To prevent rebounding motion of sectors caused in stopping the sectors and achieve small-sized formation of a shutter, there is provided a shutter for a camera including sectors for opening and closing a shutter opening by reciprocal and pivotal movement, a motor for reciprocally and pivotally moving the sectors by forwardly and reversely rotating a rotor of the motor by applying current to a coil in forward and reverse directions, a control circuit for controlling current applied to the coil for exposure control in accordance with a brightness of an object to be photographed and a memory circuit for outputting data used for applying current to the control circuit in correspondence with operational characteristics of the motor and the sectors. The memory circuit is provided with current data for applying current to the coil for rotating the rotor in a direction reverse to a rebounding direction of the sectors to prevent a rebounding motion of the sectors.

The present invention relates to a shutter for a camera having a motor for effecting opening and closing of a set of shutter sectors, and more particularly to a shutter for a camera in which forward and reverse pulses are applied to the motor to prevent rebounding motion of the sectors.
In a shutter for a camera having a motor or actuator for rotating a rotor formed of a permanent magnet by conducting electricity to a coil and opening and closing a shutter opening by operating a plurality of sectors driven by the motor, it is well known that at a position at which the sectors are fully opened or a position at which the sectors are completely closed, the actual positions of the sectors differ from desired positions thereof due to the inertia of the moving parts including the rotor, the sectors, and the like. This is commonly referred to as the bounding or rebounding phenomenon. The drawbacks associated with rebounding motion include the possibility that portions of the sectors remain covering the shutter opening after the sectors are intended to be fully opened, or re-exposure may be caused after the sectors are intended to be fully closed.
Conventionally, these drawbacks have been resolved by opening the sectors beyond the shutter opening or by closing the sectors to a greater degree than otherwise necessary to avoid the influence of rebounding of the sectors.
According to one such conventional method for overcoming the rebounding phenomenon, an outer diameter of the shutter is increased by a given amount to avoid rebounding of the sectors. However, this creates the problem that a small-sized shutter opening becomes difficult to obtain. Further, even if the sectors have been fully opened, the timing at which the sectors are to be shifted to a closing operation may nonetheless be affected by the rebounding phenomenon and a normal exposure operation may be hampered.
In order to resolve the above-described problems, after finishing a shutter opening operation and a shutter closing operation of the sectors, current is applied to a coil of the motor for a short period of time to rotate a rotor of the motor in a direction reverse to a rebounding direction of the sectors and rotation of the rotor is decelerated to reduce the rebounding motion of the sectors as much as possible.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a shutter for a camera comprising a shutter opening, sectors for opening and closing the shutter opening by reciprocal pivotal movement, a motor for reciprocally and pivotally moving the sectors by forwardly and reversely rotating a rotor by application of forward and reverse currents to a coil disposed around the rotor, a memory circuit for storing electrical conduction data used for exciting the coil and corresponding to operational characteristics of the motor and the sectors, and a control circuit for controlling the application of current to the coil in accordance with the electrical conduction data and the brightness of an object to be photographed and executing exposure control in accordance with the brightness of the object, wherein the electrical conduction data comprises driving pulses for driving the sectors in a forward and reverse directions and brake pulse data used for generating braking pulses for exerting a force on the sectors in a direction opposite a direction of a rebounding motion of the sectors near or after completion of opening and closing operations of the sectors, and the control circuit outputs a control signal for controlling the application of electricity to the coil be reading specific electrical conduction data from the memory circuit in accordance with the brightness of the object to be photographed.


A method is disclosed for generating pricing data for managed computer printer services for a user of a fleet of computer printer devices over a contract time period including first selecting between two possible pricing models, pay-per-page with minimums or pay-per-page with a fixed periodic payment. Variable costs comprising the costs of toner cartridges and preventative maintenance are computed for both monochromatic and color printers and these respective variables contribute to determine the total costing of both models. In the fixed periodic model the cost of hardware and a service fee also contribute to the final pricing figure. The toner portion of the variable costs element may be determined on the basis of predictions of page coverage for both mono and color printers, but may also be determined from historical averages resulting from actual measurement of the page coverage of printers in the fleet.

Previously used methods of pricing the use of computer printers were less accurate and involved the use of spread sheets and other cumbersome accessories that failed to provide all the pricing information for the various elements of a system such as the hardware, supplies, support and finance. Prior methods required implementation by persons especially skilled in the pricing activity and failed to achieve a high level of cost allocation as to toner, especially in differentiating between monochromatic and color printing installations.

Method for generating pay-per-page pricing data for managed printer services

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A driver for use with a horn radiator includes a heat conductive hollow base that confines an upwardly opened cavity for receiving a yoke. The yoke has an outer wall surface that defines a first clearance with the base, and an inner wall surface which is formed with a through hole that extends to the outer wall surface. A permanent magnet is received in the yoke, and defines a second clearance with the inner wall surface of the yoke. A flux guiding plate is superimposed on the permanent magnet, and is disposed in the yoke to define a gap with the inner wall surface of the yoke. The second clearance is communicated fluidly with the first clearance via the through hole, and is in fluid communication with the gap. A diaphragm has a top portion disposed above the flux guiding plate, and an annular extension extending into the gap. A voice coil is connected to the annular extension of the diaphragm, and is disposed in the gap. An annular coupling member, which is adapted to be coupled to the horn radiator, is disposed above the diaphragm, and is secured to the base.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a driver for use with a horn radiator to form a loudspeaker, more particularly to a driver which is capable of dissipating heat in an effective manner to prevent overheating in order not to adversely affect the performance of the driver.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional driver 1 for use with a horn radiator 50 to form a loudspeaker. The driver 1 includes an annular coupling member 11 for coupling with the horn radiator 50, a yoke 12 secured to the coupling member 11, a permanent magnet 22 disposed inside the yoke 12, a flux guiding plate 23 superimposed on the permanent magnet 22, a washer 24 disposed on the yoke 12 around the flux guiding plate 23 and forming a gap 241 with the flux guiding plate 23, a diaphragm 25 having a top portion 251 spread above the flux guiding plate 23 and an annular extension 253 extending downwardly from the top portion 251 into the gap 241, a voice coil 252 disposed in the gap 241 and wound around the annular extension 253 of the diaphragm 25, and an acoustic phase equalizer 26 disposed above the diaphragm 25 and secured to the coupling member 11. When an electric signal is transmitted to the voice coil 252, the diaphragm 25 vibrates to result in compression of air, thereby enabling the horn radiator 50 to generate a sound output. When the permanent magnet 22 is an Al-Ni-Co magnet or a ferrite magnet, it usually has a relatively large size in order to provide a magnetic field with a sufficient strength. Accordingly, the yoke 12 for receiving the permanent magnet 22 has a relatively large size, and thus, a relatively large space 13 is formed between the yoke 12 and the permanent magnet 22. Heat that is generated by the voice coil 252 during the operation of the driver 1 can be effectively dissipated via the large space 13 and the yoke 12. However, when a smaller-sized rare earth magnet is used instead of the permanent magnet 22 to reduce the size of the driver, the space between the rare earth magnet and the yoke becomes much smaller. Heat dissipation becomes less efficient as compared to that when the larger-sized magnet 22 is in use. In view of the fact that the rare earth magnet is generally very sensitive to temperature and that the magnetic field of the rare earth magnet weakens significantly as the surrounding temperature rises, it is particularly important to provide the driver with a heat dissipating capability in order to prevent overheating and prevent an adverse affect on the performance of the driver.


A system, method and computer program product for providing a secure data channel between a user and associates for receiving at a processing server, from a user, user profile information, family definitions, and/or a hardware signature. The method may receives pushed information from an associate, including, e.g., an update to the user profile information, related information, or personalized content for the user. The method can convey to the user, personal information including a selectable union of the user profile information, the related information, and/or the personalized content. The method can convey information to the user. The method can share access to the personal information to a family. The method can also provide cumulative aggregate user profile information to the associate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to consumer information, and more particularly to centralized distribution of personalized user information.
2. Related Art
Manufacturers, distributors and retailers of consumer products conventionally maintain private information about consumers and the products they purchase. For example, when a consumer purchases a product such as, e.g., a car, from a manufacturer, a car dealer will capture information from the consumer, which can be forwarded on to a manufacturer. Such information can be manually keyed in or delivered in a digital form to a database of the manufacturer. Some other vital information related to the product is unknown to the consumer. From time to time, such information could be used by the consumer. Unfortunately, however, there is no convenient, conventional way for the consumer to get this information. For example, the consumer may be interested in the warranty term remaining on the car that the consumer purchased. No conventional convenient means exists to provide this information to the consumer.
With the advent of the Internet, information portals have been provided to provide information to consumers. Unfortunately, conventional information portals are designed to provide information to consumer users in a general format. Conventionally, portals will request user profile information from a user to categorize the user as belonging to a particular group or "profile." Based on the user's profile, the portal such as, e.g., http://www.my.yahoo.com, can deliver information to the user. For example, if the user provides to the portal that the user is interested in Microsoft stock, then the portal can deliver articles about Microsoft to the user. This information is broadcast to all consumer users identifying an interest in Microsoft stock. Thus, conventional information portals do not provide a personalized result to the user. Another example of information that is conventionally provided is weather information. For weather information, the user states a city of interest and the portal broadcasts weather information to the user and others, which have stated an interest in the city.
Conventional information portals, since they broadcast only general information to consumer users, suffer from disloyal users, i.e., users of one portal will often switch to another portal on a whim. Conventional portals provide general information for broadcast to a mass market of users by profile category. This general information is easily retrievable from other portals. Users desire personalized information not provided by conventional portals. Such information can be related to the users' personal preferences and past purchases. An improved method of providing information to users is desired that overcomes the shortcomings of conventional information portals.
A conventional information portal is illustrated in block diagram 100 of FIG. 1A. Specifically, block diagram 100 includes a user 102 interacting with portal 104, via, for example, a computer, phone, or other access device (i.e., not shown) such as, e.g., an interactive television (TV), a wireless device, etc. User 102 can be a consumer purchaser of a product that was manufactured by, e.g., a manufacturer 108. User 102 can purchase the product directly from the manufacturer 108 or indirectly via, e.g., a wholesaler, distributor, reseller, or retailer, collectively referred to as an association or associate 108. Other users 102 can include, e.g., any purchaser of a product, a purchasing representative or other employee of a business.
User 102 is shown conveying user profile information 110 to information portal component 104. For example, the user 102 could, e.g., subscribe to an online portal account at a portal such as, e.g., http://www.my.yahoo.com, requiring entry of certain personal user profile information 110.
As shown in diagram 100, information portal 104 can then make a general request 112 for information from a content provider 106. In response to the general request 112 for information, content provider 106 can provide information 114 by general profile category to portal 104, as also illustrated in diagram 100. Portal 104 can then broadcast 116 such information by general profile category to users 102, which belong to the general profile category having interest in such general information.
In one embodiment, portal 104 and content provider 106 can be part of the same entity, collectively referred to as entity 120.
In one embodiment, the user 102 can provide information such as, e.g., user personal information 118, to an associate manufacturer 108, or other organization or business (such as, e.g., a retailer, distributor, agency, governmental entity, nonprofit entity, and other associate). The information 118 can be in the form of an information response card to the manufacturer 108, which could then be keyed into a data processing system. Alternatively, the information could be provided electronically or via other manual or automated means. Note that line 118 is unidirectional representing this information is conveyed to the manufacturer 108. There is other information that would be useful in the hands of a consumer, which remains extremely difficult to access at, e.g., a manufacturer or other associate 108. Although some of this useful information may be available elsewhere, e.g., at a website where the user may have inputted and stored some information, (although much valuable information is not available to the customer), it can be buried deep within various unrelated sites requiring separate logins with potentially separate usernames, interfaces and passwords. Thus, it would be desirable to have a more easily accessible centralized access to useful personal information related to a consumer user or customer.
Associate 108 can manually key-in the information appearing on a response card provided by user 102. Response card information can typically include various types of information such as, e.g., demographic information about the user 102, information about a particular type and model of product purchased, distribution channel used, and other information such as, satisfaction of the user 102 with the product. A cleansing process can be performed on the keyed-in data to ensure the accuracy of the entered data. The keyed-in response card data can be placed in electronic form by data entry clerks by categories. For example, data can be inserted into fields of a database record of a database. The keyed response card information (i.e., if prepared by a third party) can then be provided to the associate 108. If received by the associate 108 from a third party, the associate 108 may perform further cleansing also. The associate 108 could import the data, parse the data, store the data for later use, or discard the data when aged a threshold date. Some associates 108 may choose not to input the registration information to a database at all. Unfortunately such valuable information of users 102 available to associate 108, is conventionally inaccessible to portals 104 and also unfortunately, is inaccessible to users 102.
FIG. 1B illustrates in further detail, in flow diagram 124, an example interaction between user 102, portal 104 and content provider 106, as depicted in block diagram 100.
Specifically, diagram 124 begins with step 126 and continues immediately with step 128. In step 128, user 102 conveys user profile information to the portal 104 via, some means such as, e.g., an electronic communication or e-mail. The diagram 124 then continues as shown with step 130.
In step 130, portal 104 assigns a group profile category or multiple categories to the user 104. Group categories can include, e.g., various demographic and psychographic attributes, and other areas of interest, including, e.g., gender, age, categorical interests, hobbies, etc. From step 130, diagram 124 continues with step 132.
In step 132, portal 104 can store the user profile information 110 and can add to the profile any of various group profile categories with which the user 102 could possibly be interested. Group profiles could include, e.g., investors in a given company or residents of a zip code or a city. Such broad group profiles might be assigned based on stereotypical interests associated with other users 102 having similar profiles to the user profile information 110 provided by user 102. From step 132, diagram 124 continues with step 134.
In step 134, portal 104 can generate a query 134 for information by group profile category to content providers 106 in order to request 112 information of interest to the general profile categories assigned in step 130 to the users 102 of portal 104. From step 134, diagram 124 continues with step 136.
In step 136, the content provider 106 can obtain content from time to time that is relevant to a particular group profile category. For example if a group profile category was shareholders of Microsoft Corporation stock, then, when an article related to Microsoft is published by a wire service, this article, or content, would be available for delivery to users of the Microsoft shareholder group profile category. From step 136, diagram 124 continues with step 138.
In step 138, the content provider 106 can convey the content relevant to the group profile category, referred to now as "group profile focused content" to the portal 140. From step 138, the diagram 124 continues with step 140.
In step 140, the portal 104 can then provide the group profile focused content to users 102 which were assigned in step 132 to the group profile category to which the content is relevant. Thus, for the article about Microsoft, the portal 104 can convey the article to the Microsoft shareholder users 102. This is essentially a broadcast of information to the user 102. The information is general information assumed to be relevant to the user 102, merely based upon the group profile category assigned in step 130. From step 140, diagram 124 continues with step 142.
In step 142, the user 102 can review the group focused content conveyed by the portal 140. Unfortunately, much of this broadcasted group focused content is of little interest to the user 102, since the user 102 may not have the broad stereotypical interests of the assigned general categories. Unfortunately, conventional portals 104 do not provide personalized information of direct interest to the users 102. Thus, if a user 102 chooses to "opt-out" of irrelevant content from the portal 104, the user 102 may opt out of useful, desired and relevant information when trying to only opt out of the irrelevant content. From step 142, diagram 124 ends immediately with step 144.
It is therefore desirable that an improved method, system and computer program product be provided for enabling personalized information to be generated and conveyed to users. The computer program product may be embodied on a computer usable medium and include program logic.

System, method and computer program product for gathering and delivering personalized user information


A liquid detergent composition containing (a) hydrogen peroxide or a compound for forming hydrogen peroxide in water, (b) a compound selected from boric acid, borax, a boric acid salt in an amount of from 0.05 to 1% by mass as a boron atom, (c) a compound having one or more sites, the site having one hydroxyl group at each of both sides of adjacent carbon atoms, in an amount of from 3 to 35% by mass, (d) a surfactant in an amount of from 4 to 45% by mass, and (e) water, wherein the molar ratio of the component (c)/the component (b) is from 1.5 to 2.7, and wherein the detergent composition has a pH at 20° C. of from 4.6 to 7.0.

Techniques of liquid bleaching agents containing a boron compound and a saccharide have already been known, and Patent Publications 1 to 6 can be incorporated herein by reference. Also, these techniques also describe that the pH increases when a liquid bleaching agent is diluted.
Hydrogen peroxide is capable of exhibiting a bleaching effect in the form of a weak alkaline aqueous solution. However, since the stability of hydrogen peroxide is lowered under a weak alkaline condition, it is difficult to blend hydrogen peroxide with a neutral to weak alkaline, general liquid detergent composition, from the viewpoint of storage stability. In addition, since a commonly used bleaching activator has an active ester group, the bleaching activator quickly undergoes hydrolysis in a weak alkaline liquid detergent composition, thereby losing its activity and whereby the effect of the bleaching activator cannot be obtained at all in the actual washing situation. On the other hand, because stains due to spilled foods and the like can be effectively removed by bleaching, it is earnestly desired that hydrogen peroxide and a bleaching activator give a bleaching effect to a liquid detergent.
For the purpose of satisfying both the stability and the bleaching effect of hydrogen peroxide, techniques of making the pH of a manufactured article of a liquid detergent composition weakly acidic and raising the pH by diluting the liquid detergent composition with water have been known, and described in Publications 1 to 6 (hereinafter referred to as (pH jump system, or pH jump effect)). These techniques are accomplished by using together a boron compound and a polyhydric alcohol such as a saccharide. However, in many of these techniques, while the pH of a composition is adjusted to 4.5 or less and the pH jump effect is exhibited, the pH reached is less than 8. With such a dilute pH, the expected bleaching effect is insufficient. Even in the case where a bleaching activator is further used, the formation rate of an organic peracid from the bleaching activator is markedly delayed. Therefore, not only is the bleaching effect to be expected insufficient, but also the washing effect is also not satisfactory.
Patent Publication 7 discloses a branched bleaching activator, describing that the bleaching activator has excellent stability in a liquid bleach composition. However, this publication does not suggest at all that a liquid bleach composition is free from the disadvantage in the stabilities of both hydrogen peroxide and a bleaching activator at a pH of 4.6 or more in the pH jump system, or moreover that an organic peracid in a satisfactory amount is formed from a bleaching activator when diluted with water.    Patent Publication 1: JP-A-Hei-6-100888    Patent Publication 2: JP-A-Hei-7-53994    Patent Publication 3: JP-A-Hei-7-70593    Patent Publication 4: JP-A-Hei-10-72595    Patent Publication 5: JP 2000-144187 A    Patent Publication 6: JP-A-Hei-10-72596    Patent Publication 7: JP-A-Hei-10-251689


A pair of domain control layers are disposed on both sides of the track width direction of the MR film so as to be separated from each other such that the MR film is held therebetween, and apply a longitudinal magnetic field to the MR film (free layer). The MR film is flanked by the domain control layers, each including a layer structure constituted by a base layer, a ferromagnetic layer, and a hard magnetic layer. The base layer causes the hard magnetic layer to have a magnetization direction aligning with an in-plane direction, so as to enhance the coercive force of the hard magnetic layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin-film magnetic head, a head gimbal assembly, and a hard disk drive.
2. Related Background of the Invention
As magnetic recording media such as hard disks increase their density, thin-film magnetic heads are required to improve their performances. Thin-film magnetic heads encompass reproducing heads including a magnetoresistive device (hereinafter referred to as MR device) for reading. As a characteristic of a reproducing head, it is required that Barkhausen noise be low. For reducing Barkhausen noise, hard magnetic layers are disposed so as to hold the MR device therebetween, and a bias magnetic field is applied to the MR device, such that a free layer included in the MR device is turned into a single domain.
Meanwhile, for responding to a further higher magnetic recording density, reproducing heads are required to further narrow their gaps and tracks. However, narrowing the gaps and tracks makes it harder to apply the bias magnetic field effectively to the MR device. In particular, as the track width becomes narrower, Barkhausen noise is more likely to occur. For suppressing the occurrence of Barkhausen noise, it has been known to provide a bias magnetic field applying film for applying a bias magnetic field to an MR device as a laminate film composed of a hard magnetic layer (made of a hard magnetic material containing Co, such as CoPt alloy or CoCrPt alloy) and a highly magnetically saturated magnetic layer (made of FeCo alloy), so as to enhance the saturation magnetization of the bias magnetic field applying film as a whole (see, for example, Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 10-312512, and Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 10-312514).

Thin-film magnetic head, head gimbal assembly, and hard disk drive


An ink jet head is provided that can effectively suppress operational interferences among adjacent cavities, and is capable of ultra-high-density and high-speed printing. The ink jet head is equipped with a plurality of cavities each having a volume that is variable by a deformation operation of a piezoelectric element, wherein beam members are provided between inner walls that interpose the cavity.

1. Technical Filed
The present invention relates to an ink jet head and its manufacturing method, and an ink jet printer.
2. Related Art
In recent years, the performance of ink jet printers has advanced to levels that can provide a high picture quality equivalent to the picture quality of photographs. This has been achieved by increasing the number of nozzles of an ink jet head and reducing the amount (volume) of a discharged liquid droplet to enable ultra-high-density drawing (printing). Furthermore, in addition to ultra-high-density printing, there are great demands for higher printing speeds. For meeting both demands, the number of nozzles is an important factor and the greater the number of nozzles, the more advantageous the configuration is for higher density and higher speed printing. Among ink jet heads of a system in which the volume of a cavity is changed by a piezoelectric element to jet (eject) a droplet, those with ultra-high-density have 6-8 rows, each of the rows including 80 dpi×2 of nozzles. However, by simply increasing the number of nozzles, the size of the head becomes larger. In this respect, in order to reduce the size of the head and provide nozzles in an ultra-high density, the cavity needs to be made smaller.
FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of a structure of a conventional ink jet head. Reference numeral 210 denotes a nozzle plate, reference numeral 211 denotes nozzles (discharge openings), reference numeral 220 denotes a Si substrate, a reference numeral 230 denotes a vibration plate, and reference numeral 240 denotes piezoelectric elements. Cavities 221 of the recording head are formed through patterning the Si substrate 220 by wet etching or dry etching, which is then bonded with the nozzle plate 210. The height (depth or size) of the cavities 221 and the thickness of each side wall 222 are designed such that the vibration plate 230 has a proper displacement.
However, as the cavities 221 are formed with a higher density for achieving ultra-high-density printing by the ink jet head, the thickness of the side wall 222 inevitably becomes thinner, and as a result, the side wall 222 would likely resiliently deform by the operation of the piezoelectric element 240. Thus, the volume of each of the adjacent cavities 221 changes due to the deformation, and as a result, it becomes difficult to maintain the correct discharge amount, and there is a possibility that the image quality of the printed matter may deteriorate.
The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the conventional technology, and one object is to provide an ink jet head that can effectively suppress operational interferences among adjacent cavities, and is capable of ultra-high-density and high-speed printing, and its manufacturing method. Also, it is an object of the present invention to provide an ink jet printer that is equipped with an ink jet head that is capable of ultra-high-density and high-speed printing.

Ink jet head and its manufacturing method, and ink jet printer


According to one embodiment of the invention, a pattern of a mask is transferred onto a substrate via a projection optical system using an energy beam by placing a substrate on side of an energy beam emitting end portion of projection optical system, when the substrate is exposed, and placing an object on the side of the energy beam emitting end portion of the projection optical system in place of the substrate when the substrate is exchanged. This can adequately remove a light absorptive substance from the region near an output end of the projection optical system and can maintain the gas state even at a time of moving or replacing the substrate.

In manufacturing electronic devices, such as semiconductor devices and liquid crystal display devices, in a photolithography process, a projection exposure apparatus is used which projects a pattern image of a mask or reticle (hereinafter called "reticle") having a pattern formed thereon on each projection (shot) area on a substrate which is coated with a photosensitive agent (resist) via a projection optical system. Circuits of an electronic device are transferred by exposing a circuit pattern on a substrate to be exposed by the projection exposure apparatus, and formed in a post-process.
Recently, large scale integration of integrated circuits or miniaturization of circuit patterns are in progress. In this respect, the wavelength of illumination light for exposure (hereinafter called "exposure light") to be used in the projection exposure apparatus tend to become shorter. That is, a light source of a short wavelength, such as a KrF excimer laser (wavelength: 248 nm) is taking the place of a mercury lamp that has been popular, and an ArF excimer laser (193 nm) is coming to the last stage of the practical use. Exposure apparatuss that use an F2 laser (157 nm) are being developed to achieve higher integration.
Beams having a wavelength of about 190 nm or shorter belong to a vacuum ultraviolet region and do not pass through the air. This is because a substance, such as oxygen molecules, hydrogen molecules or carbon dioxide molecules, present in the air (hereinafter called "light absorptive substance") absorbs the energy of the beam.
In an exposure apparatus using exposure light of the vacuum ultraviolet region, it is necessary to reduce or eliminate the light absorptive substance from the space of the optical path of the exposure light for the exposure light to reach a substrate to be exposed with sufficient illumination. For this purpose, it is often the case where in the exposure apparatus, the space above the optical path is surrounded by a casing and the space inside the casing is filled with a permeable gas which passes exposure light. In this case, given that the total optical path length is 1000 mm, for example, the density of the light absorptive substance in the space of the optical path is practically is equal to or less than 1 ppm or so.
As a substrate is frequently replaced in the exposure apparatus, however, it is difficult to eliminate the light absorptive substance from the space between the projection optical system and the substrate in the space of the optical path. For instance, while it is preferable to set a casing large enough to surround even a mechanism for substrate replacement, the consumption amount of gas to be filled in the casing becomes larger as the casing becomes larger in this case.
In this respect, there is a case where an exposure apparatus uses a technique of removing a light absorptive substance from the space of the optical path by blowing a permeable gas, which passes exposure light, on the exit portion of the projection optical system. This technique is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H6-260385.
As the blown gas is likely to leak around a substrate according to the technique, however, the leaked permeable gas may affect peripheral system. For example, an exposure apparatus often employs an interferometer system using a laser beam in order to control a stage where a substrate is to be mounted. When a permeable gas enters the optical path of the interferometer, however, the difference between refractive indexes of a gas (air) which has been present on the interferometer optical path so far and the light absorptive substance changes the optical path length of the laser beam, which may lower the control precision of the interferometer system.
When a substrate is placed on the exit portion of the projection optical system, the substrate becomes a part of the partition to suppress the gas leakage, but when the substrate moves or the substrate is replaced, at least a part of the substrate which becomes the partition comes off the exit portion of the projection optical system, so that the gas state on the exit portion of the projection optical system is not kept and the gas leakage is likely to occur.
The invention has been made in consideration of the above-described situations, and aims at providing an exposure method and an exposure apparatus which can adequately remove a light absorptive substance from the exit portion of the projection optical system and can keep the gas state even at the time of moving or replacing a substrate.
It is another object of the invention to provide a device manufacturing method which can improve the pattern precision.

Exposure method, exposure apparatus, and method for manufacturing device


A system comprises a printhead including a nozzle, a temperature sensor and a processor. The temperature sensor detects the temperature of a location of a print surface upon firing the nozzle to eject a drop of printing fluid to the location of the print surface. The processor determines whether the nozzle ejected the drop properly using the detected temperature.

Inkjet printers are fluid ejection devices that provide drop-on-demand ejection of fluid droplets through printhead nozzles to print images onto a print medium, such as a sheet of paper. Inkjet nozzles may become clogged and cease to operate correctly, and nozzles that do not properly eject printing fluid, such as ink, when expected may create visible print defects. Such print defects are commonly referred to as missing nozzle print defect. Missing nozzle print defects may result from printhead malfunction due to ink channel obstruction, low energy, bubbles or mechanical-electrical damages. Detecting nozzles not functioning properly and disabling such nozzles may reduce visible print defects. In addition, detecting nozzles not functioning properly and disabling such nozzles may avoid a raise of printhead temperatures and, therefore, permanent physical damage and burnout in the printhead.

HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.


In a fluorescence-microscopic method of examining a sample with high spatial resolution, the sample is first cooled to a temperature of below 5° C.; next the cooled sample is transferred out of a ground state into a fluorescent state within an area captured by a detector using an excitation beam of light; next the cooled sample is subject to de-excitation of excited molecules by stimulated emission in the area captured by the detector, except at desired measuring points, using an de-exciting beam of light, the de-exciting beam of light having a spatial intensity distribution comprising a zero point located at the desired measuring points, and the excited sample being transferred back into its ground state by the de-exciting beam of light; and then fluorescence light spontaneously emitted by the cooled sample is measured with the detector, the detector detecting fluorescence light that is emitted only from the measuring points.

A Method of transferring a sample out of a first state into a second state using an optical signal is known from German patent application DE 101 54 699 A1. For investigating a sample by fluorescence microscopy, the fluorescence marker molecules in the sample are first brought into an excited energy state using an exciting optical signal. With regard to this optical excitation the usual limit for spatial resolution in optical methods of λ/2n applies, wherein λ is the wavelengths of the light used and n is the diffraction index of the sample. To improve the spatial resolution beyond this limit, the optically excited state is depleted with a de-exciting optical signal everywhere in the sample, except at desired measuring points in which the de-exciting optical signal intensity distribution features a local zero. For example, the fluorescence marker molecules in the sample are quenched by stimulated emission using the de-exciting optical signal. This is the case outside the measuring point where the de-excitation optical signal is not zero or not close to zero. The dimensions of the resulting fluorescent measuring point, i.e. the spatial resolution of the remaining fluorescence, can be reduced much below the common optical resolution limit, in that the de-exciting optical signal is applied to the sample outside the desired measuring point at such an intensity that a saturation is achieved in depleting the fluorescent energy state by stimulated emission. Thus, the fluorescent marker molecules in the sample are in the fluorescent state only in a very narrowly limited area around the zero point of the intensity distribution of the de-exciting optical signal. According to the publication Hell, Nature Biotechn., 21, 1347–1355, the size of the fluorescent measuring point Δx and thus the spatial resolution follow Δx≈λ/(2n√{square root over (I/Is)}), wherein λ is the wavelengths, n is the diffraction index, I is the applied intensity and Is is the saturation intensity. The saturation intensity is the characteristic intensity at which the sample is de-excited by 50% because of the influence of the de-exciting optical signal from a probabilistic point of view. The saturation intensity Is is inversely proportional to the cross-section σ of the de-exciting optical signal according to Is=1/(στ). Here, τ is the average life time for which the sample remains in the excited state, before it spontaneously decays into the de-excited state. As a result, the following applies to the resolution Δx≈λ/(2n√{square root over (Iστ)}). Thus for achieving a high resolution it is advantageous to work with an intensity of the de-exciting optical signal that is as strong as possible, with a cross-section σ that is as large as possible and with a fluorescent state featuring a life time τ that is long enough.
Maximizing the intensity of the de-exciting optical signal, which is required for achieving the saturation, there is the danger, that the sample is chemically modified. Such a chemical modification, as a rule, is caused by a formation of radicals due to the strong light intensities, which enable various chemical reactions. Particularly, if oxygen and other reactive species are in the sample, the de-exciting optical signal causes undesired chemical reactions that are known as "photobleaching " when they affect the fluorescence dye in the sample. The intensity of the de-exciting optical signal necessary for saturation could be reduced, if the cross-section σ could be increased.
However, it is often necessary to work at a wavelength of the de-exciting optical signal at which σ is comparatively low. The reason is that at another, often shorter wave length at which the cross-section would be higher, other undesired processes would be initiated besides the desired de-excitation. These other processes would interfere with the desired de-excitation of the marker molecules in the sample, like for example, they would excite the sample into the excited fluorescent state again so that the overall efficiency of the desired de-excitation would be decreased.
The lifetime τ of a certain excited fluorescent state is generally fixed.
From J. Jasny et al.: "Fluorescence microscopy in superfluid helium: single molecule imaging" Re. Sci. Instrum 67 (4), April 1996, pages 1425–1430 it is known that low temperatures (of about 2 K) in detection and spectroscopy of single molecules have the result that the full width at half maximum of the absorption line from a ground state to the lowest excited singlet state of the observed molecule becomes so narrow that it reaches the limits set by its natural lifetime. As a result, environmental influences on the molecule result in a shift of the absorption line of much more than its full width at half maximum. Observing the line thus allows for spectroscopic monitoring of various environmental influences on the molecule.
A need still exists for a method of fluorescence-microscopically investigating a biological sample at high spatial resolution without damaging the sample with the high intensities of the de-exciting optical signal.

Method of exciting molecules out of a first state into a second states using an optical signal

Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften e.V.


The present invention provides an optimum ADSL line configuration parameter to a subscriber line and improves performance quality of an ADSL line.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication system, and a multiplexer included in the system, a line performance test method and a recording medium having a program recorded thereon, and in particular, to the communication system of an ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) line, and the multiplexer included in the system, line performance test method and recording medium having a program recorded thereon.
2. Description of the Prior Art
ADSL is a modem technology for allowing high-rate data communication of several Mbps at the maximum by utilizing an existing subscriber line, that is, a telephone line (copper wire) mainly used for a telephone.
The ADSL is standardized as "G. dmt"by the ITU-T recommendation G. 992.1 and as "G. lite" by the ITU-T recommendation G. 992.2. The ADSL is one of the methods of xDSL which is the modem technology, and the xDSL is a generic term for Asymmetric DSL (Digital Subscriber Line), High-bit-rate DSL, Rate-Adaptive DSL, Symmetric DSL and Very-high-bit-rate DSL.
High-speed Internet access by always-on connections becomes possible for a subscriber by using this ADSL line service.
However, the ADSL is characterized in that its performance and data communication rate are influenced by a distance of a subscriber line to be the ADSL line, that is, a telephone line, line characteristics and ambient surrounding conditions of the line from a telephone office to the subscriber's house.
Therefore, the data communication rate of the ADSL line service is different for each of the subscribers. The data communication rate is generally called a line rate or an acquired band of the ADSL line. In the case of the ADSL, the acquired bands are asymmetric between an up stream direction from the subscriber to a network and a down stream direction from the network to the subscriber.
The acquired band is determined by training results standardized by G. dmt and G. lite. As for the ADSL, there are the cases where the ADSL line is cut if the telephone line is influenced by impulse-like noise from the outside. Data transmission is interrupted in this state of the ADSL line.
However, the ADSL line recovers automatically by performing the training again. Representative parameters of ADSL line configuration parameters are an ADSL line rate (normally represented as Mbps), an SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) margin and an interleave delay.
The SNR margin is the ADSL line configuration parameters for showing a bearing force against the noise from the outside. The SNR margin parameters are further classified into a target SNR margin, a maximum SNR margin and a minimum SNR margin.
The interleave delay is the ADSL line configuration parameter for showing the time required when performing a prescribed error correcting code function by scrambling a data signal flowing on the ADSL line, and it is sometimes utilized as the ADSL line configuration parameter for setting reliability of the data signal which also shows a buffer amount to temporarily store the data signal for the sake of performing the error correcting code function.
The acquired band of the ADSL line, that is, the ADSL line rate is the parameter for showing the line rate determined by the ADSL training according to the SNR, interleave delay and ambient surrounding.
It is also the line configuration parameter for, by inversely specifying the ADSL line rate, rendering a specified value as the ADSL line rate.
The ADSL line configuration parameters of the ADSL line rate, SNR margin and interleave delay are set in both the up stream and the down stream directions of the ADSL line respectively.
There is a correlation among the ADSL line configuration parameters of the ADSL line rate, SNR margin and interleave delay, where the ADSL line rate is reduced if the SNR margin is increased and the ADSL line rate is increased if the SNR margin is reduced.
In addition, the ADSL line rate is reduced if the interleave delay is increased, and the ADSL line rate is increased if the interleave delay is reduced.
Furthermore, in the case where a subscriber line distance is short, that is, the subscriber's house is near the telephone office, the SNR margin can be increased, and in the case where the subscriber line distance is long, that is, the subscriber's house is distant from the telephone office, the SNR margin is reduced so as to link up the ADSL line.
To be more specific, there is a close relationship among the ADSL line rate, subscriber line distance, SNR margin, interleave delay and ambient surrounding, and in the case of providing the ADSL line service, it is necessary to adjust (customize) these parameters.
FIG. 13 is a block diagram of a DSLAM (Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer) in the past for providing such ADSL line service. A DSLAM1000 in the past is comprised of a data signal multiplexing portion 3, an ATU-C (ADSL Termination Unit—Central Office: an office side ADSL modem) #1 100a, an ATU-C #2 100b, an ATU-C #n (n is a positive integer) 100n and an ADSL line initial value setup portion 9.
The data signal multiplexing portion 3 multiplexes data signals received from the ATU-C #1 100a, ATU-C #2 100b and ATU-C #n 100n and sends them to a network 90. The data signal multiplexing portion 3 also sends the data signals received from the network 90 by sorting them into the ATU-C #1 100a, ATU-C #2 100b and ATU-C #n 100n.
The ADSL line initial value setup portion 9 has a preset ADSL line configuration parameter initial value, and sets the parameter to the ATU-C #1 100a, ATU-C #2 100b and ATU-C #n 100n respectively.
At the subscriber's house, an ATU-R (ADSL Termination Unit—Remote: a subscriber side ADSL modem) #1 200a, an ATU-R #2 200b, an ATU-R #n 200n and a PC (personal computer) #1 300a, a PC #2 300b and a PC #n 300n held by the subscribers respectively are installed. The respective PC #1 300a, PC #2 300b and PC #n 300n are connected to the ATU-R #1 200a, ATU-R #2 200b and ATU-R #n 200n respectively.
The respective ATU-C #1 10a, ATU-C #2 100b and ATU-C #n loon in the DSLAM1000 are connected to the respective ATU-R #1 200a, ATU-R #2 200b and ATU-R #n 200n via the respective subscriber lines 500a, 500b and 500n.
The ADSL is a technology for allowing high-rate data communication by utilizing an existing telephone line, and so the respective subscriber lines 500a, 500b and 500n to the subscriber's house are the telephone lines currently in use, which will be the ADSL lines.
The subscribers use their respective PC #1 300a, PC #2 300b and PC #n 300n to connect to the network 90 via the ATU-R #1 200a, ATU-R #2 200b and ATU-R #n 200n, the subscriber lines 500a, 500b and 500n which are now the ADSL lines capable of the high-rate data communication and the DSLAM1000 so as to perform the data communication related to the Internet.
Next, operation of the DSLAM in the past will be described. FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the operation of the ADSL line setup of the DSLAM in the past (1000 in FIG. 13), that is, a start of the ADSL line service provision.
First, it is determined whether or not preparations for starting the operation have been made (step B1). At first, it is determined that the preparations have not been made because the ADSL line service is in an inoperative state (NO in the step B1). Next, the DSLAM (1000 in FIG. 13) prepares the ADSL line configuration parameter initial value held in advance (step B2). Next, the ADSL line initial value setup portion (9 in FIG. 13) sets the ADSL line configuration parameter initial value to the respective ATU-C #1 100a, ATU-C #2 100b and ATU-C #n loon (step B3).
Here, it means that the ATU-Cs have a common unique ADSL line configuration parameter set up thereon. Then, the ATU-Cs (the ATU-C #1 100a, ATU-C #2 100b and ATU-C #n 100n in FIG. 13) refer to the ADSL line configuration parameter set up in the step B3 to perform the training with the ATU-Rs (the ATU-R #1 200a, ATU-R #2 200b and ATU-R #n 200n in FIG. 13) in compliance with G. dmt or G. lite. As a result of the training, the ADSL lines are linked up (YES in the step B4).
The service allowing high-rate data communication is provided by the linked up ADSL lines (step B5). And if the subscriber is satisfied with the ADSL line state and quality (YES in the step B6), then the ADSL lines will be in a service operation state (step B7).
However, there are the cases where the ADSL lines are not linked up with the ADSL line configuration parameter initial value in the step B2 (NO in the step B4) and the cases where the subscriber may feel dissatisfied such as synchronization of the ADSL lines sometimes being cut and the data communication being interrupted due to the state of the ADSL lines of the subscriber, that is, the rate of the acquired bands and the influence of a noise source halfway on the line to the subscriber's house (NO in the step B6). In such cases, the subscriber files a claim to the ADSL line service provider (step B10).
As opposed to this, the ADSL line service provider determines that the ADSL lines are in the state of starting the operation (YES in the step B1). And the ADSL line service provider examines and adjusts the ADSL line configuration parameter conforming to the lines of the subscriber filing the claim (step B8), and sets up the ADSL line configuration parameter adjusted in the step B8 on the ATU-Cs to which the ADSL lines of the subscriber are connected (step B9).
And the training is performed again (step B4 and B5). If the subscriber is satisfied with the ADSL line state and quality as-is (YES in the step B6), then the ADSL lines will be in the service operation state (step B7). If the subscriber is not satisfied with the ADSL line state and quality as-is (NO in the step B6), then the processing of the steps B1 to B6 is repeated from the step B10.
A first problem of the DSLAM in the past is that, as an optimum ADSL line configuration parameter to each subscriber line is not set up, the lines of inferior quality as the ADSL lines are generated.
The reason for it is that, although each line of the subscriber lines in which the ADSL lines are linked up is influenced by each individual ambient surrounding, the DSLAM adapts the same ADSL line configuration parameter initial value to any subscriber line.
To be more specific, it is because the ADSL line configuration parameter initial value held by the DSLAM is not necessarily the optimum ADSL line configuration parameter for implementing an optimum ADSL line performance of the subscriber line. For this reason, there may occur a state in which the ADSL line of a certain subscriber is so often interrupted that normal data communication cannot be performed.
A second problem is that work by a maintenance worker is necessary to adjust the ADSL line configuration parameter and expenses for the human work arises accordingly.
The reason for it is that the ADSL line configuration parameter needs to be adjusted according to presumption and rules of experience of the maintenance worker of the ADSL line service provider in order to link up the ADSL line and provide a satisfactory ADSL line state and quality to the subscriber.
A third problem is that it takes time to handle the claims from the subscribers.
The reason for it is the same as that for the second problem.
A fourth problem is that maintainability of the ADSL line is inferior because the ADSL line service provider cannot always hold the optimum ADSL line configuration parameter according to the change in the ambient surrounding of the subscriber line.
The reason for it is that the DSLAM holds only the ADSL line configuration parameter initial value as with the first problem and that man-hours arise due to the human work as with the second problem.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-209338 discloses a technology relating to a method of testing a communication link for high-rate services, which is the technology for testing electrical and/or physical properties of the lines. To be more specific, it is the technology for testing a loop length, a line load impedance, a load coil, a frequency characteristic and so on.
As opposed to this, the present invention is the technology for testing the performances of the lines, which is entirely different from the technology described in the above patent laid-open as to all of the object, configuration, action and effects.
Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide a communication system capable of providing the optimum ADSL line configuration parameter to each subscriber line and improving the ADSL line performance quality, a multiplexer included in the system, a line performance test method and a recording medium having program recorded thereon. Another object of the present invention is to realize improvement in working efficiency and reduction in costs of adjustment of the ADSL line configuration parameter for specific subscriber lines.
A further object of the present invention is to be able to immediately handle the claims from the subscribers, subscriber line environment and so on and improve the maintainability, reliability and customer satisfaction of the ADSL line service.

Communication system multiplexer included in the system, line performance test method and recording medium having program recorded thereon

Abstract: An ADSL line performance test portion implements an ADSL performance test before starting ADSL line service operation and grasps a subscriber line state. Test results are stored in a database and are referred to for the sake of maintenance of ADSL line service. In addition, the ADSL line performance test portion operates in a maintenance mode as required and also implements the ADSL line performance test in an ADSL line service operation state so as to constantly hold in the database a current optimum ADSL line configuration parameter for the subscriber line.


The nucleic acid sequence encoding a pectin lyase from Aspergillus aculeatus, CBS 101.43 and the corresponding amino acid sequence are disclosed. The nucleic acid is used to transform a host cell which is utilized in a method to make the pectin lyase. The catalytic properties and stability characteristics of the enzyme are reported. The enzyme is useful for the degradation of plant cell wall components.

Pectin polymers are important constituents of plant primary cell walls. They are composed of chains of 1,4-linked .alpha.-D-galacturonic acid and methylated derivatives thereof. The use of pectin-degrading enzymes is important for the food industry, primarily in fruit and vegetable processing such as fruit juice production or wine making, where their ability to catalyse the degradation of the backbone of the pectin polymer is utilised.
An assortment of different pectin degrading enzymes is known to be present in various microorganisms such as Aspergillus niger. Of these, pectin methylesterase catalyses the removal of methanol from pectin, resulting in the formation of pectic acid (polygalacturonic acid). Pectate lyase cleaves glycosidic bonds in polygalacturonic acid by .beta.-elimination, pectin lyase cleaves the glycosidic bonds of highly methylated pectins by .beta.-elimination, and polygalacturonase hydrolyses the glycosidic linkages in the polygalacturonic acid chain.
More specifically, pectin lyase may be used, alone or in combination with one or more other pectin degrading enzymes, in the production of fruit juice, in particular citrus juice, for partial or complete degradation of the pulp present in the juice after pressing.
For many purposes, it would be desirable to provide each of the pectin degrading enzymes present in, for instance, commercial preparations containing a number of different pectin degrading enzymes (an example of such a preparation is Pectinex Ultra SP.RTM., prepared from Aspergillus aculeatus, available from Novo Nordisk A/S) in a form free from other components. In this way, it would be possible to produce enzyme preparations adapted to specific purposes, such preparations either containing a single pectin degrading enzyme or arbitrary combinations thereof. To serve this end, it is convenient to provide single-component pectin degrading enzymes by recombinant DNA techniques.
Plastow et al., Symbiosis 2, 1986, pp. 115-122, describe the cloning of four pectate lyase genes and one polygalacturonase gene from Erwinia in E. coli.
Cloning of a pectin lyase is described in EP 278 355 and EP 353 188.
M. Kusters-van Sommeren et al., Mol. Gen. Genet. 234, 1992, pp. 113-120, describe the nucleotide sequence of the Aspergillus niger pelB gene encoding pectin lyase B.
C. Gysler et al., Gene 89, 1990, pp. 101-108, describe the isolation and nucleotide sequence of the Aspergillus niger pelD gene encoding pectin lyase D.
A. Alana et al., FEBS Letters 280, 1991, pp. 335-340, describe the purification and some characteristics of a pectin lyase from Penicillium italicum.


A microprocessor apparatus for exclusive prefetch of a block of data from memory. The apparatus includes translation logic and execution logic. The translation logic translates an extended block prefetch instruction into a micro instruction sequence directing a microprocessor to prefetch a specified number of cache lines, where the extended block prefetch instruction is encoded to direct the microprocessor to prefetch the specified number of cache lines in the exclusive state. The execution logic receives the micro instruction sequence, and issues transactions over a memory bus that requests the specified number of cache lines in the exclusive state, where the specified number of cache lines includes data entities that are to be subsequently modified, and where prefetching the specified numbers of cache lines in the exclusive state occurs parallel with execution of program instructions prior to execution of subsequent store instructions that direct the microprocessor to modify the data entities.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to the field of microelectronics, and more particularly to an apparatus and method that enable a programmer to direct a microprocessor to prefetch a block of cache lines into its internal cache in an exclusive MESI state.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a present day microprocessor, the speed at which data can be transferred between internal logic blocks is an order of magnitude faster than the speed that external memory accesses exhibit. In an x86 desktop computer configuration, the bus which interfaces to system memory operates on the order of hundreds of megahertz while internal microprocessor clock speeds are approaching the tens of gigahertz. Consequently, a hierarchy of cache structures has evolved over more recent years to allow high-performance microprocessors to run at speed without having to execute transactions over a slow memory bus every time data is to be read or written.
An on-board, or local, cache in a pipeline microprocessor is a stand-alone unit in nature that operates in a manner that is transparent to the flow of instructions in the microprocessor pipeline to ensure that data which is going to be required by instructions in an application program is resident within the cache and can hence be accessed at pipeline speeds rather than at memory bus speeds. Cache architectures are varied in the art, some consisting of multiple levels of cache: a first level cache very near to a processor's execution logic, a second level cache which may be on-chip or off chip where less frequently accessed data are stored, third-level caches which may be on a memory card itself, and so on. Regardless of whichever architecture is employed, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the overall objective of a cache is to preclude the case where instructions in a microprocessor pipeline are stalled while a bus transaction over a slow memory bus is issued in order to obtain data that is needed by a pending read or write operation. When this happens, program execution comes to a grinding halt until the data arrives.
To complicate matters, present day computer systems also share regions of memory between devices. For instance, a primary microprocessor communicates with a communications microprocessor by reading data from and writing data to a specified region of memory. It is also very common to find areas of memory known as video buffers that are shared between a primary microprocessor and a microprocessor on a video card that is responsible for displaying data to an operator on a video device.
In an shared memory system, the possibility exists that data from a shared region can be in the local caches of two different microprocessors or other devices connected to a memory bus. And as long as all of the devices do nothing more than read the data, then no harm is done by allowing both of them to have the data in their local cache structures. But unpredictable consequences could result if they were both allowed to modify the data that is locally cached.
To prevent this from happening, system designers have developed cache consistency protocols that indicate that status of data in a cache. The most prevalent protocol is known as MESI. Maintaining a local cache according to MESI ensures that two copies of the same data cannot be modified at the same time. A MESI shared state indicates to a local cache whether or not a particular block of data is shared. If it is shared, then the local processor cannot modify it without first conducting transactions over the slower memory bus to obtain exclusive permission to modify the data. To modify data, a processor must first obtain exclusive ownership of the data.
The problem addressed by the invention described herein relates to the delay that is incurred in a program where it is desired to write data to memory. One skilled in the art will appreciate that a cache has no reasonable way of knowing when a particular area of memory will first be required, and so memory bus delays are always incurred when the particular area of memory is first loaded into local cache. Recognizing this fact, designers have developed a prefetch instruction that can be programmed for execution by a microprocessor. The prefetch instruction, however, does not operate on operands in the program flow. Rather, the prefetch instruction is directs a local cache to load operands from memory into the cache that will be used in the future. And since cache units operate with memory in a manner that is transparent to instruction flow in a microprocessor pipeline, it is prudent to issue a prefetch instruction prior to needing data so that the cache can fetch the data from memory prior to the time it is needed-in parallel with the execution of other instructions in the primary program flow. Then when a subsequent instruction comes along that needs access to the prefetched data, it is readily accessible from cache and program execution is not stalled while waiting for it to be fetched from memory. Prefetched data is readily accessible in cache, that is, so long as it is going to be read. If it is to be modified by a subsequent instruction, then the program execution may have to be delayed while a cache unit goes to the bus to request exclusive ownership of shared data so that it can be modified by the local processor.
Therefore, what is needed is an apparatus and method that enable a programmer to direct a microprocessor to prefetch data in a state where it can be modified by a subsequent operation without having to resort to bus transactions to obtain exclusive ownership of the data.
Therefore, what is needed is an apparatus and method that enable a programmer to direct a microprocessor to prefetch data in a state where it can be modified by a subsequent operation without having to resort to bus transactions to obtain exclusive ownership of the data.
In addition, what is needed is an apparatus and method that enable a programmer to direct a microprocessor to prefetch a block of data in a state where it can be modified by a subsequent operation without having to conduct bus transactions to obtain exclusive ownership of the block of data.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Microprocessor apparatus and method for exclusively prefetching a block of cache lines from memory


The present invention provides a polymerizable composition comprising (A) a compound including a polymerizable unsaturated group and (B) a macromolecular compound including, at a side chain thereof, a structure represented by the following general formula (I). The present invention also provides a negative type planographic printing plate precursor responsive to an infrared laser, the precursor being superior in recording sensitivity and printing durability and using the polymerizable compound as a recording layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a polymerizable composition which is curable by exposure to heat or infrared rays and a planographic printing plate precursor using the polymerizable composition. Particularly, the present invention relates to a polymerizable composition (including a novel compound) being superior in curability and a negative type planographic printing plate precursor provided with a recording layer comprising the polymerizable composition and having high curability.
2. Description of the Related Art
The development of lasers in recent years has been remarkable. Particularly, as to solid lasers and semiconductor lasers (hereinafter may be referred to as "infrared laser" which radiate infrared whose wavelength is in a range of 760 to 1200 nm, high output and small-sized lasers are now easily available. In a planographic printing field, in particular, these infrared lasers are very useful as a recording light source when a printing plate is directly made by digital data of, for example, computers. Recently, there has been an increased demand for image recording materials consisting of a highly sensitive polymerizable composition, specifically, for negative type image recording materials whose solubility to a developer is greatly deteriorated by exposure to infrared rays.
Generally, negative type image recording materials which are recordable by exposure to infrared rays contain; a photothermal converting agent which absorbs infrared energy and converts the energy into heat; a polymerization initiator, generating radicals by the heat generated by this photothermal converting agent and; a polymerizable compound which is polymerized by the action of the generated radicals as a polymerization initiator. Such negative type image recording materials utilizes a recording system in which the recording layer (image recording materials) of the exposure portion is cured along with the initiation and progress of a polymerization reaction of this polymerizable compound, to form an image. A negative type image recording material like this has poorer image forming ability than a positive type image recording material in which the recording layer is solubilized by the energy of infrared light. Therefore, in order to promote a curing reaction by polymerization to form a strong image portion, such a negative type image recording material as described above is usually subjected to heat treatment prior to a developing step.
An image recording material comprising a photothermal converting agent, an acid generator, a resol resin and a novolac resin is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,699. Such a negative type image recording material must also be subjected to heat treatment after exposing to an infrared laser for the formation of an image. Therefore, a negative type image recording material which needs no heat treatment after being exposed has been desired.
As a negative type recording material which needs no heat treatment, a thermal polymerization based image recording material using, as the polymerization initiator, a known polymerization initiator such as peroxides and azobisnitrile type compounds is known (see, for example Patent Document 1). When using these known azo compounds or peroxides or the like, although image forming ability is improved, there arises a problem that recording sensitivity and printing durability after developing are unsatisfactory, and in the case of using a highly sensitive polymerization initiator, there arises another problem that an undesirable polymerization curing reaction proceeds due to the influence of the storage environment, whereby contamination is likely to occur in the non-image portion of a print product.
Also, a recording material, which comprises a cyanine dye having a specific structure, an iodonium salt and an addition-polymerizable compound having an ethylenic unsaturated double bond and needs no heat treatment after image-wise exposure, is known (see, for example, Patent Document 2). This image recording material, however, has the problem that polymerization inhibition is caused by oxygen in air at the time of a polymerization reaction, leading to a reduction in sensitivity and insufficient strength of a formed image portion. A composition containing an ethylenic unsaturated compound and a polymerization initiator provided with an onium salt having a specific counter anion has been proposed, to solve these problems (see, for example, Patent Documents 3, 4 and 5). However, still higher printing durability and sensitivity are needed at present.
[Patent Document 1]
                Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 8-108621[Patent Document 2]        Japanese Patent Publication (JP-B) No. 7-103171[Patent Document 3]        JP-A No. 2001-34742[Patent Document 4]        JP-A No. 2002-6482[Patent Document 5]        JP-A No. 2002-148790
On the other hand, among those which are selectively sensitive to infrared light, as the positive type image recording material whose solubility at an exposed portion (non-image portion) to an aqueous alkali solution is increased, a heat-responsive resist material making use of a phase change of a novolac resin is known (see, for example, Patent Document 6). However, the heat-responsive resist material is easily scratched and thus has a problem in its handling.
As a negative type image recording material having high scratch resistance, an image recording material which is provided with a recording layer containing an infrared absorber, an onium salt and a polymerizable compound and needs no preheating when an image is formed, has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 7). According to this technique, a certain degree of printing durability is obtained, even if preheating is not conducted. However, a negative image recording material of this type has a problem in that printing durability is deteriorated particularly when a cleaner is used, and thus printing durability thereof must be enhanced.
[Patent Document 6]
                JP-A No. 9-43847[Patent Document 7]        JP-A No. 2001-133969
A compound having a COCOO group, which compound solves the above-mentioned problems in image forming materials using the conventional polymerizable composition, is known as a photo (polymerization) initiator. However, this polymerization initiator has insufficient sensitivity and therefore studies of enhancing the sensitivity thereof has been made. As the compound having a COCOO group, a polymer containing a COCOO unit is known (see, for example, Patent Document 8). The COCOO unit described herein has a COCOOH group or a structure such as COCOO—NR4+ and therefore has only insufficient sensitivity as a photoinitiator.
Also, an image formation method using a radical generator such as azo compounds and peroxides is also known (see, for example, Patent Document 9). However, the radical generator used herein has insufficient sensitivity and also has a problem concerning a long-term stability.
Also, a recording material which comprises a cyanine dye having a specific structure, an iodonium salt and an addition-polymerizable compound having an ethylenic unsaturated double bond and needs no heat treatment after image-wise exposure is known (see, for example, Patent Document 10). This image recording material, however, has a problem that polymerization inhibition is caused by oxygen in air at the time of a polymerization reaction, leading to a reduction in sensitivity and insufficient strength of a formed image portion.
To solve these problems, compositions containing a polymerization initiator provided with an onium salt having a specific carboxylic acid anion and an ethylenic unsaturated compound is known (see, for example, Patent Documents 11 and 12). These compositions, however, have problems concerning curability (high printing durability) and sensitivity. Therefore, a polymerization initiator which can generate radicals by light or heat in a highly sensitive manner, can rapidly cause a curing reaction and make the reaction proceed has been desired.
[Patent Document 8]
                U.S. Pat. No. 40,465,778[Patent Document 9]        JP-A No. 8-108621[Patent Document 10]        JP-B No. 7-103171[Patent Document 11]        JP-A No. 2001-34742[Patent Document 12]        JP-A No. 2002-148790

Polymerizable composition and planographic printing plate precursor using the same

Abstract: General Formula (I)Z−M+                wherein Z− represents COCOO−, COO−, SO3− or SO2—N−—R where R represents a monovalent organic group and M30  represents an onium cation.


A switching method and an electronic device solve the technical problem of an inflexible switching way of an electronic device. The method includes capturing a first sensing parameter by a first sensing unit, and capturing a second sensing parameter by a second sensing unit, when the electronic device is in a first work state; judging whether the first sensing parameter meets a first preset condition and the second sensing parameter meets a second preset condition, or not; generating a first switching instruction for controlling the electronic device to switch from the first work state to a second work state, when the first sensing parameter meets the first preset condition and the second sensing parameter meets the second preset condition; and controlling the electronic device to switch from the first work state to the second work state, according to the first switching instruction.

With the rapid development of the technology and the increasingly fierce market competition, the performance of the electronic device has been improved greatly. The user may carry out increasingly more tasks with the electronic device which has been an indispensable part of human life and study. For example, the user may communicate through a smart watch having a communication function, and so on.
Currently, an important index of the electronic device is a power consumption and a corresponding standby time of the device. Therefore, in order to decrease the power consumption, the electronic device is in a standby work state with its screen off in most times, so as to prolong the standby time of the electronic device. The electronic device is woken up by a control operation so as to turn on the screen for use, only when the user needs to use the electronic device.
However, when the user needs to use the electronic device, he needs to control the device to enter a screen-on state by a certain operation on a specific key, so as to view a display interface through a corresponding display screen. For example, when the smart watch is in a standby state with its screen off, the user needs to trigger a specific key, for example a power key, to turn on the screen so as to check the time, and so on. However, when it is not convenient for the user to perform the operation in some times, it may result in that the user cannot check the time in time, or needs to free one hand dedicatedly to perform the operation, otherwise the electronic device will not be switched between the work states.
Therefore, the electronic device in the related art needs a flexible switching way.


A Universal Serial Bus (USB) system is disclosed. The USB system includes a first host controller. A hub is coupled to the first host controller. A second host controller interfaces with the hub as a USB device. In one embodiment of the USB system, the second host controller is a wireless host controller. The second host controller includes a wireless system side module coupled to the hub and a wireless remote module containing host controller circuitry that receives signals from the wireless system side module. A method for interfacing a hub to a USB system is disclosed. A hub is coupled to a first host controller. The first host controller is coupled to a second hub connected to a second host controller that resides inside the computer.

The USB is a cable bus that supports data exchange between a host computer (USB host) and a wide range of simultaneously accessible peripherals (USB devices). The USB physical interconnect is a tiered star topology. A hub is at the center of each star. Each wire segment is a point-to-point connection between the USB host and a hub or a USB device, or a hub connected to another hub or USB device. FIG. 1 illustrates the topology of the USB.
The USB host contains host controllers that provide access to the USB devices in the system. The host controller performs several duties with regard to the USB and its attached USB devices. These duties include reporting and managing the states of the USB devices, converting protocol and data information between a native format and a bit stream transmitted on the USB, frame generation, processing requests for data transmission, and transmission error handling. The USB specification requires that a round trip response time delay for transmissions between a host controller and a USB device be within a specified time of 18 bit times. All transmissions on the USB are performed as packets within a transaction. A USB device must receive a transmission of a packet from the host controller and send a response packet back to the host controller within a specified time. This specified time only applies to packets within the transaction. This allows the USB system to preserve timing on the bus at the 12 Mbs rate and to support USB devices having real time requirements. A host controller expecting a response to a transaction will invalidate the transaction if it does not see a start of packet transition (SOP) within the time-out period after the end of the first packet's transmission.
The round trip response time delay requirements for USB systems make it difficult to implement a wireless link for configuring a wireless module onto a USB system. Additional time is required for transforming wire data through a transceiver to wireless data, transmitting the wireless data between a system side module and a remote module, and transforming the wireless data back to wire data. Current technologies for transmitting wireless signals such as infrared signals, radio signals, ultrasonic wave signals, and other aerial propagation signals do not provide the adequate bandwidth for transmitting data signals on the USB while complying with the round trip response time delay requirement.
Thus, what is needed is a method and apparatus for configuring a wireless module for connecting USB devices onto a USB system implementing the current technologies for transmitting wireless signals.

Method and apparatus for implementing a wireless universal serial bus host controller by interfacing a universal serial bus hub as a universal serial bus device


The present disclosure relates to an indwelling catheter having a cannula device (2, 4) and a reservoir, which is connected in a use position to the cannula device (2, 4), such that blood can flow from the cannula device (2, 4) into the reservoir (6), wherein the housing (3) has housing identifiers (8) and the reservoir (6) has reservoir identifiers (9), and the housing identifiers (8) and the reservoir identifiers (9) give mutually assigned codes. In addition, the disclosure relates to a transfusion cannula kit and the method for testing a transfusion system.

Indwelling catheters may be used in the context of a transfusion to be administered to a patient; they may be used in conjunction with a transfusion to be administered to a patient. Other terms include the term peripheral venous catheter. Known indwelling catheters such as those described in the document WO 2006/053516 A1 usually have a puncture cannula consisting of a metal material, such as a steel alloy, for example, and a tip for performing the puncture. When the indwelling catheter is placed in a use position, the puncture cannula is inserted into an indwelling cannula, so that the tip of the puncture cannula protrudes at the front. With the help of the tip of the puncture cannula, the indwelling catheter is positioned by advancing the puncture cannula to the desired blood vessel, in particular into a vein. After positioning the indwelling catheter, the puncture cannula can be removed. The indwelling cannula through which a transfusion fluid can then be injected intravenously remains connected to the blood vessel. On the other hand, it is often impossible to withdraw additional blood through an indwelling catheter that has been put in position because the blood tests performed on such blood samples may be falsified by blood constituents or dilution effects occurring with the ongoing infusions.
It is therefore provided that a blood sample for testing the blood of the patient is to be performed in conjunction with placement of the indwelling catheter. To do so, the indwelling catheter has a reservoir which is connected to the end of the puncture cannula in the use position, so that blood can flow through the puncture cannula into the reservoir. The blood sample removed in this way can be utilized to determine the patient's blood. By means of statistical surveys, it has been ascertained that mistakes with blood products occur with an incidence of approximately 1:10,000 to 1:20,000. Mistakes in obtaining a pre-transfusion blood sample occur in 1:3000 cases.
In conjunction with blood transfusions, it has been proposed that to avoid mistakes in treatment, an armband holding a so-called RFID chip should be placed on the patient. RFID is a technology which is well-known as such and in which electronic memory chips are used to store information. Memory chips that can only be read out or that can additionally be written are known. Data transfer between the memory chips and a read/write device takes place by wireless data communication. A second RFID chip should then be placed on a unit of blood. When a blood transfusion is intended, the electronic information on the armband and that on the unit of blood should both be evaluated electronically using a reader device. In this way, the person responsible for the transfusion can check on whether the blood unit made available is acceptable and suitable for the patient with the armband. In addition, it has been proposed that information about the temperatures at which the blood unit has been stored should be kept on the RFID chip of the blood unit. The RFID chip has a temperature sensor for this purpose.
Use of RFID technology as such as part of the working procedures of a blood bank is known from the document EP 1 850 289 A1.
In daily practice, there have been problems in that armbands on patients have been inadvertently severed and thereby lost. Such situations occur in particular in conjunction with emergency circumstances in which patients must receive care quickly and which are often characterized by complicated situations.

Indwelling transfusion catheter, transfusion cannula kit and method for testing a transfusion system


An interposer assembly for forming electrical connections between contact pads on opposed substrates includes a top plate, a bottom plate, a lateral shift interface between the plates and a plurality of electrical circuit paths extending between contact surfaces at the top of the top plate and at the bottom of the bottom plate. The circuit paths maintain electrical connections between opposed pairs of pads on the substrates despite misalignment of the substrates or lateral shifting of the plates at the interface because of forces exerted on the substrates. The plates are secured together to permit limited lateral movement at the interface. The assembly may have a circuit board plate between the top and bottom plates and two lateral shift interfaces. The contacts may have very small and high contact pressure shear-formed contact tips.

Conventional interposer assemblies are mounted on substrates by pins extending from the assemblies through holes on the substrates or by positioning the interposers in alignment collars mounted on the substrates. The connections between the interposer assemblies and the substrates have limited lateral compliance. This compliance permits use of the interposer assemblies for connecting substrates which are laterally offset a small distance only and permits limited shifting of the substrates in response to lateral forces after the interposer assembly has been mounted on the substrates.
In many applications, interposer assemblies are needed to establish and maintain continuous electrical circuit paths between contact pads on substrates with increased lateral compliance between the substrates. Increased compliance is needed because of possible large substrate offset when the interposer assemblies are installed. The substrates may be offset by an amount greater than can be accommodated by the limited lateral compliance provided by conventional interposer assemblies. Increased compliance is also needed because after an interposer assembly is mounted between two substrates, the substrates may be subject to lateral forces. Lateral forces should not stress mounted interposer assemblies or be transmitted from one substrate through a mounted interposer assembly to another substrate.
One interposer assembly according to the invention includes a top plate, which is mounted on a top substrate, a bottom plate, which is mounted on a bottom substrate, a shift interface between the plates and a plurality of electrical circuit paths extending through the plates and across the interface to contact surfaces on noses at the top of the top plate and at the bottom of the bottom plate. The circuit paths provide continuous electrical connections between pads on the substrates. The top and bottom plates shift laterally along the interface to provide greater lateral compliance than in conventional interposer assemblies.
The top and bottom plates may be secured together by pins. Vertical pins may extend through passages in the plates. The pins permit limited lateral movement of the plates so that the interposer assembly can be mounted on misaligned substrates. The pins permit the interposer assembly plates to move laterally along the interface in response to lateral forces exerted on the substrates.
Another interposer assembly according to the invention includes top and bottom plates and a central circuit board plate located between the top and bottom plates. The top and bottom plates are mounted on the substrates. Contact passages extend through each top and bottom plate with contacts fitted in the passages. Contact surfaces are provided on noses at the upper and lower sides of the top and bottom plates. Opposed pairs of pads are provided on the top and bottom surfaces of the central circuit board plate with metal conductors extending across the plate between top and bottom pads. The contacts on the top and bottom plates engage the pads on the circuit board plate at pressure connections. The three plates are held together by pins fitted in holes in the plates. The pins permit controlled lateral shifting of the plates at two shift interfaces.
In the disclosed interposer assemblies, top and bottom plates are mounted on the substrates using collars or pins with the contacts in the top plate engaging pads on the top substrate and contacts in the bottom plate engaging pads on the bottom substrate. Continuous electrical circuit paths extend through the assemblies to connect opposed pads on the substrates. In the two-plate interposer assembly, single contacts may be positioned in passages in both plates and form continuous metal circuit paths. In the three-plate interposer assembly, the circuit paths include contacts located in passages in the top and bottom plates, pads and conductors on the central circuit board plate and pressure electrical connections between the inner ends of the contacts and the pads on the circuit board plate.
Interposer assemblies having three plates and two shift interfaces have greater compliance than two-plate, one shift interface interposer assemblies to permit mounting on misaligned substrates and lateral shift of the substrates without transmitting forces between the substrates after the assemblies have been mounted between the substrates. Additionally, the height of the interposer assembly can be easily and inexpensively altered by varying the thickness of the central circuit board plate. Top and bottom plates may be identical.
The invention also relates to an elongate strip metal contact useful in interposer assemblies for forming electrical connections between spaced contact pads with a small, single contact tip on each end of the contact located on the end of a bent up tab on or very close to the longitudinal axis of the contact. Providing a single small contact tip located on a tab bent up from the contact at or adjacent to the longitudinal axis of the contact provides high-pressure contact engagement with pads. The central location of the contact tip with respect to the width of the contact assures that loading forces exerted on the contact by engagement with a pad extends essentially along the longitudinal axis of the contact to reduce off-center forces and prevent the compressed contact from binding in the contact passages in the interposer plates. The location of a tip on each bent up tab close to or on the longitudinal axis of the contact assures resiliency of the contacts and provides high-pressure connections with the overlying and underlying pads.
The tips on the tabs are at the intersection of two rounded shear corners on the tab and are exceedingly small. The reduced size of the contact tips increases contact pressure to improve electrical connections between the tips and pads.


An electric energy distribution system may include plural loads configured to receive electric energy from a common feed or branch. Each of the loads may be configured to operate in at least first and second modes such that it may consume current, VA or power up to a first cap when running in its first mode and up to a second cap when running in its second mode. The first cap may be higher than the second cap. A sensor component may monitor a parameter that corresponds to an aggregate amount of electric energy being consumed by all of the plural loads from the common feed or branch. A manager component may be configured, when the parameter meets or exceeds the threshold, to select one of the loads currently running in its first mode and to cause the selected load to run in its second mode.

It is common in a typical data center to house multiple server computers inside a rack. The rack will normally receive at least one feed from an electric utility and will distribute power from the feed to the servers housed inside. A power distribution unit ("PDU") in the rack includes a circuit breaker for limiting the amount of current being drawn by the servers from the feed. If the circuit breaker should trip, all of the servers dependent on the feed will suffer a power loss.

Managing electric energy distribution to multiple loads using selective capping

Hewlett Parkard Enterprise Development LP


An attachment for mounting on straps extending between a rear opening of a cap. The attachment comprises a first panel having an outer and inner surface, and a clip section comprising a connector and a second panel having an outer and inner surface. The panels are spaced such that the first and second panels face each other and are substantially parallel to each other. The connector connects the first panel and the second panel at the top edge of the first panel and defines a gap between the panels. The gap is sufficient to permit the strap or straps to nest within, such that when the strap or straps are nested, the first and second panels lie on opposite sides of the strap or straps. The first and second panels contain ridges along their edges that engage the strap or straps and keep the cap attachment in place. The outer surfaces of the panels display advertising indicia or decoration and have a cushioned area.

Baseball-style caps which have an opening in the back with a band or one or two straps going across the opening are well known. Caps may be adjustable in size, for example, by using adjustable straps or an elastic band. These caps often display various logos on the front of the cap. Attachments that attach to the band or straps of these caps and display various advertising indicia are also known, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,499,402; 5,533,213; 5,003,640; 5,600,855; and U.S. Pat. No. D412,937. Given the popularity of people wearing their caps backwards, attachments that display the advertising indicia at the back or rear of the cap are also known, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,418,981. These products are able to display advertising on the caps but are not comfortable to wear, especially when the cap is worn backwards and the attachment touches the forehead of the person causing irritation. Additionally, these attachments do not sit well on the cap strap or straps when the cap size gets adjusted thereby limiting their use to certain caps.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved cap attachment that overcomes these drawbacks and is easy to attach, comfortable to wear, accommodates different cap sizes and is also more attractive or stylish.