An automated cosmetic applicator uses wide-angle cameras, a high-resolution camera, and a differential lighting process to capture images of a body. Software analyzes these images to identify large and small features of the subject and to use these features as landmarks to create in computer memory a corresponding map that is highly accurate and data rich with pixel-level data about the subject's color, light value and texture characteristics. The rich images may be used for tracking the device on the skin, for making accurate corrections to skin, for simulating possible cosmetic enhancements and selecting a desired correction, and for use in other applications such as video games and animations.

Prior Cosmetic Techniques and Their Disadvantages
Prior art techniques for modifying the appearance of skin include natural tanning, artificial tanning, and the deliberate application of cosmetics. Each of these prior art techniques has limitations.
Typically, the applications of cosmetic substances to skin are largely manual, for example through the use of brushes, application tubes, pencils, pads, and fingers. The application methods make prior art cosmetics imprecise, labor intensive, expensive, and sometimes harmful, when compared to the computerized techniques of the present invention.
Most prior art cosmetic approaches are based on the application of opaque substances. There is a need for the precise application of reflectance modifying agents (RMAs), such as transparent dyes, to provide a more effective modification of appearance.
Manual cosmetic applications are imprecise compared to computer-controlled techniques, and this imprecision may make them less effective. For example, the heavy application of a foundation base for makeup may cause an unattractive, caked-on appearance. Manual techniques also typically take a long time to employ, as can be seen in any morning commute on a highway, where people frantically take advantage of stops to finish applying their makeup. In addition, manually applied makeup is not cheap, and when the help of professionals such as beauticians is required, is even more expensive. Moreover, often the materials applied to the skin in manual techniques are themselves potentially harmful. For example, a foundation base for makeup may cause skin to dry out and may inhibit the skin's breathing. Sunlight or artificial light used for tanning may cause cancer.
Therefore, there is a need for the precise application of reflectance modifying agents (RMAs) to provide a more effective, more automated, faster, less expensive, and less dangerous modification of the appearance of skin. The cross-referenced U.S. patent application cited above presents a system and method for this need.
In this specification, the terms "reflectance modifying agent" or "RMA" refer to any compound useful for altering the reflectance of another material. Some examples of RMA are inks, dyes, pigments, bleaching agents, chemically altering agents, and other substances that can alter the reflectance of human skin and other features. The terms "dye" and "transparent dyes" are used for brevity in this specification to represent any RMA.
Consumers of cosmetics also need effective techniques that allow them to select desired cosmetic enhancements, such as different shades of makeup, to visualize how those enhancements will look on them, for example on computer displays, and to precisely apply cosmetics onto them to make the selected enhancements. Websites such as MaryKay.com offer virtual makeovers that allow users to try out on their home computer displays different makeup patterns on digital images of different types of women and even on digital images of the users themselves that users submit. However, the images used in virtual makeovers do not provide adequate details for the calculation of advanced RMA enhancements. Nor do they allow users to automatically apply to themselves the cosmetic enhancements that have selected digitally on computer displays. There is a need for a method that lets users employ an RMA applicator and a computer display to view sufficiently detailed digital images of themselves so that they can make virtual cosmetic enhancements to those images and so that they can automatically and precisely apply RMA to themselves to achieve those enhancements.
Consumers also need effective techniques that allow them to make cosmetic enhancements not just to a single area, such as a facial blemish, but over their whole bodies. For example, some people get natural or artificial tans to make their skin look smoother and thus more attractive over their whole bodies. Consumers in East Asia often use cosmetics to make much of their skin look lighter. Consumers also may want to make complex cosmetic enhancements, involving color and texture, to hide defects and enhance their appearance over their whole bodies. Manual techniques to make such whole body cosmetic enhancements can be particularly laborious, time-consuming, and expensive. There is a need for a system and method that lets users make automatic cosmetic enhancements to their whole bodies.
Simulated Digital Images
In this patent application, a "simulated image" refers to a digital image that simulates a real object and can be displayed on a computerized device. A simulation of a real object is a portrayal of the object in any desired manner not strictly limited to aspects revealed by photographic or video data captured about the object. A simulated image can represent a still image of the object or a video clip of the object in motion and may be three dimensional (3D). For example, simulated images are widely used for display on computer screens, cell phones, video games, in animated sections of movies, and in medical imaging.
In general, consumers want to display very realistic simulated images in different media. Moreover, they may want simulated images that represent subjects that they choose. For example, these subjects may be the consumers themselves, their friends, their family members, or their favorite personalities such as movie stars. For instance, a boy may want to put his own face on a 3D action figure in a video game. A woman may want to display a simulated 3D image of her face and head on a computer device and make cosmetic enhancements to that image, so that she can try out different cosmetic effects and hairstyles virtually.
In addition, consumers may want simulated images that are enhanced to be more desirable in some way. For example, a person may want his or her own face to be displayed in a way that makes him or her appear younger and more attractive.
Prior Techniques and Their Disadvantages
Simulated images have been created in a number of ways. They can be drawn by hand and then scanned, photographed, or video recorded and can be created through computer graphics programs, both of which are laborious techniques requiring special skills.
In addition, simulated images can be created by using sensors attached at various points to a real subject, digitally recording the motions the subject, often through multiple cameras, and using computer graphics programs to create simulated characters whose movements and facial expressions are based on those of the recorded subject. In this way, an animation of a cartoon character dancing or smiling may be based on a real actor's movements and expression.
The computer graphics programs used in these processes are increasingly able to transform recorded data about real objects into simulated images. An example is Optasia™, the model-based feature-recognition platform developed by Image Metrics, PLC. The "Technical White Paper" on the Image Metrics Website states that "The Optasia engine can perform rapid model-to-image matching regardless of the model type, including those with high-frequency elements such as texture." Optasia is available on a variety of platforms as a three-layered architecture. All systems use 1) the Optasia core, with 2) a sector specific API (e.g. medical image analysis). Prior knowledge is incorporated in the 3) 'expert' layer (or model).
However, such prior techniques have disadvantages:                They are all labor intensive and require special skills and special, often cumbersome equipment not readily available to many consumers.        The simulated images they produce have limited details so that they do not look as realistic as consumers want. Instead, they tend to look artificially smoothed, often because their computer graphics programs must fill in large areas of simulated images with what essentially amounts to guesses and averages as a result of limited collection of data about the subject. These guesses and averages may require complicated algorithms and large amounts of computing power. For example, the three-layered approach of Optasia, mentioned above, is complicated and computing intensive.        They are difficult for consumers themselves to use to simulate favorite images.        They are difficult for consumers to use to enhance simulated images in desirable ways.        Moreover, they are not readily available to many consumers, who may not have access to expensive modeling and graphics software and equipment.
Therefore, there is a need for an automated cosmetic monitoring and enhancement system that can be readily available to consumers, is easy to use, and provides high-resolution realistic image files with rich data about real subjects that can be used for creating simulated images.

System and method for providing simulated images through cosmetic monitoring


A magnetic device includes a magnetized polarizing layer, a free magnetic layer, and a reference layer. The free magnetic layer forms a first electrode and is separated from the magnetized polarizing layer by a first non-magnetic metal layer. The free magnetic layer has a magnetization vector having a first and second stable state. The reference layer forms a second electrode and is separated from the free-magnetic layer by a second non-magnetic layer. Unipolar current is sourced through the polarizing, free magnetic and reference layers. Switching of the magnetization vector of the free magnetic layer from the first stable state to the second state is initiated by application of a first unipolar current pulse, and switching of the magnetization vector of the free magnetic layer from the second stable state to the first stable state is initiated by application of a second unipolar current pulse.

Magnetic devices that use a flow of spin-polarized electrons are of interest for magnetic memory and information processing applications. Such a device generally includes at least two ferromagnetic electrodes that are separated by a non-magnetic material, such as a metal or insulator. The thicknesses of the electrodes are typically in the range of 1 nm to 50 nm. If the non-magnetic material is a metal, then this type of device is known as a giant magnetoresistance or spin-valve device. The resistance of the device depends on the relative magnetization orientation of the magnetic electrodes, such as whether they are oriented parallel or anti-parallel (i.e., the magnetizations lie on parallel lines but point in opposite directions). One electrode typically has its magnetization pinned, i.e., it has a higher coercivity than the other electrode 50 and requires larger magnetic fields or spin-polarized currents to change the orientation of its magnetization. The second layer is known as the free electrode and its magnetization direction can be changed relative to the former. Information can be stored in the orientation of this second layer. For example, "1" or "0" can be represented by anti-parallel alignment of the layers and "0" or "1" by parallel alignment. The device resistance will be different for these two states and thus the device resistance can be used to distinguish "1" from "0." An important feature of such a device is that it is a non-volatile memory, since the device maintains the information even tens of nanometers when the power is off, like a magnetic hard drive. The magnet electrodes can be sub-micron in lateral size and the magnetization direction can still be stable with respect to thermal fluctuations.
In conventional magnetic random access memory (MRAM) designs, magnetic fields are used to switch the magnetization direction of the free electrode. These magnetic fields are produced using current carrying wires near the magnetic electrodes. The wires must be small in cross-section because memory devices consist of dense arrays of MRAM cells. As the magnetic fields from the wires generate long-range magnetic fields (magnetic fields decay only as the inverse of the distance from the center of the wire) there will be cross-talk between elements of the arrays, and one device will experience the magnetic fields from the other devices. This cross-talk will limit the density of the memory and/or cause errors in memory operations. Further, the magnetic fields generated by such wires are limited to about 0.1 Tesla at the position of the electrodes, which leads to slow device operation. Importantly, conventional memory designs also use stochastic (random) processes or fluctuating fields to initiate the switching events, which is inherently slow and unreliable (see, for example, R. H. Koch et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 5419(2000)).
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,864 and several other publications (e.g., J. Slonckewski, Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials 159, LI (1996)), John Slonckewski described a mechanism by which a spin-polarized current can be used to directly change the magnetic orientation of a magnetic electrode. In the proposed mechanism, the spin angular momentum of the flowing electrons interacts directly with the background magnetization of a magnetic region. The moving electrons transfer a portion of their spin-angular momentum to the background magnetization and produce a torque on the magnetization in this region. This torque can alter the direction of magnetization of this region and switch its magnetization direction. Further, this interaction is local, since it only acts on regions through which the current flows. However, the proposed mechanism was purely theoretical.
Spin-transfer torque magnetic random access memory (STT-MRAM) devices hold great promise as a universal memory. STT-MRAM is non-volatile, has a small cell size, high endurance and may match the speed of static RAM (SRAM). A disadvantage of the common collinearly magnetized STT-MRAM devices is that they often have long mean switching times and broad switching time distributions. This is associated with the fact that the spin-torque is non-zero only when the layer magnetizations are misaligned. Spin transfer switching thus requires an initial misalignment of the switchable magnetic (free) layer, e.g. from a thermal fluctuation. Relying on thermal fluctuations leads to incoherent reversal with an unpredictable incubation delay, which can be several nanoseconds.
Spin-transfer torque magnetic random access memory (STT-MRAM) devices use current or voltage pulses to change the magnetic state of an element to write information. In all STT-MRAM devices known to date, voltage/current pulses of both positive and negative polarities are needed for device operation. For example, positive pulses are needed to write a "1" and negative polarity pulses are needed to write a "0". (Of course, the definition of which magnetic state represents a "1" and which a "0" is arbitrary.) This magnetic element typically has two possible states, magnetization oriented either "left" or "right", parallel or antiparallel to the magnetization of a reference layer in the device. These two magnetic states have different resistances, which can be used to read-out the information electrically.
Using present complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology, circuitry is needed to control the signals to STT-MRAM cells. Prior STT-MRAM devices required bipolar sources and the bit cells were set to one state by one polarity and the other state by the other polarity, i.e. unipolar That is, the source needed to be able to provide both polarities because each polarity only could write either "0" or "1". Although reading can be done with a unipolar voltage/current source, writing information required a bipolar source.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A method of controlling an input device is disclosed. A deadband is generated about a first position when the input device is at the first position. The input device is moved from the first position to one or more additional positions. The deadband width is varied based on the position of the input device.

Interface devices between an operator and a machine are used to input command signals and other information to control the machine. One type of interface device is configured to be manipulated by an operator and controls the machine by generating and sending a signal based on the position of the device. One example of such a device is a joystick. Many joysticks are spring-loaded so that the joystick is biased toward a central, neutral position. Accordingly, when the joystick is released at a location other than the neutral position, the biasing force restores the joystick to the central, neutral position.
Often, interface devices, as well as the machines they operate, are subject to electronic noise or feedback signals that may distort a true input signal. Electronic noise or feedback may be caused by a variety of factors, including flux fields and magnetic fields generated within proximity of the interface device or communication wires between the interface device and the controller. Further, some small, inadvertent movements of the interface device may distort a desired input signal. Because of this electronic noise, feedback, possible inadvertent movement, the control signal may vary from moment to moment, even when the interface device itself is not moving or when interface device movement is undesirable. Thus, in some instances, even though there may be no signal being generated at the interface device, a controller may still receive a signal generated as electronic noise.
One method of filtering the electronic noise, feedback, and small inadvertent signals includes generating a deadband around the neutral position of the interface device, such as the neutral position of a spring-loaded joystick. The deadband is a filtering zone that filters a signal, for example, a signal which varies from an average signal by less than half the width of the deadband. The filtered signal is not treated as an input by the controller. In contrast, when the signal is outside the width of the deadband, the controller considers the signal.
One known system that uses a deadband is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,750,845 to Hopper. The '845 patent discloses a computer pointing device that may be used to control a cursor on a machine, such as a computer. The pointing device is configured so that it may be operated in environments that may be perpendicular or non-perpendicular to a gravitational field and includes a deadband about its neutral region. When the pointing device is subject to non-perpendicular gravitational forces, the input device may be at rest outside its deadband. When this occurs, a user can activate and instruct the computer to create a new deadband around the resting position. However, the computer pointing device in the '845 patent requires that an operator affirmatively select the new deadband position. Further, the pointing device in the '845 patent is not configured to be used with a non-biased joystick.
This disclosure is intended to address one or more of the deficiencies of the prior art.


A semiconductor device includes field effect transistors, each having a semiconductor layer formed on a major surface of a semiconductor substrate, a base region formed in a surface layer portion of a semiconductor layer, a source region formed in a surface layer portion of the base region, a source electrode formed on the base region and the source region, a gate electrode formed on the semiconductor layer and the base region via a gate insulating film interposed therebetween, and a drain electrode formed on a back surface of the semiconductor substrate, and which are placed side by side. A columnar intermediate region is formed in its corresponding predetermined region of the surface layer portion of the semiconductor layer placed below each gate electrode. Connection regions are formed in the surface layer portion of the semiconductor layer to contact the intermediate region and the base regions.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device which includes a plurality of vertical field effect transistors and wherein the field effect transistors are provided side by side with one another, and a manufacturing method thereof.
DMOS transistors each corresponding to a vertical field effect transistor have been known as semiconductor elements each of which enables large current to flow therethrough and is capable of being operated at a high voltage. The DMOS transistor allows current to flow between a source electrode formed on a major surface of a semiconductor substrate and a drain electrode formed on a back surface of the semiconductor substrate. A P-type base region is formed in its corresponding surface layer portion on the major surface side of the N-type semiconductor substrate, and an N-type source region is formed in its corresponding surface layer portion of the P-type base region. A source electrode is formed so as to contact the P-type base region and the N-type source region. A gate electrode is formed over the P-type base region through a gate insulating film interposed therebetween. When a positive electrode is applied to the gate electrode, an inversion-type channel is formed in its corresponding surface layer of the P-type base region. The current flows from the semiconductor substrate to the N-type source region and the source electrode via the channel. Since no channel is formed when the positive voltage is not applied to the gate electrode, no current flows. When the positive voltage is not applied to the gate electrode, a reverse bias is applied to a PN junction between the P-type base region and the N-type semiconductor substrate due to the voltage applied between the source and drain electrodes, so that a depletion layer spreads. The voltage applied between the source electrode and the drain electrode is applied to the depletion layer, but not applied to the gate insulating film. Therefore, a high breakdown voltage can be realized (refer to, for example, a patent document 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-318397)).
In each DMOS transistor referred to above, the depletion layer spreads due to the reverse bias applied to the PN junction between the P-type base region and the N-type semiconductor substrate. The voltage between the source and drain electrodes is applied to the depletion layer, but not applied to the gate insulating film. Since the DMOS transistor allows current to flow in the direction vertical to the semiconductor substrate, it is possible to cause large current to flow by providing a large number of the DMOS transistors side by side. In this case, the resistance of a current flowing region can be reduced by spreading or expanding the interval between the DMOS transistors, thus making it possible to cause more current to flow. On the other hand, when the interval between the DMOS transistors is spread, such a region that the depletion layer that spreads from the PN junction between the P-type base region and the N-type semiconductor substrate is not connected to its corresponding depletion layer that spreads from a PN junction of the adjoining DMOS transistor appears. Since the voltage between the source and drain electrodes is applied to the gate insulating film in the region in which the depletion layers are not connected to each other, a breakdown voltage is reduced. It is feared that no depletion layers are connected to each other particularly in a region increasing with distance from P-type base regions, such as a region surrounded by at least three DMOS transistors adjacent to one another, thus causing a reduction in breakdown voltage.

Semiconductor device including a columnar intermediate region and manufacturing method thereof


A flap support structure for an aircraft wing having a trailing edge flap, the flap support structure comprising: a flap support beam including an aerodynamic fairing; and a drive unit including a universal support structure which rotatably receives a drive shaft connected to a drive arm for moving the trailing edge flap, wherein the universal support structure also forms part of the flap support beam and supports the aerodynamic fairing.

Aircraft typically include flaps attached to the wing fixed trailing edge which are movable between extended and retracted positions with respect to the fixed wing. Extension of the flaps increases the lift coefficient of the wing for the high lift, low speed flight phases (e.g. take-off and landing).
There are a wide variety of flap designs (e.g. single and multiple flap elements, slotted, unslotted etc.) and flap actuation mechanisms (e.g. drop hinge, flap track etc.) to achieve a similarly wide variety of extended flap configurations and motion paths. Generally, the flap extension path includes at least some aft movement and/or downward rotation of the flap element(s). The aft movement increases the wing chord, whilst the downward rotation increases the wing camber.
The flaps may be movable between a retracted position and one or more extended positions for low speed flight. During high speed flight phases it is also known to adjust the position of the flaps by small angles (+/−10 degrees, approx.) to vary the wing camber according to the cruising speed; so-called adaptive camber wings.
Depending on the flap geometry and desired motion path it is sometimes possible to house the flap actuation mechanism and the flap hinge wholly within the wing profile. However, it is common, particularly with more complex flap deployment geometry, to support the flap from the wing using a flap support structure. The flap support structure generally includes a flap support beam which houses at least a portion of the flap deployment mechanism for moving the flap, and has an outer aerodynamic fairing to reduce drag.
Existing flap support structures tend to be relatively complex and heavy, leading to an increase in manufacturing cost and assembly time, increased maintenance cost and time, and in-service fuel costs due to the weight penalty. They also tend to have a relatively large sectional area which impacts upon drag and hence in-service fuel costs.


A hybrid vehicle can be driven using both of respective driving forces from an engine and a motor. A heating mechanism of an air conditioning apparatus uses thermal energy from cooling water of the engine to heat the interior of a passenger compartment. An ECU takes into consideration engine efficiency from the standpoint of fuel economy enhancement to primarily determine the driving force share ratio between the engine and the motor. Further, the ECU calculates a preset temperature corresponding to a cooling water temperature necessary for desired heating as well as a control target temperature in which the preset temperature is reflected, and corrects the primarily determined driving force share ratio to increase the share of the driving force of the engine by an amount according to a deviation between the cooling water temperature measured by a water temperature sensor and the control target temperature. Heating performance can thus be ensured promptly without deterioration of fuel economy.

Hybrid vehicles have recently been developed that include an internal combustion engine generating driving force from thermal energy produced by burning such a fuel as gasoline as well as an electric motor generating driving force from electrical energy. Even when the engine is stopped, the hybrid vehicle can run by driving the electric motor with electric power supplied from a battery that is charged in advance or charged with electric power generated by the engine while the vehicle is running.
When the hybrid vehicle runs by using the driving force from the engine, the electric motor is driven in an auxiliary manner to enhance combustion efficiency of the engine and thereby allow the engine to operate at a most efficient point all the time. Fuel consumption and the amount of carbon dioxide in exhaust gas can thus be reduced. Namely, low pollution and energy saving can simultaneously be achieved.
In the hybrid vehicle, the interior of the passenger compartment is heated by means of thermal energy derived from cooling water of the engine. Specifically, such a vehicle has a heating apparatus that supplies cooling water heated by waste heat from the engine to a heater core for heat exchange between the air to be blown into the passenger compartment and the cooling water.
As for the hybrid vehicle, however, heat generation from the engine is kept low since the engine is operated at the most efficient point, so that the temperature of the engine cooling water is also kept relatively low. Therefore, when high heating ability is required because of a low outside-air temperature, a problem arises that is insufficient heating ability of the configuration using the engine cooling water as a heat source.
In order to solve the aforementioned problem, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 09-233601 for example proposes a hybrid vehicle having necessary and sufficient heating performance. Specifically, when the hybrid vehicle is stopped or driven by the electric motor and the difference between a preset temperature of the air conditioner and a room temperature is equal to or larger than a criterion value that is determined according to the temperature of the engine cooling water, the internal combustion engine is forced to operate to obtain the above-described heating performance.
A similar technique is proposed for example by Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-203145 that discloses a heating control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle. The hybrid vehicle has its engine operated at maximum efficiency. A temperature of the cooling water required for heating is used as a preset temperature. When the actual temperature of the cooling water does not reach the preset temperature, a request is made to change the operating point of the engine for the purpose of increasing the temperature of the engine cooling water.
The configuration of the hybrid vehicle disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 09-233601 ensures the heating performance by increasing the temperature of the cooling water through idling of the engine. Therefore, it takes some time to allow the temperature of the cooling water to reach a target value (preset temperature). Until the temperature of the cooling water reaches the preset temperature, the engine cannot be driven intermittently, resulting in increases in amount of exhaust gas and fuel consumption.
The configuration disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-203145 uses control for ensuring the heating performance by requesting a change of the operating point of the engine when it is necessary to increase the temperature of the cooing water. However, the control only makes a switch between the operation of changing the engine operating point and the operation of not changing the engine operating point. Thus, fine control based on the difference between the cooling water temperature and the preset temperature cannot be performed, and the time that is necessary for the engine water temperature to reach a target value cannot be made sufficiently shorter.


A method for synchronizing data on a first device with data at a second device, includes: determining a pre-image of the data on the first device according to a filter after a previous synchronization with the data at the second device; determining a current image of the data at the second device according to the filter; determining a delta of the current image, where the delta comprises data that exists in the current image and has changed since the previous synchronization; instructing the first device to delete data that exists in the pre-image but not in the current image; and instructing the first device to UPSERT a union of the data that exists in the delta and the data that exists in the current image but not the pre-image. This is efficient in time and bandwidth resources while also providing consistent data integrity.

FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional system for data synchronization. The system includes a server 101 that stores data in a database and a device 103 that stores a subset of the data stored on the server 101. The subset is defined by a filter 102. Occasionally, the device 103 connects to the server 101 to synchronize its copy of the subset with that stored at the server 101.
In one conventional method for data synchronization, the server 101 sends every row in the database that satisfied the filter 102 each time the device 103 requests synchronization. However, this method wastes time and network bandwidth resource, particularly valuable in mobile computing.
In another conventional method for data synchronization, the server 101 sends only those rows that satisfy the filter 102 and have been changed since the last synchronization. However, this method results in data integrity problems, known as "filter-scope out-of-sync". The problem occurs in three ways: (1) a row inside the scope is updated so that it is outside the scope, such that the row is not deleted from the device upon synchronization (condition C1); (2) the scope of the filter changes since the last synchronization, such that a row that is outside the changed filter scope is not deleted from the device upon synchronization (condition C2); and (3) the scope of the filter changes since the last synchronization, such that a row that is unchanged but is within the changed filter scope is not inserted into the device upon synchronization (condition C3). The data integrity problems are further described with reference to FIGS. 2A-4B.
FIGS. 2A-2B illustrate condition C1 of the data integrity problem. As illustrated in FIG. 2A, assume that the server 101 has a domain table (DT) with two columns: pk (primary key), and x (data value). The device 103 subscribed DT with the filter: x>5. Initially, the device 103 is sent rows (1, 10) and (2, 18) because 10>5 and 18>5. As illustrated in FIG. 2B, assume that before the next synchronization, row (1, 10) at the server 101 is updated to (1, 2). Row (1, 2) does not satisfy the filter. In the next synchronization, row (1, 2) is not sent to the device 103. However, row (1, 10) is not deleted from the device 103. As a result, for the same primary key, the device 103 has the data value 10 while the server 101 has the data value 2. The data on the device 103 thus becomes out-of-sync with the data on the server 101.
FIGS. 3A-3B illustrate condition C2 of the data integrity problem. As illustrated in FIG. 3A, the database contains rows R1 and R2 in a domain table. The filter is: x IN (SELECT zipcode FROM Zipcode Table WHERE city='San Jose'). This filter applies to the domain table at the server 101 to define a subset of rows that a device receives. The filter references a look-up table ("Zipcode Table" is the look-up table in this example) on the server 101 to look up data that defines the scope of the filter. Initially, the device 103 receives rows R1 and R2 since they satisfy the filter. As illustrated in FIG. 3B, assume that the look-up table is updated such that R2 no longer satisfies the filter. For example, the zip code in R2 is reassigned to a city other than San Jose. In the next synchronization, only R1 satisfies the filter. However, R2 is not deleted from the device 103, resulting in the data on the device 103 becoming out-of-sync with the data at the server 101.
FIGS. 4A-4B illustrate condition C3 of the data integrity problem. In this example, the same domain table and filter as FIGS. 3A-3B are used. As illustrated in FIG. 4A, initially, the device 103 receives rows R1 and R2 since they satisfy the filter. As illustrated in FIG. 4B, assume that the look-up table is updated such that R3 satisfies the filter. For example, the zip code in R3 is reassigned to the city of San Jose. However, in the next synchronization, R3 is not sent to the device 103 since the row itself has not changed. Thus, the data on the device 103 becomes out-of-sync with the data on the server 101.
In another conventional method, the data integrity problem described above is addressed by having the device 103 apply a filter to find out-of-scope data after the synchronization and delete them. However, this approach does not eliminate condition C3. This approach also has additional drawbacks. The device 103 must subscribe to all look-up tables and all columns referenced in the filter, and none of the look-up tables can have a filter on it. The filter processing during synchronization thus requires additional time and network bandwidth resources. Also, the filter may not work correctly if the device 103 and the server 101 are from different vendors, since each database vendor may have its own syntax and semantic variants for the filter process.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and system for preserving filter scope consistency in synchronizing data. The method and system should be efficient in time and bandwidth resources while also providing consistent data integrity. The present invention addresses such a need.

Incrementally sychronizing occasionally-connected mobile databases, preserving horizontal filter scope consistency by using client pre-image

International Business Machines Corporation


A connecting configuration for a flexible wired circuit board includes a first terminal member, a second terminal member, and a flexible wired circuit board having a conductive pattern for electrically connecting the first terminal member and the second terminal member. The first terminal member and the second terminal member are provided such that at least one of the terminal members is linearly movable to be adjacent to and apart from the other terminal member. The flexible wired circuit board is provided to be wound or twisted in the middle of the moving direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connecting configuration for a flexible wired circuit board and an electronic device and, more particularly to a connecting configuration for a flexible wired circuit board and an electronic device including the connecting configuration.
2. Description of the Related Art
A flexible wired circuit board, which is a thin wired circuit board excellent in flexibility, is disposed in the movable portion of an electronic device, such as a cellular phone, where the space is narrow.
For example, in a foldable cellular phone including an upper housing, a lower housing, and a hinge portion for supporting the upper housing and the lower housing openably/closably, it is proposed to dispose a flexible printed board (flexible wired circuit board) such that it is wound around the hinge portion to electrically connect the upper housing and the lower housing (see, e.g., the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 6,990,355 (FIG. 7)).
On the other hand, in recent years, a slidable cellular phone has been known which includes an upper housing and a lower housing without a hinge portion so that, when the lower housing is used, the lower housing is partly exposed from the upper housing by sliding the lower housing with respect to the upper housing.
In such a slidable cellular phone, a flexible wired circuit board electrically connecting the upper housing and the lower housing needs to correspond to a span over which the lower housing slides with respect to the upper housing. To satisfy the need, it is proposed to dispose an FPCB (flexible wired circuit board) in a meandering (S-shaped) shape in which linear flat-plate portions and curved bent portions having a small radius of curvature are alternately formed (see, e.g., the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 6,973,186 (FIG. 3)).

Connecting configuration for flexible wired circuit board and electronic device


A computer system with a PC Card external connector sends signals to PCI devices as if respective PC Card functions. A cooperating docking station connects to the PC Card connector and so processes the PC Card signals that a set of signals for supporting PCI bus standard are made available at a PCI bus of the docking station. The docking station is hence able to connect to a bus commonly available on computers, particularly laptop computers, for direct plug-in connection and yet supports connection of PCI adapters that otherwise tend to be supported only within a main computer at an internal PCI bus.

It is known to use a docking station to provide added resources such as hard drives or CD drives for a portable computer. Docking stations, if they are to support a variety of resources such as CD drives and adapter cards, require a complex bus connection. Docking stations to date are customized so a particular docking station is limited to cooperate with a specific computer or family of computers. And, it is typical that docking stations have proprietary, single-purpose connections to the base machine.

International Business Machines Corporation


A method and apparatus for use with a system including a processor that controls a resource configuration to perform a sequence including a plurality of cells, the method for programming the processor to help a system operator restart the sequence after the sequence is halted, the method comprising the steps of, during a commissioning procedure, the method including the steps of providing a sequence including at least one conditional section including at least one decision cell that determines which of at least two different subsets of conditional cells (cell subsets) to perform during the at least one conditional section, beginning with the first sequence cell, performing each cell, after each cell is performed, identifying resource operating characteristics (ROCs), correlating the identified ROCs with a cell identifier and storing the identified ROCs as required ROCs along with the cell identifier for subsequent use during a restart procedure.

The field of the invention is automated systems and more specifically systems wherein a processor performs a program to control an automated set of resources and, when resource operation is halted, provides guidance regarding how to place the resources in a condition that allows the process to be restarted. The invention also includes a method by which the processor learns how to provide guidance to a system operator.
A typical automated manufacturing system includes a processor or programmable logic controller (PLC), a plurality of automated resources (e.g., machines such as mills, drills, transfer lines, clamps, position sensors, proximity sensors, switches, sprayers, robotic welding arms, etc.) and, in many cases, one or more human-machine interfaces (HMIs) (e.g., display screens and some type of input devices). The resources are configured to perform a process on items or assemblies (e.g., work products) being manufactured, treated, sorted, etc., and are linked to the PLC via I/O lines so that the PLC can command the resources to perform the various process steps and can monitor progress of the manufacturing process. The interface is usually linked to the PLC so that the PLC can provide information to a system operator regarding current and/or historical status of the process and warning indications when unusual operating characteristics occur. In many cases the interface also enables the operator to interact with and control the system by stopping the process, altering process operations and manually manipulating the resources when necessary.
A typical process performed by a PLC and associated resources includes several sequences that are, in general, performed sequentially, with one sequence followed by another which is in turn followed by another sequence, and so on. Each sequence typically includes a plurality of cells.
As indicated above, during performance of a process the PLC runs a program and generates commands provided to the resources to cause the resources to perform their parts of the overall process and receives feedback regarding the current operating characteristics (ROCs) of the resources. Prior to transitioning from one of the cells to the next, the PLC is programmed to determine that all of the resources are in a transition state (I.e., that the ROCs are all in a required state) that is required to commence the next cell. For instance, where a part has to be present in a specific position for a cell to commence, one of the ROCs that has to be met prior to performing the cell may be for a proximity sensor to indicate that a part is sensed at a station associated with the specific position. As another instance, prior to commencing another cell, one of the ROCs that may have to be met may be that each of four clamps be in an extended state so that a work item proximate thereto is completely secured. Hereinafter, unless indicated otherwise, the phrase "required ROCs" will be used to refer to resource characteristics that are required for a cell to commence.
During system operation, if required ROCs do not exist to transition to a next cell, the PLC is programmed to stop the process and indicate, via the interface, that an error has occurred. Thus, for instance, in the example above where required ROCs indicate that each of four clamps have to be in an extended state prior to transitioning to a next cell, if the first and second clamps are extended but the third and fourth clamps are not extended, the PLC will stop the process and provide messages to a system operator indicating that the third and fourth clamps are not extended.
To track required ROCs and current states, interlock software is usually run in the background of the process program software to record resource status changes that occur under control of the program in an interlock table, to routinely identify current ROCs, to compare current ROCs to resource status in the table and to indicate when a resource has changed state independent of the program control. Where a resource status changes outside the program control the associated process is typically halted and an error or warning message is generated.
After observing the warning message, an operator examines the resources to determine the cause of the error. In many cases an operator may have to manually manipulate at least a sub-set of the resources in order to identify the cause of the error and/or to eliminate the cause of the error. Once the cause of the error has been alleviated, the operator can restart the process. In order to restart the process at a specific sequence cell, all of the required ROCs for the preceding cell have to exist.
To help a system operator restart a halted process three similar yet independent features have been developed including a halt cell error stack feature, a manual step restart (MSR) feature and a resequencing feature. The halt cell error stack feature is facilitated by the PLC wherein the PLC identifies required ROCs to restart a halted process at the halt cell, identifies current ROCs, compares the current and required ROCs to identify differences and then generates an error stack via the interface thereby indicating resources that are not in states required to restart at the halt cell. To this end, manual resource movements often result in resources that are out of positions or states required to restart at the halt cell. The stack operates as a guide to indicate steps that should be manually performed to place the resources in the required states to restart. As the resources are manipulated, the PLC determines that stack errors have been eliminated and removes the stack errors from the stack. Once all the stack errors have been eliminated the operator can restart the process at the halt cell.
The MSR feature enables an operator to select virtually any sequence cell in an automatic sequence at which to restart a halted sequence and identifies required ROCs for restarting at the selected cell that do not currently exist. To this end, in at least some cases, after the cause of an error has been eliminated through manual changes in resource states, an operator may choose to manually step through other process steps or even entire sequence cells to manually check for proper operation of station resources. Here, because resource states are manually changed and in fact portions of a sequence may have been manually performed, it may make sense and indeed be optimal to restart a sequence at a cell subsequent to the halt cell. When a cell at which to restart is selected, pursuant to the MSR feature, the PLC identifies required ROCs associated with the selected cell along with current ROCs, compares the required and current ROCs, generates an error stack indicating differences between the required and current ROCs and displays the error stack as a guide for the operator to manipulate the resources required to restart.
The resequencing feature enables an operator to identify any sequence cells that have required ROCs that match current ROCs. In this regard, it may be that during manipulations to eliminate the cause of an error the operator manually stepped the resources completely through one or more of the sequence cells and that therefore the required ROCs for a cell subsequent to the halt cell match current ROCs. In this case restart can be expedited by restarting at the subsequent cell associated with required ROCs that match the current ROCs.
Parallel and conditional processing are two general exceptions to the sequential processing scheme where, as the labels imply, parallel processing includes executing several cells in parallel and conditional processing includes executing at least a sub-set of cells only when certain conditions have occurred. Most industry members have approached parallel and conditional processing by simulating the effects thereof via sequential cell execution. Parallel and conditional simulating programs employ sequential processing and rely on other software to, in effect, simulate parallel and conditional processing. Here, with respect to parallel processing, while a PLC cell may commence parallel processing and other sequential cells may track parallel processing, other processors in addition to the PLC are typically employed to perform the parallel processes. For instance, where four robots are to perform parallel processes, each robot may be provided with its own processor and program and the PLC program may include a cell that starts the parallel robot processes and a subsequent sequential cell that determines if the robot processes have been completed. With respect to conditional processing, these programs have typically included several separate sequences where the PLC or some other processor selects a sequence based on conditional factors as opposed to providing decision or conditional cells within the PLC program itself.
Known systems that simulate parallel and conditional processing include a generally non-graphic interface type (hereinafter "the non-graphic interface") that includes some non-graphic way (e.g., a field or on-screen box) to indicate a number corresponding to a cell (i.e., a cell number) at which to restart a halted process and that provides an error stack or error list to guide an operator during a restart process. Here, each programming cell is labeled with a cell number. During normal operation of a process, the PLC tracks the current or active cell number and indicates that number via the interface. When the process stops, the PLC displays the halt number for the operator to observe along with a way to select a different cell number for restart.
Systems that only simulate parallel and conditional processing have several shortcomings. First, because these systems rely on processors and processes in addition to the PLC and the processes directly performed by the PLC, they are relatively more complex to program and overall system coordination is generally more complex. Second, most systems of this type only support a limited number of possible programming branches and hence cannot be easily used for certain application types.
One solution to the problems associated with systems that simulate parallel and conditional cell execution has been to develop programs and related systems that support true parallel and conditional programming. Programs that support true parallel and conditional processing include sequences that actually include parallel cells and decision or conditional cells that can branch off to other sub-sets of cells to perform different functions and sub-processes based on various conditions and factors. True parallel and conditional processing is much more flexible than simulated parallel and conditional processing and simplifies the programming task appreciably.
To interface with PLCs that support true parallel and conditional programming a graphical interface has been developed. In addition to including an error stack as a guide to restarting a halted process, an exemplary graphical interface graphically provides a flow chart that illustrates the sequence cells linked by lines that signify sequence flow from one cell to the next or to several parallel cells or sequence branches where decision blocks occur. In this case, when a sequence halts at a cell, a flow chart including the halt cell as well as cells before and after the halt cell is provided via a display and the halt cell is typically visually distinguished (e.g., highlighted) in some fashion on the display screen for viewing by an operator.
While systems that support true parallel and conditional processing and that include graphical interfaces for communicating with operators and for facilitating restart processes seem simple enough, unfortunately even these systems have shortcomings and are complicated in a number of ways. First, most PLCs have to support many different applications and many of those applications are critical to proper run time operation of the resources. Whenever possible it is desirable to reduce the percentage of PLC resources dedicated to non-critical tasks and applications. In the case of error messaging and restart processes, messaging and restart processes are generally considered non-critical. Known systems have used the PLC to support all messaging and restart processes which disadvantageously ties up PLC capabilities.
Second, while true parallel and conditional processing has many advantages, known graphical interfaces have not been successfully developed to support the MSR and the resequencing features where true parallel and conditional cell execution occurs. One impediment to supporting the MSR and resequencing features where true parallel and conditional cell execution occurs has been identifying required ROCs for restarting within a parallel section of a sequence. To this end, assume a parallel section of a sequence including seven branches where each branch includes seven sequential cells. With respect to the MSR feature, while known graphical interfaces can highlight a set of halt cells including one cell in each branch for a total of seven cells, the interfaces provide no way to alter the cell sub-set selected for restarting purposes. Instead, when the process halts, the interface only supports restarting at the halt cells. With respect to the resequencing feature, in the context of a parallel section of a sequence, the processing requirement for identifying the different combinations of required ROCs for restarting a process at least cell and at each sub-set of cells in parallel branches of a sequence has been considered too great to be support via the PLC.
Third, there are complexities involved with identifying required ROCs for restart at cells where true conditional cell execution is included in a process. To this end, in the above example where a user wishes to restart the process at a cell subsequent to a halt cell, when the operator selects the subsequent cell for restart, in order to identify the required ROCs associated with the selected cell, the PLC was programmed to virtually run the halted sequence to identify the required ROCs for restarting at the selected cell. This process usually required the PLC to start the virtual sequence in a known state by carrying out a virtual execution of a "home sequence" (i.e., a sequence that places the resources in a known state) before beginning virtual execution of the automatic sequence and continuing execution up to the point of the selected restart cell.
Unfortunately, in at least some cases virtual determination of required ROCs is severely complicated when a program includes multiple possible processing branches (i.e., one or more nested decision cells) as the virtual determination has to select which of two or more branches to assume while working its way through the process from the home sequence to the selected cell. The complexity of the decision regarding which of two or more processing branches to assume is exacerbated in the case of relatively newer control processes where branch decisions can be made on the basis of many different factors including, among others, status of assemblies both locally located and located at remote stations, simple Boolean expressions, logical mathematical operations and other factors that cannot be automatically simulated during the virtual cell execution. For instance, in the case of a decision cell where first and second branches are performed when first and second conditions occur at a remote station, respectively, if neither the first nor the second conditions exist at the remote station when the decision cell is virtually performed, the virtual processing to identify the required restart ROCs will fail to execute past the decision cell and the attempt to generate an error stack will fail.
Thus, it would be advantageous to have a system wherein non-critical restarting processes are supported at least in part by other than the PLC, where both parallel processing and an MSR feature are supported in a system that enables true parallel and conditional cell execution and where decision cell errors that could occur during virtual cell execution due to insufficient knowledge about factors associated with the decision cells are avoided.

Manual start learning process and manual start process for use with an automated system


An alkaline cell or battery having at least one positive and one negative electrode which are separated by a separator and which are disposed, along with an alkaline electrolyte, in a housing, the separator being a non-woven fabric, a microporous foil, or a web made of one or a plurality of polymers, which are formed by copolymerization or grafting through reactive extrusion, and which have functional groups in the molecule or form them in the alkaline electrolyte, the functional groups being active as Lewis acids.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an alkaline cell or battery, having at least one positive and one negative electrode, which are separated by a separator, and which are disposed, together with an alkaline electrolyte, in a housing.
2. Description of Related Art
Alkaline batteries or cells must have a separator material, which generally has the following properties:    1. Resistance to the electrolyte,    2. Resistance to oxidation,    3. High mechanical stability,    4. Small thickness tolerances,    5. Low ion volume resistance,    6. High electron volume resistance,    7. A capacity to retain solid particles released by the electrodes,    8. Permanent wettability by the electrolyte, and    9. A high reservoir capacity for the electrolyte fluid.
Depending on the polymer used for manufacturing the separator, the various separator materials have various advantages and disadvantages. Thus, by way of example, separators made of polyolefins are very resistant to the chemical action of powerfully alkaline electrolytes and to oxidation in the chemical environment of the cells, but the wettability by the alkaline electrolyte is still poor. On the other hand, polyamide always has sufficient wettability, but its resistance to hydrolysis is not satisfactory, especially at higher temperatures.
In German Patent A 2 164 901, German Patent A 1142942, German Patent A 2 203 167, and German Patent A 2 243 531, separators are described that are made of polyamide and/or polyolefins. To improve the wettability of polyolefin fibers, various methods have been proposed. Thus, German Patent A 31 16 738 and European Patent A 0 625 805 disclose a plasma treatment of polyolefins, and Japanese Patent A 61/19056, Japanese Patent A 2/276154 as well as German Patent A 19523231 disclose a fluorination method for polyolefins. European Patent A 593 612 describes a method for modifying the surface of polyolefins through a wet-chemical grafting of a vinyl monomer. To modify the surface of separators made of polyolefins, it is also known from European Patent A 316916 to sulfonate the polyolefins in oleum.
When they are used in nickel/metal hydride or nickel/cadmium storage batteries, separators are given a further task. Storage batteries of this type have the disadvantage of accelerated self-discharging. The electrons in the interior of the cells are slowly transported from the negative cadmium or metal hydride electrode to the positive nickel oxide electrode, and then are no longer available for external consumers. The cell by itself discharges slowly even when at rest. In this context, in the event of an extreme depth-discharge, electrodes can sometimes become unusable, which results in the total loss of the storage battery.
As a mechanism for this undesirable self-discharge, hydrogen compounds have been discussed which are responsible for transporting the electrons by reduction at the negative electrode and by oxidation at the positive electrode. The corresponding reactions are represented below in the example of the reaction equation for a nickel/metal hydride storage battery;
Negative ElectrodeNO−3+MHx→NO−2+MHx-2+H2ONO−2+MHx-2→NH3+MHx-8+OH−+H2OPositive ElectrodeNH3+6NiOOH+H2O+OH−→6Ni(OH)2+NO−2 NO−2+2NiOOH+H2O→2Ni(OH)2+NO−3


The present invention includes a method of allele-specific amplification, utilizing an allele-specific oligonucleotide, at least partially complementary to more than one variant of the target sequence, having an internally-placed selective nucleotide complementary to only one variant of the target sequence wherein the allele-specific oligonucleotide is extended by a nucleic acid polymerase predominantly or exclusively when hybridized to the variant of the target sequence for which it has said complementary selective nucleotide.

Allele-specific amplification of nucleic acids allows for simultaneous amplification and analysis of the target sequence. Allele-specific amplification is commonly used when the target nucleic acid has one or more variations (polymorphisms) in its sequence. Nucleic acid polymorphisms are used in DNA profile analysis (forensics, paternity testing, tissue typing for organ transplants), genetic mapping, distinguishing between pathogenic strains of microorganisms as well as detection of rare mutations, such as those occurring in cancer cells, existing in the background of cells with normal DNA.
In a successful allele-specific amplification, the desired variant of the target nucleic acid is amplified, while the other variants are not, at least not to a detectable level. A typical allele-specific amplification assay involves a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with at least one allele-specific primer designed such that primer extension occurs only when the primer forms a hybrid with the desired variant of the target sequence. When the primer hybridizes to an undesired variant of the target sequence, primer extension is inhibited.
Many ways of enhancing allele-specificity of primers have been proposed. However, for many clinically-relevant nucleic acid targets lack of specificity of PCR remains a problem. Therefore radically novel approaches to design of allele-specific primers are necessary.


The present invention relates to a lighter which a user actuates by at least two different modes of operation. In the first mode, a plunger member is positioned to allow a biasing member to oppose movement of an actuating assembly so that a user releases fuel and ignites the lighter only if a high-actuation-force is applied to the actuator. In this first mode, the lighter resists operation by unintended users by requiring a user to have a predetermined level of strength to actuate the lighter. In the second mode, the plunger member is moved to a different position so that the biasing member does not oppose movement of the actuating assembly to the same extent as the first mode so that a user may release fuel and ignite the lighter if a low-actuation-force is applied to the actuator. Moving the plunger member from the first position to the second position preferably requires the user to have a predetermined level of cognitive abilities and/or physical characteristics in order to resist use by unintended users. The lighter further includes a pivotal wand assembly. The wand assembly is operatively associated with a cam follower to allow only partial depression of an actuator when the wand assembly is in a closed position. Full depression of the actuator increases difficulty when the wand assembly is partially or fully extended.

The present invention generally relates to lighters such as pocket lighters used to light cigarettes and cigars, or utility lighters used to ignite candles, barbecue grills, fireplaces and campfires, and more particularly to such lighters which resist inadvertent operation or undesirable operation by unintended users.
Lighters used for igniting tobacco products, such as cigars, cigarettes, and pipes, have developed over a number of years. Typically, these lighters use either a rotary friction element or a piezoelectric element to generate a spark near a nozzle which emits fuel from a fuel container. Piezoelectric mechanisms have gained universal acceptance because they are simple to use. U.S. Pat. No. 5,262,697 (xe2x80x9cthe ""697 patentxe2x80x9d) to Meury discloses one such piezoelectric mechanism, the disclosure in the ""697 patent is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Lighters have also evolved from small cigarette or pocket lighters to several forms of extended or utility lighters. These utility lighters are more useful for general purposes, such as lighting candles, barbecue grills, fireplaces and campfires. Earlier attempts at such designs relied simply on extended actuating handles to house a typical pocket lighter at the end. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,259,059 and 4,462,791 contain examples of this concept.
Many pocket and utility lighters have had some mechanism for resisting undesired operation of the lighter by young children. Often, these mechanisms are on/off switches which may shut off the fuel source or may prevent movement of an actuator, such as a push-button, on the lighter. On/off switches which a user positively moves between xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d positions can be problematic. For example, an adult user may forget to move the switch back to the xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d position after use and thereby render the feature ineffective.
Other pocket and utility lighters include a spring-biased blocking latch which arrests or prevents movement of the actuator or push-button. U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,775 to Saito and U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,358 to Shike, et al., disclose examples of such lighters.
There remains a need for lighters which resist inadvertent operation or undesirable operation by unintended users, but which provide each intended user with a consumer-friendly method of operating the lighters so that the lighters appeal to a variety of intended users.
The present invention is directed to a lighter with at least two modes of operation. In either mode of operation, the lighter preferably is operational with no blocking mechanism(s) which arrests or prevents movement of an actuating member when the wand assembly is in a partially or fully extended position.
The present invention, in one embodiment, relates to a lighter which generally comprises a housing which contains fuel, an actuating member for actuating the lighter, and a plunger member. The plunger member preferably moves between a high-actuation-force or first member position and a low-actuation-force or second member position. A user applies a first actuating force to the actuating member to ignite the fuel when the plunger member is positioned in the first member position, and a second actuating force to the actuating member to ignite the fuel when the plunger member is positioned in the second member position. The first actuating force is greater than the second actuating force.
More specifically, in one embodiment, the plunger member in the high-actuation-force position indirectly drives a biasing member so that the biasing member provides a first opposing force which opposes or resists actuation of the lighter. When the user moves or repositions the plunger member to the low-actuation-force position, the biasing member provides a second different force which opposes or resists actuation of the lighter.
Preferably, the first opposing force provided by the biasing member is greater, and optionally significantly greater, than the second opposing force. Optionally, the second opposing force provided by the biasing member may be substantially zero. The biasing member in the low-actuation-force mode may not oppose or resist movement of the actuating member when the user applies a force thereto to the same extent as in the high-actuation-force mode. In one embodiment, the plunger member in the high-actuation-force position may be operatively associated with, engaged or in contact with, or coupled to the actuating member. In the low-actuation-force position, the plunger member may be in contact with or disengaged from the actuating member such that the biasing member may not significantly resist or oppose movement of the actuating member.
In accordance with one embodiment, the actuating member may selectively dispense fuel, activate an ignition assembly or perform both functions. The lighter optionally may have an ignition assembly actuated by the actuating member. The ignition assembly may include a piezoelectric unit. The actuating member may be at least one trigger. In the high-actuation-force position, the biasing member may resist movement of the trigger to an actuation position by increasing the force necessary to actuate the trigger.
In a further aspect, a latch member may be operatively associated with the plunger member. The latch member can be coupled to the housing in a number of ways, such as pivotally, slidably, in a cantilevered fashion, or a combination of these couplings. In the pivotal coupling, one end of the latch member is coupled to the housing while the other end is free to move. Movement of the latch member may move the plunger member between the high-actuation-force position and the low-actuation-force position. The latch member may be separate from an additional biasing member or may be resiliently deformable, or the plunger member may be moved or repositioned directly by the user.
In an alternate embodiment, the lighter further includes a plunger member with an engaging portion and an actuating assembly with an engaging portion. The plunger member is movable between a first, at rest state and a second state. In the first state, the plunger member engaging portion is associated with the engaging portion of the actuating assembly, and the actuating assembly moves the engaging portion of the plunger member. In the second state, the engaging portion of the plunger member is not engaged with the engaging portion of the actuating assembly.
This embodiment may further include a jet and valve assembly for dispensing fuel which is biased into a closed position and moveable to an open position. The actuating assembly causes selective movement of a jet or valve stem. When in the high-actuation-force position, the biasing member through the plunger member resists or opposes movement of the actuating assembly. If the user applies a force equal to or greater than a first trigger force to the actuating assembly when the plunger member is in the high-actuation-force position, the valve stem moves from the closed position to the open position. When the plunger member is in the low-actuation-force position, the user may apply a lower second trigger force to the actuating assembly in order to move the valve stem between such positions. The configuration of the actuating assembly and the location of an ignition assembly may also allow movement of the trigger to actuate the ignition assembly.
One preferred aspect of the multi-mode lighter according to at least one embodiment is that after multiple actuations of the lighter, the first and second trigger forces required to operate the lighter in either mode, and more preferably the first trigger force, remain substantially constant. Thus, the first and second opposing forces exerted by the biasing member preferably do not substantially decrease with use of the lighter.
According to yet another embodiment, the lighter comprises a housing having a supply of fuel, an ignition assembly for igniting the dispensed fuel, an actuating member associated with the housing, and a repositionable plunger member operatively connected to the housing. A predetermined actuating force is necessary to move the actuating member to an actuation position to actuate the lighter. In a first position, the plunger member is associated with the actuating member such that a first actuating force greater than the force to operate the system is required to move the actuating member to the actuation position.
According to a preferred aspect of the multi-mode lighter, the first or high-actuation-force mode preferably relies more on the user""s physical characteristics, and more specifically strength characteristics, while the second or low-actuation-force mode preferably relies more on the user""s cognitive abilities and dexterity. In yet another preferred, but optional, aspect of this lighter, the user may actuate the lighter in the high-actuation-force mode with a single finger. Moreover, according to another preferred, but optional, aspect of this lighter, the user may actuate the lighter in the low-actuation-force mode with two fingers. One further preferred, but optional, feature of the lighter is that actuation of the lighter in the high-actuation-force mode may occur by a different actuation sequence or movement than the actuation sequence or movements which may occur in the low-actuation-force mode.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the lighter comprises a housing having a supply of fuel, an actuating member for selectively igniting the fuel, the actuating member associated with the housing, and first and second inhibiting members for at least increasing the difficulty of moving the actuation member to ignite the fuel. At least one of the inhibiting member allows the actuating member to move but is immobilized sufficiently to prevent ignition of the fuel.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the lighter further includes a moveable wand assembly and the first inhibiting member increases the difficulty of moving the actuation member based on the position of the wand assembly. In such an embodiment, the first inhibiting member can be a cam follower.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the second inhibiting member comprises a plunger member.


A crucible for growing III-nitride (e.g., aluminum nitride) single crystals is provided. The crucible includes an elongated wall structure defining an interior crystal growth cavity. Embodiments include a plurality of grains and a wall thickness of at least about 1.5 times the average grain size. In particular embodiments, the crucible includes first and second layers of grains the first layer including grains forming an inside surface thereof and the second layer being superposed with the first layer. The crucible may be fabricated from tungsten-rhenium (W—Re) alloys; rhenium (Re); tantalum monocarbide (TaC); tantalum nitride (Ta2N); hafnium nitride (HfN); a mixture of tungsten and tantalum (W—Ta); tungsten (W); and combinations thereof.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to III-nitride semiconductors and more particularly to crucibles for growing III-nitride semiconductor substrates such as aluminum nitride (AlN). Use of the crucible of this invention may enable the growth of relatively large and high quality III-nitride single crystals.
(2) Background Information
Wide bandgap semiconductor devices, based on III-nitride semiconductors, are expected to find application in several opto-electronic technologies in the areas of short wavelength emission and detection. Aluminum nitride and high aluminum concentration alloys of aluminum nitride with gallium nitride and/or with indium nitride are potentially important III-nitride semiconductors for producing deep-UV light emitting diodes with potential applications including solid-state white lighting, sterilization and disinfectant devices, compact analytical devices for the biotechnology and pharmaceutical markets, bioagent detection systems, compact uv light sources for covert communication by the Department of Defense, and for short wavelength lasers for high density data storage. In addition, single-crystal substrates of aluminum nitride are attractive for the fabrication of III-nitride semiconductor, high power radio frequency, millimeter wave, and microwave devices needed for future wireless communication base stations and for Department of Defense applications. However, one of the factors limiting the maturation of aluminum nitride, and other III-nitride, technology has been the absence of high-quality bulk nitride substrates.
One promising method for the growth of aluminum nitride single crystals for such substrates is the sublimation-recondensation technique first developed by Slack and McNelly ("Growth of High Purity AlN Crystals", J. Cryst. Growth 34, 263 (1976) and "AlN Single Crystals", J. Cryst. Growth 42, 560 (1977)), both of which are fully incorporated by reference herein. However, one of the drawbacks that limited the maximum size of the crystals was the development of leaks in the tungsten crucibles, which ultimately lead to the failure thereof, through which aluminum gas may escape. The development of crucibles that substantially eliminate this problem may provide for the growth of relatively large aluminum nitride single crystals. The need for improved crucibles for the growth of aluminum nitride single crystals has also been published, subsequent to the priority date of embodiments of the present invention, by other groups: "Properties of Crucible Materials for Bulk Growth of AlN," G. A. Slack, J. Whitlock, K. Morgan, and L. J. Schowalter, Materials Research Society Proc. Vol. 798, p. Y10.74.1 (2004); "Crucible Selection in AlN Bulk Crystal Growth," R. Dalmau, B. Raghothamachar, M. Dudley, R. Schlesser, and Z. Sitar, Materials Research Society Proc. Vol. 798, p. Y2.9.1 (2004); and "Sublimation Growth of Bulk AlN Crystals: Materials Compatibility and Crystal Quality," B. M. Epelbaum, D. Hofmann, M. Bickermann, A. Winnacker, Mater. Sci. Forum 389–393, 1445 (2002).
Therefore there exists a need for an improved crucible for growth of III-nitride.

Powder metallurgy crucible for aluminum nitride crystal growth


Embodiments of the present invention disclose a power supply method, including: rectifying a second alternating current, and converting the second alternating current into a second high voltage direct current; when the second high voltage direct current is abnormal, inputting a third high voltage direct current to a DC/DC module; when the second high voltage direct current is normal, inputting the second high voltage direct current to the DC/DC module; and converting, by the DC/DC module, the second high voltage direct current or the third high voltage direct current into a low voltage direct current for outputting.

Referring to FIG. 1, an existing data center (or an equipment room) uses an alternating current power supply mode. To ensure reliability of the power supply and power distribution for equipments of the whole data center, two sets of power supply systems are used to supply power in a redundant backup mode, and two mains supplies and diesel generators supply power to a lower-level load by using an ATS (Automatic Transfer Switches, automatic transfer switch) transfer equipment.
An alternating current output by the ATS is divided into two branches, a branch A and a branch B, by using an AC (Alternating Current, alternating current) distribution panel. The branch A is input to an UPS (Uninterruptible power supply, uninterruptible power supply) system A in the equipment room, and the branch B is input to a UPS system B in the equipment room. The alternating currents output by the UPS system A and UPS system B are output to an ICT (Information Communication Technology, information communication technology) equipment cabinet in the equipment room after passing through a distribution cabinet and an array cabinet respectively, to supply power to an ICT equipment.
Each ICT equipment cabinet receives the alternating currents output by the UPS system A and UPS system B. The alternating current (A-plane alternating current for short) from the UPS system A and the alternating current (B-plane alternating current for short) from the UPS system B back up each other. Equipments in the ICT equipment cabinet may be powered by the A-plane alternating current by using an A-channel distribution unit and the B-plane alternating current by using a B-channel distribution unit.
In the existing power supply mode, each power module receives only one alternating current. If there are N (N is an integer greater than zero) A-plane alternating current power supply and B-plane alternating current power supply that back up each other, N+N power modules are required ("power supply A1" to "power supply AN" and "power supply B1" to "power supply BN" in the figure). The number of power modules in an equipment is relatively large, and a cost is relatively high.


A generally rectangular upwardly opening receptacle is constructed of plastic and includes side and end walls incorporating transversely thickened zones thereof in horizontal registry with each other and defining a reinforcing belt extending peripherally about said receptacle along lower portions of the side and end walls thereof. The side and end wall portions disposed beneath the reinforcing belt are inwardly offset relative to the remaining upper portions of the side and end walls and define a horizontal inwardly projecting shelf extending about the interior of the receptacle upon which a grid assembly is supported, the grid assembly incorporating a first weight supporting lower first grid and a second finer grid overlying and supported from the coarse grid. The coarse grid includes downwardly projecting center abutment structure supported therefrom for abutting and support from a central area of the bottom wall of the receptacle and one side wall of the receptacle includes an upwardly opening entrance notch formed therein whose lower margin is substantially horizontally registered with the grid assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a litter box for use by dogs, but which is modified in construction and operation relative to a cat litter box in that the dog litter box includes litter supported from the bottom wall thereof and further a animal weight supporting grid construction removably mounted in a lower portion of the interior of the box a spaced distance above the litter, at least one upstanding wall of the box having an upwardly opening entranceway notch formed therein whose lower margin is substantially flush with the upper surface of the grid construction.
2. Description of Related Art
Various different forms of litter boxes including some of the general structural and operational features of the instant invention heretofore have been provided. Examples of these previously known forms of litter boxes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,482,546, 3,796,188, 4,242,763, 4,802,442 and 5,012,765. However, these previously known devices do not include the overall combination of structural and operational features of the instant invention.

Litter box having shelf formed in side wall thereof supporting fine and coarse grid assembly


A thermal management system for an engine is disclosed. The thermal management system may have a first heat exchanger situated to cool air directed into the engine, a pump configured to pressurize a fluid directed through the engine, and a second heat exchanger situated to transfer heat absorbed by the fluid to air directed into the engine. The thermal management system may also have a heater configured to provide supplemental heat to air directed into the engine.

Engines, including diesel engines, gasoline engines, and gaseous fuel-powered engines are used to generate mechanical, hydraulic, or electrical power output. In order to accomplish this power generation, an engine typically combusts a fuel/air mixture. With the purpose to ensure optimum combustion of the fuel/air mixture and protect components of the engine from damaging extremes, the temperature of the engine and air drawn into the engine for combustion must be tightly controlled.
An internal combustion engine is generally fluidly connected to several different liquid-to-air and/or air-to air heat exchangers to cool both liquids and gases circulated throughout the engine. These heat exchangers are often located close together and/or close to the engine to conserve space on the machine. An engine driven fan is disposed either in front of the engine/exchanger package to blow air across the exchangers and the engine, or between the exchangers and engine to suck air past the exchangers and blow air past the engine, the airflow removing heat from the heat exchangers and the engine.
Although this cooling arrangement may minimize the likelihood of engine overheating and improve combustion in extreme hot conditions, it may do little to protect the engine and optimize combustion during operation in extreme cold conditions. In extreme cold conditions, engines can be difficult to start and oil that lubricates components of the engine can be so viscous that significant friction within the engine is generated and damage to the engine may occur. In addition, when the air drawn into the engine is too cold, combustion of the fuel/air mixture may be poor resulting in poor load acceptance, white smoke production, and poor fuel efficiency.
One way to improve engine operation and extend component life of the engine in cold extremes is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication 2002-021653 (the '653 publication) by Shinichi published on Jan. 23, 2002. The '653 publication describes a diesel engine having a two-step inlet air heat exchanger with a cooling section and a heating section. The heating section is supplied with hot coolant from the engine's jacket water circuit, while the cooling section is supplied with relatively cold coolant. An inlet air temperature regulating valve is located within a coolant passageway of the cooling section, and another is located within a coolant passageway of the heating section. Both valves are controlled to regulate a flow of coolant through the cooling and heating sections in response to a temperature of the engine's inlet air and a load on the engine. That is, the flow rate of cold cooling water delivered to the cooling section is increased during times of heavy engine load and/or hot inlet air, and the flow rate of hot cooling water delivered to the heating section is increased during times of low engine load and/or cold inlet air, both flow rates being regulated to achieve a relatively constant desired temperature of the inlet air.
Although the diesel engine of the '653 publication may benefit some from tightened control of inlet air temperatures, the benefit may be limited. That is, the heating section of the '653 publication may only add heat to the inlet air when the engine's jacket water is already warm. When the engine is cold, such as when first started or when operating in extreme cold conditions, the temperature of the jacket water may be insufficient to raise the inlet air temperature to the desired value. As a result, operation at startup and continued operation in cold conditions may be less than optimal.
The disclosed engine system is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.

Engine system having cooled and heated inlet air


The invention provides methods and nucleic acid probes for deleting, amplifying, and isolating sequences of Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium intracellulare, and Mycobacterium paratuberculosis.

Health care providers are encountering a significant increase in cases of mycobacterial infections. Many of these new cases are related to the AIDS epidemic. Physicians rely on clinical microbiologists to assist them in diagnosing mycobacterial infection. The diagnosis of such infections is, however, largely dependent on acid fast staining and cultivation of the organism, followed by biochemical assays. These are time consuming processes. Hence, there is a continuing need for new, and particularly rapid, methods of diagnosing mycobacterial infections.

Probes to Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium intracellulare, and Mycobacterium paratuberculosis


Disclosed is biomanufacturing apparatus 1 comprising a housing 20 including top 22 and bottom 24 faces which allow stacking of plural housings, an access door 25 at a front side of the housing, a substantially enclosed bioreactor chamber 30 inside the housing accessible via the door, and a further substantially enclosed region 36 inside the housing containing electrical parts and/or electronic control components, the chamber 30 including: a tray 40 for supporting a bioreactor, a tray support 45 including a mechanism 44,47 for rocking the tray in use; the tray support further including a load cell (41) to determine changes in the mass load on the tray.

Cell culture, for example the culture of mammalian, bacterial or fungal cells, may be carried out to harvest the living cells for therapeutic purposes and/or to harvest biomolecules, such as proteins or chemicals (e.g. pharmaceuticals) produced by the cells. As used herein, the term "biomolecule" can mean any molecule, such as a protein, peptide, nucleic acid, metabolite, antigen, chemical or biopharmaceutical that is produced by a cell or a virus. Herein, the term biomanufacturing is intended to encompass the culturing or multiplication of cells, and the production of biomolecules. The term bioreactor is intended to encompass a generally enclosed volume capable of being used for biomanufacturing.
The cells are generally grown in large scale (10,000 to 25,000 litre capacity) bioreactors which are sterilisable vessels designed to provide the necessary nutrients and environmental conditions required for cell growth and expansion. Conventional bioreactors have glass or metal growth chambers which can be sterilized and then inoculated with selected cells for subsequent culture and expansion. Media within the growth chambers are often agitated or stirred by the use of mechanical or magnetic impellers to improve aeration, nutrient dispersal and waste removal.
In recent years, there has been a move towards 'single use' bioreactors which offer smaller batch sizes, greater production flexibility, ease of use, reduced capital cost investment and reduced risk of cross-contamination. These systems can also improve the efficiency of aeration, feeding and waste removal to increase cell densities and product yields. Examples include WAVE™ bags (GE Healthcare) mounted on rocking platforms for mixing, to the introduction of stirred-tank single-use vessels such as those available from Xcellerex Inc (GE Healthcare). With the advent of 'personalised medicine', autologous cell therapies requiring many small batches of cells to treat patients with unique cell therapies has become important.
Manufacturing facilities, such as tissue culture laboratories, for the production of cells and biomolecules, have traditionally been custom designed and carried out in clean environments to reduce the risk of contamination. Such facilities are costly to run and maintain and also to modify if priorities or work demands change. Work stations for maintaining or harvesting the cells within the bioreactors require a specific 'footprint' which occupies a significant floor space in the culture laboratory. As the workstations spend much of their time unattended, while the cells are growing in the bioreactors, the laboratory space is not efficiently or effectively used.
An improvement is proposed in WO 2014122307, wherein the laboratory space required for cell culture is reduced by the provision of customised workstations and storage bays for bioreactors, on which, conventional WAVE type bioreactors and ancillary equipment can be supported. Large supporting frameworks are required for that equipment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,475,776 is an example of an incubator for cell culture dishes, which has a single incubator housing and multiple shelves, however this type of equipment is not suitable for housing bioreactors.
What is needed is the ability to stack multiple bioreactors one on top of another, closely spaced side by side, in a system that is simple to load, operate and maintain. Ideally such bioreactors should be capable of tradition fed batch manufacturing where cells are cultured typically over 7 to 21 days, as well as perfusion type manufacturing where cells can be cultured for longer periods, but waste products are continually or regularly removed, and biomolecules may be harvested. On top of that, one of the important parameters that needs to be is measured during the entire cell expansion process is the weight of the cell culture. This parameter serves as an input for various application steps like step-wise cell expansion, continuous cell expansion, media fill, perfusion flow, calibration of feed & harvest pumps, temperature control and pH control. It is therefore a very important requirement for the weight measurement system to have a very good accuracy and sensitivity specification. A cell culture instrument which has a weight measuring load cells mounted on each foot of the instrument is known commercially. This is not an ideal way of mounting the load cells because the entire weight of the instrument rests on the load cells. Therefore, the dead weight acting on the load cells are very high (depending on the instrument weigh) which affects the overall accuracy and sensitivity. Also since the load cells are mounted on the instrument feet, there is a significant change in the reading of the load cells when they are subjected to even a slight side force. This is not acceptable since it results in error in the load cell readings.
An ideal weight measurement system is therefore one which carries as little dead weight as possible and is also isolated from the instrument feet so that there is no impact on the readings when there is a disturbance to the instrument, and instruments can then be stacked one on top of another.


Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a hybrid photonics device comprises a silicon portion having one or more features formed therein, a non-silicon portion comprising one or more photonics devices proximate to the one or more features of the silicon portion, and a bonding layer coupling the silicon portion with the non-silicon portion, the non-silicon portion being bonded to the silicon portion via the bonding layer prior to patterning of the one or more photonics devices.

Silicon photonics as an integration platform has been a focus of optoelectronics research because of the potential of lower cost manufacturing on the ubiquitous electronics fabrication infrastructure. One challenge for silicon photonics systems is the realization of compact, electrically driven optical gain elements. One way to achieve this is via hybrid silicon (Si) evanescent devices which may include, for example, electrically pumped lasers, amplifiers, and/or photodetectors. Such hybrid Si evanescent devices can be utilized to provide a lower cost, scalable solution for hybrid integration on a silicon based platforms.
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and/or clarity of illustration, elements illustrated in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity. Further, if considered appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding and/or analogous elements.

Evanescent III-V silicon photonics device with spin coat bonding