The present invention relates to the use of a process for hydrogen production in which at least a part of a hydrocarbonaceous feed gas (a) is passed into a reformer (c), wherein the feed gas is contacted in the reformer with a catalyst and the feed gas is converted to hydrogen and solid carbon, for the direct production of a hydrogenous gas at filling stations for sale to a consumer, and also to a reactor (d) for hydrogen production.

There has been great interest in hydrogen as an energy carrier in the transport sector. Hydrogen is perceived as environmentally friendly, in particular, because no CO2 emissions are caused at its combustion by the end consumer. This view, however, ignores that greenhouse gas emissions are caused during its production and supply. Since energy losses occur at every energy conversion, the hydrogen supply infrastructure is, at present, relatively inefficient due to its complexity. This constitutes an essential disadvantage, in particular, in the spreading of hydrogen technologies for use as fuels, either in fuel cells or in internal combustion engines, as a substitution for non-renewable fossil fuels.
Hydrogen, a colorless and odorless gas that is almost insoluble in water, was discovered by the English scientist Henry Cavendish in 1766. On a laboratory scale, it is produced by the electrolysis of water or by the exposure of zinc or iron to diluted acids. On an industrial scale, it is produced by a two-step method, with CO and H2 being produced in a first step by burning hydrocarbons with steam, and CO being converted to CO2 in a second step by the water gas reaction (CO+H2O→CO2+H2). Carbon dioxide is then eliminated by scrubbing.
According to estimates of IEA, 95% of today's worldwide hydrogen production originates from carbon-containing raw materials, mostly of fossil origin. Most of the conventional processes convert said carbon to CO2, which escapes into the atmosphere. The knowledge about the influence of greenhouse gases on global climatic changes has now called for a reassessment of these conventional approaches. It may also be anticipated that underground storage of collected CO2, to the extent coupled with conventional steam reforming processes, will not rapidly lead to absolutely clean production of hydrogen from fossil energy carriers.
There are basically two ways of producing hydrogen from hydrocarbons, namely oxidizing conversion and non-oxidizing conversion.
Steam-reforming of natural gas (methane, in the first place), also referred to as SMR, is a very highly developed commercial bulk process, by which 48% of the world's hydrogen production is accomplished. This technology is also feasible with other raw materials such as ethane or naphtha, yet its efficiency will be lower with such higher-molecular substances (C. E. Gregoir Padro and V. Putsche, "Survey of the Economics of Hydrogen Technologies", September 1999, National Renewable Energy Laboratory). The SMR technology is based on the reaction of methane with steam in the presence of a catalyst. On an industrial scale, this process is run at about 800° C. and a pressure of 2.5 MPa. The first process stage comprises the conversion of methane with steam to CO and hydrogen. In the second stage, which is also referred to as water gas reaction, CO is further reacted with steam, thus yielding CO2 and additional hydrogen. With the aid of membranes, the occurring CO2 is separated from the product gas, which is free of other impurities in further process steps. The gas occurring in those steps, which, after all, consists of 60% combustible components, is recycled into the reformer.
With reference to the Kyoto Protocol and various national legislatures aimed at minimizing greenhouse gases, the greatest drawback of the SMR process is its high CO2 emission. To prevent this is the key issue of the present invention. Moreover, the process described herein encompasses the economic conversion of hydrocarbon to hydrogen gas and additionally exploitable fiber-shaped hydrocarbon (nanotubes).
Non-oxidizing methods include the thermal decomposition, also referred to as temperature-induced dissociation, the pyrolysis or the cracking of hydrocarbons to hydrogen and carbon.
The thermal decomposition of natural gas has been carried out for long and constitutes one of the most important processes for the production of carbon black. In this context, natural gas is decomposed at high temperatures ranging from 1200 to 1800° C. to form hydrogen and carbon black, wherein air, oxygen or steam are preferably admixed to both modify the carbon black formed and maintain the reactor temperatures. General literature on this topic can be taken from Monographie, Winnacker-Kuichler, Vol. 3, anorganische Technologie II, 4.sup.th Edition, Carl Hanser Verlag, 1983. A new development relating to the decomposition of methane was recently presented by the Norwegian enterprise Kvaemer, wherein hydrogen and carbon black are produced in a high-temperature plasma (CB&H Prozess, Proc. 12th World Hydrogen Energy Conference, Buenos Aires, 697, 1998). Advantages of that plasma-chemical process are its high thermal efficiency (>90%) and the purity of the produced hydrogen (98 vol. %). On the other hand, it is a very energy-intensive process.
In order to reduce the high reaction temperatures, catalyst-supported processes were proposed. There, it turned out those transition metals exhibited high activities in terms of methane decomposition, yet with the drawback of carbon layers depositing on the surfaces of the catalysts. In most cases, the thus formed carbon coat was burned off under air access in order to regenerate the catalyst, which, in turn, resulted in all of the carbon having been converted to CO2 and hydrogen having been the sole product to be utilized.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,868,921, Schmidt et al., reports on the conversion of unsaturated hydrocarbons, preferably ethylene, to carbon black at temperatures of about 600.degree. C. by the aid of nickel or cobalt catalysts applied on diatomaceous earth or ZnO, yet does not mention any appreciable synthesis of hydrogen. U.S. Pat. No. 2,760,847, Oblad et al., deals with the decomposition of low-molecular hydrocarbons for the production of hydrogen by contact reactions on transition metals of groups VI/b and VIII of the Periodic System, which are dispersed in liquid host metal phases. U.S. Pat. No. 3,284,161, Pohlenz et al., describes a process for continuously producing hydrogen by catalytically decomposing gaseous hydrocarbons. Methane is cracked in a catalyst fluidized bed at temperatures of between 815 and 1093° C. That process uses Ni, Fe and Co catalysts, preferably Ni/Al2O3, which are deposited on carriers. The catalyst coated with carbon is continuously removed from the reactor, and the carbon is burned in a regenerator, whereupon the recovered catalyst is recycled into the reactor.
Ermakova et al. examines the effect of the SiO2 content on Ni and Fe catalysts for the synthesis of carbon filaments, also proposing the efficiency of these catalysts for the preparation of hydrogen [Ermakova et al., Catalysis Today, 77, (2202), 225-235]. The authors report on Ni and Fe—SiO2 catalysts having metal contents of between 85 and 90 wt % and effectively decomposing methane into carbon filaments and hydrogen. The catalyst production comprises a two-stage process, wherein α-Ni(OH2) with a large specific surface area is dispersed into an SiO2-containing alcohol and the resulting mixture is calcined at temperatures of up to 700° C. Although the catalyst reduced at 700° C. had the smallest specific surface area (7 m2/g), it exhibited the highest catalytic activity. By way of comparison, the catalyst calcined at 250° C. according to BET had a specific surface area of 400 m2/g. Tests in which methane was catalytically decomposed revealed that methane can be decomposed by 16% with 10 mg catalyst. At a reaction temperature of 550° C. and a volume flow of 20 ml/min methane, the useful life of the catalyst was indicated with 30 hours. Various other catalysts are comprehensively known in the prior art.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,977 B, a method for producing hydrogen and nanotubes is described, in which a hydrocarbon gas is reacted in a reactor including two different zones, said zones differing in terms of temperature and catalyst composition.
JP 2003-146606A describes a method for producing hydrogen, in which hydrocarbons on carbon nanohorns are decomposed to hydrogen and carbon. Such carbon nanohorns constitute alternative catalyst surfaces to metals.
From JP 2004-236377A, a water gas shift reaction catalyst can be taken, which is comprised of a titanium nanotube. Such a catalyst can be used for reducing NOx from exhaust gases.
Another catalyst for the production of hydrogen is described in JP 2004-074061A. That catalyst is comprised of a carrier based on silica titanium carbon fibers or carbon nano-fibers, which is impregnated with palladium and nickel compounds.
A copper catalyst with a nano-carbon material for the recovery of hydrogen from methanol can be taken from CN 1586718A.
EP 1623957A describes a method for producing hydrogen, by which also nano-carbon compounds occur, wherein an Ni catalyst is preferably used. There is a considerable number of publications dealing with the synthesis of graphite fibers of less than 1 μm diameter, yet far more than 1 μm length. At least some generally acceptable base facts have been established on this topic.
Suitable catalysts are the transition elements of group VIII of the Periodic System, Fe, Ni and Co, which, in the presence of carbon, are able to form Me3C cementit phases that are metastable in certain temperature ranges. Although there is some kinetic stability, such Me-C systems will only be in a thermodynamic equilibrium if metal and graphite are present as separate phases.
The carbon supplying species must form a stable vapor or gas phase at least in a defined time interval.
The diameter of the catalytically formed fibers or whiskers is directly related to the size of the catalyst particles.
Key technologies required for the breakthrough of hydrogen as a fuel, in addition to the production of hydrogen, also relate to its storage, transport and conversion into energy.
Hydrogen can be stored in large amounts only with energy expenditures, usually either as a gas or as a liquid. Gasometers are used for very large volumes. Medium quantities are stored as a gas in pressure tanks at about 30 bar. Smaller amounts can be filled into high-pressure gas bottles of steel or carbon-fiber-reinforced composite material at, presently, up to 400 bar. Yet, hydrogen can also be stored in liquid form at minus 253° C. All these types of storage involve considerable energy expenditures, both in terms of storage and in terms of maintaining, e.g., a cooled storage tank. The supply of a filling station network may finally be realized by the aid of tank trucks. If hydrogen is stored in high-pressure gas bottles of steel, only very little gas can be transported at a considerable weight. Thus, a 40-ton truck will only be able to transport about 530 kilograms of gaseous hydrogen in steel bottles. By contrast, the transport of deep-frozen liquefied hydrogen in extremely well-insulated, double-walled tank containers is economical even for large volumes. The same 40-ton truck, with the appropriate tank system, will be able to load around 3300 kilograms of liquid hydrogen. As in the case of storage, considerable energy losses will have to be taken into account during transportation. An essential prerequisite for the introduction of hydrogen as a fuel for vehicles is a production and distribution system that must not be more complicated than today's system.
In order to shorten transport paths, U.S. Pat. No. 6,432,283B1 proposes to produce hydrogen from water directly at filling stations through electrolysis. Due to the high energy consumption in the form of electric power during the electrolysis of water, this method is, however, neither economical nor ecological, considering that current is primarily obtained by the combustion of fossil fuels.
Another problem involved in the use of hydrogen as a fuel for motor vehicles is its low energy density as compared to gasoline or diesel. Fuel consumption will consequently be higher, and vehicles will have to be equipped with larger tanks. In order to adjust the energy content of fuel to the respective demand, superior fuels are sought, which are relatively environmentally compatible. Hythane-operated vehicles are regarded as an intermediate stage towards vehicles operated by pure hydrogen. Hythane is a mixture of hydrogen and methane with variable composition portions. From CA 2141065 and EP 0805780B1, a method for producing hythane from methane is known, which has a composition comprising a hydrogen portion of about 5-20%. In a pilot project performed with hythane-operated buses in Montreal, it could be demonstrated that hythane-operated buses were significantly more environmentally compatible than buses operated with natural gas (methane). By that choice of fuel, the NO emission, for instance, was reduced by about 50%. The portion of hydrogen in the fuel amounted to 20 vol % (or 6% of the energy portion) in that project. When classifying hythane, it is also to be considered that pure hydrogen will not burn NON-free per se. Due to the high combustion temperature of hydrogen at a comparable air/fuel ratio, higher NO emissions will actually occur by its utilization in an internal combustion engine (air oxygen). Optimally low NO emissions with the use of hythane can be achieved at a hydrogen portion of between 20 and 30%.
The establishment of a hydrogen-oriented infrastructure is an expensive project. Not only production costs will have to be lowered, but also transport and storage costs will have to be reduced. At present, hydrogen is not able to compete on the market with conventional hydrocarbon-based fuels. It is an object of the present invention to both accelerate this transition and enable the supply of motor vehicles with hydrogen at filling stations. It is a further object to provide a suitable reactor for the production of hydrogen, which can be used at filling stations in an economic manner.

Use of a process for hydrogen production


The invention relates to a method for assigning an identity certificate (I1, I2) transmitted by a vehicle (16, 18) to an object (O1, O2, O3, O4), which is detected by a sensor device (28) in identification apparatus (22) external to the vehicle. To this end, the identification apparatus receives the identity certificate (I1, I2), measures by means of the sensor device (28) a first value (V1) relating to at least one operating parameter of the object, receives a second value (V1, V2) of the vehicle (16, 18) relating to the at least one operating parameter and determined by the vehicle (16, 18) itself, compares the first value and the second value of each operating parameter with each other and assigns the identity certificate (I1) to the object (O1) if the two values for each operating parameter match.

The invention relates to a method for verifying, whether an object detected by a sensor device is a particular vehicle of which it is known that the vehicle must be located in the vicinity of the sensor device. The invention also relates to a detection device with the sensor arrangement. The detection device is part of an infrastructure component, such as a gate, i.e. the detection device is installed external to a vehicle in an area that can be approached by the vehicle. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle, which is configured to communicate with the detection device. The motor vehicle may, for example, be a passenger car.
To assist a driver with maneuvering a vehicle in traffic, a corresponding sensor can be provided in a vehicle, which monitors the environment of the vehicle and which displays to the driver information about an obstacle located in the vicinity of the vehicle. Nowadays, many assistance functions exist for many different maneuvers (parking, passing, lane keeping assistance) so that the number of on-board sensors of the vehicle can be correspondingly large. DE 10 2011 077 592 A1 discloses removing some of the sensors of a lane-keeping assistance from the vehicle and installing them at the roadside in the form of transmission towers. Such a transmission tower then sends information that is necessary for providing corresponding assistance functionality to the passing vehicles.
Moving a sensor to an infrastructure component is especially difficult in relation to values that are measured individually for each vehicle. For example, a parking assistant can be realized at a parking lot by detecting with a vehicle-external sensor, for example an ultrasonic sensor or a camera, a vehicle moving onto the parking lot and transmitting the measured values to the vehicle for displaying to a driver the measured values, for example, the remaining space or even a picture of the rear of his vehicle, on a screen in the motor vehicle.
If two parking spaces next to each other are equipped with such an infrastructure component and if two vehicles are parking at the same time, it must be ensured that the distance values of the own vehicle are displayed to each driver on his screen.
A vehicle can be identified unambiguously and spatially using currently available techniques, which is necessary, for example, in the aforedescribed piloted parking application, only by installing additional devices in the vehicles and the infrastructure components and only by establishing clearly defined and spatially limited areas (e.g. a transit corridor with induction loop). In such a spatially limited area, an additional identification feature can then be received by the vehicle, for example from an RFID tag carried by the vehicle, or from a magnetic card inserted by the driver into a reading device), so that it can be made clear based on the identification feature in which area the infrastructure component is supposed to transmit the detected signals.

Method for identifying a vehicle detected by a sensor device


A pneumatic emergency brake assurance module comprises a high capacity transfer valve connected in a first position to the output of the variable load relay valve and in a second position connected to a source of emergency braking air pressure. A timing reservoir is in communication with the pilot port of the high capacity transfer valve. A check valve/choke circuit provides parallel connections between a double check valve and the output of the variable load relay valve such that flow from the variable load relay valve passes through a charging choke and opposite flow to the variable load relay valves passes through a dissipation choke.

1. Field of the Invention
It is well known in the brake control art that modern train brake control systems typically use a central controller unit to control the brakes of the rail vehicles that comprise the train. A train operator located in the lead locomotive manipulates the brake handles or like devices of the train to apply and release the brakes of the trucks or bogies on each rail vehicle as desired. The inputs from the brake handles are typically processed by a cab control unit and passed to the central controller unit. In response to these and other inputs, the central controller unit issues a brake command signal along a train line to each of the rail vehicles in the form of either a pneumatic signal or an electrical signal or even both. Brake equipment on each of the rail vehicles applies or releases the brakes according to the dictates of the particular brake command signal received. The central controller unit sends the brake command signal to each of the rail vehicles along either a pneumatic train line or an electrical train line.
2. Description of Related Art
Depending on the type of train being considered, the brake equipment on each rail vehicle may include either exclusively pneumatic equipment or a combination of electrical and pneumatic (i.e., electro-pneumatic) equipment. In those trains featuring electro-pneumatic brake equipment on the rail vehicles, each rail vehicle typically includes a local control system whose construction and operation are generally well known in the brake control art. The local control system on each rail vehicle receives the brake command signal and various other signals in response to which it directly controls the electro-pneumatic equipment according to principles well known in the brake control art. Specifically, the local control system generates the electrical signals which open or close the various valves which supply pressure to or vent pressure from the brake cylinders. The brakes on each rail vehicle apply and release accordingly.
The prior art brake control systems discussed in the foregoing paragraphs typically provide service braking, emergency braking, and wheel slip control functions. The local control system includes a microprocessor-based device which performs service brake control, limited emergency brake control, and wheel slip control. Associated with the brakes on each bogie is a Brake Cylinder Control Unit (BCCU) which manipulates brake cylinder pressure based on pneumatic and/or electric inputs from the local control unit. It provides service and emergency brake cylinder pressure control as well as wheel slip brake cylinder pressure modulation. The BCCU has integrated magnet valves and transducers which are monitored and controlled by the local control unit. The primary functional element of the BCCU is a Variable Load Relay Valve (VLRV) that provides a controlled pneumatic pressure to the brake cylinders. The output of the VLRV is a function of the pressure at its pilot pressure control port and an input indicative of vehicle load. The pilot pressure commands brake cylinder pressures during service braking. The pressures are related, for example, to speed and vehicle weight. In an emergency, the pilot pressure port of the VLRV is controlled for emergency stopping which may include modulation of brake cylinder pressure to minimize wheel slipping. Typically, the source of pilot pressure commands for service braking and emergency braking are different and are selected by an Emergency Magnet Valve (EMV) controlled by the local control system.
Prior to this invention, the reduction of emergency brake pressure during wheel slip was either inhibited (prevented) or monitored by a hardware electronic safety timer. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,579 entitled "Brake Assurance Module." Depending on the configuration of the pneumatic brake components and wheel slip control components, often the use of an electronic hardware safety timer is insufficient for protecting against extended periods of brake reductions without sufficient periods of brake application. Inhibiting wheel slip control often results in wheel slides and wheel lockups with extended stopping distances. With increasing demand for wheel protection in all brake modes along with increased emphasis on system safety, the pneumatic brake assurance module according to this invention becomes necessary, and easy to configure and analyze. Moreover, the pneumatic brake assurance module according to this invention will:
1. assure that emergency brake is applied;
2. provide a known reliability analysis of the emergency brake modes;
3. provide a means to allow wheel slip protection of the emergency brake for fixed limited periods of time;
4. provide a non-electronic method to force emergency braking to the required level; and
5. allow software-controlled blending and wheel slip control of emergency brake modes.

Pneumatic emergency brake assurance module


A primary housing for a motorcycle engine includes an inner housing that defines internal coupling apertures, transmission coupling apertures, and external coupling apertures. Internal fasteners extend through the internal coupling apertures and the transmission coupling apertures to couple the inner housing to the crankcase and the transmission. An outer housing defines coupling apertures that align with the external coupling apertures and fasteners extend through the coupling apertures, through the external coupling apertures, and into the engine crankcase to couple the inner and outer housings to the crankcase. A resonant damping device is rigidly or moveably coupled to an anti-node region of the outer housing to reduce noise emissions from the outer housing during engine operation.

The present invention relates to a primary drive housing assembly for a motorcycle engine. In a motorcycle engine in which the engine assembly is separate from the transmission assembly, a primary drive assembly is utilized to transfer rotary output from the engine crankshaft to an input shaft of the transmission assembly. The primary drive assembly can include a number of suitable power transmission elements including gearing arrangements, belt and pulley systems, and chain and sprocket systems. In addition to the power transmission elements of the primary drive assembly, many primary drive assemblies include housings that protect and/or support the power transmission elements. The housings may also function to contain oil or other fluids for lubrication of the power transmission elements.
In some instances the primary housing may comprise a relatively large and exposed portion of the motorcycle engine. As such, the aesthetic appearance of the housing may be of some concern. Furthermore, dynamic excitation forces, such as those generated during engine operation, may result in resonance of the primary housing. Such resonance can contribute to undesirable noise during vehicle operation.

Primary housing assembly for a motorcycle engine

Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group, Inc.


The electric power supply device for a slide structure includes: a casing which receives a wiring harness folded in a U-shape; a slider which holds a movable end of the wiring harness and slidably engages with the casing; and a harness supporting member which slidably contactually engages with a folded part of the wiring harness and includes a supporting plate body for supporting an inner side face of the wiring harness. The device prevents the wiring harness from hanging down or bending when the slide structure is moved, so that a smooth and secure slide operation is attained.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric power supply device for a slide structure, which securely prevents a long wiring harness arranged in a casing by being folded in a U-shape from being bent, coping with a long-sliding-type slide structure such as a slide door and slide seat of a motor vehicle.
(2) Description of the Related Art
FIG. 15 shows an example of a conventional electric power supply device as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-342807.
An electric power supply device 61 is mounted on a slide door of a motor vehicle and includes a long casing 63 for receiving a flat wiring harness 62 by folding it in a U-shape, a flexible reinforcing plate 64 provided on an outer surface of the flat wiring harness 62, a slider 65 provided on a movable end of the flat wiring harness 62, and a rail 66 for slidably engaging with the slider 65.
The reinforcing plate 64 is made of a thin steel material and sticks to a magnetized wall 67 of the casing 63 so as to prevent the flat wiring harness 62 from hanging down. The movable end of the flat wiring harness 62 is connected to a wiring harness 68 at the slider 65, while a fixed end of the flat wiring harness 62 is connected to a wiring harness 69 on the side of the slide door.
When the slide door is opened or closed, the slider 65 moves back and forth along the rail 66, while the flat wiring harness 62 moves back and forth integrally with the slider 65 as being bent in a U-shape so as to absorb a stroke of opening and closing slide door. Thereby, electric power or electric signal is always supplied from the body-side of the vehicle to auxiliary machines of the slide door.
However, as for the conventional electric power supply device 61 as described above, since the flat wiring harness 62 is used as a wiring harness, the number of circuits or supplying current is limited. Further, since the reinforced plate 64 made of steel material is used and the wall 67 of the casing 63 is magnetized to make the reinforced plate 64 adhered to the wall 67 magnetically, causing a complicated structure and increase in cost.
Therefore, instead of the flat wiring harness 62, an electric power supply device (not shown) has been proposed, in which device a normal wiring harness having a cross section of a round shape or rectangular shape is used for preventing the wiring harness from hanging down due to its stiffness.
However, as for the electric power supply device described above, if the slide stroke is short, it works well, but on the other hand, if the slide stroke is long as seen in a case of an electric power supply device 71 for a long slide door or long slide seat of a motor vehicle as shown in FIGS. 16-18, when the slide structure such as the slide door or slide seat moves, as shown in FIG. 17, the wiring harness 72 hangs down or bends during the movement, and when the wiring harness 72 is being slid further, as shown in FIG. 18, the wiring harness 72 is folded repeatedly, causing that the wiring harness 72 can not be slid further. Here, in FIG. 16, the reference numeral 73 denotes the slider and 74 denotes the casing.

Structure for receiving and supporting a folded wiring harness


The invention provides a method and apparatus for dividing a package removed from a bird, which may include intestines, liver and heart with lungs, into separate parts. Using the method and apparatus, firstly the heart-lungs assembly is cut loose from the package, whereafter the intestines and liver are separated. For cutting loose the heart-lungs assembly, a cutting means positioned alongside a conveyor for the package may be applied, whereas the separation of the intestines and liver may be carried out through a separating means cooperating with the conveyor. As the conveyor, a rotating disc with reception slots for the packages may be considered. In the alternative, a chain conveyor comprising carriers with reception slots is also possible.

The prevent invention relates to a method for dividing a package removed from a bird, comprising intestines, liver and heart with lungs, in separate parts. Further, the invention related to an apparatus for carrying out the inventive method.
The separate parts of a package comprising intestines, liver, and heart with lungs have different destinations, such that it is required to separate them. After such a package has been eviscerated from a bird in a way known per se, the package is presently divided into separate parts manually.

Method and apparatus for dividing a package removed from a bird


A touch probe for use on a coordinate positioning machine includes a stylus module and a sensing module securable to a movable arm of the positioning machine for releasably supporting the stylus module. The sensing module can include a sensor for detecting contact between the stylus and a surface and/or for detecting displacement of the stylus module relative to the movable arm. The stylus includes a support structure, releasably supported by the stylus module, and a stylus-supporting member for supporting the stylus, with the stylus-supporting member being biased into a rest position with respect to the support structure. The stylus-supporting member is displaceable from the rest position and relative to the support structure when a deflection force acts on the stylus, and returns to the rest position when the deflecting force is removed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a touch probe which carries a surface contacting stylus, and is used on a coordinate positioning machine to sense the position of, for example, a workpiece surface. More particularly, the invention relates to a touch probe on which a number of different styli may be interchangeably supported.
One type of known touch probe is a "touch-trigger" probe. Touch-trigger probes emit a trigger signal upon sensing contact between a stylus carried by the probe and a surface. Typically, such a probe comprises a fixed structure, such as a housing, by which the probe may be supported on the movable arm of a coordinate positioning machine (such as a coordinate measuring machine or machine tool), and a stylus-supporting member. The stylus-supporting member is supported within the housing in a rest position from which it may be displaced when a deflecting force is applied to the stylus as a result of contact between the sensing tip of the stylus and the surface of a part to be inspected (this is known as "overtravel"). A biasing force is provided to bias the supporting member into the rest position, so that irrespective of the orientation of the probe, upon removal of the deflecting force the supporting member returns precisely to the rest position. Such a probe is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,153,998. Another type of known probe is a "measuring" or "scanning" probe, which has a stylus carrying member suspended by a mechanism providing controlled deflections of the carrying member in 3-dimensions relative to the fixed structure of the probe. Transducers in the probe measure the magnitude and direction of these deflections relative to a reference point on the fixed structure (which is in turn fixedly connected to the movable arm of the machine). As a crash protection feature the stylus is retained on the carrying member by a biasing force, which biases the stylus into a repeatable rest position relative to the carrying member. The stylus may thus be displaced (in opposition to the biasing force) from its rest position on the carrying member in the event of a deflection of the stylus larger than that permitted by the suspension mechanism, thereby avoiding damage to the stylus. Such probes are known from WO89/05435.
It is frequently necessary to inspect parts of a relatively complex shape, having surfaces which are oriented in a variety of directions. One way to perform such inspection is to provide a probe with a suitably shaped stylus, which has one or more sensing tips oriented in such a way that the surface of the part to be inspected may easily be contacted. In order to provide a truly flexible measuring system however, it is necessary to provide automatic changing of one or more such styli on a probe.
2. Description of Related Art
Such an automatic stylus-changing system is known from, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,119, in which a magnetic clamping device is provided on the stylus-supporting member to enable releasable clamping of a plurality of different styli to the stylus-supporting member.
A problem with touch probes having stylus-changing systems is that different lengths of styli ideally require different biasing forces (a) due to the different weights of their differing lengths and (b) to prevent overloading of short styli. Manual adjustment of the biasing force each time a stylus is changed is impractical since such a stylus changing system is ideally automated to provide flexible part inspection. Automatic adjustment mechanisms for the biasing force (such as the one shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,003) are complex and undesirably add to the weight of the probe.


A composite plate-shaped fuel cell component includes two electrically conductive porous plates juxtaposed and in area electrical contact with one another at an interface, and a sealant body accommodated in and completely filling the pores of a sealed region of each of the porous plates that extends to a predetermined distance from the interface into the respective porous plate to form a fluid impermeable barrier between the porous plates and to bond the porous plates to one another at the interface. The sealant body includes at least one layer of a fluoroelastomer sealant that fills all of the pores of at least one of the sealed regions.

There are already known various constructions of fuel cell devices, most if not all of which include a multitude of individual fuel cells that are arranged in fuel cell groups or stacks. As is well known, each such fuel cell includes an anode, a cathode, and a quantity of electrolyte or another ion transfer or exchange medium being present at least between (and often also within) the anode and the cathode. Then, as hydrogen (or another gaseous fuel) and oxygen (as such or as an ingredient of air) are supplied to the anode and the cathode, respectively, an electrochemical reaction takes place in each of such individual fuel cells, resulting in the formation of water as the reaction product, with attendant creation of electrical potential difference between the anode and the cathode that is then utilized, ordinarily in conjunction with that created in the other fuel cells, to supply electric power to an external user device or circuit. At least the effective region of each anode and of each cathode has to have a porous structure to allow penetration of at least the gaseous fuel and the oxygen, respectively, therethrough from the respective gaseous medium supply side to the areas at which the usually catalytically promoted electrochemical reaction takes place in the presence of the electrolyte. When arranged in a fuel cell stack, the individual fuel cells are typically separated from one another by respective separator plates that are interposed between the fuel cells and are usually electrically conductive but, to the extent possible, impervious both to liquids and gases.
Experience especially with fuel cell devices employing acid electrolytes has shown that separator plates that have the required degree of fluid, and particularly gas, impermeability are very difficult to make and hence expensive. Moreover, even if such discrete separator plates were less expensive than they currently are, they still constitute additional components Of the fuel cell stack which have to be separately stored, handled and ultimately assembled with the other components into the fuel stack. This further adds to the already considerable cost of the fuel cell stack or device.
To avoid these problems, it has been previously proposed, for instance in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,992 to Dettling et al, issued on March 1985, and in the commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,929,517 issued on May 29, 1990 to Luoma et al, to dispense with such discrete or separator plates, albeit not with their function. As disclosed there, this is achieved by forming a laminated assembly including two porous electrolyte retention plates in area contact with one another all over one major surface of each of them, with a sealant material initially present as a sheet between the two aforementioned major surfaces being forced during the performance of the lamination process to penetrate to a predetermined depth into the pores of both of the porous electrolyte retention plates in such a manner as to ideally completely fill or plug the affected pores and thus prevent fluid flow through such pores between the electrolyte retention plates.
Obviously, the material to be used as the sealant has to be compatible with the environment in which it is being used. This means that it not only must be highly invulnerable to the various gaseous and liquid media with which it may come into contact during the operation of the fuel cell device, such as oxygen, hydrogen, phosphoric acid or the like, that is, not to react therewith or not to be dissolved thereby, but also must be capable of withstanding the temperatures and temperature changes encountered during the lamination process and later during the use of the fuel cell device without suffering damage that would destroy or compromise its function as a fluid impermeable barrier. This drastically limits the choice of such materials.
Up to now, it was believed that only the materials mentioned in the above patents, and more particularly tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), perfluoroalkoxy tetrafluoroethylene (PFA), chlorinated tetrafluoroethylene (CTFE) or fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) are capable of satisfying the rigorous demands on the sealant to be used for this purpose. Unfortunately, it has been established that the performance of even these rather high-quality materials leaves much to be desired. In searching for the cause of their less than satisfactory performance, it has been determined that it is attributable, at least in part, to the difference between the coefficient of thermal expansion of the respective one of the above materials and that of the porous electrolyte retention plate (usually graphite or other carbonaceous material or mixture containing such carbonaceous material) which in turn, resulted in high residual internal stresses in the laminated assembly as the latter cooled from the lamination temperature. These residual stresses are so high for all of the above materials that they cause microcracking of the assembly with resultant fluid leakage through the sealant region.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to avoid the disadvantages of the prior art.
More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a plate-shaped laminated fuel cell assembly including two porous components and an internal fluid impermeable barrier, which assembly does not possess the disadvantages of the known assemblies of this kind.
Still another object of the present invention is to devise a method of providing the laminated assembly of the type here under consideration in such a manner as to assure that the sealant constituting the fluid impermeable barrier penetrates to the desired depth into each of the porous components.
A concomitant object of the present invention is to develop the method of the above kind in such a manner as to be relatively simple and inexpensive to perform and yet to obtain reliable results.

Method of manufacturing a laminated fuel cell component with an internal fluid impermeable barrier


The invention relates to a composition, especially a cosmetic composition, comprising at least one ester of polyol(s) and of fatty diacid dimer or an ester thereof, at least one acrylic film forming agent and at least one tackifier, as well as to methods of using such compositions.

Many cosmetic compositions, including pigmented cosmetics such as foundations and lipsticks, have been formulated in an attempt to posses long wearing properties upon application. Unfortunately, many of these compositions do not generally possess both good long-wear/transfer-resistance properties and good application properties.
For example, commercial products containing silicon resins such as MQ resins are known. Such products are known to provide good long wear properties and/or transfer-resistance. However, such compositions possess poor application properties and poor feel upon application (owing to the film formed by the MQ resin).
Thus, there remains a need for improved cosmetic compositions having improved cosmetic properties, particularly good wear, feel, and texture characteristics upon application.
Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is a care and/or makeup and/or treatment composition for keratinous materials which has good cosmetic properties such as, for example, good shine, feel, wear and/or texture properties upon application.

Compositions containing an acrylic film former, a tackifier and an ester


Provided herein are methods for making water-soluble nanoparticles comprising a core/shell nanocrystal that is coated with a surface layer comprising enough hydrophilic ligands to render the nanoparticle water soluble or water dispersable. Methods for crosslinking molecules on the surface of a nanoparticle, which methods can be used on the above water-soluble nanoparticles also are provided. Nanoparticle compositions resulting from these methods are also provided.

Nanocrystals are fluorescent particles that are widely used to study biochemical and even biological systems, because they are easily visualized and tracked. They serve as labels that are easily observed by their fluorescence emissions, and permit a user to track them to study the location, transport, or environment of biochemicals or cells that are attached to a nanocrystal. Or a nanocrystal can be linked to a specific affinity agent like an antibody, and can then be used to visualize the corresponding antigen, to learn about its location, transport or environment. Because of their widespread use in biochemical and biological systems, it is important to make nanocrystals compatible with those systems. One aspect of compatibility is water solubility: while a nanocrystal is a particle that does not truly dissolve, it behaves in many ways like a soluble molecule because of its small size. Thus a nanoparticle that has a surface adapted to be compatible with water often behaves as though it were soluble in water, and will at times be referred to herein as water-soluble even though it may more properly be viewed as water-dispersable.
Methods for making core/shell nanocrystals that are fluorescent and have hydrophobic surfaces are well known. The hydrophobic surfaces of these nanocrystals typically result from a coating of hydrophobic passivating ligands such as trioctylphosphine (TOP), trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO), oleic acid, octylphosphonic acid (OPA) or tetradecylphosphonic acid (TDPA) on the surface of the particle. These hydrophobic passivating ligands serve many roles, including, but not limited to: protecting the surface of the nanocrystal by keeping reactive molecules (and even the solvent) away from the nanocrystal surface, prevent the coalescence of multiple nanoparticles, prevent "dangling bonds and other similar surface defects that could serve as trap sites for an excited electron or hole and thereby promote non-radiative recombination (i.e., reduce the quantum yield), or protect the nanocrystal from reactions that could occur when it is in a photoactivated state. These ligands provide a layer of alkyl groups that form the solvent-exposed surface surrounding the nanocrystal, and thus they render the nanocrystal effectively hydrophobic, regardless of the properties of the nanocrystal surface itself. These intimately associated ligands and the nanocrystal they are associated with form a nanoparticle. Because the surface of the nanocrystal has many binding sites for such ligands, these ligands are packed onto the surface of the nanocrystal to form a surface layer of ligand molecules. This typically results in coating most or all of the exposed surface of the nanocrystal with a layer of alkyl groups hanging off of the ligands, and produces a nanocrystal with a surface that is very hydrophobic, i.e., incompatible with water.
Several ways of modifying nanocrystals to make them more water-soluble have been reported. One successful approach involves using the hydrophobic nature of the exposed surface to adhere a hydrophilic moiety. Adams, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,649,138) used this approach: they constructed amphiphilic polymers having polar groups (carboxylates) and long-chain alkyl groups (hydrophobic domains), and introduced these amphiphilic polymers onto the hydrophobic surface of conventional nanocrystals. The hydrophobic domains of the AMPs 'stick' to the hydrophobic surface layer of the nanoparticles, exposing the polar carboxylates of the AMP to the exterior environment. This makes nanoparticles that have an outermost surface that is sufficiently polar to make the nanoparticle water soluble. This approach works well for certain applications, but it results in adding an additional layer on the outside of a nanocrystal, so it actually makes the nanoparticle larger.
Others have approached this problem by replacing the typical phosphine/phosphine oxide or other hydrophobic ligands with smaller moieties that do not have the long, hydrophobic alkyl groups that produce a hydrophobic surface on a conventional nanocrystal. Naasani, et al., for example, produced nanocrystals having relatively polar dipeptides on their surfaces. U.S. Pat. No. 6,955,855. These dipeptides use a binding group, e.g., imidazole ring, to coordinate to the nanocrystal surface, and they have a carboxylate and an amine in addition to the binding group that can be free to promote water solubility and/or to participate in crosslinking. This provided a much smaller nanoparticle than those of Adams, et al., and also provided a surface that was sufficiently polar to make the nanoparticle water-dispersable.
For some applications, there are certain advantages to making a nanoparticle as small as possible, especially for certain biological applications. For example, smaller particles diffuse more rapidly, have less effect on a molecule they are attached to, and may have less tendency to accumulate in specific tissues in vivo, where larger particles seem to get trapped by 'filtration' effects. See, e.g., Ballou, et al., Bioconjugate Chem., vol. 15, 79-86 (2004). Thus better methods for making nanocrystals into water-soluble nanoparticles are needed, preferably methods that keep these nanoparticles as small as possible while making them highly stable and maintaining their essential fluorescence characteristics. This disclosure provides methods for achieving such objectives, and thus provides compositions and methods that produce improved nanoparticles, especially small, stable, water-soluble ones.


A video camera recorder comprises an imaging means receiving an optical image and generating an image representative video signal, and a viewfinder for viewing the optical image. A synchronizing signal generator is coupled to the imaging means and to a recording means which is coupled to the imaging means. A control means for optimizing power conservation has a first mode which enables operation of the synchronizing signal generator and inhibits operation of the imaging and recording means. In a second mode the control means enables the synchronizing signal generator and recording means for reproducing a recorded image representative video signal and inhibits operation of the imaging means. In a third mode the control means enables the imaging means, the synchronizing signal generator and the recording means for recording the image representative video signal from the imaging means.

This invention is directed to the field of portable electronic recording cameras and in particular to the reduction of power consumption and manufacturing costs.
Video recording cameras, or camcorders, typically utilize a solid state imager. The imager generates an image signal which is processed to form a video signal for television viewing or recording. Typically a camcorder includes a viewing device, or viewfinder, for viewing the scene, which may additionally be utilized for reviewing recorded material. The recording section may utilize a magnetic tape recording medium, magnetic disk, or solid state memory. The complete camera and recorder may be battery powered, often by a rechargeable battery.
A typical camcorder is illustrated in FIG. 1, and may be considered to comprise the major functional blocks shown. A zoom lens 100 is provided to gather illumination from a scene, and form a focused image on an imaging device 205. The zoom lens 100, usually provides control of three parameters namely, focus 110, zoom or magnification 120, and iris or aperture 130. Control of these optical parameters are usually facilitated by physical movement of constituent parts within the lens. For example, the iris or lens opening may be provided by a multi-blade diaphragm, zoom and focus may be facilitated by the repositioning of internal lenses. Often such mechanical movements are provided by electrically powered motors, frequently servo controlled to provide automatic optimization of the controlled parameter.
Imaging device 205, may for example be a charge coupled device or CCD, depicted FIG. 1 as part of a video signal generator 200. The video signal generator processes signals received from the CCD to stabilize black and white levels therein, to automatically control white balance, and to pre-correct or gamma correct the generated video signal for cathode ray tube, CRT, viewing. In addition processing is provided to enhance picture sharpness and to provide servo control signals for coupling to the lens for focus and iris control.
The processed video signals are encoded by encoder 300, which produces a standard color signal for television viewing. In addition a video signal is generated for coupling to a viewfinder 50. Luminance and encoded color subcarrier signals are generated by the encoder and record processed by amplifier 505 which is coupled to heads on head drum 510.
Recorder 500 is depicted as a magnetic tape recorder, utilizing a rotating head assembly or drum 510 comprising, for example, record, replay and erase heads. A capstan 520 with pinch roller 530 is employed to move the recording medium. Recorder 500 is shown loaded and threaded with tape 504 withdrawn from tape cassette 501 by threading mechanism and motor 527. The cassette comprises a tape supply reel 502 and a take up reel 503. Head drum 510 is rotated by motor 515 and is synchronized with the video signal, similarly capstan 520 is rotated by motor 525 which is also synchronized with the video signal.
The luminance and coloring signals are processed by a record and play back amplifier 505 which generates signals for recording and reproduction by heads mounted on the periphery of head drum 510. Reproduced signals from amplifier 505 are coupled to encoder 300 for viewfinder viewing and for processing to form a standard TV signal. The camcorder is controlled by a microprocessor 400 which operates in conjunction with a recorder mechanism controller 560.
Audio signals are captured by a microphone 70 and amplified by amplifier 75. In addition amplifier 75 may generate an audio modulated signal for recording and include a demodulator for audio reproduction and output coupling.
Camcorder 10 is powered by a battery 600, which for example, may be a rechargeable type having a nickel cadmium structure. Typically camcorders may function as a recording camera, or a VCR play back device. Battery power consumption is greatest when recording, and increases further with frequency of zoom lens and iris operation. Often a record pause mode is provided which allows recording to be halted and resumed without a visible replay disturbance. However, this mode frequently provides only minimal power savings, since in order to provide rapid resumption of recording, the head drum motor and capstan pinch roller often remain powered.
It is desirable that camcorder power consumption be reduced, for example, to provide increased operating time with a specific battery size or chemistry. Reduced power consumption may also, for example, allow the use of physically smaller batteries yielding a smaller or lighter camcorder. Reduced power dissipation may also permit camcorder operation with non-rechargeable or other battery chemistries, for example alkaline cells.
Clearly electronic circuit changes may offer opportunities for power reduction. However, both the viewfinder and the sustained synchronous rotation of the head drum and capstan motors represent the major sources of power dissipation. Hence, a significant reduction in power consumption may be achieved only if a corresponding reduction or compromise in operational facilities, camcorder operability, and user convenience is deemed acceptable.
A video camera recorder comprises an imaging means receiving an optical image and generating an image representative video signal. A viewfinder for viewing the optical image and a means for generating synchronizing signals is coupled to the imaging means. A recording means is coupled to the synchronizing signal generating means and to the imaging means. A control means for optimizing power conservation, has a first mode of operation in which the control means enables operation of the synchronizing signal generating means and inhibits operation of the imaging means and the recording means, and has a second mode of operation in which the control means enables operation of the synchronizing signal generating means and the recording means for reproducing a recorded image representative video signal and inhibits operation of the imaging means.

Electronic recording camera with optimized power consumption


A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. A first interlayer insulating layer is formed on a silicon substrate, and a lower metal layer is formed on the first interlayer insulating layer. A first insulating layer is formed on the first interlayer insulating layer including the lower metal layer, moisture contained in the first insulating layer is removed by N.sub.2 or N.sub.2 O plasma. Thereafter, a SOG layer and a second insulating layer are sequentially formed on the first insulating layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, which can prevent peeling or cracking of the SOG (spin on glass) layer used for planarization of an interlayer insulating layer in a multi-level metal layered structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a semiconductor device having multi-level metal layered structure, an interlayer insulating layer is formed to insulate between the lower metal layer and the upper metal layer. The interlayer insulating layer consists of a plurality of insulating layers, including a SOG layer to improve a planarization of surface. The SOG layer has good surface planarization, however, it contains a large amount of moisture therein due to its strongly hydrophilic property. Therefore, an insulating layer is formed before forming the SOG layer to prevent penetration of moisture contained in the SOG layer into the lower metal layer.
However, moisture in the atmosphere is absorbed into, or adsorbed onto, the insulating layer after forming the insulating layer according to the condition of the insulating layer. The moisture contained in the insulating layer causes peeling or cracking of the SOG layer when the SOG layer is cured.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are sectional views for illustrating a conventional method of manufacturing a semiconductor device.
Referring to FIG. 1A, a first interlayer insulating layer 2 is formed on a silicon substrate 1, and a lower metal layer 3 is then formed on the first interlayer insulating layer 2 by a metal wiring process. A first insulating layer 4 is formed on the first interlayer insulating layer 2 including the lower metal layer 3.
In general, the first insulating layer 4 is a TEOS oxide layer, a SiH.sub.4 oxide layer or an extra-silicon oxide layer which is formed by a plasma chemical vapor deposition method. During the waiting time for the next process, micro waterdrops 7 are created on the surface of the first insulating layer 4 because of property of the first insulating layer 4. That is, the TEOS oxide layer absorbs moisture therein, SiH.sub.4 oxide layer absorbs and adsorbs moisture therein and the extra-silicon oxide layer adsorbs moisture on the surface thereof.
Referring to FIG. 1B, a SOG layer 5 is coated on the first insulating layer 4, and a curing process is then performed. An second insulating layer, an upper metal and a second interlayer insulating layer (not shown) are sequentially formed on the SOG layer 5. At high temperature, the waterdrops 7 created on the first insulating layer 4 are vaporized, therefore, a portion of the SOG layer 5 peels off or cracks due to the vapor pressure. As shown in FIG. 1B, a defective portion 6 of the SOG layer 5 results after the curing process.
The defective portion 6, as described above, results more excessively at the boundary between the SOG layer 5 and the lower metal layer 3. The peeling and cracking of the SOG layer 5 become factors that impede an effectiveness of subsequent processes. The greater the time interval from completion of forming the first insulating layer 4 to commencement of forming the SOG layer 5, the greater the likehood of forming these defective portions 6.

Method of manufacturing an ILD layer by plasma treatment before applying SOG

Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.


Attesting a virtual machine that is migrating from a first environment to a second environment includes in response to initiation of migration of the virtual machine from the first environment to the second environment, accessing one or more stored trust values generated during the trusted boot of the virtual machine in the first environment, determining if the accessed trust values define a security setting sufficient for the second environment, and if the accessed trust values do not define a security setting sufficient for the second environment, performing a predetermined action in relation to the migration of the virtual machine to the second environment.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a method of, and system for, attesting a virtual machine migrating from a first environment to a second environment. More specifically, the invention provides the re-attestation of migrated virtual machines.
2. Description of the Related Art
A virtual machine provides a complete system platform which supports the execution of an operating system. An essential characteristic of a virtual machine is that the software run by the virtual machine is limited to the resources and abstractions provided by the virtual machine. In the case of virtual machine migration, the entire memory contents of the running system is moved over the network as it migrates from a source physical system to a target physical system. When the memory pages are moved over the network, they are more vulnerable to a particular type of cyber attack.
It is the case in virtual machine migration that the attestation on the original physical system may have been less stringent than what is required by the security level of the target system. For example security zones can be used within a private cloud which has a test zone and a release zone. These operational zones would have different security policies based on the sensitivity of the data being processed and the criticality of the systems operating within the perspective zones. The separate security policies governing these zones could include trusted boot requirements, security configuration, firewall and anti-virus software, for example.
The virtual machines in the test zone are instantiated and removed frequently, as is the nature of test systems. Once a test system is approved for release for general availability, it would be migrated out to the release zone. However the release zone would have stricter security requirements. The enterprise would want this migration to proceed with the same automation and ease of migration, and with the (re)attesting to a higher security level integrated into this process.

International Business Machines Corporation


This invention relates to a device for moistening envelope flaps, comprising a reservoir of liquid, means for pumping this liquid and, disposed transversely with respect to a direction of advance of the envelopes and inclined with respect to a horizontal plane for supporting these envelopes, means for spraying on the envelope flaps a part of the liquid pumped from the reservoir of liquid. This inclination of the spray means corresponds to the angle of inclination of the flaps of envelopes with folded down flaps.

Envelope moistening devices are well known. U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,633 illustrates an example thereof, with, disposed from upstream to downstream with respect to the direction of advance of the envelopes, a separator for separating the flap from the body of the envelope and a moisture applicator, placed just behind this separator, for moistening this flap once this flap is separated from the body of the envelope. This moisture applicator is preferably formed in two parts, with an applicator element whose end rests on a pad partly immersed in a reservoir of water disposed beneath the conveyor table, the flap being moistened during its passage between the applicator element and this moistened pad.
However, this moistening device suffers from several limitations due in particular to its moistening member. Firstly, its dimensioning prevents the passage of envelopes whose flaps exceed the width of the moistening member proper, conventionally of the order of 4 or 5 cm. Secondly, the nature of its material, composed of bristles and cellular material, is particularly subject to wear and tear and obliges regular changes, otherwise moistening is partial and non-homogeneous. Finally, without a complementary masking element for example, the very arrangement of the moistening member does not allow the passage of envelopes with open flaps without necessarily moistening the flaps thereof.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a moistening device capable of moistening envelopes of different formats and types. The invention proposes producing such a device simply and inexpensively, minimizing the modifications to be made to a standard mail handling machine.

Device for selectively moistening envelope flaps


A computer system and a power supplying method thereof in which noise due to switched power mode is reduced for a user's convenience. The computer system comprises a mode determiner to generate a mode signal comprising a predetermined part corresponding to one among a plurality of power modes; a power supply to supply power having a level of voltage corresponding to the mode signal to a central processing unit; and a mode controller to maintain or convert the predetermined part of the mode signal corresponding to one among the plurality of power modes to lower a difference in the level of voltage when the power mode is switched from a first level of voltage to a second level of voltage, wherein the second level of voltage is higher than the first level of voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to a computer system and a power supplying method thereof, and more particularly, to a computer system and a power supplying method thereof in which noise due to a switched power mode is reduced for a user's convenience.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable computer systems, such as notebook computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), or the like, have become widely used in recent times. Accordingly, many technical developments have been made in a central processing unit (CPU) of the computer system, and thus the portable computer system can perform various high-level functions.
To make the CPU of the computer system operate normally, power should be properly supplied to the CPU. A power supply of the computer system comprises an adapter and/or a battery as a main power supply. Here, the adapter converts alternative current (AC) power into direct current (DC) power. The power supply of the computer system further comprises a DC/DC converter as an auxiliary power supply for supplying power to various integrated circuits (IC) installed in the computer system.
Meanwhile, a switched-mode power supply (SMPS), such as a synchronous buck converter, is widely used for the CPU of the portable computer system. In particular, the synchronous buck converter for the CPU supplies power at various voltage levels to the CPU according to operating states of the CPU so as to reduce power consumption of the computer system.
FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic configuration of a conventional computer system employing the synchronous buck converter. A computer system 1 comprises a CPU 11 to execute commands for generally controlling the computer system; a plurality of devices 14 such as a keyboard, a mouse, a universal serial bus (USB) unit, a hard disc drive, and the like, which are needed for performing operations of the computer system; and an I/O control hub (ICH) 12 for checking the state of the plurality of devices 14 and generating a signal to determine a voltage level for operating the CPU 11 according to the checked states of the devices 14. Further, the computer system 1 includes a synchronous DC/DC converter 13 for converting a voltage level of input power in order to supply the appropriate amount of power to the CPU 11.
The ICH 12 receives information about the operating states of the devices 14, and transmits a mode signal for determining a power mode corresponding to the received information to the DC/DC converter 13, thereby implementing a plurality of power modes with varying voltage levels according to the operating states of the CPU 11. The ICH 12 of FIG. 1 generates two mode signals, a first mode signal and a second mode signal, to determine a power mode.
The DC/DC converter 13 receives the first mode signal and the second mode signal from the ICH 12, and outputs a voltage level corresponding to the received signals. The DC/DC converter 13 comprises two metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) 13e and 13f; an inductor 13g and a capacitor 13h to store and discharge a current that flows according to operations of the MOSFETs 13e and 13f; an input capacitor 13i to smooth an input voltage VCD; a converter controller 13a for controlling the operations of two MOSFETs 13e and 13f on the basis of the first mode signal and the second mode signal generated by the ICH 12; and resistors 13b and 13d and a capacitor 13c required for further operations.
The converter controller 13a supplies a gate voltage to each gate of the MOSFETs 13e and 13f to alternately turn on and off two MOSFETs 13e and 13f. When the converter controller 13a turns on the MOSFET 13e, the MOSFET 13f is turned off. In this case, current energy is charged in the inductor 13g. On the other hand, when the converter controller 13a turns on the MOSFET 13f, the MOSFET 13e is turned off. In this case, the current energy charged in the inductor 13g is discharged as output power to be supplied to the CPU 11. The converter controller 13a adjusts a duty ratio to turn on/off two MOSFETs 13e and 13f on the basis of the first mode signal and the second mode signal generated from the ICH 12.
Meanwhile, the computer system 1 has five power modes C0, C1, C2, C3 and C4, which differ in voltage levels according to the operating state of the CPU 11. The operating states corresponding to these power modes and related signals are shown in Table 1.
TABLE 1Power modeC3 (deepC4 (deeperC0C1C2sleep mode)sleep mode)CPUProgramShort termStandbyMediumLong termoperatingcodesstandbymodestandbystandbystateexecutionmodemodemodeCPU input1.356 (V)1.193 (V)0.726 (V)voltage(Vcc)First modelowlowlowlowhighsignalSecondhighhighhighlowlowmodesignal
FIGS. 2A-2E illustrate waveforms of various signals according to operations of the conventional computer system 1 based on the five power modes. In FIG. 2C, Vph, which is a voltage representing the operating states of two MOSFETs 13e and 13f, becomes "high" when the MOSFET 13e is turned on, and becomes "low" when the MOSFET 13f is turned on. In other words, the current energy is charged in the inductor 13g when Vph is in a "high" state. On the other hand, the current energy charged in the inductor 13g is discharged as an output voltage Vcc when Vph is in a "low" state. Periods of time D1 and D2 during which Vph maintains the "high" state are varied according to power modes, and are controlled by the converter controller 13a on the basis of the first mode signal and the second mode signal. When Vph maintains the "high" state for a relatively short period of time D1, the output voltage Vcc becomes lower. On the other hand, when Vph maintains the "high" state for a relatively long period of time D2, the output voltage Vcc becomes higher.
Meanwhile, referring to Table 1, a voltage difference between the power mode C0, C1 or C2 and the power mode C3 is 0.163(V), while a voltage difference between the power mode C3 and the power mode C4 is 0.467(V). Therefore, the voltage difference between the power modes C3 and C4 is the largest among the voltage differences between the power modes. Thus, when the power mode is changed from C4 to C3, the computer system 1 performs an operation for boosting up the output voltage Vcc. At this time, a very high current, i.e., a surge current, instantaneously flows in the inductor 13g as shown in FIG. 2E. When the surge current flows, various devices of the computer system 1, such as the capacitor 13h and the inductor 13g, generate loud noises, thereby causing a user some inconvenience.

Computer system and power supplying method thereof


A motion picture decoding apparatus according to the invention includes: a coefficient reducing circuit for removing orthogonal transform coefficients for high horizontal frequencies from a certain sized block of orthogonal transform coefficients obtained from an input signal, thereby reducing the number of transform coefficients to half; an inverse orthogonal transformation circuit for performing an inverse orthogonal transform operation by using the transform coefficients reduced by the coefficient reducing circuit, thereby obtaining, on a block-by-block basis, reconstructed image data or time-axis prediction error data horizontally compressed to ½; an adder for generating reconstructed image data horizontally compressed to ½, based on the time-axis prediction error data provided by the inverse orthogonal transformation circuit and on predetermined reference image data; and one or more than one reference image memories for storing reconstructed image data which is included in the reconstructed image data provided by the inverse orthogonal transformation circuit or the adder and is needed for generating the reference image data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for decoding motion pictures and more particularly, to a motion picture decoding apparatus and process which are suitable for decoding signals compression coded based on the MPEG Standards for providing reconstructed pictures of lower resolutions than original pictures.
2. Prior Art
The MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) Standards have heretofore been known to fields, such as digital television and the like, as the system for image data compression coding.
The MPEG Standards typically include the MPEG-1 Standard and the MPEG-2 Standard. The MPEG-1 Standard handles only progressively scanned pictures (noninterlace scan) whereas the MPEG-2 Standard handles zigzag scanned pictures (interlace scan) as well as progressively scanned pictures.
The MPEG coding process includes motion compensated prediction (time based compression), DCT (space based compression) and entropy coding (variable length coding). In the MPEG coding process, predictive coding is first performed along the time axis on a macroblock basis (predictive frame coding is performed under the MPEG-1 Standard whereas the predictive frame coding or predictive field coding is performed under the MPEG-2 Standard).
The macroblock includes a 16 (number of horizontal pixels)×16 (number of vertical pixels) block of Y-signal (luminance signal), a 8(number of horizontal pixels)×8(number of vertical pixels) block of Cb-signal (color difference signal), and a 8(number of horizontal pixels)×8(number of vertical pixels) block of Cr-signal (color difference signal).
To facilitate the explanation, only the Y signal will be described. There are three picture types of "I" Picture, "P" Picture and "B" Picture depending upon the predictive coding processes. The following description will be made by way of example of the predictive frame coding.    (1) "I" Picture is coded using only information present in the frame and is not dependent upon interframe prediction. All the macroblocks of the "I" Picture depend upon the predictive intraframe coding based only on the information resident in the frame.    (2) "P" Picture is coded by prediction from the closest past "I" or "P" Picture. The macroblocks of the "P" Picture normally involve both intraframe coding using only the information present in the frame and forward predictive interframe-coding based on prediction from a past reconstructed picture.    (3) "B" Picture is coded based on bidirectional prediction and normally includes the following macroblock types.    a. a predictive intra-coded block based on only the information present in the frame;    b. a forward predictive interframe-coded block based on prediction from the closest past reconstructed picture;    c. a backward predictive interframe-coded block based on prediction from the closest future picture; and    d. an interpolative/predictive interframe-coded block based on bidirectional prediction.
It is to be noted here that the interpolative interframe prediction means to average a forward prediction and a backward prediction for two corresponding pixels.
In an MPEG decoder, image data for an original picture is divided into 16 (number of horizontal pixels)×16(number of vertical pixels) macroblocks. Except for the predictive intraframe coded macroblock, the respective macroblocks are subject to any one of the interframe prediction operations according to the macroblock type thereof for generation of prediction error data therefor.
An image data macroblock (the predictive intraframe coded macroblock) or a prediction error data macroblock (the predictive interframe coded macroblock) is divided into four 8×8 sized sub-blocks. Each image data sub-block is processed based on a two-dimensional discrete cosine transform (DCT) operation, a kind of orthogonal transformation process, using the following equation (1):
                                                                                F                                                        (                                          u                      ,                      v                                        )                                                  =                                                                                1                      4                                        ·                                          C                                                                    (                        u                        )                                                                                C                                                              (                      v                      )                                                                                ∑                                              i                        =                        0                                            7                                                                                ∑                                                  j                          =                          0                                                7                                                                                f                                                                                (                                                          i                              ,                              j                                                        )                                                                          ×                                                                                cos                                                        {                                                                                (                                                                                2                                                            i                                                        +                            1                                                    )                                                                        u                                                                                π                                            16                                        }                                                      cos                                                        {                                                                                (                                                                                2                                                            j                                                        +                            1                                                    )                                                                        v                                                                                π                                            16                                        }                                                                                wherein                                                            i          ,                      u            =            0                    ,          1          ,          2          ,                      …                                                                          7                                                                              j          ,                      v            =            0                    ,          1          ,          2          ,                      …                                                                          7                                                                                C                                      (              u              )                                ,                                    C                                            (                v                )                                      =                          {                                                                                1                        /                                                  2                                                                                1                                                                                (                                                  u                          =                                                                                0                                                                                or                                                                                v                                                        =                            0                                                                          )                                                                                (                                                                              u                            ≠                            0                                                    ,                                                      v                            ≠                            0                                                                          )                                                                                (        1        )            More specifically, DCT (orthogonal transform) coefficients F for a uv space (u:horizontal frequency, v:vertical frequency) are respectively determined based on the 8×8 sub-block of data pieces f (i,j), as shown in FIG. 2.
The MPEG-1 Standard supports only a DCT frame mode whereas a frame structure under the MPEG-2 Standard permits the switching between the DCT frame mode and a DCT field mode on a macroblock basis. However, a field structure under the MPEG-2 Standard supports only the DCT field mode.
In the DCT frame mode, the 16×16 macroblock is divided into four sub-blocks so that the DCT operation is performed on a 8×8 sub-block basis: an upper-left 8×8 sub-block, an upper-right 8×8 sub-block, a lower-left 8×8 sub-block and a lower-right 8×8 sub-block.
In the DCT field mode, on the other hand, the DCT operation is performed on a data group consisting of only odd-numbered lines of a left-half 8 (number of horizontal pixels)×16 (number of vertical pixels) block of the 16×16 macroblock or being worth of the 8×8 sub-block, a data group consisting of only even-numbered lines of the left-half 8×16 block of the 16×16 macroblock or being worth of the 8×8 sub-block, a data group consisting of only odd-numbered lines of a right-half 8 (number of horizontal pixels)×16 (number of vertical pixels) block of the 16×16 macroblock or being worth of the 8×8 sub-block, and a data group consisting of only even-numbered lines of the right-half 8×16 block of the 16×16 macroblock or being worth of the 8×8 sub-block.
The DCT coefficients determined in the aforementioned manner are quantized to provide quantized DCT coefficients. The quantized DCT coefficients are zigzag scanned or alternate scanned to a one dimensional sequence of coefficients so as to be encoded by a variable length encoder. An MPEG encoder outputs variable length coded transform coefficients provided by the variable length encoder as well as control information including information indicative of the macroblock type, and variable length coded motion vectors.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a construction of the MPEG decoder.
A variable length coded transform coefficient is sent to a variable length decoder 101 whereas a control signal including the macroblock type is sent to a CPU 110. A variable length coded motion vector is sent to a variable length decoder 109 so as to be decoded. A motion vector provided by the variable length decoder 109 is represented in half pels rather than in full pels. The variable length decoder 109 supplies the motion vector to a first reference image memory 106 and a second reference image memory 107 as a control signal for controlling a slicing position of a reference image, while also supplying the motion vector to a first motion compensation circuit 121 and a second motion compensation circuit 122 as a motion compensation signal.
The variable length decoder 101 serves to decode the variable length coded transform coefficient. An inverse quantizer 102 serves to inversely quantize the transform coefficient (quantized DCT coefficient) supplied from the variable length decoder 101 for transformation into the DCT coefficient.
An inverse DCT circuit 103 transforms the DCT coefficient sequence, provided by the inverse quantizer 102, back to the 8×8 sub-block of DCT coefficients and performs an 8×8 sub-block based inverse DCT operation by using the following inverse transformation equation (2):
                                                                                f                                                        (                                          i                      ,                      j                                        )                                                  =                                                                                1                    4                                    ·                                                            ∑                                              u                        =                        0                                            7                                                                                ∑                                                  v                          =                          0                                                7                                                                                C                                                                                (                            u                            )                                                                                C                                                                                (                            v                            )                                                                                F                                                                                (                                                          u                              ,                              v                                                        )                                                                          ×                                                                                cos                                                        {                                                                                (                                                                                2                                                            i                                                        +                            1                                                    )                                                                        u                                                                                π                                            16                                        }                                                      cos                                                        {                                                                                (                                                                                2                                                            j                                                        +                            1                                                    )                                                                        v                                                                                π                                            16                                        }                                                                                wherein                                                            i          ,                      u            =            0                    ,          1          ,          2          ,                      …                                                                          7                                                                              j          ,                      v            =            0                    ,          1          ,          2          ,                      …                                                                          7                                                                                C                                      (              u              )                                ,                                    C                                            (                v                )                                      =                          {                                                                                1                        /                                                  2                                                                                1                                                                                (                                                  u                          =                                                                                0                                                                                or                                                                                v                                                        =                            0                                                                          )                                                                                (                                                                              u                            ≠                            0                                                    ,                                                      v                            ≠                            0                                                                          )                                                                                (        2        )            More specifically, the 8×8 sub-block of data f (i,j) is obtained from the 8×8 sub-block of DCT coefficients F(u,v) as shown in FIG. 2. Further, the reconstructed image data macroblock or prediction error data macroblock is generated by using four sub-blocks of data f (i,j).
An adder 104 processes the prediction error data macroblock provided by the inverse DCT circuit 103 by adding thereto reference image data according to the macroblock type of the prediction error data, thereby generating the reconstructed image data. The reference image data is sent to the adder 104 via a switch 112. It is noted that in a case where the inverse DCT circuit 103 outputs the reconstructed image data for predictive intraframe coding, no reference image data is added.
Where the image data macroblock provided by the inverse DCT circuit 103 or the adder 104 is reconstructed image data for "B" Picture, the reconstructed image data is sent to a switch 113.
Where the reconstructed image data macroblock provided by the inverse DCT circuit 103 or the adder 104 is reconstructed image data for "I" or "P" Picture, the reconstructed image data is committed to storage at the first reference image memory 106 or the second reference image memory 107 via a switch 111. The switch 111 is controlled by, the CPU 110.
The first and second motion compensation circuits 121, 122 each perform a half pel motion compensation operation on the reference image read from the reference image memory 106 or 107 based on a half pel motion vector supplied from the variable length decoder 109.
If a predicted pixel is located between two adjacent pixels, an average value of the two pixels is determined so that the resultant average value is used as a value of the predicted pixel. If the predicted pixel is surrounded by four pixels, an average value f the four pixels is determined so that the resultant average value is used as a value of the predicted pixel.
Respective values G1 to G5 of predicted pixels G1 to G5 are given by the following equations (3) wherein four neighboring pixels in an image read from the reference image memory 106 or 107 are represented by A, B, C and D, respectively:G1=(A+B)/2G2=(A+C)/2G3=(A+B+C+D)/4  (3)G4=(B+D)/2G5=(C+D)/2
An averaging section 108 averages the reconstructed image data provided by the first and the second motion compensation circuits 121, 122 for generating the reference image data for use in the interpolative/predictive interframe coding.
The switch 112 is controlled by the CPU 110 in the following manner. A common terminal of the switch 112 is switched to an earth terminal when the inverse DCT circuit 103 outputs reconstructed image data for predictive intraframe coding.
When an output of the inverse DCT circuit 103 is either prediction error data for forward predictive interframe coding or prediction error data for backward predictive interframe coding, the common terminal of the switch 112 is switched to select either a terminal for receiving an output from the first motion compensation circuit 121 or a terminal for receiving an output from the second motion compensation circuit 122.
When an output of the inverse DCT circuit 103 is prediction error data for interpolative/predictive interframe coding, the common terminal of the switch 112 is switched to select a terminal for receiving an output from the averaging section 108.
The switch 113 is controlled by the CPU 110 in a manner to output the reconstructed image data for "B" Picture supplied from the adder 104, the reconstructed image data for "I" or "P" Picture stored in the first reference image memory 106, and the reconstructed image data for "I" or "P" Picture stored in the second reference image memory 107 in an order corresponding to the original picture. The image data outputted from the decoder is applied to a monitor device which, in turn, displays a reconstructed image on its display screen.

Apparatus and process for decoding motion pictures


A microelectromechanical system switch may be formed with a protrusion defined on the substrate which makes contact with a deflectable member arranged over the substrate. The deflectable member may, for example, be a cantilevered arm or a deflectable beam. The protrusion may be formed in the substrate in one embodiment using field oxide techniques.

This invention relates generally to microelectromechanical system switches.
Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switches are mechanical switches that are fabricated using integrated circuit techniques at very small dimensions. Typically, MEMS switches use a tip configuration. The switch may consist of a cantilevered arm extending over a semiconductor substrate. Near the end of the cantilevered arm is a tip with a contact. The tip contact makes an electrical connection when the cantilevered arm is deflected towards the semiconductor substrate so as to electrically touch a contact formed on the substrate.
Other MEMS switches may use a beam instead of an arm. Here, too, a movable element over the substrate includes a protrusion that makes an electrical connection to a contact on the substrate when the beam is electrostatically deflected towards said substrate.
The manufacturing process flow for a tip-based switch may include timed etch steps. In high volume manufacturing, it is not desirable to work with timed etch processes since they may not be repeatable. The constituents that are used, such as acids, may change with time and etched layers may change from batch to batch. In high volume manufacturing, etch stop layers may be utilized to reduce the affect of timed etches. However, the use of etch stops also yields quite sensitive and complex process flows.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a different type of MEMS switch.