The disclosure relates to optimization of gas turbine power plant response during power system transients. In certain embodiments, systems, methods, and apparatus can control a power generating system by using the reactive components of the current and the reactive components of the voltage and the magnitude of the voltage at the generator terminals of a gas turbine generator system. In one embodiment, a system can identify a power system fault based on at least three conditions occurring for a specified duration and at substantially the same time: (1) an increase in the reactive current, (2) a decrease in the magnitude of the voltage, and (3) an increase in the reactive power. In one embodiment, a power system can further detect a remote breaker open (RBO) condition, and distinguish a RBO condition from a power system fault condition.

A power generation system can include a prime mover that generates electrical power from other primary energy sources. An exemplary prime mover, a gas turbine, is a rotary mechanical device with a gas turbine shaft that drives an electrical generator to supply electrical power to a transmission grid that supplies power to the ultimate users. Another exemplary prime mover is a steam turbine. For fault-free operation, the turbine shaft speed and resulting grid frequency must be maintained within operational ranges. When grid frequency changes abruptly due to a transient event, the turbine controller attempts to restore balance in the power generation system through control of the shaft speed.
A power generation system with a prime mover can include a turbine controller to bring the system back in balance following a transient event on the grid causing a frequency deviation. As an example, when a frequency drop in the grid is detected, a drop in speed of a turbine generator shaft can be detected, for example, because the speed moves with grid frequency. Accordingly, fuel intake by the prime mover may increase based on sensing the drop in speed, which can increase active power output in order to compensate for the drop in frequency. This may result in an increase in the electrical power beyond system limits and, consequently, shut off of fuel to the gas turbine (a condition that can be referred to as flame out). In addition, when a turbine controller tries to react to the fast grid frequency transients, the turbine controller may potentially affect the gas turbine's dynamic behavior. Such a sequence of events may occur because of the turbine controller's reactions to symptoms of the transient event on the grid without recognition of the transient grid event itself. In one embodiment, while a gas turbine is specifically discussed for explanatory purposes, the embodiments described herein apply to any prime mover and are not limited based on the exemplary system.
One challenge in controlling a power generation system (also referred to as a power system herein) is ensuring that the amount of active power consumed (for example, by loads on the power system) in addition to losses in the power system ideally equals the active power produced by the power system. For example, if more power is produced by the power system than consumed by loads and losses, the frequency of the output of the power system can increase. Moreover, deviations from the nominal frequency associated with the power system can damage synchronous machines and other appliances associated with the power system. In one embodiment, circuit breakers, devices that can be reset after they have broken current flow, can be used to control the power flow to various components of the grid and/or power system. In one embodiment, power system can further include switchgears, which can have a combination of electrical disconnect switches, fuses, and/or or circuit breakers to control, protect, and isolate electrical equipment. In another embodiment, switchgears can be used to de-energize equipment to allow work to be done, and to clear faults downstream.
A power system having a gas turbine feedback response mechanism that makes response decisions (for example, making changes to fuel stroke ratio (FSR), fuel splits, fuel bias, a dry low NOx (DLN) mode, or an inlet guide vane (IGV) angle, and the like) based on the speed of the turbine generator shaft alone may have faulty responses. For example, a speed increase in the turbine generator shaft could be a result of system fault or a remote breaker open (RBO) condition. However, a gas turbine feedback response mechanism that only considers feedback based on the speed of the turbine generator shaft may not be able to differentiate between a system fault and a RBO condition.

Systems and methods for controlling a power generation system


An integrated circuit has a power rail formed of a first wire in a lower metal layer and a second wire in an upper metal layer and that run in the same direction in their respective layers. A number of vias connect the first and second wires, to form a sandwich power rail structure. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

An embodiment of the invention relates to the field of the electronic design automation, EDA/computer aided design, CAD of large scale integrated circuits (ICs), and particularly to laying out or routing power rail structures for a circuit cell that is used to design such integrated circuits. Other embodiments are also described.
Computer-aided cell-based design has been developed for quickly designing large scale ICs such as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and gate arrays. The cell is a circuit that has been pre-designed and pre-verified as a building block. Design technologies known as Standard Cell and Gate Array use different types of such building blocks, although the term "standard cell" as used here is intended to encompass both types. In a Standard Cell design, each distinct cell in a library may have unique geometries of active, gate, and metal levels. With Gate Arrays however, each cell shares the same basic building block, called a core cell that consists of fixed active and gate level geometries. Thus, different gate array cells are implemented using only metal interconnections between the active and gate elements of one or more core cells. Examples of a standard cell include a NAND gate, a NOR gate, a flip flop, and other similar logic circuits. A designer may select particular cells from a library of cells and insert them into a design. The library includes cells that have been designed for a given IC manufacturing process (e.g., complementary metal oxide semiconductor, CMOS, fabrication). The cells generally do not change from one design to the next, but the way in which they are interconnected will, to achieve the desired function in a given design. By being able to select the cells from the library and simply place them into the design, the designer can quickly implement the function without having to custom design the cells. He will thus have a certain level of confidence that the function will likely work as intended, when the integrated is actually manufactured, without having to worry about the details of the individual transistors that make up each cell.
The routing layers, such as metal layers, used in IC design have various routing elements such as wire (or line) and via elements. These perform at least two functions: they connect individual transistors to make up a cell, including supplying power to the cell, and they connect cells to each other globally to implement the desired function of the integrated circuit. The EDA/CAD software takes a design netlist of interconnected cells, and automatically places cells and routes the connections between them on a typical, square grid that overlays a region of the IC die (to be manufactured). The placement and routing of the netlist components has to comply with certain design rules, so that inevitable manufacturing process variations in the IC die can be tolerated.

Apparatuses and methods for efficient power rail structures for cell libraries


A charging apparatus includes a charging member, to which a voltage is applicable, for charging a member to be charged; the charging member including: a flexible member for forming a nip with the member to be charged, wherein the flexible member is moved with a peripheral speed difference between surfaces of the flexible member and the member to be charged at the nip; and electroconductive particles in the nip.

The present invention relates to a charging apparatus and a charging method, which use electrically conductive particles to charge an object, such as an image bearing member. It also relates to a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus, which are compatible with such a charging apparatus and a charging method.
Prior to the present invention, a corona type charger (corona discharging device) has been widely used as a charging apparatus for charging (inclusive of discharging) an image bearing member (object to be charged) such as an electrophotographic photosensitive member or an electrostatic dielectric recording member to a predetermined polarity and a predetermined potential level in an image forming apparatus, for example, an electrophotographic apparatus (copying machine, printer, or the like) or an electrostatic recording apparatus.
The corona-type charging device is a noncontact-type charging device, and comprises a corona discharging electrode, such as a wire electrode, and a shield electrode which surrounds the corona discharging electrode. It is disposed so that the corona discharging opening thereof faces an image bearing member, that is, an object to be charged. In usage, the surface of an image bearing member is charged to a predetermined potential level by being exposed to discharge current (corona shower) generated as high voltage which is applied between the corona. discharging electrode and the shield electrode.
In recent years, it has been proposed to employ a contact-type charging apparatus as a charging apparatus for charging the image bearing member, that is, the object to be charged, in an image forming apparatus of low to medium speed. This is due to the fact that a contact-type charging apparatus has an advantage over a corona-type charging apparatus in terms of low ozone production, low power consumption, or the like. Also, such a contact-type charging apparatus has been put to practical use.
In order to charge an object, such as an image bearing member, with the use of a contact-type charging apparatus, the electrically conductive charging member contact-type charging member, contact-type charging device, or the like) of a contact-type apparatus is placed in contact with the object to be charged, and an electrical bias (charge bias) of a predetermined level is applied to this contact-type charging member so that the surface of the object to be charged is charged to a predetermined polarity and a predetermined potential level. The charging member is available in various forms, for example, a roller-type member (charge roller), a fur-brush-type member, a magnetic-brush type member, a blade-type member, and the like.
In reality, when an object is electrically charged by a contact-type charging member, two types of charging mechanisms (charging mechanism or charging principle: (1) mechanism which discharges electrical charge, and (2) mechanism for injecting charge) come into action. Thus, the characteristics of each contact-type charging apparatuses or methods are determined by the charging mechanism which is the dominant one of the two in charging the object.
(1) Electrical Discharge Based Charging Mechanism
This charging mechanism is a charging mechanism in which the surface of an object to be charged is charged by electrical discharge, which occurs across a microscopic gap between a contact-type charging member and the object to be charged.
In the case of the electrical-discharge-based charging mechanism, there is a threshold voltage which must be surpassed by the charge bias applied to a contact-type charging member before electrical discharge occurs between a contact-type charging member and an object to be charged, and therefore, in order for an object to be charged through the electrical discharge based charging mechanism, it is necessary to apply to the contact-type charging member a voltage with a value greater than the value of the potential level to which the object is to be charged. Thus, in principle, when the electrical discharge based charging mechanism is in action, it is impossible to avoid generating by-products of electrical discharge, that is, active ions, such as ozone ions. In reality, even a contact-type charging apparatus charges an object partially through the electrical-charge discharging mechanism as described above, and therefore, a contact-type charging apparatus cannot completely eliminate the problems caused by the active ions such as ionized ozone.
(2) Direct-charge Injection Mechanism
This is a mechanism in which the surface of an object to be charged is charged as electrical charge is directly injected into the object to be charged, with the use of a contact-type charging member. Thus, this mechanism is called xe2x80x9cdirect charging mechanismxe2x80x9d, or xe2x80x9ccharge injection mechanismxe2x80x9d. More specifically, a contact-type charging member with medium electrical resistance is placed in contact with the surface of an object to be charged to directly inject electrical charge into the surface portion of an object to be charged, without relying on electrical. discharge, in other words, without using electrical discharge in principle. Therefore, even if the value of the voltage applied to contact-type charging member is below the discharge starting voltage value, the object to be charged can be charged to a voltage level which is substantially the same as the level of the voltage applied to the contact-type charging member.
This direct injection charging mechanism does not suffer from the problems caused by the by-product of electrical discharge since it is not accompanied by ozone production. However, in the case of this charging mechanism, the state of the contact between a contact-type charging member and an object to be charged greatly affects the manner in which the object is charged, since this charging mechanism is such a mechanism that directly charges an object. Thus, this direct injection charging mechanism should comprise a contact-type charging member composed of high density material, and also should be given a structure which provides a large speed difference between the charging member and the object to be charged, so that a given point on the surface of the object to be charged makes contact with a larger area of the charging member.
A) Charging Apparatus with Charge Roller
In the case of a contact-type charging apparatus, a roller-charge system, that is, a charging system which employs an electrically conductive roller (charge roller) as a contact-type charging member, is widely used because of its desirability in terms of safety.
As for the charging mechanism in this roller charge system, the aforementioned (1) charging mechanism, which discharges electrical charge, is dominant.
Charge rollers are formed of rubber or foamed material with substantial electrical conductivity, or electrical resistance of a medium level. In some charge rollers, the rubber or foamed material is layered to obtain a specific characteristic.
In order to maintain stable contact between a charge roller and an object to be charged (hereinafter, xe2x80x9cphotosensitive memberxe2x80x9d), a charge roller is given elasticity, which in turn increases the frictional resistance between the charge roller and the photosensitive member. Also in many cases, a charge roller is rotated by the rotation of a photosensitive drum, or is individually driven at a speed slightly different from that of the photosensitive drum. As a result, problems occur: absolute charging performance declines, the state of the contact between the charge roller and the photosensitive drum becomes less desirable, and foreign matter adheres to the charge roller and/or the photosensitive member. Prior to the present invention, the dominant charging mechanism through which a roller charging member charged an object was a charging mechanism which discharged electrical charge, and therefore, even with the use of a contact-type charging apparatus, it was impossible to completely prevent the nonuniform charging of the photosensitive member.
FIG. 5 is a graph which shows an example of efficiency in contact-type charging. In the graph, the abscissas represents the bias applied to a contact-type charging member, and the ordinate represents the potential levels corresponding to the voltage values of the bias applied to the contact-type charging member. The characteristics of the charging by a roller are represented by a line designated by a character A. According to this line, when a charge roller is used to charge an object, the charging of an object occurs in a voltage range above an electric discharge threshold value of approximately xe2x88x92500 V. Therefore, generally, in order to charge an object to a potential level of xe2x88x92500 V with the use of a charge roller, either a DC voltage of xe2x88x921,000 V is applied to the charge roller, or an AC voltage with a peak-to-peak voltage of 1,200 V, in addition to a DC voltage of xe2x88x92500 V, is applied to the charge roller to keep the difference in potential level between the charge roller and the object to be charged, at a value greater than the electric-discharge threshold value, so that the potential of the photosensitive drum converges to the desired potential level.
More specifically, in order to charge a photosensitive drum with a 25 xcexcm thick organic photoconductor layer by pressing a charge roller upon the photosensitive member, charge bias with a voltage value of approximately 640 V or higher should be applied to the charge roller. Where the value of the charge bias is approximately 640 V or higher, the potential level at the surface of the photosensitive member is proportional to the level of the voltage applied to the charge roller; the relationship between the potential level and the voltage applied to the charge roller is linear. This threshold voltage is defined as a charge start voltage Vth.
In other words, in order to charge the surface of a photosensitive member to a potential level of Vd which is necessary for electrophotography, a DC voltage of (Vd+Vth), which is higher than the voltage level to which the photosensitive member is to be charged, is necessary. Hereinafter, the above described charging method in which only DC voltage is applied to a contact-type charging member to charge an object will be called a xe2x80x9cDC charging methodxe2x80x9d.
However, prior to the present invention, even with the use of the DC charging method, it was difficult to bring the potential level of a photosensitive member exactly to a target level, since the resistance value of a contact-charging member changed due to changes in ambience or the like, and also the threshold voltage Vth changed as the photosensitive member was shaved away.
As for a counter measure for the above described problem, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 149,669/1988 discloses an invention which deals with the above problem to effect more uniform charging of a photosensitive member. According to this invention, an xe2x80x9cAC charging methodxe2x80x9d is employed, in which a compound voltage composed of a DC component equivalent to a desired potential level Vd, and an AC component with a peak-to-peak voltage which is twice the threshold voltage Vth, is applied to a contact-type charging member. This invention is intended to utilize the averaging effect of alternating current. According to this invention, the potential of an object to be charged is caused to converge to the Vd, that is, the center of the peaks of the AC voltage, without being affected by external factors, such as operational ambience.
However, even in the case of the contact-type charging apparatus in the above described invention, the principal charging mechanism is a charging mechanism which uses electrical discharge from a contact-type charging member to a photosensitive. member. Therefore, as already described, the voltage applied to the contact-type charging member needs to have a voltage level higher than the voltage level to which the photosensitive member is to be charged. Thus, ozone is generated, although only in a small amount.
Further, when AC current is used so that an object is uniformly charged due to the averaging effect of AC current, the problems related to AC voltage become more conspicuous. For example, more ozone is generated; noises traceable to the vibration of the contact-type charging member and the photosensitive drum caused by the electric field of AC voltage increase; and the deterioration of the photosensitive member surface caused by electrical discharge increases, which add to the prior problems.
B) Charging Apparatus with Fur Brush
In the case of this charging apparatus, a charging member (fur-brush-type charging device) with a brush portion composed of electrically conductive fiber is employed as the contact-type charging member. The brush portion composed of electrically conductive fiber is placed in contact with a photosensitive member as an object to be charged, and a predetermined charge bias is applied to the charging member to charge the peripheral surface of the photosensitive member to a predetermined polarity and a predetermined potential level.
Also in the case of this charging apparatus with a fur brush, the dominant charging mechanism is the electrical-discharge based charging mechanism.
It is known that there are two type of fur-brush-type charging devices: a fixed type and a roller type. In the case of the fixed type, fiber with medium electrical resistance is woven into foundation cloth to form pile, and a piece of this pile is adhered to an electrode. In the case of the rotatable type, the pile is wrapped around a metallic core. In terms of fiber density, pile with a density of 100 fiber/cm2 can be relatively easily obtained, but the density of 100 fiber/cm2 is not sufficient to create a state of contact which is satisfactory to charge an object by charge injection. Further, in order to give a photosensitive member satisfactorily uniform charge by charge injection, a velocity difference which is almost impossible to attain with the use of a mechanical structure must be established between a photosensitive drum and a roller type fur brush. Therefore, the fur-brush-type charging device is not practical.
The relationship between the DC voltage applied to a fur-brush-type charging member and the potential level to which a photosensitive member is charged by the DC voltage applied to the fur brush shows a characteristic represented by a line B in FIG. 5. As is evident from the graph, also in the case of the contact-type charging apparatus which comprises a fur brush, whether the fur brush is of the fixed type or the roller type, the photosensitive member is charged mainly through electrical discharge triggered by applying to the fur brush a charge bias the voltage level of which is higher than the potential level desired for the photosensitive member.
C) Magnetic-Brush-type Charging Apparatus
A charging apparatus of this type comprises a magnetic brush portion (magnetic brush based charging device) as the contact-type charging member. A magnetic brush is constituted of electrically conductive magnetic particles magnetically confined in the form of a brush by a magnetic roller or the like. This magnetic brush portion is placed in contact with a photosensitive member as an object to be charged, and a predetermined charge bias is applied to the magnetic brush to charge the peripheral surface of the photosensitive member to a predetermined polarity and a predetermined potential level.
In the case of this magnetic brush type charging apparatus, the dominant charging mechanism is the charge injection mechanism (2).
As for the material for the magnetic brush portion, electrically conductive magnetic particles, the diameters of which are in a range of 5-50 xcexcm, are used. With the provision of a sufficient difference in peripheral velocity between a photosensitive drum and a magnetic brush, the photosensitive member can be uniformly charged through charge injection.
In the case of a magnetic brush type charging apparatus, the photosensitive member is charged to a potential level which is substantially equal to the voltage level of the bias applied to the contact-type charging member, as shown by a line C in FIG. 5.
However, a magnetic brush type charging apparatus also has its own problems. For example, it is complicated in structure. Also, the electrically conductive magnetic particles, which constitute the magnetic brush portion, become separated from the magnetic brush and adhere to a photosensitive member.
Japanese Patent Publication Application No. 3,921/1994 discloses a contact-type charging method, according to which a photosensitive member is charged by injecting electric charge into the charge injectable surface layer thereof, more specifically, into the traps or electrically conductive particles in the charge injectable surface layer. Since this method does not rely on electrical discharge, the voltage level necessary to charge the photosensitive member to a predetermined potential level is substantially the same as the potential level to which the photosensitive member is to be charged, and in addition, no ozone is generated. Further, since AC voltage is not applied, there is no noise traceable to the application of AC voltage. In other words, a magnetic-brush type charging system is an excellent charging system superior to the roller-type charging system in terms of ozone generation and power consumption, since it does not generate ozone, and uses far less power compared to the roller-type charging system.
D) Toner Recycling Process (Cleanerless System)
In a transfer type image forming apparatus, the toner which remains on the peripheral surface of a photosensitive member (image bearing member) after image transfer is removed by a cleaner (cleaning apparatus) and becomes waste toner. Not only for obvious reasons, but also for environmental protection, it is desirable that the waste toner is not produced. Thus, image forming apparatuses capable of recycling toner have been developed. In such an image forming apparatus, a cleaner is eliminated, and the toner which remains on the photosensitive member after image transfer is removed from the photosensitive drum by a developing apparatus; the residual toner on the photosensitive member is recovered by a developing apparatus at the same time as a latent image on the photosensitive drum is developed by the developing apparatus, and then is reused for development.
More specifically, the toner which remains on a photosensitive member after image transfer is recovered by fog removal bias (voltage level difference Vback between the level of the DC voltage applied to a developing apparatus and the level of the surface potential of a photosensitive member) during the following image transfer. According to this cleaning method, the residual toner is recovered by the developing apparatus and is used for the following image development and thereafter; the waste toner is eliminated. Therefore, the labour spent for maintenance is reduced. Further, being cleanerless is quite advantageous in terms of space, allowing image forming apparatuses to be substantially reduced in size.
E) Coating of Contact-type Charging Member with Electrically Conductive Powder
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 103,878/1991 discloses a contact-type charging apparatus with such a structure that coats a contact-type charging member with electrically conductive powder, on the surface which comes in contact with the surface of an object to be charged, so that the surface of the object to be charged is uniformly charged, that is, without irregularity in charge. The contact-type charging member in this charging apparatus is rotated by the rotation of the object to be charged, and the amount of ozone generated by this charging apparatus is remarkably small compared to the amount of ozonic products generated by a corona type charging apparatus such as SUKOROTRON. However, even in the case of this charging apparatus, the principle, based on which an object is charged, is the same as the principle, based on which an object is charged by the aforementioned charge roller; in other words, an object is charged by electrical discharge. Further, also in the case of this charging apparatus, in order to assure that an object to be charged is uniformly charged, compound voltage composed of DC component and AC component is applied to the contact-type charging member, and therefore, the amount of ozonic products traceable to electrical discharge becomes relatively large. Thus, even this contact-type charging apparatus is liable to cause problems; for example, images are affected by ozonic products, appearing as if flowing, when this charging apparatus is used for an extended period of time, in particular, when this charging apparatus is used in a cleanerless image forming apparatus for an extended period of time.
As described in the preceding paragraphs regarding the technologies prior to the present invention, it is difficult to directly charge an object with the use of a contact-type charging apparatus with a simple structure which comprises a contact-type charging member, such as a charge roller or a fur brush. Also in the case of an image forming apparatus which employs such a charging apparatus, the photosensitive member is liable to be insufficiently charged, causing images to appear foggy (during reversal development, toner is adhered to the areas which are supposed to remain white), or the photosensitive member is liable to be nonuniformly charged, causing images to be appear irregular in terms of continuity.
In the case of the contact-type charging apparatus structured so that the contact-type charging member is coated with electrically conductive powder, on the surface which comes in contact with the surface of the object to be charged, so that the contact-type charging member is rotated by the rotation of the photosensitive member, and so that the photosensitive member is mainly charged by electrical discharges, ozonic products are liable to be accumulated, and; images are affected by the accumulated ozonic products, appearing as if flowing, when such a charging apparatus is used for an extended period of time, in particular, when such a charging apparatus is used in a cleanerless image forming apparatus for an extended period of time.
Further, in the case of the cleanerless image forming apparatus, there is the problem that the residual toner causes the photosensitive member to be unsatisfactorily charged in a charging portion.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,432,037 discloses an invention in which electrically conductive particles are mixed into developer so that even if developer adheres to a charger roller, the charging operation is not interfered with. However, also in this case, a photosensitive member is primarily charged through electrical discharge, and therefore, there are problems similar to those described above.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a charging apparatus and a charging method, which are capable of uniformly charging an object, with the use of only a simple charging member such as a charge roller, a fiber brush, or the like, and also remain reliable for a long period of time.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a charging apparatus and a charging method, in which the voltage applied to a charging member is reduced so that an object can be charged without generating ozone.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a charging apparatus and a charging method, in which charge is injected into an object from an inexpensive charging member.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a charging apparatus and a charging method, which do not create problems traceable to ozonic products.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a contact type charging apparatus and a charging method, which do not generate the charging noises.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING A MEMBER TO BE CHARGED, INJECTION CHARGING MEANS HAVING AN ELASTIC MEMBER FOR PRESS-CONTACTING THE MEMBER TO BE CHARGED, AND ELECTROCONDUCTIVE PARTICLES BETWEEN THE ELASTIC MEMBER AND THE MEMBER TO BE CHARGED


A stomp box percussion device may include a top plate having an exterior surface and an opposing interior surface. One or more sidewalls may be coupled to the interior surface, and a chamber may be formed by the interior surface and the one or more sidewalls. Preferably, a sound device may be disposed in the chamber. A central kerf may be disposed on the exterior surface of the top plate, and one or more alternating kerfs may be disposed on the interior surface of the top plate. The top plate may support the weight of a performer, while the performer's alternating or inactive (supporting) foot may not dampen the resonance of the top plate when he/she is standing on and playing the device with their active (stomping or tapping) foot.

It is common for a solo artist or small performing group or band to desire to add the rhythmical sound of a bass drum to their musical performance while playing an instrument such as a guitar or keyboard. Often these musicians will incorporate a stomp box into their performance. A stomp box or stompbox is a simple percussion instrument consisting of a box placed under the foot, which is tapped or stamped on rhythmically to produce a sound similar to that of a bass drum. A stomp box allows a performer such as a singer or guitar player to create a simple rhythmic self-accompaniment. Unfortunately, currently available stomp boxes often do not produce the deep frequency sound of a bass drum that is desired by the performer. These stomp boxes also are unable to provide a surface which allows for a natural motion of generating the sound without hindering the playing of the performer's main instrument.
Therefore, a need exists for novel stomp box percussion devices. There is also a need for novel stomp box percussion devices which are able to provide a percussion device that can be easily implemented by a performer. A further need exists for novel stomp box percussion devices which are able to produce desired bass drum sounds in addition to other percussion embellishment sounds. Finally, a need exists for novel stomp box percussion devices that are portable in nature and able to easily interface into the performance space of a musician.


Apparatus for teaching robot station location relative to a work piece apparatus includes an attachment that can be temporarily coupled to the apparatus and positioned in known relationship to the robot station location. A plurality of positional sensors are mounted on the attachment ring, the sensors each configured to produce a signal when a work piece carried by a robot arm is positioned a predetermined distance from the sensor. A signal receiver is configured to receive signals from the sensors and to indicate which of the sensors has produced the signal. The indication may be the activation of an LED display that indicates to an operator what the next movement of the robot arm should be in order to center the work piece with respect to the robot station location.

This invention relates generally to method and apparatus for teaching robot station locations, and in accordance with one embodiment of the invention to method and apparatus for teaching robot station locations for application to a chemical mechanical planarization method and apparatus.
Robots are used in many and varied manufacturing applications. One attribute of a mechanical robot that makes the robot useful in such applications is the ability of the robot to carry out a repetitive operation with great precision. For example, a robot is able to repetitively and precisely move objects, held by the arm of the robot, from point A to point B. In order to carry out such movements successfully, however, the robot must first be calibrated, or xe2x80x9ctaughtxe2x80x9d the location and orientation of the points A and B.
The process of teaching a robot station location is often done visually by a human operator. The operator controls the robot arm manually to position the end of the arm or a work piece carried by the arm in what is visually perceived to be the correct position. Once so located or positioned, the coordinates and orientation of the robot arm are recorded so that the robot can always return the arm or the work piece to that location and orientation. This method of robot station location, however, is fraught with difficulties. The accuracy of the positioning is subject to the skill and visual acuity of the operator. In addition, in many instances the final desired position is not clearly observable by the operator. For example, in robotically positioning a work piece such as a semiconductor wafer with respect to some chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) equipment, the correct position is at least partially obscured and is not readily observable.
Accordingly, a need exists for a method and apparatus that will allow the teaching of robot station location without reliance on operator visual perception.

Method and apparatus for teaching robot station location


A light-emitting diode (LED) device including an LED module and a driver is provided. The LED module includes a voltage sensing module and an LED. The voltage sensing module generates a reference voltage. The driver includes a power converting module, a current processing module, a feedback module and a controller module. The power converting module converts an alternating current (AC) into a driving current for driving the LED to emit a light. The current processing module converts the driving current into a sensing voltage. The feedback module compares the sensing voltage with a reference voltage and outputs a level signal according to a magnitude relationship of the sensing voltage and the reference voltage. The controller module outputs a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to the power converting module according to the level signal. The power converting module controls the magnitude of the driving current according to the PWM signal.

A conventional light-emitting diode (LED) module is driven by a driving circuit. Based on the magnitude of the driving current required for driving an LED module, a corresponding driving circuit is selected to work with the LED module. When many LED modules requiring different driving currents are used, different driving circuits for providing the required driving currents need to be designed, not only increasing design and manufacturing costs but also adding extra workload to warehousing management, material assignment and component assembly.
Therefore, it has become a prominent task for the industry to provide a new LED device for resolving the above problems.


A method for forming a semiconductor layer having a fine shape is provided. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device with few variations is provided. In addition, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device with a high yield is provided where the cost can be reduced with few materials. According to the invention, a semiconductor film is partially irradiated with a laser beam to form an insulating layer, and the semiconductor film is etched using the insulating film as a mask so as to form a semiconductor layer having a desired shape. Then, the semiconductor layer is used to manufacture a semiconductor device. According to the invention, a semiconductor layer having a fine shape can be formed in a predetermined position without using a known photolithography step using a resist.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having a semiconductor element.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a so-called active matrix driving type display panel or a semiconductor integrated circuit which has a semiconductor element typified by a thin film transistor (hereinafter also referred to as a "TFT") or an MOS transistor is manufactured by patterning various thin films through a light-exposure step using a photomask (hereinafter referred to as a photolithography step).
In a photolithography step, a resist mask is formed by applying a resist to the entire surface of a substrate, prebaking it, irradiating the resist with an ultraviolet ray or the like through a photomask, and then developing it. After that, a thin film (thin film formed of a semiconductor material, an insulating material or a conductive material) which is present except in a portion to be a semiconductor layer or a wiring is etched to be removed using the resist mask, thereby the semiconductor layer or the wiring is formed.
In addition, in order to reduce the waste of materials used for depositing a film, there is a technique for depositing a film over a semiconductor wafer using a system capable of continuously discharging a resist from a nozzle so as to form a linear pattern with a narrow width (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-188251).

Manufacturing method of semiconductor device

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


The present invention provides a method for transferring user position identifier. By adding two tags i.e. a VlanCI tag and a VlanPI tag for identifying users accessed into broadband access network, the number of users accessing to the broadband access network is increased, and the problem of having insufficient VLAN ID in the broadband access network is solved, so that the broadband access network can hold any number of users. By using this invention, devices in the broadband access network only need to do VlanPI scheduling during the message transmission, without caring about the details of user services, i.e. devices in the broadband access network carry out the management in thick path manner rather than in thin path manner, and the features associated with user services are solved by the cooperation of broadband access devices and BAS devices. Additionally, private tag information in the internal network of users is transferred transparently through the whole network, and the device in the broadband access network will not perform any processing on this information.

The traditional Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM) is a device with complete Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) framework, i.e. it is an ATM-based DSLAM. In an ATM DSLAM network construction, the model of "ATM DSLAM+ATM switching network+Broadband Access Server (BAS)" is generally adopted, a Virtual Path Identifier (VPI) is used for representing a DSLAM office direction, and a Virtual Channel Identifier (VPI) is used for representing users governed by each DSLAM. Because a device number of DSLAM is identified by the VPI, the BAS device can rapidly and accurately locate a user in broadband maintenance management. Meanwhile, because ATM devices take charge in scheduling and managing Virtual Path (VP), configuration of the ATM devices is simple and easily managed.
Being one of protocols in the Ethernet protocol group, IEEE802.1Q standard is for Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN), and it mainly defines the procedure of realizing different local networks virtually in a local network by adopting VLAN technology. When the DSLAM is used as an access device, it can provide two identifying modes, which are port-based VLAN and 802.1Q-based VLAN on the broadband access network. The port-based VLAN identifying mode is setting default VLAN ID of port according to the DSLAM device, and for the 802.1Q-based VLAN identifying mode, since the user carries its own VLAN ID, the user can set effective ports for the carried VLAN ID.
The IEEE802.1Q standard defines Ethernet message format for encapsulating VLAN ID, and the format is shown in Table 1:
TABLE 1DstMACSrcMACEtype802.1QTagEtypeDATAFCS
Here, the 4-bytes DstMAC field is destination Media Access Control (MAC) address; the 4-bytes SrcMAC field is source MAC address; the 2-bytes Etype field is used to identify type of the Ethernet identifier and its constant value is 0x8100; the 2-bytes 802.1Qtag field is tag of 802.1Q and the VLAN ID is identified by last 12 bits of this field; the 2-bytes Etype field is used to identify type of posterior DATA field; the DATA field is filled with the data region born by the Ethernet and it contains 46-1500 bytes; the FEC field is used as the checking field and is 4 bytes long.
The broadband access network is generally composed of three layers, including BAS device layer, convergence layer and broadband access device layer. Generally, the broadband access device is responsible for converging user's flow and service, and the user being converged may also carry private VLAN information. The switch in the convergence layer manages further convergence of the user's flow, and the BAS device accomplishes processing such as authentication, management and charging etc. upon access users.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the procedure of broadband access network transmitting user position information in the prior art. In current broadband network construction, the Virtual Local Area Network Identifier (VLAN ID) encapsulation format specified in the IEEE 802.1Q standard is mainly adopted to map the information of port or Permanent Virtual Channel (PVC) that user accesses one by one to the 802.1Q-based Ethernet message which is for encapsulating VLAN ID, and send the position information of this user to the BAS device through the VLAN ID born by the data message itself. When finishing the user authentication, the BAS device locates the user's position, device number of the accessed DSLAM and the port of this accessed DSLAM device via the identifier of BAS device, number of single board slots and ports in the BAS device that the broadband access device connects with and the VLAN ID within the user data message. By using this technique, related value added services can be carried out, such as binding an access account number of user with the user's position, implementing the access of dedicated line subscriber, etc.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the procedure of broadband access device transmitting user position information in the prior art. The broadband access device in this scheme is an IP DSLAM device, user adopts ADSL access mode, and pre-configures the corresponding relationship between port position information through which the user accesses the ADSL (i.e. number of slots and ports and PVC information), and the VLAN ID. After the user data message is imported to the user access port, it is processed by interface devices and forms an Ethernet message thereafter. Here, the processing comprises a set of procedures such as ATM message reforming and self-study for Ethernet address, etc. During the procedure of importing the user data message to the user access port, the access devices will insert a TAG header in conformity with the encapsulation format of 802.1Q into the processed Ethernet message according to the input port information and the PVC information of user. Correspondingly, according to the relationship between the VLAN ID and the port information of user and PVC information, the access device forwards the Ethernet message which is transmitted from the network side and is fit for 802.1Q, removes the TAG header encapsulated in terms of 802.1Q format and generates ATM cells on ADSL line by means of cell partition.
However, the above scheme has the following problems:
1) The user is identified via the VLAN ID carried by data message itself, and according to 802.1Q protocol, there can only be 4096 VLAN IDs at most in one BAS device. If there exists a convergent device between 2-layer network devices and 3-layer network devices, the number of users gathered together by the convergence layer devices is sometimes more than 4K (4096). And because BAS devices are located in the higher layer of network, convergence devices are usually adopted between broadband access devices and BAS devices for convergence.
2) Even in the direct connecting network structure of broadband access devices and BAS devices, with the increasing scale of single-node broadband access devices, connection modes such as cascading mode are introduced in the broadband access devices to access the network for the sake of saving direct connecting optical fibers, and thus it may occur that more than 4096 users access the network and the problem of having insufficient VLAN ID still exists.

Method for transferring user position identifier


In electronic collated printing of an electronic document of plural electronic pages with a printer printing normal sheets with a normal jam rate but printing abnormal printing sheets with a substantially higher jam rate, where associated with the electronic pages is printing sheet selection information, there is provided here electronic separation of the electronic pages of the document which specify the abnormal printing sheets. The system then prints those separated pages onto their abnormal printing sheets prior to printing any of the other electronic pages, temporarily holds them in an interposer, then prints the other pages of the document onto normal sheets, and provides collated merging in the interposer to provide collated output of the entire electronic document.

In the xerographic reproduction and other printing arts, especially where a print job is a large, multi-page document, or a large number of copies of a plural page document, it is well known that frequent paper jams and job recoveries can result in reduced productivity, operator frustration, and having to discard many sheets of print jobs which are only partially completed when the jams occurred. It is also well known in the printing art that certain types of image substrate sheets being printed in a printer are substantially more prone to jams than normal printing sheets such as standard letter or legal size paper of normal weights. Examples of more jam prone sheets include very large sheets, heavy card stock sheets, tabbed sheets, special cover sheets, special coated paper sheets, transparencies, etc.. These more jam prone sheets require far more frequent printer stoppages, jam clearances, and job recoveries. Often, such special, more jam prone, sheets are only a few pages of a document which is otherwise being printed on normal copy sheets, yet the printing of the entire document is interrupted, and several pages of each document copy sheet may have to be cleared out of the print engine, discarded, and reprinted. It is a feature of the disclosed system herein to reduce many of the above-described and other problems.
In the disclosed embodiment, as an electronic print job document comes in to the print server or other electronic input for an electronic printer for printing, the pages of that document specifying more jam prone sheets may be electronically identified and electronically separated or xe2x80x9cpulledxe2x80x9d from the normal print order print queue. Those special, more jam-prone, sheet page requirements may be identified from the job ticket, PDL, or other special print stock instructions or indicia. Or, in some cases, they may be identified from a paper supply drawer designator (of a drawer in which special paper or card stock is loaded). These automatically electronically pulled jam prone pages are then printed first, separately, out of order, so that they can be better supervised, and so as not to require throwing away other (normal) printed sheets in job recoveries to clear jams. These special sheets are fed into an interposer or other intermediate tray(s) (intermediate the printer output) for subsequent insertion. Thus, if a jam occurs due to a special sheet, only some of these special sheets need to be purged and reprinted, not the entire, or a large proportion of, the multi-page document set or sets. Then, after the jam-prone sheets have been printed and temporarily stored in the interposer, the rest of that same print job, which is less jam prone, is printed. That is, the text pages being printed on standard weight, standard size, paper, are then printed, and then collation is reestablished (to provide complete collated sets of the print job) by interposing (inserting) the previously printed sheets from the interposer tray(s) into the print job stream of the printer at the page positions from which they were electronically removed. Properly collated complete print job documents may thus be normally sent on for output and/or finishing.
Note that this should be distinguished from the prior use of interposers (noted below) to interpose preprinted sheets previously printed separately, on a separate printer or otherwise, which requires special programming instructions for each insert.
By way of background on xe2x80x9cinterposersxe2x80x9d (sheet inserters) for printers there is noted, for example, Xerox Corp. U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,969 issued Feb. 6, 1996 to J. J. Soler, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,641, issued Aug. 31, 1999 based on allowed U.S. application Ser. No. 08/876,419 filed Jun. 16, 1997 by J. L. Rourke, et al., originally filed as a provisional application on Oct. 18, 1996 (D/96509). The Canadian equivalent thereof was published on Apr. 18, 1998 as publication number 2215766. Said Rourke, et al. patent is also of interest for disclosing a queuing system examining document attributes and delivering one or more portions of the document to one or more document processing subsystems and then merging the document portions.. Other art is cited in both. Especially as to the latter, the Xerox Disclosure Journal publication, xe2x80x9cIntegration of Black Only and Color Printersxe2x80x9d by Paul F. Morgan, Vol. 16, No. 6, pp. 381-383, November/December, 1991.
Of background interest as to tab printing in a network context, there is noted Xerox Corp. U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,461 to Landry et al.
By way of general background on printer jam detection and job recovery, there is noted, for example, Xerox Corp. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,045,881; 4,231,547; and 5,179,410.
There are numerous background examples of many products and patents on electronic printing, print job queue management, and the like, including those cited above, such as said Rourke, et al., and other patents cited therein. Thus, electronic printing of electronic print jobs in general, as well as jam detection, job recover, collation, finishing and other aspects thereof, is well known in the art from these and many other patents and products. Accordingly, they need not be re-described herein for those skilled in the art.
By way of such background, it is well known that an electronic print job being electronically sent to a printer can automatically control the printer operation, including the selection of the print sheets for particular pages. It may include special sheet selections, along with the other document printing instructions, in one of the known page description languages (PDL), or other print job instructions. The print job may be sent directly or via an interconnecting separate or integral print server. Some commercial electronic printers allow additional such selections or additions to be made from the printer console or graphic user interface (GUI), or a xe2x80x9cjob ticketxe2x80x9d. The electronic print job may be sent directly from user terminals, or from electronic storage, typically over internal or external networks to which the printer is connected, which may also connect with the Internet. Typically the sent print jobs go into a print queue of print jobs in an assigned or selected printing order in the print server, which print order is usually determined by their document receipt order, and document page order, unless overridden is some manner.
Some further examples of prior patents relating to networked printers in network environments of plural remote terminal shared users include Xerox Corporation U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,453,128; 5,170,340; 5,226,112; 5,243,518; 5,287,194; EPO 0529818A3 pub. Mar. 3, 1993; and GB 2198566A pub. Jun. 15, 1988. Some patents on this subject by others include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,623,244; 4,651,278; 4,760,458; 4,821,107; 4,903,229; 4,953,080; 5,113,355; 5,113,494; 5,181,162; 5,220,674; 5,247,670 and 5,371,837. Further by way of background, some of the following Xerox Corporation U.S. patents also include examples of networked systems with printers: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,153,577; 5,113,517; 5,072,412; 5,065,347; 5,008,853; 4,947,345; 4,939,507; 4,937,036; 4,920,481; 4,914,586; 4,899,136; 4,453,128; 4,063,220; 4,099,024; 3,958,088; 3,920,895; and 3,597,071. Some of these patents also disclose xe2x80x9cmultifunctionxe2x80x9d machines, such as digital printer/scanner/facsimile/copier machines, and their controls.
It is also known to provide xe2x80x9cjob ticketsxe2x80x9d with page description language (PDL) or other print job instructions. Cited merely as two examples are Xerox Corp. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,467,434 and 5,493,634. Job tickets are printed sheets or cards with optically readable indicia code providing printing control instructions which can be inputted to the scanner of the printer, if it has one, or to a connected scanner.
Some historic network systems related publications include xe2x80x9cXerox Office Systems Technology . . . Xerox 8000 Series Products: Workstations, Services, Ethernet, and Software Developmentxe2x80x9d (copyright)1982, 1984 by Xerox Corporation, OSD-R8203A, Ed. T. Linden and E. Harslem, with a xe2x80x9cTable of Contentsxe2x80x9d citing its numerous prior publications sources, and an Abstract noting the April 1981 announcement of xe2x80x9cthe 8110 Star Information System, a new personal computer . . . xe2x80x9d; xe2x80x9cXerox System Integration Standard Printing Protocol XSIS 118404xe2x80x9d, April 1984; xe2x80x9cXerox Integrated Production Publishers Solutions: . . . xe2x80x9d Booklet No. xe2x80x9c610P50807xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9c11/85xe2x80x9d; xe2x80x9cPrinting Protocol-Xerox System Integration Standardxe2x80x9d (copyright)1990 by Xerox Corporation, XNSS 119005 May 1990; xe2x80x9cXerox Network Systems Architecturexe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cGeneral Information Manualxe2x80x9d, XNSG 068504 April 1985, with an extensive annotated bibliography, (copyright)1985 by Xerox Corporation; xe2x80x9cInterpress(copyright): The Source Bookxe2x80x9d, Simon and Schuster, Inc., New York, N.Y., 1988, by Harrington, S. J. and Buckley, R. R.; Adobe Systems Incorporated xe2x80x9cPostScript(copyright) Language Reference Manualxe2x80x9d, Addison-Wesley Co., 1990; xe2x80x9cMastering Novell(copyright) Netware(copyright)xe2x80x9d, 1990, SYBEX, Inc., Alameda, Calif., by Cheryl E. Currid and Craig A. Gillett; xe2x80x9cPalladium Print Systemxe2x80x9d (copyright)MIT 1984, et sec; xe2x80x9cAthena85xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cComputing in Higher Education: The Athena Experiencexe2x80x9d, E. Balkovich, et al, Communications of the ACM, 28(11) pp. 1214-1224, November, 1985; and xe2x80x9cApollo87xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cThe Network Computing Architecture and System: An Environment for Developing Distributed Applicationsxe2x80x9d, T. H. Dineen, et al, Usenix Conference Proceedings, June 1987.
Also noted by way of background as to commercial network systems with printers and software therefor is the 1992 Xerox Corporation xe2x80x9cNetwork Publisherxe2x80x9d version of the 1990 xe2x80x9cDocuTech(copyright)xe2x80x9d publishing system, including the xe2x80x9cNetwork Serverxe2x80x9d to customer""s Novell(copyright) 3.11 networks, supporting various different network protocols and xe2x80x9cEthernet(trademark)xe2x80x9d; and the Interpress Electronic Printing Standard, Version 3.0, Xerox System Integration Standard XNSS 048601 (January 1986). Also, the much earlier Xerox Corporation xe2x80x9c9700(trademark)xe2x80x9d electronic printing Systemxe2x80x9d; the xe2x80x9cVP Local Laser Printingxe2x80x9d software application package, which, together with the Xerox xe2x80x9c4045(trademark)xe2x80x9d or other Laser Copier/Printer, the xe2x80x9c6085(trademark)xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cProfessional Computer Systemxe2x80x9d using Xerox Corporation xe2x80x9cViewPoint(trademark)xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cGlobalView(trademark)xe2x80x9d software and a xe2x80x9clocal printer [print service] Optionxe2x80x9d kit, comprises the xe2x80x9cDocumenterxe2x80x9d system. The even earlier Xerox Corporation xe2x80x9c8000xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cXerox Network Services Product Descriptionsxe2x80x9d further describe other earlier Xerox Corporation electronic document printing systems. Eastman Kodak xe2x80x9cLionHeartxe2x80x9d(copyright) digital printing systems, first announced Sep. 13, 1990, are also noted. Current popular commercial xe2x80x9csystems softwarexe2x80x9d, including LAN workstation connections, is available from Novell(copyright), Microsoft(copyright) Windows(copyright) and IBM OS/2(copyright).
Disclosed in the embodiment herein is an improved system for printing electronic documents which call for printing jam-prone sheets. It can be implemented in software, using conventional hardware, to provide a low-cost and simple system, yet enhance overall productivity of the printer, and reduce paper waste.
A specific feature of the specific embodiment disclosed herein is to provide in a method of electronic collated printing of an electronic document of plural electronic pages onto printing sheets to provide collated print jobs, in a printing system capable of printing normal sheets with a normal jam rate, and capable of printing identifiable abnormal printing sheets with a substantially higher jam rate, and wherein associated with said one or more of said electronic document electronic pages is respective printing sheet selection information specifying the printing of said one or more identified pages of said plural page electronic document onto one or more of said abnormal printing sheets having a substantially higher jam rate; the improvement comprising: electronically separating from other said electronic pages of said electronic document, said electronic pages of said plural page electronic document which have said associated sheet selection information specifying printing those pages onto said abnormal printing sheets having a substantially higher jam rate: printing said separated electronic pages specifying printing onto said abnormal printing sheets prior to printing said other electronic pages of said electronic document; temporarily holding said printed abnormal printing sheets; printing said other said electronic pages of said electronic document and providing collated merging of said previously printed abnormal printing sheets therein as said other electronic pages are being printed, to provide collated output of one or more collated printed sets of said entire plural page electronic document at an output location.
Further specific features disclosed in the embodiment herein, individually or in combination, include those wherein said other electronic pages of said electronic document are pages which are electronically designated with sheet selection information specifying their printing on said normal printing sheets having said normal printing jam rate; and/or wherein said temporary holding of said abnormal printing sheets having a substantially higher jam rate is provided by an interposer, and wherein said interposer also provides said collated merging of said abnormal printed sheets with said other printing sheets printed with said other electronic pages of said electronic document; and/or in an electronic printing system with a printing apparatus capable of printing normal printing sheets with a normal jam rate and certain abnormal sheets with a substantially higher jam rate, said printing apparatus having an associated electronic document processing input for receiving and electronically processing plural page electronic documents to be printed by said printing apparatus and controlling their printing, said electronic document processing input being adapted to identify printing sheet selection information associated with said electronic pages of said electronic document for selecting the printing of selected pages of said plural page electronic document onto selected said normal or abnormal printing sheets, and wherein said electronic document processing input for said printer includes a page printing queuing system for controlling the printing order of said electronic pages of said electronic document, the improvement wherein: said electronic document processing input is programmed to electronically separate those said electronic pages of said electronic document which have said sheet selection information specifying printing of said pages onto said abnormal printing sheets having a higher jam rate, so as to be separated from other electronic pages of said electronic document selecting printing said other pages onto said normal printing sheets, said electronic document processing input being further programmed to print said separated electronic pages onto said abnormal printing sheets prior to printing said other electronic pages of said electronic document, and to temporarily delay printing of said other electronic pages of said electronic document; a sheet holding system for temporarily holding said printed abnormal printing sheets, said electronic document input being further programmed to feed said printed abnormal printing sheets into said sheet holding system, and then initiate the printing of said other pages of said electronic document; a sheet collating system for merging said printed abnormal printing sheets in said holding system with said subsequently printed other electronic pages of said electronic document as said other electronic pages of said electronic document are being printed; and an output system for collecting completed collated printed pages of all of the pages of said electronic document; and/or wherein said sheet holding system for temporarily holding said abnormal printing sheets, and said collating system for merging said abnormal printing sheets into said other printed electronic pages of said electronic document as they are being printed, comprises an interposer; and/or wherein said delaying printing of said other electronic pages of said electronic document is provided in said page printing queuing system.
The disclosed system may be operated and controlled by appropriate operation of conventional control systems. It is well known and preferable to program and execute imaging, printing, paper handling, and other control functions and logic with software instructions for conventional or general purpose microprocessors, as taught by numerous prior patents and commercial products. Such programming or software may of course vary depending on the particular functions, software type, and microprocessor or other computer system utilized, but will be available to, or readily programmable without undue experimentation from, functional descriptions, such as those provided herein, and/or prior knowledge of functions which are conventional, together with general knowledge in the software and computer arts. Alternatively, the disclosed control system or method may be implemented partially or fully in hardware, using standard logic circuits or single chip VLSI designs.
It is well known that the control of document and copy sheet handling systems may be accomplished by conventionally actuating them with signals from a microprocessor controller directly or indirectly in response to simple programmed commands. The resultant controller signals may conventionally actuate various conventional electrical solenoid or cam-controlled sheet deflector fingers, motors or clutches, or other components, in programmed steps or sequences. Conventional sheet path sensors or switches connected to the controller may be utilized for sensing, counting, and timing the positions of sheets in the sheet paths of the reproduction apparatus, and thereby also controlling the operation of sheet feeders and gates, etc., as is well known in the art.
In the description herein the term xe2x80x9csheetxe2x80x9d refers to a usually flimsy physical sheet of paper, plastic, or other suitable physical substrate for images, whether precut or initially web fed. A xe2x80x9ccopy sheetxe2x80x9d may be abbreviated as a xe2x80x9ccopyxe2x80x9d, or called a xe2x80x9chardcopyxe2x80x9d. A xe2x80x9cjobxe2x80x9d is normally a set of related sheets, usually a collated copy set copied from a set of original document sheets or electronic document page images, from a particular user, or otherwise related. A xe2x80x9csimplexxe2x80x9d document or copy sheet is one having its image and any page number on only one side or face of the sheet, whereas a xe2x80x9cduplexxe2x80x9d document or copy sheet has xe2x80x9cpagesxe2x80x9d, and normally images, on both sides, i. e., each duplex sheet is considered to have two opposing sides or xe2x80x9cpagesxe2x80x9d even though no physical page number may be present.
As to specific components of the subject apparatus, or alternatives therefor, it will be appreciated that, as is normally the case, some such components are known per se in other apparatus or applications which may be additionally or alternatively used herein, including those from art cited herein. All references cited in this specification, and their references, are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features, and/or technical background. What is well known to those skilled in the art need not be described here.

Electronic printing of print jobs containing jam-prone sheets


The present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition containing a Sceptridium japonicum extract, as an active ingredient, for preventing or treating stroke or degenerative brain diseases. The Sceptridium japonicum extract of the present invention has a protective effect on cranial nerves so as to exhibit a functional effect of preventing or treating stroke or various degenerative brain diseases.

According to a report issued October 2003 by Statistics Korea, 7.2% of the total population of South Korea was 65 or older in 2000, indicating the entry of the country into the category of an aging society. By 2019, Korean society is expected to become an aged society as the elderly population will reach 14% or higher. With the rise of aging problems as a social issue, nationwide attention has intensively been paid to elderly welfare such as characteristics, living, health, culture, and leisure of the elderly population, together with an increasing demand for statistical data on welfare. One of the most important problems occurring with an increase in the elderly population is chronic degenerative diseases. This is in contrast to acute infectious diseases, which have been the main cause of death over the past five decades. Of chronic degenerative diseases, cerebrovascular diseases are observed to rank second among all mortality attributed to individual diseases.
Cerebrovascular diseases are largely divided into two types: hemorrhagic cerebral diseases, such as cerebral hemorrhage, and ischemic cerebral diseases, such as that caused by cerebrovascular occlusion. While traffic accidents account for many cases of hemorrhagic cerebral diseases, ischemic cerebral diseases is frequently observed in the elderly.
Transient cerebral ischemia, if introduced, blocks the supply of oxygen and glucose to the cerebrum, with the subsequent decrease of ATP levels and the generation of edema in neural cells, resulting in damage over a wide region of the brain. Death of neural cells is observed when a significant period of time is passed after the occurrence of cerebral ischemia, and thus is called delayed neuronal death. An experiment conducted on a transient forebrain ischemic model using Mongolian gerbils reported that neuronal death occurs in the CA1 region of the hippocampus four days after the introduction of cerebral ischemia for 5 min (Kirino T, Sano K. Acta Neuropathol., 62: 201-208, 1984; Kirino T. Brain Res., 239: 57-69, 1982).
Thus far, two mechanisms of cerebral ischemia-induced neuronal death are known: one is the excitotoxic neuronal death mechanism, in which excessive glutamate accumulates outside cells upon cerebral ischemia, and flows into cells, with the concomitant intracellular accumulation of calcium, thereby inducing neuronal death (Kang T C, et al., J. Neurocytol., 30: 945-955, 2001); and the other is oxidative neuronal death, in which abrupt oxygen supply upon ischemia-reperfusion increases free radical levels to give rise to the injury of the DNA and cytoplasm (Won M H, et al, Brain Res., 836: 70-78, 1999; Sun A Y., Chen Y M., J. Biomed. Sci., 5: 401-414, 1998; Flowers F, Zimmerman J J, New Horiz, 6: 169-180, 1998).
On the basis of the disclosed mechanisms of ischemia-induced neuronal death, much research has been directed toward materials that can inhibit ischemia-induced neuronal death, together with their functional mechanisms. However, almost no materials that inhibit cerebral ischemia-induced neutral death effectively have yet been found.
Tissue plasminogen activator, which is a commercially available cerebral ischemia treating agent solely approved by the FDA, is thrombolytic agent that break down the blood clots to induce for the rapid supply of oxygen and glucose to the brain. However, tissue plasminogen activator must be used immediately, as it does not directly protect nerve cells. Moreover, the thrombolytic function has the risk of causing hemorrhagic cerebral diseases when the agent is used frequently or in excessive doses.
MK-801, a calcium channel blocker for effectively inhibiting early-stage calcium ion influx, was abandoned as it was found to have adverse effects during clinical trials thereof.
Meanwhile, in South Korea, many health care foods containing natural substances are on the market and are promoted as being preventive of stroke. However, most such products have not yet been scientifically verified, and are frequently abused, causing various social problems.
There is therefore an urgent need for the development of a natural substance that is scientifically proven for therapeutic or preventive effects on cerebral diseases.
Sceptridium ternatum is a perennial grass taxonomically classified in the Ophioglossaceae family of the Ophioglossoides order in Pteridophyta. In South Korea, the plant grows naturally in high mountains in Jeju Island, Jiri Mountain, Deogyu Mountain, Kyeongnam province, Kyeongbuk province, Kangwon province, and Kyeonggi province, and is frequently found in semi-shaded grasslands in fertile soil and humid environments.
Nowhere has research into the neuroprotective effect of Sceptridium ternatum extracts on brain nerve cells, particularly in animal models, been reported.

University-Industry Cooperation Group of Kyung Hee University


An exercise chair having a body-supporting frame 15, a support member 17 pivoted on the frame to support the frame in inclined position and having a seat 19, and a footrest 21 swiveled on the base of the frame for swinging toward and away from the frame. A rope 29 trained over pulleys 26, 27 and 58 connects a crossbar 23 on the top of the frame 15 to the footrest 21 for transmitting a pulling force applied to the ends of crossbar 23 to the footrest 21 to swing it rearwardly toward the frame.

Prior exercising equipment includes weights for lifting, stationary bicycles, rowing machines, and the like, all of which incorporate selected amounts of resistance against which one must apply his muscles to build up and strengthen them. In using such equipment, particularly in weight lifting, there is danger of injury to the muscles in attempting to lift too much weight, and this is especially true where rehabilitation of an injury is being attempted. Moreover, there is always danger of dropping the weights on parts of one's body such as the feet.
Another disadvantage in the use of such equipment is that, because the condition of the body varies from day to day, the amount of weight or resistance selected or set for one day may be excessive for another day, resulting in discouragement, frustration, and possibly bodily injury.
Exercising equipment such as stationary bicycles is very effective for strengthening the leg muscles, provided that the resistance is not set to an excessive amount, but one must then do something else, use another piece of equipment, to exercise the arms and other parts of the body.
Certain other pieces of exercising equipment utilize weights, overhead heavy metal plates and bars, rubber ropes, springs, benches and power-driven machines, all of which are apt to be dangerous and are so costly that they are usually available only in professional gymnasiums.
There are isometric exercises, in which parts of the body are applied against the resistance of an immovable object such as a wall or floor, or one set of muscles is applied statically against another set. In order for such exercises to become effective, a great deal of time, practice and patience is required.
Also, there are rope and pulley devices wherein ropes connect the hands and feet in an attempt to balance the arm muscles against the leg muscles, but such devices are adapted to be attached to a door knob while the body occupies strained and uncomfortable positions on the floor. Moreover, there is always a danger of injury due to the door knob breaking loose under the pulling and twisting forces exerted thereon.


A chemiluminescent dye penetrant composition is provided for detecting cracks and other defects in the surface of an object, which comprises a carrier, preferably in the form of a nonionic surfactant, a small amount of a fluorescent dye soluble in the surfactant and a minor amount of hydrogen peroxide. The dye penetrant is applied to the surface of the object and excess dye penetrant is removed therefrom. An oxalate ester or oxalate amide is then applied to the treated surface and reacts with the dye penetrant in the cracks and defects to luminesce, and produces self illuminated penetrant indications at the location of the cracks and defects. Oxalate esters such as bis(2,4,6 trichlorophenyl) oxalate are preferred. The oxalate ester or oxalate amide can be mixed with inert conventional developer materials such as talc or fumed silica.

This invention relates to an improved dye penetrant process and composition, and is particularly directed to a chemiluminescent dye penetrant method and formulation for locating flaws and cracks on the surface of an object, particularly inside fuel cells and tanks or fueled aircraft in a manner so as to avoid an explosion hazard.
In known penetrant inspection methods for rapid location and evaluation of surface flaws such as cracks in test bodies or parts, a dye penetrant composition, preferably containing a fluorescent dye, and which will penetrate the openings of the surface of cracks or other voids in the part, is applied to the surface of the test body, and the excess penetrant composition is removed from the surface of the body. A developer composition may then be applied to the part surface, which acts as a wick and causes the liquid penetrant containing the fluorescent dye, which was retained in the cracks, to be drawn up out of the surface defects by capillary action. The part is then exposed to appropriate lighting conditions such as invisible fluorescigenous light, and the location of the surface cracks is revealed by the emission of visible fluorescent light by the penetrant dye which was retained in the cracks after the excess penetrant composition was removed from the surface of the part.
However, the detection of cracks and flaws or discontinuities in fuel tanks, particularly of aircraft, requires the use of expensive explosion proof equipment. Accordingly, there is a need to locate flaws and cracks inside fuel tanks or fueled aircraft in such a manner so as to avoid explosion hazards.
Chemiluminescent compositions are known in the prior art. Such compositions provide chemiluminescent light from a chemical reaction of an oxalate with a peroxide such as hydrogen peroxide in the presence of a fluorescent compound. Illustrative of such prior art are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,893,938; 4,717,511; and 4,784,803.

Chemiluminescent dye penetrant process and composition


The present invention relates to a mobile communication system, and more particularly, to a method for a handoff of a medium rate data call in a mobile communication system. In the present invention, if the pilot strength of the BTS in the active set to which a SCH is not allocated is smaller than the pilot strength of the BTS to which the SCH is not allocated for a predetermined period of time, the mobile station transmits the corresponding information to the base station by means of a PSMM, and the base station performs a handoff of the SCH resource according to the PSMM. In addition, if the base station receives the PSMM from the mobile station, whether or not the SCH is allocated is determined using the pilot strength of the corresponding BTS, reference threshold, and T—ADD. Therefore, frequent handoffs are prevented and the load of the mobile station is reduced because there is no need to compute a SCH reference threshold at every handoff request. Moreover, it is made possible to maintain a constant data rate and provide a medium rate data service by performing a handoff of an available SCH.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication system, and more particularly, to a method for a handoff of a medium rate data call in a mobile communication system.
2. Description of the Background Art
Generally, a handoff in a mobile communication system is a function of keeping a call in service from being disconnected when a mobile station moves from the current service area to other adjacent service area.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the construction of a general mobile communication system.
As illustrated therein, the mobile communication system includes: a mobile station 1 operated during movement or while stopping at a undetermined spot; a base station subsystem(BS) 10 for processing a call from the mobile station 1 via a radio interface with the mobile station 1; and a mobile switching center(MSC) 20 switching the call transmitted from the base station 10 to a corresponding subscriber. The base station 10 includes: a BTS(base station transceiver subsystem) 11 for interfacing with the mobile station 1; and a BSC(base station controller) 12 for processing a call transmitted from the BTS 11 and controlling the BTS 11.
Handoffs in a mobile communication system for providing a voice service according to the IS-95 and IS-95A standards include the ADD Threshold(T—ADD), DROP Threshold(T—DROP), COMPARISON Threshold(T—COMP), and DROP TIMER Threshold(T—TDROP).
The T—ADD is a minimum pilot strength capable of maintaining an available speech channel, e.g., a threshold of a pilot strength that is used by the mobile station 1 in order to demand a handoff. The T—DROP is a pilot strength which is required for the release of an unavailable speech channel. The T—COMP is a threshold used to demand a handoff of the BTS in a candidate set. The T—TDROP is a timer used to drop the handoff BTS lower than the T—DROP.
The mobile station 1 manages the BTS by dividing it into an active set, candidate set, and neighbor set when it performs a handoff. The active set is a set of BTSs having a pilot strength more than T—ADD and currently providing a service to the mobile station 1. The candidate set is a set of candidate BTSs having a pilot strength more than T—ADD, but currently preparing to provide a service to the mobile station 1. The neighbor set is a set of BTSs neighboring to the BTSs belonging to the active set and the candidate set.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a handoff method when a voice service is provided according to the IS-95 and IS-95A standards in a mobile communication system.
As illustrated therein, the mobile station 1 stores the T—ADD, T—DROP, T—COMP, and T—TDROP which are a handoff decision element contained in a paging message transferred when being paged by the base station 10.
After a call is set up via a serving base station 10, the mobile station 1 measures the pilot strength of the serving base station 10 and the pilot strength of neighbor or remaining BTSs(base station subsystems) classified as the neighbor set.
Thereafter, when the pilot strength of the BTS classified as the neighbor set becomes more than T—ADD, the mobile station 1 transfers a pilot strength measurement message (PSMM) having the pilot information and pilot strength of the BTSs in the neighbor set and the pilot strength thereof to the serving base station 10, and includes the BTS generating this pilot signal into the neighbor set (a).
The serving base station 10 analyzes the transferred PSMM, and transfers a handoff direction message containing this pilot signal to the mobile station 1 (b).
The mobile station 1 includes the BTS generating this pilot signal into the active set, and reports the completion of the ADD handoff to the base station 10 (c).
Afterwards, when the pilot strength of the serving base station 10 classified as the existing active set becomes less than T—DROP, the mobile station 1 drives the T—TDROP (d). When the driven T—TDROP is finished, the mobile station 1 transfers the PSMM to the serving base station 10 (e).
The serving base station 10 analyzes the transferred PSMM and transfers a handoff direction message containing a pilot information of the corresponding BTS which satisfies the active set with the pilot strength, to the mobile station 1 (f). The mobile station 1 moves the serving base station 10 from the active set to the neighbor set according to the handoff direction message, and reports the completion of the DROP handoff (g).
In this way, in case of providing a voice service according to the IS—95 or IS-95A standards, the handoff method has a problem that a handoff is frequently occurred according to a radio state, because the PSMM is transferred to the base station when the pilot strength of a neighbor BTS becomes more than T—ADD. In addition, there is a problem that system load is increased and sound quality is degraded due to the frequent occurrence of allocation/deadlocation of resources.
In case of implementing a data service of a medium data rate(64 Kbps) in a conventional mobile communication system in which such 8 Kbps and 13 Kbps voice services are provided, physical radio resources are additionally required in order to increase a data rate. An additional allocation of radio resources for the implementation of a medium rate data service results in the more frequent occurrence of allocation/deadlocation of resources, and thus an improved handoff method is proposed in the IS-95B standard in order to compensate these problems.
In other words, four fields are added to a conventional system parameter and handoff direction message. The four fields includes SOFT—SLOPE, ADD—INTERCEPT, DROP—INTERCEPT, and P—REV. The SOFT—SLOPE is a parameter for deciding whether the mobile station performs a handoff procedure according to the IS-95 and IS-95A standards or performs a handoff procedure according to the IS-95B standard. If the SOFT—SLOPE field has a value of "0", the mobile station conforms to the handoff procedure according to the IS-95 and IS-95A standards, or if it has other values, the mobile station conforms to the handoff procedure according to the IS—95B standard.
When the mobile station receives a paging message containing the four files from the BTS, it stores the same.
Afterwards, in the case that a data call is set up and the SOFT—SLOPE is not "0", when the pilot strength of an arbitrary BTS belonging to the neighbor set becomes more than T—ADD, the mobile station computes a new dynamic threshold using the SOFT—SLOPE and ADD—INTERCEPT and includes the arbitrary BTS into the candidate set. The mobile station judges if the pilot strength of the BTS included in the candidate set is larger than the dynamic threshold.
If the pilot strength of the BTS is larger than the dynamic threshold, the mobile station transfers a PSMM containing the corresponding pilot information and pilot strength to the BTS. The subsequent ADD handoff procedure is achieved in the same way as the handoff procedure conforming to the IS-95 and IS-95A standards.
In addition, in case of DROP of the BTS belonging to the active set, the mobile station computes a new dynamic threshold using the SOFT—SLOPE and DROP—INTERCEPT The mobile station compares the pilot strength of the BTS belonging to the active set with the computed dynamic threshold. As the result of the comparison, if the pilot strength of the BTS belonging to the active set is lower than the dynamic threshold, the T—TDROP is driven.
If the pilot strength of the BTS is lower than the dynamic threshold after the driven T—TDROP is finished, a PSMM containing the corresponding pilot strength and corresponding pilot information to the base station. The subsequent DROP handoff procedure is achieved in the same way as the handoff procedure conforming to the IS-95 and IS-95A standards.
In case of the ADD handoff, the SOFT—SLOPE and ADD—INTERCEPT are set such that the dynamic threshold using the SOFT—SLOPE and DROP—INTERCEPT is higher than T—ADD in general. Also in case of the DROP handoff, the SOFT—SLOPE and DROP—INTERCEPT are set such that the dynamic threshold using the SOFT—SLOPE and DROP—INTERCEPT is higher than T—DROP. In addition, the SOFT—SLOPE, ADD—INTERCEPT and DROP—INTERCEPT can be reset by a system operator according to a radio environment.
Such a method for a handoff of a medium rate data call according to the IS-95B standard has an effect that a frequent handoff is prevented by setting a dynamic threshold higher than T—ADD and T—DROP. On the other hand, there occurs a problem that, since the mobile station must compute a dynamic threshold for the ADD handoff and a dynamic threshold for the DROP handoff each time, the load of the mobile station is increased.
In addition, since a voice service according to the IS-95 and IS-95A standards is transferred via FCH along with data in voice, only the FCH is considered during handoff. However, in case of a medium rate data service, a signal is transferred via a fundamental channel(FCH), and data is transferred via a supplemental channel(SCH). Thus, in the method for handoff of a medium rate data call according to the IS-95B standard in the conventional art, FCHs and SCHs are allocated to all BTSs of the active set, and these two kinds of channels are dropped at the same time without discriminating the FCH from the SCH. Therefore, in the method for handoff of a medium rate data call according to the IS-95B standard in the conventional art, there arises a problem that, since the FCHs and SCHs are allocated to all BTSs in the active set, the utilization efficiency of an available SCH of the base station is degraded.

Method for handoff of medium rate data call in mobile communication system


The present invention relates to a soil injection apparatus in which a probe having on insertion tip is inserted into the soil. A pair of probe guide assemblies are positioned adjacent each side of the probe to provide stability of the probe and prevent breaking of the probe. A probe hydraulic system extends and retracts the probe from the soil. A liquid pumping system pumps liquid into an outlet of the probe after insertion of the probe into the soil. A control system activates the probe hydraulic system and liquid pumping system. Preferably, a switch is used to activate the pumping system to pump liquid into the soil after the probe has been inserted a predetermined depth into the soil. The soil injection apparatus can be attached to a self-propelled vehicle. A carrier can be attached to the vehicle for holding debris removed from the soil injection site.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a soil injection apparatus in which a plurality of probes are guided and independently controlled, thereby preventing probe breakage and preventing fluid from being dispersed until the probe reaches a defined depth.
2. Related Art
Conventional systems have been used to inject various chemicals to subsurface areas to effect the growth conditions of soils for grass, plants or trees. U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,618 discloses a soil injection system mounted to a conventional farm vehicle without modification to the chassis of the vehicle. The system includes a single, hydraulically operated ground penetrating bit with an attached fluid injector which are operated to penetrate the ground. The penetrating bit is designed to be coupled to and powered by the vehicle's hydraulic system. The system further includes a chemical (fluid) supply tank, a pressurization tank and a chemical metering tank. The pressurization tank supplies pressurized gas to the chemical supply tank to transfer chemicals from the chemical supply tank to the chemical metering tank. The pressurization tank also supplies pressurized gas to the chemical metering tank to force the chemicals contained therein into the fluid injector when the bit is penetrating the ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,802,996 describes a mobile or portable soil aerator fertilizer system. The system includes a wheeled frame that mounts a tank and a hydraulic pump that operates hydraulically actuated probes which penetrate the ground. A compressor mounted on the frame delivers compressed air to the probes when the probes are in the ground. The air is released through discharge openings in the probes. Liquid fertilizer and other like materials stored in the tank can be delivered to the probes for discharge into the ground through the openings in the probes. The wheels of the frame can be removed to allow the system to be attached to the flat bed of a truck.
U.S. Pat. 5,115,750 describes a subsoil treatment apparatus mounted on the back of a truck bed. The apparatus includes an air compressor and a plurality of hydraulically powered hammers that drive spikes into the ground. The hammers are driven by a hydraulic pump powered by the engine of the truck. Compressed air supplied by the compressor is injected into the ground via apertures in the spikes to break up, loosen and aerate compacted soil.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,546,886 describes a soil treating apparatus mounted on the back of a truck bed. The apparatus includes a hydraulic system that causes an injector pipe with an injector point mounted at its free end to be deeply inserted into the ground (20 or more feet) in a step-by-step manner to enable the soil to be treated at different depths. At the end of each insertion step, soil treating slurry is injected via the injector point. The above-described patents have the limitation that probes can easily break off when inserted into excessive resistance in the soil and will continue to disperse fluid into the soil at uneven depths or on the top of the soil.
It is desirable to provide a soil injection apparatus in which a plurality of probes are guided to prevent breakage and are controlled to emit fluid only after the probe reaches a defined depth.

Controlled probe soil injection apparatus