An image processing circuit and method thereof for enhancing text displaying of an image are provided. The image processing circuit performs the method. Firstly, at least a first illumination area and at least a second illumination, which is located adjacent to the first illumination area in the image are defined according to luminance values of a plurality of pixels of the image. Next, a luminance regulation value of at least one of the pixels in the first illumination area is calculated, and the luminance value of the corresponding pixel in the first illumination area is adjusted according to the luminance regulation value. During processing of the image, the luminance values of all of the pixels in the second illumination area are restricted from any adjustment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing circuit and a method thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image processing circuit and a method thereof for enhancing text displaying.
2. Description of Related Art
With growing popularity of the Internet, some network service providers cooperate with publishers or libraries to digitalize books originally published in printings. Then, image data of the digitalized books are provided to Internet users for downloading in a paid or a free approach. Moreover, with fast growing of global population, and considering limited utilization spaces, to effectively utilize spaces, some enterprises or families also try to digitalize printed data via digital cameras or scanners. However, massively digitalisation of texts results in a fact that some texts recorded by digital images are blurry and hard to be read, and therefore it is inconvenient for the users to read such images shown on a display.
Conventional enhancement of read comfort for a digital display is to adjust a color temperature thereof, though there is no special processing method for the texts. Such processing method has no actual improvement for documents with low contrast, especially for scanned documents. Since text information in an image belongs to a high-frequency signal, if the text information is to be enhanced, a sharpening process is generally applied. Though such processing method is the most directive, it still cannot improve the read comfort.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a relation between luminance values of a plurality of pixels P1 to P18 of a display, and corresponding luminance regulation values thereof. In FIG. 1, the pixels P1 to P18 are arranged in a row, and the horizontal axis represents relative positions of the pixels P1 to P18 on the display. The left vertical axis represents the luminance values of the pixels, and the right vertical axis represents the luminance regulation values of the pixels. To avoid confusion, the luminance value of each pixel is represented by a bold solid line 10, and the corresponding luminance regulation value of each pixel is represented by a non-bold solid line 12. In the present embodiment, the luminance value of each pixel is within a range of 0 to 255, and the brighter the pixel is, the greater the luminance value thereof is; conversely, the darker the pixel is, the smaller the luminance value thereof is. The luminance regulation values of the pixels may be positive, negative or zero, and if the luminance regulation value is positive, it represents the luminance value of the corresponding pixel is enhanced, so that the pixel becomes brighter; if the luminance regulation value is negative, it represents the luminance value of the corresponding pixel is decreased such that the pixel becomes darker; and if the luminance regulation value is zero, it represents that no adjustment is performed to the luminance value of the pixel. For simplicity's sake, the luminance value and the luminance regulation value of the pixel are represented by the same unit in FIG. 1, and a coordinate of the luminance regulation value 0 on the right vertical axis is corresponding to a coordinate of the luminance value 127 on the left vertical axis. Each of the pixels is grouped into a bright portion or a dark portion according to the luminance values thereof, wherein all of the luminance values of the pixels in a bright portion are greater than or equal to 127, and all of the luminance values of the pixels in a dark portion are less than 127. For example, the pixels P1 to P5 and the pixels P13 to P18 are respectively in two different bright portions, and the pixels P6 to P12 are in the dark portion between the two bright portions.
In case that a background portion of an image is brighter than a text portion of the image (for example, an image with white background and black texts), the bright portion corresponds to the background portion of the image, and the dark portion corresponds to the text portion of the image. Due to a characteristic of texts, a simplex sharpness filter may impose a high pass enhancement respectively to the bright portion and the dark portion. As shown in FIG. 1, luminance values of the pixels P5 and P13 in the bright portion and located adjacent to the dark portion may be enhanced (i.e. the luminance regulation values thereof are positive), and luminance values of the pixels P6 and P12 in the dark portion and located adjacent to the bright portion may be decreased (i.e. the luminance regulation values thereof are negative). However, in case of the white background and black texts, enhancement of the bright portion leads to an adverse effect of ringing to the text portion, so that the texts may be looked more uncomfortable. Moreover, if settings of the luminance regulation values are not suitable, an over-shoot or an under-shoot phenomenon may be occurred. In addition, noise interference of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) also causes an abnormity of the image, and accordingly the user may have an uncomfortable feeling when observing the image.
Moreover, a conventional method for enhancing text displaying is to perform separate treatment to the text portion or non-text portion (such as figures or pictures, etc.) based on a setting of a threshold value. However, in a system with relatively great noise at an input terminal thereof, such method may leads to a situation that identical graphic information displays differently in different frame periods due to an interference of the noise. Therefore, the display quality is lower.

Image processing circuit and method thereof for enhancing text displaying


The invention utilizes swelling and fusion effects of graphene oxide in a solvent to implement cross-linked bonding of a graphene material itself and materials such as polymers, metal, paper, glass, carbon materials, and ceramics. The present invention not only overcomes the shortcoming in traditional adhesives of residual formaldehyde, but also has short drying time, high bonding strength and high corrosion resistance. The present invention is widely applied in the fields of aviation, aerospace, automobiles, machinery, construction, chemical, light industry, electronics, electrical appliances, and daily life, etc.

With the advancement of society and the development of science and technology, people's awareness of environmental protection and sustainable development concepts become increasingly higher. The change from solvent-based adhesives to environmental-friendly water-based adhesives has become an inevitable trend in the development of adhesives. Traditional adhesives such as white latex and starch adhesives have disadvantages such as tendency to mildew, poor water and humidity resistance, and slow drying speed. Water glass has poor alkali and water resistance, is corrosive and highly irritative, and can cause human burns. Phenolic resin adhesives have the disadvantages of high brittleness and low peel strength, and are unsuitable for use as a structural adhesive. The commonly used urea-formaldehyde resin adhesives have the disadvantages of high formaldehyde release, environment pollution, and health hazards.

Method for preparing composites on basis of graphene bonding


An antenna system includes a main array and a guard array. The main array has an antenna pattern that includes a main beam and multiple side lobes that are concentrated in distinct side lobe regions. The guard array includes an antenna pattern that encompasses both the main beam and the side lobe regions of the main array. In addition, an outer boundary of the antenna pattern of the guard array roughly tracks an outer boundary of the distinct side lobe regions of the main array. In at least one embodiment, the main array is a rectangular or quasi-rectangular array having side lobes concentrated within two orthogonal ridges and the guard array comprises one of a cross-guard array, an L-guard array, and a T-guard array.

Array antennas are antennas that include a number of radiating elements arranged in a predefined pattern that act collectively to generate an antenna pattern. Some array antennas, known as phased arrays, have beams that may be controllably steered by varying phase values associated with the elements of the array. An antenna pattern of an array antenna may have a main beam and one or more side beams or side lobes. Often, the side lobes are considered undesirable. In many receiver-based applications, only signals received through the main beam of an array antenna are of interest. For example, in a radar system that derives information about a remote target from one or more return pulses received from the target, the receiver may only be interested in processing pulses received through the main beam of the receive antenna. Likewise, in some communication systems, a receiver may only be interested in signals received from a particular direction and may wish to reject signals received from other directions.
A guard antenna is an antenna that works in conjunction with an array antenna to determine whether signals received through the array antenna were received through a main beam of the antenna or through a side lobe of the antenna. Techniques and structures are needed for implementing guard array antennas that are effective and easy to use.

Antenna system having guard array and associated techniques


Disclosed is an automation engineering field device, comprising: a sensor unit for capturing a physical measured variable for a medium; a memory unit, wherein the memory unit stores at least one standard parameter set and further parameter sets; an electronic unit, wherein the electronic unit is configured so as, after the field device starts, to load the standard parameter set and to operate the field device on the basis of the standard parameter set and wherein the electronic unit is configured so as, when a signal is received, to take the configuration of the signal as a basis for loading one of the further parameter sets and to operate the field device, or components of the field device, on the basis of the further parameter set.

Field devices that are used in industrial plants are already known from the prior art. Field devices are often used in process automation as well as in manufacturing automation. Field devices, in general, refer to all devices which are process-oriented and which supply or process process-relevant information. Field devices are thus used for detecting and/or influencing process variables. Measuring devices, or sensors, are used for detecting process variables. These are used, for example, for pressure and temperature measurement, conductivity measurement, flow measurement, pH measurement, fill-level measurement, etc., and detect the corresponding process variables of pressure, temperature, conductivity, pH value, fill-level, flow, etc. Actuators are used for influencing process variables. These are, for example, pumps or valves that can influence the flow of a fluid in a pipe or the fill-level in a tank. In addition to the aforementioned measuring devices and actuators, field devices are also understood to include remote I/O's, radio adapters, or, generally, devices that are arranged at the field level.
A variety of such field devices is produced and marketed by the Endress+Hauser group.
In modern industrial plants, field devices are usually connected to superordinate units via wireless or wired communication networks. The wired communication networks are typically field buses, such as Profibus®, Foundation® Fieldbus, HART®, etc., or modern industrial communication networks or IT communication networks, such as (Industrial) Ethernet. The wireless communication networks are, for example, wireless field buses, such as WirelessHART® etc., or wireless IT communication networks, such as WLAN. Higher-level units are control units, such as an SPS (storage programmable controller) or a PLC (programmable logic controller). The higher-level units are used for, among other things, process control, as well as for commissioning of the field devices. The measured values detected by the field devices—in particular, by sensors—are transmitted via the respective bus system to a (or possibly several) higher-level unit(s) that further process the measured values, as appropriate, and relay them to the control station of the plant. The control station serves for process visualization, process monitoring, and process control via the superordinate units. In addition, a data transfer is also required from the higher-level unit via the bus system to the field devices—in particular, for configuration and parameterization of field devices, as well as for control of actuators.
Field devices sometimes have a large number of parameters, with the aid of which they can be adapted to an application or their functions can be set. In this case, the parameters are divided into static and dynamic parameters. Static parameters represent time-invariant parameters. Dynamic parameters include unmodeled process characteristics entered manually by the customer, such as the tank size of a medium-filled tank.
A so-called parameterization, in which parameter values are assigned to the individual parameters of a field device, is carried out in particular both when commissioning a field device and sometimes within the framework of maintenance of a field device, e.g., during servicing. For this purpose, the field device must be accessed, e.g., by means of an operating unit. This operating unit is generally connected to a service interface, which, in some circumstances, can only be contacted if the housing of the field device is open.
It can often be provided that a user wants to use different parameter settings at different points in time. For example, many properties of process media depend on the temperature so that, for example, the density of a medium located in a tank may change at different times of the day or seasonally. This sometimes also changes limit values, e.g., the maximum and minimum fill level of the medium in the tank. In the field devices customary nowadays, however, it is provided to respectively specify only one parameter value for a parameter of a field device. This parameter value cannot be changed without, as described above, the field device having to be accessed and the parameter value being changed manually. Alternatively, a plant operator must have available several field devices of the same type but with different parameter settings.

Automation engineering field device with multiple parameter sets


A multi-layer ceramic capacitor capable of being sintered at 1,080° C. or lower in a reducing atmosphere, having a permittivity of 2,000 or more, a temperature characteristic of X7R characteristic or X8R characteristic, and favorable life time property, in which the internal electrodes are formed of Cu or a Cu alloy, the dielectric ceramics are constituted with grains each of an average value for the diameter of 400 nm or less as viewed on the cross section and grain boundaries, the grain comprises a dielectric substance having a domain pattern and shells formed on the surface of the dielectric substance and with t/D from 2% to 10% where D represents an average value for the diameter of the grains as viewed on the cross section and t represents the average value for the thickness of the shells.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a multi-layer ceramic capacitor in which an internal electrode is constituted with a base metal and it particularly relates to a multi-layer ceramic capacitor using Cu for the internal electrode.
2. Description of the Related Art
For multi-layer ceramic capacitors used for electronic equipments such as portable equipments and telecommunication equipments, a demand for reducing the size and increasing the capacitance has been increased more and more. Further, a demand has been increased also for the reliability, and a multi-layer ceramic capacitor with a flat temperature characteristic (TC) for permittivity and having a good high temperature acceleration life time property characteristics (hereinafter referred to as "life time property") has been demanded.
As means for obtaining the multi-layer ceramic capacitor of smaller size and large capacitance described above, JP-A No. 5-9066, for example, discloses a method of using a non-reduction dielectric substance porcelain composition. However, various additives are added in such a dielectric substance porcelain composition for providing anti-reducing property. Therefore, a baking temperature of 1,100° C. or higher was necessary for sintering the dielectric substance porcelain composition. Further, also for the internal electrode, a high melting Ni had to be used.
On the other hand, a multi-layer ceramic capacitor using a material capable of being baked at a low temperature of about 1,000° C. in view of the energy efficiency has been proposed. For example, JP-A No. 5-217426 discloses a non-reducing dielectric substance porcelain composition capable of being baked simultaneously with an inner electrode material such as Cu. However, since the dielectric substance porcelain composition described above has a low permittivity although the temperature characteristic is flat and it is difficult to obtain a small size and large capacitance multi-layer ceramic capacitor.
Further, for obtaining a multi-layer ceramic capacitor having a flat temperature characteristics and high permittivity (ε≧2,000), JP-A No. 10-308321, for example, discloses a method of using a dielectric substance porcelain comprising sintered grains having a core-shell structure. It is necessary in the core-shell structure to diffuse additives such as Mg in the crystal grains. However, diffusion of the additives in the crystal grains requires a baking temperature of 1,100° C. or higher.


A striking mechanism includes a working space whose first section is surrounded by a first electromagnet and whose second section is surrounded by a second electromagnet; a striking element that can move along a striking axis inside the working space and that has a magnetizable material; an anvil whose striking surface delimits the working space in the striking direction and which protrudes into the first magnetic coil and which is made of a magnetically soft material. A spring element is provided which exerts a force onto the striking element in every position in the working space in the direction of the anvil.

Even though striking mechanisms have been known since the beginning of the 20th century, such as the striking mechanism having two magnetic coils described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,892,140, so far their striking power has been inferior to the striking power of other striking mechanism of a different type known at that time.
The striking mechanisms based on the direct acceleration of a striking element by means of magnetic fields have the advantage of a greater degree of control of the striking behavior, especially the possibility of immediately switching off the striking mechanism.

Striking mechanism and hand-held power tool


An optical scanning device including a controller configured to control a light emitter to emit a first light beam in accordance with a first pattern, control the light emitter to emit a second light beam in accordance with a second pattern, discriminate between a first signal output from a sensor in accordance with the first pattern and a second signal output from the sensor in accordance with the second pattern, identify a first moment at which the discriminated first signal has been output and a second moment at which the discriminated second signal has been output, and determine a moment to start forming on a scanned object a first scanning line by the first light beam, based on the identified first moment, and determine a moment to start forming on the scanned object a second scanning line by the second light beam, based on the identified second moment.

1. Technical Field
The following description relates to one or more techniques for discriminating between (among) a plurality of light sources in an optical scanning device.
2. Related Art
A technique has been known that is adapted to discriminate between (among) a plurality of laser sources in an optical scanning device configured to perform optical scanning with the plurality of laser sources. Specifically, in the technique, with a plurality of comparator circuits provided on a side of a beam detection (BD) sensor, it is possible to identify a specific BD signal output from the BD sensor in response to detection of each individual one of the laser beams concurrently emitted by the laser sources.

Optical scanning device, image forming apparatus having the same, and method therefor


A system and method for controlling a computerized device's display to provide a user interface that renders compact and informative graphical user interface images, particularly in a medical care management device in which a large amount of information is required by the user, and a size of the display device is relatively small. The system and method can deliver structured guidance to medical personnel to promote rendering of medical care in compliance with predetermined care protocols, and automatedly logs, and/or guides the user to log, events and occurrences during the medical emergency for accurate logging of same. Multiple independent cyclical numerical task timers, graphical progress indicators, and cycle counters may be displayed concurrently within a single field of view/window within a display device's display area. Expiration of a cycle time may be reflected by a color change, and initiate text or other prompting according to a predefined care protocol.

There are various contexts in which a graphical user interface display needs to be controlled and managed. One such context involves medical care management devices. There are challenges in rendering accurate and adequately informative graphical user interface images for a user, particularly when a large amount of information is required by the user, and when a size of the display device is relatively small, as is the case with common smartphone and tablet computing devices.
Further, in many contexts, there is a need for healthcare professionals to follow predetermined care protocols, and to keep accurate medical records. These needs can be particularly acute in the case of medical emergencies. In such emergencies, it can be particularly important to follow predetermined care protocols, as failure to do so could result in severe injury or death to a patient. Further, it is important for the peace of mind of the patient's loved ones, and to mitigate and/or prevent liability for the healthcare professional and/or related health care institution, to be able to document that the predetermined care protocols were followed. Unfortunately, the emergency medical care environment can be chaotic, and the patient's needs may be acute and immediate, and thus it may be particularly difficult for healthcare professionals to ensure compliance with predetermined care protocols, and to fully document such compliance, during such medical emergencies.
By way of example, so-called "code" medical emergencies, such as a Code Blue, may require a team of healthcare professionals to rush to administer aid to a patient in need. Such medical emergencies may occur, for example, in a healthcare system, medical aid unit, hospital, nursing home and/or assisted living facility environments. By way of further example, a "Code Blue" is a cardiopulmonary arrest emergency that requires healthcare professionals to administer drugs and perform CPR to restore cardiac perfusion and oxygen delivery as soon as possible. This is the primary goal of cardiac arrest resuscitation care. Evidence based, universally accepted "best practice" or "standard of care" protocols exist that are written from consensus expert opinion to ensure that the Code Blue response team follows the best Advanced Cardia Life Support (ACLS) protocols to give the patient the best odds to survive the event. By way of non-limiting example, the American Heart Association provides guidelines in the form of a predetermined care protocol that should be followed by healthcare providers when providing care in a Code Blue event. The protocol generally provides defined tasks, task sequences, etc. and intervals for performing such events. The tasks are intended to promote the best next action with the goal of survival.
In a typical scenario, one or more persons may be responsible for recording the occurrence of events, timing of events, etc., and one or more persons may be responsible for administering care according to the protocol, and reporting those events for manual documentation, e.g., using a stopwatch and clipboard, in paper form. Due to the complexities of the situation and the chaotic nature of a medical emergency, it is common for a predetermined care protocol to be followed with less-than-ideal accuracy, because of gaps or deficiencies in the training of the medical personnel, errors in recall or application of proper procedures, and/or ineffective collaboration and/or inaccurate synchronization among the various members of the medical care team and various clocks/timers.
It is likely even more common for record keeping with respect to the following of the care protocol to include errors and/or be incomplete. In the medical field, there are estimates that approximately 30%-40% of Code Blue documentation is missing, incomplete or incorrect, due the chaotic nature of Code Blue events, and the higher priority given to providing life-saving care to the patient than to the secondary task of recording the details of the aspects of the care provided.
Smartphone and tablet computing devices exist, but have display screen areas that are relatively limited in physical size, and that are especially limited in view of the amount of information required to be managed in a medical care or medical emergency context, particularly in the Code Blue context for which tasks are typically allocated to multiple personnel due to the large amount of information that must be managed in reliably accurate fashion. Such devices do not provide adequate displays of information, and in particular, adequate displays of information that are sufficiently compact to be displayed within a single viewing area of a physical display region of such devices, so that the need for scrolling or navigating among multiple windows, is avoided, and so that all relevant information is displayed within a single field of view.
What is needed is a system and method for controlling a display of a computerized device to provide a graphical user interface that renders adequately informative graphical user interface images for a user, particularly in a medical care management device in which a large amount of information is required by the user, and a size of the display device is relatively small, as is the case with common smartphone and tablet computing devices.

System and method for user interface management for medical care management devices


The invention describes a method and an apparatus for the automated testing of the flash point and can be used for determining the flash point of flammable liquids. In particular, the inventive method makes is possible to automate the phase of preparing and changing the samples. The apparatus described is characterized in that the whole of the test equipment (1) consists of a stationary simultaneous function head (2) and a mobile test insert (3), which can be separated completely from the simultaneous function head (2), the test insert (3), pre-installed, having the temperature sensor (4) and the flash point indicator (5) and contacting elements (6) for producing the electrical connection to the temperature sensor (4) and to the flash point indicator (5) and at least one coupling element (10) for producing the mechanical connection between a stirrer driving mechanism (7) and the stirrer (8) being disposed at the simultaneous function head (2). The arrangement of an additional flash point indicator (5a) outside of the test insert (3) is possible.

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for the automated testing of the flash point in the closed crucible and can be used to determine the flash point of flammable liquids, liquids with suspended solids, lubricating oils, liquids, which tend to form a surface film under experimental conditions, and other liquids.
The determination of the flash point of a liquid is an important criterion for assessing whether a material is a fire or explosion risk. The flash point is the lowest temperature, corrected to a barometric pressure of 101.3 kPa, at which the vapors of a sample will be ignited by an igniting flame under the specified experimental conditions. Flash point test equipment was standardized internationally, in order to make these flash point determinations comparable, even when they are made at different sites.
For this purpose, the methods of Pensky Martens (such as those of DIN 51758, ASTM D 93, ISO/EN 2719), Abel (such as those of IP 113, ISO 13726), Abel Pensky (such as those of DIN 51755/53213) and Tag (such as that of ASTM D56) with a closed test insert, are the most widespread worldwide at the present time because of the good reproducibility. All of the important instrument dimensions, such as the heating and measuring conditions, are set down in these standards. In this connection, an important instrument element is the test insert, consisting of crucible and closing lid with a rotary slide valve for freeing the openings of the test lid for an igniter dipping into the vapor space.
Pursuant to the known state of the art, the flash points, because of the rationalization required, are determined predominantly with automated equipment. It is a disadvantage of the known methods that the automation extends only to the heating process, the ignition attempts and the determination of the flash point and only inadequately to the preparatory phase of changing the sample.

Method and apparatus for the automated testing of the flash point


A semiconductor device epitaxial layer lateral growth rate control method using CBr.sub.4 gas involves regulating an epitaxial layer lateral growth rate in accordance with the CBr.sub.4 amount doped into the epitaxial layer during the epitaxial layer growth occurring on a patterned GaAs substrate by means of a metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) process. The lateral growth rate may be regulated by varying the growth temperature and the V/III doping ratio.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semicontuctor device epitaxial layer growth, and more particularly to a semiconductor device epitaxial layer lateral growth rate control method using CBr.sub.4 gas capable of regulating a patterned semiconductor device lateral growth rate by doping CBr.sub.4 gas into an epitaxial layer which is grown by a metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on a patterned GaAs substrate.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
Recently, several studies on photoelectric device fabrication technology in relation with compound semiconductor device mechanisms are being conducted. However, to fabricate such a photoelectric device, a number of complicated fabrication steps are generally required.
A selective epitaxial growth technology which is one of the active studies being made in recent years, retains a strong advantage, in which a desired three-dimensional epitaxial layer structure can be obtained by a single layer growing process without any other complicated fabrication steps, and interface damage which may occur during display fabrication steps other than the selective epitaxial growth technology can also be prevented.
Further, a non-planar growth mechanism which is one of such selective epitaxial growth technologies applies to forming a mesa or V-groove type substrate and growing an epitaxial layer on the patterned substrate. The non-planar growth method favors the fabrication of a semiconductor device having a lateral structure, and a low threshold current laser diode manufacturing or an optical wave guide fabrication having low wave damage can be applicable thereto.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are cross-sectional views showing common semiconductor device structures which adopt the previously described non-planar growth method. Specifically, FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view showing the vertical and lateral growth rates of a semiconductor device having a mesa pattern, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view showing the vertical and lateral growth rates of a semiconductor device having a V-groove pattern.
As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, in order to form a desired device structure on a mesa or a V-groove type non-planar substrate 10, although a desired vertical growth rate R.sub.ver can be obtained by controlling the growth time or the source gas concentration, an appropriate technology for regulating a lateral growth rate R.sub.lat has yet to be realized.
A metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (hereinafter, "MOCVD") enables a partial regulation of the previously described growth rates by controlling the V/III group doping amount ratio of a fifth group reaction resource gas to a third group resource gas and a growth temperature; however, such a regulation tends to show a poor reproducibility, and moreover, because the rate of the lateral growth to the vertical growth does not exceed 2, a substantial lateral growth rate regulation remains difficult to achieve.

Semiconductor device epitaxial layer lateral growth rate control method using CBr.sub.4

Korea Institute of Science and Technology


A power conversion device includes: power conversion cells; and a controller to control the cells. Each cell includes: a transformer; a primary conversion unit on a primary side of the transformer; a secondary conversion unit on a secondary side; a primary bypass device for short-circuiting between input terminals of the cell; and a secondary bypass device for short-circuiting between output terminals of the cell. The input terminals and/or the output terminals of the cells are connected in series. When the primary conversion unit(s) of a part of the cells is stopped, the controller turns on the primary bypass device and sets secondary DC link voltages to prescribed values; and when the secondary conversion unit(s) of a part of the cells is stopped, the controller turns on the secondary bypass device and controls the primary conversions units to set primary DC link voltages to prescribed values.

For high-voltage or large-capacity power conversion is used a power conversion device in which a plurality of power conversion cells are connected in series or in parallel. For instance, to drive a high-voltage motor, widely used is a system in which output terminals of a plurality of inverters (inverter cells, power conversion cells) are connected in series and the output voltages of the inverters are synthesized to output a high voltage.
In addition, natural energy power generation such as photovoltaic power generation and wind power generation has been increasingly introduced world-wide. PCS (power conditioning system) has been known as a power conversion device for converting natural energy-derived electric power and outputting the converted electric power to a power system. Even in this PCS, it is effective to use a plurality of power conversion cells when the voltage thereof becomes high and/or the capacity thereof becomes large accordingly as described above.
Securing reliability is important for a power conversion device including a plurality of power conversion cells. As a function about the reliability, conventional power conversion devices have a function of continuing operation using the rest cells even if some of power conversion cells are to be stopped due to, for instance, malfunction and maintenance thereof. Examples of the power conversion device having such a function include Patent Literature 1.

Power conversion device and three-phase power conversion device


The fuel transfer pump is a combination suction and pressure pump in a manifold above the fuel storage tank. The fuel transfer pump is contained within a manifold. The pump is liquid cooled (more specifically, fuel cooled) and is located in a manifold above the fuel storage tank and not submerged inside the tank. The fuel transfer pump draws (using suction) the fuel up from the bottom of the tank though the pipe column into the manifold and then under pressure pumps it to one or more fueling dispensers.

There are two principal types of fuel pumping systems. One is a suction type fuel delivery system and the other is a pressure type fuel delivery system.
Suction type fuel pumps are the most common type of fuel delivery pump used outside of the United States. A suction pump is typically a positive displacement type pump housed inside the fueling dispenser. The fuel is drawn or sucked under negative pressure from the fuel storage tank through an underground piping system to a single fuel dispenser. For safety reasons, the fuel dispenser is often a substantial distance from the storage tank.
The advantage of a suction pumping system is that in the event of a breach in the fuel delivery line, all of the fuel in the line will drain back into the tank, and no fuel is pumped into the ground under pressure. There are several disadvantages of a suction piping system:
(1) It typically requires one pump per hose, or many pumps per fueling facility (typical is 12 suction pumps per fueling facility). Each pump requires its own piping run, which results in excessive piping and greater risk of an environmentally dangerous fuel leak through the additional pipe runs.
(2) Pumps are located inside the dispenser. This is an inconvenient and dangerous area to perform routine service work. Customers frequent the dispenser area and could be in danger or at unnecessary risk when the pumps are being serviced.
(3) Suction pumps commonly experience fuel vapor lock and can lose prime especially in warm temperatures or at high altitudes. When a pump loses prime, highly flammable fuel vapors are compressed and pumped through the system, increasing the chance of a dangerous explosion.
(4) Suction pump systems typically have lower flow rates than pressure type pumping systems and are not desirable for use at large fueling facilities with many fueling points.
Pressure pumping systems are more commonly used in the United States and Mexico. A pressure pump is commonly referred to as a submersible pump. The pump and electric motor are located inside the bottom of the fuel tank submerged in the fuel itself. The submersible pump is designed to pump fuel from the bottom of the fuel storage tank to one or more dispensers though an underground fuel delivery piping system. The advantages of submersible pressure type pump are as follows:
(1) Only one pressure pump is required per fuel grade (typical is 3 pumps per fueling facility).
(2) Pressure pumps require less underground delivery piping because the underground piping may be routed in series or a branching layout. Less underground piping saves money and reduces the risk of piping leaks.
(3) Pressure pumps are located at the tanks away and from the fueling customers. This is a more convenient and less dangerous area to perform routine service work.
(4) Pressure pumps located at the low end of the piping system cannot loose prime and are not affected by heat or high altitude.
(5) Pressure pumps systems typically pump a higher volume of fuel than a suction pump (they are more suitable larger high volume fueling facilities).
The disadvantages of a of submersible type pressure pumps are as follows:
(1) Although a submersible pump can pump a higher volume of fuel than that of a fuel suction pump it can only supply about 6 nozzles at one time or a maximum of 65 gallons per minute. Many large fueling facilities exceed the capabilities of submersible pumps when several nozzles are activated simultaneously.
(2) A submersible pump's electric motor is dangerously submerged in the fuel located inside the fuel storage tank. Electric power inside the tank increases the potential of an explosion especially when the tank is low (due to increased fuel vapors).
(3) Locating the pump/motor inside the tank means that a long pump column is required to be installed at the factory and not in the field. The result is that the submersible pump is awkward to handle and ship (can be up to 15 feet long), more costly to ship, and thus more likely to incur shipping damage during transit and while handling.
(4) The fuel flow path through a submersible pump is restrictive and creates considerable friction loss. The electric motor is directly in the flow path with only a tiny gap around the outside of the motor for the fuel to pass by.
(5) A submersible pump/motor is inserted into the tank typically through a 4″ tank fitting. Therefore the outside diameter of the pump/motor must be smaller than the inside diameter of the tank fitting. This requires submersible pumps to use high aspect ratio electric motors (long and thin motors) which are inefficient. In addition these submersible pumps have small diameter impellers (less than 3.5″ in diameter) that are not designed for high flow output.
(6) A submersible pump motor has a "dry stator". This means that the motor's stator is contained within a sealed stainless steel metal casing. Stainless steel is a non-magnetic metal which becomes a restrictive barrier between the stator and rotor which operates on electrically generated magnetic power. The stainless steel casing reduces the efficiency of the submersible pump motor because it retains heat and interferes with the magnetic motor.


The invention relates generally to novel genes expressed in normal but not neurogenin-1-deficient animals. The invention relates specifically to a novel family of G protein-coupled receptors and a novel family of two-transmembrane segment proteins that are expressed in dorsal root ganglia, and a method of screening for genes specifically expressed in nociceptive sensory neurons.

The treatment of acute and chronic intractable pain is a major target of drug development in the pharmaceutical industry. Pain sensation is mediated by primary sensory neurons in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG), which project peripherally to the skin and centrally to the spinal cord. These neurons express signaling molecules, such as receptors, ion channels and neuropeptides, which are involved in pain sensation. One example is the so-called Vanillinoid Receptor-1 (VR-1), which is activated by capsaicin (chili pepper) as well as by heat and acid. Such pain signaling molecules may also influence pain sensation indirectly by acting as positive or negative modulators of the sensory pathway. Searching for drugs that interact with such signaling molecules, for example as receptor agonists or antagonists, is an important approach to the discovery of new therapeutics for the treatment of pain. New candidate signaling molecules expressed by pain-sensing ("nociceptive") sensory neurons are therefore highly desirable targets for new drug screening and drug discovery efforts.
The present inventors have previously identified a novel family of basic helix loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors, called the Neurogenins (Ngns), which are essential for the development of sensory neurons in the DRG. Different Ngns are required for the development of different subsets of sensory neurons. In particular, Ngn1 is necessary for the development of most if not all nociceptive sensory neurons. In Ngn1−/− mutant mice, although DRG are still present, they are reduced in size and the majority of nociceptive neurons, identified by expression of markers such as trkA and VR-1, are missing (Ma et al., Genes Develop, 13; 1717-1728, 1999). These results suggested that the isolation of genes expressed in wild-type (normal) but not Ngn1−/− DRG might lead to the identification of novel drug target molecules expressed in differentiating or mature nociceptive sensory neurons.

MRG polypeptides and nucleic acids encoding the same


A deposition apparatus includes a vacuum chamber and a heating crucible. A substrate, on which deposition films are formed, is installed in the vacuum chamber. The heating crucible is installed opposite to the substrate so as to vaporize an organic compound. The heating crucible includes a main body and an inner plate. The main body includes a space which contains the organic compound and a nozzle through which the organic compound that is vaporized is discharged. The inner plate is installed within the main body and includes at least one opening formed around an edge of an area facing the nozzle, so as to transmit the vaporized organic compound.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heating crucible and a vacuum deposition apparatus using the same, and more particularly, to a vacuum deposition apparatus using an improved heating crucible that prevents scattering of a vaporable material.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electroluminescent (EL) device, which is a spontaneous emission display panel, is attracting attention as a next-generation display panel. An EL device provides a wide viewing angle, an excellent contrast, and a fast response characteristic. EL devices are classified into an inorganic EL device and an organic EL device according to a material that forms an emitting layer thereof. An organic EL device provides high brightness, excellent driving voltage, and a fast response speed, and performs polychromy, compared to an inorganic EL device.
Generally, in an organic EL device, an anode layer of a predetermined pattern is formed on a substrate. Then, a hole transport layer, an emitting layer, an electron transport layer are sequentially formed on the anode layer. A cathode layer is formed on the electron transport layer so as to have cathodes orthogonal to the anode layer. The hole transport layer, the emitting layer, and the electron transport layer are thin organic films made of organic compounds.
To manufacture an organic EL device having such a structure, thin organic films, such as, the hole transport layer, the emitting layer, the electron transport layer, or the like, are formed using a deposition apparatus. The deposition apparatus includes a vacuum chamber whose internal pressure is controlled to be between 10−6 and 10−7 torr, a heating crucible that is installed opposite to a substrate within the vacuum chamber to contain an organic compound, and a heater that is installed at the heating crucible and heats and vaporizes the organic compound.
While it is preferable to have the organic compound vaporize into molecules during a deposition operation, a sudden vaporization may occur within the organic compound during the heating, resulting in the organic compound being vaporized in lumps.
Some of the problems caused by this lump-by-lump basis vaporization are as follows. During the deposition operation, a deposition lump may be attached to an opening of a deposition mask. Accordingly, a material is not deposited on a desired area. This problem continuously occurs unless the deposition mask is replaced, thus hindering a mass production. Also, the deposition material lump may be attached to the substrate, which decreases the evenness of a deposited film. Whereupon a portion of the substrate, on which the deposition material lump is deposited, appears dark upon image display. Furthermore, where a part of an organic compound lump is attached to a nozzle, the organic compound lump is continuously deposited and grown inside the nozzle, consequently blocking the nozzle of the deposition apparatus.
To solve the above problems, Korean Patent Publication No. 2000-54211 discloses a heating crucible for a vacuum deposition apparatus having a net-type curtain installed on an opening through which a heated and vaporized organic compound is discharged. However, the net-type curtain installed on the opening in the heating crucible prevents smooth heat conduction from a heater, such that a foreign material first vaporized from the heating crucible and then deposited on the net curtain is not smoothly vaporized. In addition, it is difficult to install the net curtain within the heating crucible.
A Japanese Patent Publication No. hei 10-195639 discloses a vaporization source having a vaporization crucible that contains an organic vaporization material. An orifice which controls the amount of vaporization of the organic material is installed within the vaporization crucible. Since an organic compound is heated by a heater installed over an outer circumferential surface of the disclosed heating crucible, the organic compound is not evenly heated. In addition, the organic compound cannot vaporize uniformly from the entire portion of the crucible.
A Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-160328 discloses a heating crucible for evaporating an organic compound, including a main body which contains an organic compound, a heater which is installed around an outer circumferential surface of the heating crucible, and a heat shield layer which is installed around an outer circumferential surface of the heater. A Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-68055 discloses a deposition source for an organic EL device.

Heating crucible and deposition apparatus using the same


A photographing apparatus includes a detection unit for detecting light exposure error resulting from a difference in a moving characteristic between a mechanical rear curtain and an electronic front curtain using data of some area constituting an image sensor, a signal generating unit for generating a reset signal of the image sensor, and a control unit for controlling to correct a moving characteristic of the electronic front curtain using the detected light exposure error and generate a reset signal of the image sensor according to the corrected moving characteristic. Accordingly, a moving characteristic of an electronic front curtain may be conveniently corrected by a user.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a photographing apparatus and a photographing method thereof, and more particularly, to a photographing apparatus and method using a focal plane shutter.
2. Description of the Related Art
The shutter of a camera may be generally classified into a lens shutter and a focal plane shutter. The lens shutter is located in the proximity of a lens, whereas the focal plane shutter is located in the proximity of a focal surface.
The focal plane shutter is classified into a horizontal shutter and a vertical shutter, according to moving directions of front and rear curtains. The vertical shutter enjoys wide use due to efficient performance.
The focal plane shutter is located in front of an image sensor of a camera and passes or blocks light which penetrates a lens by opening or closing the front and rear curtains in front of the image sensor of the camera according to an operation state of the camera. When a user starts photographing, the front curtain moves as illustrated in FIG. 1A, thereby starting light exposure of an image sensor, which light exposure concludes as the rear curtain moves after a time elapses according to a shutter speed determined by the camera.
The focal plane shutter has several disadvantages. First, a shutter release lag increases when a live-view is used. Recently, an Electronic View Finder (EVF) or a live-view image photographed by an image sensor of a rear Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) has been more commonly used instead of an Optical View Finder (OVF). For this, a focal plane shutter maintains an open state in which a front curtain is down and a rear curtain is up. In this state, when a user starts photographing, a charging operation in which the front curtain, which has been down, is raised to an upper part of the shutter is required. That is, as a shutter operation sequence increases to provide a live-view image, a shutter release lag also increases.
Second, image quality may deteriorate due to shutter shock. In a focal plane shutter, the movement of a front curtain is completed during the light exposure of an image sensor as illustrated in FIG. 1A. As the movement of the front curtain is completed, mechanical vibration occurs, shaking the image sensor and thereby causing to deterioration of image quality.
In order to resolve the above disadvantages, an electronic shutter that serves as a front curtain of a focal plane shutter by sequentially processing a reset signal of an image sensor by pixel line is widely used as illustrated in FIG. 1B.
The electronic shutter controls a light exposure time of an image senor according to transmission of an electronic signal of the image sensor and operation of a mechanical rear curtain, so a timing of the electronic signal of the image sensor should be closely interlocked with a moving characteristic of the mechanical rear curtain. Conventionally, a detection unit is provided to add a photographing sequence for observing or detecting a moving characteristic of a mechanical rear curtain so that an electronic signal of an image sensor and an operation time of a mechanical rear curtain may be adjusted.
However, according to the conventional method, the detection unit should be provided on a focal plane shutter, which increases the size and price of the focal plane shutter. If a photo interrupt is used to detect a moving characteristic of a mechanical rear curtain, light entering into a lens should be shielded, which may cause technical difficulty.
In addition, if a moving characteristic of a mechanical rear curtain is detected using an image formed on an image sensor without using a detection unit, further image photographing is required to detect the moving characteristic of the mechanical rear curtain, causing inconvenience to a user.

Photographing apparatus and photographing method for correcting a moving characteristic of an electronic front curtain


A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for process data. In some embodiments, this includes receiving a desired sample size from a user, increasing the desired sample size based on a policy, using the increased desired sample size to determine a number of samples to take from a database segment, wherein the database segment includes a portion of a dataset, generating a sub-dataset based on the determined number of samples to take from the database segment, wherein the sub-dataset only includes identifiers, joining the generated sub-dataset with the dataset, and storing the joined dataset in a storage device.

With the large amounts of data generated in recent years, data mining and machine learning are playing an increasingly important role in today's computing environment. For example, businesses may utilize either data mining or machine learning to predict the behavior of users. This predicted behavior may then be used by businesses to determine which plan to proceed with, or how to grow the business.
Several algorithms have been created in these fields. One such algorithm is Random Forests. Such algorithms use multiple random points of data in order to make predictions. There are two methods to sample random data. The first method is sample with replacement (SwR), and the second is sample without replacement (SwoR).
Typically, SwR is the preferred method to sample random data since a selection will not affect the probability of subsequent selections. However, as datasets grow in size, some containing trillions of records, it is becoming increasingly difficult to generate an SwR sample that is sufficiently large and random for machine learning or data analytics purposes.
There is a need, therefore, for an improved method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for managing data.

Policy based over sampling with replacement


A method of estimating a moving direction of a user of an apparatus is provided. The method includes obtaining change information of acceleration according to motions of the user from an acceleration sensor mounted in an apparatus for estimating the moving direction of the user, calculating a reaction vector of force applied to a ground surface by feet of the user based on the change information of the acceleration, calculating an included angle between the moving direction of the user based on the reaction vector and an axis of a geomagnetic sensor that is included in the apparatus and detects change information of a magnetic field according to a position of the user, and determining the moving direction of the user based on a moving direction measurement value of the geomagnetic sensor mounted in the apparatus and the included angle.

A personal navigation system refers to a system for detecting a position of a person. Pedestrian Dead Reckoning (PDR) is a representative system for detecting the position by only using its own sensor without an external assistance. The PDR is a dead reckoning system developed based on an assumption that a user of an apparatus changes his or her position by walking. The PDR obtains a current position of the person estimating a moving distance based on a heading direction from an initial position by using step information of the person. Main algorithms of the PDR include a step detection algorithm, a step length estimation algorithm, and a heading estimation algorithm.
The personal navigation system is widely provided in mobile terminals, such as mobile phones, smart phones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), and MP3 players, to guide a user-centered path.
In general, an apparatus that executes the personal navigation system may be configured by including a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) receiver, a geomagnetic sensor, and an acceleration sensor in a mobile terminal. The geomagnetic sensor and the acceleration sensor may be used to estimate a position of a user of an apparatus by estimating a moving direction and a step length of the user. The geomagnetic sensor is used to detect an azimuth angle by measuring a magnitude of a magnetic field. The moving direction of the user is determined by using the azimuth angle detected through the geomagnetic sensor. In this regard, an axis of the geomagnetic sensor is assumed to match the moving direction of the user or an angle at which the mobile terminal is mounted is assumed to be known in advance.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.

Method and apparatus for estimating moving direction of user and computer-readable storage medium having recorded thereon the method

Seoul National University R&DB Foundation


System and method for cleaning an electrical delivery system. An embodiment of the self-cleaning electrical delivery system comprises a track having an abrasive surface and a brush operatively associated with the track, the brush moving over the abrasive surface of the track to remove debris from the brush. A tool for producing the abrasive surface is also disclosed.

Electrical delivery systems are commonly used for transferring electrical power and/or electrical signals between moving components, such as for use with the moving components of an electric motor. Such electrical delivery systems eliminate the need for electrical cabling between the moving parts, which may become tangled or wrapped around one or more of the moving components during operation.
Typical electrical delivery systems comprise a brush provided in electrical contact with a track, but the brush and track are not hard-wired together. Accordingly, the brush and track remain in electrical contact with one another even when moved relative to one another. In use, the brush may be mounted to a first component, and the track may be mounted to a second component, enabling electrical power and/or electrical signals to be transferred between the first and second components even when they are moving.
Over time, however, corrosion or other debris may collect on the brush and/or track. For example, cupric and cuprous oxides tend to form on brush and track systems manufactured from copper-based materials. Other debris (e.g., airborne particulates) may also accumulate on the brush and/or track. Accumulation of debris on the brush and/or track acts as an electrical insulator, which may interfere with power and/or signal delivery.
The brush and/or track in these electrical delivery systems may be cleaned periodically, for example, using any of a variety of commercially-available cleaning solutions. However, the use of cleaning solutions introduces a host of other issues. By way of example, some cleaning solutions interact with the brush and/or track to produce further corrosion, or even react to dissolve the brush and/or track. Liquid cleaning solutions are often messy. Chemical-based cleaning solutions introduce potential environmental/disposal problems, and in some circumstances may pose a health risk if not properly used. In addition, the electrical delivery system and associated devices must be taken out of service for cleaning.

System and method for cleaning electrical delivery systems

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, LP.


An image sensing apparatus includes a focal plane array and a cold shield thermally isolated from the focal plane array. The cryogenic cooling apparatus further includes a first cryocooler assembly comprising a first cold finger thermally coupled to the focal plane array. The first cryocooler assembly is configured to maintain a focal plane array operating temperature. The cryogenic cooling apparatus includes a second cryocooler assembly comprising a second cold finger thermally coupled to the cold shield. The second cryocooler assembly is configured to maintain a cold shield operating temperature that is different from the focal plane array operating temperature.

Image sensing devices may be used in a variety of applications, including for example, guidance systems, medical imaging systems, and astronomical applications. Image sensing devices may include large format infrared sensors and high-density focal plane array assemblies, and may be fabricated from materials that operate at cryogenic temperatures. Cryogenic cooling systems may be provided to maintain a cryogenic temperature environment for the image sensing devices during use. However, different components of the image sensing device may have different operating temperature requirements. Also, cryogenic cooling systems may be large and heavy, which may lead to increased cost, weight, and complexity of the image sensing device the cryogenic cooling system is incorporated in.
Accordingly, a need exists for alternative cryogenic cooling systems and image sensing devices.

Cryogenic cooling apparatuses and systems

L-3 Communications Cincinnati Electronics Corporation


A steel wire rod which is a material of steel wires includes, as a metallographic structure, by area %, 95% to 100% of a pearlite, wherein an average pearlite block size at a central portion of the steel wire rod is 1 μm to 25 μm, an average pearlite block size at a surface layer portion of the steel wire rod is 1 μm to 20 μm, and, when a minimum lamellar spacing of the pearlite at the central portion of the steel wire rod is S in unit of nm and when a distance from a peripheral surface of the steel wire rod to a center is r in unit of mm, S<12r+65 is satisfied.

Commonly, a steel wire is produced by conducting wire-drawing so as to have a predetermined wire diameter and strength by using a steel wire rod which is produced by hot rolling and patenting treatment conducted as necessary. At a stage of a steel wire rod, when the steel wire rod has low strength, work strain should increase in order to be work-hardened to a predetermined strength during wire-drawing. As a result, a steel wire produced by the wire-drawing has poor ductility. In a case where the steel wire has poor ductility, when the steel wire is torsionally deformed, longitudinal cracking which is called as delamination may occur along a wire-drawing direction of the steel wire at an initial stage of deformation. Once the delamination occurs, stress may be concentrated at a site where the delamination occurs, and fracture of the steel wire may be finally promoted. In order to obtain a steel wire with high strength and excellent ductility by suppressing the occurrence of the delamination in the steel wire, the steel wire rod needs to have high strength and excellent ductility at a stage before the wire-drawing.
Generally, it is known that, when grain size is refined, strength is improved. Similarly, reduction of area (RA) that is an index of ductility of the steel wire rod also depends on austenite grain size. When the austenite grain size is refined, the reduction of area is also improved. Therefore, the austenite grain size of the steel wire rod is to be refined by using carbides or nitrides of Nb, B, and the like as pinning particles.
For example, Patent Document 1 suggests a steel wire rod in which at least one selected from a group consisting of, by mass %, 0.01% to 0.1% of Nb, 0.05% to 0.1% of Zr, and 0.02% to 0.5% of Mo is contained in a high carbon steel wire rod.
In addition, Patent Document 2 suggests a steel wire rod in which the austenite grain size is refined by containing NbC in a high-carbon steel wire rod.
However, in the steel wire rod disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, expensive elements such as Nb are added, and thus the production cost may increase. Furthermore, since Nb forms coarse carbides and nitrides, these may act as fracture origin, and thus ductility of the steel wire rod may decrease.
Patent Document 3 suggests a method of producing a steel wire rod having high strength and large reduction of area by applying a direct patenting treatment (DLP: Direct in-Line Patenting) without using the expensive elements such as Nb.
In fact, the steel wire rod according to the production method disclosed in Patent Document 3 obtains high strength and large reduction of area without adding the expensive elements. However, at the present time, further improvement in strength and ductility is required. In Patent Document 3, as described in examples thereof, in a case of ensuring tensile strength (TS) of 1200 MPa or more, the reduction of area is less than 45%.
In order to improve properties of the prestressed concrete wire, the zinc-coated steel wire, the spring steel wire, the bridge cable, and the like in which the steel wire rod is used as the materials, it is effective to reduce the diameter of the steel wire rod as small as possible. Since reduction during the wire-drawing is controlled to be small by wire-drawing the steel wire rod with small diameter, the wire-drawn steel wire is controlled to excellent ductility. As a result, the occurrence of the delamination in the steel wire is suppressed. Accordingly, the steel wire rod having the small diameter, high strength, and excellent ductility (that is, large reduction of area) has been anticipated. Specifically, in a case where the diameter is 10 mm or less, a steel wire rod having the tensile strength of 1200 MPa or more and the reduction of area of 45% or more has been anticipated.

Steel wire rod and method of producing same

NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION


In a heddle frame with detachable corner connections each heddle support has a horizontal projection extending into a cavity of the frame stave and is clamped in place with the use of set screws. The frame stave is constructed of stable longitudinal bands and very thin side walls interconnected as by welding. A rigid insert is inserted at opposite ends of the hollow frame stave, the insert comprising spaced, parallel and longitudinal extending support blocks lying parallel to the longitudinal bands of the frame stave, and reinforcing walls connected to the support blocks, the walls having a wall thickness about 3 to 6 times greater than that of the thin side walls of the frame stave. The thin side walls are securely interconnected as by welding to the surfaces of the reinforcing walls of the insert such that the forces which are generated during the weaving operation and are to be transferred from the lateral supports to the frame stave are transmitted as pulling forces to the thin frame stave side walls of the inserts. The reinforcing walls and the thin side walls of the frame stave are stressed only under tension such that the thin side walls will not bulge despite their thin wall thickness. The projection on each lateral support is clamped only between the support blocks of the insert.

This invention relates generally to a heddle frame with detachable corner connections between the opposed lateral supports and the hollow frame stave, the lateral supports each having a projection extending into the hollow frame stave and being securely clamped thereto by set screws.
A heddle frame with detachable corner connections is disclosed in German Patent No. 37 02 524 which has the advantage that it is very stable and can be quickly disconnected if the heddle frame in the weaving mill needs to be disassembled and again reassembled. The frame staves of the heddle frames are usually made of sections of different materials such as aluminum, fiber-reinforced plastic or steel. Attachment of the lateral supports by use of set screws supported on the frame and bearing against a Projection extending from the each lateral support is made possible for known constructions since the wall thickness of the frame stave used is sufficiently strong to facilitate the clamping by the set screws.
Advancement of technology has made it presently possible to construct increasingly wider weaving machines, which also run at higher speeds, wherein the oscillating heddle frames are subjected to very high stress. Thus, for heddle frames made of a light metal a suitably thicker wall thickness must be selected for the hollow section of the frame staves, in order to ensure the requisite flexural strength under high stress. Since this leads to an increase in weight and to a correspondingly necessary increase in power consumption and since, on the other hand, for a high number of load changes the fatigue strength for completely reversed bending stress of the light steel metal used for the profiles is less than that of steel, which has significantly better properties regarding fatigue strength for completely reversed bending stress, one has again switched back to using steel for heddle frames, but using a very thin wall material since the steel weighs more than the light metal. Therefore, such a steel frame stave is assembled by welding together very thin side walls having a wall thickness of less than 0.5 mm and stable, longitudinal bands or support elements. And, a core made of very light material such as a foam material which assures that the thin side walls remain flat, is located in the cavity of this sandwich construction. However, for a frame stave having very thin side walls the corner connections as aforedescribed, using set screws bearing against the projections extending from the lateral supports, fails.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,335,759 discloses reinforced regions of the frame staves for accommodating the lateral support projection, but the connection between the reinforcing elements and the frame stave is designed in such a manner that only a localized introduction of force takes place during which tilting, bulging and the like on the side walls in the region of the conner connections is not reliably prevented.

Heddle frame with detachable corner connections


A fin assembly includes a fin, a pair of mounting pieces for removably mounting the fin to an integrated circuit. The fin includes a bottom surface for contacting an upper surface of the integrated circuit and an upper surface from which a plurality of ridges extend. An extension extends downward from each side of the bottom surface, such that the distance between the two extensions is equal to the width of the integrated circuit. On at least one of the mutually facing walls of each outermost ridge and its corresponding adjacent ridge, a groove extends along the length of each ridge. Each mounting piece includes a base and two beveled sides each extending downward to form a distal snapping end. A pair of pins extend upward from a top of the base, such that a fan may be mounted by passing the pins through pin holes in the corners of the fan. A plurality of protuberances projects from each of two lateral sides of the base, such that when the base of the mounting piece is inserted into the channel defined by each outermost ridge and its corresponding adjacent ridge, the protuberances are fittingly received in the grooves in the ridges, thereby retaining the mounting piece. Preferably, the snapping end extends in a direction parallel to the extending direction of an end surface of the protrusion which projects outward from each corner of the integrated circuit to provide a surface contact therebetween.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fin assembly for an integrated circuit.
2. Description of the related prior art
Integrated circuits are widely used in computers and daily devices. It is found that temperature is the most important factor to the normal operation of an integrated circuit. To assist the dissipation of heat generated by the integrated circuit and thus reduce the possibility of damage of the same, devices have been developed, one type of which is a fin plate mounted by snapping members to the integrated circuit and a fan is mounted by screws to the fin plate. It has been found that the fin plate still tends to slide along a lateral direction of the integrated circuit even though the movement in the longitudinal direction of the latter has been avoided.
Another type of fin structure utilizes an additional frame to surround and enclose the integrated circuit, which causes mounting and maintenance problems of the integrated circuit. Furthermore, the mounting of a fan to the fin by screws is also a problem to users.
Therefore, there has been a long and unfulfilled need for an improved fin assembly for an integrated circuit to mitigate and/or obviate the above problems.


A photomask designing method used in a lithography process, the lithography process comprises illuminating light on a photomask and converging the light which has passed through the photomask on a photosensitive substrate via a projection optical system, the photomask designing method comprises acquiring a transmittance characteristic of the projection optical system, the characteristic varing depending on a difference in optical paths of light in the projection optical system, the light passing through the projection optical system, and acquiring mask bias of the photomask by use of the transmittance characteristic of the projection optical system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a designing method of a photomask used in a lithography process for a semiconductor device, a method for predicting a pattern formed in the lithography process and a computer program product.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the photolithography step which is one of the manufacturing steps of a semiconductor device, an exposure device is used. Exposure light, for example, ArF excimer laser light, is illuminated on the photomask by use of the exposure device and an image of a mask pattern is reduced and projected onto the surface of a substrate which is coated with photosensitive resin (photoresist).
The exposure light illuminated on the photomask is diffracted by the mask pattern. The diffracted light passes through a projecting lens and is converged on the substrate. Then, an interference pattern which is called an optical image is formed near the surface of the substrate. The photoresist is exposed to light along the interference pattern.
A fine pattern is formed on the surface of the substrate by subjecting the exposed substrate to a developing process. The fine pattern forming technique is improved year by year. In recent years, a resist pattern with a dimension smaller than 130 nm can be formed.
In order to form the fine resist pattern, it is important to control the exposure light amount (exposure dose). The photoresist can be properly exposed to light by exposing light of proper light intensity and, as a result, a resist pattern of a desired dimension can be formed on the substrate.
A resist pattern of a desired dimension cannot be formed if the exposure light amount is excessively larger or smaller. If the resist pattern of the desired dimension is not formed, a semiconductor device manufactured via steps performed after the photolithography process is not correctly operated. As a result, the semiconductor device is treated as a faulty device.
Therefore, in the manufacturing process, the dimension of the resist pattern is measured by use of, for example, an electron microscope after the exposure step. If the dimension is not a desired value, the photoresist is removed and then the process is started again from the beginning of the photolithography step.
An area which is simultaneously exposed by use of the exposure device is a rectangular form having one side of several tens of mm. One or more semiconductor devices are formed in the above area (simultaneously exposed area). Therefore, it is necessary to set the dimension of the resist pattern to a desired value in the entire portion of the simultaneously exposed area.
Generally, various patterns such as densely crowded patterns and isolated patterns are contained in patterns which can be transferred by one exposure process. When patterns with a dimension which is equivalent to or smaller than the exposure light wavelength are formed, not all of the patterns can be formed with desired dimensions even if the shape of the mask pattern is made similar to the shape of the resist pattern to be formed. That is, even if the dimension of the mask pattern is set to a dimension calculated by dividing the dimension of the resist pattern by the reduction rate of the projecting lens, not all of the patterns can be formed with the desired dimension.
Therefore, for example, in order to form or finish the densely crowded patterns and isolated patterns to have the same resist dimension, the mask pattern designing dimension corresponding to the densely crowded patterns and the mask pattern designing dimension corresponding to the isolated patterns are respectively changed to mask pattern designing dimensions of values different from dimensions calculated by dividing the dimensions of the resist patterns by the reduction rate of the projecting lens. The amount of a change of the mask pattern designing dimension is called the mask bias. The resist finishing dimension can be adjusted by changing the mask bias according to the pattern types.
In the actual exposure device, a phenomenon wherein the amplitude of light is attenuated by different amounts depending on the paths through which the light passes (which is hereinafter referred to as a pupil transmission factor variation) occurs. This is caused by non-uniformity of an anti-reflection film of a lens configuring the projection optical system or a lowering in the transmission factor due to the thickness of the lens as is described in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. H9-63943, for example.
If the paths for diffraction light in the projection optical system are different, generally, the angle of the diffraction light incident on the projection lens and the distance through which the diffraction light passes through the projection lens will be changed. Therefore, the transmission factor of the projection optical system is changed depending on the paths for the diffraction light. Particularly, in fused silica which is generally used as a lens material at present, the transparency thereof tends to become lower for light with the wavelength shorter than 200 nm as the wavelength becomes shorter. Therefore, the pupil transmission factor variation indicates a particularly large value in the ArF exposure device (the exposure light wavelength is 193 nm).
The paths through which diffraction lights pass are different depending on the mask patterns. Therefore, when the pupil transmission factor variation occurs in the projection lens, the transmission factor of the projection optical system receives different influences depending on the mask patterns. As a result, the optimum exposure light amount set to finish the resist pattern to a desired dimension is changed. In addition, the degree of the change becomes different depending on the pattern types, for example, between the densely crowded patterns and the isolated patterns.
Therefore, even when the mask biases of the respective patterns are designed to simultaneously finish the densely crowded patterns and the isolated patterns to desired dimensions, there occurs a possibility that the densely crowded patterns and the isolated patterns may not be simultaneously finished to the desired dimensions if the pupil transmission factor variation is not taken into consideration.
In order to prevent occurrence of the above problem in advance, a method for preparing in advance a plurality of photomasks having different mask biases and deriving optimum mask bias based on trial and error is considered. However, a relatively long time and high cost are required to realize the above method and the method cannot be used as a practical solution.
Further, in order to prevent an influence by the pupil transmission factor variation, a method for measuring the degree of a pupil variation rate of the projection optical system, predicting an optical image on a photosensitive substrate based on the result of measurement and designing a photomask to make the predicted optical image and the designed optical image coincident to each other is considered.
The measuring method of the degree of the pupil transmission variation rate is disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2001-230179, for example. By carrying out the measuring method, the distribution of transmission factors in a plurality of points on a pupil coordinate system can be understood.
In the conventional measuring method, data of the pupil transmission factor variation is matrix data on a pupil plane. Therefore, when the pupil transmission factor variation varies in a complicated fashion on the pupil plane, the data amount which is required to be processed becomes extremely large. Therefore, an optical image predicting method carried out based on the measurement result of the conventional measuring method and the photomask designing method using the optical image predicting method cannot be used as practical methods.

Photomask designing method, pattern predicting method and computer program product


Systems and methods for monitoring a position of a service tool in a wellbore are provided. The service tool can have a sensor assembly coupled thereto and be positioned within the wellbore. The service tool can be moved within the wellbore. The distance travelled by the service tool in the wellbore can be measured with the sensor assembly. The position of the service tool in the wellbore can be determined by comparing the distance travelled to a stationary reference point.

Embodiments described herein generally relate to monitoring the position of a downhole tool in a wellbore. More particularly, the embodiments relate to monitoring the position of a service tool during sand control operations.
Conventional sand control operations have included a service tool and a lower completion assembly. The service tool is coupled to the lower completion assembly, and the two components are run in hole together. Once they reach the desired depth, a packer coupled to the lower completion assembly is set to anchor the lower completion assembly in the wellbore. After the packer is set, the service tool is released from the lower completion assembly. Once released, the service tool can be used in the gravel packing process.
The gravel packing process requires moving the service tool within the wellbore to align one or more crossover ports in the service tool with one or more completion ports in or above the lower completion assembly. As such, aligning the ports requires precise positioning of the service tool. Downhole forces, however, such as pressure, drag on the drillpipe, and/or contraction and expansion of the drillpipe will generally affect the position of the service tool, making it difficult to align the ports. What is needed, therefore, is an improved system and method for monitoring the position of the service tool in the wellbore.

Downhole sand control apparatus and method with tool position sensor


A method of making a sintered article of powder metal having a carbon composition in the range of about 0.8% to 2.0% by weight, then spheroidizing the sintered article and then warm forming the sintered article at a temperature between 250.degree. and 700.degree. C. for a time duration selected to form the article to a final shape.

Powder metal technology is well known to the persons skilled in the art and generally comprises the formation of metal powders which are compacted and then subjected to an elevated temperature so as to produce a sintered product.
Various processes have heretofore been designed in order to produce sintered articles having high densities. Such processes include a double press double sintering process for densities typically up to 7.5 g/cc as well as hot powder forging where virtually full densities of up to 7.8 g/cc may be obtained. However, such prior art processes are relatively expensive and time consuming. Recently developed methods include warm pressing of powders up to 7.35 g/cc as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,881. However, there are process disadvantages with the warm pressing such as maintaining tool clearances with heated systems. Also warm pressing does not allow very high densities up to above 7.5 g/cc to be easily reached in commonly used alloy systems without double pressing and double sintering.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,842 refers to a hot forging operation to be carried out on a sintered part after quenching and after pre-heating the part to at least 1,000.degree. C. and then subjecting the pre-heated sintered part to impact. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 3,901,961 illustrates a pre-alloyed steel powder for formation of structural parts by powder forging and powder forged articles for structural parts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,680 teaches pre-alloyed stainless steel powder for liquid phase sintering, while U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,044 illustrates a method of producing forged articles from prealloyed-premixed water atomized ferrous alloy powder.
Moreover, R. Laag et al, in an article entitled "Super Plastic Forming of Ultrahigh Carbon Alloyed PIM Steels", page 409-421 relates to super plastic forming for the production of net-shaped parts produced by inert gas, atomization and Hot Isostatic Pressing, Osprey processing or thermal mechanical treatment of casting alloys.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved process for producing ultra-high carbon steels having improved dynamic strength characteristics and an accurate method to control the size.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved process for producing sintered articles having improved strength characteristics with carbon content between 0.8% to 2.0% carbon which have been spheroidized and an accurate method to control same.
The broadest aspect of this invention relates to a method of making a sintered article of powder metal having a carbon composition in the range of about 0.8% to 2.0% by weight, then spheroidizing said sintered article and then warm forming said sintered article at a temperature between 250.degree. C. and 700.degree. C. for a time duration selected to accurately form said article to a final shape.

Sintered hi-density process with forming