A cage that a communication module having a module-side connector arranged two-dimensionally with connecting terminals is insertable to/removable from, the cage includes: a movable cage rotatable about a rotation axis, the movable cage having an insertion opening to which the communication module is inserted and a window provided in a position of the module-side connector during inserting of the communication module, the movable cage switching between a first position and a second position by rotating, in the first position, an insertion direction of the communication module to the movable cage being slanted, with respect to a board arranged with a fixed-side connector having connecting terminals arranged two-dimensionally, the communication module being insertable to/removable from the movable cage, in the case that the movable cage is made to be from the first position to the second position in a state where the communication module is inserted, the module-side connector and the fixed-side connector being connected through the window.

Technical Field
The present invention relates to cages, communication devices, communication modules, and connecting methods.
Related Art
In the field of high-speed optical communication using optical fibers, pluggable optical transceivers that convert electrical signals with optical signals and vice versa are used. With the pluggable optical transceivers, a cage is installed on a main board in a communication device side (host side), an optical module (communication terminal) integrated with a photoelectric conversion element and a circuit board is inserted in the cage, and an optical module-side connector (module-side connector) and a main board-side connector (fixed-side connector) are connected electrically and mechanically. Thus, the optical signals to be transferred and received with the optical fibers and the electrical signals to be processed with the main board in the communication device side can be converted with each other with the photoelectric conversion element and the circuit board in the optical module.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2013-134347, an optical module that is insertable to and removable from a cage is disclosed. The optical module disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2013-134347 is integrated with a board shown in FIG. 14, and a card edge connector arranged with multiple connecting terminals in an end portion of the board is formed. In Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2012-163739, there is also disclosed a connector arranged with multiple connecting terminals in an end portion of the board.
As connectors different from the card edge connector, there are known connectors disclosed in WO2009/128413A1, WO2003/054608A1, and SNAP12 MSA Revision 1.1 May 15, 2002 (http://www.physik.unizh.ch/˜avollhar/snap12msa_051502.pdf). With these connectors, by arranging the connecting terminals (for example, the connecting pins) two-dimensionally, the connecting terminals can be arranged in high density, and the connecting terminals are appropriate for high-speed signal transmission. Note that, as the connectors with the connecting terminals arranged two-dimensionally, there are known, for example, MEG-Array (registered trademark).
In the case of the card edge connectors disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2013-134347 and No. 2012-163739, the attachable/detachable direction of the connectors and the insertable/removable direction of the optical module match. Thus, by inserting the optical module adopting the card edge connector in the cage, the connector can be connected as is.
In the case of the card edge connectors disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2013-134347 and No. 2012-163739 however, the connecting terminals are arranged aligned in only a width direction of a board of the optical module, thus the connecting terminals cannot be arranged in high-density and are not suited for higher speed signal transmission. Further, in the case of the card edge connector, wiring between the connecting terminals of the main board-side connector (fixed-side connector) and the main board becomes long, thus in this regard it is also not suited for high-speed signal transmission. For higher speed signal transmission, it is advantageous to adopt a connector with connecting terminals arranged two-dimensionally on a plane in parallel with a board, as the connectors disclosed in WO2009/128413A1 and WO2003/054608A1 and SNAP12 MSA Revision 1.1 May 15, 2002 (http://www.physik.unizh.ch/˜avollhar/snap12msa_051502.pdf).
As with the connectors disclosed in WO2009/128413A1 and WO2003/054608A1 and SNAP12 MSA Revision 1.1 May 15, 2002 (http://www.physik.unizh.ch/˜avollhar/snap12msa_051502.pdf), in the case of the connector with the connecting terminals arranged two-dimensionally, the connecting terminals are aligned in a surface in parallel with the board (the board of the optical module or a main board), thus the direction in which the connector is to be attached/detached is a direction that intersects with the board (for example, a direction perpendicular to the board). On the contrary, the optical module that is insertable to and removable from the cage is inserted or removed substantially in parallel with the board (the board of the optical module or the main board). In other words, even if the connector with the connecting terminals arranged two-dimensionally is adopted as the optical module (an optical module that is insertable/removable with respect to the cage), the attaching/detaching direction of the connector (a direction that intersects a connector surface with the connecting terminals arranged two-dimensionally) and an inserting/removing direction of the optical module do not match. In this way, the optical modules disclosed in WO2009/128413A1, WO2003/054608A1, and SNAP12 MSA Revision 1.1 May 15, 2002 (http://www.physik.unizh.ch/˜avollhar/snap12msa_051502.pdf) are fixed with respect to the board, and have not been considered at all regarding inserting/removing to/from with respect to the cage.
Note that, such a problem is not limited to the optical module, and is also a problem that exists in relation to other communication modules (communication terminals) such as an electric module.

Cage, communication device, communication module and connecting method


A method and apparatus for detecting a defective disk for a hard disk drive. The method includes placing a disk into a tester so that a first side of the disk is adjacent to a first head of the tester and a second side of the disk is adjacent to a second head. First data is read from the first side of the disk, and second data is read from the second side of the disk. The disk is then flipped so that the second side is adjacent to the first head and the first side is adjacent to the second head. Third data is read from the first side. Fourth data is read from the second side. A first area between a curve generated from the first data and a curve generated from the third data is calculated. Likewise, a second area is calculated between a curve generated from the second data and a curve generated from the fourth data. An average of the first and second areas is then calculated and used to detect a defective disk.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for detecting a defective disk of a hard disk drive.
2. Background Information
Hard disk drives contain a plurality of magnetic heads that are coupled to rotating disks. The heads write and read information by magnetizing and sensing the magnetic fields of the disk surfaces.
Each head is attached to a flexure arm to create a subassembly commonly referred to as a head gimbal assembly ("HGA"). The HGA's are suspended from an actuator arm. The actuator arm has a voice coil motor that can move the heads across the surfaces of the disks. The disks are rotated by a spindle motor of the disk drive.
The bottom surface of each head has an air bearing surface that cooperates with an airflow generated by the rotating disks to create an air bearing between the head and the disk surface. The air bearing prevents or minimizes contact and resultant mechanical wear between the head and the disk. The field strength of the magnetic field detected by a head is inversely proportional to the height of the air bearing. It is therefore desirable to maintain a small air bearing while minimizing mechanical wear. The height of the air bearing is commonly referred to as the flying height of the head.
Each disk is typically constructed from a substrate that is coated with various layers of magnetic material. Manufacturing processes may introduce imperfections in the disk such as a disk curvature or surface waviness. Disk curvature or surface waviness may change the flying height of the head and increase the bit error rate (BER) of the drive. A drive with an unacceptable BER must be repaired or discarded. It would be desirable to detect and screen such disk imperfections before assembling the disk into a hard disk drive, to reduce the repair or discard rate of the drives.

Detection of a defective disk of a hard disk drive


Mobile website building tools which may be used to build a mobile-ready website from a mobile device includes a design studio application downloaded for executing on the mobile device. The design studio application detects a device type and enables dynamic preview rendering if the device type is a traditional computing device, and for device types that are mobile devices, batches user modifications to a website under construction until a preview or save request is made by the user.

The present invention relates generally to building websites, and more particularly to systems, processes, and applications for creation of websites from both traditional computing devices and mobile devices.
The Internet has for a couple of decades been used to relay information, advertise, and engage in e-commerce. More recently, businesses are increasingly turning to social media networks to publish their messages, advertise, and attract and retain customers. With the increase in web site building and publication tools, many users who might not otherwise have the time or skill to create their own websites or the money to hire an outside consultant are now publishing to the World Wide Web. For example, such tools often provide web page templates that allow a user to enter personalized content and select web page layout, styles, fonts, colors, etc., and then immediately publish the completed pages to the Internet.
More recently, the addition of data connectivity capability to cellular phones, resulting in what is known as the "smartphone", has transformed not only the phone industry but also the rate of communication between such users and their accompanying expectations of such devices. Smartphone users now connect directly to the Internet and demand the same capabilities they would have had were they browsing the Internet using a traditional computer.
Furthermore, with the rising popularity of social media networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, the methods and channels for advertising and connecting to customers have become prolific.
At the present number of websites accessible over the Internet (estimates as of early 2010 are in the hundreds of millions of websites), and as the number of web sites and web pages increases, the importance to a business of having an Internet presence, including a website, a mobile-ready website, and pages on all the big social media networks, cannot be underestimated.
In order to assist a user to quickly establish an "online" presence, several websites offer, often in conjunction with a domain name registration service, website building tools that provide a user interface for guiding the user through a series of questions and tools to select and configure the layout, content, and order of web pages on the user's website. Such website building tools, for example as provided by Vistaprint.com and by Webs.com, provide a number of tools, accessible via an intuitive user interface, that allow a user to select a theme, a layout, images, text, and a font and color scheme. Such tools may also include graphical controls that upon activation by the user, allow the user to add functionality to the web page. For example, such graphical controls often enable such functionality as adding a map to the web page, adding a form, etc.
Many Internet users access the Internet using their phone or mobile device more frequently than using a traditional device such as a desktop or laptop computer. Some users even access the Internet exclusively using a mobile device. However, the traditional website building applications have not kept pace with this trend. Traditional website building applications are designed for creating web pages optimized for display on the larger screen of the desktop and/or laptop displays. The content of traditional web pages often dictates frequent interaction with the server hosting the website building application and/or hosted website. Often, such website building applications allow the user to create highly customized stylized web pages with images and other content which pass from the server to the requesting device as large data files (500 KB up to several Mbytes). For example, a single image to be rendered on a web page may involve the transfer of one or more Megabytes of data. While such images and fine detail make for a more aesthetic and sophisticated looking website, such content is not ideal for display on mobile devices which have smaller displays and slower data transfer rates. Additionally, website building applications typically utilize the full traditional display screen for displaying the web page under construction and panels of editing controls and widgets that can be dragged and dropped onto the web page. Traditional website building applications are therefore impractical, and depending on the device sometimes impossible, for use on a mobile device. A user operating a mobile device but desiring to create a website must typically wait until they have access to a desktop/laptop device with a traditional screen and high-bandwidth connection to the Internet to select and provision a website.
Finally, to complicate matters, the number of different types of mobile devices with differing operating systems, hardware configuration and capability, and communicating over different types of communication channels with different levels of transmission bandwidth (which on mobile devices is typically much lower than the bandwidth of "wired" lines), adds to the challenges faced by online website management service providers in providing a simple, fast, and intuitive online website creation and editing application.
Accordingly, what is needed is a simple, fast, and intuitive online website creation and editing application and service for allowing Internet users to create and publish a website from any and all of a traditional computing device, mobile device, or tablet device. A website should preferably be created, customized by the user, and published within a short period of time (e.g., 10-15 minutes). A user should further be able to perform all of the creation, customization, editing, and publishing on a mobile device, and the resulting website should look good across all different types of mobile devices.

Website builder systems and methods with device detection to adapt rendering behavior based on device type


A cell phone holding tool includes a dual ring of concentric rings configured to receive a user's finger therethrough and to separate to clip to a vent fin in a vehicle. A push-pull bellows includes a top and a base configured to collapse and to popout from a back of a cell phone where it is mounted. The phone holding tool additionally includes a pivot configured to swivel 360 degrees within the top of the bellows, the pivot configured to lock into place when pushed into the popping bellows. A bracket hinge is configured hold and to tilt the dual ring forward and backward at a variable angle and connect to the dual ring to the pivot. A low durometer clear plastic tubing disposed over each of the concentric rings to provide a clipping friction with the vent fin of the vehicle.

Whether you have trouble navigating the large screen on your mobile device or you're just terrified of dropping that smartphone you paid a small fortune for, you'll want to invest in some sort of phone grip. Some prefer style while others prefer durability but all items must be designed for various models, including Apple and Android products, with some that even do double-duty as kickstands and wallets, too.
Conventional grips available on the market lack certain of all popular features. There is a need in the market for a grip which is easy to use, stylish and economical.


The present disclosure relates to an electromagnetically transparent metamaterial, which comprises a substrate and a plurality of man-made metal microstructures arranged periodically inside the substrate. When an electromagnetic wave propagates through the metamaterial, each of the man-made metal microstructures is equivalent to two identical two-dimensional (2D) circuits, which are placed respectively in a direction perpendicular to an incident direction of the electromagnetic wave and in a direction parallel to the incident direction of the electromagnetic wave, and each of which comprises an inductor branch and two identical capacitor branches that are symmetrically connected in parallel with the inductor branch. The 2D circuits are associated with a waveband of the electromagnetic wave so that both a dielectric constant and a magnetic permeability of the metamaterial are substantially 1 when the electromagnetic wave propagates through the metamaterial.

The electromagnetically transparent material refers to a material that allows an electromagnetic wave to transmit therethrough and hardly changes the properties (including energy) of the electromagnetic wave. The electromagnetically transparent material is widely applied to the fields of aviation, aerospace, military equipment, radio equipment and so on, and functions to satisfy the performance requirements such as reception, transmission, amplification, mixing and radiation of microwave/millimeter-wave signals or to prevent the incident electromagnetic wave from being massively reflected so as to evade the rival's radar detection. The conventional electromagnetically transparent material is a fiber-reinforced resin-based composite material whose transparent property is related with the kind of fibers, the resin matrix, and interfacial properties of the composite material; and the influences of the fibers and the resin matrix on the transparent property of the material depend on the dielectric properties of the fibers and the resin matrix. Because the transparent property of such a conventional electromagnetically transparent material depends on the transparent property of the material itself, both the physical property and the transparent property of the conventional electromagnetically transparent material are not suitable for severe external environments (e.g., at a high temperature or under a high pressure). As a result, the conventional electromagnetically transparent material has a narrow application scope. Moreover, it is complex to adjust electromagnetic parameters of the conventional electromagnetically transparent material because compositions and components of the conventional electromagnetically transparent material must be adjusted with respect to different wavebands of the electromagnetic wave respectively. Consequently, a great amount of experimental verifications is required and the manufacturing cost is high.

High-Tech Industrial Estate, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, Guangdong

KUANG-CHI INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY


A read/write circuit for accessing chalcogenide non-volatile memory cells is disclosed. The read/write circuit includes a chalcogenide storage element, a voltage limiting circuit, a current-to-voltage converter, and a buffer circuit. The voltage limiting circuit, which is coupled to the chalcogenide storage element, ensures that voltages across the chalcogenide storage element will not exceed a predetermined value during a read operation. During a read operation, the current-to-voltage converter, which is coupled to the voltage limiting circuit, converts a current pulse read from the chalcogenide storage element to a voltage pulse. By sensing the voltage pulse from the current-to-voltage converter, the buffer circuit can determine a storage state of the chalcogenide storage element.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to memory circuits in general, and in particular to memory circuits having chalcogenide cells. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a read/write circuit for accessing chalcogenide memory cells.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of electrically writable and erasable phase change materials for electronic memory applications is known in the art. Such phase change materials can be electrically switched between a first structural state where the material is generally amorphous and a second structural state where the material is generally crystalline. The phase change material exhibits different electrical characteristics depending upon its state. For example, in its amorphous state, the phase change material exhibits a lower electrical conductivity than it does in its crystalline state. The phase change material may also be electrically switched between different detectable states of local order across the entire spectrum ranging from the completely amorphous state to the completely crystalline state. In other words, the state switching of the phase change materials is not limited to either completely amorphous or completely crystalline states but rather in incremental steps to provide a "gray scale" represented by a multiplicity of conditions of local order spanning the spectrum from the completely amorphous state to the completely crystalline state.
General speaking, phase change material memory cells are monolithic, homogeneous, and formed of chalcogenide material containing chemical elements selected from the group of Tellurium (Te), Selenium (Se), Antimony (Sb), Nickel (Ni), and Germanium (Ge). Chalcogenide memory cells can be switched between two different electrically detectable states within nanoseconds in response to an input of picojoules of energy. Chalcogenide memory cells are truly non-volatile and can maintain the stored information without the need for periodic refreshing. Furthermore, the stored information remain intact even when power is removed from the chalcogenide memory cells.
The present disclosure describe a read/write circuit for accessing chalcogenide memory cells.

Read/write circuit for accessing chalcogenide non-volatile memory cells

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.


An apparatus is disclosed for wirelessly communicating a digital photograph image file. The image file may be divided into resulting files and the resulting files attached to e-mail messages that are wirelessly transmitted to a wireless network. Upon receipt of the wireless e-mail messages and resulting file attachments, the resulting files are recombined back into the image file.

Digital cameras are becoming increasingly popular—in fact, a recent study suggests that digital camera sales are currently reaching the same level as film camera sales. Early generations of digital cameras include a fixed storage device inside the camera for storing photographed images in digital image files. To retrieve the image files from the storage device, the camera is connected directly to a computer via cables so that the image files can be transferred to the computer. For example, to implement such a connection, a camera may include a serial port, a parallel port, a SCSI port, a USB port, and the like. Such a system of connecting the camera to the computer however, is inconvenient and often results in running out of storage space in the camera.
Newer digital cameras include removable storage devices for storing digital photograph image files. The removable storage devices typically are small, removable, solid-state flash-memory devices that have no moving parts. The removable storage devices can be physically removed from the camera and the image files on the storage device can be subsequently transferred to a computer or printer. This technique allows the user to have several removable storage devices, so that when one storage device becomes full, the user may insert another storage device in the camera. However, if a user desires to take a lot of photographs before transferring the image files to the computer, the user may have to purchase multiple removable storage devices, which may become expensive. Moreover, the transferring of the images from the removable storage devices to the computer is an additional manual user step, which may be inconvenient.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a method and system for a simpler way to transfer digital photograph image files to a computer.

Wirelessly communicating digital photograph image files


The present invention relates to compounds of the formula ##STR1## or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof wherein R is alkyl of 12 carbon atoms, alkenyl of 12 carbon atoms having from 1 to 4 --CH.dbd.CH-- groups when the carbon adjacent to R is saturated and from 1 to 2 --CH.dbd.CH-- groups when the carbon adjacent to R is unsaturated, aryl, heterocyclo, alkoxyalkyl wherein the alkyl groups have 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or aryloxyalkyl wherein the alkyl group has 1 to 6 carbon atoms R.sup.1 is hydrogen, lower alkyl, or a pharmaceutically acceptable cation. These compounds are inhibitors of leukotriene A.sub.4 (LTA.sub.4) hydrolase.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to 3-oxiranyl benzoic acids and derivatives thereof and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts. Compounds of the present invention are useful in treating inflammatory conditions in mammals such as psoriasis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, arthritis, gout and the like. Compounds of the present invention are inhibitors of epoxide hydrolases, specifically leukotriene A.sub.4 (LTA.sub.4) hydrolase which catalyzes the biochemical transformation of LTA.sub.4 into leukotriene B.sub.4 (LTB.sub.4) which is a potent proinflammatory agent.
(b) Prior Art
LTB.sub.4 has been implicated as an important mediator of inflammation due to its potent proinflammatory properties. In neutrophils, LTB.sub.4 production from the unstable allylic epoxide LTA.sub.4 (Formula I) is catalyzed by a cytosolic enzyme LTA.sub.4 hydrolase. ##STR2##
LTB.sub.4 (Formula II) is an arachidonic acid metabolite which is produced by the 5-lipoxygenase pathway. Pharmacologically, LTB.sub.4 is an important mediator of inflammation in mammals. As a mediator of inflammation, LTB.sub.4 is known to induce chemotaxis, chemokinesis, aggregation, and degranulation of leukocytes in vitro, and to induce accumulation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and increase vascular permeability and edema formation in vivo. ##STR3##
Particularly high levels of LTB.sub.4 are detected in lesions in inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid or spondylarthritis, gout, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and some respiratory diseases.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to produce compounds for use as pharmaceutical agents which will inhibit LTB.sub.4 activity in mammals by inhibiting LTA.sub.4 hydrolase and preventing the formation of LTB.sub.4.
U. K. Patent Applications GB 2177401 A and GB 2144422 A and their European counterpart EP-134111-A generically disclose compounds of the formula ##STR4## in which R.sup.1 is an alkenyl or alkynyl group optionally substituted with an optionally substituted phenyl group and containing from 5 to 30 carbon atoms and, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, and R.sup.5 are each selected from hydrogen, carboxyl C.sub.2-5 alkoxycarbonyl, C.sub.1-4 alkyl, C.sub.1-4 alkoxy, hydroxyl, optionally protected tetrazolyl, halo, trifluoromethyl, nitrile, nitro, and --CONR.sup.10.sub.2 where each R.sup.10 is hydrogen or C.sub.1-4 alkyl. These compounds are intermediates useful for preparing pharmaceutical compounds of the formula ##STR5## in which n is 0, 1 or 2, R.sup.1 is hydrocarbyl group optionally substituted with optionally substituted phenyl group containing from 5 to 30 carbon atoms, R.sup.2 is optionally substituted phenyl or C.sub.1-10 alkyl optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from optionally protected hydroxyl, optionally protected carboxyl, nitrile, optionally protected tetrazolyl, --COR.sup.6 where R.sup.6 is C.sub.1-4 alkyl, C.sub.1-4 alkoxy, an optionally protected amino acid residue or --NR.sub.2.sup.7 where each R.sup.7 is hydrogen or C.sub.1-4 alkyl, and --NHR.sup.8 where R.sup.8 is hydrogen, a protecting group, an optionally protected amino acid residue, C.sub.1-4 alkyl or --COR.sup.9 where R.sup.9 is C.sub.1-4 alkyl or C.sub.1-4 alkoxy, and R.sup.3, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are each selected from hydrogen, carboxyl, C.sub.2 5 alkoxycarbonyl, C.sub.1-4 alkyl, C.sub.1-4 alkoxy, hydroxyl, optionally protected tetrazoyl, halo, trifluoromethyl, nitrile, nitro and --CONR.sup.10.sub.2 where each R.sup.10 is hydrogen or C.sub.1-4 alkyl; and salts thereof. These compounds in unprotected form, are disclosed to be pharmacologically active in tests which demonstrate their antagonist effect on leukotriene receptors and indicate their use in the treatment of allergic disorders.
J. Evans, et al., PROSTAGLANDINS, LEUKOTRIENES AND MEDICINE, 23: 167-171 (1986) discloses compounds which inhibit rat and human neutrophil LTA.sub.4 hydrolases; however, these compounds are structurally different from compounds of the present invention.
The pharmacology of the biologically active leukotrienes is generally discussed in J. CLIN. INVEST. 73: 889-897 (1984).


A control unit, which is integrally mounted on a turbo molecular pump, is provided, in which the control unit can be miniaturized or the manufacturing costs are reduced. An upper casing (12) is fastened on a first mounting member (91) of an external device through a fastening member (61) inserted in a through hole (51) of a flange plate (12a). A first base (14) fastened on the upper casing (12) is fastened on a second mounting member (92) of the external device through a fastening member (63) inserted in a through hole (52) of a flange plate (14b). A control unit (70) is fastened on a second base (15) through a fastening member (65). Since torque produced when a rotor (30) is damaged is not asserted to the fastening member (65), strength of the fastening member (65) and a casing of the control unit (70) is small.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a turbo molecular pump device.
2. Description of Related Art
A turbo molecular pump device is mounted in manufacturing devices for manufacturing semiconductor devices or liquid crystals, and a built-in rotor thereof is rotated in high speed, so that gas molecules are taken in from an air inlet and exhausted from an air outlet, thus a high vacuum is created in the manufacturing device. The turbo molecular pump device has a control unit (a power supply device) which drives and controls the turbo molecular pump, and the control unit is integrally formed and fixed on the turbo molecular pump with the built-in rotor by using a fastening member. If the control unit and the turbo molecular pump are integrated, the guiding of a cable connected to a motor or a magnetic bearing of the turbo molecular pump becomes simple; thereby, the efficiency of the connection operation is improved. Therefore, the turbo molecular pump device integrating a turbo molecular pump and a control unit is preferably applied to a large manufacturing device requiring a plurality of turbo molecular pump devices.
Since the rotor of the turbo molecular pump rotates in high speed, the rotor may be damaged due to factors such as interference. If the rotor is damaged, fragments of the rotor may strike a casing member, bringing great damaging torque (emergency stop torque) to the casing member. A flange plate is disposed at a circumferential portion of the air inlet of the turbo molecular pump. The flange plate is fastened on a manufacturing device by using a fastening member, so that the turbo molecular pump is fixed on the manufacturing device.
The control unit is fastened by using a fastening member and fixed on the turbo molecular pump fixed on the manufacturing device. If the rotor is damaged, the damaging torque applied by fragments of the rotor to the casing member may also be transferred to the control unit.
To enhance the strength of the fastening member used to fasten the control unit and the turbo molecular pump to sufficiently endure the damaging torque, the size of the fastening member must be greater, which enlarges the size of the control unit.
Therefore, in a conventional turbo molecular pump device, an octagonal annular recessed portion is formed on the bottom surface of the casing of the turbo molecular pump, and an annular protruding portion engaged with the annular recessed portion is disposed on a casing of the control unit (for example, referring to Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2010-236469). In the above-mentioned turbo molecular pump device, the two casings absorb the damaging torque through the contact of corner portions of the annular recessed portion and the annular protruding portion.
In a structure in which a control unit is fastened on a turbo molecular pump, damaging torque of a rotor may be transferred to the control unit. Therefore, as shown in the Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2010-236469, in the structure in which casings of the turbo molecular pump and the control unit are used to absorb the damaging torque of the rotor, the casing of the control unit must have the strength capable of enduring the damaging torque. Therefore, a wall thickness of the casing of the control unit must be increased or a material with greater strength is used to form the casing, which may be the main contributing factor to a large-sized device or heightened manufacturing costs.


A hand covering has a hand-receiving portion and a cover. The hand-receiving portion is closed at a first end and defining an opening at a second end. The hand covering comprises an air distribution device and an inlet cover. The air distribution device is disposed between the cover and the hand-receiving portion. The air distribution device has an inlet and an outlet. The inlet cover is removably coupled to the inlet of the air distribution device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to hand coverings and more particularly to a hand covering with internal thermal tubes.
2. Description of the Related Art
In cold weather, it is often desirable to keep one's hands warm by wearing gloves or similar hand coverings. A concern arises when, during extreme temperature conditions, it is difficult to maintain ones hands at a comfortable temperature regardless of whether or not one is wearing such hand coverings. Accordingly, hand coverings have been provided that allow a user to warm their hands beyond the temperature, which is provided by simply wearing the hand covering.
Hand coverings have been provided that allow the wearer to introduce heat into the interior of the hand covering. Such hand coverings typically allow the heat to dissipate throughout the entire interior chamber of the hand covering. A problem with such hand coverings is that the heat dissipates quickly and the extremities (i.e., the fingertips) often do not receive the warm air and therefore remain at an uncomfortable, cold temperature. This is a concern because extremities are typically the first part of the body to get cold and are also the most difficult to warm up once they have become cold.
Other hand coverings have been provided that allow air to be ventilated through the chamber of the hand covering in which the hand is placed to allow for air flow and greater comfort for the wearer.
What is needed is an improved hand covering that communicates warm air to the extremities of the wearer's hand without dissipation of the warm air between an inlet and an outlet and allows for adequate ventilation.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A method and apparatus for managing write operations in memory. The method includes a memory including units, each of the units including subunits. Data updates are written “out-of-place”, in that new data does not overwrite the memory locations (subunits) where the data is currently stored. The at least one subunit containing the outdated data is marked as invalid. As a result, a subunit can contain up to date data in a valid subunit next to invalid subunits. For reclaiming units for erasure, it is searched amongst the units to identify a unit or units that match a predetermined criterion. The data of valid subunits of such identified unit is rewritten to another unit or units.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to managing a computerized memory for storing data.
2. Description of Related Art
Solid-state memory devices encompass rewritable non-volatile memory devices which can use electronic circuitry for storing data. Currently, solid-state memory devices start replacing conventional storage devices such as hard disk drives and optical disk drives in some arenas, such as in mass storage applications for laptops or desktops. Solid state memory devices are also investigated for replacing conventional storage devices in other areas such as in enterprise storage systems. This is because solid state memory devices offer exceptional bandwidth as well as excellent random I/O (input/output) performance along with an appreciated robustness due to lack of moveable parts.
However, writing data to a solid-state memory device such as a flash memory device requires paying attention to specifics in the flash technology: NAND Flash memory is organized in units of pages and blocks. Multiple pages form a block. While read and write operations can be applied to pages as a smallest unit of such operation, erase operations can only be applied to entire blocks. And while in other storage technologies outdated data can simply be overwritten by new data, flash technology requires an erase operation before new data can be written to an erased block.
Because in flash technology erase operations take much longer than read or write operations, a writing technique is applied called "write out of place" in which new or updated data is written to some free page offered by a free page allocator instead of writing it to the same page where the outdated data resides. The page containing the outdated data is marked as invalid page.
At some point in time, a process called "garbage collection" frees blocks for new writes by moving the content of all valid pages of a block to free pages at one or more different blocks. As a result, the subject block finally comprises invalid pages only and can be erased. While this procedure requires some additional write operations in excess, it is apparent that by such approach immediate as well as frequent erase operations are avoided which would contribute to a much higher overall processing than an overhead of some additional write operations do.
The same mechanism applies to any memory structure in which new or updated data are written out-of-place, whereby data updates to outdated data are not written to the subunit containing the outdated data, but to a log which provides a series of free subunits where data is to be written to and where such subunits typically can not be subunits subsequent to each other in the organization of the storage device but can be scattered around the storage device and be offered by an allocation engine. Such systems can be referred to as log-structured file systems.
In the following, it can be referred to blocks instead of units, and to pages instead of subunits. Blocks and pages follow a nomenclature used in connection with flash-based solid-state storage devices. For the entire application it is understood that neither the content nor the scope of protection shall be restricted to the flash-based storage technology. Any other solid state storage technology such phase change memories, magnetic RAM memories, etc. shall be encompassed, too, as is any log structured file system making use of a storage device in a log-structured way.
The more data is written over time, the less free pages can be offered and new blocks can need to be reclaimed for a free block queue, i.e. a queue for providing free, i.e. erased blocks for writing new or updated data to. New free blocks need to be reclaimed from blocks filled with valid and/or invalid data. The block reclaiming process first identifies blocks for cleaning based on a given policy. Then valid data still residing in these blocks is copied (relocated) to other blocks, and finally the blocks that now are free from valid data are erased and become available again for rewriting. Consequently, the reclaiming mechanism introduces additional read and write operations, the extent of which depends on the specific policy deployed as well as on system parameters. The additional write operations result in the multiplication of user writes, a phenomenon referred to as "write amplification". As the number of erase/write operations that can be performed before a solid state storage device wears out is limited, the extent of the write amplification is critical because it negatively affects the lifetime and endurance of solid state storage devices. Therefore, a reclaiming mechanism is efficient when it keeps the write amplification as low as possible, and also achieves a good wear leveling in the sense of blocks being worn out as evenly as possible.
In connection with log-structured file systems implemented on a hard disk reclaiming mechanisms are discussed. In "The Design and Implementation of a Log-Structured File System" by M. Rosenblum and J. Ousterhout, ACM Transactions on Computer Systems, Volume 10, No 1, pages 26-52, February 1992, a technique for disk storage management called a log-structured file system is introduced which writes all modifications to a disk sequentially in a log-like structure, thereby speeding up both file writing and crash recovery. The log is the only structure on the disk; it contains indexing information so that files can be read back from the log efficiently. In order to maintain large free areas on disk for fast writing, the log is divided into segments and uses a segment cleaner to compress the live information from heavily fragmented segments. One of the cleaners introduced uses a policy where it always chooses the least-utilized segments to clean.
When put in context with a flash-based solid state drive, the above policy introduces the usage of blocks only with the smallest number of valid pages for erasure, such that it yields the most amount of free space for reclaiming by means of a single action. As systems encountered in practice are comprised of thousands of blocks, the above reclaiming process would take a substantial amount of time to examine all of the blocks in order to select the block with the minimum amount of valid pages. This is also the case when the number of valid pages of blocks is constantly updated upon each host write. Depending on the processor's capabilities the time required can be prohibitively long.
To reduce the number of CPU cycles consumed by the such reclaiming process a windowed reclaiming scheme is proposed in "Write Amplification Analysis in Flash-Based Solid State Drives" by X.-Y. Hu, E. Eleftheriou, R. Haas, I. Iliadis, and R. Pletka, in Proceedings of the Israeli Experimental Systems Conference (SYSTOR), Haifa, Israel, pp. 1-9, Can 2009. According to this scheme, occupied blocks are maintained in a queue according to the order in which they have been written, with the oldest blocks occupying the first positions. The windowed reclaiming process restricts the selection process to the oldest w blocks only, which correspond to the first w positions in the queue as they are more likely to contain the least number of valid pages. As the window size w decreases, the number of CPU cycles consumed by the reclaiming process decreases, but the write amplification increases. The optimal choice of w requires knowledge of the overprovisioning factor of the system, which however can either not be available, or vary, i.e. not being constant during the lifetime of the device.

Reclaiming units by searching units for a predetermined criterion and storing data from a valid subunit

International Business Machines Corporation


A data transfer control system includes: a port control section which controls ports P1 and P2 respectively connected with an electronic instrument PC1 and an electronic instrument PC2; and a bus reset issue section which issues a bus reset. The port P2 is set to a disabled state, and then the bus reset is issued to cause the electronic instrument PC1 to acquire an access right. The port P2 is set to an enabled state after the bus reset has been issued and the electronic instrument PC1 has acquired the access right. After the electronic instrument PC2 has been detected to be in a suspended state, a resume packet is transferred to the electronic instrument PC2. The port P2 is set to a disabled state after the power for the data transfer control system has been turned on.

The present invention relates to a data transfer control system, an electronic instrument, a program, and a data transfer control method.
In recent years, an interface standard called IEEE1394 has attracted attention. A protocol called Serial Bus Protocol-2 (SBP-2) has been proposed as a higher level protocol including a part of the function of the transaction layer of IEEE1394. SBP-2 (SBP in a broad sense) has been proposed to enable a command set of SCSI (SPC-2) to be utilized on the protocol of IEEE1394. The command set which has been used in an electronic instrument conforming to the SCSI standard can be used in an electronic instrument conforming to the IEEE1394 standard by using SBP-2 by merely adding minimum changes to the command set. Therefore, the design and development of an electronic instrument can be facilitated.
In SBP-2, peer-to-peer data transfer is performed between an electronic instrument as an initiator (personal computer, for example) and an electronic instrument as a target (storage device, for example). Therefore, after the initiator logs in to the target and acquires an access right, the initiator exclusively possesses the access right (SBP-2 access right) to the target. Therefore, another electronic instrument cannot access the target.
There may be a case where an expansion device (an expansion electronic instrument) is provided for a notebook type personal computer (hereinafter may be called "PC") as an option for expanding the function of the notebook type personal computer. A storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) and a CD drive and various interfaces such as IEEE1394 and USB are provided to the expansion device. The user can utilize various functions (storage device and port) of the expansion device by connecting the notebook type PC with the expansion device. This eliminates the need to provide the expansion functions of the expansion device to the main body of the notebook type PC, whereby reduction of the weight and size of the notebook type PC can be achieved.
However, in the case of connecting the notebook type PC with the expansion device, if another PC acquires the access right to the expansion device (right to use the bus), the user cannot utilize the expansion functions of the expansion device.

Data transfer control system, electronic instrument, program, and data transfer control method


Windowed multiuser detection techniques are disclosed. A window of data is established, and certain central bits within the window are selected as reliable, while other side bits are ignored. The selected bits are demodulated. The windowed multiuser detector moves along to the next window in such a manner that the next group of central bit decisions lay contiguous with the previous set, and eventually every bit to be demodulated has at some point been a central bit decision. Most any type of MUD algorithm (e.g., MMSE algorithm MUD or M-algorithm MUD) can be used to compute estimates in the windowed data. Unreliable windowed data are distinguished from reliable data (e.g., weighting or other de-emphasis scheme).

Receivers for digital communications systems are becoming available which can handle several transmissions simultaneously. Such receivers typically make use of multiuser detection, commonly referred to as MUD. Multiuser detection is a means by which several signals, either completely or partially occupying a single communications channel, can be separated mathematically.
To operate, a MUD receiver must have the received data available, and must have knowledge of the basic waveform transmitted at each transmitter, as appearing in the receiver. This basic waveform is commonly referred to as a composite signature waveform. Each transmission's composite signature waveform is the waveform that would be present in the receiver, if only one data symbol had been transmitted by each transmitter individually. These waveforms each define a column in an 'S' matrix in the MUD receiver, sometimes called the signature matrix.
When a receiver is operating in an asynchronous environment with inter-symbol interference, the structure of the S-matrix becomes more complicated. In particular, the asynchronisity will delay individual columns of the S-matrix, causing signals which once lined-up to shift with respect to each other. Furthermore, an inter-symbol interference problem will be reflected in waveforms (columns of the S matrix) which extend beyond the boundaries of what is normally attributed to a symbol. These problems conspire to alter the way a multiuser detection system works.
In more detail, for a completely synchronous system, with waveforms that do not extend beyond the boundaries of a symbol decision, demodulation of a series of symbols can be accomplished without loss of optimality, by breaking the problem up into individual symbol-by-symbol demodulations. This is mathematically possible because the S matrix is block-diagonal, and the problem naturally separates. Referring to FIG. 1a, in such a completely synchronous case, the larger MUD problem r=S*b is separable into (as many bits are in a frame) several smaller problems, ri=S*b1. Each of the sub-matrices S are identical, and just shifted in time to make up the larger matrix S, which covers the whole frame of data.
However, in an asynchronous system, the MUD receiver is faced with an inseparability problem, where the columns of the S matrix are overlapping, mixing together the contributions of S*bi in the received data. As individual signals are allowed to be asynchronous, the waveforms due to each overlap in complicated ways, introducing dependencies amongst bit decisions. These dependencies typically inter-relate (a→b→c etc.) in such a way that even a small level asynchronous reception can result in a whole frame of data that has inter-related bits. This asynchronous situation is depicted in FIG. 1b. Note that the individual S sub-matrices making up S matrix are overlapping in time. Thus, a system of ensuring separability at the receiver must be employed, by limiting the time response of each transmission, combined with some means of synchronizing each source.
Achieving synchronization of the several sources at the receiver, however, is not trivial, and can be difficult to achieve. Resources of the system (as reflected in the overhead of transmitting control messages) must be spent to control the exact timing of each source. In addition, if the temporal response of each transmission must be reduced to further ensure the separability, this will result in a larger bandwidth of signal, which also spends resources of the system by reducing available frequency bands for transmission. Generally stated, demodulation of a frame's worth of data in an asynchronous system with inter-symbol interference is typically unfeasible. In all but academic situations, the MUD module needed in such a case would be prohibitively complicated.
What is needed, therefore, is a solution to the problem of the computational complexity of a multiuser detector (any variety) when a large number of symbols need to be jointly demodulated, and in particular, when either asynchronous reception or intersymbol interference is encountered.

Bae Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.


Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to techniques for reducing stress asymmetry in sputtered polycrystalline films. In certain example embodiments, sputtering apparatuses that include one or more substantially vertical, non-conductive shield(s) are provided, with such shield(s) helping to reduce the oblique component of sputter material flux, thereby promoting the growth of more symmetrical crystallites. In certain example embodiments, the difference between the travel direction tensile stress and the cross-coater tensile stress of the sputtered film preferably is less than about 15%, more preferably less than about 10%, and still more preferably less than about 5%.

The use of sputtering in order to deposit coatings on substrates is known in the art. For example, and without limitation, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,922,176; 5,403,458; 5,317,006; 5,527,439; 5,591,314; 5,262,032; and 5,284,564, the entire contents of each of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. Briefly, sputter coating is a thin film coating process that involves the transport of almost any material from a target to a substrate of almost any other material. The ejection of the target material is accomplished by bombarding the surface of the target with gas ions accelerated by a high voltage. Particles are ejected from the target as a result of momentum transfer between the accelerated gas ions and the target. Upon ejection, the target particles traverse the sputtering chamber and are subsequently deposited on a substrate as a thin film.
Sputtering processes typically utilize an enclosed chamber confining a sputtering gas, a target electrically connected to a cathode, a substrate, and a chamber which itself may serve as the electrical anode. A power supply typically is connected such that the negative terminal of the power supply is connected to the cathode and the positive terminal is connected to the chamber walls. In operation, a sputtering gas plasma is formed and maintained within the chamber near the surface of the sputtering target. By electrically connecting the target to the cathode of the sputtering power supply and creating a negative surface charge on the target, electrons are emitted from the target. These electrons collide with atoms of the sputtering gas, thereby stripping away electrons from the gas molecules and creating positively charged ions. The resulting collection of positively charged ions together with electrons and neutral atoms is referred to generally as a sputtering gas plasma. The positively charged ions are accelerated toward the target material by the electrical potential between the sputtering gas plasma and the target and bombard the surface of the target material. As ions bombard the target, molecules of target material are ejected from the target surface and coat the substrate.
One known technique for enhancing conventional sputtering processes involves arranging magnets behind or near the target to influence the path taken by electrons within the sputtering chamber, thereby increasing the frequency of collisions with sputtering gas atoms or molecules. Additional collisions create additional ions, thus further sustaining the sputtering gas plasma. An apparatus utilizing this enhanced form of sputtering by means of strategically located magnets generally is referred to as a magnetron system.
Unfortunately, conventional sputtering techniques suffer from several disadvantages. For example, stress asymmetry in the travel and cross-coated directions of sputter-deposited polycrystalline films is a concern, especially in large-area applications that often require film patterning. Such applications include, for example, photovoltaic applications, flat-panel (e.g., plasma, LCD, etc.) display applications, etc. Some of the negative effects of stress asymmetry include, for example, layer delamination after laser scribing and subsequent heating in connection with photovoltaic devices, the formation of "mottling" defects in low-emissivity (low-E) products, layer peeling, etc. In certain coating applications, the inventors of the instant application observed stress asymmetry amount to a factor of three. In other words, the stress in the cross-coater direction was approximately three times as great as the stress in the travel direction, as measured, for example, in MPa.
One of the causes of stress asymmetry relates to the significant oblique component of the incoming material flux. The oblique component is subject to "shadowing effects," e.g., whereby crystalline tips (e.g., "higher points") receive more deposited material per unit time than valleys. Such shadowing effects tend to result in the formation of a granular structure including voids, which contributes to an increase in tensile stress in the direction of the higher oblique components, and/or a reduced amount of compressive stress, depending on the film. In this regard, FIG. 1 is an enlarged view of a sputter coated film produced using a conventional sputtering apparatus. FIG. 1 shows "normal" growth that tends to result in substantially columnar crystalline growth, as well as oblique growth that tends to result in voids.
It noted that the same or similar causes also contribute to "edge effects," e.g., where the thickness and sometimes even the physical properties of the coating are different from those of the rest of the coated area.
Thus, it will be appreciated that there is a need in the art for improved sputtering apparatuses and/or methods. It also will be appreciated that there is a need in the art for sputtering apparatuses and/or methods that reduce stress asymmetry in polycrystalline films.
One illustrative aspect of certain example embodiments relates to sputtering apparatuses that include one or more substantially vertical, non-conductive shield(s) are provided, with such shield(s) helping to reduce the oblique component of sputter material flux and also promoting the growth of more symmetrical crystallites.
In certain example embodiments of this invention, a magnetron sputtering apparatus for sputter coating an article in a reactive environment is provided. A vacuum chamber is provided. A sputtering target is located in the vacuum chamber, with the sputtering target having a target material located thereon. At least one shield is located proximate to the target such that a major axis of the each said shield runs parallel to a travel direction of the article to be sputter coated. Each said shield is electrical isolated and substantially non-magnetic. Each said shield is disposed in the vacuum chamber at a location suitable for reducing the oblique component of sputter material flux produced during the sputter coating of the article.
In certain example embodiments, a method of making a coated article is provided. A coating is sputtered onto the article via a magnetron sputtering apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber and a sputtering target located in the vacuum chamber, with the sputtering target having a target material located thereon, and with at least one shield located proximate to the target such that a major axis of the shield runs parallel to a travel direction of the article to be sputter coated. Each said shield is electrical isolated and substantially non-magnetic. Each said shield is disposed in the vacuum chamber at a location suitable for reducing the oblique component of sputter material flux produced during the sputter coating of the article such that the difference between the travel direction tensile stress and the cross-coater tensile stress of the coating on the article is less than about 15%.
In certain example embodiments, a magnetron sputtering apparatus for sputter coating an article in a reactive environment is provided. A vacuum chamber is provided. A sputtering target is located in the vacuum chamber, with the sputtering target having a target material located thereon. A cathode is connected to the planar sputtering target. One or more magnets are arranged to facilitate the sputter coating of the article. A plurality of shields is located proximate to, and spaced apart from, the target such that a major axis of each said shield runs parallel to a travel direction of the article to be sputter coated. Each said shield is electrical isolated and substantially non-magnetic. The length of each said shield is substantially the same as the dimension of the target that corresponds to the travel direction of the article to be sputter coated. Each said shield is disposed in the vacuum chamber at a location suitable for reducing the oblique component of sputter material flux produced during the sputter coating of the article.
The features, aspects, advantages, and example embodiments described herein may be combined to realize yet further embodiments.

Apparatus and method for making sputtered films with reduced stress asymmetry


Systems and methods for measuring the state of polarization (SOP) for each wavelength channel in a multi-wavelength-channel light beam are disclosed. The system includes a set of two or more rapidly switchable waveplates switched to form a sequence of secondary light beams having different polarizations. A polarizer filters the set of secondary light beams, and a spectral dispersing element spatially divides the secondary light beams into their respective wavelength components. A detector array measures in parallel the intensity of the different wavelength components for each of the polarization-filtered light beams. A controller stores the intensity measurements and calculates the Stokes parameters for each wavelength component, thereby characterizing the SOP for all the wavelength channels of the multi-wavelength light beam.

Optics plays a key role in enabling today's information technology revolution by providing a means for high bandwidth communications. Optical transmission bandwidths have been increasing at rates exceeding the famous Moore's Law of the semiconductor electronics industry. Single channel data rates of 10 Gb/s are common, and 40 Gb/s systems are on the horizon. Wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) allows for transmitting multiple (i.e., tens or even hundreds) of lightwave signals at different wavelengths ("wavelength channels") over the same optical fiber. To date, WDM techniques having data transmission rates exceeding 1 Tb/s have been demonstrated.
To sustain this growth, new technologies are needed both to monitor and to mitigate new transmission impairments attendant with rapidly increasing data rates. In particular, effects related to the polarization state of light (i.e., the orientation of the electric field vector associated with the lightwave signal) have recently emerged as key issues in extending the performance of lightwave systems. The state of polarization (SOP) of light emerging from a length of single-mode optical fiber is usually scrambled, even for input light with a well defined SOP. This polarization scrambling results from very small and essentially random perturbations to the circular symmetry of long fiber optic cables arising both from the manufacturing process and from environmental perturbations.
Polarization effects impact lightwave system performance in several important ways. For example, polarization-dependent loss (PDL) occurs because transmission, reflection, and diffraction of light from optical components is typically a function of polarization. Thus, the PDLs of the individual components of a lightwave system combine to affect system performance, particularly since the SOP may be scrambled between the different components. Lightwave systems must therefore be designed to withstand even worst-case PDL effects. Resulting system impairments from PDL can be mitigated either by reducing the PDLs of individual components (which usually adds cost) or by measuring, characterizing and controlling the SOP within the lightwave system.
Also, in some wavelength-division multiplexed (WDM) communication systems (e.g., undersea lightwave transmission systems), adjacent wavelength channels are orthogonally polarized. This allows neighboring channels to be separated both on the basis of wavelength and polarization, and enables closer channel spacing (in wavelength) than would be possible without the use of orthogonal polarizations. On the other hand, any frequency-dependent polarization scrambling that degrades the orthogonality of adjacent channels leads to polarization cross-talk and impaired system performance. Therefore, the wavelength-dependent polarization behavior of such systems must be measured, characterized and controlled.
Further, polarization scrambling in fiber optic propagation arises from random birefringence in the fiber. Random birefringence in optical fibers may be modeled as a series of randomly oriented wave plates, each of which induces a small differential delay between the polarization components aligned along the fast and slow waveplate axes. The output signal experiences wavelength-dependent polarization scrambling, as well as a wavelength-dependent and input-polarization-dependent delays. These polarization-mode dispersion (PMD) effects lead to random signal fading and increased digital error rates. PMD is already seen as an important adverse effect in today's 10 Gb/s per channel lightwave systems and as a key limiting impairment in industry's quest to move to 40 Gb/s and beyond. The dominant scheme for PMD compensators requires measuring the SOP, manipulating the SOP, and then introducing a controlled polarization-dependent delay.
It is known that a polarized light beam is completely defined by the four Stokes parameters S0, S1, S2 and S3. The parameter So is the total power (e.g., intensity) of the beam. The parameter S1 is the relative power of the vertical versus horizontal polarization component. The parameter S2 is the relative power of the +45° polarization component versus the −45° polarization component. The parameter S3 is the relative power of the right-circular polarization component versus the left-circular polarization component.
In all of the above examples, measuring the SOP (e.g., via determination of the Stokes parameters) is important. However, present day lightwave polarization measurement systems have significant shortcomings for WDM optical communications mainly because they can only measure one wavelength channel at a time.
By way of example, FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram of a prior art polarization measurement system 10. System 10 includes three polarization-independent beam splitters 14 and two mirrors 16, arranged as shown, that break up an input polarized light beam 18 into four separate polarized beams 20A, 20B, 20C and 20D. These four beams are used to separately measure the four Stokes parameters. System 10 includes polarizers 22A, 22B, 22C and 22D placed in the path of beams 20A, 20B, 20C and 20D aligned respectively at 0°, 45°, 90°, and 0°. Associated with and arranged upstream of polarizer 22D is a quarter wave plate 24 so that circularly polarized light (e.g., right-hand circular polarization) can be measured. System 10 includes four photodetectors 30A, 30B, 30C and 30D respectively arranged immediately downstream of polarizers 22A, 22B, 22C and 22D. Photodetectors 30A, 30B, 30C and 30D are each connected to a controller 40.
Measuring the intensity of each of polarized beams 20A, 20B, 20C and 20D with respective detectors 30A, 30B, 30C and 30D allows the four Stokes parameters to be measured, which in turn allows the SOP of input beam 18 to be completely determined (i.e., "characterized"), e.g., by computation in controller 40.
FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of another prior art polarization measurement system 50 that is more compact than system 10 of FIG. 1A. System 50 includes, in order along an axis A1, a set 56 of adjustable (i.e., movable) waveplates 60, a polarizer 66 with a fixed orientation, and a photodetector 70 coupled to a controller 80. Waveplates 60 are adjusted (e.g., variable-thickness plates are moved relative to one another to vary the overall retardation) to obtain the four polarization orientations needed to calculate the Stokes parameters. The intensity measurements for each setting of adjustable waveplates 60 are made sequentially by detector 70 and stored in controller 80. When the measurements for each setting are completed, the Stokes parameters for polarized light beam 18 are calculated.
While prior art polarization measurement systems such as those described above are suitable for measuring one wavelength channel at a time, they are unsuitable for lightwave transmission systems that employ multiple wavelengths. Because the trend in lightwave communications is to multiplex and transmit optical signals (i.e., lightwaves) having multiple (e.g., tens or hundreds of) wavelengths, there is a need for systems and methods that allow for quickly measuring and characterizing the SOP for each of the different wavelengths (i.e., wavelength channels) in the multi-wavelength beam.

Wavelength-parallel polarization measurement systems and methods


There is provided a system for imitating distribution and explanation of conference documents in an actual conference so that a conference held in a desktop coferencing system can be made to approximate an actual conference. The system constituted of a transmitting side apparatus and at least one receiving side apparatus includes information management control units for managing the conference documents and information concerning the participants in the conference and controlling the whole system based on the management information, an input unit for inputting the conference documents as data, a transmitting unit and a receiving unit for exchanging data of the conference documents and the management information, a storing unit for storing the data of the conference documents received by the receiving unit, and document display units for displaying the conference documents. In such a system configuration, a conference document displayed in the transmitting side apparatus is transmitted to the receiving side apparatus so that the conference document can be not only stored in the storing unit, but also displayed to the document display unit. Thus, the transmitting side apparatus can distribute any conference document through a network to the receiving side apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a conferencing system, a terminal apparatus, a communication method and a storage medium.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, intense interest has been shown in work toward a desktop conferencing system using computers such as personal computers. Such a desktop conferencing system allows a plurality of terminals remote from one another to share the same application software or to commonly utilize an electronic blackboard by exchanging data to be used in respective personal computers together with video images and audio information.
In the desktop conferencing system, developments have been made to a video telephone for imitating existing identification of participants attaining an actual conference where the participants are gathered in a conference room, and to an image plane (image) shared device for imitating a discussion held on a white board.
In such a conventional image plane shared device, since all the participants always refer to the same image plane, when one of the participants takes a memo, e.g., he or she draws something on the image plane such as in an electronic blackboard, all the participants must share the drawing without fail. At an actual conference, however, sharing the same memo or drawing cannot take place. The present inventors assume that, when documents are distributed among the participants in the actual conference, the participants take the following actions:
(1) each participant refers to any of the documents freely and independently of the other participants, PA1 (2) each participant makes memos personally in the document, and PA1 (3) a document distributor points out a specific page and a specific point of the document to the participants for explaining the document so that each participant can refer to the document according to the explanation.
It is therefore required to provide an apparatus for imitating distribution and explanation of conference documents in an actual conference or supporting such functions in a desktop video conferencing system so that a conference held in the desktop conferencing system can be made to approximate the actual conference.

Conferencing system, terminal apparatus communication method and storage medium for storing the method


A method for active hybridization in microarrays includes pumping an already prepared sample through a denaturing unit with a microarray and then through a reaction region which is spatially separate from the denaturing unit. The denatured reactive sample components are hybridized in the reaction region.

The present disclosure relates to a method for active hybridization with a separate denaturation function.
Microarrays are known as modern molecular-biology test systems. They allow the parallel analysis of several thousand single detections in a small amount of biological sample material. Consequently, various forms of microarrays have been established, which are classified according to the nature of their interactions. These include, firstly, nucleic acid-based microarrays, which are used, for example, to detect DNA, mRNA or rRNA of particular genes of organisms. For this purpose, cDNA, oligonucleotides or fragments of PCR products which are complementary to the mRNA are printed on support materials ("spotted microarrays"). In the case of the "oligonucleotide microarrays", synthetically produced oligonucleotides are applied to, for example, glass supports. The oligonucleotides acting as probes generate, on the supports, the greatest possible density of information on a very small space in a manner similar to a computer chip, and so microarrays are also readily referred to as "gene chips" or "biochips".
Further known embodiments are protein arrays, which detect, for example, antigen-antibody, enzyme-substrate, receptor-protein or other protein-protein interactions. It is also possible to detect and quantify binding of nucleic acids to proteins.
When using microarrays in microbiology, the biomolecules from a sample which is, in general, processed and pretreated are applied to the microarray, and, on the individual sites ("spots") of the microarray, specific binding reactions occur, which consequently provide information about the presence of particular molecules, for example DNA fragments, in the sample. A prerequisite for this binding reaction is the presence of the DNA or RNA as single strands, and so a prior denaturation step is imperative. In the case of generally increasing automation, there is a multiplicity of approaches for performing very many individual steps of the analysis within one device unit in order to thus save time and costs. This includes the use of micropumps, by means of which the extremely small sample volumes are transported within the device units; see in this regard, for example, US 2004/0141856A1.
The actual binding procedure or the hybridization to the probes of the microarray can in turn occupy two or more hours, since the movement of the particles is in accordance with Brownian motion and therefore takes place very slowly. Also, as a result, only some of the target molecules present in the sample reach the respective capture structure, i.e., the probes.

Method for active hybridization in microarrays with denaturing function


Sound processing technology is provided whereby sound can be changed to correspond to changes in the viewpoint for generating a virtual image. The sound processing device generates sound corresponding to a virtual image obtained by observing a virtual space from any one of a plurality of viewpoints set inside this space. It comprises sound generation conditions determining means for identifying the viewpoint of the virtual image currently being generated and determining sound generation conditions for the sound corresponding to the identified viewpoint, and sound generating means for generating sound based on sound signals in accordance with the determined sound generation conditions determined by the sound generation conditions determining means. A very realistic environment is provided to a player viewing the image.

Conventionally, in game processing devices which conduct so-called "3D" image processing, whereby an object present in a virtual space is represented three-dimensionally, there have been game devices wherein the viewpoint can be switched. Here, "viewpoint" means the viewpoint from which models for playing a game (people or cars, etc.) are observed in a virtual space created for the purpose of playing the game. In terms of computer graphics, this means the viewpoint for converting to a viewpoint image system by converting the global coordinates system defining the virtual images to a field of view system.
In a game, unlike a simulator, the models operated by the players are observed from viewpoints which are generally impossible, in order to maintain operability and the excitement of the game. For example, in a baseball game, desirably, the viewpoint is not located at the actual position of the batter's eyes, but rather it is located in a position where the figure of the batter can be seen, such that the player can control the batter's actions. Furthermore, in a game featuring a car race, apart from the driver's viewpoint at the driving seat, there may also be a viewpoint which allows the whole of the car operated by the player to be seen. In other words, in many recent games, the player can select the position of the viewpoint as he or she desires.
However, in the aforementioned game processing devices, even if the viewpoint is switched, there is no change in the sound generated corresponding to the virtual image, and hence there is a lack of realism in playing the game.
Images in a game processing device are displayed three-dimensionally in order to raise the sense of realism and make the game more stimulating by basing the images provided in the game on the actual experience of the players. On the other hand, the realism of the game depends not only on the image display, but also on the high-quality sound provided corresponding to the virtual images. If realism is an important factor, then desirably, this sound should imitate the sound that the player might be expected to hear if he or she is assumed to be positioned at the viewpoint of the virtual space.
However, in conventional game processing devices, although it is possible to switch the viewpoint from which the virtual space is observed, since there is no corresponding change in the sound, there is a lack of unity between the image and the sound, and hence there is a poor sense of realism.
Furthermore, in conventional processing devices, if the viewpoint is switched, then the difficulty of the game changes. This is because the position of the viewpoint greatly affects the difficulty of the game. Namely, a viewpoint whereby it is possible to see the figure of the batter in a baseball game as described above, or the whole of a car in a car race game, makes it easier to judge, for instance, the distance to other objects in the game (objects displayed in the virtual space), and it becomes easier to comprehend the situation in which the model operated by the player is present, thus making it easier to play the game. In particular, in the case of a car race game, a viewpoint where the whole of the car can be seen is regarded as a viewpoint which makes the game relatively easier to play. On the other hand, in the case of a viewpoint which is located at the position of the driver s eyes, providing a view exactly as if the player is sitting in the driver's seat, although this has the effect of increasing the sense of realism, in fact it makes driving more difficult. Since there is a difference in operability between these games, if a game is played in correspondence with another player, then a player playing the game from a viewpoint at the driver's seat will be at a disadvantage compared to another player playing the game from a viewpoint where the whole of the car can be seen. This is because from a viewpoint at the driver's seat, it is difficult to assess the attitude of the car, for instance, if the car is sliding, or to observe others cars approaching from the rear at an early stage.
Therefore, it is necessary to make such changes in difficulty less likely to occur by providing different information to the player in response to changes in the viewpoint. In other words, if the visual information from the screen is insufficient, it is necessary to supplement this lack of information by means of sound. For this purpose, the game should be devised such that different sound effects are provided when the viewpoint is switched. If the sound effects can be changed in this way, then even if a viewpoint which is conventionally regarded as disadvantageous is selected, this disadvantage is offset by the sound, and a sense of challenge can be reintroduced into the game.

Game device, image sound processing device and recording medium


A head for use in a combination float and maximum liquid level gauge. The head has a receptacle for receiving the support member of a float gauge and contains a passageway one end of which is positioned so that it will be exposed to the interior of a LP gas vessel and the other end of a passageway is external of the LP gas container. The exterior end is closed by a valve. The head may be used in conjunction with a dip tube, a float gauge, or a float gauge which has been modified to function as a dip tube to provide a combination fixed liquid level and float gauge.

The present invention relates to the gauges and in particular gauges for measuring the liquid level of liquefied petroleum gases.
As used herein, liquefied petroleum gas (LP gas) refers to either the liquid or vapor state. LP gas is pressurized and stored in a pressure container. The more specific terms of xe2x80x9cliquid LP gasxe2x80x9d will refer to the pressurized gases in the liquid state and the term xe2x80x9cvapor LP gasxe2x80x9d will refer to the vapor phase of such gases. Because the volume of the liquefied gas varies with atmospheric temperature, it is important that the volume of the liquefied gas not be equal to the volume of the storage container otherwise there is a risk of bursting the storage container. Thus a filled container represents a maximum safe volume of liquid LP gas over which is a pressurized vapor LP gas. The liquid level of the liquid LP gas is measured typically by a float gauge. The level of liquid LP gas in the container can also be measured with a fixed liquid level gauge. A fixed liquid level gauge uses a dip tube and a relatively small positive shutoff valve and is designed to indicate when the liquid level in the container being filled reaches a point at which the dip tube communicates with the interior of the container. More typically a fixed maximum liquid level gauge is employed which it is set by proper dip tube length to the liquid level at which a container is filled to its maximum permitted filling limit under applicable safety guidelines. The fixed liquid level gauge allows pressurized vapor LP gas to be expelled through the gauge while the liquid level is below the dip tube as the tank is being filled. When the liquid level reaches the lower end of the dip tube, liquid begins to be expelled from the gauge, and the condensation of water vapor in the air can be seen enunciating that liquid has risen to the height indicated by the fixed liquid gauge.
Float gauges typically are constructed such that a float is positioned inside the container which rests on the liquid surface and the position of the float is transmitted through a lever mechanism and linkages to a pointer and dial outside the container. The motion of the float is conveyed to the gauge typically by magnetic linkage through a non-magnetic plate so that no LP gas is released to the atmosphere. The filling operation and the limit of fill is controlled by the weight of liquid LP gas or some prefer to utilize the fixed maximum liquid level gauge in order to ensure that the maximum safe permissible volume is not exceeded when the container is filled. Employment of both a float actuated contents gauge or the fixed liquid level gauge in the past required two openings in the container. There has been a need to minimize the number of openings required in a container and to simplify design and manufacturing costs, the present invention has the advantages requiring only one opening in the container for both gauges, simplifies construction and reduces the number of parts required while still providing both a float contents gauge and a fixed maximum liquid level gauge.
One object of the invention is to provide a gauge head configured to serve both as a head for a float gauge and for a fixed liquid level gauge. In one aspect, the invention is a body having a top and bottom with a passageway passing through the body having a first end and a second end and the body defines a receptacle to receive the end of a float support member. In the preferred embodiment the first end of said passageway is adapted to receive a dip tube for the maximum liquid level gauge and a valve is positioned at the second end of said passageway. In a preferred embodiment the body also includes a recess on the top surface to receive a dial assembly adapted to magnetically link with the magnet on a float arm assembly. In the preferred embodiment, the gauge is designed to be mounted on the top of the pressure vessel.
Another object of the invention is to provide for a simplified construction in which a separate dip tube for the maximum liquid level gauge is not required. In this embodiment, the invention has a gauge head for a float and fixed liquid level gauge comprising of body having a top and bottom, the body defines a receptacle for receiving a float support member of a float arm assembly and also defines a passageway having a first and second end, said first end communicating with the receptacle for the tubular member of the float arm assembly. The second end of the passageway is adapted to receive a valve.
In another aspect, the present invention is a combined float and fixed maximum liquid level gauge head comprising a body having a top and bottom and defining a receptacle for the float support and defining a passageway having a first and second end said first end communicating with the receptacle for the float support member and said second end adapted to receive a valve. The float support member defines a passageway and when attached to the receptacle extends from the bottom of the head, said support member""s passageway communicates with the passageway in said head to form an extended passageway by joining the passageways. In another embodiment the support member is the length of a maximum filled dip tube. In another embodiment the support member is supplied with an orifice at a distance from the head where a maximum filled dip tube would be.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to a complete gauge having both a fixed liquid level and float gauge. The gauge is formed from one of the heads described above with the attachment of a dip tube and float gauge components having a top and bottom with a bushing at the top and a bushing at the bottom to hold rotatably a shaft having a magnet there. The shaft has a top and bottom. The top being equipped with a magnet and the bottom with a gear to engage a gear assembly attached to the float arm.
Movement of the float causes the float arm to move, rotating the shaft and the attached magnet. The magnet on the shaft is magnetically linked with a magnet in the dial assembly. Rotation of the magnet on the shaft rotates the magnets in the dial assembly causing the pointer to move.

Float gauge with fixed liquid level gauge