbon layer between first and second electrodes. A metal-containing layer is formed between the amorphous carbon layer and the second electrode.

Resistance variable memory elements, which include Programmable Conductive Random Access Memory (PCRAM) elements, have been investigated for suitability as semi-volatile and non-volatile random access memory elements. A typical PCRAM device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,348,365, which is assigned to Micron Technology, Inc.
A PCRAM device typically includes chalcogenide glass as the active switching material. A conductive material, such as silver, is incorporated into the chalcogenide glass creating a conducting channel. During operation of the device, the conducting channel can receive and expel metal ions (e.g., silver ions) to program a particular resistance state (e.g., a higher or a lower resistance state) for the memory element through subsequent programming voltages, such as write and erase voltages. After a programming voltage is removed, the programmed resistance states can remain intact for an indefinite period, generally ranging from hours to weeks. In this way, the typical chalcogenide glass-based PCRAM device functions as a variable resistance memory having at least two resistance states, which define two respective logic states.
A chalcogenide glass-based device, however, can become unstable at higher temperatures. Accordingly, it is desired to have a resistance variable memory element based on materials other than chalcogenide glass, particularly a material that would provide improved thermal stability.

Amorphous carbon-based non-volatile memory


A method for coating a dielectric ceramic piece by a layer of electrical conductivity whereby the method consists of coating the ceramic piece with an electrically conductive paste and of growing a metal layer of good electrical conductivity upon this layer.

The present invention refers to a method with the objective of forming a layer with good electrical conductivity to different dielectric ceramic materials. In particular, the invention refers to a method for providing ceramic components for microwave band applications, e.g. ceramic resonators to be used in duplex filters and in the receiver front end pass filters. The advantages of these ceramic components are their small sizes and their minimal losses and their excellent stability.
Whenever ceramic materials are used in the microwave band, good electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance, and good adhesion of the ceramic surface are required of the coating.
The most commonly used coating methods today are coating by wire paste and chemical coating (wet process). Paste coating is a relatively expensive process. Chemical coating has several phases and may influence the electrical characteristics of the ceramic material. In order to obtain sufficient adhesion, the first etching treatments in the chemical coating process are different when different ceramic materials are used and therefore they have to be established separately for every material. In some cases, it is possible to provide the adhesive layer by sputtering, but this method is difficult in connection with components with deep holes or cavities.
The German application publication DE-3706951 discloses a method concerning metal coating of ceramic materials. According to this method, a thin metal coating is formed on the ceramic material by currentless coating, the metal coating is heat-treated and chemically etched to improve the adhesion, after which the surface of the ceramic material is metal-coated by a currentless coating process. This process includes several phases and different process phases should be applied to different ceramic materials.

Method for coating a dielectric ceramic piece


A pluggable optical transceiver with the CFP type and the MT ferrule is disclosed. The optical transceiver provides in a rear of the optical receptacle a mechanism to push frontward the MT ferrule set in the optical receptacle and to shield the inside of the optical transceiver. Inner fibers connecting the MT ferrule with another MT ferrule assembled with optical devices pass the mechanism, which may be a metal plate with the elastic function and/or a coil spring combined with a holder to hold the MT ferrule.

1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates to an optical transceiver, in particular, the present application relates to an optical transceiver that provides an MT ferrule to be mated with an external MPO (Multiple-fiber Push-ON) connector.
2. Background Arts
MPO connectors have been well known in the field of optical communication. A Japanese Patent Application laid open No. H10-123366A has disclosed an inner configuration of an MPO connector. The MPO connector connects fibers in one side with fibers in other sides; that is, the MPO connector optically couples a plurality of fibers collectively.
On the other hand, one type of multi-source agreements (MSA) has defined details of a pluggable optical transceiver called as Centum (100) gigabit From-factor Pluggable (hereafter denoted as CFP). The CFP transceiver in an original specification thereof provides an optical receptacle types of, what is called, the LC connector, the SC connector, and so on.
Recently, as the transmission speed of the optical communication system increases, where the speed reaches and sometimes exceeds 25 Gbps, the electro-magnetic interference (EMI) radiation becomes further important subject. As the transmission speed increase, namely, the frequency of the signals increases, which means the wavelength of the signals become shorter, the EMI noises with higher frequencies easily leak from gaps and/or spaces with smaller dimensions left in the housing of the optical transceiver. Moreover, an optical transceiver has been applied from the field of the trunk line and the subscriber lines to the field of the data center where data in many channels are sent in parallel and collectively. Accordingly, recent optical transceivers are requested to install an optical connector that secures many transmission fibers, typically, an MT connector. The present application is to provide an optical transceiver that installs the MT connector and lowers the EMI noises.

Optical transceiver installing MT ferrule to mate with MPO connector


A method and apparatus for managing content on a distributed storage system are described including receiving a request to schedule recording of the managed content from at least one of a plurality of networked recording device, the request including a reference for the managed content, determining a replication factor, selecting a number and selecting which of the plurality of networked recording devices are to record the managed content, determining actual program start time and one of starting content ingest and instructing the selected plurality of networked recording devices to start content ingest, fragmenting the requested content and distributing the fragmented content to the selected plurality of networked recording devices and transmitting at least unique content playback reference required to access the content on the distributed storage system.

As storage appears in consumer devices such as gateways, distributed virtual storage systems, using this storage, are also likely to proliferate. The present invention allows such storage networks to be used very effectively to store information common to many users and, in particular, relating to recordings off a schedule such as broadcast/multicast TV content.

Managing common content on a distributed storage system


A brush device for an electric machine having at least one brush and at least one element such as a helical, scroll, or plunger spring for pressing each brush against a rotating contact element, for example a commutator. In at least one further element for example a spring tab, counteracts a lifting of each brush away from the contact element. To this end, the spring tab is inclined at an angle, as a result of which it exerts a weaker action when the brush moves in the direction toward the contact element than it does counter to this direction. As a result, the brush can be repositioned, but is prevented from lifting away from the contact element. This also reduces the danger of vibrations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an improved brush device for an electrical machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A brush device of the type with which this invention is concerned has at least one brush and at least one element for pressing the brush against a preferably rotating contact element. As a rule, the pressing element is a helical spring or a scroll spring. The contact element can be a commutator or a slip ring. The pressing element should reposition the brush as it wears down and prevent it from lifting off, for example due the contact element being out of round. The more powerful the pressing element is designed to be, the less danger there is of a liftoff. But this also increases the wear. Finally, the necessary play in the guidance of the brush also permits the occurrence of undesirable vibrations due to fluctuations in the coefficient of friction.

Brush arrangement for an electric machine