The present invention comprises methods and devices for generating and providing contrast medium for sonography of structures such as ducts and cavities. The invention provides for creation of a contrast medium comprising detectable acoustic variations between two phases, for example, a gas and a liquid. Sonography is the primary imaging technique but other conventional detection techniques may also be employed with the present invention.

Non-surgical diagnostic procedures for examining body ducts and cavities, in particular the uterus and fallopian tubes, are well known. One procedure, known as hysterosalpingography, employs contrast agents and diagnostic fluoroscopic imaging techniques for viewing the uterus and fallopian tubes. A safer, cheaper and easier method is hysterosonosalpingography or Sono HSG, where ultrasound is utilized as the imaging modality. Ultrasound imaging also allows for evaluation of the uterine cavity using saline as a method of choice without assessment of fallopian tube patency. Tubal patency and tubal occlusion can be assessed only under ideal sonographic conditions, limiting its usefulness clinically.
Currently, no contrast agent indicated for contrast enhancement during ultrasound evaluation of the uterine cavity and fallopian tubes is available in the U.S. Other ultrasound contrast agents are available for widespread use but are limited to use in cardiac and vascular applications. Most of the currently available vascular contrast agents are stabilized against dissolution and coalescence by the presence of additional materials, such as an elastic solid shell that enhances stability, or a surfactant or a combination of two or more surfactants.
Contrast agents can improve the image quality of sonography either by decreasing the reflectivity of the undesired interfaces or by increasing the backscattered echoes from the desired regions. In the former approach, the contrast agents are taken orally, and for the latter effect, the agent is introduced vascularly. To pass through the lung capillaries and enter into the systemic circulation, microbubbles within a vascular contrast agent should be less than 10 microns in diameter (2 to 5 microns on average for most of the newer agents). Stability and persistence become major issues for such small microbubbles and air bubbles in this size range persist in solution for only a short time. Hence the gas bubbles have to be stabilized for the agent to persist long enough and survive pressure changes in the heart for systemic vascular use. Therefore, availability of contrast agents, procedural challenges, particularly during preparation of the patient and the contrast materials, and cost are disadvantages associated with known contrast media used sonographically.
Although conventional contrast agents function adequately, the disadvantages inherent in the conventional agents create a need for better contrast agents. One disadvantage with currently used contrast agents is that they are very expensive and difficult for some physicians to obtain. Another disadvantage is that conventional contrast agents must be shaken prior to injection to either mix the components or to generate bubbles, thus making the entire diagnostic procedure cumbersome and possibly somewhat subjective. A third disadvantage is that the contrast agent composition has a very short shelf life due to its unstable nature once it is prepared for use in a patient.
Microbubbles in liquids have been used as contrast media previously. Microbubbles may be generated by such methods as syringe motions in a back and forth manner in combinations of air and dispersants, or ultrasonic cavitation means. It is known that such microbubbles are only stable for a short amount of time. Pre-formed microparticles using temporary or permanent polymeric films have been used to address the short stability lifespan. Pressurized systems have been used to create microbubbles in solutions. The technique involves a means of generating a focused jet of gas in order to aerate the fluids with microbubbles. Such microbubbles may coalesce if there is a lag time between generation and application into the structure to be visualized, thus these methods have used a high velocity flow of liquid. Thus, limitations to this method are that the microbubbles introduced into a fluid may coalesce into a few large bubbles or one large air pocket, the microbubbles formed must be stable long enough for visualization to occur, and due to the instability of the microbubbles, it is difficult to create reproducible conditions for comparative visualizations.
Accordingly, devices and methods are needed for creating contrast agents that resolve the issues currently encountered. Particularly, methods and devices are needed for visualization of organ structure and function, such as visualization of the uterus and fallopian tubes.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Contrast agent injection system for sonographic imaging


The present disclosure relates to a method and system for providing location based service to end users. The method includes acquiring one or more historical orders associated with a user within a predetermined time interval; retrieving a first set of points of interests (POI) associated with the user based on the one or more historical orders; storing the first set of POIs associated with the user in a first database; retrieving a second set of POIs from a second database; updating the first set of POIs in the first database based on the second set of POIs and the one or more historical orders; receiving location information of the user from a user equipment; determining one or more personalized content items based on the updated first set of POIs and the location information of the user; and transmitting the one or more personalized content items to be displayed on the user equipment.

As the era of big data and mobile internet approaches, a service provider is able to recommend personalized content to a user to be presented on a user equipment (UE) based on the location of the user. The personalized content is generated further based on historical data associated with the user and/or the UE. Existing location based services use information of point of interest (POI) as location reference. But inconsistency in the information of POIs may lead to a mismatching between the recommended content items and the user's preference or intention. Also, the redundancy in the information of POIs may cause the content search and recommendation less efficient. Thus it would be desirable to improve the consistency in the information of POIs and reduce the redundancy within the information of POIs, to achieve more efficient and accurate content recommendation.

Systems and methods for recommending personalized content

BEIJING DIDI INFINITY TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.


A foldable supporting stand with stoppers in two directions includes a base, a support, a sliding body, a positioning means, a first swinging piece and a second swinging piece. The support is rotatably connected to the base. The sliding body is slidably provided on the support and is further connected to a screen. The first swinging piece and the second swinging piece are swingably connected to the positioning means. The positioning means is connected on the support. When the support is folded on the base, the first swinging piece and the second swinging piece are subjected to their gravitational forces to swing toward the sliding body and thus lock the sliding body. The locked sliding body is restricted from sliding on the support in two directions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a supporting stand, and in particular to a foldable supporting stand with stoppers in two directions.
2. Description of Related Art
Current display screens are generally connected to a supporting stand, whereby the display screen can be watched by a user in an upright position. Since the supporting stand is configured such that it is able to ascend or descend, the user can adjust the height of the display screen freely according to his/her demands. Please refer to FIG. 1, which shows a supporting stand for a display with the possibility of height adjustment. The supporting stand for a display includes a base 1a, a support 2a connected to the base 1a, and a positioning element 3a. The support 2a has a first connecting portion 21a and a second connecting portion 22a. The first connecting portion 21a is provided with a positioning hole 211a, and the second connecting portion 22a is provided with a plurality of fixing holes 221a that are arranged at identical intervals. The first connecting portion 21a movably covers the second connecting portion 22a. One end of the first connecting portion 21a is further connected to a display screen 4a, and one end of the second connecting portion 22a is connected to the base 1a. The positioning element 3a is a pin. According to the desired height, the user selectively inserts the positioning element 3a into the positioning hole 211a and the fixing holes 221a, thereby fixing the first connecting portion 21a and allowing the display screen 4a to ascend or descend.
However, when the user intends to store the supporting stand 2a and the display screen 4a, the user has to fold the supporting stand 2a first, and then insert the positioning element 3a into the positioning hole 211a and the fixing holes 221a so as to fix the display screen 4a (FIG. 2). If the user forgets to insert the positioning element 3a into the positioning hole 211a and the fixing holes 221a, the display screen 4a will move on the supporting stand 2a freely, which may not only increase the volume for package but also increase the possibility of making the display screen 4a suffer damage in transportation.
Therefore, the above supporting stand has some drawbacks as follows:
(I) Since the user has to manually insert the positioning element 3a into the positioning hole 211a and the fixing holes 221a so as to fix the display screen 4a, it is not convenient in use.
(II) Due to the positioning element 3a, a protrusion is formed on the surface of the supporting stand 2a, which affects the aesthetic feeling of the whole supporting stand 2a.
(III) The positioning element 3a is used to provide a fixing effect. However, in order to allow a relative movement between the first connecting portion 21a and the second connecting portion 22a, a suitable gap should be maintained therebetween. As a result, the first connecting portion 21a may shake or swing when it moves. After being used for many times, the first connecting portion may suffer damage.
(IV) When the user intends to store the supporting stand 2a and the display screen 4a, the user has to fold the supporting stand 2a first, and then insert the positioning element 3a into the positioning hole 211a and the fixing holes 221a so as to fix the display screen 4a (FIG. 2). If the positioning element 3a is not completely inserted into the proper position, the display screen 4a may suffer damage during transportation.
Consequently, because of the above limitation resulting from the technical design of prior art, the inventor strives via real world experience and academic research to develop the present invention, which can effectively improve the limitations described above.

Foldable supporting stand with stoppers in two directions


An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a transfer sheet based on image data, comprises an operating section to determine a setup about a margin region on which an image is not formed at an edge portion of the transfer sheet, a control section to determine an inner region having a specified width and being adjacent to the determined margin region as a density change region in which an image density is changed, and determines a more inner region located inward more from the density change region as a regular density region in which an image is formed with a regular image density, and an image forming section to form an image in the density change region based on image data on the condition where the image density is reduced and to form an image in the regular density region based on image data without changing the image density.

The present invention relates to an image forming method and an image forming apparatus which performs image formation, such as a copying machine and a printer, especially, relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method which sets up a margin region.
In various kinds of image forming apparatus, such as a copying machine and a printer, a margin region on which an image is not formed is generally provided to an edge of a transfer sheet for prevention of dirt produced by toner scattering within an apparatus and for prevention of deficit of an image, etc.
When an image is formed near to the edge of a transfer sheet as nearer as possible, toner which should be transferred to the edge of a transfer sheet scatters to conveyance members such as a guide plate and a roller not to the edge of a transfer sheet being a true transfer position due to causes such as a run gap of a transfer sheet and an error of transfer paper size.
And the toner transferred to the conveying member will adhere near the edge of the following transfer sheet, and will spread as dirt of a transfer sheet, and dirt of each part of the inside of an apparatus. For this reason, in general image forming apparatus, a fixed margin defined beforehand was provided for a transfer sheet at the time of image formation such that scattering of toner to a conveying member and dirt resulting from this toner scattering might not take place.
On the other hand, as a user, there is a case desire to form an image in the whole transfer sheet without forming a margin. Then, when not forming a margin, a special mode different from a usual image formation mode and to change a carrying speed to a low speed was operated such that the run gap mentioned above might not take place.
Incidentally, various kinds of proposals were made by the following patent documents as techniques of this kind of margin preparation.
According to the technique by the Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 5-216333, the imaging region of a transfer sheet is restricted by controlling transfer current, whereby toner scattering is suppressed and dirt of the edge portion of a transfer sheet is reduced. However, the problem which this technique can cope with only the leading end and the trailing end of a transfer sheet transportation direction (sub scanning direction) is left behind.
According to the technique by the Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2001-18443, this technique relates a technique to correctly control the timings of the leading and trailing ends of a laser beam by masking signals, and further relates to a technique to control each masking signal in the case of using a plurality of beams. Therefore, a problem which the technique merely control the start position of a main scanning direction and a terminal position of the main scanning direction.
According to the technique by the Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2003-266854, this technique is to select whether a margin region is formed or not. In the case that a margin region is formed, this technique changes an image size. Therefore, this publication does not disclose the technique regarding a proper margin not causing dirt.
According to the technique by the Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2002-333743, by controlling a developing section and a transferring section so as to limit an image density, this technique refrains toner scattering and reduces dirt on an end portion of a transfer sheet. However, this technique merely regulates image density by changing a developing bias. Therefore, the problem which this technique can cope with only the leading end and the trailing end of a transfer sheet transportation direction (sub scanning direction) is left behind.
According to the technique by the Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2003-127341, this technique relates to an inkjet and is to restrict ink jetting on an end portion of a transfer sheet. Therefore, the problem which this technique can't be applied to an electro-photographic type image forming apparatus employing toner is left behind.

Image forming apparatus and image forming method for setting a margin region, a density change region, and regular density region

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


An inventory model and supporting process provides a full stream inventory management solution for the inventory that is normally present between the manufacturing and field consumption points. The model extends "just-in-time" principles to levels that support a "build today which was consumed yesterday" production mode, without requiring the use of purchase orders and the related transactions. The inventory model minimizes inventory impacts related to consumption fluctuations by maintaining a constant "days on hand" inventory approach. The model supports multiple field locations and may be designed to run on a single computer system.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a self-correcting and self-analyzing inventory pipeline management system.
2. Description of Related Art
Traditional production planning/product distribution systems are often complex and use many separate computer systems and databases. Often, the manufacturing facility, warehouse and field offices do not share inventory or production information and operate numerous separate databases to track such items as inventory, production planning, account information, etc.
Consequently, the lack of integration and inefficiencies inherent in the prior art systems, results in a lack of proper control of products and materials throughout the supply chain. These systems do not rapidly respond to changes in market conditions or customer demand. Ultimately, the lack of a well-integrated, accurate and comprehensive inventory management system results in a direct loss of time and money.


The invention relates to novel mono-, oligo- and polythieno[3,2-b]thiophenes, to their use as semiconductors or charge transport materials, in optical, electro-optical or electronic devices like for example liquid crystal displays, optical films, organic field effect transistors (FET or OFET) for thin film transistor liquid crystal displays and integrated circuit devices such as RFID tags, electroluminescent devices in flat panel displays, and in photovoltaic and sensor devices, and to field effect transistors, light emitting devices or ID tags comprising the novel polymers.

In prior art polymers consisting of repeating thiophene units have been reported to show good performance as charge transporting materials in FET applications. For example, regioregular poly(3-alkyl)thiophene for example has demonstrated one of the highest recorded mobilities to date for a polymer (Sirringhaus et al., Science, 1998, 280, p 1741). Also, polythiophene analogues as disclosed for example in EP 1 327 646 A1, EP 1 327 647 A1, EP 1 329 474 A1 or EP 1 329 475 A1 containing different numbers and regioisomers of alkyl-thiophenes exhibit reasonable charge carrier mobilities.
This performance is thought to be due to two factors. Firstly the arrangement of the alkyl side-chains on the polymer backbone allows the polymers to self-organise into well-ordered structures on coating from solution. This facilitates the hopping mechanisms that dominate charge transport. Secondly the presence of sulfur atoms in the polymer backbone has been shown to be beneficial to charge transport. The exact mechanism is not known, but it is speculated that interaction of the sulfur d-orbitals on adjacent polymer chains facilitates the charge hopping mechanism.
However, the polymers disclosed in the above prior art documents do only show charge carrier mobilities of not more than 0.1 cm2V−1s−1. Also, the materials of prior art often show only limited solubility which is a disadvantage when processing the polymers for the manufacture of semiconductor devices like thin film transistors (TFT) or field effect transistors (FET).
Therefore, further enhancement of the charge mobility and solubility of organic polymers is desired in order to enable transistor performance.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide new organic materials for use as semiconductors or charge transport materials, which are easy to synthesise, have high charge mobility and good processibility. Especially the materials should be easily processible to form thin and large-area films for use in semiconductor devices. Also, the materials should be oxidatively stable, but retain or even improve the desired electrical properties.
The inventors of the present invention have found that materials based on thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (1) (TT)
in particular oligomers and (co)polymers of TT comprising 3,6-disubstituted TT groups and/or substituted thiophene or selenophene groups, show improved charge carrier mobility whilst maintaining desirable solution processable properties.
TT materials are known in prior art. For example, Nakayama et al., Heterocycles 1994, 38, p. 143 report 3,6-dimethyl TT. Saidman et al., J. Appl. Electrochemistry, 2001, 31, p 839 report the electropolymerisation of 3,6-dimethyl TT which, however, only gives an insoluble polymer. Nakayama et al., Tetrahedron 1996, 52, p. 471 report dimers, trimers and tetramers of 3,6-dimethyl TT. Again the tetramers are of very low solubility and no electrical properties are reported.
Fuller et al., J. Chem. Soc. Perkin Trans. 1997, 1, 3465-70 report 3,6-disubstituted TT with thioalkyl (—S-Me, —S-Ph) and silylalkyl (—Si(Me)3) substituents. However, polymers are not disclosed. Also, thioethers are often undesired because the electron rich nature of these side chains affords polymers that are oxidatively unstable.
In prior art there are also some reports of polymers containing unsubstituted TT. Kossmehl et al., Makromol. Chem. 1982, 183, p. 2747 report co-polymers of TT with e.g. a vinylene linker group. However, these polymers were poorly soluble and their electrical characterisation was not reported. Rutherford et al., Macromolecules, 1992, 125, p. 2294 reports the synthesis of TT with alkynyl linkers and of electropolymerised unsubstituted or monomethylated TT. Again all such polymers were insoluble.
WO 99/12989 discloses oligomers and polymers comprising two or more fused thiophene rings which may be substituted or unsubstituted for use in TFTs and FETs. However, there is no specific disclosure of (co)polymers of disubstituted TT or their preparation.
Thus, another aim of the invention is to provide thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (TT) materials that are more easily processible in the manufacture of semiconductor devices, have higher stability and allow easier synthesis also at large scale compared to TT materials of prior art.
It was found that the above aims can be achieved by providing monomers, oligomers and (co)polymers according to the present invention.

Mono-, oligo- and polythieno[3,2-b]thiophenes


A pressure pump may include a reciprocating assembly including a dynamic seal configured to be in sliding contact with a surface. The surface may be implanted with positive ions such as hydrogen ions/protons to provided reduced wear and/or greater service life of the dynamic seal. According to embodiments, a pump may include an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene dynamic seal may substantially fixed relative to a cylinder wall, and a proton impregnated reciprocating plunger may pump high pressure water or a water based fluid in a system. The pump may exhibit increased dynamic seal life.

In reciprocating pumps including high pressure reciprocating water pumps, a reciprocating plunger may (in some applications) typically last 60 million cycles between replacements due to wear. A dynamic seal may be configured to seal the circumference of a reciprocating plunger. A dynamic seal, in some applications, may typically have a shorter operational life than the plunger it contacts. For example, a dynamic seal may have an operational life of about 20 million cycles between replacements due to wear. Typically, a wear surface of a dynamic seal is made from ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE).

Method for making a pump system with enhanced dynamic seal reliability


A graphite reference electrode for use in the cathodic protection of steel embedded in concrete has been produced with a stable catalyzed structure that when equilibrated with air or oxygen and an electrolyte reaches a reproducible and reversible redox potential. This stable device is produced by exposure to hydrogen peroxide, impregnating with a metal oxide followed by a coating treatment. The embedded catalyzed graphite reference electrodes can be used in impressed cathodic protection systems or monitoring the corrosion condition of embedded steel to provide an early warning of impending damage.

Corrosion of steel in concrete, especially reinforcement bars in concrete, has evolved over the past two decades to become the single most costly problem of its type in the U.S. Cost estimates for repairing the present damage on the highway bridges approach 20 billion dollars according to the Transportation Research Board. Cathodic protection systems are presently being used to mitigate corrosion in conventionally reinforced concrete members, and their use is being contemplated on prestressed bridge components. The use of embedded reference electrodes or reference cells in conjunction with cathodic protection of conventionally reinforced concrete bridge members is desirable, and is essential for application of cathodic protection to prestressed concrete bridge components.
For cathodic protection systems to be successful in mitigating corrosion without causing hydrogen embrittlement of the embedded steel reinforcement bars, the amount of polarization of the embedded steel must be very accurately controlled. To monitor accurately and to control the amount of polarization of prestressing steel, stable and reliable embedded reference electrodes are needed. Such reference electrodes can also prove useful during cathodic protection of conventionally reinforced bridge components to provide a means for cost-effective monitoring and to avoid overprotection.
Several different types of reference cells have been used in field trials and in full scale cathodic protection systems. Their field performance history along with the results of laboratory studies have indicated potential problems of long term stability and reliability. Although portable copper-copper sulfate (Cu--CuSO.sub.4) reference cells are widely used for surface potential surveys in which their performance has been satisfactory, the use of embedded Cu--Cu--SO.sub.4 reference cells has been restricted due to leakage, drying out and/or freezing of the electrolyte in the cell. Also, copper sulfate leaking from a cell can react with water in pores in the concrete and generate undesirable products.
The most widely used embedded reference cells in cathodic protection work are silver-silver chloride (Ag--AgCI), but due to the instability of these cells they are most often used only for short term monitoring of potentials rather than for cathodic protection systems. Their low temperature response is very erratic, and they are also sensitive to the chloride content of the concrete. Another drawback of these reference cells is that they develop a variable and high resistance. We have found the resistance between the Ag--AgCl cell and the reinforcement bar to vary from a few hundred to a few hundred thousand ohms for cells embedded in similar concrete in the same bridge deck and at the same temperature.
Zinc-zinc sulfate (Zn--ZnSO.sub.4) cells have been used extensively, but the stability of these cells is a problem. They are found to be sufficiently stable to conduct short-term monitoring and performed well in laboratory studies, but many of the Zn-ZnSO.sub.4 cells become unstable after one year of outdoor exposure and as a consequence, potential measurements can fluctuate widely. Zn--ZnSO.sub.4 cells are also strongly affected by low temperatures.
We have found the performance and stability of graphite that is used as a reference electrode can be significantly improved by selective treatment to improve exchange current densities when in equilibrium with air or oxygen and decrease peroxide accumulation. The forming of a stable carbon reference electrode by 1) hydrogen peroxide (H.sub.2 O.sub.2) chemical pre-treatment, 2) doping with manganese dioxide (MnO.sub.2), and 3) subsequent wetproofing with a thin porous fluorocarbon layer combined with a conductive ceramic outer layer has been discovered to give enhanced carbon reference electrode stability.
Kroon et al., in patent U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,241 entitled "Cathodic protection apparatus and method for steel reinforced concrete structures," describe a system comprising anodes encased in a carbonaceous material matrix and placed within slots cut in a concrete structure. A current for cathodic protection is applied between the anodes and the steel in the concrete structure. Matsuoka et al., in patent U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,453 entitled "Corrosion detecting probe for steel buried in concrete," describe a probe comprising of an electrode assembly placed within a container filled with an electrolyte solution. The container, made of an electrically insulating material includes an open end which is placed in close contact with a concrete surface under which is buried steel members. Said electrode assembly is attached via terminals to a electrochemical measuring apparatus for evaluating the corrosive state of the underlying steel members. Schiessi, in patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,355 entitled "Corrosion measuring cell," describes a cell comprising a corrosion-resistant cathode electrode and ordinary steel anodes which are separated and embedded in a concrete section for which the degree of corrosion in the underlying steel reinforcement members is desired. The cathode and anodes are electrically connected via a current measuring device. Feliu et al., in patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,944 entitled "Corrosion detecting probes for use with a corrosion-rate meter for electrochemically determining the corrosion rate of reinforced concrete structures," describe a probe comprising an electrode assembly which is positioned on a concrete surface containing metallic members. A corrosion-rate meter is coupled to the electrode assembly as well as the metal reinforcement members and wet spongy material is used electrolytic conduction. Bernhard, in patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,550 entitled "Electrode for determining the state of corrosion of metal reinforcement in concrete constructions," present an electrode comprising an insulated wire made of metal more electrochemically positive than the metal reinforcement members. This wire is embedded in the concrete and placed in electrolytic contact with the metal reinforcement members via moisture in the concrete. The insulation of the wire is either plastic or a material with equivalent electrical properties to that of concrete. A separate apparatus is used to measure the potential between the wire electrode and the metal reinforcement members.
None of the inventions described in these patents disclose a multilayer reference electrode having high stability for oxygen reduction and utilizing a catalytically active impregnated carbon electrode coated with an electrically conductive permeable ceramic coating for enhanced robustness and stability

Reference electrode for monitoring steel-in-concrete potentials


A positioning apparatus, including: positioning calculation devices for positioning for a plural antenna, to acquire positioning results indicating the antennas positions and accuracy indices indicating accuracies of the positions, the antennas receiving GPS satellites signals and having a known distance between each antennas; and a determination device including: a determination unit performing first determination whether accuracies indicated by the accuracy indices of two antennas out of the plural antenna is higher than a first threshold and second determination whether a difference between a measured distance between the two antennas based on a difference between positioning results of the antennas and an actual distance therebetween is smaller than a second threshold, to thereby acquire a reliability index (RI) and a final positioning result (FPR) based on the two determinations; and an output signal generation unit for generating positioning information for controlling a human interface (HI) to notify a result based on the (FPR) and (RI).

In positioning that uses signals from Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites, distances between a positioning apparatus and a plurality of GPS satellites are acquired based on signals from the plurality of GPS satellites, and a position of the positioning apparatus is acquired based on the acquired distances. Further, in this positioning, an accuracy index indicating an accuracy of the acquired positioning result is also acquired. It is then determined based on the accuracy index whether or not the positioning result can be used.
For example, in RTK positioning, in positioning calculation, determination as to whether the positioning result is "FIX state" or "FLOAT state" is used as the accuracy index, and only the FIX solution is used.

Positioning apparatus and positioning method


The subject invention pertains to systems and methods to provide rich and intelligent programmatic assistance across language and compilation boundaries. In essence, the systems and methods can monitor a plurality of compilation units in a software project to determine the language(s) employed therewith and provide intelligent code assistance to the compilation units for the detected language(s). The rich and intelligent assistance can correspond to providing code suggestions, among other things, based on the programming language being utilized and the context of its use. In brief, the herein disclosed techniques provide a seamless design environment to facilitate coding in multiple programming languages amongst a plurality of compilation units in project.

Text or code editors are software programs specifically designed to facilitate source code specification and editing by programmers. Code editors (e.g., vi, emacs, notepad . . . ) provide functionality similar to word processors for receiving, modifying, and manipulating source code. Some code editors are very simplistic and text based while others can be quite complex and employ graphical user interface (GUI) technologies. In addition to code specification and editing, code editors can facilitate building and compiling programs. Although, text editors can be stand-alone programs, they are often incorporated into integrated development environments.
Integrated development environments (IDEs) (also referred to as integrated design environments, interactive development environments, and various combinations thereof) are conglomerates of programs that aid software development. Not only do IDEs include code editors, but they also typically include a compiler and/or interpreter as well as other tools like debuggers. This allows IDEs to be a complete software development and testing kit. These environments typically also employ visual programming techniques. Visual programming pertains to programming in part by using graphical interfaces and cutting, pasting, and/or modifying programmatic blocks to build programs. IDEs can also provide real-time programmatic assistance for particular programming languages to further aid program development. For example, suggestions can be made based on current programmatic entries, statements can be automatically completed, and the like.
However, there are several problems with conventional IDEs. In particular, most IDEs are limited to a single programming language per project. This forces programmers to utilize one language for all project tasks, rather than employing the best language for each respective task, for example, utilizing C# for an entire project or application. Furthermore, conventionally projects are typically compiled into only a signal unit. Thus, conventional technologies generally employ only a single language and compilation unit. In addition to the limitations on project development, intelligent assistance (e.g., programmatic suggestions, automatic statement completion . . . ) is limited to a single language project. Thus, even IDEs that support multiple languages force programmers to choose from utilizing a single programming language and compilation unit or alternatively experiencing limited or no intelligent assistance.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for systems and methods to provide intelligent code assistance across multiple languages and compilation units in a project.

Design-time system and method to enable programming assistance across languages and compilation boundaries


A face guard has a construction of interconnected struts, and creates an unobstructed viewing aperture proximate to the eyes of a wearer during use. The face guard includes a forward transverse sill defining at least one boundary of the viewing aperture. The forward transverse sill includes at least two generally transverse struts extending across the front of the face of a wearer during use. Surfaces at the proximal and distal edges of the transverse sill are spaced linearly apart and lie approximately along a common viewing axis of a wearer during use. The sill presents a reduced profile in the field of view of a wearer while presenting an increased surface for contact with an incoming projectile such as a ball, allowing the ball to be impeded and deflected.

Face guards of various types are known. Many designs of face-guards have been suggested for use in connection with ball sports or sports in which a projectile such as a puck is in play. A basic wire mesh type face guard, connectable to a helmet, is known from US 2009/0083891. The relatively fine gauge mesh of the guard may make it unsuitable for players of sports requiring a less obstructed line of sight between the players and a moving projectile in play. Another example of a face guard can be seen from WO 2009/018442, which shows a hybrid type helmet face mask, wherein the mask incorporates both a visor and a cage and wherein the visor serves to add protection across the field of vision of a wearer, across which the protective cage of the guard is fully open. For many ball sports, the use of visors is not preferred because they tend to increase discomfort as a result of enclosing the user more completely. Moreover, visibility through visors becomes impaired as the visor becomes scratched or soiled. EP 1941807 discloses a guard for a sports helmet in which the cage type guard has a relatively unobstructed viewing aperture, albeit narrow enough not to require an additional visor. In WO 03/056958, a stand-alone cage type cage type face guard which has an unobstructed transverse viewing aperture for both eyes. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,156, a helmet has a cage type guard with an open but narrow viewing aperture which is complemented by a visor across the viewing aperture. From the above, it can readily be inferred that many attempts have been made to develop comfortable face protection for sportspeople which provides both good protection while allowing good visibility. As yet, there is no face-guard which provides optimum advantages in both respects. A wider viewing gap tends to improve visibility, while nevertheless increasing the risk that a projectile will force its way through the viewing aperture, even if its dimensions are greater than the viewing aperture dimensions. In such cases, significant injury may result, especially because the viewing aperture is in front of the wearer's eyes.
Additional cage type face guards with viewing apertures are known which co-operate with peaked headgear or helmets. Examples can be seen from WO 2009/090410, AU 20022100570 and AU 2002204672, all of which relate to cricket helmets. The face-guards illustrated in each of these documents, can be described as a jaw type guard because it surrounds the jaw and also the ears of a wearer. The topmost transverse forward struts of jaw-type guards extends below the eye level of a wearer during use. Protection above the level of the eye is provided by virtue of the rigid helmet peak. In US 2009/0044316, US 2007/0250992 there have been attempts to combine a full face guard with a peaked helmet, wherein additional eye level protection is provided by a transverse forward strut above the level of the eye during use. Evidently, the presence of the additional upper transverse strut reduces visibility through the viewing aperture. In US 2007/0250990, an attempt has been made to provide reinforcement to the helmet peak to increase protection above the eye level in connection with a jaw type guard. Because of the increased protection available to players who wear helmets with face guards, the number of serious facial injuries has been reduced. Nevertheless, it is thought that some players feel a sense of invulnerability while wearing head and facial protection and are thereby inclined to attempt to play dangerous balls which they ordinarily would have avoided. In addition, it is thought that some players may be inclined to adjust the width of a viewing gap through their protective headgear to improve their view, even while marginally increasing the risk that a projectile such as a ball might force its way through causing injury.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved face-guard having regard in particular to enhanced protection and minimal visual obstruction.


Embodiments of the invention include a method for forming a copper interconnect having a bi-layer copper barrier layer. The method comprises the steps of providing a substrate with a low-K dielectric insulating layer and an opening in the insulating layer. A first barrier layer of tantalum/tantalum nitride is formed on the insulating layer and in the opening. A second barrier layer consisting of a material selected from the group of palladium, chromium, tantalum, magnesium, and molybdenum is formed on the first barrier layer. A copper seed layer is formed on the second barrier layer and implanted with barrier ions and a bulk copper layer is formed on the seed layer. The substrate is annealed and subject to further processing which can include planarization.

The semiconductor industry has moved to using copper in various aspects of semiconductor devices due to certain advantages of copper over other metals. Copper has a first advantage of having lower resistivity than, for example, aluminum. As a result, copper circuitry suffers less from resistance-capacitance (RC) delays. This makes copper systems faster. Further, copper has increased resistance to electromigration, thereby enabling smaller scaling of semiconductor devices. However, with increased use, certain problems particular to copper have become more prevalent. One such problem is that copper has a high diffusivity through dielectric and silicon materials on which the copper is deposited. This is especially the case for so-called low-K dielectric materials, which are coming into increasingly common usage. This is problematic because the presence of copper in these materials may "poison" the materials and lead to semiconductor device failure.
In conventional methodologies, a barrier material is typically deposited on the dielectric material between the copper layer and the dielectric (or silicon) material, thereby preventing the copper from diffusing into the dielectric or silicon material. Typically, tantalum (Ta) or titanium (Ti) based barrier materials (e.g., tantalum nitrides (TaN), tantalum silicon nitrides (TaSiN), or titanium nitrides (TiN)) are used as barrier layers for copper. However, such materials also have limitations. For example, they can have porous boundaries which create a diffusion path for copper. Additionally, the thickness of existing barrier layers create some difficulties as feature size decreases. This is especially true as feature sizes decrease below 0.35 micron (μ).
A conventional prior art process for creating a copper interconnect is described hereinbelow with respect to FIGS. 1-5. In FIG. 1, a typical semiconductor wafer 100 is placed in a process chamber 101 and various layers of material and circuit structures are formed thereon.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an active device and first metal layer of a semiconductor device formed on the wafer (or substrate) 100 of FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, the substrate 100, typically silicon, has an active device 110 formed thereon. The active device 110 has a gate region 120 on the substrate 100, and a source region 130 and a drain region 140 in the substrate 100. The active device 110 is fabricated using conventional techniques known to one skilled in the art. A first insulating layer 150 is formed over the gate region 120 and down to the substrate 100, over the source region 130 and drain region 140. The first insulating layer is typically silicon dioxide; however, combinations of silicon dioxide and other doped dielectrics (e.g. BPSG, PSG) are also commonly used. FIG. 2 shows an opening 160 which has been formed in the first insulating layer 150 and subsequently filled with a metal-containing material such as tungsten. Other material including, but not limited to, copper and aluminum may also be used. The opening 160 has been depicted as a via, but other openings including, but not limited to, trenches and inter-level interconnect structures may also be used. A metallization layer 170 is deposited over the first insulating layer 150 and the first opening 160. The metallization layer 170 is typically copper, but may also be aluminum or tungsten. After the metallization layer 170 has been formed, material is removed to leave a metal plug 170 over the filled opening 160. This structure is then treated to form copper interconnects.
FIG. 3 shows the topmost portion of FIG. 2. In particular, the plug 170 is shown. An insulating layer 180 of low-K dielectric material is formed over the entire surface, including the plug 170. Then the region over the plug 170 is etched away to define a trench 171. Then, a barrier layer 190 is formed over the surface, including the trench 171. Such a barrier layer 190 is typically formed of TaN or other Ta containing barrier materials or TiN barrier materials. Typically, the barrier layer 190 is formed using PVD techniques. After forming the barrier layer 190, a copper seed layer 191 is formed over the barrier layer 190. The seed layer provides a conductive surface for use in subsequent bulk copper deposition, which is typically performed by electroplating. With reference to FIG. 4, a bulk copper layer 192 (which fills in the trench 171) is formed on copper seed layer 191. Such bulk copper layers 192 are often formed using electroplating, but other deposition techniques are also possible, as known to those of skill in the art. Further processing, for example chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), can be used to planarize the surface, as is shown in FIG. 5. The bulk copper layer 192 can also be sealed by the deposition of another layer of a barrier material.
For the reasons described hereinabove, as well as other reasons, an improved method of forming barrier layers for copper is needed.

Multi-step process for forming a barrier film for use in copper layer formation


An operating table control apparatus is disclosed. The operating table control apparatus has a remote control device, a first transmitting-receiving device that is mountable to the remote control device, and a second transmitting-receiving device that is mountable to a first operating table. The first transmitting-receiving device is configured to transmit a request command to the second transmitting-receiving device. After receiving the request command from the first transmitting-receiving device, the second transmitting-receiving device is configured to transmit a device address of the first operating table to the first transmitting-receiving device. The first transmitting-receiving device is configured to adopt the device address received from the second transmitting-receiving device, establishing a paired operating state between the first transmitting-receiving device and the second transmitting-receiving device. The first transmitting-receiving device is configured to transmit both a control command and the device address to the second transmitting-receiving device.

In medical technology, remote control devices using infrared radiation are employed for controlling medical apparatuses, such as operating tables by remote control. For this purpose, the remote control devices and the medical apparatus to be controlled are provided with infrared transmitting-receiving units which communicate with each other via infrared signals.
Before it is possible to remotely control the medical apparatus via the remote control device, verification is made as to whether a remote control device should be paired with a given medical apparatus. If so, the medical apparatus can be remotely controlled via control commands sent by the remote control device to the medical apparatus upon corresponding operation of the remote control device.
Typically, a pairing once established is maintained until the remote control device is paired with another apparatus, e.g., until the remote control address is manually switched to the device address of said other apparatus. Switching of the remote control device is unpractical, in particular if such switching must be performed frequently. This applies, for example, if a plurality of operating tables is to be selectively actuated for pre- or postoperative support transfer using only one remote control device, such as a pedal or a hand-held device.

Method and device for remote control of medical apparatus using a remote control device


The present invention relates to a method for increasing the stability of cooling fluid for the engine. This invention selects the most preferred conditions, e.g. the composition of the solution, pH value, means and amount of addition, and proportion of silicate added, so that the products thereof have excellent properties for inhibiting corrosion for many kinds of metals, being with low costs and good storage stability. Moreover, since this method is simple, it is easy to be put into practice and utilized.

Cooling fluid widely used at present is low in price, has good in anti-corrosive performance and the raw materials are easily available. However, it does not have good stability due to the presence of compositions of silicates and 2-mercaptobenzothiazole.
Silicate is a kind of special efficient corrosion-inhibiting agent for aluminum and alloys thereof. It has certain protective capability for steel and iron, as well as non-ferrous metals. It not only possesses buffer function, but also is extremely cheap. In the past several decades, it has been extensively applied in various fields for protecting from corrosion. However, the main problem of silicates in the course of application is that their stability decreases after they have been stored or used for a period of time and a gel-like precipitation readily separates. As a result, their inhibition capability is decreased. Moreover, the said gel-like precipitation may block-up the water channels of the engine and also adhere to the surface of the radiator during operation so as to reduce the heat transfer effect and make engine overheat. The instability of the silicates is caused by precipitated silicate gel and the precipitation of the reaction products of silicate with calcium, magnesium ions etc. contained in hard water. The latter can be dealt with by controlling the hardness of the water. However, the situation is comparatively complicated for silicate gel. In general, it is believed that the silicates aggregate per se or conduct reaction to form particulates. The particles agglomerate to form branched chain and then network structures, and finally gel is separated. With the rapidly development of the auto engine industry, engine power is increasing. In order to reduce windage coefficient, a streamlined shape is generally designed. It makes the sizes of the radiator and water tank smaller and smaller. Thereby, the heat-load of the engine is gradually increased. For the purpose of reducing the weight of the vehicles bodies and increasing economy of the fuel, not only a great amount of aluminum alloy is used for engine's cooling system, but also the other parts of the engines are gradually aluminum-metallized. Now an all-aluminum engine has been put on market. Research on the protection from corrosion of aluminum is now becoming a key importance in various countries.
2-mercaptobenzothiazole is an especially efficient inhibiting agent for copper or alloys thereof, and easily conducts a photosensitive reaction to produce precipitates—a factor influencing stability. Therefore, it is a very important object to increase the stability of cooling fluid for the engine.

Method for increasing stability of cooling fluid for engine

Great Wall Lubricating Oil Application Research Center Co. Ltd.


Various embodiments relate to a dose unit for a dry powder inhaler including: a dose carrier including a plurality of pockets each adapted to contain a dose of medication powder suitable for inhalation, the pockets being sequentially arranged such that the content of the pockets can be sequentially exposed to a flow of air for successive inhalations and a plurality of medication powder doses arranged in the pockets of the dose carrier. The doses are regularly distributed in the pockets according to a sequence of identical groups, each group including at least one blank pocket and one pocket containing a dose of medication powder. Various embodiments also relate to a pack including one such dose unit and one further dose unit with all pockets containing a medication powder. Various embodiments further relate to a dry powder inhaler including such a pack of dose units.

The invention relates to a dose unit for a dry powder inhaler comprising:                a dose carrier including a plurality of pockets each adapted to contain a dose of medication powder suitable for inhalation, said pockets being sequentially arranged such that the content of the pockets can be sequentially exposed to a flow of air for successive inhalations and        a plurality of medication powder doses arranged in pockets of the dose carrier.
Typically, all pockets of such dose units contain a medication dose including a blend of at least one pharmaceutically active ingredient and at least one excipient. It has already been proposed to use a pair of such dose units in the same inhaler and more specifically to provide inhalers adapted to deliver medication powders from both units simultaneously. Such embodiments are for example described in WO 2005/002654 and WO 2004/011070. In particular embodiments known from such references, the first dose unit contains a first medication powder and the second dose unit contains a second medication powder different from the first one, whereby the inhaler can be used to deliver a combination of pharmaceutically active ingredients stored in separate carriers. This is of particular interest in certain therapies, for administering to the patient pharmaceutically active ingredients which must be delivered in combination but stored separately for stability reasons.
However, it might be desirable to administer to the patient not only the combination of the two medication powders but also, alternatively, only one of the two medication powders, in case the two medications must be administered at a different frequency. For example, it might be desirable to administer the first medication powder four times a day (QID) and the second medication powder twice in a day (BID).
With the known dose units and associated inhalers, this cannot be achieved with a single inhaler and the patient would rather have to alternatively use a first inhaler to inhale the first medication powder and a second inhaler to inhale the combination of the first and second medication powders.
This method is not only inconvenient but also confusing for the patient, whereby it may increase the risk of incorrect dosing.
It is an object of the invention to solve the aforementioned problem and allow the delivery of a plurality of inhalable drugs for combined treatments at different frequencies by means of a single inhalation device.

Dose unit, pack of dose units and inhaler for inhalation of combination of drugs


A liquid crystal cell (10) is formed with a hollow cylinder (12) and a solid cylinder (32) inserted into a hole (32) of the hollow cylinder (12) so that a first reference surface (34) of the solid cylinder (32) lies between a first reference surface (14) of the hollow cylinder (12) and a second surface (13) of the hollow cylinder (12). The first reference surface (14) of the hollow cylinder (12) and the second surface (13) of the hollow cylinder (12) are essentially parallel surfaces which are perpendicular to the axis of revolution (18) of the hollow cylinder (12). The solid cylinder (34) is affixed to the hollow cylinder (12) to maintain a fixed gap (38) between the first reference surface (14) of the hollow cylinder (12) and the first reference surface (34) of the solid cylinder (32). A third substrate (58) is in contact with the first reference surface (14) of the hollow cylinder (12) to establish a cavity (70) between the third substrate (58) and the first reference surface (34) of the solid cylinder (32) for confining a liquid crystal material in the cell (10).

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to electron beam addressed liquid crystal cells and method of fabricating same.
2. Prior Art
Prior art electron beam addressed liquid crystal cells include configurations which utilize a thin substrate facing the electron beam source. As identified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,964 to Arrazola et al, Jun. 14, 1983, the thickness of the thin substrate facing the electron source influences trade offs involving resolution and mechanical stability. Consequently, it is imperative that a liquid crystal cell configuration which utilizes a thin substrate facing the electron beam source possess attributes which facilitates an optimal comprise.
The cell of U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,964 utilizes discrete spacers which are permanent to the cell in order to establish a separation gap in the liquid crystal cell. Several problems exist with the utilization of discrete spacers in liquid crystal cells. If a gasket is utilized on the peripheral of the cell, then tolerances associated the thickness of gaskets can introduce variations in cell to cell performance.
As identified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,883 to Chitwood et al, Nov. 15, 1988, alternative spacer techniques include the use of spheres distributed in the cell gap. Under high magnification, utilizing spacing spheres could adversely effect the quality of the optical image associated with the cell.
Alternative techniques to the use of a thin substrate include "charge transfer plates" and/or "wire mosaics". Such devices are well understood by those knowledgeable in the state of the art. Such devices are relatively complicated to fabricate. In addition, registration between the conductive pins and a serial scanning electron beam can pose additional problems.
Utilization of a target which incorporates a periodic structure with a serial scanned electron beam addressing mechanism would adversely effect one of the most desirable attributes associated with serial scanning element at a time electron beam scanning; the capability to conveniently change the format of the raster scan pattern. Applicant believes that use of any periodic structure in the target, for insuring a consistent cell gap and/or to transfer charge in the target, would tend to favor raster scan patterns which have a pixel count related to the spatial period of the periodic structure. Accordingly, a need exists for an electron beam addressed liquid crystal cell which overcomes the limitations of prior art.

Electron beam addressed liquid crystal cell


An object of the present invention is to provide an integrated semiconductor nonvolatile storage device that can be read at high speed and reprogrammed an increased number of times.

One of the built-in integrated semiconductor storage devices of an LSI is nonvolatile memory. This memory is very important in order to use the LSI in various applications, since it can retain stored data even after power to the LSI is removed.
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices employing a floating gate or an insulating film are described in, for example, S. Sze, "Physics of Semiconductor Devices", 2nd edition, Wiley-Interscience pub., p. 496-506 (Nonpatent Document 1). As is known in the art, unlike floating-gate nonvolatile memory, the type of nonvolatile memory in which an insulating film is laminated to store charges in the traps at the interface and in the insulating film does not require an additional conductive layer and hence can be formed in a manner matching the CMOS LSI process. However, this type of nonvolatile memory in which charges are retained within the insulating film must maintain sufficient charge retention characteristics while injecting or releasing charge, which is difficult to practically achieve.
On the other hand, it has been proposed that charge of opposite polarity may be injected to rewrite the stored data, instead of releasing the retained charge. The operation of such a nonvolatile memory device is described in 1997 Symposium on VLSI Technology, 1997, p. 63-64 (Nonpatent Document 3). In this memory, each cell includes two separate gates: a polysilicon gate for memory operation and a gate for memory cell selection. Further, similar memory devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,969,383 (Patent Document 1) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,477,084 (Patent Document 2).
In a memory cell structure disclosed in the above documents, two NMOS based transistors, namely a select transistor and a memory transistor, are disposed in a stacked arrangement and connected to each other. An equivalent circuit is shown in FIG. 1C. In FIG. 1C, a select transistor 1 and a memory transistor 2 are connected in series. FIGS. 1A and 1B show a plan view and a cross-sectional view, respectively, of the memory device or cell shown in FIG. 1C. Specifically, FIG. 1A shows the arrangement of a select gate pattern 1500, a memory gate pattern 1550, and an active region pattern 1150 on the substrate of the memory device. FIG. 1B shows a cross-sectional view of the memory device, as described above. Referring to FIG. 1B, a gate 500 of the select transistor (hereinafter referred to as a select gate 500) and a gate 550 of the memory transistor (hereinafter referred to as a memory gate 550) are formed on a semiconductor substrate 100. Diffusion layer electrodes 200 and 300 constituting the electrode portions of the memory device are formed in the semiconductor substrate 100. Further, a spacer insulator 940 is formed on a sidewall of each gate 500, 550, and diffusion layers 310 and 210 are formed in the semiconductor substrate 100. It should be noted that reference numeral 900 denotes the gate insulating film of the select transistor and 950 denotes the gate insulating film of the memory transistor.
According to the present invention, a gate namely, the memory gate may be formed in a process called a spacer process, as shown in FIG. 1B. In this process, after forming the gate 500 of the select transistor, the gate insulating film 950 of the memory gate 550 is formed. Then, after depositing a gate material of the memory gate 550 on the gate insulating film 950, the wafer is anisotropically etched in a direction perpendicular to its surface to form the memory gate 550 on a side of the select gate 500. This process is hereinafter referred to as a spacer process.
There will now be described the operation of a nonvolatile memory device according to the present invention. It should be noted that methods for forming a nonvolatile memory device according to the present invention will be described later in detail in connection with preferred embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows an array arrangement of memory cells (BIT1, BIT2) each represented by the equivalent circuit shown in FIG. 1C. In FIG. 2, the gates of the select transistors 1 of the first-row memory cells (BIT1, BIT2, and so on) constitute a word line SGL0, and the gates of the memory transistors 2 of the first-row memory cells constitute a word line MGL0; the gates of the select transistors 1 of the second-row memory cells (BIT1, BIT2, and so on) constitute a word line SGL1, and the gates of the memory transistors 2 of the second-row memory cells constitute a word line MGL1; the gates of the select transistors 1 of the third-row memory cells (BIT1, BIT2, and so on) constitute a word line SGL2, and the gates of the memory transistors 2 of the third-row memory cells constitute a word line MGL2; and so on. Further, the diffusion layers of the select transistors 1 of the first-column memory cells (BIT1) constitute a bit line BL0, and the diffusion layers of the memory transistors 2 of the first-column memory cells constitute a source line SL0; the diffusion layers of the select transistors 1 of the second-column memory cells (BIT2) constitute a bit line BL1, and the diffusion layers of the memory transistors 2 of the second-column memory cells constitute a source line SL1; and so on. The first-row memory cells (BIT1, BIT2, and so on) may be denoted collectively by reference numeral WORD1, and the second-row memory cells (BIT1, BIT2, and so on) may be denoted collectively by reference numeral WORD2, as shown in FIG. 2.
FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic cross-sectional views of a memory cell portion, illustrating exemplary program or write and erase operations on the memory cell. These figures schematically show the memory cell structure and the program and erase operations and do not show the detailed structure. It should be noted that in FIGS. 3 and 4, components common to FIG. 1B are designated by the same reference numerals. The gate insulating film 950 of the memory gate has a structure in which a silicon nitride film is sandwiched between silicon oxide films; that is, it has the so-called MONOS (Metal-Oxide-Nitride-Oxide Semiconductor (silicon)) structure. The gate insulating film 900 of the select gate is a silicon oxide film. The diffusion layer electrodes 200 and 300 are formed using the select gate 500 and the memory gate 550 as masks.
There are 4 basic operations performed on this memory cell: (1) program, (2) erase, (3) retain, and (4) read. It should be noted that although the 4 basic operations are typically called in this way, other terms may be used to refer to them. Further, what is regarded as a program operation in one application may be regarded as an erase operation in another application, and vice versa. Although the following description only refers to exemplary operations, various operations may be performed on this memory cell. Further, although the following description assumes the memory cell to be an NMOS memory cell, it may be a PMOS memory cell (which may be formed and operated in the same manner as the NMOS memory cell).
(1) FIG. 3 schematically shows a program or write operation. A positive potential is applied to the diffusion layer electrode 200 on the memory gate side, and ground potential is applied to the substrate 100 and the diffusion layer electrode 300 on the select gate side. A gate overdrive voltage higher than the voltage of the substrate 100 is applied to the memory gate 550 to set the channel under the memory gate 550 to an "on" state. At that time, the potential of the select gate 500 is set 0.1-0.2 V higher than the threshold voltage to cause the channel to assume the "on" state. As a result, a conductive state is established to allow electrons to move, as shown in FIG. 3. Since in this state the highest electric field is produced around the boundary between the two gates, a number of hot electrons are generated and injected into the memory gate side. It should be noted that in FIG. 3, the white circle under the select gate 500 indicates an electron, a channel electron. This electron is accelerated to become a hot electron which is then injected into the MONOS film, as indicated by the arrow in the figure. Reference numeral 800 indicates generation of carriers due to impact ionization. The generated electron and hole, carriers, are indicated by a white circle and a shaded circle, respectively. This phenomenon is known as source side injection (SSI) and has been reported by, for example, A. T. Wu et al. (1986 IEEE International Electron Device Meeting, Technical Digest, 1986, p. 584-587 (Nonpatent Document 4)). The technique described above is directed to floating-gate memory cells. However, the injection mechanism also applies to "insulator film type" memory cells. This type of hot electron injection is characterized in that since the electric field is concentrated around the boundary between the select gate and the memory gate, the injection occurs predominantly at the select gate side portion of the memory gate. Further, unlike floating gate memory in which the charge retention layer is formed of electrodes, "insulator film type" memory retains charge within an insulating film. This means that in the case of "insulator film type" memory, electrons are retained within a very narrow region.
(2) FIG. 4 schematically shows an erase operation. A negative potential is applied to the memory gate 550 and a positive potential is applied to the diffusion layer electrode 200 on the memory gate side to cause strong inversion at the overlap between the memory gate and the diffusion layer. This leads to band-to-band tunneling, generating holes, as indicated by reference numeral 810 in the figure. Band-to-band tunneling is described by, for example, T. Y. Chan et al. (1987 IEEE International Electron Device Meeting, Technical Digest, p. 718-721 (Nonpatent Document 5)). In this memory cell, the generated holes are accelerated in the channel direction, attracted toward the memory gate by its bias, and thereby injected into the MONOS film, resulting in an erase operation. Reference numeral 820 indicates an electron-hole pair generated by a generated hole. These carriers are also injected into the MONOS film. That is, the threshold voltage of the memory gate that has been increased due to the negative charge of the injected electrons can be lowered by the positive charge of injected holes.
(3) When the memory cell is in the data retention state, the charge carriers injected into the MONOS insulating film are retained therein. Carriers move very little and very slowly within the insulating film, which allows them to be reliably retained without applying a voltage to the electrodes.
(4) When a read operation is performed on the memory cell, a positive potential is applied to the diffusion layer electrode 300 on the select gate side and a positive potential is applied to the select gate 500 to set the channel under the select gate to an "on" state. In this state, the data retained in the form of charge can be read as a current by applying a memory gate potential intermediate between the threshold voltages in the program or write and erase states.
[Patent Document 1]
U.S. Pat. No. 5,969,383
[Patent Document 2]
U.S. Pat. No. 6,477,084
[Nonpatent Document 1]
S. Sze, "Physics of Semiconductor Devices, 2nd edition, Wiley-Interscience pub., p. 496-506
[Nonpatent Document 2]
S. Sze, "Physics of Semiconductor Devices", 2nd edition, Wiley-Interscience pub., p. 447
[Nonpatent Document 3]
1997 Symposium on VLSI Technology, 1997, p. 63-64
[Nonpatent Document 4]
1986 IEEE International Electron Device Meeting, Technical Digest, 1986, p. 584-587
[Nonpatent Document 5]
1987 IEEE International Electron Device Meeting, Technical Digest, p. 718-721
[Nonpatent Document 6]
2001 IEEE International Electron Device Meeting, Technical Digest, p. 719-722

Integrated semiconductor nonvolatile storage device

Abstract: In the case of conventional nonvolatile semiconductor storage devices having a split-gate structure, there is a tradeoff between the read current and the maximum allowable number of reprogramming operations. To overcome this problem, an integrated semiconductor nonvolatile storage device of the present invention is configured such that memory cells having different memory gate lengths are integrated on the same chip. This allows the device to be read at high speed and reprogrammed an increased number of times.


A magnet for a dynamo-electric machine has a plurality of magnetic poles disposed substantially in a circular shape and opposite a plurality of teeth disposed substantially in a circular shape, the magnetic poles and teeth separated by a gap in an axial direction of a revolving shaft. A plurality of inter-pole sections extend circumferentially between adjacent magnetic poles out of the plurality of magnetic poles. The inter-pole sections have tooth-opposed surfaces that are recessed relative to the surfaces of the magnetic poles opposite the teeth in the direction of the revolving shaft. The plurality of magnetic poles and the plurality of inter-pole sections are integrally formed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnet for an axial gap dynamo-electric machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
Dynamo-electric machines have been used as drive sources in electric motorcycles or for other general electric motors. In recent years, use of an axial gap dynamo-electric machine as well as a radial gap dynamo-electric machine has attracted the public eye.
For example, an axial gap electric motor such as an axial gap dynamo-electric machine, has a disk shaped rotor yoke with a revolving shaft supported by a bearing thereof. A stator yoke has a laminated body in which, for example, disk-shaped steel plates are laminated along the center axis oppose with respect to each other, where the opposing surfaces thereof are orthogonal to the revolving shaft.
On the opposing surface of the rotor yoke, a magnet for generating a magnetic field is disposed, for example, in circular shape (ring shape), and the magnet has magnetic poles (N-pole, S-pole) disposed alternately circumferentially thereof.
On the opposing surface on the stator yoke, there are disposed a plurality of teeth along the radial direction (in the directions of radii) with respect to the revolving shaft. The surfaces of the magnet and the teeth opposing each other are orthogonal to the revolving shaft, and the gap between the opposing surfaces is formed into a plane perpendicular to the revolving shaft.
In other words, in a axial gap motor, a magnetic circuit is formed between the rotor and the stator, and the rotor is rotated using an attraction force and a repulsion force of the rotor-side magnet with respect to the respective teeth. The repulsion force is generated by sequentially switching the magnetic fluxes generating the respective teeth corresponding to the N-pole and the S-pole of the rotor-side magnet via coils wound around the respective teeth of the stator.
However, in the dynamo-electric machine described above, since the switching of the magnetic poles performed every time the magnetic pole of the magnet facing the teeth is switched in association with rotation of the rotor is very rapid, a harmonic content may be contained in the induced voltage waveform generated by mixed magnetic fluxes.
Such harmonic content may change the induced voltage waveform from a sinusoidal waveform to the deformed shape, and thus generate a torque ripple, which may lead to uneven rotation of the rotor, and hence to vibrations and/or noise.
Regarding this point, JP-A-2001-57753 discloses a construction in which pulsation of motor torque is reduced by forming grooves by grinding boundaries between the respective adjacent magnetic poles out of the plurality of magnetic poles stuck on an iron core of the rotor.
However, in the construction disclosed in the JP-A-2001-57753, it is required that the plurality of magnetic poles be adhered respectively on the iron core of the rotor. Then all the boundaries between the adjacent magnetic poles must be ground after such adhesion. Therefore, assembly of the rotor is more complicated, and the number of components of the rotor is increased.


Systems, methods, and devices for generation of narrow pulses in a flying high-voltage domain that are used as a timing control signal are presented. A main signal processing path that generates the timing control signal is replicated and used to detect time and duration of perturbations due to flying events in the main signal processing path based on a fixed input level to the replicated path. Detected time and duration of the perturbations are used to generate a blanking control signal to the main signal processing path. According to one aspect, the main signal processing path may be part of a high side level shifter that operates in a flying high-voltage domain and used to control a high-voltage switching device.

Switch-mode power converters may include two or more power devices that are controlled for alternating ON/OFF states to provide current to a load. A prior art exemplary embodiment of a switch-mode (switching) power converter (100A) is shown in FIG. 1A, wherein a stack of high-voltage transistors (T1, T2) coupled between a high voltage supply, VIN, and a reference ground, GND, is controlled to provide a current to an inductor L1, which in turn provides an output DC voltage VOUT based on a low pass filter formed by the inductor L1 and a shunted capacitor C1. ON and OFF states of the high side transistor, T2, and the low side transistor, T1, are controlled via respective high side control circuit (110) comprising a level shifter (110a) and a driver (110b), and low side control circuit (120) comprising a level shifter (120a) and a driver (120b). Timing control generated by an input & timing control circuit (105) based on an input signal PWM to the power converter (100A) is used by the high side and low side control circuits (110, 120) to generate gate voltages VG1 and VG2 and thereby control the ON and OFF states of the transistors T1 and T2. As can be seen in FIG. 1A, the input & timing control circuit (105) may operate between a supply voltage VDD1 (e.g., low voltage, such as about 0 to 3.5-5 V)) and a reference ground, GND.
Because of the ON and OFF switching of the high-voltage transistors T1 and T2, a voltage at a common node, SW, of such transistors switches between the high voltage, VIN, and the reference ground, GND. Since the node SW also defines the source node of the high side transistor, T2, it follows that the gate voltage VG2 of the high side transistor "rides" the switching voltage at the common node, SW. Accordingly, as it is well known in the art, the high side control circuit (110) may operate in a "flying" high voltage domain (SW+VDD2, SW), or in other words, a voltage domain wherein the reference voltage is the switching voltage at the common node, SW. This is shown in FIG. 1A as the high side control circuit (110) operating between a supply voltage SW+VDD2 (VDD2 being a low voltage, may be same as or different from VDD1) and the switching voltage at the node SW (used as the flying/switching reference voltage). On the other hand, the low side control circuit (120) may operate between the supply voltage VDD2 and the reference ground, GND.
FIG. 1B shows details of an exemplary block diagram of the high side level shifter (110a) of FIG. 1A used for processing of a high side input timing control signal, HX, to generate an output timing control signal, HS, to be provided to the driver circuit (110b) of FIG. 1A for generation of the gate voltage VG2. Also shown in FIG. 1B is generation of the high side input timing control signal, HX, by the input & timing control circuit block (105) based on the input timing control signal, PWM. A person skilled in the art is well aware of different implementations for generating the signal HX, including by way of a single pulse signal that includes the complete timing control information (e.g., falling and rising edges) or by way of complementary pulse signals each including partial (e.g., one edge) timing control information. According to some exemplary implementations, generation of the complementary pulse signal may be provided within the high side level shifter (110a) instead of the circuit block (105). Accordingly, circuit blocks that implement a main signal processing path that generates the high side output timing control signal, HS, from the input timing control signal, PWM, is shown in FIG. 1B.
As can be seen in FIG. 1B, the high side level shifter (110a) may include an input signal translator circuit block (110a1) that is configured to translate timing information contained in the signal HX to a level shifted signal to be fed to the input latch & processing circuit block (110a2). Such timing information within the signal HX may be provided via a combination of a voltage level and/or edge positions of the signal HX, which information is extracted and level shifted from the low-voltage domain (VDD1, GND) to the flying high-voltage domain (SW+VDD2, SW) by the circuit block (110a1). The level shifted signal output by the circuit block (110a1) may be processed by the circuit block (110a2) which may include an input latch and other processing circuits, including for example, delay circuits that may be used to equalize propagation delay between the high side and the low side control circuits (110, 120). The output of the circuit block (110a2) is fed to the logic circuit block (110a3) which may, for example, be used to implement filtering of timing information provided to the output latch circuit block (110a4). For example, as described below, the filtering implemented within the circuit block (110a3) may include blanking which can filter out (remove, conceal, blank out, mask) any transition that is within a predetermined fixed period of time after one transition fed to and processed by the output latch circuit block (110a4) and output at the output timing control signal, HS.
As it is well known in the art, the switching voltage at the node SW (e.g., FIG. 1A) can switch from the reference ground, GND, to the high voltage, VIN, in very short times (e.g., 100 volts or more per nanosecond) and therefore create flying events in the high side control circuit (110) having fast voltage variations with respect to time (i.e., dV/dt). In turn, such flying events can corrupt timing information being processed by the high side control circuit (110), in particular by the high side level shifter (110a) shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B. Accordingly, as described above, prior art level shifters operating over a flying high-voltage domain (e.g., SW+VDD2, SW) may implement a blanking feature to protect/immunize the timing information processed, as shown, for example, in FIG. 1C.
FIG. 1C shows a blanking according to the prior art as applied to an output control signal, HS, of the high side level shifter (110a). As shown by signal flow details a and b of FIG. 1C, it is assumed that a rising edge, TR, of the output control signal, HS, causes a rising edge of the switching reference voltage, SW, and a falling edge, TF, of the output control signal, HS, causes a falling edge of the switching reference voltage, SW.
As can be seen in FIG. 1C, the blanking according to the prior art includes a (fixed) blanking time period, TBLK, that is introduced after processing of a timing information (e.g., a rising edge TR of an output HS) by the high side level shifter (110a), such as for example by the output latch (110a4) of FIG. 1B, to indicate a time period before which a next timing information (e.g., a falling edge TF) can be processed by said level shifter. In other words, the blanking according to the prior art masks any timing information from being processed by the high side level shifter (110a) during the (fixed) blanking time period TBLK, starting immediately after processing of one timing information. Such blanking according to the prior art provides the advantage of protecting corruption of timing information carried by (contained within) the output control signal HS of the high side level shifter (110a) due to flying events, at the cost of providing a built-in minimum pulse width of the output control signal HS that is larger than the blanking time period, TBLK. Typical values of the blanking time period, TBLK, are in a range between 10 nanoseconds to 20 nanoseconds and are chosen to be long enough for the high side level shifter (110a) to safely ride through the flying events without any corruption in corresponding timing information.
While blanking according to the prior art allows a level shifter operating over a flying high-voltage domain to robustly operate during flying events, it prevents the level shifter from processing timing information represented by narrow pulses (e.g., as provided by the input PWM signal of FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B) that are shorter than the fixed blanking time period (e.g., TBLK of FIG. 1C). However, such narrow pulses may be desirable not only in switch-mode power converter solutions to provide finer and wider range of DC output control via higher ON/OFF duty cycles, but also in small footprint and low-profile switch-mode power converter solutions that need to operate at high frequencies to keep external passive component size small, as well as to generally provide switch-mode power converter solutions having finer and wider range of DC output control via higher ON/OFF duty cycles.
An element of the current invention is the inventor's recognition that within circuits as discussed herein, internal latch nodes may exist within high side level shifters that may be destabilized during so-called flying events (described below, and as a person of ordinary skill will understand) by parasitic inductive and capacitive charging and discharging mechanisms (also described below). We use the term "latch node" to be such a node that may be found within the main signal path or may be found within embodiments of the current invention comprising exemplary, inventive circuitry that resolves or eliminates the deleterious/destabilizing effects. As a person of ordinary skill will understand, these latch nodes may perform other functions than their latching function, including, but not limited to, nodes of digital logic gates that are designed to change state based on transition information from another logic gate and/or from an input signal, and that this description is intended to clarify the invention and is not intended to limit the scope or applicability of the invention.
Based on the above, it follows that there is a need for a level shifter operating over a flying high-voltage domain capable of processing timing information represented by narrow pulses having a duration that is, for example, shorter than 10 nanoseconds, and even shorter than 5 nanoseconds. Teachings according to the present disclosure present such level shifter.


A deep-discharge protection method for protecting a battery of a parking motor vehicle is shown. In this case, a state of charge of the battery is regularly monitored by a battery control unit and is transmitted to an evaluation unit. When a predefined state of charge of the battery is reached, a message is transmitted from a communication unit to a stored address by mobile radio and/or information acquired using a sensor system is used by the evaluation unit to determine whether a situation of the motor vehicle is suitable for autonomous recharging of the battery.

The present disclosure relates to a deep-discharge protection method for protecting a battery of a motor vehicle from an irreversible deep discharge.
Protection methods and apparatuses relating to motor vehicles are known in various configurations. Methods and apparatuses for theft protection, for accident protection, for occupant protection or for protecting a wide variety of the vehicle's own units are used, for example.
It is also known practice to transmit information relating to particular vehicle states using wireless means of communication in such methods. US 2010/0256859 A1, for example, shows a method for transmitting notifications of abnormal vehicle states. US 2008/0088422 A1 discloses an anti-theft alarm system which transmits warning messages on the basis of the battery state. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,521,443 A shows a portable display apparatus for monitoring the residual capacity of a vehicle battery.
A trend in the motor vehicle industry is the use of batteries as traction batteries, in particular the use of lithium ion batteries. In such systems, a discharge below a particular level is harmful to the battery and may result in irreversible defects.

Deep-discharge protection method and motor vehicle


A transmitter of a data transmission system using n transmission lanes generates an error code such as an error detection code or an error correction code from transmitted data on x transmission lanes input to an error detection/correction code generating unit, and transmits the same to a lane number switching controlling unit. The lane number switching controlling unit distributes the transmitted data and the error code to at least some of the n transmission lanes as data strings based on lane information indicating a normal lane, a failure lane, or a lane with a sign of a failure received from a receiver. Further, markers including the lane information indicating a normal or failure lane and information to detect a failure of the n transmission lanes are generated and inserted into data strings transmitted on the n transmission lanes, so that communications are performed with the receiver.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data transmission system in which plural transmission channels are provided and transmission capacity and the number of lanes of transmission channels can be dynamically changed, and particularly to a highly-reliable data transmission technique capable of solving a failure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Integration of servers, storages, and networks has been progressed in racks or between racks installed in a data center, and a high throughput of tens of Tbps (terabit per second) will be required in the future. In order to realize a high throughput, there is a method of changing from electric transmission to optical transmission. However, the failure rate of optical module is high, and the reliability of the whole system is significantly deteriorated.
Under these circumstances, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2011-211532 describes a data transmission technique that can realize improvement of failure resistance in multi-lane transmission in which the number of lanes can be changed.
Further, WO 2005/10747 describes a data transmission technique in which the parity of original data transmitted from a transmitter is calculated, an error check bit between the original data and parity data is calculated, and the both are transmitted together with the original data, so that a bit error occurring in transmission channels can be corrected on the receiver side and the reliability of the transmission channels can be improved.
However, a system with the failure resistance improved can be established by the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2011-211532. However, it takes time before restoring a failure device, and thus a data loss disadvantageously occurs in the period. Further, it is difficult to detect a failure of a device in advance because the frequency and state of a failure are different depending on devices.
In addition, in the case where errors occur in even-numbered transmission channels, the errors cannot be detected and corrected by the technique described in WO 2005/10747. Further, in the case where the number of errors of transmission channels is significantly increased, the errors cannot be corrected. Furthermore, in the case where transmission channels are disconnected, it is impossible to deal with the problem.
In order to address the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a data transmission system and device in which plural transmission routes are provided and transmission capacity and the number of lanes of transmission channels can be dynamically changed, and further a highly-reliable data transmission system and device capable of immediately solving a failure.

Data transmission system and data transmission device


This folder includes a device for cutting sheets from a web of paper, a folding cylinder which is provided with movable retention devices and movable blades for folding the sheets cut from the web, a cam for controlling the movement of the movable retention devices by contact with cam followers, a cam for controlling the movement of the tucking blades by contact with cam followers, and at least one covering cam.

Two main categories of folder of the above-mentioned type are known, that is to say, "jaw folders" and "rotary folders". In these two categories of folder, the retention devices are constituted by pins which engage in the edges of the cut sheets.
In jaw folders, the folding cylinder co-operates with a jaw cylinder in order to fold the sheets. More precisely, the sheets are pushed by the "tucking blades" between the jaws of the jaw cylinder in order to fold the sheets. In rotary folders, the jaw cylinder is replaced by two grooved rollers.
These folders may operate in "straight" mode and in "collect" mode. In straight mode, each sheet is cut, retained on the folding cylinder, then individually folded by means of co-operation of a tucking blade either with the jaw cylinder or with the grooved wheels, depending on the category of the folder. The pins which retain the sheet are simultaneously disengaged from the sheet in order to allow the folded sheet to be discharged in the form of a book. The movement of the pins and the tucking blades is carried out by means of the control cams on which cam followers in the form of rollers which are connected to the tucking blades and to pins travel.
These control cams have, for example, hollow portions in which each roller can be introduced in order to bring about the retraction of the corresponding pins and thus release the sheet, or in order to bring about the projection of the corresponding tucking blade in order to produce a fold in the sheet.
In collect mode, a first cut sheet is retained on the folding cylinder in order to be covered with a second cut sheet. The collect mode therefore allows books to be produced which include a greater number of pages.
In order to prevent the retraction of the pins retaining the first sheet and the projection of the corresponding tucking blade, two covering cams are arranged laterally at the side of the cams for controlling the pins and the tucking blades. These covering cams have projections in the region of the hollow portions of the control cams. The shafts which carry the rollers which are intended to travel on the control cams also carry other rollers which are intended to travel on the covering cams.
In this manner, these other rollers travel on the projections of the covering cams and prevent the rollers associated with the control cams from being introduced in the corresponding hollow portions.
The covering cams therefore neutralise zones of the control cams and prevent, in a controlled manner, the movement of the pins and the tucking blades.
In collect mode, the covering cams rotate about the axis of the folding cylinder at a speed which is generally equal to 2.5 times that of the folding cylinder, when the folding cylinder is provided with five retention devices and five tucking blades. When the folding cylinder includes three retention devices and three tucking blades, the speed of the covering cam is equal to 1.5 times that of the folding cylinder.
In order to move from collect mode to straight mode, the covering cams must be disengaged and immobilised in an angular position in which they do not interfere with the control cams. The operations must be carried out in reverse order to return to collect mode.
This changing of mode therefore requires precise angular positioning, in particular in order to immobilise the covering cam(s) and to ensure that they are reengaged. This is restrictive and further significantly limits the possibilities for automating the changing of the folding mode.

Folder having a retractable covering cam for changing operating mode

Abstract: The covering cam includes two semi-cams which can each be moved radially between a retracted position and an extracted position, the covering cam being in a configuration for straight operation when the semi-cams are in a retracted position and in a configuration for collect operation when the semi-cams are in an extracted position.