A high-frequency diode has a first semiconductor area with a first conductivity type as well as a barrier area adjacent to the first semiconductor area, which has a second conductivity type, which differs from the first conductivity type. Further, the high-frequency diode has a second semiconductor area adjacent to the barrier area, which has the second conductivity type and a dopant concentration which is lower than the dopant concentration of the barrier are or equal to zero. Further, the high-frequency diode has a third semiconductor area adjacent to the second semiconductor area, which has the same conductivity type and a higher dopant concentration than the barrier area. Through such a structure it is possible to provide a high-frequency diode with short switching times and low bias.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention refers generally to a high-frequency diode and particularly to a high-frequency diode requiring a lower bias in the blocking state than high-frequency diodes according to the prior art.
2. Description of the Related Art
Silicon high-frequency switches are often realized with PIN diodes. This results from the structure of the PIN diodes favorable for high-frequency technical applications, as it is, for example, shown in FIG. 3. Thereby, the PIN diode comprises a half-isolating substrate 300, into which a well 302 is embedded, which has an n-doped semiconductor material with a high n+ dopant concentration compared to the half-isolating substrate 300 (buried layer n-cathode). Further, a second semiconductor area is disposed in a central area 304 of a surface 306 of the well 302, which comprises an n-doped semiconductor material with a lower dopant concentration than the semi-isolating substrate 300 (n intrinsic zone, I-zone). Further, a third semiconductor area 312 is disposed on a surface 310 of the second semiconductor area 308, which comprises a p-doped semiconductor material with a high p+-doped concentration (p-anode). The third semiconductor area 312 and the second semiconductor area 308 are bounded on the sides by a boundary structure 314, wherein the boundary structure 314 further extends into the first semiconductor area 302. The boundary structure 314 is formed by an oxide filled isolation trench (oxide filled trench). A filling material 316 is disposed on the side of the boundary structure 314 opposing the second semiconductor area 308 and the third semiconductor area 312, which has a recess 320 in the marginal area 318. Further, a contacting structure 322 is disposed in the recess 320, which comprises sub-areas 324 of electrically conductive material and sub-areas 326 of electrically isolating material. The electrically conductive sub-areas 324 are further electrically conductively connected to the first semiconductor area 302, so that the first semiconductor area 302 can be contacted electrically conductively from a contact point 328 via the contacting structure 322. Further, a cover layer 330 is disposed at least partly on the boundary structure 314 as well as the filling material 316.
The favorable characteristics by which a PIN diode is optimally suited as a high-frequency switch, are particularly given by the weakly n-doped second semiconductor area 308, which is disposed between the highly n-doped first semiconductor area 302 and the highly p-doped third semiconductor area 312. When applying a blocking voltage, a space charge region forms between a pn-junction, wherein the space charge region has a space charge region width in the respectively differently doped semiconductor areas which depends on the dopant concentration in the respective semiconductor area. Since, when applying a blocking voltage between the first semiconductor area 302 and the third semiconductor area 312 between the first semiconductor area 302 and the second semiconductor area 308, a space charge region results which has a large width in the second semiconductor area 308 due to the low charge carrier density, the PIN diode illustrated in FIG. 3 thus forms a low blocking capacity due to the broad space charge region between the first semiconductor area 302 and the second semiconductor area 308, whereby the favorable blocking characteristics of the PIN diodes as high-frequency switch are effected.
WLAN systems require an antenna switch, which can be used for two frequency bands at 2.5 and 5.5 GHz, has short switching times of 80 ns and copes with powers of up to 1 W. The PIN diode illustrated in FIG. 3 is suitable both for realizing integrated circuits and discrete flip-chip diodes. Classical diode structures with wire bonding and backside contact are not suitable any more for the high frequencies. Thus, a buried-layer cathode 302 with trench sinker in the shape of the illustrated contacting structure 322 is used, which leads the cathode contact towards the top. Further, the diode is surrounded by a trench in the form of the boundary structure 314, which keeps the injection volume small and thus the switching time short. To keep the injection volume small and thus the switching times short, a PIN diode according to FIG. 3 has additionally a thickness 332 of merely 7 μm and a width 334 of merely 50 μm. Further, the contacting structure 322 has also sub-areas of an isolating material, whereby the volume of the conductive material 326 can be reduced and thus the shortening of the switching time of the PIN diode is possible by reducing the number of charge carriers (for example electrons) to be moved.
The diode does fulfill the above requirement, however, it is disadvantageous that it requires a high bias voltage of almost the value of the high-frequency amplitude, which is 10 V at 1 Watt, during blocking operation with 1 W power level. In other words, for blocking the current flow, the PIN diode requires a bias which corresponds to approximately the height of the high-frequency amplitude which is to be blocked. Apart from a time voltage curve 410 and a time current curve 412, the oscillogram in the lower sub-image of FIG. 4 shows also a DC voltage level of 8 V, an amplitude of the fundamental wave of 10 V and level distances of 64, 68 and 74 dB for the H2, H3 and H4 harmonics. A simulation of the blocking behavior (see FIG. 4, lower sub-image) shows that with 8 V bias the forward current is suppressed so far that a sufficiently large harmonic distance of 60 dB is kept.
The left upper sub-image of FIG. 4 shows a doping profile, which represents a hole concentration 420 of the p-anode at the left margin as well as an electron concentration 422 of the n-cathode (buried layer n-cathode) at the right margin. Further, the doping profile shows that charge carriers, i.e. electrons and/or holes, already enter the second semiconductor area (I-zone), wherein the second semiconductor area is represented in the central area of the doping profile. The current flowing thereby is too small to cause a mentionable isolation deterioration and to affect the harmonic behavior. In the right upper sub-image, the potential curve in the third, second and first semiconductor area as well as in the barrier area is illustrated at different operating times.
One possible process for reducing the required bias is to make the I-zone of the PIN diode long and thus to reduce the turn-on speed of the PIN diode so far that a time period of a positive half-wave of a high-frequency modulation is not sufficient for the PIN diode to turn on. In other words, the thickness 332 of the second semiconductor area 308 illustrated in FIG. 3 is enlarged such that the charge carriers cannot drift through the second semiconductor area 308 during the positive half-wave of the high-frequency modulation and thus switching through of the PIN diode is prevented. Thus, the thickness 332 of the second semiconductor area 308 is dependent on the operating frequency of the PIN diode. However, it is one disadvantage of this method that the switching time of the PIN diode switch will become longer.


The invention relates to a method of reorganizing certain units-of-work in a data entry database. First, a unit-of-work performance parameter is determined for each of a plurality of units-of-work. Next, if and only if the performance parameter of a unit-of-work meets a predetermined criteria, then the unit-of-work is reorganized.

The invention relates to a method of reorganizing a data entry database. More particularly, the invention relates to a method of reorganizing selective units-of-work in a data entry database.
1.1 IMS
IMS is one of the oldest and most widely used database systems. It runs under the MVS operating system on large IBM 370 and 370-like machines. IMS is based on the hierarchical data model (discussed below). Queries on the IMS databases are issued through embedded calls in a host language. The embedded calls are part of the IMS database language DL/I.
Because performance is critically important in large databases, IMS allows the database designer a large number of options in the data definition language. The database designer defines a physical hierarchy as the database scheme. Several subschemes may be defined by constructing a logical hierarchy from the record types comprising the scheme. There are a variety of options available in the data definition language (block sizes, special pointer fields, etc.) that allow the database administrator to "tune" the system for improved performance.
1.2 Hierarchical Databases
A hierarchical database consists of a collection of records that are connected to each other with links. Each record is a collection of fields (attributes), each of which contains only one data value. A link is an association between precisely two records. For example, consider the database representing a customer-account relationship in a banking system that is shown in FIG. 1. There are two record types: customer and account. The customer record consists of three fields: name, street, and city. Similarly, the account record consists of two fields: number and balance.
The set of all customers and account records is organized in the form of a rooted tree where the root of the tree is a dummy node. A hierarchical database is a collection of such rooted trees.
1.3 Data Entry Database
One well known IMS hierarchical database is the data entry database (DEDB). As shown in FIG. 2, a DEDB is a collection of a number of database records stored in a set of partitions called Areas. An Area contains a range of DEDB records. As shown in FIG. 3, an Area is divided into three parts: a root addressable part, an independent overflow part, and a sequential dependent part.
1.3.1 Root Addressable Part of an Area
As shown in FIG. 3, the root addressable part of an Area contains units-of-work (UOWs). A UOW consists of a user-specified number of physically contiguous control intervals. A control interval is the unit of transfer between a disk drive storing the DEDB and a computer. When a DEDB is created, the database administrator sets the size of the control intervals for the DEDB. For example, a 4k byte control interval may store up to 3976 bytes of data. (The remaining 120 bytes in the 4k byte control interval define various parameters of the control interval.) Empty data storage elements within a control interval are known as free space elements. The minimum length of a free space element is 4 bytes. Thus, in certain circumstances, storage locations in a control interval are not large enough for a free space element. These storage locations will not be utilized to store data. Such unutilizable storage locations are known in the art as scrap.
A UOW is divided into a base section and an overflow section. The base section contains control intervals that are used for the storage of data. The overflow section of a UOW is used to store data after the base section control intervals of the UOW are fall, ie., unable to satisfy a request for space.
1.3.2 Independent Overflow Part of an Area
As shown in FIG. 3, the independent overflow part of an Area also contains control intervals. These control intervals may be used to extend a particular UOW. Thus, the independent overflow control intervals are logical extensions of the overflow section of a particular UOW. However, once a control interval has been used to extend the overflow section of a particular UOW, only data associated with that UOW may be stored therein. Thus, an independent overflow control interval that is allocated to a particular UOW may be considered to be "owned" by that UOW.
The first control interval in the independent overflow data part contains a space map. This space map indicates which UOW owns the first 120 control intervals in the independent overflow part. There is another space map for every 120 independent overflow control intervals., ie., the 1st, 121st, 241st, etc. control interval in the independent overflow part is a space map control interval.
1.3.3 Sequential Dependent Part of an Area
The sequential dependent part of an Area contains space for storing data in a time-ordered sequence without regard to the UOW containing the root segment. The sequential dependent part is used as a circular buffer for data storage.
1.4 Data Storage in a DEDB
When data is stored in a DEDB, the data is associated with a particular UOW. Initially, the UOW's basic section control intervals will be empty. Thus, the UOW will contain base section control intervals that may be used to store the data. However, as more data is associated with a particular UOW, the base section control intervals will become full.
If additional data is to be associated with a UOW that contains full base section control intervals, then the first control interval within the overflow section of the associated UOW is utilized to store the data. If the first control interval is also full, then the second control interval within the overflow section will be utilized to store the data. Additional data may be similarly associated with the UOW until all control intervals within the overflow section are full.
If additional data is to be associated with a UOW and no space can be found in a UOW's overflow section, then a space map control interval in the independent overflow part of the Area will be allocated to the UOW. This allocation provides the UOW with 119 additional control intervals for data storage. After these additional control intervals are full, another space map control interval will be allocated to the UOW. This sequence continues until no unallocated space map control intervals are available. When this occurs, an error is generated.
1.5 Reorganization of a DEDB
As data is added, updated, and deleted, a DEDB becomes physically disorganized, decreasing operating efficiency. More I/O operations are needed to retrieve data stored in the DEDB. When this occurs, DEDB response time slows. Such a physically disorganized DEDB is known as a fragmented DEDB.
However, by grouping the data associated with each UOW, the data can be accessed more quickly. Thus, the performance of the DEDB is increased. In addition, because related data is grouped together, it is possible to reclaim formally unusable space on a disk drive.
1.6 Conventional Methods of Reorganizing a DEDB
Conventional methods of reorganizing a DEDB reorganize the root addressable and the independent overflow parts of an Area. The sequential dependent part of an Area is not affected. Conventional reorganization of a DEDB reorganizes one UOW at a time.
1.6.1 Conventional On-line-UOW Reorganization Method
One conventional UOW reorganization method progressively copies control intervals that are associated with a particular UOW to a "reorganization UOW." The control intervals typically include basic section control intervals, overflow section control intervals, and independent overflow control intervals. After all control intervals that are associated with a UOW are copied into the reorganization UOW, the reorganization UOW is copied over the original UOW. Then, independent overflow control intervals that are no longer needed by the original UOW are released. Thus, the released control intervals may be allocated to other UOWs. This method of reorganizing a UOW is known as an on-line-UOW reorganization method.
The above described method may be repeated for other UOWs. An example of such a conventional DEDB reorganization method is discussed in Guide to IMS/VS V1 R3 Data Entry Data Base (DEDB) Facility, IBM International Systems Center, p. 48, (May 14, 1984) (IBM Document Number GG24-1633-0).
1.6.2 Conventional Off-line-UOW Reorganization Method
One conventional off-line-UOW reorganization method progressively copies control intervals that are associated with UOWs to a sequential file, such as a tape. This procedure is known as unloading a UOW. Next, data contained in the sequential file is loaded back onto a randomly accessible disk drive. Such a method requires very high I/O activity and is very time consuming. Typically, all UOWs in a DEDB are unloaded and then loaded.
1.7 Deficiencies in the Prior Art
As the size and complexity of a DEDB increases, reorganization processing time increases. However, typically the task of reorganization of a DEDB is performed during off-peak hours by executing a batch job. Because of the shrining time window for ring such batch jobs due to the need to provide near continuous DEDB access, there is a need to perform DEDB reorganization as quickly as possible. Conventional DEDB reorganization methods are neither rapid nor efficient. Thus, there is a need for a method that rapidly and efficiently reorganizes a DEDB.

Method of reorganizing a data entry database


An apparatus and method for confirming control information that is input through an earphone in a portable terminal are provided. The apparatus includes an interface to which an earphone connects, and a controller for creating bit information dependent on a key input provided from the earphone connected through the interface, and confirming control information corresponding to the bit information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for confirming control information of an earphone in a portable terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
The proliferation of portable terminals is largely due to the decrease in their size and weight, along with the increase of their functions. Service providers and terminal manufacturers are competitively developing services and products for the portable terminals, such as multimedia services including games and Motion Pictures Experts Group (MPEG)-1 Layer Audio 3 (MP3) playing.
To prevent the indiscreet use of the multimedia services in public places, many portable terminals are provided with earphones for the multimedia services.
The portable terminals may provide voice, music and audio signals through the earphones. However, the conventional art is inconvenient from the standpoint that the user has to control the multimedia or call service being provided through the earphone, through an input unit of the portable terminal. For example, when playing an MP3 file, the user has to inconveniently manipulate the input unit of the portable terminal to control the MP3 file. Furthermore, volume adjustment of an audio signal must inconveniently occur at the portable terminal.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a method of controlling a function of a portable terminal using an earphone.

Apparatus and method for confirming control information of earphone in portable terminal


A method for determining if an injector (10) is in a blocked state, the injector including a coil of resistance R and of inductance L, passed through by a power supply current of maximum intensity (Imax), and powered by a voltage E, the method includes:                controlling the opening of the injector,        measuring the intensity I passing through a measurement resistance r as a function of time t,        determining a necessary duration τ to reach a predetermined intensity value (Ipred), lower than the maximum intensity (Imax),        computing the inductance L as a function of the necessary duration,        if L≧Lth, then the injector is blocked in the closed position, otherwise        if L<Lth, the injector is blocked in the open position, with Lth being a threshold value of the inductance.

The injector is a solenoid injector, of the urea injector type, used in an exhaust line of a motor vehicle and situated upstream of a nitrogen oxide catalyst, of SCR (Selective Catalyst Reduction) type.
The injector injects urea, more specifically an aqueous solution containing 32.5% by volume of urea, in the exhaust line. The duly injected urea is propagated to the SCR catalyst, to react with the nitrogen oxides (NOx) originating from the combustion chamber of the engine and present in the SCR catalyst. The chemical reaction produces dinitrogen and oxygen at the exhaust line outlet.
Such an SCR system is known to those skilled in the art and makes it possible to considerably reduce the amount of nitrogen oxide emitted by the engine with which the vehicle is equipped. A major drawback in implementing an SCR system lies in the correct dosage of the quantity of urea to be injected into the SCR catalyst. In practice, an excessively small quantity of urea injected does not make it possible to reduce the nitrogen oxides present in the exhaust in satisfactory proportion. The international standards regarding the maximum amount of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions at the exhaust outlet are then no longer observed. An excess quantity of urea injected results in odorous and irritant leaks of ammonia at the exhaust pipe outlet, which is not desirable.
Controlling the quantity of urea that is injected by the injector is therefore of prime importance. To this end, it is necessary to rapidly detect its malfunction, more particularly to detect a blocked injector. Such injector failures can occur, for example, when the aqueous solution of urea crystallizes inside the injector at high temperature (>100° C.) In fact, above 100° C., the water in the aqueous solution is evaporated, and the urea forms solid residues. It is possible to melt these residues by heating the urea above its melting point, that is to say, above 140° C.
In order to detect the malfunctioning of a urea injector, it is known practice from the prior art to position a nitrogen oxides (NOx) sensor downstream of the SCR catalyst. This sensor measures the level of nitrogen oxides present at the outlet of the SCR catalyst and makes it possible to detect a failing urea injector. However, in the case of an injector that is blocked open, a significant quantity of ammonia is first stored in the SCR catalyst until the latter saturates, and the NOx sensor does not instantaneously detect an abnormally high quantity of ammonia due to the leak from the injector. Nor, in the case of an injector that is blocked closed, does the NOx sensor fairly rapidly detect an abnormally high quantity of NOx due to the failure of the injector, because of the inertia of the chemical reaction occurring inside the SCR catalyst.
Furthermore, the detection of the malfunctioning of the urea injector by virtue of the NOx sensor does not make it possible to diagnose a failure of the injector before the SCR system is started up. In practice, it is necessary first to activate the injector several times by urea injection commands and wait for the response from the NOx sensor, situated downstream of the SCR catalyst, before being able to analyze said signal. With such a method, leaks of ammonia and excessive quantities of NOx in the exhaust during a short instant before the diagnosis is made are inevitable.
It is also known from the prior art, in order to detect a blocked solenoid injector, for example a fuel injector, to measure a voltage at the terminals of the injector. US 2012/0296553 A1 describes a control system for an internal combustion engine and a method for controlling said engine that makes it possible to distinguish a blocked fuel injector from a "normal" injector, that is to say one that is operating correctly. The distinction is made on the basis of the measurement of a voltage at the terminals of the injector. During the command to close or open the injector, if the latter is blocked, the voltage at the terminals of the injector deviates from a nominal voltage.
On the same principle, it is known practice to measure a voltage Ur (see FIG. 3a) at the terminals of a measurement resistance in order to determine whether or not the injector is blocked. FIG. 3a shows an injector 10 and a control device D for said injector 10 from the prior art. The injector is, on one side, supplied with current (generally a voltage E of 12 V) by a microcontroller 80 and, on the other side, connected to the ground. A measurement resistance r is connected on one side to the injector 10 and on the other side to the ground. The voltage Ur at the terminals of the measurement resistance r is measured by the microcontroller 80. Upon a command to open the injector 10, the voltage Ur increases asymptotically (see curve B in FIG. 1), but undergoes a temporary decrease Z when the injector 10 finally opens. When the injector 10 is blocked (curve A), this temporary decrease Z does not appear on the measurement of the voltage Ur. The presence or the absence of this temporary decrease Z consequently makes it possible to rapidly determine whether or not the injector is blocked.
These methods from the prior art present drawbacks, they do not make it possible to diagnose a failing injector before starting up the system with which it is associated (in our example, the SCR system).
It will be understood that it is necessary to rapidly detect the malfunctioning of a urea injector and do so even before the SCR system is started up. Such is the aim of the present invention.

Method for determining if an injector is in a blocked state


Methods and apparatus for providing a device for forwarding packets in a network are disclosed. A first router and a second router having a shared set of interfaces are provided, enabling the first router and the second router to share forwarding data for forwarding packets on the shared set of interfaces.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to networking technology. More particularly, the present invention relates to providing load sharing and redundancy in a network through a master router and a slave router having a shared set of interfaces in a single device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Networks are commonly used by organizations for a variety of purposes. For instance, through the use of networks, resources such as programs and data may be shared by users of the network. In addition, a computer network can serve as a powerful communication medium among widely separated users.
Communication among hosts and users of a network is often facilitated through connection to one or more routers. As shown in FIG. 1, a host 112 normally resides on a network segment 114 that enables its network entities to communicate with other entities or networks. Note that the host 112 need not directly connect to the entities or networks with which it communicates. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the host 112 may be connected through a router R1 116. The router R1 116 may, in turn, connect one or more other routers such as router R2 118 with selected entities or networks.
Now, suppose that the host 112 wishes to send a message to a corresponding node 120. A message from the host 112 is then packetized and forwarded through the appropriate routers and to the corresponding node 120, as indicated by dotted line "packet from host"122, according to a standard protocol. If the corresponding node 120 wishes to send a message to the host 112—whether in reply to a message from the host 112 or for any other reason—it addresses that message to the IP address of the host 112 on the network segment 114. The packets of that message are then forwarded to router R1 116 and ultimately to the host 112 as indicated by dotted line "packet to host"124.
As described above, packets sent to and from the host 112 are forwarded via the router R1 116. As shown, the router R1 116 is the only route to and from the host 112. Thus, if the router R1 116 fails, communication with the host 112 becomes impossible. Accordingly, the reliability of the network as well as the routers in the network is of utmost importance.
As networks become a critical resource in many organizations, it is important that the networks are reliable. One way of achieving reliability is through redundancy. As described above, a single router failure may prevent communication to and from each host and user connected to the router. In many networks, it is common to provide redundancy through the use of multiple routers such that a backup router functions in the event of failure of a primary router. However, when the primary router fails, there is typically a "switchover time" that is required for the backup router to take over the functions of the primary router. As a result, such attempts to provide redundancy in switches suffer from a large switchover time. Accordingly, it would be beneficial if such redundancy could be provided with a reduction in the switchover time from a non-functional to a functional router.
In addition to reliability, it is often desirable to improve performance within a given network. In order to achieve this improvement, load sharing is often preferable. For instance, various users of a network may have a higher traffic level than other users of the network. It would therefore be desirable if performance could be achieved through the distribution of traffic among multiple routers.
In view of the above, it would be desirable if a redundancy and load sharing scheme could be implemented to reduce the switchover time upon failure of a router while implementing a load sharing scheme among multiple routers operating in a single device.


Minimally invasive facet release is performed during spine surgery. The minimally invasive facet release may be performed at a single level or over multiple levels. The minimally invasive facet release may be performed through a working corridor instrument which may be a tissue retractor or an access tube. When coupled with a minimally invasive pedicle screw fixation system, the facet release methods described enable a surgeon to correct a wide array of spinal deformities in a purely minimally invasive fashion.

The spinal column is a highly complex system of bones and connective tissues that provide support for the body and protect the delicate spinal cord and nerves. The anterior side of the spinal column includes a series of vertebral bodies stacked one atop the other. Situated between each vertebral body is an intervertebral disc that cushions and dampens compressive forces exerted upon the spinal column and permits motion between the vertebra. The posterior side of the spinal column includes different bony structures (e.g. lamina, pedicles, transverse processes, spinous processes, facets) that extend from the vertebral bodies and together form an arch around the spinal canal and protect the spinal cord. The adjacent vertebrae are coupled to each other along the posterior column via bilateral facet joints.
There are many types of spinal column disorders including scoliosis (abnormal lateral curvature of the spine), excess kyphosis (abnormal forward curvature of the spine), excess lordosis (abnormal backward curvature of the spine), spondylothesis (forward displacement of one vertebra over another), and other disorders caused by abnormalities, disease or trauma, such as ruptured or slipped discs, degenerative disc disease, fractured vertebra and the like. Patients that suffer from such conditions may experience a wide range of symptoms including, but not limited to, pain (often extreme and debilitating), and diminished nerve function.
To eliminate or reduce the pain associated with the various conditions noted above surgical intervention is often necessary. Often, the goal of the surgical procedure is to reduce impingement of nerves and or the spinal cord by restoring height to disc space, correcting misalignments between the vertebra, and/or correcting instability. Generally the vertebra of the affect motion segments are also fused together to prevent a return to the abnormal state. Spinal fixation systems are often used during the spinal fusion procedures to temporarily eliminate motion and secure a spinal motion segment in place until sufficient bone growth occurs to fuse the vertebrae together. More recently these fixation systems have been deployed through minimally invasive means that allow correction without creating large open exposures. While these spinal fusion procedures and minimally invasive pedicle screw fixations have a high rate of success, many existing surgical techniques are limited by the extent to which they can correct disc height and/or sagittal and/or coronal deformity. In order to achieve the optimal sagittal and/or coronal deformity correction, a facet release coupled with a spinal fixation construct is often necessary. Previous surgical procedures involving a facet release have been done using a midline incision which is dissected away from the spine to expose the facet (e.g. as is done during a posterior lateral interbody fusion PLIF).
The instruments, tools, and techniques described herein are directed towards reducing these challenges and others associated with posterior spinal fixation.


A plastic tube with a tubular tube body which is connected through a shoulder to a neck having an external thread and with a screw cap which can be screwed with an internal thread onto the external thread of the neck. The shoulder is injection molded onto the corresponding end of the tube body, wherein the shoulder and the externally threaded neck are constructed in one piece. The shoulder and the adjacent end of the tube body have a polygonal cross-section and the same polygonal cross-section continues over the length of the tube body. At least two side surfaces of the tube body extend from this transition point essentially plane or with a straight surface toward the end of the tube.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plastic tube with a tubular tube body which is connected through a shoulder to a neck having an external thread and with a screw cap which can be screwed with an internal thread onto the external thread of the neck.
2. Description of the Related Art
A plastic tube of the above-described type is known from DE-PS 41 00 894. In addition to the screw connection of the cap to the external thread of the neck, a perforated diaphragm at the neck and a corresponding perforated element, for example, a truncated cone, are provided at the screw cap; however, these elements are not significant with respect to the present invention. This tube has the disadvantage of being of relatively complicated construction and another disadvantage is the fact that the tube body and the neck with the external thread are manufactured in one piece and, thus, of the same plastic material.
DE-OS 41 00 757 discloses a plastic tube which has a rectangular cross-section and is manufactured by blow molding, wherein the tube body also is integrally connected to the tube neck. A closure cap to be pressed on in the longitudinal direction of the tube can be connected to the tube neck by locking. Another disadvantage is the fact that this tube must be filled from that side which later is the side for dispensing the contents of the tube. This is relatively cumbersome and time-consuming In addition, there is the danger that air bubbles remain in the interior of the tube after filling the tube.
PCT/EP 91/02164 discloses a collapsible container for pasty products which has a shape similar to a tube. The body of this container is not rectangular in cross-section in the collapsed state. Two oppositely located side walls can be folded together in the manner of a harmonica. Seen in longitudinal direction of the container, one end of the container is closed permanently while the other end has a nozzle which can be closed by a screw cap. Also in this case, the body of the container and the part with the nozzle are manufactured in a single piece.
In DE-OS 41 00 757 as well as in PCT/EP 91/02164, the oppositely located side surfaces of the tube body are completely plane and parallel to each other. Consequently, a number of such tubes can be stacked easily and safely without requiring repacking. However, the features and effects thereof explained above with respect to the prior art do not suggest the subject matter of the present invention and the advantages achieved thereby.
Also, it should be mentioned that, in the prior art tubes, it must be ensured that the screw cap sealingly contacts the externally threaded neck either when the screw cap is automatically mounted by the manufacturer or when the screw cap is mounted manually. In this connection, there is the danger that the screw cap is screwed on too much or that the screw cap separates if the screw cap was screwed on to an insufficient extent.

Plastic closure with corresponding tube body


Technologies for projecting a proportionally corrected image include a projection device. The projection device includes a camera capable of performing a depth scan and a projector capable of projecting an image onto a projection region of a projection surface. The projection device is configured to determine one or more image corrections as a function of the model of the projection region, transform the image based on the image corrections to generate an updated image, and project, by the projector, the updated image to the projection region. The projection device is further configured to monitor the projection region to detect an adjustment event, (i.e., a detected change of the projection region relative to the projection device) and generate, in response to detecting the adjustment event, another updated image based on the detected change of the projection region. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Traditionally, artists have relied on various mechanical devices (e.g., calibers) and manual methods (e.g., using circles or a head size of a body to proportionally compare each part of the body) to measure and/or compare proportions of their artwork. Alternatively, some artists have relied upon projectors to project an image onto a surface on which the artist intends to work. Such techniques are generally employed when an artist wants to take a small image and paint a larger version of the small image onto a surface larger than that small image, typically of a much greater magnitude of size. Accordingly, a projector may be used to project the small image onto a larger surface, such as by projecting a scaled, larger image of the small image onto the larger surface. However, such projectors (e.g., overhead projectors, digital projectors, etc.) are typically used to project the image onto a flat surface, such as a wall, generally at a perpendicular angle. However, under certain conditions, the image may be projected onto a surface that is not flat (e.g., curved, angled, etc.). Additionally, the image may be projected onto the surface at a non-perpendicular angle relative to the projector, which may result in keystoning.
Accordingly, some projectors are configured to compensate for such surfaces, such as by applying a keystone correction (i.e., skewing the image), which results in a rectangular image being projected, often at the expense of the quality of resolution of the image being projected. Presently, two methods of keystone correction can be implemented: manual and digital. Manual keystone correction is generally accomplished by making a physical adjustment of the lens of the projection; however, manual keystone correction typically cannot eliminate horizontal keystoning. Digital keystone correction is generally accomplished by scaling or otherwise altering the image prior to the image being sent to the lens for projection; however, digital keystone correction results in a squared image, even at an angle.


A torque testing machine includes a testing head and a calculating device connecting to the testing head to calculate a torque transmitted to the testing head. A first drive device includes a first connecting head being cooperative with the testing head. The first connecting head and the testing head oppose to each other. The first connecting head is rotatable about an axis. A second drive device includes a second connecting head being cooperative with the testing head. The second connecting head offsets a distance from the axis and is movable tangentially to the distance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a torque testing machine and, particularly, to a torque testing machine including at least two drive devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
TW Patent No. M345232 shows a torque testing machine including a testing head, a connecting head and two holding members. The testing head and the connecting head are aligned and opposite to each other. The testing head is rotatable about an axis, and the testing head and the connecting head face each other in the direction of the axis. Each of the two holding members has various height positions. Each of the two holding members is mounted on a rail. Each of the two holding members is movable along the rail engaged therewith. Each of the two holding members is used to hold an end of an object to be tested, and the testing head is used to hold another end of the object. The testing head can rotate the object to be tested and measure a torque force the object withstands. Alternatively, the connecting head is used to hold the object to be tested. However, types of objects to be tested by the torque testing machine are limited.
The present invention is, therefore, intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in the prior art.

Torque testing machine with double drive devices


A saw blade guard quick release structure and a method for locking and unlocking saw blade guard includes a locating member, a connection member, and a retaining unit. The locating member has two retaining notches. The connection member includes a first guide portion and a second guide portion. The retaining unit is installed on the connection member, including a linking member, a drag member movable along the first guide portion, two retaining members respectively pivotally connected to the drag member and movable along the second guide portion, and a spring member. The method includes mounting the connection member directly on the locating member and selectively engaging the retaining members with the locating notches, thereby locking or unlocking the saw blade guard.

A saw machine generally has safety devices to protect users from accidental injuries. For example, a riving knife is typically fixedly mounted at the machine base behind the saw blade to provide protection against cutting and kickback accidents. Further, a saw blade guard can be pivotally mounted at the top side of the riving knife. Such a saw blade guard can extend over the top side of the saw blade to guard the saw blade from accidental contact with an operator.
In order to meet international safety codes, the processes of mounting and maintaining the accessories of a saw machine have become much more complicated. To meet maintenance and mounting requirements for the aforesaid safety devices for a saw machine, these safety devices are all designed to be detachable. Thus, quick release structures for quick mounting and dismounting of safety devices have become the standard for a saw machine.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 2008/0223189A1 discloses a quick release structure for a saw machine, which includes a curved guide groove located on the top side of a saw blade guard, and a control device. The control device includes a first engagement wheel, a link, and a third engagement wheel pivotally connected to the rear end of the link and guided by the guide groove. Further, a retaining notch is located on the top edge of a riving knife. In order to mount the saw blade guard to the riving knife, the first engagement wheel is attached to one side of the retaining notch, and then the control device is operated. By means of the linking operation of the link, the third engagement wheel is guided by the guide groove into engagement with the other side of the retaining notch to lock the saw blade guard to the top side of the riving knife. This quick release structure enables the saw blade guard to be quickly locked to and unlocked from the riving knife. However, the whole structure comprises a large number of component parts, so assembly of the quick release structure is cumbersome. Furthermore, because the guide groove is curved, the movement of the third engagement wheel along the curved guide groove is unsmooth and requires increased effort.

Saw blade guard quick release structure and method for locking and unlocking saw blade guard


The blow molding device includes a heating section that continuously transfers and heats preforms that respectively include a neck along a heating transfer path while supporting the preforms using transfer members in an inverted state, a blow molding section that simultaneously blow-molds N (N is an integer equal to or larger than 2) preforms that have been heated by the heating section in an upright state to form N containers, and an intermittent transfer section that intermittently transfers the N preforms from the heating section to the blow molding section. The intermittent transfer section includes a pitch conversion section that converts the arrangement pitch of the N preforms from a first pitch P1 to a second pitch P2 (P2>P1), and an inversion section that includes N inversion arms that respectively invert the N preforms from the inverted state to the upright state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a two-stage blow molding device and a two-stage blow molding method that heat a supplied preform, and blow-mold the preform into a container.
2. Description of the Related Art
A cold parison or two-stage system includes a blow molding device separately from a preform injection molding device. A preform (parison) that has been injection-molded by the injection molding device, and cooled to room temperature is supplied to the blow molding device. The blow molding device is configured so that the supplied preform is heated to the optimum blow temperature using a heating section, and blow-molded into a container using a blow molding section. The preform is continuously transferred by the heating section, and N (N is an integer equal to or larger than 2) preforms are intermittently transferred from the heating section to the blow molding section. The blow molding section simultaneously blow-molds the N preforms into N containers.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,727,454, JP-A-2000-117821, and JP-A-2007-276327 disclose a two-stage blow molding device. In U.S. Pat. No. 7,727,454 and JP-A-2000-117821, the preform is heated in an upright state in which the opening of the preform is positioned on the upper side, and the preform in the upright state is blow-molded into a container. In JP-A-2007-276327, the preform is heated in an inverted state in which the opening of the preform is positioned on the lower side, and the preform in the inverted state is blow-molded into a container. In U.S. Pat. No. 7,727,454, JP-A-2000-117821, and JP-A-2007-276327, the preform heating pitch is set to be smaller than the blow molding pitch, and the pitch is converted between the heating section and the blow molding section.
In JP-A-2000-117821 and JP-A-2007-276327, the preform is transferred between the heating section and the blow molding section by transferring a preform carrier that holds the preform. The preform carrier that has become empty is returned to the heating section, and provided with a new preform. In JP-A-2000-117821, a blow molding operation is performed in a state in which the preform carrier is positioned in an upper transfer path having a blow molding position, and inverted using an inversion device, and the empty preform carrier is returned to the heating section through a lower transfer path. In the heating section, a new preform is supplied to the inverted preform carrier. The preform carrier is then inverted using an inversion device, and the preform is heated in the upright state.
A hot parison or one-stage blow molding device is configured so that N preforms that have been injection-molded by an injection molding section are blow-molded into N containers in a state in which the preforms retain heat applied during injection molding. As disclosed in JP-B-53-22096, a typical blow molding device is configured so that an injection molding section, a temperature control section, a blow molding section, and an ejection section are provided at four positions of a turntable, and a preform or a container is rotated using a neck mold. In this case, a preform that has been injection-molded in the upright state is transferred and blow-molded in the upright state. The one-stage system is characterized in that the number of preforms that are simultaneously injection-molded coincides with the number of preforms that are simultaneously blow-molded.
The two-stage blow molding device may heat a preform in the upright state (see U.S. Pat. No. 7,727,454 and JP-A-2000-117821). In this case, since the number of transfer members for which the structure becomes complex increases as a result of continuously transferring the preform in the upright state using the heating section, the cost of the device necessarily increases. In the heating section, a plurality of rod-like heaters that extend along the preform transfer path are disposed at a different height. Since the body of the preform in the upright state decreases in diameter (i.e., is tapered) toward the bottom thereof, the preform may be uniformly heated by disposing the lower rod-like heater close to the center of the transfer path as compared with the upper rod-like heater. In this case, if the preform that is transferred in the heating section falls by accident, the preform is necessarily caught by the lower rod-like heater. Such a situation is dangerous. Therefore, the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,727,454 or JP-A-2000-117821 that heats a preform in the upright state is not suitable for a preform (e.g., wide-mouth preform) that is formed so that the body decreases in diameter (i.e., is tapered) toward the bottom.
The above problem does not occur when using the device disclosed in JP-A-2007-276327 in which a preform is heated in the inverted state. It may be advantageous to blow-mold a preform in the inverted state into a container in the inverted state from the viewpoint of preform transfer. However, placement of equipment may become difficult from the viewpoint of blow molding since a drive mechanism for inserting a blow core mold or a stretching rod into the downward opening of the preform significantly occupies the space inside the stage. Therefore, a relatively large clamping mechanism that opens/closes and clamps a heavy blow mold and/or bottom mold cannot be disposed inside the stage. In this case, a relatively large clamping mechanism that opens/closes and clamps the blow mold and/or bottom mold must be disposed on or above the stage.

Blow molding device and blow molding method


An in ovo jet injection apparatus and related methods for treating live eggs. The jet injection apparatus includes one or more jet injection delivery devices configured to deliver one or more treatment substances to predetermined areas of eggs using a high pressure stream of the treatment substance(s). Multiple treatment substances can be delivered so that they are spatially and/or temporally separate. The devices and methods of the invention enable the effective use of a plurality of treatment substances, including those that are effective when used alone but can be noxious if mixed. The methods and apparatus for the jet injection of substances into embryonic chicks reduce the risk of mechanical injury to the developing birds that would be caused by injection needles. The methods and apparatus of the invention can also reduce the introduction of an infection into the chicks.

Injections of various substances into avian eggs have been employed to decrease post-hatch mortality rates, increase the potential growth rates or eventual size of the resulting chicken, and even to influence the gender determination of the embryo. Similarly, injections of antigens into live eggs have been employed to incubate various substances used in the production of vaccines that have human or animal medicinal or diagnostic applications. Examples of substances that have been proposed as viable treatment (or harvestable vaccine material) alternatives for delivery via in ovo injection of avian embryos include live culture vaccines, antibiotics, vitamins, and even competitive exclusion media (a live replicating organism). Specific examples of treatment substances are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,630 to Sharma et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,421 to Fredericksen et al.
Conventionally, the physical injection has been typically targeted at preferred positions within the egg to administer the substance into specific developing regions of the embryo. As understood by those of skill in the art, as the incubation period progresses towards maturity and hatching, the embryo and its membranes, the air cell, the allantois, and yolk sac correspondingly change in volume and position within the egg shell. Additionally, the quantitative volume of the enclosed fluids can vary. For example, the density of the allantois varies over the incubation period. Thus, selection of the site and time of treatment can impact the effectiveness of the injected substance as well as the mortality rate of the treated embryos. See e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,630 to Sharma et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,063 to Hebrank, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,038 to Sheeks et al.
Current injection methods that rely on substance delivery using a cannulated needle, however, present the risk of introducing infection into the target egg and/or injuring the injected embryo. There is still a need, therefore, for injection methods and apparatus that can deliver treatment substances to avian embryos but which do not, after piercing the outer hard shell, mechanically penetrate into the egg contents or the embryo. There is also a need for multisite injection methods and apparatus that will have a reduced likelihood of infecting the target egg due to mechanical penetration into the egg contents. There is a further need for automatic injection methods for treating multiple eggs simultaneously or in rapid and continuous succession without mechanically penetrating into the egg interior.

Methods and apparatus for automatic jet injection of bird eggs


Single coatings onto non-absorbent substrates on which aqueous ink jet inks are jetted with subsequent application of heat, without the use of reactive species in the ink and in the media used as a substrate coating. The heating rapidly drives the water of the ink into the coating, with the rest of the water from the ink being lost by evaporation. The material is then subject to immediate application of a sealing lacquer, which is preferably water-based and which may be dried and possibly cross-linked by heat to give a very resistant surface.

Plastic objects now play a major part in modern life. Such objects are marked on their surface for information and decoration. Often the plastic is handled or subject to forces of abrasion or other types of wear, which could adversely affect any surface markings. Such damage could reduce the effectiveness of any such markings.
Ink jet is a modern method of marking, which has had a large degree of success in the market for a variety of reasons. It is a non-impact printing process, whereby ink is squirted through very fine nozzles and the resultant ink droplets form an image directly on a substrate. One advantage of the process is that the equipment can be made and sold relatively inexpensively and for this reason it has been adapted for sale in the home as the prime method of printing from PC's (Personal Computers). Another advantage is that because it is a non-impact process, printing can be done on fragile surfaces such as those of eggs. As the process does not work through a master, it can be used to print variable information, where each print is different from the previous one. Working through a master means that once the master is imaged, the image is fixed for as many impressions as required. After making the required number of impressions, the master is discarded and a new one made for the next job.
There are two main types of ink jet process. In one process, usually termed continuous ink-jet printing (CIJ), a stream of ink drops are electrically charged and then are deflected by an electric field, either directly or indirectly, onto the substrate. In the second process, usually called Drop on Demand (DOD) ink-jet printing, the ink supply is regulated by an actuator such as a piezoelectric actuator. The pressure produced during the actuation forces a droplet through a nozzle onto the substrate. CIJ inks need to have some electrical conductivity, but inks for DOD ink-jet printing do not need to be conductive.
In all of the ink jet processes, in order to form suitable droplets, the ink must have a relatively low viscosity during the actual jetting process. This is generally in the region of 1 to 30 centipoise. This can be achieved by using a low viscosity carrier fluid, which may be water, or volatile organic liquid, or a relatively non-volatile organic liquid. Alternatively, the ink can be heated up to lower its viscosity during jetting. For many reasons, water has been found to be a suitable carrier liquid. It is inexpensive, readily available, environmentally harmless and has a high surface tension, which enables additives needed for the inkjet process to be used, as it is easier to find useful additives to reduce surface tension than to increase it.
Ink jet writing on plastic presents specific problems that inventors have tried to solve. One such approach is to use inks other than aqueous based, which can be made to dry and bond to plastic. WO 97/27053 by Jennel et al describes the use of inkjet to digitally write on packaging material. The printing can be done directly onto a pre-formed bottle such as one made from PET (polyester), or onto a carton blank or a web of packaging material. The invention is claimed to provide an advanced level of automation with minimum operator intervention. In order to achieve good adhesion to materials such as PET, ultra-violet (UV) sensitive inks are used and after jetting they are cured by UV radiation. The ink jet head is DOD and described as one supplied by the company Spectra. This is the most widely accepted way of using UV curing inkjet inks, as the alternative method, CIJ, generally uses water based inks and the inks must contain electrically conductive material. UV sensitive inks are generally based on organic acrylate mixtures that do not contain electrically conductive ingredients and are therefore less easily adapted for use in CIJ.
UV sensitive inkjet inks are more expensive than water-based inks and will remain so because, by definition, water-based inks contain a large quantity of water, which is relatively inexpensive. Because with UV inkjet inks all of the jetted material remains on the substrate surface (where the substrate is impermeable) inks are deposited in the form of tiny hemispherical structures. Process color work, where three or four separate inks are applied over the same area, can thus have a Braille-like feeling. Such an effect limits print quality.
The use of water-based inks on plastics would be advantageous for several reasons. As has been mentioned above, they have cost advantages; they can be used in both DOD and CIJ inkjet systems and they do not pile-up because the major part of the inkjet drop is water, which disappears either by absorption, if the substrate is pervious, or by evaporation, or both. However, there are a number of problems with using water-based inkjet inks on plastics. They have wetting problems with relatively low energy plastic surfaces (for instance that of PET) as well as slow drying, which for non-absorbent plastic surfaces has to occur only by evaporation. Also, they have low wet smear resistance—i.e. after they have dried, they can be easily smeared with a wet finger. These problems have been appreciated for some years and for instance U.S. Pat. No. 3,889,270 seeks to address this problem by using for instance polyvinyl alcohol as a coating for the substrate and including for instance hydrophilic silica gel. U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,891 uses for instance polyvinyl alcohol and pigments such as titanium dioxide for suitable substrate coatings. U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,850 uses for instance salts of high molecular weight carboxylic acids and locks the aqueous dye based inks into the surface by ionic interaction. U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,850 is concerned with the production of transparencies. U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,951 expresses the need to cross-link the polyvinyl alcohol because uncross-linked layers are generally too tacky. Jones, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,064 employs hydrophilic film, partially cross-linked, onto which a cross-linkable ink jet ink is jetted. The ink drying process is at room temperature. In general, in order to avoid the need for customers to have special drying units, drying is expected to occur without any additional prompting with energy such as heat and thus it is at room temperature. The ink is then cross-linked with an agent within the substrate coating. WO 99/21724 by Wang et als. addresses the problem of ink smearing. The patent application describes the use of two layers—an inner non-cross-linked hydrophilic coating and an outer cross-linked hydrophilic coating. In one embodiment, an inkjet image is applied before curing to avoid wet smear. Similarly, US 2001/0036552 by Otani et al. describes coating a substrate with two layers for water-based pigment inks to give better colors and image fastness.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,537,137 addresses the problems of aqueous inkjet printing on plastics by introducing a reactive material into the substrate coating and heating after depositing a reactive inkjet ink onto the coated substrate. The reaction fixes the ink into the coating by the reaction of the ink with the coating and also cross-links the coating itself to increase the coating durability. The disadvantages of this approach are that the presence of a reactive system, which cures the background areas, limits shelf life of any such coated product before imaging, as the cross-linking reactions that occurs rapidly at high temperatures also proceed slowly at room temperature. Also, inks used are limited to those containing reactive species either as a dye or pigment dispersion or as a polymeric material which serves as the pigment dispersant. If the energy used for fixing the ink is ultraviolet light, then the media must be protected from such light during handling. This may necessitate yellow light where the printing process occurs. The resultant prints of such a process will show variable gloss on the surface, reflecting the affect of the variations in absorption of water, dependent on the amount of ink deposited in the variable areas of the printed material. An alternative approach for achieving smear-proof images is to overcoat the ink jet image. U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,050 describes the use of organic lacquers to fix aqueous ink jet inks into uncoated substrates where the ink jet ink is still wet during the overcoating process. This method works with paper where ink absorption into the substrate enables smudging of wet on wet to be avoided.
Much of the work for aqueous ink jet printing on plastic has been addressed to achieving smear-proof properties for the purposes of handling, for applications such as the imaging of overhead transparencies. The present invention addresses more stringent requirements for handling, where the printed object may be subject to handling and solvents, which would damage ink jet images which were merely smear proof. The method and materials below described for working the present invention provide the means of producing information or decoration onto plastics using aqueous ink jet inks, resulting products being of excellent image quality as well as being smear proof and abrasion resistant and generally having a high resistance to physical and chemical damage, appropriate to the present applications. Applications for such methods and materials include cards used for ID's or for smart card applications, where the product must undergo handling and the unprinted material should benefit from a long shelf life. A further application is in the production of printing on bottles, whereby white substrate coating onto plastics such as PET (polyester) can be used to provide areas on which aqueous ink jet inks can be jetted followed by a protective overcoat, as well as providing the contrasting background for the transparent ink jet inks.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and media for printing aqueous ink jet inks on plastic surfaces


A method for combating website spoofing can be used in connection with a website for a financial institution accessible by a plurality of users. Registration information is stored for a user having a financial account with the financial institution, including user login information and customization information for a website associated with the financial institution. A marker is issued, to be stored on a computer used by the user to access the website. At some point, a request is received from the user to display a webpage of the website on the computer, and the user is recognized based on the marker. A webpage is then provided to the computer, having an interface with an attribute customized according to the customization information. The user login information is entered via the website. Upon receiving the user login information, the user is provided access to the financial account.

The Internet is frequently used to transmit and receive private information and to manage finances. Despite the many existing protections provided for online transmissions, unscrupulous persons have created ways to steal private information, gain access to financial accounts, and engage in other such unauthorized activity, using the Internet. One way in which this can be accomplished is through creation of a false website, using a technique known as "spoofing." Creation of a false website can be performed by simply copying existing HTML code that is displayed to all users who access the website. Spoofing relies on mimicry of the website to lure users into entering data, such as private and/or secret information, which is then used by the spoofer. For example, the spoofer may create a false website for a financial institution, and the user may enter private information into the false website, such as a user identification, password, PIN number, account number, and the like. This private information can then be used by the spoofer to gain access to the user's account information, including authentication credentials, which can be used to access additional private information and steal funds from the customer's account.
Spoofers typically use a technique known as "phishing" to lure users to the spoofed website. Phishing entails sending a large number of false emails purporting to be from an established entity, such as a financial institution, and may provide a link or other direction to the spoofed website. These emails fool a small, but significant, number of users into accessing the spoofed website and providing private information, in the mistaken belief that the website is authentic. Thus, spoofing relies on lack of knowledge by the user of the authenticity of the website, and spoofing can be defeated if the customer knows the website is not authentic.
Various techniques have been used to mitigate the effects of spoofing, including tiered authentication, visual differentiation, controlled communications, and the like. However, these existing techniques have certain disadvantages and drawbacks.

System and method for consumer protection


This image processor 10 includes: an input interface 11 that receives first and second images, on one of which the position of the subject has shifted in a particular direction from the position on the other; a color image generating section 13a that generates a color image in which the pixel values of respective pixels of the first and second images are used as the values of first and second colors, respectively; a decision section 13b that calculates an index value indicating the degree of color shift between the first and second colors in the color image and that determines, based on the index value, whether or not the first and second images match each other; and an image moving section 13c that performs, if the decision has been made that the first and second images do not match each other, the processing of making the second image closer to the first image by replacing the pixel value of each pixel of the second image with the pixel value of a pixel that is adjacent to the former pixel in the particular direction.

Recently, the performance and functionality of digital cameras and digital movie cameras that use some solid-state image sensor such as a CCD or a CMOS (which will be sometimes simply referred to herein as an "image sensor") have been enhanced to an astonishing degree. In particular, the size of a pixel structure for use in an image sensor has been further reduced these days thanks to rapid development of semiconductor device processing technologies, thus getting an even greater number of pixels and drivers integrated together in an image sensor. As a result, the resolution of an image sensor has lately increased rapidly from around one million pixels to ten million or more pixels in a matter of few years. On top of that, the quality of an image captured has also been improved significantly as well. As for display devices, on the other hand, LCD and plasma displays with a reduced depth now provide high-resolution and high-contrast images, thus realizing high performance without taking up too much space. And such video quality improvement trends are now spreading from 2D images to 3D images. In fact, 3D display devices that achieve high image quality although they require the viewer to wear a pair of polarization glasses have been developed just recently.
As for the 3D image capturing technology, a typical 3D image capture device with a simple arrangement uses an image capturing system with two cameras to capture a right-eye image and a left-eye image. According to such a so-called "two-lens image capturing" technique, however, two cameras need to be used, thus increasing not only the overall size of the image capture device but also the manufacturing cost as well. To overcome such a problem, methods for capturing multiple images with parallax (which will be sometimes referred to herein as "multi-viewpoint images") by using a single camera have been researched and developed. Such a method is called a "single-lens image capturing method".
For example, Patent Documents Nos. 1 and 2 disclose a method for obtaining multi-viewpoint images by using two polarizers, of which the transmission axes cross each other at right angles, and a rotating polarization filter. Meanwhile, Patent Documents Nos. 3 to 5 disclose a method for obtaining multi-viewpoint images by using a diaphragm (light beam confining plate) with multiple color filters.
The methods disclosed in these Patent Documents Nos. 1 to 5 are used mostly to generate multi-viewpoint images using a single-lens camera. On the other hand, there is a technique for getting depth information using a single-lens camera with multiple micro lenses and for changing the focus position of the image captured freely based on that information. Such a technique is called "light field photography" and a single-lens camera that uses such a technique is called a "light field camera". In a light field camera, a number of micro lenses are arranged on an image sensor. Each of those micro lenses is arranged so as to cover a plurality of pixels. By calculating information about the direction of incoming light based on the image information gotten through the image capturing session, the subject's depth can be estimated. Such a camera is disclosed in Non-Patent Document No. 1, for example.
The light field camera can calculate depth information. But its resolution is determined by the number of micro lenses and should be lower than the resolution determined by the number of pixels of the image sensor, which is a problem. Thus, to overcome such a problem, Patent Document No. 6 discloses a technique for increasing the resolution using two image capturing systems. According to such a technique, the incoming light is split into two divided incoming light beams, which are imaged by two image capturing systems, of which the groups of micro lenses are arranged so as to spatially shift from each other by a half pitch, and then the images captured in this manner are synthesized together, thereby increasing the resolution. However, this technique requires two image capturing systems, thus causing size and cost problems, too.
To overcome such a problem, Patent Document No. 7 discloses a technique for changing the modes of operation from a normal shooting mode into the light field photography mode, or vice versa, using a single image capturing system. According to this technique, a micro lens, of which the focal length varies according to the voltage applied, is used. Specifically, the focal length of the micro lens is set to be the infinity in the former mode and set to be a predetermined length in the latter mode. By adopting such a mechanism, an image with high resolution and depth information can be obtained. However, this technique requires a sophisticated control technique for controlling the focal length of the micro lens.
Meanwhile, Patent Documents Nos. 8 and 9 disclose techniques which were developed mainly for the purpose of getting depth information. According to these techniques, an image is captured through a diffraction grating which is arranged in front of a camera, and the distance from the subject to the diffraction grating is measured based on the magnitude of positional shift between an image produced by a zero-order diffracted light beam that has been transmitted through the diffraction grating (which will be referred to herein as a "zero-order light image") and an image produced by a high-order diffracted light beam (which will be referred to herein as a "high-order light image")

Image processor, image capture device, image processing method and program

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


A system for manual fail-safe bootstrap based on a single flash Read-Only Memory (ROM) includes a flash ROM (130) and an address map circuit (120). The flash ROM stores a main boot code (1301) in a first address section (1303) thereof, and a backup boot code (1302) in a second address section (1304) thereof. The address map circuit connects to a Central Processing Unit (CPU) (100) and the flash ROM, and includes a selector (400), an inverter (410), an AND gate (420) and a switcher (430). A related method for manual fail-safe bootstrap based on a single flash ROM is also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bootstrap loading systems and methods for digital computers, and more particularly to a system and method for manual fail-safe bootstrap based on a single rewritable non-volatile memory.
2. Prior Art of the Invention
In order to start using a personal computer system, it must be switched from a "cold" or "off" status to an initiated status, in which an operating system or kernel software is loaded and control of the computer can be attained. That is, the computer is not functional in interacting with its environment or in running software applications until the operating system or kernel software has been loaded via a boot process.
Commencement of the loading process is accomplished by a series of steps or levels. The way in which a computer utilizes such a series to get started is analogized to the computer "picking itself up by its own bootstraps." Hence the term "boot" is used to describe the process. The first level for the loading process of booting is provided in non-volatile memory, and commences at a default address thereof. The non-volatile memory may, for example, be an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) or a flash ROM (Read-Only Memory). Upon power up or reboot, a computer is hard-wired to commence operation of a software routine at the default address. These fixed instructions typically have just enough intelligence to seek out the next level of the program loading sequence, which is often stored on a rotating medium such as a hard disk.
The first level of booting provided in an EEPROM or a flash ROM is susceptible to deletion, which results in misses. That is, because an EEPROM or a flash ROM allows users to erase existing data and rewrite new data therein, part or all of the first level of booting may be accidentally erased. In addition, the main boot segment for storing the first level of booting may be corrupted by accidental mechanical or human interference. To circumvent these problems, it is desired to provide functions for automatic boot which ensure that the first level boot software can be loaded successfully.
Technology for helping computer administrators supervise database backup is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,432,927 issued on Jul. 11, 1995 and entitled "Fail-Safe EEPROM Based Rewritable Boot System." This patent discloses a system with two EEPROMs in a computer. One of the EEPROMs stores a boot code, and the other EEPROM stores a backup copy of the boot code for rebooting of the computer when the first boot code fails. However, the system requires two EEPROMs for providing the backup reboot, necessitating the extra cost for the additional EEPROM. Accordingly, what is needed is a new system which requires only a single non-volatile memory and which can still provide a safe reboot when a first level boot fails.

System and method for manual fail-safe bootstrap based on a single flash ROM


A work vehicle includes a vehicle body frame extending in a vehicle body front/rear direction, a front wheel unit and a rear wheel unit attached to the vehicle body frame, a driver's seat disposed upwardly of the vehicle body frame, a ROPS and and an operational tool operable by a driver seated at the driver's seat. The ROPS includes a pair of left and right lower portions fixed to the vehicle body frame and an upper portion supported to the lower portions to be pivotable between a vertical posture and a horizontal posture about a pivot shaft extending in a vehicle body transverse direction, an actuator unit for generating power, and an operational mechanism configured to pivot the upper portion with using the power. The actuator is controlled by the operational tool.

A ROPS for a work vehicle according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,430 includes a pair of left and right lower portions bent from vicinity of a transmission to extend upwards and a portal-shaped upper portion. Base ends of the lower portions are fixed to a vehicle body frame. Left and right lower ends of the upper portion are connected to upper ends of the respective lower portions to be pivotable respectively about a horizontal axis between a vertical position and a horizontal position and fixed thereto by being fastened with connecting bolts. At respective connecting portions of the lower portions and the upper portion, there are provided engaging portions and engaged portions engageable in opposition to each other in the direction of the horizontal axis. Under a free state wherein the fastening between the lower portions and the upper portion is released, the engaging portions and the engaged portions are separated from each other in an engagement releasing direction by means of springs. With this, the upper portion is rendered freely pivotable. By fixing the lower portions and the upper portion with bolt fastening at a desired pivotal position of the upper portion, the ROPS is set at a desired height.
A ROPS for a work vehicle according to U.S. Pat. No. 7,971,904 includes a pair of left and right lower portions, a portal-shaped upper portion, and pivot brackets connecting lower ends of the upper portion to upper ends of the lower portions to be pivotable between a front upper position and a rear lower positon (about 180 degrees). The lower portions have their lower ends fixed to a vehicle body frame and bent upwards to extend from the horizontal. For locking the upper portion at the front upper position, lock pins extending through the upper portion and the lower portions are employed.
With the ROPS's disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,503,430 and 7,971,904, if there is possibility of interference of the upper portion by e.g. a branch of a tree in the course of traveling with the upper portion being pivoted upwards, the driver firstly needs to get off the vehicle to pivot the upper portion upwards. Then, the driver needs to get on the vehicle to resume an ongoing (interrupted) utility work.


Compositions, methods, apparatuses, kits, and combinations are described for permanently or temporarily re-designing, decorating, and/or re-coloring a surface. The compositions useful in the present disclosure include a décor product that is formulated to be applied and affixed to a surface. If desired, the décor product may be substantially removed from the surface before being affixed thereto. If a user desires to remove the décor product, the décor product is formulated to be removed by a number of methods including, for example, vacuuming, wet extraction, chemical application, and the like. If the user desires to affix the décor product to the surface in a permanent or semi-permanent manner, the décor product may be affixed to the surface by applying energy thereto in the form of, for example, heat, pressure, emitted waves, an emitted electrical field, a magnetic field, and/or a chemical. The décor product may also be utilized in the form of a kit or in conjunction with a design device, such as a stencil, to control the application of the décor product to create, for example, a pattern on the surface.

1. Field of the Invention
Enhancement of surfaces that may be permanently or temporarily re-designed, decorated, and/or re-colored is disclosed herein.
2. Description of the Background of the Invention
Improving the aesthetics in homes has long been practiced by many consumers. There is a plethora of home products and techniques for cleaning surface areas of soft surfaces such as carpets, rugs, draperies, curtains, upholstery, and the like. However, for more sullied and/or worn surfaces, subtractive processes (for example, a process that chemically or physically removes something from the carpet, such as cleaning or shaving) cannot truly restore the surface to its original state; this is often very frustrating for consumers. Oftentimes, spots and stains reappear after treatment.
Additive processes (for example, a process that layers, covers, or masks something undesirable underneath) and techniques for improving the aesthetics of surfaces include painting, faux painting, stenciling, bordering, wallpapering, tiling, wainscoting, paneling, decorative plastering, adding appliqués (for example, pictures, cut-outs, stickers, or the like), laminating, and molding (for example, crown, shoe, and chair) are also known. However, these products and techniques have not been applied to soft surfaces such as carpets, rugs, draperies, curtains, upholstery, and the like.
In some instances, color of worn, faded fabric is restored or rejuvenated with a composition containing water soluble and/or water dispersible polymers and a surfactant capable of forming a bilayer structure to provide a more durable color restoration and/or color rejuvenation benefit that lasts at least after one washing cycle, preferably at least after two or more washing cycles. The composition may be applied to the fabric by a spray container.
In other instances, a method of redyeing partially bleached fabric or garments includes dyeing the fabric or garment with a background color and then gathering an area to restrict access to further reagents. The gathered area is then bleached to remove the background colors from the area outside the gathered area and then the bleached areas are redyed with a second color.
In yet further instances, a digital printing device has a rotatable wheel, a liquid dispenser for depositing a liquid paint, ink, or dye on the wheel along an outer edge, and an air jet positioned adjacent the outer edge for removing the liquid from the outer edge and directing the liquid toward a print medium as the wheel rotates through the air jet. A plurality of devices is used to produce a full color digital image.

Composition for application to a surface


A furnace used for a semiconductor manufacturing process includes an injector that can be formed as either two or more divided tubes, having a straight-line form with each of the tubes having different lengths and open ends, or by one straight injector having a closed end and a plurality of nozzles spaced along a length of the injector. Accordingly, the furnace can easily be cleaned and handled, and a reaction gas can be uniformly distributed in the processing tube.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a diffusion furnace used for a semiconductor manufacturing process, and more particularly, to a diffusion furnace having an injector for uniformly supplying a reaction gas into a processing tube.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to increase the number of chips capable of being produced from a wafer, to thereby reduce the manufacturing costs of a semiconductor device and increase production, the diameter of the wafer is enlarged. Accordingly, an apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device must be adapted to the new larger diameter wafer. One such apparatus is a diffusion furnace. In a diffusion furnace, process steps involving silicon oxidation, heat treatment and deposition of impurities are performed. As the diameter of the wafer increases, vertical diffusion furnaces are used more, as opposed to horizontal diffusion furnace.
Referring to the conventional vertical diffusion furnace shown in FIG. 1, the furnace includes a processing tube 1 where a wafer is loaded for performing diffusion, a gas supply conduit 3 for supplying a reaction gas to the processing tube 1, and first and second fuzzy gas supply conduits 9 and 11 for supplying nitrogen gas. The fuzzy gas cleans the inside of the processing tube 1 and reduces the generation of contamination particles.
At one end of the reaction gas supply conduit 3, a U-shaped injector 5 is installed for uniformly supplying a reaction gas to the processing tube 1. On the side of the injector 5, a plurality of fine nozzles 7 are formed at regular intervals for injecting the reaction gas into the processing tube 1.
In order for the gas to react uniformly on the entire surface of the wafer during diffusion in the furnace, the reaction gas supplied through the injector 5 should be uniformly distributed in the processing tube 1. Accordingly, the nozzles 7 formed on the injector 5 should be clean and the openings of the nozzles 7 should be uniformly maintained.
However, since the nozzles 7 are very small, careless finishing processes cause nonuniform nozzle sizes. Also, part of the nozzles 7 can be clogged due to remaining gas or nonuniform pressure of the suppled reaction gas. As a result, the density of the diffused reaction gas on each portion of the wafer is non-uniform, which may occur more frequently as the diameter of the wafer becomes larger.
Even though the injector 5 and nozzles 7 are cleaned by chemicals, the clogging problem still persists because the U-shape of the injector and the small size of the nozzles prevent complete cleaning. Moreover, the U-shaped injector 5 has a complex structure and is fragile.

Diffusion furnace used for semiconductor device manufacturing process


Persistent components are provided across both process and server failures, without the application programmer needing take actions for component recoverability. Application interactions with a stateful component are transparently intercepted and stably logged to persistent storage. A “virtual” component isolates an application from component failures, permitting the mapping of a component to an arbitrary “physical” component. Component failures are detected and masked from the application. A virtual component is re-mapped to a new physical component, and the operations required to recreate a component and reinstall state up to the point of the last logged interaction is replayed from the log automatically.

A component is a discrete unit of code that delivers a specified set of services through specified interfaces. Components provide the services that clients request at run time. A stateful component maintains private state resulting from the execution of one or more method calls. Thus, for example, a client application connecting to a component can have a "conversation" with the component that spans multiple method calls. The component can retain state across those method calls.
Building stateful components is a useful approach in application design. Programmers typically write stateful applications that retain state across component method calls. This provides the information necessary for correct and successful execution across transaction boundaries. However, such stateful components have availability and scalability limitations. One problem with stateful applications is the risk of losing the volatile state as a result of component failure when the system or process supporting the stateful application fails. Such a failure typically requires human intervention to repair or restart the application. Service outages can be very long because of this. A conventional response to this problem is to insist that applications be stateless. A stateless application has "no meaningful state maintained between transactions". The loss of the component state prevents the masking of system failures from clients, and degrades application availability.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for systems and methods that overcome the limitations and drawbacks of the prior art.

Persistent stateful component-based applications via automatic recovery


A curved surface backlight unit is disclosed which includes: a light source; a curved surface light guide plate disposed parallel to the light source; first patterns on one surface of the light guide plate; a reflection plate disposed under the light guide plate; optical sheets disposed on the light guide plate; and second patterns formed on one surface of at least one of the optical sheets.

Field of the Disclosure
The present application relates to a curved surface display device adapted to prevent light leakage.
Description of the Related Art
As the information society spreads, the requirements for display devices are varied and gradually increasing. In accordance therewith, a variety of flat panel display devices with features such as slimness, light weight, low power consumption and so on are being researched. Flat panel display devices including liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, plasma display panels (PDP), organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device and so on, have been researched.
Nowadays, the screen of the LCD device becomes larger. The large-sized screen of the LCD device increases a viewing distance difference between a central region and one of side edge regions of the screen of the LCD device with respect to a viewing position. To address this matter, a curved surface LCD device allowing an LCD panel to be curved in a constant curvature is being actively developed.
However, the curvature of the curved LCD panel can increase or decrease by an external pressure. Due to this, brightness of the LCD panel can be non-uniform.
Also, if a stress is applied to the LCD panel when bending the LCD panel, liquid crystal alignment can be distorted (or twisted) in the curved regions. Due to this, light can leak in the curved regions. Particularly, the light leakage is hardly revealed when a white pattern (or image) is displayed, but the light leakage is largely generated in four corner regions when a black pattern (or image) is displayed.

Curved surface backlight unit and curved surface display device including the same


A bobbin comprises three hollow-cylindrical sections, specifically a middle body section, and two lateral body sections. The middle body section has its diameter diminished compared to the two lateral body sections thus forming an annular recess which allows a magnet wire to be wound with an additional number of turns around the bobbin without increasing a motor size. With this bobbin structure, when the number of turns of a magnet wire is set to remain unchanged, the diameter of flanges of the bobbin can be reduced resulting in a downsized motor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bobbin around which a magnet wire is wound, to a motor in which the bobbin is incorporated, and further to a method of winding a magnet wire around the bobbin.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 5 is a partly cross-sectioned axial view of a conventional stepping motor. The conventional stepping motor comprises a rotor assembly 10, and a stator assembly composed of two stator units 20 and 30.
The rotor assembly 10 is shaped substantially cylindrical, and composed of a permanent magnet with a plurality of magnetic poles 11 arranged on its outer circumference, and a rotary shaft 12 passing through the center of the magnet. The stator units 20 and 30 have respective center openings and are attached to each other coaxially, and the rotor assembly 10 is rotatably housed in the center openings.
The stator unit 20 includes yoke members 21 and 22 arranged to oppose each other, and a bobbin 24 having a magnet wire 23 wound therearound and sandwiched between the yoke members 21 and 22. The yoke member 21 has an opening corresponding to the center opening of the stator unit 20, and a plurality of pole teeth formed along its inner circumference and bent up toward the yoke member 22 so as to oppose the magnetic poles 11 of the rotor assembly 10. In the same way, the yoke member 22 has an opening corresponding to the center opening of the stator unit 20, and a plurality of pole teeth formed along its inner circumference and bet up toward the yoke member 21 so as to oppose the magnetic poles 11 of the rotor assembly 10.
The bobbin 24 includes a body section 24a, and flanges 24b and 24c provided at the both ends of the body section 24a, and a center hole with a constant diameter is formed through the body sections 24a, and the flanges 24b and 24c. The pole teeth of the yoke members 21 and 22 are inserted through the center hole of the bobbin 24 and intermesh with each other therein. An outer rim portion 22a of the yoke member 22 is bent, for example by drawing, toward the yoke member 21 for engagement therewith, thus constituting an outer circumferential wall of the stator unit 20.
The stator unit 30 includes yoke members 31 and 32 arranged to oppose each other, which are structured identical with the yoke members 21 and 22, respectively, and which sandwich a bobbin 24 having a magnet wire 23 wound therearound. An outer rim portion 32a of the yoke member 32 is bent, for example by drawing, toward the yoke member 31 for engagement therewith, thus constituting an outer circumferential wall of the stator unit 30.
A front plate FP is attached to a side of the yoke member 22 opposite to a side facing the yoke member 21, and one protruding end of the rotary shaft 12 of the rotor assembly 10 is rotatably supported by the front plate FP. A rear plate RP is attached to a side of the yoke member 32 opposite to a side facing the yoke member 31, and the other protruding end of the rotary shaft 12 of the rotor assembly 10 is rotatably supported by the rear plate RP.
As electronic devices are increasingly downsized, the stepping motor shown in FIG. 5 is requested to be downsized. One approach for answering the request is to reduce the diameter of the rotor assembly 10. This approach, however, is hitting a limit for the reason of angle resolution, and also torque characteristic.
Another approach is disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. H07-123686, in which the thickness of the outer rim portions 22a and 32a of the yoke members 22 and 32 are diminished, whereby the number of turns of the magnet wire 23 can be increased for increased torque when the motor size remains unchanged, or the motor can be downsized when the number of turns of the magnet wire 23 remains unchanged. This approach, however, raises a problem with mechanical strength, such as degraded reliability in protection against unforeseeable external forces. Also, when increased torque is required, the diameter of the flanges 24b, 24c of the bobbin 24 must be increased making it difficult to downsize the motor, thus preventing concurrent achievement of the downsizing and the increased torque.

Bobbin, motor, and method of winding magnet wire


An information processing system including an information processing unit that performs communication processing among a plurality of user terminals connected via an IP (Internet Protocol) network. The information processing unit includes control elements for acquiring an operating state of the information processing unit, as well as, instructs another information processing unit to perform the communication processing among the plurality of user terminals, according to the acquired operating state.

There has been known an information processing system that comprises an information processing unit that relays communications between a user terminal and another user terminal that the user terminal is desired to be connected, which are connected via an Internet Protocol (IP) network. For example, the information processing system of PTL 1 is described as comprising a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server as the information processing unit. Further, there has been known a technique that comprises a server for implementing Unified Communications (UC) as the information processing unit.