A vibration actuator that cooperates with a coil and a magnet to vibrate a movable body with respect to a stationary body, including: the stationary body including the coil and a core around which the coil is wound; a shaft part; and the movable body including the magnet, the movable body being movably supported by the stationary body via the shaft part, wherein the core is disposed along an axial direction of the shaft part, and includes a core-side magnetic pole to be excited by energization to the coil, the magnet includes a magnet-side magnetic pole disposed so as to face the core-side magnetic pole with a gap therebetween, and the vibration actuator further includes a spring part elastically supporting the movable body with respect to the stationary body, linearly movably in the axial direction in a reciprocating manner, and rotationally movably about an axis in a reciprocating manner.

Conventionally, a vibration actuator has been known as a vibration generating source for notifying a user of an incoming call and the like at a mobile information terminal, such as a mobile phone, or as a vibration generating source for transmitting an operation touch on a touch panel and a realistic sensation of a playing apparatus, such as a controller or the like of a game machine, to fingers, hands and feet or the like (for example, see PTL 1).
A vibration actuator described in PTL 1 is formed to have a planar shape that slidably supports, by a shaft, a pivotally supported movable part. The vibration actuator is thus formed to have a planar shape, thereby facilitating reduction in size.
A vibration actuator described in PTL 2 includes a stator including a housing and a coil, and a movable element including a magnet and a weight that are disposed in the housing. According to cooperation between the coil and magnet, the movable element that is slidable against a shaft vibrates linearly with respect to the stator in a vibration direction. The coil is wound around the exterior of the movable part including the magnet.
PTL 3 describes an actuator having a VCM (Voice Coil Motor) principle that includes a flat coil and a flat magnet arranged above the flat coil, the coil and the magnet being arranged to face each other.
The movable element in each of the vibration actuators is slidably provided for the shaft arranged in the lateral direction in the rectangular plate-shaped housing, and is elastically supported by springs in a manner slidable in the lateral direction.

Vibration actuator and mobile electronic apparatus including the same


Provided are a SiGe semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same. The method includes the steps of: forming a buried collector by doping impurity ions into a buried collector region formed on a substrate; forming a collector layer which is an active region and a collector electrode region by forming a Si epitaxial layer on the substrate having the buried collector; forming an isolation layer on the substrate and exposing the collector layer and the collector electrode region; forming a collector pad oxide layer on the collector electrode region; stacking a base epitaxial layer and a pad oxide layer on the substrate having the collector pad oxide layer and patterning the pad oxide layer; forming a first polycrystalline Si (poly-Si) layer on the patterned pad oxide layer; exposing at least a portion of the patterned pad oxide layer by etching the first poly-Si layer; depositing a metal layer on the first poly-Si layer to form a first silicide layer; forming an oxide layer on the substrate having the first silicide layer, and exposing a base-emitter junction and the collector electrode region; forming an emitter electrode and a collector electrode by depositing a second poly-Si layer on the exposed base-emitter junction and collector electrode region; and depositing a metal layer on the emitter and collector electrodes to form a second silicide layer, and forming a base terminal, an emitter terminal, and a collector terminal. In this method, base parasitic resistance can be reduced, an electrical short due to agglomeration caused by Ge can be prevented during the formation of the silicide layer, and the base-emitter junction can be protected using the pad oxide layer from external processes, thereby enhancing process stability and reliability.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a silicon-germanium (SiGe) semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a SiGe semiconductor device in which a base electrode on which a silicide layer is formed extends under an emitter electrode, and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A SiGe semiconductor device has an advantage of easy control of physical properties, such as an energy band and the mobility of carriers. The rapid development of SiGe semiconductor-related technology has led to practical use of SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) for ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) circuits required for wireless communications and optical communications and active devices, such as high-speed electronic devices. SiGe HBTs were successfully commercially available before other Si heterojunction devices. The manufacturing technology of SiGe HBTs was sufficiently developed, so that the SiGe HBTs began to compete with Group III-V compound semiconductor devices in yield, reliability, integration density, and production cost. Thus, a variety of SiGe HBTs have already been fit to be practically applied to digital devices, analog devices, radio-frequency (RF) devices, and photoelectric devices.
Conventional SiGe HBTs may be classified into self-aligned SiGe HBTs and non-self-aligned SiGe HBTs. Hereinafter, the structures of conventional self-aligned SiGe HBTs will be described with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are cross-sectional views of conventional self-aligned SiGe HBTs.
In order to manufacture the self-aligned SiGe HBT shown in FIG. 1A, initially, a buried collector 11, a collector 12, a first collector electrode 14, and an isolation layer 13 are formed on a p-type Si substrate 10. Next, a SiGe base layer 15 is formed on the collector 12 and the isolation layer 13. In this case, a single crystalline base epitaxial layer is formed on the collector 12 and a polycrystalline base layer is formed on the isolation layer 13 to form a base electrode.
Thereafter, a photoresist pattern for defining a base electrode region is formed using photolithography and etching processes, and the polycrystalline base layer except the base electrode region is removed using the photoresist pattern as an etch mask. Then, the photoresist pattern is removed. An oxide layer 16 is deposited on the SiGe base layer 15 and patterned to form an opening for an emitter-base junction. Next, a polycrystalline Si (poly-Si) layer to be an emitter and an emitter electrode are deposited, and then patterned to form an emitter electrode 17a. In this case, the poly-Si layer to be an emitter electrode is also used to form a second collector electrode 17b.
Subsequently, the oxide layer 16 is etched using the emitter electrode 17a as an etch mask, thereby exposing the SiGe base layer 15. Thereafter, BF2 ions are doped using the emitter electrode 17a as a mask. The doped B ions are thermally treated to form an external base 18, which functions to reduce resistance between the base layer 15 and a metal base electrode. An oxide layer is then deposited and etched by an anisotropic dry etching process, thereby forming a spacer on a sidewall of the emitter electrode 17a. A titanium (Ti) layer is coated on the SiGe base layer 15, the emitter electrode 17a and the first collector electrode 14, and thermally treated to form a silicide thin layer 20. After that, the remaining Ti which is unreacted during the formation of the silicide thin layer 20 on the spacer 19 and the isolation layer 13 is removed by a wet etching process. An insulating passivation layer 21 having a plurality of contact holes is formed on the p-type Si substrate 10 having the silicide thin layer 20, and metal interconnections are formed to be electrically connected to the respective electrodes through the contact holes. During a metal interconnection process, a base terminal 22, an emitter terminal 23, and a collector terminal 24 are formed.
In the conventional self-aligned SiGe HBT shown in FIG. 1A, the emitter-base junction can be formed in a self-aligned manner, and the silicide thin layer 20 having low resistance is used as an electrode, thereby greatly reducing contact resistance and parasitic resistance of the base electrode.
However, since the base electrode has a small thickness, agglomeration occurs during the formation of the silicide thin layer 20, so that the silicide thin layer 20 penetrates the base electrode and electrically comes into contact with the collector 12. In order to solve the above-described problem, there is provided a self-aligned SiGe HBT shown in FIG. 1B, which includes a thick base electrode to minimize resistance and prevent occurrence of agglomeration during the formation of the silicide thin layer 20.
In order to manufacture the self-aligned SiGe HBT shown in FIG. 1B, initially, a buried collector region is defined on a p-type Si substrate 30. The buried collector region is doped with n-type impurity ions, such as As ions and then thermally treated to form a buried collector 31, and an isolation layer 33 is formed. Thereafter, a region for a first collector electrode 34 is defined and doped with n-type impurity ions to form the first collector electrode 34. In this case, the first collector electrode 34 is connected to the buried collector 31. Next, a p-type poly-Si layer for a base electrode 36 is grown on the entire resultant structure having the first collector electrode 34. In this case, process conditions are controlled such that a p-type Si epitaxial layer is grown on a collector layer 32 and the first collector electrode 34 and a p-type poly-Si layer is grown on the isolation layer 33. Thereafter, an insulating layer 37, which is formed of a nitride layer or an oxide layer, is coated on the p-type Si epitaxial layer and the p-type poly-Si layer. The whole insulating layer 37 and a portion of the p-type Si epitaxial layer are sequentially etched, thereby forming a groove for forming a base-collector junction and an emitter-base junction. An insulating layer, such as an oxide layer or a nitride layer, is coated on the entire surface of the resultant structure and then etched by an anisotropic dry etching process, thereby forming a spacer 38 on an inner sidewall of the groove. The p-type Si epitaxial layer remaining on the bottom of the groove is completely etched using the insulating layer and the spacer 38 as an etch mask, thereby exposing a predetermined portion of the collector layer 32. Thereafter, a base epitaxial layer 39 is grown on the exposed portion of the collector layer 32 using a selective single crystalline growth technique. An n-type poly-Si layer for an emitter electrode 40a is deposited on the entire surface of the p-type Si substrate 30 and patterned, thereby forming the emitter electrode 40a and a second collector electrode 40b on the base epitaxial layer 39 and the first collector electrode 34, respectively. Subsequently, the insulating layer is etched using the emitter electrode 40a as an etch mask, thereby exposing the p-type poly-Si layer. An insulating spacer 41a is formed on a sidewall of an end portion of the emitter electrode 40a, and an insulating spacer 41b is formed on a sidewall of an end portion of the second collector electrode 40b. A silicide thin layer 42 is formed and an ordinary metal interconnection process is performed.
The self-aligned SiGe HBT shown in FIG. 1B has the base electrode 36 with a great thickness, thereby preventing agglomeration generating during the formation of the silicide thin layer 42. However, since a region where the base epitaxial layer 39 will be formed should be defined using a dual etching process, process reliability may be degraded. Also, the selective single crystalline growth process for forming the base epitaxial layer 39 is performed at low speed and difficult to control, thereby deteriorating the economical efficiency and reproducibility. Also, although the base electrode 36 becomes thick, a region of the base electrode 36 on which the silicide thin layer 42 is formed is present only outside the spacer 41a formed on the sidewall of the emitter electrode 40a, thereby resulting in an immaterial decrease in parasitic resistance of the base electrode 36.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view for explaining a parasitic resistance element of a base electrode disposed between a base-emitter junction and a base terminal.
As compared with other Si semiconductor devices, a SiGe semiconductor device is high in ratio of critical frequency to the maximum oscillation frequency, i.e., ft/fmax and in early voltage, and can exactly control a base-emitter junction and accelerate electrons due to a high electric field applied to the base. In particular, the maximum oscillation frequency fmax is shown in Equation 1, and determined by base parasitic resistance Rb between the base-emitter junction and a base terminal and junction capacitance Cjc between a collector and a base.
                              f          max                =                              ft                          8                            π                                                                                C                jc                                                          R                b                                                                        <                  Equation                                                              1                >
In a conventional HBT, the base parasitic resistance Rb can be expressed by the sum of resistances R1, R2, and R3 shown in FIG. 2, and higher resistances R2 and R3 significantly affect the maximum oscillation frequency fmax. Here, R3 denotes the resistance of a SiGe base epitaxial layer, R2 denotes the resistance of an external base obtained by doping impurity ions into the SiGe base epitaxial layer to which an emitter electrode is self-aligned, and R1 denotes the resistance of a metal silicide thin layer formed after doping the impurity ions into the SiGe base epitaxial layer. The resistance R2 is much higher than the resistance R1 and lower than the resistance R3. As a result, during manufacture of the SiGe HBT, as the resistances R2 and R3 increase, the parasitic resistance element of the base electrode increases.

SiGe semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


An adjustable angle corner block for holding objects together at an angle with respect to each other. The adjustable angle corner block includes first and second plates with the proximal end edges of the plates pivotally coupled together. A holding device is provided for releasably holding the plates in a position with respect to each other such that the plates cannot pivot out of the position when held by the holding device. Each of the plates has a mounting tube coupled to the back surface of the plate such that a first mounting tube is coupled to the back surface of the first plate and a second mounting tube is coupled to the back surface of the second plate. Each of the mounting tubes is adapted for receiving a threaded end of a pipe of a pipe clamp therein.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to clamping devices and more particularly pertains to a new adjustable angle corner block for holding objects together at an angle with respect to each other.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of clamping devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, clamping devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art clamping devices include U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,775; U.S. Pat. No. 4,027,866; U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,321; U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,060; U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,726; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 279,646.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new adjustable angle corner block. The inventive device includes first and second plates with the proximal end edges of the plates pivotally coupled together. A holding device is provided for releasably holding the plates in a position with respect to each other such that the plates cannot pivot out of the position when held by the holding device. Each of the plates has a mounting tube coupled to the back surface of the plate such that a first mounting tube is coupled to the back surface of the first plate and a second mounting tube is coupled to the back surface of the second plate. Each of the mounting tubes is adapted for receiving a threaded end of a pipe of a pipe clamp therein.
In these respects, the adjustable angle corner block according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of holding objects together at an angle with respect to each other.


Present embodiments allow a search engine to quickly save and restore state information to and from an external state memory when switching between multiple data flows by transferring the state information between the search engine and the external state memory in a parallel manner. More specifically, for CAM-based search engines configured according to present embodiments, the CAM array includes state information gating circuits that selectively allow state information stored in the CAM array's match latches to be transposed onto the array's bit lines and then read from the array using the array's sense amplifiers.

Content addressable memory (CAM) devices are frequently used in network switching and routing applications to determine forwarding destinations for data packets, and are also used to provide more advanced network Quality of Service (QoS) functions such as traffic shaping, traffic policing, rate limiting, and so on. More recently, CAM devices have been deployed in network environments to implement intrusion detection systems and to perform deep packet inspection tasks. A CAM device can be instructed to compare a selected portion of an incoming packet with CAM words stored in an array within the CAM device.
More specifically, a CAM device includes a CAM array having a plurality of CAM cells organized in a number of rows and columns. Each row of CAM cells, which can be used to store a CAM word, is coupled to a corresponding match line that indicates match results for the row. Each column of CAM cells is typically coupled to one or more data lines or data line pairs that can be used to drive data into a selected CAM row during write operations and/or for providing a search key to the CAM rows during compare operations. During a compare operation, the search key (e.g., the comparand word) is provided to the CAM array and compared with the CAM words stored therein. For each CAM word that matches the search key, a corresponding match line is asserted to indicate the match result, which is typically stored in a match latch associated with the matching CAM row. If one or more of the match lines are asserted, a match flag is asserted to indicate the match condition, and a priority encoder determines the match address or index of the highest priority matching (HPM) entry in the CAM array.
Because today's networking components process numerous different flows (e.g., groups of packets originating from a common source) at the same time, effective deployment of CAM devices in network environments favors the ability to quickly switch between multiple flows. To switch a CAM device between different flows, search operations for the currently active first flow (F1) are paused, and the match data (also referred to as state information) of the first flow is read from the match latches and stored in an external state memory. Then, the packets of the awaiting second flow (F2) are provided to the CAM device, and search operations are commenced for the second flow. To switch back to the first flow, search operations for the second flow (F2) are paused, the state information of the second flow F2 is saved in the external state memory, and then the state information of the first flow F1 is restored to the CAM array (e.g., loaded back into the array's match latches) from the external state memory.
The speed with which a CAM device can switch between different flows is typically dependent upon the number of active states (e.g., match values of "1" indicating a match condition) present in the CAM array's match latches. For example, some techniques for saving state information generate the HPM addresses of all active states using the CAM device's priority encoder, and then sequentially output the HPM addresses to the state memory. Other techniques read the state information from the CAM array's match latches in a serial fashion to the external state memory. However, as the number of active states in CAM devices increases, these prior techniques are becoming increasingly insufficient to maintain ever-faster network line speeds. For example, CAM devices configured to store a number of non-deterministic finite automaton (NFA) that embody an access control list (ACL) typically store many thousands of states, of which hundreds or even a few thousand can be active at any given time. For such CAM devices, the time required to transfer state information between the CAM device and an associated external state memory can be significant, during which search operations are not performed in the CAM device. As a result, switching between flows in such CAM devices has an increasingly adverse effect upon device throughput.
Accordingly, there is a need to improve the speed with which state information can be transferred between the CAM device and an associated external state memory.
Like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the drawing figures.

Content addressable memory device having state information processing circuitry


A rail assembly includes a first rail formed with a stopping protrusion, and a second rail mounted slidably on the first rail and formed with an engaging protrusion. The engaging protrusion includes a head body that has opposite top and bottom ends and that gradually reduces in cross-section from the top end to the bottom end. The bottom end of the head body is formed with a curved nose that protrudes downwardly therefrom and that is blocked by the stopping protrusion when the second rail is moved frontwardly to a front position relative to the first rail. The head body is elastically deformable so as to be compressed by the stopping protrusion to an extent that the nose is able to slide over the stopping protrusion when the second rail is further moved frontwardly from the front position by a pulling force.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a rail assembly for a drawer, more particularly to a rail assembly with an engaging protrusion that is elastically deformable.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrates a conventional rail assembly 1 for mounting a drawer 3 in a cabinet 2. The rail assembly 1 includes a first rail 11 that has a stopping protrusion 13 protruding therefrom, and a second rail 12 that is mounted slidably on the first rail 11 and that is formed with an engaging protrusion 14 which is blocked by the stopping protrusion 13 when the second rail 12 is moved to a front position relative to the first rail 11 where the drawer 3 is fully opened so as to arrest further frontward movement of the second rail 12 relative to the first rail 11. The engaging protrusion 14 includes a lever 14′ that has a fixed end 140 fixed to the second rail 12, and a distal free end 141 opposite to the fixed end 140, and that defines a shoulder 142 between the fixed end 140 and the distal free end 141. The shoulder 142 engages the stopping protrusion 13 when the second rail 12 is moved to the front position, and is disengaged from the stopping protrusion 13 when the distal free end 141 of the lever 14 is forced upwardly, thereby permitting further frontward movement of the second rail 12.
The conventional rail assembly 1 is disadvantageous in that forcing of the lever 14 for the purpose of detaching the drawer 3 from the cabinet 2 requires the user to use one of his or her hands to lift the lever 14 (see FIG. 3) while the other hand holds and pulls the drawer 3 out of the cabinet 2, which is relatively inconvenient to conduct, particularly when the drawer 3 is heavy.


A method for computing activation energy of diffusion for a material in a liquid is provided. At least two identical samples of the material are submerged in the liquid at different temperatures. The time required for each sample to reach a goal weight percentage is measured. A reaction acceleration factor is computed for the two samples from the resulting times and temperatures. Activation energy of diffusion is computed from the reaction acceleration factor and the temperatures. Additional samples can be used to give an error estimate.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a material testing method for determining the activation energy for diffusion through polymers.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Polymer coated material are frequently used in a marine environment. In these materials, a polymer such as a paint or a plastic is painted, coated or formed on a substrate. The polymer acts as a barrier preventing environmental fluids from affecting the substrate. Environmental fluid diffusing through the polymer can result in corrosion or electrical shorting. Thickness of the polymer coating is also of concern for cost, weight and geometric considerations. Thus, there is a great interest in reducing the permeability of polymer materials. This allows a thinner coating of polymer on the substrate to be protected.
Diffusion is also important for maintaining bonding of the polymer coating on the substrate. In cathodic delamination, the current model holds that water and oxygen diffuse through the polymer layer to trigger cathodic delamination. Delamination is begins by the build up of water in the space between the polymer and the substrate. This results in interfacial blisters which triggers the actual delamination or debonding.
Activation energy, Ea, is an important value for determining the rate of diffusion. Activation energy is akin to an energy barrier that must be surmounted by the reactants before a reaction can take place. The higher the activation energy, the slower the reaction proceeds at the measured temperature. Unfortunately, activation energy is often unknown for a given material or set of materials, and it requires experimental determination.
Activation energy, Ea, is typically calculated by first measuring water diffusion constants at three different temperatures for the polymer in question, and then relating them to the Arrhenius equation. This tends to be a time consuming process because the polymer samples must fully saturate with water before calculations can be made. There are also several ways to calculate diffusion coefficients, and the different methods may not produce compatible results.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A method, system, and computer readable medium for maintaining the order of write-commands issued to a data storage, where the write-commands are issued by one or more host. In one embodiment of the present invention the method includes assigning an order-descriptor to each write-command, storing the write-command, storing the order-descriptor, and collating a plurality of order-descriptors and their corresponding write-commands to obtain an ordered write-command stream.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to data storage and, more particularly, to a method, system, and computer program product for maintaining the order of write-commands issued to a data storage.
2. Description of the Related Art
In information sharing and processing environments, many businesses employ data processing systems for storing and processing data. Often, the viability of a business depends on the reliability of access to data storage contained within its data processing system. As such, businesses seek reliable and efficient ways to consistently protect their data processing systems and the data storage contained therein from natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and unauthorized access, or computer hardware and/or software failures. Remote backup systems have been used for the protection of data storage by minimizing or eliminating loss of data, thereby forming an important aspect of business strategy and a key element in information sharing and processing environments. A duplicate of the data volume is prepared by transferring the data (hereinafter referred as replication) written in one information processing system to one remote backup system in a remote location. A technique to asynchronously transfer duplicate data is known as asynchronous replication.
In asynchronous replication, a host computer (host) may request a write operation at a first time; however, the data processing system performs data transfer to the remote backup at a second time that is after returning to a host a response indicating the backup is complete. Hence, write-commands from the host may not be sent to the remote backup until a later time. The downside of this technique is that the possibility of data loss if the data has not been stored onto both the data storage and the remote backup when a fault occurs. When a duster of multiple hosts share the data storage that is asynchronously replicated to the remote backup, co-ordination across the multiple hosts is necessary in order to ensure that the write-commands are applied to the remote backup in the exact same order as they have been applied at the data storage.
One of the ways to ensure order of the write-commands in the remote backup is by assigning a global time-stamp to each write-command issued by one or more hosts of the clustered environment. However, most of the known replication data processing models require complex co-ordination in a parallel clustered environment to assign such a time stamp and generate an ordered stream of write-commands. Such co-ordination across hosts requires network messages be communicated amongst host computers and can degrade performance of clustered applications.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for method, apparatus and computer program product to maintain the order of write-commands issued by one or more hosts of the clustered applications without substantially affecting performance of the clustered applications.

Method, system, and computer readable medium for maintaining the order of write-commands issued to a data storage


Downstream digital telephony signals are transmitted over the 1310 nm transmission band of a silica optic fiber. Upstream digital telephony signals are transmitted over a "short wavelength" portion of the 1550 nm transmission band of the optic fiber, i.e. within a portion of the 1550 nm transmission band having wavelengths less than a predetermined threshold wavelength of 1550 nm. Simultaneously, downstream analog video signals are transmitted over a "long wavelength" portion of the 1550 nm transmission band of the optic fiber, i.e. within a portion of the 1550 nm transmission band having wavelengths exceeding the predetermined threshold wavelength of 1550 nm but still within an erbium-doped fiber amplifier gain profile. Thus, the upstream digital telephony signals are always transmitted at wavelengths shorter than the threshold wavelength and the downstream analog video signals are always transmitted at wavelengths longer than the threshold wavelength. Accordingly, no significant signaling conflicts occur between the upstream digital telephony signals and the downstream analog video signals, and both upstream and downstream digital telephony signals and analog video signals are reliably carried over the single optic fiber.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to fiber optic signal transmission systems and in particular to systems for transmitting both digital telephony and analog video signals.
2. Description of the Related Art
In many locations, optic fibers have been deployed for transmitting digital telephony signals, such as signals carrying telephone conversations, facsimile transmissions or Internet data communications. As shown in FIG. 1, an optic fiber 10 may interconnect a host digital terminal (HDT) 12 of a telephone company central office (CO) 14 with a curbside optical network unit (ONU) 16. The HDT provides an interface between the optic fiber and other components of the CO such as telephone switching equipment 18. The ONU provides an interface between the optic fiber and analog tip and ring telephone lines 22 connected into homes or offices 24. Usually only a single optic fiber is deployed between the CO and the ONU which carries both upstream digital telephony signals (i.e. signals sent from the ONU to the CO) and downstream digital telephony signals (i.e. signals sent from the CO to the ONU). Typically, the upstream and downstream signals are transmitted within separate transmission bands of the single optic fiber to avoid signal conflicts, crosstalk and the like. This is referred to as broad band wave division multiplexing. Optic fibers composed of silica have three useful transmission bands located at about 850, 1310 and 1550 nanometers (nm), which are hereinafter referred to respectively as the "850 band", the "1310-band" and the "1550-band". The existence of these bands is partly a function of the characteristics of the fiber itself, including such factors as the amount of optical absorption and dispersion within the fiber at different wavelengths, and partly a function of practical limitations on the availability of suitable devices, such as lasers and LED's, used for coupling light into the fiber at different wavelengths. As a result of these and other factors, it is currently most practical, at least for the purposes of digital telephony, to transmit either within the 1310-band or the 1550-band. The 850 band is not typically used for digital telephony.
In the example of FIG. 1, the downstream signals are transmitted into the 1310-band using an appropriate LED or laser configured for generating signals near 1310 nm. The upstream signals are transmitted into the 1550-band using an appropriate LED or laser for generating signals near 1550 nm. The transmission parameters and the operational characteristics of the fiber optic equipment are often configured to meet TA/R-909 loss budgets to assure reliable reception of signals despite losses associated with fiber splices and fiber connectors (not separately shown) and transmission losses in the fiber itself.
It is becoming increasingly desirable, however, to also provide for the transmission of other types of signals between the Co and the ONU along with the digital telephony signals. Specifically, it would be highly desirable to be able to transmit analog video signals, such as those provided by cable television (CAT) companies, from the CO to the ONU for subsequent routing into homes or offices. Indeed, by providing for the transmission of both digital telephony signals and analog video signals, the telephone company operating the optic fibers can thereby provide both telephone service and television service to its customers.
Problems, however, arise in connection with transmitting both upstream and downstream digital telephony signals as well as analog video signals over a single optic fiber. In particular, problems arise because the two aforementioned transmission bands, namely the 1550-band and the 1310-band, are the only two transmission bands that are commercially practical for transmitting digital telephony and analog video within silica fibers. Hence, only two transmission bands are available to handle the three required transmission channels, i.e. the upstream telephony, the downstream telephony and the downstream analog video.
One option is to transmit both the upstream and downstream telephony within common wavelengths of the 1310-band and to transmit the analog video within the 1550-band. This option is shown in FIG. 2, wherein downstream analog video, received from an analog video source 26, is transmitted by HDT 12 (or by a another device, such as a high density fiber bank (HDFN), not separately shown) over optic fiber 10 within the 1550-band to ONU 16 then converted to RF and transmitted through a co-axial cable 28 into houses or offices 24. Downstream telephony is transmitted over optic fiber 10 within the 1310-band to ONU 16 then converted to tip and ring signals and coupled into the houses or offices via tip and ring telephone lines 22. Upstream telephony is transmitted over optic fiber 10 within the 1310-band from ONU 16 to HDT 12 then converted to signals appropriate for coupling to switching equipment 18.
Thus, although not separately shown, the upstream end of the optic fiber is provided with an analog video 1550-band transmitter, a digital telephony 1310-band transmitter and a digital telephony 1310-band receiver. The downstream end of the fiber is provided with an analog video 1550-band receiver, a digital telephony 1310-band transmitter and a digital telephony 1310-band receiver. Appropriate couplers are employed for routing the telephony signals between the respective upstream and downstream 1310-band telephony transmitters and receivers and for routing the downstream analog video signals from the 1550-band analog video transmitter to the analog video receiver. In particular, a single-frequency coupler is employed at each end of the optic fiber for separating upstream and downstream telephony signals. The single-frequency coupler routes outgoing telephony signals onto the optic fiber from the respective transmitter and routes incoming telephony signals from the fiber into the respective receiver. A 1310/1550 window-splitting coupler (or, alternatively, a fused biconical tapered coupler (FBTC)) is also employed at each end of the optic fiber. The 1310/1550 window-splitting coupler at the upstream end of the optic fiber combines downstream telephony signals with downstream video signals for transmission over the optic fiber and splits off upstream telephony signals for routing to the upstream telephony receiver through the respective single-frequency coupler. The 1310/1550 window-splitting coupler at the downstream end of the optic fiber splits downstream telephony signals from downstream video signals for routing to the respective telephony or video receiver and couples upstream telephony signals onto the optic fiber.
However, the transmission of both upstream and downstream signals over the 1310-band through a single fiber leads to various problems. For example, "silent failure" can occur whereby a fracture in the optic fiber causes a transmitted signal to be reflected back along the optic fiber. In the example of FIG. 2, a digital telephony signal transmitted downstream in the 1310-band through the optic fiber may be reflected back upstream through the optic fiber as a result of a fracture (not shown). The 1310-band receiver at the upstream end of the fiber may erroneously receive the reflected signal and assume that the reflected signal was actually a signal transmitted from the downstream end of the fiber and that the connection to the downstream end of the optic fiber is still intact.
Silent failure can be detected by carefully managing optical power transmission levels and by determining whether all received signals lie within a narrow acceptable power level range consistent with a signal transmitted from the opposite end of the optic fiber. If a received signal has a power level that is too low or too high, it is presumed to be a reflected signal and appropriate error signals are generated. Alternatively, burst transmission schemes may be employed whereby the transmitter at one end of the optic fiber selectively transmits bursts of compressed data signals. The transmitter at the other end of the optic fiber transmits reply bursts after carefully timed intervals. If reply signals are received at some time other than within narrowly acceptable time intervals, the reply signals are presumed to be a reflected signals from a break in the optic fiber and appropriate action is taken. Although both techniques are capable of detecting silent failure, significant costs arise as a result of the need to either provide for careful power level management or to provide for burst processing.
Other problems also occur as a result of carrying both upstream and downstream digital telephony signals over the 1310-band. Crosstalk can occur between the transmitter and the receiver pair at each end of the fiber because both the transmitter and the receiver are operating in the same frequency band. Also, as noted, a single-frequency coupler is required at each end of the optic fiber to be able to carry both upstream and downstream telephony signals within the 1310-band. Single-frequency couplers typically cause a 3 db loss in signal power thereby reducing the overall efficiency of the system and hence adding associated costs.
Thus significant problems arise in attempting to carry both upstream and downstream digital telephony signals within common wavelengths of the 1310-band. Another single-fiber option would be to attempt to carry downstream digital telephony over the 1310-band and to carry both the upstream digital telephony and the downstream analog video over common wavelengths of the 1550-band. But many of the same problems as described above occur. Indeed, insofar as cross talk is concerned, matters are even worse because transmission power levels for analog video are typically far greater than for digital telephony so problems with cross talk are much more significant when downstream analog video is carried over the same transmission channel as upstream digital telephony, i.e. the upstream digital telephony receiver may erroneously receive a portion of the downstream analog video signal.
Moreover, significant difficulties arise when attempting to route downstream telephony over the 1310-band and to route both downstream video and upstream telephony over common wavelengths of the 1550-band when using conventional broad band couplers. Conventional couplers, such as 1310/1550 window-splitting beam-splitter couplers or FBTC's, are simply not effective for routing upstream 1550-band telephony signals over a single fiber to an upstream receiver while also routing downstream 1310-band telephony signals and 1550-band video signals over the same fiber to respective downstream receivers, at least not when common wavelengths of the 1550-band are employed for both the upstream telephony signals and the downstream video signals. In particular, such conventional couplers cannot be configured to adequately route upstream 1550-band signals onto the fiber while also splitting downstream 1310-band telephony signals from downstream 1550-band video signals received over the same fiber for coupling to separate receivers. Accordingly, with conventional systems, if video is to be transmitted along with telephony over a single fiber, the arrangement of FIG. 2 is employed wherein upstream and downstream telephony are both carried over the 1310-band and video is carried over the separate 1550-band. Although such an arrangement suffers from the problems summarized above, at least the necessary routing of the various signals from respective transmitters to respective receivers can be achieved using conventional couplers.
Yet another option, as shown in FIG. 3, is simply to provide a second optic fiber connecting the CO and the ONU with digital telephony carried over one fiber (10) and analog video carried over another (10'), but the cost of deploying a second optic fiber, particularly in areas already having a single optic fiber deployed, is usually prohibitive.
Accordingly, there is a significant need to provide for the ability to carry both downstream analog video and upstream and downstream digital telephony over a single optic fiber and it is to that end that the present invention are primarily directed.

Method and apparatus for simultaneous transmission of digital telephony and analog video over a single optic fiber using wave division multiplexing


A cable organizing apparatus includes a housing member having a base member, one or more posts extended from the base member for winding or engaging with one or more cables, and one or more flaps extended outwardly from the base member and foldable relative to the base member for forming and defining a chamber in the flaps of the housing member and for receiving and accommodating the post within the chamber in the flaps of the housing member, and the flaps are foldable relative to the base member for receiving the post and the cable within the chamber in the flaps of the housing member and for preventing the cable from being disengaged from the post.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cable organizing apparatus, and more particularly to a cable organizing apparatus including an improved structure or configuration for solidly and stably winding and storing and organizing one or more wires or cables therein and for preventing the wires or cables from being disengaged or separated from the cable organizing apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical cable organizer or organizing devices comprise a casing or housing having a plate or wall member which includes one or more openings or orifices or notches formed therein for receiving or engaging with the wires or cables and for winding and storing and organizing the wires or cables therein and for preventing the wires or cables from being disengaged or separated from the cable organizing apparatus.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,268 to Lerner et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,736,669 to Martin et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,433,571 to Kendricks, U.S. Pat. No. 7,446,260 to Hammonds, U.S. Pat. No. 7,607,618 to Mori et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,882,660 to Kitagawa, and U.S. Pat. No. 8,076,584 to Huang et al. disclose several of the typical cable organizing apparatuses each comprising a casing or housing having a compartment or chamber or one or more openings or orifices or notches formed therein for receiving or engaging with the wires or cables and for winding and storing and organizing the wires or cables therein and for preventing the wires or cables from being disengaged or separated from the casing or housing of the cable organizing apparatus.
However, the wires or cables may only be randomly or loosely received or engaged within the casing or housing of the cable organizing apparatus and may not be solidly and stably anchored or retained or positioned within the casing or housing, and may have a good chance to be disengaged from the casing or housing inadvertently.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional cable organizing apparatuses.


This invention relates to an enzymatic detergent drain cleaner composition comprising:. about 0.005% to about 20% by weight of an acid lipase having hydrolytic activity to ester bonds, specific to glyceride linkages; PA1 about 0.005% to about 20% by weight of an acid cellulase enzyme having hydrolytic activity specific to .beta.-glucosidic bonds; PA1 about 1-70 wt % of a water soluble carbonate salt; PA1 about 1-70 wt % of a water soluble acid that reacts in an aqueous medium with the carbonate salt to form carbon dioxide that dissolves in the aqueous medium; PA1 about 0.1-10 wt % of a surfactant; and PA1 about 0.05-5 wt % of a thickening agent. This detergent composition may be used as an enzymatic detergent drain cleaner or in a method for removing or preventing bacterial cellulose and glyceride deposits in an aqueous system.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to compositions and methods for degrading, removing, and preventing bacterial cellulose and glyceride deposits. More particularly, this invention relates to enzymatic detergent compositions and methods of using them to degrade, remove, and prevent polymeric bacterial cellulose deposits in aqueous systems such as drain pipes. Additionally, this invention relates to enzymatic detergent compositions and methods of using them to degrade, remove, and prevent fatty and oily glyceride deposits in aqueous systems such as drain pipes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Traditional approaches to controlling or eliminating the problem of bacterial cellulose build-up in sugar or alcohol enriched drain systems typically have included contacting the cellulose with highly corrosive chemicals, such as concentrated hydrochloric acid, concentrated sulfuric acid, sodium hypochlorite, sodium silicate, chlorine bleach, phenylmercuric acetate, pentachlorophenol, tributyltin oxide, isocyanurates, or sodium hydroxide. However, these treatments have proven ineffective or incapable of removing deposited cellulosic slime, and they have several drawbacks associated with their use. Most of these chemicals are toxic to many organisms, including humans. Their toxicity makes them very dangerous during handling, and they contaminate and pollute if they are discharged into the enviroment. In addition to the problems engendered by toxicity, many of these toxic and hazardous chemicals can damage the drain systems where bacterial cellulose deposits are found.
Mechanical water jetting and rotor rooting are nontoxic alternatives to the chemical treatments described above. Of these, water jetting is preferred because it is less likely to cause damage to the drain systems. Yet neither method is an effective, acceptable treatment to prevent or remove bacterial cellulose deposits in drain systems. Bacterial cellulose accumulates rapidly in susceptible drain systems, and to keep such drains completely clear by these mechanical means requires frequent treatments. The frequent interruption in drain service occasioned by jetting or rooting makes them impractical. In addition, both methods involve significant manual labor, adding considerably to the cost of removing the deposits. Their cost and inefficiency make jetting or rooting uneconomical as prophylactic treatments. The result is that many drains having a bacterial cellulose problem are ineffectively and infrequently treated and therefore function at a severely reduced capacity or not at all.
Drain systems also have the problem of glyceride deposits resulting from grease effluents passing through the system. This problem is especially prevalent in the food service industry. Traditional treatments for controlling or eliminating the problem of glyceride deposits include the chemical treatment with highly corrosive chemicals and the mechanical water jetting and rotor rooting methods described above. However, the use of these traditional treatments for controlling or eliminating the glyceride deposits suffer the same disadvantages found in the traditional treatment of bacterial cellulose build-up.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,656 to Burrows et al. proposes a process for degrading fibrous cellulose materials, more particularly toilet tissue in aqueous waste holding tanks, by contacting the material with a composition comprising a cellulase enzyme, sodium bicarbonate, and citric acid. However, this method does not use an enzyme having activity specific to polymeric cellulose typically produced by microorganisms such as Acetobacter bacteria, and the enzyme concentrations disclosed are too low for effectively treating cellulose deposited by such microorganisms. Further, the method according to the Burrows patent does not disclose the use of any lipase enzyme. Moreover, compositions disclosed in this reference contain large quantities of sodium chloride, which drastically reduces cellulase enzyme activity under the conditions wherein the present invention is applied.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,506,582 to Gertzman discloses enzymatic drain cleaner compositions composed of a metal salt of carbonic acid, glucono-delta-lactone, and a mixture of enzymes, including amylase, protease, lipase, pectinase, and cellulase. These compositions suffer the same drawbacks found in the Burrows patent, i.e., they do not address the polymeric bacterial cellulose substrate produced by microorganisms such as Acetobacter bacteria, and they contain significant amounts of sodium chloride, which inhibits enzyme activity under the conditions where such bacterial cellulose deposits are found. Moreover, the disclosed compositions do not require an acid lipase enzymes specific to degrade oily and fatty materials, i.e., lipase enzymes having hydrolytic activity to ester bonds, specific to glyceride linkages.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,264,146 to Tobiason discloses a method and composition for carrying sewer or drain cleaning agents, including lipase and lipase excreting bacteria, to clean drains and sewer lines. This reference neither discloses nor suggests using an enzyme having activity specific to the troublesome cellulose deposited in sugar and alcohol enriched environments by microorganisms such as Acetobacter bacteria. Further, this reference suffers the same drawbacks found in the Gertzman patent; Tobiason fails to require that the lipase enzymes possess hydrolytic activity to ester bonds, specific to glyceride linkages. Moreover, the disclosed compositions can contain other cleaning agents, including corrosive chemicals such as caustic soda and harmful solvents such as dichlorobenzene.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,407,595 and 5,520,746 to Kamiya discloses a detergent drain pipe cleaning composition comprising a lipocatabolic lipase, an imbibing agent such as sodium bicarbonate, and an N-acyclic amino acid, but no cellulase enzyme. Thus, this composition also is not specific to cellulose produced by microorganisms such as Acetobacter bacteria, and therefore is not effective to address the problem solved by the present invention.
The drain systems in commercial service establishments, such as restaurants and bars, present a unique problem. In these establishments, particularly quick service restaurants, high quantities of fats, oils and grease produced by spillage, frying vats and washing sinks are found in the waste water. As the waste water passes through the drain system, glycerides from the fats, oils and grease deposit in the aqueous system. Additionally, bacterial cellulose deposits are also produced because of the presence of sugars and alcohols in the drain system. It is therefore common for these drain systems to have both bacterial cellulose deposits and glyceride deposits, with the glyceride deposits frequently absorbed onto the bacterial cellulose surface because of the bacterial cellulose's spongy nature and absorbtive capacity.
While concentrated sodium hydroxide or H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 will typically hydrolyze to the soluble fractions glyceride deposits from the fats, oils and grease, these corrosive chemicals are undesirable for use because of their toxicity and ineffectiveness in removing deposited cellulosic slime. Further, when the glyceride deposits are absorbed on the bacterial cellulose surface, it is very difficult for an acid cellulose enzyme to break down the deposits. In fact, the hydrolytic activity of the acid cellulose enzyme is reduced. Thus, an effective drain cleaner for the aqueous drain systems containing both bacterial cellulose deposits and glyceride deposits typically found in commercial service establishments is necessary. Prior to the present invention, there were no such commercial products available to address the drain system problems associated with both bacterial cellulose and glyceride deposits.

Enzymatic detergent composition and method for degrading and removing bacterial cellulose and glycerides


A patty forming system which includes a first generally disc-like mold chamber and a second loading chamber in which a manually operated plunger is mounted for reciprocal movement. When the plunger is moved towards the mold chamber, the mass of material from which a patty is to be formed will be forced into the mold chamber and be molded into the shape of such chamber. Preferably the diameter of the mold chamber is variable depending upon the quantity of material forced into such chamber by the plunger. An automatic spring loaded patty ejector may also be incorporated with the plunger mechanism to facilitate removal of the patty from the mold chamber.

The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for forming molded food products, such as ground beef patties for grilling or other cooking of the product. However, the structure and method disclosed and claimed herein is generally applicable to forming other disc-like elements such as cookie dough, or even non-food items. Numerous devices and systems are disclosed in the prior art, but such art fails to provide a manual operable device, which can be simply used and controlled by one hand of the user, whether ground meat, cookie dough, or other moldable product is to be formed.


A conducting polymer thin film which comprises a conducting polymer capable of undergoing a physicochemical state change between at least two of an oxidized state, a neutral state, and a reduced state, said conducting polymer in at least one of these states retaining ionic dye molecules incorporated among the molecules thereof. The conducting polymer thin film of the present invention is reduced in power consumption, does not generate any harmful substance, and is capable of being used for continuous image formation. The process for producing the conducting polymer thin film, a method of working the conducting polymer thin film, a method of image formation with the conducting polymer thin film, and an apparatus for image formation are also disclosed.

Techniques currently utilized in printers and the like for transferring an image to a recording medium, e.g., paper, based on electrical or optical signals include dot-impact printing, thermal transfer printing, thermal sublimation printing, ink-jet printing, and electrophotography in laser printers. These techniques are roughly classified into three groups.
One group includes dot-impact printing, thermal transfer printing, and thermal sublimation printing. In these techniques, a sheet containing dye molecules dispersed therein, e.g., an inked ribbon or a donor film, is superposed on paper or the like, and the dye is transferred to the paper by means of mechanical impacts or heating. These techniques therefore have drawbacks that expendables are always necessary, that it is difficult to increase the printing speed, and that the printing has a low energy efficiency and high running cost. Moreover, the prints obtained with these techniques excluding thermal sublimation printing have poor quality.
On the other hand, ink-jet recording, which is included in another group, has an advantage that running cost is low because an ink is directly transferred from heads to paper and expendables other than an ink are hence unnecessary. However, it is difficult to increase the speed of ink-jet printing, because all dots are formed with electrical control and because of difficulty in fabricating an array of heads having the width of the paper. Another drawback of ink-jet printing is that since the minimum image unit is determined by head size and head interval, higher print quality results in lower printing speeds and lower energy efficiencies.
Electrophotography, which is included in the remaining group and is used in laser printers, etc., is a technique of forming an image through an intermediate transfer medium. In electrophotography, a toner is adsorbed onto an electrostatic image formed on a photoreceptor by laser spots, and the adsorbed toner is transferred to paper to form an image. Electrophotography can hence form relatively fine images. In addition, it has an advantage of low running cost because a toner is the only expendable. However, electrophotography has problems that the consumption of electrical power is large because of the necessity of a high voltage for the formation of latent images and for the adsorption and transfer of a toner, and that electrophotographic apparatuses generate ozone and nitrogen oxides. All the printing techniques described above further have a problem of a considerably loud printing noise.
On the other hand, among the image-forming techniques which give high-quality images are conventional printing techniques using a printing plate and silver halide photography. However, the conventional printing techniques have a drawback that these are unsuitable for general applications because of the necessity of forming a plate, although the running cost thereof is low when the same image is formed in a large quantity. Silver halide photography and the like have drawbacks that because of the necessity of using media which are not reusable, such as photographic films and photographic printing paper, the running cost thereof is high and an increase in printing speed is not expected.
As described above, any of the image-forming techniques currently utilized in printers and the like is not a printing technique which gives high-quality images, attains a relatively high printing speed and a low running cost, is energy-saving and resource-saving, and is environmentally friendly and user friendly.
One means for eliminating the above-described problems may be to utilize a medium with which an image distribution corresponding to the image to be printed is formed with an image-forming element, e.g., a toner or an ink, on the same scale (the same paper width) as on the receiving material and is transferred indirectly or directly. This medium, which functions as a temporary holder for an image-forming element, is required not only to attain a relatively small energy consumption and continuous tone in the incorporation and release (transfer) of the image-forming element but also to be capable of coping with size reduction in units of the image-forming element.
Examples of media which can satisfy such requirements include films of conducting polymers represented by polypyrrole, polythiophene, and polyaniline. It is known that films of these polymers can be chemically, electrically, or electrochemically regulated so as to come into any of three states, i.e., oxidized, neutral, and reduced states, and these state changes are accompanied by doping with and undoping of counter ions. Such properties are described in detail in, e.g., Susumu Yoshimura, "Do densei Porima (Conducting Polymer)" (The Society of Polymer Science, Japan); Kazuo Yamashita and Hiroshi Kitani, "Do densei Yu ki Hakumaku No Kino To Sekkei (Function and Design of Electroconductive Organic Thin Film)" (The Society of Surface Science, Japan); and Katsumi Yoshino "Dodensei Kobunshi No Kiso To Oyo (Fundamental and Application of Conducting polymer)" (IPC).
To sum up, a conducting polymer thin film capable of being doped with dye molecule ions and undoped to release the ions is expected to function as a temporary image-forming-element holder which satisfies the requirements described above. However, the counter ions with which conducting polymers are doped and undoped have generally been limited to the anions and cations of general metals and small molecule electrolytes. It is known that in the case where a conducting polymer is synthesized in the presence of, e.g., high molecular anions or the like, the resulting polymer cannot be undoped.
On the other hand, the size of ions with which a conducting polymer film can be reversibly doped and undoped is determined by the microstructure of the film. It has been reported in Hiroaki Shinohara et al., J. Chem. Soc., Chem.
Commun., p. 87 (1986) that the size of those ions can be controlled, for example, by regulating the size of counter ions in the presence of which a monomer is polymerized to produce the conducting polymer. However, the molecular weights of the ions investigated in the above report are up to about 100, and the results given therein show that the higher the molecular weight, the poorer the doping/undoping characteristics. Although an example of reversible doping/undoping with relatively large molecules has been reported by the same investigators including Shinohara in Journal of Chemical Society of Japan, No. 3, p. 465 (1986), this investigation was made with glutamic acid, whose molecular weight is below 150. On the other hand, many generally employed dyes have a molecular weight in the range of about from 500 to 1,500; it has hitherto been thought that conducting polymer films cannot be reversibly doped with and undoped of ions having such a high molecular weight.
Prior art applications of conducting polymer films based on such doping/undoping with low-molecular weight ions and on the accompanying color changes have been directed mainly to protective films for batteries and solar cells and to electrochromic display elements. On the other hand, use of a conducting polymer film as a material for marking is disclosed in JP-A-2-142835, "Method for Controlling Wettability of Surface of Thin Polymer Film and Method and Material for Image Formation Based on that Method." (The term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application.") However, this prior art technique has a drawback that since a printing plate is formed by changing the wettability of a conducting polymer film by means of electrical shifting between an oxidized state and a neutral state, the conducting polymer thin film neither functions to keep a dye therein through doping, nor is regulated at all with respect to the adsorption or transfer amount of a dye, e.g., an ink.

Image forming apparatus including conducting polymer layer for ionic dye intake and release


An intake pipe assembly for an internal combustion engine is described. The intake pipe assembly includes an intake pipe and a safety valve which can be brought into an open position by the presence of a pressure on the inside of the intake pipe which exceeds a pressure of the surrounding atmosphere.

The present invention relates to an intake pipe for an internal combustion engine.
Intake pipes for internal combustion engines are generally known and typically consist of a metallic material or of a plastic. The wall thicknesses of these generally known intake pipes is frequently dimensioned such that a sudden increase in combustion pressure, such as may accompany a backfire into the intake pipe associated with the improper adjustment of an internal combustion engine, can be withstood without damage. In this connection, however, it must be taken into account that the wall thicknesses of such intake pipes are substantial, which is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of manufacture, economy and functionality. On the other hand, thin-walled plastic intake pipes frequently do not withstand sudden increases in pressure and burst.
There remains a need for intake pipes that can be efficiently manufactured, both from the standpoint of manufacturing technique and cost, and that are of low weight, yet which can withstand the combustion pressures which can arise upon backfire into the intake pipe.

Intake pipe for an internal combustion engine


The non-productive motion of an automatic composite tape laydown machine is optimized to increase the overall rate of the laydown. Ordering of tape courses is analyzed to determine the time required to move between courses using a time function that reflects operating characteristics and limitations of the tape laydown machine. The ordering is optimized by re-ordering, grouping and/or partitioning the tape courses so as to reduce the non-productive motion of the machine. The optimized ordering is used by a NC program that controls the operation of the machine.

Composite parts and structures such as those used in the automotive, marine and aerospace industries may be fabricated using automated composite material application machines, such as composite tape lamination machines and composite fiber placement machines, collectively referred to herein as tape laydown machines.
Some conventional composite material application machines, for example a flat tape lamination machine (FTLM) or a contoured tape lamination machine (CTLM), produce flat or gently contoured composite parts by laying relatively wide strips of composite tape onto generally horizontal or vertical tooling surfaces, such as a mandrel. Other conventional composite material application machines, for example, an automated fiber placement (AFP) machine, are used to produce generally cylindrical or tubular composite parts by wrapping relatively narrow strips of composite slit tape, or "tows", collimated into a wider band, around a rotating manufacturing tool, such as a mandrel.
Tape laydown machines have been devised that employ single or multiple composite material application heads that are operated by NC (numerical control) or CNC (computer numerical control) controllers which control movement of the application heads and ancillary functions, including applying and cutting composite tape "on the fly". In aerospace applications, these machines may be used to fabricate a wide variety of composite parts, such as, without limitation, flat spars, stringer charges, wing skins, and barrel-shaped sections, to name a few.
Composite parts of the type mentioned above may comprise multiple plies of varying thickness, complexity, and orientation. Automated application of the tape is broken down into sequences that consist of one or more ply segments of the same or different fiber orientation. All ply segments in a sequence are normally in laid before material application proceeds to the next sequence. The part is complete when all sequences have been laid. In order to control the tape laydown machine, path generation software is provided that controls the laydown of ply segments in terms of a set of courses of specified width, fiber orientation and length. The specific machine motions and head path are selected by the NC programmer based on a few simple rules, personal experience and intuition. The process of programming the machine path is more challenging where the part utilizes complex ply segments that may result in inefficient ordering, grouping and partitioning of courses within a ply.
Further complicating the task machine programming is the fact that different tape laydown machines possess differing dynamics and configurations. For example, differing machines may possess variations in acceleration, axes velocities, number of heads per machine, number of machines per lay-up cell, all of which may effect the decision of the programmer in optimizing the machine path. Additionally, there may be unique operational condition variables that may affect overall productivity, such as variations in between material cutting and material adding reliabilities, direction of travel, head turnaround motion, and other preferred operations conditions that can affect the overall machine productivity.
Once the machine paths for the courses are generated by the programmer, the NC program does not conduct any further processing to determine whether courses in line with each other should be grouped or combined into one path as a means to efficiently laydown the tape, or whether a generated course could be partitioned into individual pieces for greater laydown efficiency.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method of controlling a tape laydown machine that optimizes machine motions, reduces course-to-course, non-productive, motions and increases tape laydown efficiency for a variety of machine types. Embodiments of the disclosure are intended to satisfy this need.

Optimizing non-productive part motion in an automated tape laydown machine


A semiconductor device including active regions defined in a semiconductor substrate to be non-parallel with a first direction and a second direction which are perpendicular to each other, word lines intersecting active regions and extending in first directions to be spaced apart from each other in the second direction, bit lines crossing over word lines and extending in second directions to be spaced apart from each other in the first direction, first impurity regions disposed in respective ones of central portions of active regions to non-overlap with the word lines, second impurity regions disposed in both ends of each of the active regions to non-overlap with the word lines, and bit line contact plugs disposed between the first impurity regions and the bit lines. The bit line contact plugs having longish shapes including major axes substantially parallel with the second direction and minor axes substantially parallel with the first direction.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing the same and, more particularly, to semiconductor devices having bit line contact plugs and methods of manufacturing the same.
In general, a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device may include a plurality of memory cells, and each of the DRAM cells may include a cell transistor and a cell capacitor electrically connected to the cell transistor to store a data therein. The cell transistors may be formed in and/or on active regions which are defined in a semiconductor substrate, and the cell capacitors may be electrically connected to the cell transistors through contact pads and contact plugs. Recently, as semiconductor devices having unit cells become more highly integrated, areas (planar areas) that the unit cells occupy have been abruptly reduced. Thus, various process technologies for forming fine patterns as well as various cell layouts for obtaining compact cell structures have been proposed to realize highly integrated semiconductor devices. A semiconductor device including active regions, word lines and bit lines extending in different directions form each other is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,809,364 B2 to Matsuoka et al., entitled "Semiconductor Integrated Circuit Device and A Method of Manufacture Thereof".
According to the U.S. Pat. No. 6,809,364 B2, the semiconductor device includes word lines extending in a first direction, bit lines extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and active region disposed to extend in a diagonal direction that is non-parallel with both the word lines and the bit lines. In such a case, bit line contact plugs may be disposed to be adjacent to storage node contact plugs. Thus, there may be every probability of electrical shortage between the bit line contact plugs and the storage node contact plugs. This electrical shortage phenomenon may occur due to a short distance between the bit line contact plugs and the storage node contact plugs. Accordingly, various cell structures and/or various process techniques are still required to realize highly integrated semiconductor devices.

Semiconductor devices having bit line contact plugs and methods of manufacturing the same


A holding mechanism of a display device includes a first arm, a second arm and a damper. The first arm and the second arm hold the display device in such a manner that the display device is capable of being displaced between a first disposition in which a lower edge portion of the display device is away from a placing face with a display screen facing to a front and a second disposition in which the lower edge portion is in contact with the placing face with the display screen facing more upward than in the first disposition. The damper applies, to the first arm, a force that buffers a force by which the display device is liable to displacement from the first disposition to the second disposition due to self-weight.

The present invention relates to a holding mechanism for a display device configured in such a manner that inputting operations can be made with information that is displayed.
Among the information processing units such as tablet type PC (personal computer), desktop PC of recent years and the like are ones allowing a user to perform inputting operations such as cursor moving, file manipulating, page flipping and so forth through a touching operation and/or a motioning operation with a user's finger on an input section such as touch panel or the like that is provided on a display device, as well as allowing the user to perform inputting operations with a key-board and/or a mouse.
With an information processing unit provided with such a display device that is configured in such a manner as to allow the inputting operations as above-mentioned, space-saving can be achieved by disposing the display device upright in generally vertical direction when the display device is not in use, or when a display screen is just viewed without the inputting operations such as touching operation and/or the like being carried out on the display device. On the other hand, operability is improved by disposing the display device in an upward leaning direction or in generally horizontal direction when the inputting operation such as touching operation or the like is carried out on the display device.
Also, display devices have upsized with price reduction, and have thereby increased their weight.
Then, an information processing unit has became known (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2001-203473 bulletin) that includes a display device having an input section, a housing section and a holding mechanism, in which the holding mechanism is configured using a stay, an air damper and a plurality of free stop hinges each having a hinging assembly, and in which the display device is configured in such a manner as to be capable of being swung between a position above the housing and a position that is in front of the housing and lower than a user's sight line.
However, in the information processing unit having the conventional holding mechanism for the display device, because a lower edge portion of the display device is away from a placing face on which the information processing unit is placed in a disposition in which the display device is disposed in front of the housing, the display device wobbles when an inputting operation such as touching operation or the like is carried out on the display device; so that there is a risk that operability of the display device reduces.
The present invention is directed to providing a holding mechanism for a display device that is capable of improving operability of the display device configured in such a manner as to allow inputting operations.


A TMDS receiver includes a plurality of data channels, a clock channel, and an off-line mode detector. Each data channel receives a video signal and the clock channel receives a clock signal. Each data channel comprises a channel decoder for decoding the signals received by the corresponding receiving channel. The off-line mode detector detects an off-line mode detector, and then turns on a plurality of first data channels for a first predetermined period to determine an operation mode of video signal transmitted on said first data channels if the activity of the clock signal is valid. The off-line mode detector also activates a plurality of second data channels among the plurality of data channels according to the operation mode if the operation mode is determined as valid.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to digital video interface, and more specifically, to a method for detecting the digital video interface off-line mode and associated receiver.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, the cathode ray tube (CRT) display is a stereotype of the analog video display device and the liquid crystal display (LCD) is a stereotype of the digital video display device. Meanwhile, the digital video display device is capable of receiving either analog video signals or digital video signals from a signal source such as a graphic card of the computer but eventually displays digital video signals on the screen.
A called "Digital Visual Interface (DVI)" standard, which has been announced by the Digital Display Working Group (DDWG), spreads a high-speed digital transmission technology for visual display signals. The digital video interface complied with the DVI standard is primarily focused on providing a higher compatible connection between a computer (e.g. workstation, desktop, laptop, etc.) and its different display devices (e.g. CRT, LCD, projector, etc.). In a digital video interface compliant host system, either a digital only interface or a combined analog and digital interface may be utilized.
As known, conventional host systems and liquid crystal displays all are inherently digital devices. The video interface for a CRT display requires a digital to analog converter (DAC) to convert the innate digital signal into the analog signal. However, a LCD may further require an analog to digital converter (ADC) for receiving and converting the analog video signal into the digital video signal. The requirements of DAC of the video interface and ADC of the liquid crystal display do not only result in increasing the cost but also degradation of the video quality during a plurality of conversions between the analog and digital signals.
Thus, the digital video interface provided with solutions of complete digital transmission becomes a popular video connection standard. Conventionally, a mode detection circuit is adopted to frequently detect the current mode of the video signals received by a transmission minimized differential signaling (TMDS) receiver. In a digital video interface system, Sync information is encoded in the data stream and TMDS receiver needs to use a receiver and decoder to decode the Sync information for mode detection. Even in off-line mode, without displaying any input image but monitoring the input signal, the prior art needs to turn on all TMDS receivers and decode the data continuously for mode detection. The full operation of all channels and the frequent detection of the conventional mode detection circuit causes high power consumption and heat dissipation.

Method for detecting digital video interface off-line mode and associated receiver


Acoustic measurement systems include an enclosure having a high efficiency yet very thin acoustic absorber coating portions thereof, in order to diminish background reflections. The thin acoustic absorber includes a reflective sublayer having a periodic array of indentations on its surface. The periodic array of indentations can be one-dimensional or two dimensional. The thin acoustic absorber further includes a thin absorbing layer overlaid on the reflective sublayer, and typically formed of a viscoelastic foam. The thin acoustic absorber possesses unprecedented absorption efficiency across a broad frequency range and at normal or oblique angles of incidence.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it may be described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present technology.
Acoustic reflection measurement systems, such as sonar, are widely used for detection and imaging of objects. In such systems, a sound transmitter directs acoustic waves toward an object and a detector measures waves reflected by the object. Controlled acoustic reflection measurement experiments are used for detailed object imaging, such as in quality control, as well as for calibration of sound transmitters and detectors.
A controlled acoustic measurement experiment is typically conducted by directing acoustic waves at a test object located in an enclosure containing an acoustic transmission fluid. The walls of the enclosure are able to reflect the transmitted sound waves, and such reflections from enclosure walls can interfere with detection of the reflections from the test object. This deleterious effect can be mitigated by covering enclosure walls with a sound absorbing material, thereby minimizing such competing reflections.
Conventional sound absorption materials must be undesirably thick in order to possess effective absorption efficiency. Such thick materials occupy an undesirably high volume in a limited space, and increase cost. On the other hand, thin acoustic absorbing materials based on acoustic resonance have a very narrow effective frequency range. Such structures also can be sensitive to the incident angle of sound, leading to poor absorption for oblique angles.
Acoustic metamaterials having multiple components and resonant structures to combine the properties of viscous absorbers and resonators are known. Such materials can have high absorption efficiency despite being extremely thin. Known instances of such materials tend to have narrow frequency ranges of absorption frequency, however. For example, a material having a dissipative soft solid medium containing a layer of gas cylinders and backed by a flat steel showed strong absorption efficiency (>90% absorption), but only across a frequency range of 1-3 MHz.
For these reasons, and for multiple general applications, it would be desirable to develop a thin acoustic absorber having high absorption efficiency across a broadband frequency range.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.


A treatment method for restoring of age related tissue loss in the face or selected areas of the body is disclosed which includes injecting an injectable composition containing a growth factor and hyaluronic acid as a carrier into the dermis, the hypodermis, or both, in various areas of the face, or selected areas of the body of a person to stimulate collagen, elastin, or fat cell production, thereby restoring age related tissue loss in the face and selected areas of the body. Further disclosed is an injectable composition for restoring of age related tissue loss in the face and selected areas of the body, which contains a growth factor and hyaluronic acid as a carrier for providing time release of the growth factor into tissues. The growth factor can be insulin, insulin-like growth factor, thyroid hormone, fibroblast growth factor, estrogen, retinoic acid, or their combinations.

Skin is composed of the epidermis and the dermis. Below these layers lies the hypodermis, which is not usually classified as a layer of skin. The hypodermis is also commonly referred to as subcutaneous fat layer, or subcutaneous tissue. The outermost epidermis is made up of stratified squamous epithelium with an underlying basement membrane. It contains no blood vessels, and is nourished by diffusion from the dermis. The main type of cells which make up the epidermis are keratinocytes, with melanocytes and langerhans cells also present. This layer of skin is responsible for keeping water in the body and keeping other harmful chemicals and pathogens out.
The dermis lies below the epidermis and contains a number of structures including blood vessels, nerves, hair follicles, smooth muscle, glands and lymphatic tissue. The dermis (or corium) is typically 3-5 mm thick and is the major component of human skin. It is composed of a network of connective tissue, predominantly collagen fibrils providing support and elastic tissue providing flexibility. The main cell types are fibroblasts, adipocytes (fat storage) and macrophages. The hypodermis lies below the dermis. Its purpose is to attach the skin to underlying bone and muscle as well as supplying it with blood vessels and nerves. It is made up of loose connective tissue and elastin. The main cell types are fibroblasts, macrophages and adipocytes. The hypodermis contains 50% of body fat. Fat serves as padding and insulation for the body.
Facial aging occurs as the result of several factors: inherent changes within the skin, effects of gravity, facial muscles acting on the skin (dynamic lines), soft tissue loss or shift and bone loss and loss of tissue elasticity. The skin ages when the epidermis begins to thin, causing the junction with the dermis to flatten. Collagen decreases as a person ages and the bundles of collagen, which gives the skin turgor, become looser and lose strength. When the skin loses elasticity, it is less able to resist stretching. Coupled with gravity, muscle pull and tissue changes, the skin begin to wrinkle. Water loss and breakdown of bonds between cells also reduces the barrier function of the skin, which can cause the skin's pore size to increases.
As a person ages, the face loses volume, soft tissue, and fat. The appearance of jowls and folds are usually caused by the drooping of facial tissues and folding of areas where the muscles below are attached to the skin. As part of the reduction in soft tissue the face gets more hollow.
More specifically, in various facial areas, such as forehead, eyes, nose, midface and lower face, changes relating to aging have been well documented. In forehead area, the forehead and brow droop over time, which lowers the eyebrows and causes the upper eyelid skin to bunch. Forehead lines appear when one tries to hold the brows and eyelids up to counteract these changes. It is well known that the eyes are often the first facial feature to show signs of aging. Skin changes around the eyes occur earlier than in the rest of the face since the skin is thinner around the eyes. The skin here contains fewer glands and is subjected to constant blinking, squinting, rubbing, and pulling. The midface ages when the cheeks begin to droop, causing nasolabial folds. Nasolabial folds are the lines that run from the sides of the nose to the corners of the mouth. These folds have been treated with facial fillers. In the nose area, as a person ages, the nose elongates. Common causes of elongation are thinning of the soft tissue and loss of elasticity, which causes "drooping of the tip" and unmasking of the bone, creating a new hump. In the lower face area, as the face ages, facial tissues descend. This results in the so-called "laugh lines". Folds and lines in this area have been treated with facial fillers. Further down on the face, the corners of the mouth may droop and descent of the jowls can create folds often referred to as "marionette" lines. Furthermore, jowls form when the cheeks sag around a fixed point along the jaw where the facial muscles attach to the jawbone. The facial muscles continue down into the neck as a sheet called the platysma muscle. This muscle often gaps in the center of the neck, creating two bands.
Various injectables have been used for restoring tissue loss in the face. Since the 1980s, injectable collagen has been used as a soft-tissue filler to fill wrinkles, lines and scars on the face. Collagen is a naturally occurring protein that supports various parts of the body including skin, tendons and ligaments. Fat injections have been used for years to add volume, fill wrinkles, lines and enhance the lips. Fat injections involve taking fat from one part of the patient's body (abdomen, thighs or buttocks) and reinjecting it beneath the facial skin. Botulinum toxins have been used for neck spasms, cranial nerve disorders and eye spasms. With the recent FDA approval of Botox for cosmetic use in the glabellar region, the drug is used to smooth wrinkles. When injected into facial muscles botulinum toxins block nerve impulses, temporarily paralyzing muscles and smoothing wrinkles.
Hyaluronic acid is one of most commonly used cosmetic dermal filler which adds volume to minimize wrinkles and lines. Hyaluronic acid is a linear polysaccharide that exists naturally in all living organisms and is a universal component of the extra-cellular spaces of body tissues. The identical structure of hyaluronic acid in all species and tissues makes this polysaccharide an ideal substance for use as a bio-material in health and medicine. Hyaluronic acid is present in many places in the human body. It gives volume to the skin, shape to the eyes and elasticity to the joints. The highest concentrations are found in connective tissues, and most hyaluronic acid (about 56%) is found in the skin.
Various forms of hyaluronic acid are provided commercially by a number of manufacturers. The most commonly used hyaluronic acid is the non-animal stabilized hyaluronic acid (NASHA) in a clear gel form, produced by bacterial fermentation from streptococci bacteria. Different from animal derived hyaluronic acid, the non-animal derived hyaluronic acid is free from animal proteins. This limits the risk of animal based disease transmissions or development of allergic reactions to animal proteins. The most known non-animal stabilized hyaluronic acid is manufactured by Q-med, Seminariegatan, Uppsala, and commercially available under the tradename Restylane®. Since its commercialization in 1996, it is estimated that over 2,500,000 treatments have been carried out worldwide. Other non-animal stabilized hyaluronic acid products include Perlane® from Q-med, which has larger particles than Restylane®, and Captique™ from Genzyme Corporation. Another commonly used filler is hyaluronan manufactured by Genzyme Corporation and commercially available under the tradename Hylaform Plus. Hylaform Plus is a sterile, nonpyrogenic, viscoelastic, clear, colorless, transparent gel implant composed of cross-linked molecules of hyaluronan. Although hyaluronic acid and derivatives are the most commonly used dermal fillers, they have limited viability. The re-injection is needed every 4 to 12 months, or even shorter.
Triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine(T4) are two major hormones produced by the thyroid gland in human, are essential for growth in childhood. T3 and T4 stimulate growth by a direct effect on tissue and by having a permissive role on growth hormone action.
It has been reported that preadipocyte stimulation with specific growth factors induces accelerated differentiation into fat cells resulting local augmentation at the injection sites. These growth factors include insulin, insulin-like growth factor, triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), and retinoic acid.
On the other hand, as taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,855,921 and 5,788,953 (to Somlyai) deuterium depleted water having deuterium concentration from 0.1 to 110 ppm inhibits tumor growth in animal model studies. It has also been reported in human clinical trials involving hundreds of cancer patients in Hungary that deuterium depleted water extended life span of cancer patients. It is believed that deuterium depleted water can function as an anticarcinogenic agent, since it involves in regulation of p53 protein and c-Myc protein. It is further believed that deuterium depleted water can improve the DNA repairing process.
Although various injectables have been developed and used clinically for restoration of age related tissue loss in the face over the passed 50 years, due to various limitations in the materials or compatibility with the tissues, the long term effect in restoring the tissue loss is limited. It is desirable to develop improved injectables and treatment methods to enhance the overall effects in restoration of age related tissue loss in the face or selected areas of the body, such as neck and hands.

Method and composition for restoration of age related tissue loss in the face or selected areas of the body


A system configured to leverage a social graph of a social networking site may be provided. A social graph of a social networking site may be interfaced with to obtain size data from a guardian's account for at least one minor, the minor's size data being one or more letters or numbers representative of a series of measurements for manufactured article. The minor's size data may be provided to one or more users who are authorized by the guardian account to access the minor's size data. The minor's size data may be provided to one or more ecommerce partners. Offers, from the one or more ecommerce partners, may be generated directed to the one or more authorized users, for commercially available manufactured articles that match the minor's size data. When a guardian posts data about the minor on the social network using the inventive system, the posted data is automatically packaged as a scrapbook and sent to authorized users outside of the social network.

Online users often find it difficult to shop for apparel for another person. This is especially true when the user does not know exactly what he or she is looking for. Consumers, for example, expect to be able to input little information as shopping criteria and, in response, get specific, targeted and relevant information. The ability to consistently identify or recommend a product is a very valuable tool, as it can result in a high volume of sales for a particular product or company. Accommodating these demands, however, in an efficient manner using existing ad, search and recommendation technologies often requires substantial time and resources, which are not easily captured into an ad, search or recommendation system. The difficulties of this process are complicated by the unique challenges that online stores and advertisers face to make products and services known to consumers in this dynamic online environment.

Social graph aggregation systems and methods