A light device includes a light bulb set and a thermal diffusion guide disposed around the light bulb set. The light bulb set has an outer wall. The thermal diffusion guide keeps a distance from the outer wall to form an air passage for restricting an air flow to flow through. The thermal diffusion guide has an outer rim forming a first air surface between the rim and the outer wall for collecting the air flow to flow into the air passage, so as to increase thermal diffusion efficiency. The present invention further discloses a light device, including a light bulb set, a shield above the light bulb set and a diffusion plate above the shield. A first air isolation layer is formed between the shield and the diffusion plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light device and more particularly to a high thermal diffusion efficiency light device.
2. Description of Related Art
Apparatus, such as projectors, that use light devices to project light are moving towards light, thin, and small design so as to meet requirement of convenience. However, the surface temperature of the light device will increase when the size of the light device shrinks. An incandescent light bulb in the light device will produce heat to rapidly increase temperature of the case of such a small light device. Therefore, the surface temperatures of the light device and the projector will exceed the limitation of safety and may burn to hurt a user. Such products are never allowed to sell because of safety.
The surface temperature is not an issue for a large light device due to enough thermal diffusion space. However, the surface temperature becomes a critical issue when it comes to a small light device. The restricted thermal diffusion space of the small light device will result in increased surface temperature. For example, the gap of a common projector between the light bulb and the case is about 1 to 2 centimeters high. Thermal problems of such size projector can be easily solved by a common air flow inlet and a fan that generates air flow. Factors that influence thermal diffusion efficiency, such as air flow path and diffusion plate, are not necessarily optimized. However, for a small light device, the size of the light bulb may be shrunken to only several square centimeters. Diffusing heat area is decreased and thermal radiation effects are increased quickly because the light bulb and the case are getting closer. There are only some easy heat diffusion methods in prior art for most traditional large projectors. For example, a case is provided to cover the light bulb and a fan is used to supply air flow; however, the air flow is not guided to perform high efficient diffusion. Most of the air flow flows randomly and does not contribute much in thermal diffusion. The light bulb is simply covered by the case and not much effort is made to restrict and make use of the air flow.
Furthermore, prior art projectors do not provide efficient shield against thermal radiation. Heat insulation material and heat reflectors are usually provided to insulate heat. However, the heat insulation material is costly. The increase in heat insulation cost is proportional to the square of increase in heat insulation efficiency. Therefore it is not practical in mass production of projectors. Further, the insulation material will add thickness to the projector. For enough insulation, the insulation material must have a certain thickness. However, the thickness will increase the size of the light device and consequently prohibits the light device from meeting the requirement of small size. The thickness is usually required to be as thin as 1 mm for a small light device in providing enough heat insulation. Such a little size is impossible for normal insulation material.
It is necessary to provide a solution to the above problems for a small light device, particularly in diffusion air flow and radiation insulation. The present invention aims to solve the problems and provides an effective solution.
The present invention discloses a light device including a light bulb set and a thermal diffusion guide disposed around the light bulb set. The light bulb set is a projection light bulb having an outer wall. The projecting light bulb is made of a luminous body and a light reflecting mask, which can be done by persons in the art and therefore will not be further described herein. The thermal diffusion guide keeps a distance from the outer wall in order to form an air passage for restricting air flow to flow through. The thermal diffusion guide has an outer rim forming a first air gap between the outer rim and the outer wall for allowing the air flow to flow into the air passage.
By the air passage, all the air flow can be effectively restricted and utilized to carry away heat for increasing thermal diffusion efficiency. And, through the first air surface, all the air flow can be restricted to pass around the light bulb set in avoidance of air flow waste and low diffusion efficiency caused by unrestricted air flow.
Preferably, the thermal diffusion guide further includes a cavity near the outer rim. The cavity forms a second air gap above the outer wall for allowing more air to flow into the air passage.
The second air surface can increase inlet air flow and to enhance the capacity of carrying away the heat.
Preferably the thermal diffusion guide further includes a narrow portion that keeps a short distance from the outer wall to form a rapid air passage. Heat is thereby rapidly removed in a limited space and thermal diffusion efficiency is increased.
To avoid overheating, the present invention further discloses a light device including a light bulb set, a shield above the light bulb set, and a diffusion plate above the shield. Wherein, a first isolation layer is formed between the shield and the diffusion plate. The light device may further include a case disposed above the diffusion plate and a second isolation layer is formed between the diffusion plate and the case.
Most of the thermal radiation is blocked by the shield from flowing outwards to device surface. The diffusion plate then disperses heat by thermal conductivity. The heat is carried away to avoid heat accumulation around the light bulb set. And the first isolation layer further reduces outward heat diffusion. The first isolation layer can be an air layer or a vacuum layer. By the introduction of the above, heat can be restricted from flowing outwards and the rest of the heat that is not blocked by the shield is further dispersed. Therefore, surface temperature is greatly lowered within limited space.
The shield may partially contact with the light bulb set and under such a circumstance the shield includes an interruption area disposed around the contact portion of the shield and the light bulb set.
Preferably the shield is high in radiation reflectivity and low in thermal conductivity. For example, the shield is made of alloy or stainless steel. The diffusion plate is preferably high in thermal conductivity. For example, the diffusion plate is a metal plate, a copper metal plate or an aluminum metal plate.
By the disclosure of the present invention, heat can be rapidly removed within limited space and a light device that meets safety requirement is provided.

High thermal diffusion efficiency light device


A sensor device and a method for a double telecentric optical system includes a single focusing element, such as a lens. The device and method further include a mirror element arranged at a focal point of the single focusing element to reflect incoming light rays back to the single focusing element. The incoming and reflected light rays pass through different parts of the single focusing element to allow for a spatially separated arrangement of an object and its image.

The WO 2009/112905 A2 discloses an optical biosensor in which an input light beam is totally internally reflected at a contact surface and the resulting output light beam is detected by a camera and evaluated with respect to the amount of target components at the contact surface. The target components comprise magnetic particles as labels, which allows to affect the processes in the sample by magnetic forces. In this and similar optical sensor devices, the imaged object plane is tilted with respect to the optical axis of the camera, which makes it difficult to evaluate its image.

Sensor device with double telecentric optical system


An image forming apparatus including: a memory section having a common storage area that temporarily stores data in an intermediate form, which are generated on the way between image data in a form of page description language and data in a bitmap form obtained by interpreting the image data, and the data in a bitmap form; and a control section configured to monitor a first event that the data in an intermediate form stored in the common storage area have been deleted and a second event that the data in a bitmap form stored in the common storage area have been deleted, and to determine presence or absence of area for the data in an intermediate form to be stored when either of the first and second events occurs.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method, in which data based on image data are stored in a memory, and a recording medium having a program recorded thereon.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, there has been widely used an image forming apparatus, such as a network type of copier, printer, MFP (multifunction peripherals), etc. which receives print data, namely, image data in a form of PDL (Page Description Language), produced by an external device, e.g., a PC (Personal Computer), through a network, e.g., a LAN, converts the received print data temporarily into data in an intermediate form (intermediate data) to store in a memory, reads the stored intermediate data sequentially to convert into bitmap data, and then prints out. The PDL typically includes PostScript (TM) and PCL (Printer Control Language).
There is a demand for higher throughput in such an image forming apparatus for an increase of print data according as printing process speed has become higher. The apparatus has to hold print data until the printing has been completed, because when a certain error occurs, printing has to be resumed from the page where the error occurred. Further, when a memory has not an enough empty area, the memory cannot store new data and a memory-over error resultantly occurs. Accordingly, memory capacity needs to be increased for processing large data simultaneously and higher cost results, which leads to a problem.
In order to avoid such an increase of memory capacity, there has been applied processing of compression or the like to data to be stored for decreasing the memory capacity, but such a method needs additional processing for compressing process, which causes the throughput to be reduced.
There has been also adopted a method to improve efficiency for using a memory by managing intermediate data and bitmap data in a common memory with use of a threshold value. However, with this method, data is just held according to a simple compared result of determination as to whether the empty area of the memory is larger than the threshold value, and processing stops until the memory secures an empty area larger than the threshold value. This also leads to a problem of reducing the throughput.
Further, JP 2000-165634A discloses an apparatus that stores image data in a memory, the apparatus including a check means for checking whether the memory has an enough capacity of empty area to store the image data, and a data compression means that, when the check result by the check means is negative, selects data possible to delete or compress out of the data stored already in the memory and either deletes or compresses the selected data.
However, in the above-described technique, when the memory is short of empty areas, the apparatus determines existence of bitmap data in the midst of printing process, deletes the data after completion of the output in case that the data exists, and compresses the data possible to be compressed (intermediate data converted to bitmap data) to produce an empty area in case that the bitmap data does not exist. Therefore, a chance to produce the empty area by deleting the data is substantially limited to the time after completion of printing process. In case that the data does not exist, data compression processing is executed, which causes a problem of necessitating process time. As a result, the apparatus needs time for securing an empty area in the memory and has difficulty in achieving high throughput.

Image forming apparatus, image forming method and recording medium having program recorded thereon

Konica Minolta Business Technologies Inc.


The present invention involves an electrical component interface system. The system includes clocking circuitry to provide a clock signal. A sending component provide a non-periodic strobe signal and a data signal responsive to the clocking signal. A receiving component receives the strobe signal and data signal. The receiving component includes delay circuitry to delay the strobe signal so as to position edges of the strobe signal with respect to data cells of the data signal. The delay circuitry includes a loaded delay elements and DC level restoration circuitry to control the load of the loaded delay element. The delay elements may be a series of inverters loaded with RC loads. The DC level restoration circuitry may be pulse generation circuitry.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an interface system that includes delay circuitry to delay a non-periodic strobe signal between electrical components and, more particularly, to such an interface system in which the delay circuitry includes DC level restoration to prevent pattern dependent jitter.
2. Background Art
Data is often transferred between two electrical components. For example, data is transferred between a microprocessor and memory. In what is referred to as a common clock paradigm, signals from a clock are supplied to both the sending and receiving component. Data is transferred from the sending component and latched in the receiving component within one clock cycle. Accordingly, the rate at which data can be transferred between components is limited by the flight time of the data across the conductors. Above a certain level of clock frequency, the common clock methods can no longer be used because the electrical length of the interconnect becomes longer than a clock period.
To overcome the problem, techniques have been developed in which timing information is transmitted with the data in order to latch it at the receiving side of a link. This is referred to as source synchronous signaling. Under one technique, timing information is transmitted on the same conductor as the data. Under a second technique, timing information is transmitted over a separate conductor.
Under one approach of the second technique, a differential timing signal or strobe toggles only when data is being transmitted on the link between components. The data is latched at the receiving side of the link. A circuit translates the latched data to the receiving component's clock domain. The strobe signal is offset from the data to center the strobe with respect to the data cell. A series of resistor capacitor loaded inverters have been used in delay circuits. Providing an accurate delay is complicated by the strobe signal being non-periodic. By non-periodic, it is meant that the strobe signal toggles only in connection with transfer of data. (However, the strobe signal may be periodic within temporal boundaries.) Accordingly, the timing information is available only intermittently. Also, nodes of delay circuitry have a bandwidth greater than the frequency of the incoming data. If this condition is not met, the voltage of the nodes in the delay circuitry may become data pattern dependent. For a clock pattern, the voltages of the nodes do not reach the rails, whereas for long strings of ones and zeros, the voltages do, leading to pattern dependent jitter of the timing signals.
Accordingly, there is a need for an interface system that avoids pattern dependent jitter in delaying non-periodic timing signals.

Master-slave delay locked loop for accurate delay or non-periodic signals


A micro pump vessel has an outer vessel on one side of which a button is formed and an outer vessel lid which is hinge-coupled to one side of the outer vessel to be opened and closed. In the vessel, a first and a second pistons are installed on an upper surface of cosmetic contents, and thus, when the cosmetic contents are pumped and used by the operation of a micro pump, the first and the second pistons lower to exhaust all the cosmetic contents so as not to discard the remaining cosmetic contents.

In general, a compact container is configured such that a solid powder is accommodated in a container having a predetermined shape and is applied to a face using a powder puff of an application device which is accommodated therein when used.
However, when a solid powder is used as the compact, there are disadvantages that the solid powder is blown out during use and the feeling of adhesion is somewhat deteriorated when applied to the face.
Therefore, in order to overcome these disadvantages, a compact in a gel state in which a solid powder is mixed with a volatile substance has been developed, and it is a trend that the frequency of use is gradually increasing due to its convenience.
However, the compact in a gel state has a problem in that when exposed to the outside, the volatile substance is blown into the atmosphere and the powder is hardened stiffly or broken due to cracks.
As such, the inner space of the compact has to be hermetically sealed to the outside so that the volatile substance in a gel state is not to be blown out and hardened.
In addition, there is also a problem in that high manufacturing cost is incurred due to large number of parts constituting a pump installed inside.
Moreover, since there is no member to sweep down the cosmetic contents contained in the container, there is also a problem in that the cosmetic contents are not completely exhausted even if pumped, thereby discarding the remaining cosmetic contents.


A nonvolatile memory element is formed by layering a lower electrode, a variable resistor and an upper electrode in sequence. The variable resistor is formed in which crystallinity and amorphism are mixed. Thus, the nonvolatile memory element is formed. More preferably, the variable resistor is a praseodymium-calcium-manganese oxide represented by a general formula, Pr1-xCaxMnO3, that has been formed at a film forming temperature from 350° C. to 500° C. Alternatively, the variable resistor is formed as a film at a film forming temperature that allows the variable resistor to become of an amorphous state or a state where crystallinity and amorphism are mixed and, then, is subjected to an annealing process at a temperature higher than the film forming temperature, in a temperature range where the variable resistor can maintain the state where crystallinity and amorphism are mixed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device and, more specifically, to a manufacturing method of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device including a variable resistive element having a variable resistor made of a perovskite-type metal oxide film.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a variety of device structures such as an FeRAM (Ferroelectric RAM), an MRAM (Magnetic RAM) and an OUM (Ovonic Unified Memory) have been proposed as a next generation nonvolatile random access memory (NVRAM) that makes a rapid operation possible substituting a flash memory, and there has been a fierce competition for the development of such devices from the standpoint of increase in performance, increase in reliability, cost reduction and process matching. However, these memory devices at the present stage have their merits and demerits, and there is a long way to go before the realization of an ideal "universal memory" which has the respective merits of an SRAM, a DRAM and a flash memory.
The FeRAM, for example, which has already been put into practice, utilizes a spontaneous polarization inversion phenomenon of oxide ferroelectrics and is characterized by a low consumed power and a high speed operation; however, it is inferior due to high cost and destructive readout. A ferromagnetic tunnel effect element that utilizes giant magnetoresistance (GMR) used in the MRAM has a structure in that an extremely thin insulating layers (tunnel barrier layers) such as Al2O3 is placed between two ferromagnetic layers made of Fe, Co, Ni or the like. Herein, an amount of tunnel current flowing via the insulating layers can be controlled by changing the orientation of magnetization (spin) of the ferromagnetic layers, thus exhibiting a memory effect. This element has a large problem of high consumed power for magnetization inversion at the time of programming and of a difficulty in miniaturization. In addition, the OUM based on thermal phase transformation of a chalcogenide material is advantageous in low cost and process matching; however, it has a problem in miniaturization and in a high speed operation due to its thermal operation.
In addition to these existing technologies, a resistive random access memory (RRAM) device, that utilizes an electrical pulse induced resistance (EPIR) effect which is a new phenomenon in a colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) material, has been disclosed (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,204,139) by Shangquing Liu, Alex Ignatiev et al. of Houston University in the United States. The EPIR effect in a CMR material represented by a Mn-based oxide material having a perovskite-type structure is epoch-making where a change in resistance by several digits occurs at room temperature. The RRAM that utilizes this phenomenon has features in a low consumed power, a simple structure appropriate for miniaturization, easiness in a high integration and a wide dynamic range of a change in the resistance, and has excellent properties where a multiple value memory, which stores information of three or more values in a single memory element, is made possible. The memory element has an extremely simple basic structure where a lower electrode thin film, a CMR thin film and an upper electrode thin film are layered in sequence in the direction perpendicular to a substrate. According to the operation, the polarity, the voltage and the pulse width (widely ranging from several tens of ns to several μs) of the electrical pulse that is applied between the upper and the lower electrodes are controlled, so that the resistance of the CMR thin film that is placed between the upper and lower electrodes is changed. The resistance value that has been changed due to such a pulse application is maintained for a long period of time after the pulse application, and the performance of a nonvolatile memory element can be obtained by, for example, making the low resistance condition correspond to "O" and making the high resistance condition correspond to "1".
As the CMR material of an EPIR element, Pr1-xCaxMnO3 (PCMO), La1-xCaxMnO3, La1-xSrxMnO3, Gd0.7Ca0.3BaCo2O5+5 or the like, which have a perovskite structure, where the base is a network of oxygen octagons having a 3d transition metal element at its center, are typically used, and there has been reported that PCMO having the composition that is close to x=0.3 has the widest range of a change in the resistance value. As the electrode material, metal-based materials such as Pt, Ir, Ru, Ph, Ag, Au, Al and Ta and oxide- or nitride-based compounds such as YBa2Cu3O7-x, RuO2, IrO2, SrRuO3, TaSiN, TiN, TiSiN and MoN which have a conductivity higher than the CMR material are used and noble metal-based materials which are superior in mass production and form an excellent interface condition with the CMR layer, causing no problems with the electrical connection and which include metals in the platinum group such as Pt (lattice constant a=0.3923 nm), Ir (a=0.3839 nm), Rh (a=0.3803 nm) and Pd (a=0.389 nm) as well as Au (a=0.4079 nm) are appropriate.
The present inventors have diligently continued research on nonvolatile memory elements that utilize pulse electric field induced resistance variation of the perovskite-type metal oxide films. As a result, the present inventors have found that some elements perform a switching operation in the perovskite-type metal oxide film while others don't, and that the range of the initial resistance values of the elements which perform the switching operation is limited to a specific range. FIG. 1 shows this range of the initial resistance values.
The element used for obtaining the range of the initial resistance values in FIG. 1 includes a Pt lower electrode, a PCMO film (50 μm×50 μm, film thickness: 100 nm) and a Pt upper electrode, which are layered in sequence. The resistance value is measured through calculation from current values measured when 0.8 V is applied to the upper electrode. The voltage pulse applied to the upper electrode has a pulse width of 100 ns and a pulse amplitude of 2 V.
The determination of whether or not the variable resistance elements that have performed a switching operation are good is made by confirming reproducibility of the resistance variation in a manner that the ratio of variation in the resistance value is no less than 3 and the resistance value varies from a low resistance to a high resistance, again to a low resistance and again to a high resistance, in a pattern which is repeated no less than four times, at the time when pulses having the two polarities, positive and negative, are alternately applied in the manner +2V, −2V, +2V, −2V . . . Here, the ratio of variation in the resistance value is in a range from 1.3 to 1.5 for an MRAM, which is one of nonvolatile memory elements that have been developed in recent years. The conditions for determination of the ratio of variation in the resistance value in the PCMO film are stricter.
It has been found out from FIG. 1 that the initial resistance values of all of the measured elements are in a range from 1 kΩ to 1 GΩ, while the initial resistance values of the elements that have performed the switching operation are limited to a range from 4 kΩ to 2 MΩ. Though the range of the initial resistance values of the elements that perform the switching operation is from 4 kΩ to 2 MΩ in the example shown in FIG. 1, it has been confirmed that the range of the initial resistance values when performing the switching operation varies, depending on the pulse application voltage, the pulse width, the composition of the PCMO film, and the conditions for formation. Accordingly, it is necessary to control the initial resistance value of a variable resistance element to its appropriate value for operation of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, in order to obtain a variable resistance element that performs the switching operation.


In a CS broadcast receiving system, when a station is to be selected, an AFC process is first performed with the frequency in the tuning circuit adjusted in units of a coarse frequency adjustment value for reception of a CS television broadcast signal. When a receive signal to be selected by the tuning circuit is not the CS television broadcast signal, the AFC process is performed with the frequency in the turning circuit adjusted in units of a fine frequency adjustment value for reception of a CS.. With this arrangement, it is made possible to increase the tuning accuracy when tuning in to the CS sound broadcast signal, while the time required for tuning is shortened and the waiting time reduced when tuning in to the CS television broadcast signal and, thereby, both the requirements for reception of the CS sound broadcast signal and for reception of the CS television signal can be satisfied.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a CS (Communications Satellite) broadcast receiving system for receiving CS television broadcasting and CS sound broadcasting.
2. Description of the Related Art
In CS television broadcasting in practice today, a picture signal is generated by FM modulation and a subcarrier at 5.73 MHz is set up to generate a sound signal on the QPSK modulation system. The sound signal is superimposed on the picture signal and the thus obtained signal is broadcast as the CS television signal.
On the other hand, in CS sound broadcasting, digital data at 24 Mbps is MSK-modulated as is and the thus obtained signal is broadcast as the CS sound signal.
There is not existing at present a television-and-sound receiver capable of receiving both the CS television broadcasting and the CS sound broadcasting. We find there are the following problems when we actually produce such a receiver.
In CS television broadcasting, it is not a problem even if the frequency of an AFC circuit (Automatic Frequency Control circuit) drifts ".+-.500 KHz" or so with respect to the carrier frequency, and hence the frequency adjustment step in the AFC circuit can be set to "100 KHz" or so. In the CS sound broadcasting, however, the carrier accuracy of the MSK demodulator must be kept within ".+-.100 KHz" or so. Accordingly, the frequency adjustment step in the AFC circuit must be set to a frequency between "10 KHz" and "several tens of KHz".
Therefore, when an AFC circuit is so arranged as to be commonly used for the receiving circuit of the CS television broadcasting and the receiving circuit of the CS sound broadcasting, the frequency adjustment step in the AFC circuit must be set to a frequency between "10 KHz" and "several tens of KHz" so that the frequency accuracy of the AFC circuit required by the CS television broadcasting and the frequency accuracy of the AFC circuit required by the CS sound broadcasting are both satisfied.
However, while there is no problem when receiving the CS sound broadcasting with the described method, there arises a problem when receiving the CS television broadcasting because a period of time more than necessary is taken, due to the over-specification, before the receiver tunes in to a desired station, and it causes users to feel dissatisfied with the receiver.

CS broadcast receiving system providing increased tuning accuracy when reciving a CS sound broadcast signal


An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a memory storing parameter sets, each of which includes one weight and bias sets respectively corresponding to n (where, n>1) occlusion levels among a plurality of occlusion levels within a certain range and at least one processor configured to obtain output data by inputting input data to a neural network.

An artificial neural network is a statistical learning algorithm of obtaining a neuron structure of an animal nervous system based on a mathematical expression. The artificial neural network indicates the overall model in which artificial neurons establishing networks with combinations of synapses change the combination intensity of the synapses through training and have problem solution capabilities.
An AI system is a computer system for implementing a human level of intelligence. Unlike an existing rule-based smart system, the AI system is a system, a machine of which performs training and decision by itself and becomes smart. A recognition rate may be enhanced and user tastes may be more accurately understood, as it is used. Thus, the existing rule-based smart system has been replaced with a deep learning based AI system gradually.
AI technology is configured with machine learning and element technologies using the machine learning. The machine learning is algorithm technologies of classifying/learning characteristics of input data by itself. The element technologies are technologies which simulate functions, such as recognition, decision, and the like of the human brain, using a machine learning algorithm, such as deep learning. The element technologies are configured with technical fields, for example, language understanding, visual understanding, inference/prediction, knowledge expression, and operation control.
There are the following various fields in which the AI technology is applied. The language understanding is technologies of recognizing and applying/processing languages/characters of humans and includes natural language processing, machine translation, dialogue system, question and answer, speech recognition/synthesis, and the like. The visual understanding is technologies of recognizing and processing objects like human vision and includes object recognition, object tracking, image retrieval, person recognition, scene understanding, space understanding, image enhancement, and the like. The inference/prediction is technologies of determining information to logically infer and predict the determined information and includes knowledge/probability-based inference, optimization prediction, preference-based plans, recommendation, and the like. The knowledge expression is technologies of automating human experience information as knowledge data and includes knowledge building (data generation/classification), knowledge management (data application), and the like. The operation control is technologies of controlling autonomous driving of vehicles and the motion of robots and includes movement control (navigation, collision, and driving), manipulation control (behavior control), and the like.
Recently, a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based deep learning algorithm has shown impressive performance in fields, such as computer vision and speech recognition. A CNN, which is a kind of forward-reverse artificial neural network, has been studied actively in a variety of image processing of extracting abstracted information. An electronic device may recognize features by dividing an input image into small regions based on the CNN and may recognize the entire image by combining images divided while a neural network step is performed.

Method for processing input on basis of neural network learning and apparatus therefor


An electrophotographic apparatus of this invention includes a stacking section for cut sheet; a stacking section for fanfold paper; a feed section for supplying printing paper which is cut sheet or fanfold paper from one of the stacking sections via one of different supplying paths; an exposure unit for forming an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive drum; a developing unit for developing the latent image into a toner image; a belt conveyer for conveying the printing paper received from the feed section along common feeding path, a transferring unit for transferring the toner image on the photosensitive drum onto the printing paper; a fixing unit for fixing the transferred toner image on the printing paper; an ejecting section for receiving the printed printing paper from the belt conveyer; and a cutting device for cutting apart the printed fanfold paper at the perforation line thereof. The fanfold paper left behind on the common feeding path after the cutting operation is set back to a position which does not obstruct supply of cut paper in the feed section.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrophotographic apparatus in which cut sheet and continuous paper such as fanfold paper and rolled paper can be selectively used, and a method for electrophotographic process on the cut sheet and continuous paper.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electrophotographic apparatus designed to selectively print data on cut sheet or continuous paper is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,929,282 and 4,941,377, for example. The electrophotographic apparatus disclosed in the above U.S.P. documents includes a common paper feeding path for feeding one of the printing papers of cut sheet and continuous paper and effects the electrophotographic process for the printing paper in the process of feeding the printing paper along the common paper feeding path. That is, while the printing paper is fed along the common paper feeding path, a toner image is transferred to the printing paper when it comes to an image transferring position which is previously determined on the common feeding path and then the toner image is fixed on the printing paper in the fixing position which is defined on the downstream side of the transferring position.
In the known electrophotographic apparatus, paths for supplying cut sheet and continuous paper to the common feeding path are different and methods for supplying paper in the respective supplying paths are different from each other. As a result, when a print starting command signal is generated and cut sheet or continuous paper is fed to the transferring position on the common feeding path via the corresponding paper supplying path, transferring timings at which the cut sheet and continuous paper are fed to the transferring position after generation of the print starting command signal are different from each other. Therefore, if the transferring timing is determined according to the feeding operation of one of the two types of printing papers, then it becomes impossible to correctly transfer a toner image onto the other type printing paper. In this case, if flash light is used for fixing the toner image, not only the transferring timing but also the fixing timing is deviated and part of the toner image may be kept unfixed.
When a flash type fixing unit is used, the quality of fixing may be deteriorated unless uniform light energy is applied to the toner image on the printing paper or to the printing surface.
Further, when continuous paper is used, it is preferable to automatically cut off the continuous paper after a sequence of printing operations is effected. However, when fanfold paper is used as the continuous paper, the perforation line of the fanfold paper to be cut off must be aligned with the cutting position, making it difficult to correctly cut off the fanfold paper.

Electrophotographic apparatus capable of selectively using cut sheet and continuous paper and method therefor


A golf club head having a face portion that hits a ball, which includes: a center thick portion; a portion of a varying thickness in annular form; and a peripheral thin portion provided around the portion of a varying thickness, where the peripheral thin portion of which the thickness is the smaller than that of the center thick portion. The peripheral thin portion includes a first thin portion and a second thin portion. The first thin portion is provided in at least one portion of a sole portion, a toe portion and a heel portion of the peripheral thin portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a golf club head that is helpful for increasing a region of a high coefficient of restitution so as to increase carry for a golfer of average skill.
2. Description of the Background Art
Importance is placed on the function of increasing the carry of a hit ball of a golf club head, in particular, a wood type golf club head. Therefore, a variety of methods for increasing the coefficient of restitution of the head has been proposed by respective golf club manufacturers. According to one of such methods for increasing the coefficient of restitution of the head, a structure is known where a thin portion in annular form is provided on the back side of the face portion so that the face bends sufficiently at the time when a ball is hit as described in the Published patent application No. H09-192273, or No. H09-299519. In addition, it is known that a thin portion where the thickness has been reduced is provided in an arbitrary region of the face portion, as described in the Japanese Translation of PCT International Patent Publication No. WO99/36132, or Published patent application No. 2001-29523.
According to conventional methods, although attention is paid to increasing the value of the coefficient of restitution, an idea to extend the "region" with a high coefficient of restitution is not provided. On the other hand, it is unreasonable to expect a golfer of average skill to always hit a ball at the same point on the face surface. Accordingly, in order to effectively increase carry for a golfer of average skill, it becomes important to form a region of a high coefficient of restitution in a wider range of the face portion, in addition to increase in the numeral value of the coefficient of restitution. However, this hasn't been sufficiently attempted yet in conventional heads.


Systems and methods for pulse stretching architectures for phase alignment of multi-frequency clocks for high speed data acquisitions are disclosed. A high speed data acquisition system includes a transmitter and a receiver. The receiver includes a multi-frequency clock generator that generates a plurality of clock signals, a pattern check module that detects a test pattern received from the transmitter and outputs a stretch command signal, and a stretch pulse generator that receives the stretch command signal and provides a stretch pulse signal that aligns the phases of the plurality of clock signals generated by the multi-frequency clock generator. Methods for initializing and shifting multi-phase clock signals to optimize error performance of a high speed data acquisition system are also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to high speed data processing systems, and more particularly to pulse stretching architectures for phase alignment for high speed data acquisition.
2. Background Art
High speed data processing systems, such as high speed data acquisition systems frequently require adjustments to the phases of clocks used to sample incoming data. A failure to properly adjust the phases of clocks can lead to high bit error rates and degrade system performance. For example, if low speed data is serialized in later stages of a data acquisition system, then all higher speed clock phases used in the later stages that require a fixed timing relationship with the first sample clock, are required to be adjusted accordingly.
Existing systems and methods to ensure the proper phase of sampling clocks are often complicated and use excessive power. For example, one approach uses multiplexers and counters to choose the right phase to be used for each of the sampling clock signals. This approach requires many extra circuits and power consumption is relatively high. In another approach a phase rotator and digital logic are used to select the clock phase of the sampling clocks. Using this approach, the resulting circuitry is often very complicated and therefore costly to implement.
What are needed are pulse stretching architectures for phase alignment of multi-frequency clocks for high speed data acquisition.

Pulse stretching architecture for phase alignment for high speed data acquisition


The present invention provides a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof having an inhibitory effect on the production of kynurenine, represented by formula (I):

Cancer cells excessively express tumor-associated antigens. The host immune system is considered to respond to the tumor-associated antigens and exert cellular immunity to eliminate the tumor. However, there exist various types of immune escape mechanisms in the tumor microenvironment or throughout the body, and when the host fails to eliminate the tumor, the tumor grows.
Recently it has been reported that indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), which is a tryptophan-metabolizing enzyme, inhibits the proliferation of T cells and NK cells and activates regulatory T cells, thereby causing the depression of the host immune system. The expression of IDO is increased in tumor tissues and induced by IFN-γ stimulation in cancer cells and dendritic cells (for example, J. Clin. Invest., vol. 117, No. 5, pp. 1147-1154 (2007)). In a human body, 90% of an essential amino acid, tryptophan, is metabolized into kynurenine and subsequently into 3OH-kynurenine, quinolinic acid, and the like in the kynurenine pathway, the initiation step of which involves IDO. Activation of IDO decreases the tryptophan concentration and increases the kynurenine concentration in a local or systemic manner, and the tryptophan metabolites including kynurenine induce the death of T cells and NK cells (for example, J. Exp. Med., vol. 196, No. 4, pp. 447-457 (2002)). The tryptophan metabolism also induces the conversion of CD4+CD25− T cells into regulatory T cells (for example, Blood, vol. 109, No. 7, pp. 2871-2877 (2007)). In the culture supernatant of dendritic cells in which the expression of IDO is induced by INF-γ, the tryptophan concentration is decreased and the kynurenine concentration is increased. When T cells are co-cultured with such dendritic cells, T cell proliferation is suppressed compared to co-culture with unstimulated dendritic cells (for example, J. Exp. Med., vol. 196, No. 4, pp. 447-457 (2002)).
From the above, in the tumor environment with an increased expression of IDO, an increased kynurenine concentration induced by tryptophan metabolism suppresses antitumor effector cells, which is considered to be one of the immune escape mechanisms in tumors (for example, J. Clin. Invest., vol. 117, No. 5, pp. 1147-1154 (2007)).
An increased expression of IDO in the tumor tissues of colorectal cancer and prostate cancer has been reported (for example, Clin. Cancer Res., vol. 12, No. 4, pp. 1144-1151 (2006); and Eur. J. Cancer, vol. 44, No. 15, pp. 2266-2275 (2008)). In acute myeloid leukemia cells, IDO is constantly expressed (for example, Leukemia, vol. 21, pp. 353-355 (2007)). It has also been reported that when patients with endometrial cancer, melanoma or ovarian cancer has an increased expression of IDO, the patients will have a poor prognosis (for example, Br. J. Cancer, vol. 95, No. 11, pp. 1555-1561 (2006); J. Clin. Invest., vol. 114, No. 2, pp. 280-290 (2004); and Clin. Cancer Res., vol. 11, No. 16, pp. 6030-6039 (2005)). In adult T cell leukemia lymphoma and acute myeloid leukemia, the kynurenine/tryptophan ratio in the blood is increased (for example, Leuk. Res., vol. 33, No. 1, pp. 39-45 (2009); and Leuk. Res., vol. 33, No. 3, pp. 490-494 (2009)). It has also been reported that melanoma patients with an increased kynurenine/tryptophan ratio in the blood will have a poor prognosis (for example, Dermatology, vol. 214, No. 1, pp. 8-14 (2007)). As described above, IDO and/or kynurenine is considered to be involved in various types of solid cancers and hematologic cancers.
A tryptophan derivative, 1-methyltryptophan (1-MT), antagonizes tryptophan, thereby inhibiting the production of kynurenine (for example, Cancer Res., vol. 67, No. 2, pp. 792-800 (2007)). 1-MT cancels the suppression of T cell proliferation in the presence of IDO-expressing cancer cells or IDO-expressing dendritic cells (for example, Cancer Res., vol. 67, No. 2, pp. 792-800 (2007)). Further, 1-MT induces major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted rejection in allogeneic pregnant mice (for example, Nat. Immunol., vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 64-68 (2001)). These results suggest that inhibition of IDO suppresses the production of kynurenine and induces immunity.
1-MT shows an antitumor effect in tumor-bearing mice with mouse melanoma cells. This effect disappears in immunodeficient mice (for example, Cancer Res., vol. 67, No. 2, pp. 792-800 (2007)). These results suggest that the antitumor effect of 1-MT is based on immunostimulation by IDO inhibition-mediated inhibitory effect on the production of kynurenine.
In addition, compounds showing an inhibitory effect on the production of kynurenine and/or on IDO are known to exhibit an immunostimulatory effect (for example, Nat. Immunol., vol. 2, pp. 64-68 (2001)).
It has been reported that the IDO expression in PBMC correlates with the viral load in HIV positive patients (for example, Blood, vol. 109, pp. 3351-3359 (2007)). It has also been reported that chronic hepatitis C patients have an increased IDO mRNA level in the liver and an increased serum kynurenine/tryptophan ratio (for example, J. Virol., vol. 81, No. 7, pp. 3662-3666 (2007)).
Further, compounds showing an inhibitory effect on the production of kynurenine and/or on IDO are known to be useful as an antitumor agent, an anti-AIDS agent, an anti-AIDS dementia agent, anti-Alzheimer's disease agent, an antidepressant, and the like (for example, J Clin Invest., vol. 117, pp. 1147-1154 (2007); J Virol., vol. 81, pp. 11593-11603 (2007); Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol., vol. 31, pp. 395-404 (2005); Neurosci Lett., vol. 187, pp. 9-12 (1995); and Neuropsychopharmacology, vol. 33, pp. 2341-2351 (2008)).
As described above, IDO inhibitors and/or kynurenine production inhibitors are considered to be promising preventive or therapeutic agents for diseases involving the production of kynurenine, such as cancers, AIDS, AIDS dementia, Alzheimer's disease, depression, infections, and immune diseases.
Pyrazine derivatives having an antagonistic effect on endothelin are known (see Patent Literature 1 and Non Patent literature 1).
Compounds known as a therapeutic agent for diseases in which chemokines are involved are N-pyrazinyl-2-thiophenesulfonamide derivatives (see Patent Literature 2), N-pyrazinylbenzenesulfonamide derivatives (see Patent Literature 3), N-(2-quinoxanyl)benzenesulfonamide derivatives (see Patent Literature 4), and the like. Compounds known as a chemokine receptor antagonist are N-pyrazinylbenzenesulfonamide derivatives, N-(2-quinoxalinyl)benzenesulfonamide derivatives (see Patent Literature 5 and 6), pyridopyrazin-2-on-3-ylmethanesulfonamide derivatives (see Patent Literature 7), and the like. Compounds known as a functional modulator of thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC: CC chemokine ligand 17 (CCL17)) and/or of macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC: CC chemokine ligand 22 (CCL22)) are N-pyrazinylbenzenesulfonamide derivatives, N-(2-pyridopyrazinyl)benzenesulfonamide derivatives (see Patent Literature 8), and the like.
Compounds known for having an inhibitory activity on phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) are N-(2-quinoxanyl)benzenesulfonamide derivatives (see Patent Literatures 9 and 10), and the like.
A nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound having an inhibitory effect on the production of kynurenine (see Patent Literature 11) is also known.

Nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound having inhibitory effect on production of kynurenine

Abstract: (wherein    R6 and R7 may be the same or different and each represent a hydrogen atom or the like,    R8, R9, R10, and R11 may be the same or different and each represent a hydrogen atom or the like,    R1 represents lower alkyl which may be substituted with cycloalkyl, or the like, and    R3 represents optionally substituted aryl or an optionally substituted heterocyclic group).


An air treatment system has a removable and replaceable cartridge, the cartridge having a cylindrical plastic canister, and having a liquid-permeable vaporizing element disposed in the canister. The canister is located on one side in a cradle inside a housing where air flow is controlled between inlet and outlet ports by a pivoting frame member. A slider is moved up and down outside the housing to simultaneously move a pair of arms inside the housing into closed, partially open or fully open positions relative to the inlet and outlet ports. The canister has ports of special configuration and a baffle is placed in the canister to assist radial air flow and assure that air flows over the coiled air vaporizing element.

Various types of vaporizing apparatus have been known for treating air. Watkins, U.S. Pat. No. 3,923,934, issued Dec. 2, 1975, shows a device for vaporizing a liquid into the air to control odors. Such a device is more broadly applicable to the dispensing of liquids, including odorants, deodorants, and air fresheners.
The Watkins device includes a chamber in which a liquid is vaporized by passing air through a coiled, corrugated element. The liquid is sealed within ridges in the corrugated element, which is described in further detail in Watkins, U.S. Pat. No. 3,885,737, issued May 27, 1975.
In the Wilkins '934 patent, an inlet port in a front wall of the chamber communicates with a central tube formed by the element along its longitudinal axis when the element is coiled. An outlet port is also provided in the front wall of the chamber, radially outward from the inlet port. A disc-shaped shutter is rotated to simultaneously control the opening of the inlet and outlet ports on the front side of the air flow chamber.
Air is circulated first through the inlet port and the central tube in the coiled element. It then passes radially outward, and is then drawn back through the coiled element and out of the outlet port to be mixed with air from the outside. The vapor is then blown outside the unit by a motorized fan.
In this prior device, the air flows through a somewhat complex path, and the control mechanism has many parts. It would be beneficial to provide a more efficient air flow control mechanism, that could be manufactured at lower cost.
Replacement of the vaporizing element in the Watkins unit was not as convenient as desired. This was improved in a later version by providing a replaceable cartridge in a cylindrical canister. To replace the cartridge, a housing end plate was removed and the cartridge was inserted into a housing chamber. In this version, positioning of the inlet and outlet ports in the front end or top of the cartridge could not be easily observed, because the front end was inserted first into the housing chamber.

Air flow control system with replaceable cartridge


A voice coil motor with a lateral attraction force comprising a magnetic device, a lens carrier, a base, a plurality of guide posts, a set of surface coil and a guiding magnetic plate. The first contact structure and the second contact structure of the magnetic device are contacted the plurality of guide posts respectively. There is at least one contacting point between the first contact structure and one of the plurality of guide posts, and there are at least two contacting point between the second contact structure and the other of the plurality of guide posts.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a voice coil motor, and more particularly, to a voice coil motor with a lateral attraction force.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to perform a more accurate position control for a set of lenses or an access arm of a hard disk drive, a voice coil motor (VCM) is adopted to move the set of lenses or the access arm of the hard disk drive. The structure of a VCM is primarily a coil placed within a magnetic circuit including a permanent magnet.
In an optical system employing a VCM, there is an interaction propelling force between the coil and the permanent magnet according to Fleming's left-hand rule that moves a carrier physically connected to the permanent magnet when a current flows through the coil; at the same time, a set of lenses which is attached to the carrier is moved correspondingly, so as to achieve optical zoom and focus functionalities. Based on applying a specific current value through the coil, an accurate control for optical zooming and focusing can be achieved.
In an optical system employing a VCM, the attractive force in a lateral direction between a magnetic device and a plurality of guide posts of the VCM causes friction force between a lens carrier and a plurality of guide posts. The added friction force is sufficient to maintain the lens carrier and other devices thereon at a specific position without applying the current to a coil. For example, Taiwanese Patent Application No. 1400861, entitled "VOICE COIL MOTOR APPARATUS WITH STABLE MOVING", as shown in FIG. 6A˜6B, the voice coil motor comprises the lens carrier 80 (mainly constructed by a set of magnetic sensing elements), the guide posts 801 and 802 and electromagnetic drive mechanism (mainly constructed by the coil) on the base 200. After the lens carrier 80 is equipped with the base 200, the guide posts 801 and 802 fixed on the base 200 contacts against the opening structure 701 and 702 of the lens carrier 80.
Based on the attraction force of the set of magnetic sensing elements, the guide posts 801 and 802 fixed on the base 200 contacts against the opening structure 701 and 702 of the lens carrier 80 and the lens carrier 80 is rotated along the R direction. Based on rotation of the lens carrier 80, there is at least one contacting line C6 between opening structure 702 and the guide posts 802, and there are at least two contacting line C4 and C5 between opening structure 701 and the guide posts 801.
A flatness requirement of the opening structure 701 and 702 of the lens carrier 80 is higher for maintaining the contacting line C4, C5 and C6 in a straight line and stable moving of the lens carrier 80. However, A flatness requirement of the opening structure 701 and 702 of the lens carrier 80 is too hard to be successfully produced in quantity.

Voice coil motor with lateral attraction force

Zhunan Science-Based Industrial Park, Zhunan Township, Miaoli County


A medicine-bath treatment device includes a central basin having a seat thereabout, at least one fumigation opening and at least one air opening, an inner vessel for holding liquid in fluid communication with the at least one fumigation opening of the basin to provide fumigation steam to the basin from the inner vessel, a spray tube having an inlet in communication with the inner vessel and an outlet in the basin to provide a jet of heated liquid within the basin, and a fan having an outlet in communication with the at least one air opening to provide a stream of heated drying air within the basin. The device also include a heater, a temperature sensor for measuring ambient air temperature, and a controller operably connected to the pump, the fan, and the heater. The controller is operably programmed to automatically adjust at least one of a treatment temperature of the jet of heated liquid, a treatment temperature of the fumigation steam, and a treatment temperature of the heated drying air based on the ambient air temperature.

Conventional therapy for common anus diseases, such as internal hemorrhoid, external hemorrhoid, mixed hemorrhoid, incarcerated hemorrhoid, perianal abscess, anal sinusitis, and the like, and common gynecological diseases, such as nonspecific colpitis (like colpitis mycotica, bacterial colpitis, candidal colpitis, gonococcal colpitis, and eczema of vulva), cervicitis, cervical erosion, pelvic inflammation, acute urethritis, and the like, are often treated with medicated or non-medicated warm tub or sitz baths, douching, antimicrobial suppositories, ointment application, and the like. Treatment devices having washing functions similar to bidets have been developed for the treatment of these types of diseases. However, these devices can be expensive so they are typically not available for household use.
Additionally, these conventional treatments and devices may not quickly and effectively alleviate or eliminate clinical symptoms of these diseases. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improved method and device for treating anus and gynecological diseases and the like in a manner that enhances the absorption of a drug or the like to quickly alleviate or eliminate clinical symptoms.

Household medicated-bath treatment device


An output buffer circuit that suppresses the generation of an erroneous operation signal during power activation includes a first level converter generating a first signal based on a data input signal having an amplitude range between a first power supply potential and a ground reference potential. The first signal has an amplitude range between a second power supply potential, which differs from the first power supply potential, and the ground reference potential. A second level converter generates a second signal having an amplitude range between the second power supply and ground reference potentials based on a control input signal having an amplitude range between the first power supply and ground reference potentials. The first signal falls with a delay from the second signal. An output circuit generates an output signal. A timing adjustment circuit compensates for the fall delay of the first signal during power activation.

It is related to an output buffer circuit for a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a three-state output buffer circuit.
Recent semiconductor devices have been configured so that internal circuits handle signals with lower levels than signals handled by external circuits to reduce power consumption. That is, the operation power supply voltage of the internal circuits is set lower at a level that is lower than that outside the semiconductor device. Therefore, the semiconductor device includes an output buffer circuit having a level converter that converts the signal level of the internal circuits to the external signal level.
A conventional output buffer circuit 100 for a semiconductor device that operates with two types of power supply voltage is described below with reference to FIG. 1.
The output buffer circuit 100 is a three-state type output buffer. The output buffer circuit 100 receives data input signal A and control input signal C from internal circuits (not shown in the drawing) of the semiconductor device and generates an output signal having one of three values, that is, an H level, an L level, or high impedance, based on the input signals A and C.
The output buffer circuit 100 includes a level converter unit 110, which converts the signal levels of the input signals A and C to a predetermined level to generate an intermediate signal, and an output circuit 130, which provides an external output terminal EX with an output signal OUT based on the intermediate signal generated by the level converter unit 110.
The level converter unit 110 includes a first level converter 110a and a second level converter 110b. The first level converter 110a receives the data input signal A from a core circuit that is operated by a power supply potential VDL of a semiconductor chip core. The first level converter 110a further receives an inversion signal A bar of the data input signal A. One of the signals A and A bar has a ground level (L level), and the other one of the signals A and A bar has the power supply potential VDL level (H level) of the semiconductor chip core. The first level converter 110a performs level conversion of the signals A and A bar having amplitudes from the ground level to the power supply potential VDL level of the semiconductor chip core to generate an intermediate signal B that has an amplitude from ground level to the power supply potential VDH level of an external output interface. Then, the first level converter 110a provides the intermediate signal B to the output circuit 130.
Specifically, when the data input signal A is set at an H level and the inversion signal A bar is set at an L level, a transistor TN11 is turned OFF and a transistor TN12 is turned ON. When the transistor TN12 is turned ON, the gate of transistor TP11 is connected to ground. This turns ON the transistor TP11. When the transistor TP11 is turned ON, the gate of a transistor TP12 is connected to the power supply potential of an external output interface. This turns OFF the transistor TP12. In this state, the potential at a node N11 between the transistors TN11 and TP11 is set to an H level power supply potential (VDH) of the external output interface, and an intermediate signal B having the H level power supply potential of the external output interface is provided from the node N11 to the output circuit 130.
Conversely, when the data input signal A is set at an L level and the inversion signal A bar is set at an H level, the transistor TN11 is turned ON and the transistor TN12 is turned OFF. When the transistor TN11 is turned ON, the gate of the transistor TP12 is connected to ground. This turns On the transistor TP12. When the transistor TP12 is turned ON, the gate of the transistor TP11 is connected to the power supply potential VDH of the external output interface. This turns OFF the transistor TP11. In this state, the potential of the node N11 is set at the ground level, and an intermediate signal B having the ground level (L level) is provided from the node N11 to the output circuit 130.
Similarly, the second level converter 110b receives a control input signal C and an inversion signal C bar from internal circuits. The second level converter 110b performs level conversion of the signals C and C bar that have amplitudes from ground level to power supply potential VDL level of the semiconductor chip core to generate an intermediate signal D that has an amplitude from ground level to the power supply potential VDH level of the external output interface. Then, the second level converter 110b provides the intermediate signal D to the output circuit 130.
The output circuit 130 includes a logic control circuit 140 and a final stage buffer 150. Based on the intermediate signals B and D received from the level converter unit 110, the logic control circuit 140 generates signals E and F having either the ground level or the power supply potential VDH level of the external output interface at the transistors TP50 and TN50 of the final stage buffer 150.
Specifically, when the intermediate signal D has a power supply potential VDH level of the external output interface (the control input signal C has a power supply potential VDL level of the semiconductor chip core), an H level (power supply potential VDH level of the external output interface) signal E is provided to the transistor TP50 and an L level (ground level) signal F is provided to the transistor TN50 regardless of whether the intermediate signal B has an H level or an L level. In this state, a node N50 between the transistors TP50 and TN50 is set at high impedance because both of the transistors TP50 and TN50 are turned OFF.
When the intermediate signal D has the ground level (the control input signal C has the ground level) and the intermediate signal B has the power supply potential VDH level of the external output interface (the data input signal A has the power supply potential VDL level of the semiconductor chip core), L level signals E and F are provided to the transistors TP50 and TN50. Since the transistor TP50 is turned ON and the transistor TN50 is turned OFF in this state, an output signal OUT that has a power supply potential VDH level (H level) of the external output interface is provided to an external output terminal EX.
Furthermore, when the intermediate signals D and B have the ground level (the data input signals A and C have the ground level), H level signals E and F are provided to the transistors TP50 and TN50. Since the transistor TP50 is turned OFF and the transistor TN50 is turned ON at this time, a ground level (L level) output signal OUT is provided from the node N50 to the external output terminal EX.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-285013 describes such a three-state type output buffer circuit.
In such an output buffer circuit 100, when the level converters 110a and 110b have different internal parasitic capacities, a signal delay skew occurs during power activation between the intermediate signal B generated by the first level converter 110a and the intermediate signal D generated by the second level converter 110b (refer to FIG. 2(b)). In particular, the intermediate signal B is delayed from the intermediate signal D when the parasitic capacitance of the first level converter 110a is greater than the parasitic capacitance of the second level converter 110b. The magnitude of the parasitic capacitance changes depending on the type of power supply wiring in an upper layer and the length of the wiring, which changes in accordance with the layout position of the elements such as transistors in the level converters 110a and 110b. The inventor of the present invention has found that such a signal delay skew generates an erroneous operation signal SH as shown in FIG. 2(d) as an output signal OUT.
A case in which an erroneous operation signal SH is generated when the level converter unit 110 receives an L level data input signal A and an L level control input signal C during power activation will now be discussed.
As shown in FIG. 2(a), during power activation, the power supply potential VDL of the semiconductor chip core and the power supply potential VDH of the external output interface each rise with a predetermined slope. Furthermore, the H level inversion signals A bar and C bar follow the rising level of the power supply potential VDL of the semiconductor chip core and also rise. In this state, the signal levels of the intermediate signals B and D generated by the level converters 110a and 110b follow the rising of the external output interface power supply potential VDH until the signal levels of the inversion signals A bar and C bar exceed the threshold voltages of the respective transistors TN11 and TN21, as shown in FIG. 2(b). Then, when the inversion signals A bar and C bar exceed the thresholds of the transistors TN11 and TN21, the transistors TN11 and TN21 are turned ON, and the intermediate signals B and D fall to the ground level (L level). However, the fall of the intermediate signal B is delayed relative to the intermediate signal D when the parasitic capacitance of the first level converter 110a is greater than the parasitic capacitance of the second level converter 110b , as previously described. The signal delay skew generated by the intermediate signals B and D is maintained by a racing in the buffer, and is also generated in the transistors TP50 and TN50 of the final stage buffer 150. That is, as shown in FIG. 2(c), a period occurs in which both the signals E and F that are provided to the transistors TP50 and TN50 are set at L level. Thus, since the P-channel MOS transistor TP50 is turned ON and the N-channel MOS transistor TN50 is turned OFF, and H level erroneous operation signal SH is momentarily generated as an output signal OUT, which follows the rising level of the external output interface power supply potential VDH, as shown in FIG. 2(d). Accordingly, there is a possibility that this erroneous operation signal SH may cause an erroneous operation during power activation.


A construction unit includes weep openings through a front wall, side walls, and a center web, and at least one slot extending parallel to a rear wall to receive a flashing member, the slot being defined at least partially by the rear wall. An insert member having an insect screen is positioned in each of the weep openings of the front wall.

The present invention relates to construction units, or blocks, and, more particularly to construction units having provision for directing condensation from the interior of the units to the exterior.
Most walls used in constructing buildings have vertical cavities in which condensation forms as a result of changes in temperature. This is true in walls constructed of conventional blocks of concrete or other materials which have hollow vertical cores extending through the blocks. In concrete block walls in which no provision is made for allowing the condensation to escape, the condensation builds up in pools at the bottom of the wall and gradually seeps through the concrete blocks at the bottom. This seepage through the material of the blocks results in stains on the exterior of the blocks caused by efflorescence. In efflorescence, the water seeping through the material of the blocks dissolves certain chemicals in the material and carries them to the surface of the block, where they cause stains.
A common method of allowing condensation to escape is to provide weep openings in a wall made of blocks by leaving out a portion of the mortar near the bottom of vertical joints between the blocks. Such an arrangement is not very effective because the openings in the mortar communicate with the joints between adjacent blocks, whereas most of the problem with condensation and other moisture in the blocks arises in the hollow cores, which are not in direct communication with the joints between adjacent blocks.
In an another known arrangement for allowing condensation to weep from the interior of a concrete block wall to the exterior, the bottom course of the wall is formed with a double course of blocks each having a depth approximately equal to one-half of the depth of the other courses of blocks. Flashing having a vertical section extending between upper and lower horizontal sections is positioned in the double course of blocks, with the upper horizontal section of the flashing extending over the top of the inner course of the double course, the vertical section extending between the inner and outer courses, and the lower horizontal section extending under the outer course. In addition, tubes or wicks are positioned above the lower horizontal section of the flashing and under the outer course to conduct the condensation from the interior of the wall to the exterior. This construction has the disadvantage that extra units must be assembled in the bottom course and the tubes or other devices must be inserted for proper drainage of the condensate. In actual construction conditions, workers often fail to install the tubes or other devices.
Although the present application specifically mentions condensation as the source of moisture in the wall, the moisture can be from other sources, such as the infiltration of rain into the wall through cracks, or leakage into the wall from other sources, or still other causes.

Building block for use with flashing and arrangement for weeping condensation


In order to achieve path diversity for dual-homed User-Network Interface clients connected to a Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching control plane enabled transport network that is operated in an overlay mode, the overlay extension service model is enhanced by adding shared constraint information for path diversity in the optical transport network. In particular, within the provider network, shared constraint information of a first traffic path is determined and a data element indicative of the shared constraint information is returned by a first provider edge node to a customer edge device via a User-Network Interface. When the customer edge device requests a second traffic path through the provider network to be established from a second provider edge node and to be disjoint from said first traffic path, the customer edge device forwards the data element to the second provider edge node to enable path calculation of the second traffic path using the shared constraint information as exclusion list.

In classical layer 1 transport networks employing time-division multiplexing (TDM) and/or wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), such as the Optical Transport Network (OTN) or the Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH), techniques have been established to support dynamic resource allocation and setup of traffic paths. A transport network, which allows traffic paths to be set up through a switched network automatically is termed Automatically Switched Transport Network (ASTN) or Automatically Switched Optical Network (ASON). The WDM layer is often also called layer 0.
Traditionally, creating traffic paths through a series of Network Elements has involved configuration of individual cross-connections on each network element. ASTN/ASON allows the user to specify the start point, end point, and bandwidth required, and the ASTN/ASON agent on the network elements will allocate the path through the network, provision the traffic path, set up cross-connects, and allocate bandwidth from the paths for the user requested service. The actual path that the traffic will take through the network is not specified by the user.
A protocol suite known as GMPLS (Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching) has been developed to dynamically provision resources and to provide network survivability using protection and restoration techniques. GMPLS includes three main protocols: a signaling protocol known as the Resource Reservation Protocol with Traffic Engineering extensions (RSVP-TE), a routing protocol known as the Open Shortest Path First with Traffic Engineering extensions (OSPF-TE), and the Link Management Protocol (LMP).
The underlying architecture of an ASTN/ASON assumes a forwarding (or data) plane and a separated control plane, where each of the network layers can use physically diverse data or forwarding planes. The focus of GMPLS is on the control plane.
Furthermore, the concept of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) has been extended to layer 1 networks, recently. A Layer 1VPN (L1VPN) is a service offered by a core layer 1 network to provide layer 1 connectivity between two or more customer sites, and where the customer has some control over the establishment and type of the connectivity (see IETF RFC 4847).
GMPLS defines both routing and signaling protocols for the creation of Label Switched Paths (LSPs). In a peer model, edge nodes support both a routing and a signaling protocol. The protocol interactions between an edge node and a core node are the same as between two core nodes. In the overlay model, however, the core nodes act more as a closed system. The edge nodes do not participate in the routing protocol instance that runs among the core nodes; in particular, the edge nodes are unaware of the topology of the core nodes (see IETF RFC 4208).
In the overlay model, customer edge (CE) devices are connected over a User-Network Interface (UNI) to provider edge (PE) devices. PE devices are connected to other provider (P) devices via a Network-Network Interface (NNI).
Current UNIs include features to facilitate requests for end-to-end (i.e. CE to CE) services that include the specification of constraints such as bandwidth requirements, protection needs, and (of course) destinations. Current NNIs on the other hand include features to exchange routing information, as well as to facilitate requests for end-to-end services.
If one CE device is connected to two PE devices, this configuration is referred to as dual-homing. Dual-homing is typically used to avoid a single point of failure (e.g. UNI link or PE) or if two disjoint connections will form a protection group. Route diversity for LSPs from dual-homed CEs is a common requirement in optical transport networks.

Method and related apparatus for establishing link-diverse traffic paths in a telecommunications network


A method of manufacturing an organic thin film transistor characterized by low costs and high performances, the method in which the self-assemble monolayer is formed in a short period of time, and the organic thin film transistor are provided. A method of manufacturing an organic thin film a transistor having a gate electrode, a semiconductor layer, a source electrode, and a drain electrode on a substrate, wherein a semiconductor solution as a mixture of the self-assembled monolayer material and organic semiconductor material is coated between the source electrode and drain electrode, whereby a semiconductor layer is formed.

With the spread of an information terminal, there has been a growing demand for a flat panel display as a computer display. Further, the information having been provided in the form of paper is now given in the form of electronic paper in ever-increasing occasions, as a result of progress in the information technology. There has been an increasing need for electronic paper or digital paper as a mobile display medium characterized by lightweight and excellent portability. Against this backdrop, development of a flat panel display apparatus has been carried out.
Generally in the flat panel display apparatus, a display medium is produced by using a device based on the technology of liquid crystal, organic electroluminescence and electrophoresis. To ensure uniformity of the screen brightness and screen rewriting speed, such a display medium is manufactured according to the technology based on an active drive element made of an organic thin film transistor (hereinafter referred to as "organic TFT") as an image drive element.
In this case, in the production of the organic TFT element, a semiconductor thin film such as a-Si (amorphous silicon) and p-Si (polysilicon) and a thin metallic film such as a source, drain and gate electrode are sequentially formed on the glass substrate.
In the conventional practice, to form a bus line, electrode pattern and semiconductor layer on a substrate, patterning is carried out to form a circuit by the photolithographic technology (hereinafter referred to as "photolithography"). Photolithography is a technique wherein a photosensitive resist is coated on a thin film to be patterned, and the exposed thin film portion is dry- or wet-etched after exposure and development through a photo mask, whereby patterning is carried out. After patterning, the unwanted resist is stripped, and formation of films thereon is repeated to form a semiconductor layer.
As described above, the photolithography has been used to produce an organic TFT element. However, this involves a problem of complicated production process and requirements for large-scale facilities such as a clean room. In recent years, to make up for the disadvantage of the organic TFT element manufacturing process based on the conventional photolithographic process, there is a very active effort going on for research and development of the organic TFT element using an organic semiconductor material (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication H10-190001, Journal of Advanced Material, 2002, No. 2, P. 99 (Review)).
The organic TFT can be manufactured, for example, as follows, although it depends on the type of element structures: In the case of a bottom gate-bottom contact structure wherein the gate electrode is formed on the substrate, a gate electrode is formed on the substrate using the photolithography. After that, a gate insulation film is formed on the gate electrode by plasma CVD using a TEOS source, or the coated insulation material is formed by printing.
Then the source electrode and drain electrode are formed by photolithography. After that, an organic semiconductor layer is formed on the channel area between the source electrode and drain electrode.
The organic semiconductor layer is formed by vapor deposition under vacuum. The problem is that the organic TFT having been manufactured is expensive due to high costs of the production equipment. To solve this problem, the film is formed by coating the dispersion solution obtained by dispersing the organic semiconductor material in a solvent, or the solution obtained by dissolving the organic semiconductor material. Spin coating method or inkjet method is used for this coating. Further, micro-contact printing method is also being studied.
Generally, when an organic semiconductor layer is formed, it is important that the semiconductor layer should be formed so as to minimize the contact resistance between the organic semiconductor layer and source electrode or drain electrode, thereby obtaining an organic TFT characterized by a higher degree of mobility and smaller variation.
To solve the aforementioned problem, the following method is proposed. The self-assembled monolayer of the thiol compound is formed on the surfaces of a source electrode and drain electrode. After that, the semiconductor portion is formed on the channel portion, whereby the contact resistance is reduced (for example, see the Official Gazettes of U.S. Pat. No. 6,335,539 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,569,707).
However, to form the self-assembled monolayer of thiol compound on the surfaces of the source electrode and drain electrode according to the method disclosed in the Official Gazettes of U.S. Pat. No. 6,335,539 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,569,707, it is necessary to take a step of immersing the source electrode and drain electrode in the thiol-containing solution and a step of drying the thiol. This takes a lot of time. Further, it is difficult to set the conditions for the processes of immersing and drying. Variations occur to the TFT characteristics due to a slight difference in the conditions. Such problems have been kept unsolved.

Method of manufacturing organic thin film transistor and organic thin film transistor


A method and apparatus for the placement of a bridge element using a vehicle having a placement arm, and a use of the apparatus. The placement arm has at least one drive element adapted to cooperate with the bridge element. A braking device is disposed in the vicinity of the deposition end of the placement arm and cooperates with the bridge element during a placement procedure. The bridge element is braked via an engagement element of the braking device. Movement of the bridge element in a longitudinal direction can be measured and monitored, and in the event of an uncontrolled movement the bridge element can be braked.

The instant application should be granted the priority dates of Apr. 22, 2006, the filing date of the corresponding German patent application 10 2006 018 794.6, as well as Apr. 19, 2007, the filing date of the International patent application PCT/DE2007/000692.
The present invention relates to two methods for the placement of a bridge element, an apparatus for the placement of a bridge element as well as a use of this apparatus.
The invention can be used on civilian and military wheeled or chained vehicles for the laying or placement of portable bridges, which generally consist of a plurality of individual bridge elements carried along with the vehicle. For the placement of the bridge elements, which are generally symmetrical in the longitudinal and transverse directions, such vehicles are provided with a pivotable placement arm. Disposed on the placement arm are drive elements that move the bridge elements in the longitudinal direction during the placement. As driving elements, the placement arm is frequently provided in particular with a pair of rail bar gears in the central region of the placement arm that cooperate with two corresponding rail bars on the bridge element and move the latter. As an aid, a further pair of rail bar gears is used that is disposed in the rear region of the placement arm.
The individual bridge elements are generally stacked upon the vehicle. During the placement, the uppermost bridge element is first moved toward the front with the placement arm, being guided in a horizontal plane in the longitudinal direction, so that it projects nearly entirely toward the front of the vehicle. In the event that further bridge elements are to be placed, a second bridge element from the stack is moved toward the front by means of the rail bar gears until it encounters the first bridge element, where the two bridge elements are rigidly coupled with one another. After the coupling, both bridge elements are moved toward the front until also the second bridge element projects nearly entirely toward the front of the vehicle. This process is repeated until the desired number of bridge elements have been coupled. The pivotable placement arm is then pivoted in a vertical plane in such a way that first the front end of the first bridge element is placed upon the ground, and subsequently the rear end of the last bridge element is placed upon the ground.
During the placement, the bridge element must be moved in a controlled manner. In particular, during deposit of the front end the bridge element must not come out of the guide and slip. The error free deposit of the bridge must in particular also be ensured on steep surfaces, for example on a river embankment, and with unfavorable ground conditions (e.g. muddy conditions). Due to the angular conditions that exist, the placement and taking up of only one bridge element is frequently more critical than the placement of a plurality of bridge elements.
The slipping of the bridge can, with the known apparatus, be prevented only by the used of additional auxiliary means. This includes, for example, the installation of chain hoists between the placement device and the bridge element, or between the bridge element and a fixed point in the immediate surroundings. A further possibility is to secure the bridge by using further portable devices such as fork lifts or salvage tanks. The drawback to this, however, is on the one hand high expense and on the other hand that the bridge cannot be entirely placed out of the armored vehicle, thus endangering the safety of personnel, in particular especially during combat.
It is an object of the present invention to prevent an uncontrolled, faulty movement of the bridge element during the placement and the taking-up.

Method and apparatus for the placement of a bridge element


Organic aerogel microspheres which can be used in capacitors, batteries, thermal insulation, adsorption/filtration media, and chromatographic packings, having diameters ranging from about 1 micron to about 3 mm. The microspheres can be pyrolyzed to form carbon aerogel microspheres. This method involves stirring the aqueous organic phase in mineral oil at elevated temperature until the dispersed organic phase polymerizes and forms nonsticky gel spheres. The size of the microspheres depends on the collision rate of the liquid droplets and the reaction rate of the monomers from which the aqueous solution is formed. The collision rate is governed by the volume ratio of the aqueous solution to the mineral oil and the shear rate, while the reaction rate is governed by the chemical formulation and the curing temperature.

The present invention relates to organic aerogels, particularly to aerogel microspheres, and more particularly to resorcinol-formaldehyde, carbon, and melamine-formaldehyde microspheres and a method of fabrication which involves inverse emulsion polymerization, wherein the size and structure of the microspheres is determined by the chemical formulation and processing parameters.
Aerogels are a special class of open-cell foams with unique thermal, acoustic, optical, and electrical properties. Foamed organic polymers and organic foam composite materials are known and used in the insulation, construction, and similar industries. Also, machinable and structurally stable low density, microcellular carbon foams and catalyst-impregnated carbon foams are known. In addition, electrically conductive, open-celled, low density, micro-cellular carbon foam has been developed. Development efforts have also been directed to low density aerogels which may be carbonized to form low density carbon foams with a cell size of .ltoreq.0.1 micron for use in high-energy physics applications, waste management, such as adsorption of fluids and toxic gases, ion exchangers, and supports for metal catalysts, etc., as exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,873,218 issued Oct. 10, 1989; 4,997,804 issued Mar. 5, 1991; and 5,086,085 issued Feb. 4, 1992, each to R. W. Pekala, and paper UCRL-99846, "Resorcinol-Formaldehyde Aerogels And Their Carbonized Derivatives", by R. W. Pekala et al., Oct. 24, 1988. High density, micro-cellular carbon foams of this type have also been developed for use, for example, in electrochemical double layer supercapacitor applications, as described and claimed in copending U.S. application Ser. No. 07/822,438 filed Jan. 17, 1992, entitled "Supercapacitors Based On Carbon Foams", now U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,855 issued Nov. 9, 1993. Recently, high density carbon aerogels are being developed in a much wider variety of applications, such as in energy storage and energy conversion devices, adsorption/filtration media, electrochemical double-layer desalination, dilute solution metal recovery, hazardous waste treatment, and chromatographic packings.
Thus, while there has been substantial effort directed toward the development of foams and aerogels for use in energy storage devices (capacitors, rechargeable batteries, fuel cells), hazardous waste water treatment, catalyst supports, and insulation and construction applications, the processes for producing these materials have resulted in the formation of large monolithic pieces, slabs or chunks. More recent efforts have been directed to forming organic aerogels and then chopping or grinding the aerogel to produce particles which are mixed with a binder to produce a composite, exemplified by U.S. application Ser. No. 08/057,739, filed May 4, 1993, and entitled "An Aquagel Electrode Separator For Use In Batteries And Supercapacitors", now U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,306 issued Mar. 28, 1995. Also, it has been recently discovered that the aerogels can be doped with various dopants during the fabrication process, as described and claimed in copending U.S. application Ser. No. 08/041,507, filed Apr. 1, 1993, and entitled "Doping Of Carbon Foams For Use In Energy Storage Devices", now U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,802 issued Oct. 25, 1994. It has been recognized that the formation of organic aerogel foam in small spheres (microspheres) would greatly expand the use of these materials, as well as reduce the process time and equipment costs in applications where they would be appropriate. For example, for energy storage applications, the microspheres have the advantage over slabs of aerogels by allowing greater mechanical flexibility of a composite electrode, or may, using an appropriate binder be used in a single cell, low voltage "jelly roll" cell, similar to conventional "AA", "C" or "D" cells, but with lighter weight. Aerogel microspheres are also useful in packed bed reactors (chromatographic packings, deionization processes, etc.) in that connective flow through the bed can occur with relative ease (when compared to flowing fluid through a monolithic slab), while maintaining a very high surface area packing. In addition, the aerogel micropheres may be utilized in air filtration and medical applications, as well as in energy storage applications, such as in a double-layer capacitor.
The present invention provides a method for producing microspheres of organic aerogel foam, and thus advances this field of technology by enabling such foam to be used in various applications not suitable or cost effective for aerogel monoliths.
As the result of further research and development, it has been recognized that organic aerogel microspheres can be produced in a wide range of spherical diameters, densities, and surface areas, by controlling the chemical formulation and processing conditions and procedures wherein the aqueous solution is stirred in a material in which the aerogel reactants and products are insoluble, such as mineral oil or cyclohexane, during the polymerization/gelation phase of the process. Thus, the present invention improves on the state of the organic aerogel art by providing control over the size of the aerogel microspheres, either doped or undoped in the organic or carbonized state, and a method for forming the microspheres.

The Regents of the University of California


A method for seismic event mapping includes adaptively velocity filtering seismic signals recorded at selected positions. The velocity filtered signals are transformed into a domain of possible spatial positions of a source of seismic events. An origin in spatial position and time of at least one seismic event is determined from space and time distribution of at least one attribute of the transformed seismic data.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of seismic imaging of subsurface rock formations. More specifically, the invention relates to methods for determining hypocenters and focal mechanism of seismic events occurring in the Earth's subsurface.
2. Background Art
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0068928 filed by Duncan et al. describes methods for determining the hypocenter (location of occurrence) of seismic events in the Earth's subsurface, and application of such methods to monitoring the progress of hydraulic fracturing operations. Such methods are generally known as "passive" seismic surveying because they do not use a separate, controllable seismic energy source to impart seismic energy into the subsurface, but use naturally occurring seismic events, or induced events such as breaking of rock formations by hydraulic fracturing. The described techniques in the Duncan et al. publication generally include deploying an array of seismic sensors on or near the surface, and recording signals produced by the sensors. The seismic signals are transformed into a domain of possible spatial positions of a source of seismic events. An origin in spatial position and time of at least one seismic event is determined from the space and time distribution of at least one attribute of the transformed seismic data.
An unavoidable aspect of passive seismic surveying is extended recording time in order to obtain sufficient signal to noise ratio. Such recording time may be several weeks to several months in length. In the case of hydraulic fracturing, the seismic events are limited in number and may not provide sufficient signal to noise ratio to be able to reliably identify hypocenters of the seismic events. It is desirable to have techniques for interpreting passive seismic signals that can improve signal to noise ratio.

Method for passive seismic emission tomography using adaptive velocity filter