A communication apparatus includes receiving means for receiving image data and accompanying communication information, primary storage means for temporarily storing them, secondary storage means having a greater storage capacity than the primary storage means, forwarding means for converting the image data to a standard format and forwarding it with the communication information, network communication means for transmitting the standard format image data with the communication information to the server apparatus. The communication apparatus further includes retransmitting means operable in case of a failure of transmission. The retransmission means saves the image data and communication information stored in the primary storage means in the secondary storage means, deletes the image data from the primary storage means, converts the saved image data into a standard format, retransmits the standard format image data to the server apparatus with the communication information and repeats retransmission in case of a failure of the preceding retransmission.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a communication apparatus for receiving data through a public telephone line and transmitting the received data to a server apparatus via a network, and particularly relates to a communication apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus or a composite machine capable of transmitting the received data at a high speed, a data transmission program that can be executed on such a communication apparatus, a recording medium whereon such a data transmission program is stored and a data transmission method which can be implemented in such a communication apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an environment such as an office environment, it is often a case that facsimile documents are received by a communication apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus and transmitted to addressees. Recently, in order to deal with such a case, a system has been developed and produced that transmits facsimile documents and accompanying communication information such as a confidential ID and an F-code to a server apparatus having a facsimile communication capability using an internal transfer function via a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) and subsequently distributes them from the server apparatus to each person by an e-mail message or allocates them to predetermined folders.
In such a communication apparatus that transmits the facsimile documents to the server apparatus, the facsimile document received via the telephone line is stored together with the communication information in a memory having a small storage capacity and adapted for high-speed forwarding. Then the received document stored in the memory is converted to a standard format document and transmitted to the server apparatus together with the communication information.
However, with such a communication apparatus of the related art, the received documents are transmitted to the server apparatus via the memory having a small storage capacity. Therefore, when the transmission rate of the communication line between the communication apparatus and the server apparatus is slower than that of the communication line of the facsimile apparatus of the sending party, or, when the server apparatus is communicating with another apparatus and thus a communication cannot be established between the communication apparatus and the server apparatus, the memory will overflow and further facsimile documents cannot be received.

Communication apparatus, transmission program, computer readable medium storing a transmission program, transmission method and communication system for reliably transmitting image data


A Transfer Progress Alert Module and a method for optimizing processing of a data transfer load, in a data communication system is provided. The data transfer load is divided in individual data blocks. The device and method simultaneously perform pipelined operations on different individual data blocks, thus optimizing the overlap of pipelined operations. The method includes initializing the transfer by selecting a pre-defined individual data block size and determining a key for selecting and monitoring transfers with transfer addresses within a pre-determined address region. The method then continuously repeats following steps until all monitored individual data blocks from the data transfer load are processed. First, the incoming individual data blocks are transferred on a bus between a peripheral device and a memory, and the Transfer Progress Alert module is used for monitoring the individual data blocks having transfer addresses determined to belong in the pre-determined address region. The TPA module is used to determine when each monitored transferred individual data block is ready for a post-processing operation, at least one post-processing operation is performed on the data, and the processed data is transferred to a peripheral device. The method and device may also be adapted for performing an error detection operation on the monitored individual data blocks transferred on the bus, for ascertaining the integrity of the transferred data.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to data communication systems, and in particular to high performance data communication systems having a Transfer Progress Alert (TPA) module in a peripheral interface adapter supporting pipelined operations, to create an alert condition when a pre-specified amount of data has been transferred on the internal system bus.
2. Description of Related Art
Digital communication over a communication channel is well known in the art. Modern data communication systems often have multiple high performance data processors and generally include a plurality of peripheral interfaces connected to the data processors by one or more internal buses. High performance bus architectures, such as the PCI bus architecture, provide a hardware mechanism for transferring large sequential groups of data between a peripheral interface and a processor""s memory, via burst cycles.
Applications which move large data blocks from an external interface to memory space and from memory space to storage media often break this transfer into smaller, individual blocks to achieve more overlapping of event processing in an effort to improve system response time. The pipelined operations on smaller data blocks are specifically desired in systems where data are buffered prior to transfer elsewhere in the system, or where an intermediate data reformatting or data compression on the data in a memory is required, prior to its transfer to the storage medium, which may be a magnetic device such as tape or disk. Thus processing the data in individual blocks enables pipelined operations, allowing such operations as transfer of incoming blocks, post-processing steps, and transfer to storage media to occur on different data blocks simultaneously. This creates a much more efficient data transfer process than storing the entire large data block in the memory, followed by the entire block post-processing, and subsequent sending the entire data block to the storage medium.
However, processing smaller, individual blocks of data, although providing overall efficiency advantages, presents a problem for the post-processing operation control software to determine when exactly a given block is ready for its post-processing step. Therefore, there is a need in a peripheral interface adapter for a Transfer Progress Alert (TPA) module, which can create an alert signal when a pre-specified amount of data has been transferred on the internal system bus, to insure timely start of a pipelined operation on the transferred individual block of data for effective processing.
The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments which makes reference to several drawing figures.
One preferred embodiment of the present invention is a data communication system for fast processing of a data transfer load, divided in individual data blocks. The processing is optimizing the overlap of pipelined operations, including data transfers and post-processing performed on individual data blocks. The system includes at least one peripheral interface adapter having an internal bus connected to a peripheral interface, a DMA channel connected to the internal bus facilitating the DMA transfer of individual data blocks, and a Transfer Progress Alert (TPA) module connected to the internal bus. The system further includes a bridge placed between the internal bus and at least one external bus. Each external bus is connected to a data storage device, a main memory, and a main processor. The bridge is connecting a processor, a post-processing module and a memory.
The internal bus is transferring individual data blocks between the peripheral interface and the memory. The TPA module is determining when each of the transferred individual data blocks has been transferred on the internal bus and is ready for a post-processing operation in the post-processing module. The pipelined operations occur on different individual data blocks simultaneously, and include transferring incoming individual data blocks, at least one post-processing operation, and transferring the processed data, until all individual data blocks from the data transfer load are processed. The TPA module further generates an interrupt alerting a TPA control software, executed in the processor. The control software initializes the TPA module and the DMA channel with the pre-defined individual data block size, starting address and direction control.
The individual data blocks having customer-defined data are assigned to the internal bus addresses in a pre-determined address region, and the TPA module and control software monitor transfers in that particular address region and ignore transfers in other address regions. The TPA module may also include an error detection module for performing an error detection operation on the customer-defined data transferred on the internal bus, for ascertaining the integrity of the transferred data. The post-processing operation may include buffering, data reformatting, data compression or decompression.
Another preferred embodiment of the present invention is a peripheral interface adapter in a data communication system for fast processing of a data transfer load, divided in individual data blocks. The processing is optimizing the overlap of pipelined operations, including data transfers and post-processing performed on individual data blocks. The adapter is connected to a bridge attached to an external bus connected to a data storage device, a main memory, and a main processor. The bridge connects a processor, a post-processing module and a memory. The adapter includes an internal bus connected to a peripheral interface and a DMA channel connected to the internal bus assisting in the DMA transfer of individual data blocks. It also includes a Transfer Progress Alert (TPA) module connected to the internal bus. The internal bus transfers individual data blocks between the peripheral interface and the memory. The TPA module determines when each transferred individual data block is ready for a post-processing operation in the post-processing module. The pipelined operations are occurring on different individual data blocks simultaneously, and include transferring the incoming individual data blocks, at least one post-processing operation, and transferring the processed data, until all individual data blocks from the data transfer load are processed.
Yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention is a method for optimizing processing of a data transfer load, divided in individual data blocks, by simultaneously performing pipelined operations on different individual data blocks, thus optimizing the overlap of pipelined operations. The method is being used in a data communication system and includes the following steps: (a) initializing the TPA module with a pre-defined individual data block size and determining a key for selecting and monitoring transfers with transfer addresses within a pre-determined address region; and (b) continuously repeating following steps until all monitored individual data blocks from the data transfer load are processed: (c) transferring incoming individual data blocks on a bus between a peripheral device and a memory, (d) monitoring in a Transfer Progress Alert (TPA) module, connected to the bus, the individual data blocks having transfer addresses determined to belong in the pre-determined address region; (e) determining in the TPA module when each monitored transferred individual data block is ready for a post-processing operation; (f) generating an interrupt alerting a TPA control software to start the post-processing operation and keeping an interrupt line transferring the interrupt active, until all individual data blocks from the data transfer load are post-processed; (g) performing at least one post-processing operation; and (h) transferring the processed data to a peripheral storage device.
The method further includes a step for performing an error detection operation on the monitored individual data blocks transferred on the bus, for ascertaining the integrity of the transferred data. The error detection operation includes a creation of a resultant checksum obtained by performing an EXCLUSIVE-OR (XOR) operation on the corresponding bits of the newly transferred data and a stored resultant checksum from the previous data transfers.

International Business Machines Corporation


A phase demodulator (101) is used for sensing the phase.sub.-- angle of a phasor represented by the I and Q signals by first producing the analog I and Q signals in a direct conversion receiver (104). A phase generator (106) is used to approximate the angle of the phasor as represented by the I and Q signals by scaling and comparing the magnitudes of the I and Q signals and making decisions based on their relative magnitudes. The scaling includes successive alteration of the magnitude of the I and Q signals.sub.-- depending on their relative magnitudes. A DSP (108) is used to receive this bit stream representation (302) of the phasor and recover the information signal.

Direct conversion receivers utilize baseband In-phase (I) and Quadrature (Q) components of a received signal in order to recover transmitted information. The I and Q components may be first converted to digital via Analog to Digital Converters (ADC) and then processed with a Digital Signal Processor (DSP). The recovery of the information signal places a significant burden on the DSP due to the sheer number of instructions needed therefor. Since DSPs are used in radios for a variety of functions, this burden results in the DSP being unable to accomplish its required tasks.
To alleviate this loading problem, designers have used dedicated ICs between the ADCs and the DSP. These ICs include, among other things, look up tables that significantly speed up the recovery process. However, these ICs are too large and too costly. As the size and cost of portable communication devices shrink, a need is felt for an alternative approach in demodulating the phase.sub.-- in a Zero Intermediate Frequency (ZIF) signal without the size and cost burdens of the prior art.

Modulator with baseband to phase converter


An instantaneous switching unit for a delay/priority control buffer comprises an operational buffer and a standby buffer, wherein, upon detecting phase adjustment cell out of received signal cell, the operational buffer recognizes the amount of main signal cell which has been received before the phase adjustment cell is detected, the main signal cell staying waiting for the timing when it is read out, and notifies the standby buffer of staying amount information indicating the presence of the main signal cell staying there as well as the staying amount thereof, while the standby buffer controls the reading operation of the main signal cell according to the staying amount information received from the operational buffer upon detecting the phase adjustment cell out of the received signal cell.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an instantaneous switching unit and switching method for a delay/priority control buffer, in which phase adjustment cell is used to switch the operational state of the multiplexed delay/priority control buffer in an ATM switch.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a transmission system of ATM (asynchronous transmission mode), instantaneous switching is necessary for preventing lack and redundancy of signal cell, when switching the operational state of a delay/priority control buffer which is multiplexed for the purpose of improving reliability.
The conventional instantaneous switching unit for use in an ATM switch, resets a main signal cell reserving memory of a standby buffer at the execution of switching, using phase adjustment cell, for the purpose of adjusting the phase between a main signal cell reserving memory of an operational buffer section controlling transmission of signal cell, the operational buffer section being in the operating state, and a main signal cell reserving memory of the standby buffer section not controlling transmission of signal cell, the standby buffer section not being in the operating state.
As this kind of the conventional technique, for example, "A redundant switching method of an ATM switch" is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open (Kokai) No. Heisei 4-86043. The conventional instantaneous switching unit will be, hereinafter, described with the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a constitution of an ATM switch with the conventional instantaneous switching unit for a delay/priority control buffer mounted thereon.
As illustrated in FIG. 4, the ATM switch is provided with an operational buffer section 10 and a standby buffer section 20, each section including a plurality of priority buffers 11 to 1n and 21 to 2n respectively. The respective priority buffers 11 to 1n as well as the priority buffers 21 to 2n have the same structure.
The conventional instantaneous switching unit comprises a phase adjustment cell detecting circuit 31 for detecting phase adjustment cell out of input cell, a main signal cell reserving memory 111 for storing received cell, a writing address counter 112 and a reading address counter 113 for controlling the main signal cell reserving memory 111, a writing address reserving circuit 114 for reserving a writing address, a staying cell amount arithmetic circuit 115 for measuring the amount of main signal cell, which is not subject to the phase adjustment, staying within the main signal cell reserving memory 111, and a reading stop signal creating circuit 40 for transmitting a reading stop signal for controlling readout of the cell in the standby buffer section 20, which are mounted on the operational buffer section 10, and further comprises a phase adjustment cell detecting circuit 32, a main signal cell reserving memory 211, a writing address counter 212 and a reading address counter 213, which are mounted on the standby buffer section 20. Of the above components, the main signal cell reserving memory 111, the writing address counter 112, the reading address counter 113, the writing address reserving circuit 114 and the staying cell amount arithmetic circuit 115 are provided in each priority buffer 11 to 1n. The main signal cell reserving memory 211, the writing address counter 212 and the reading address counter 213 are provided in each priority buffer 21 to 2n.
An operation of instantaneous switching for a delay/priority control buffer in the conventional ATM switch will be described this time.
When the phase adjustment cell for instructing switching of a delay/priority control buffer is respectively entered into the operational buffer 10 and the standby buffer 20, the phase adjustment cell detecting circuits 31 and 32 detect the entered phase adjustment cell, so to perform a switching operation.
In the operational buffer section 10, the phase adjustment cell detecting circuit 31, upon detecting the phase adjustment cell, notifies the writing address reserving circuit 114 of a write trigger signal. The phase adjustment cell is sent from the phase adjustment cell detecting circuit 31 to the priority buffers from the highest priority buffer 11 in sequence, to be written in the main signal cell reserving circuit 111 thereof. The writing address reserving circuit 114 reserves the counter value of the writing address counter 112 at the time of receiving the write trigger signal from the phase adjustment cell detecting circuit 31.
During the switching operation, when the main signal cell having arrived before the issue of the write trigger signal stays in the lower priority buffer of the priority buffers 11 to 1n, readout is performed from the lower priority buffer where the main signal cell has been received before the issue of the write trigger signal, even if the main signal cell having arrived after the issue of the write trigger signal stays in the higher priority buffer of the priority buffers 11 to 1n.
Upon receipt of the write trigger signal, the staying cell amount arithmetic circuit 115 makes a comparison between the counter value of the writing address counter 112 reserved in the writing address reserving circuit 114 and the counter value of the reading address counter 113, and supplies the staying amount information signal about the cell which has been written in the main signal cell reserving memory 111 earlier than the phase adjustment cell until the reading address conforms to the reserved writing address. The reading stop signal creating circuit 40 receives and supervises each staying cell amount information signal supplied from each staying cell amount arithmetic circuit 115 of all the priority buffers 11 to 1n, and supplies the reading stop signal until each comparison value of all the staying cell amount arithmetic circuits 115 becomes "0". The supplied reading stop signal is sent to each reading address counter 213 of the priority buffers 21 to 2n in the standby buffer section 20.
While, in the standby buffer section 20, the phase adjustment cell detecting circuit 32, upon detecting the phase adjustment cell, notifies each writing address counter 212 in all the priority buffers 21 to 2n of the writing counter reset signal. The respective priority buffers 21 to 2n, upon receipt of the writing counter reset signal from the phase adjustment cell detecting circuit 32, reset the respective writing address counters 212 to write the cell arriving later than the phase adjustment cell therein from the address initial value in sequence.
Receiving the reading stop signal supplied from the reading stop signal creating circuit 40 of the operational buffer section 10, the reading address counter 213 of the standby buffer section 20 is reset to return the address to the initial value. The reading address counter 213 stops counting while receiving the reading stop signal. If the entry of the reading stop signal has been finished, it starts readout of the cell reserved in the main signal cell reserving circuit 211, from the address initial value.
However, the conventional instantaneous switching unit for a delay/priority control buffer as mentioned above, resets all the priority buffers of the standby buffer section to supply all the cell staying in the operational buffer section before the phase adjustment cell enters there, by priority. Therefore, if main signal cell, after the input of the phase adjustment cell, enters the higher priority buffer of the operational buffer section than the priority buffer where the cell has already stayed, the accurate priority for the output sequence of the cell cannot be guaranteed in the conventional unit.

Instantaneous switching unit and switching method for delay/priority control buffer


A circuit breaker includes a bimetal electrically connected in series with separable contacts, and an operating mechanism structured to open and close the contacts. A temperature sensor distal from the bimetal includes an output having an ambient temperature signal. A trip circuit includes a first circuit having a first input electrically interconnected with a bimetal output to input a voltage representative of current, a second input electrically interconnected with the temperature sensor output to input the ambient temperature signal, a real-time thermal model structured to provide a corrected temperature dependent bimetal resistance as a function of the voltage and the ambient temperature signal, and an output including a current value which is a function of the ambient temperature signal and the corrected bimetal resistance. A second circuit includes an input having the current value and an output structured to actuate the operating mechanism in response to predetermined current conditions.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to circuit interrupters and, more particularly, to circuit breakers including a bimetal in series with separable contacts. The invention also pertains to methods for determining bimetal temperature and/or bimetal resistance.
2. Background Information
Circuit breakers are used to protect electrical circuitry from damage due to an overcurrent condition, such as an overload condition or a relatively high level short circuit or fault condition. In small circuit breakers, commonly referred to as miniature circuit breakers, used for residential and light commercial applications, such protection is typically provided by a thermal-magnetic trip device. This trip device includes a bimetal, which heats and bends in response to a persistent overcurrent condition. The bimetal, in turn, unlatches a spring powered operating mechanism, which opens the separable contacts of the circuit breaker to interrupt current flow in the protected power system.
In certain circuit breaker applications (e.g., without limitation, arc fault detection), the voltage across the thermal bimetal element is employed as an indirect measurement of the circuit breaker load current. Sensing current with a bimetal element is complicated by the variation of that element's impedance as a function of temperature. This variation results in inaccuracies in the measurement of the amplitude of the measured current. For example, the bimetal element's impedance can vary as much as about 70% with temperature over the normal operating range of the circuit breaker depending upon the type of bimetallic material used.
As is typical with most metals, the bimetal impedance has a positive temperature coefficient (PTC). In other words, resistance increases with temperature. If the design of the circuit breaker electronics assumes that the bimetal resistance is constant, then any resistance-temperature variation of the bimetal can introduce error in the current sensing. This variation can cause proportional inaccuracies in the measurement of the load current, thereby affecting performance of control algorithms implemented in the circuit breaker electronics. As bimetal temperature rises, the voltage drop across the bimetal increases for a given amount of load current. The net effect is that the load current appears larger than it really is. Depending on the control algorithm, the potential result could be an errant command to trip the circuit breaker.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,733 discloses an electrothermal responsive protective mechanism of the bimetal type having also an ambient temperature compensating bimetal element to maintain accurate operation of the protective mechanism despite ambient temperature changes.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,813,131 discloses a circuit breaker trip assembly including a bimetal element and a thermistor. The thermistor is a temperature-sensing device, which is adapted to respond to the temperature of the bimetal element, in order to measure the approximate temperature thereof. For example, if located in close proximity to the bimetal element, the thermistor will be subjected to less extreme temperatures since the power dissipated by the bimetal element is dispersed to the cooler ambient environment within the circuit breaker housing. Even in close proximity, the temperature sensed by the thermistor proximate the bimetal element, although less extreme, is still proportional to the actual temperature of the bimetal element. An amplifier input is referenced to the bimetal element output terminal. The bimetal impedance has a positive temperature coefficient, while the thermistor has a negative temperature coefficient. Responsive to the thermistor, the amplifier provides a negative gain with respect to the bimetal voltage. In turn, the trip assembly provides a trip signal as a function of the compensated amplifier output voltage.
There is room for improvement in circuit breakers including a bimetal in series with separable contacts.
There is also room for improvement in methods for determining bimetal temperature and/or bimetal resistance.

Circuit breaker and method for sensing current indirectly from bimetal voltage and determining bimetal temperature and corrected temperature dependent bimetal resistance


A tool for use with a hammer driver having a pin-accepting socket for driving a ground rod into the ground includes a body having two opposite side faces and at least one ground rod-accepting passageway extending between the two side faces. The tool also includes a guide pin which is joined to so as to extend from one of the side faces of the body and an elongated socket portion having first and second opposite ends and having a hollow interior which opens out of a first end of the socket portion. In addition, the socket portion is secured to the other side face of the body by way of the second end so that the first end extends away from the other side face of the body, and the guide pin and the elongated socket portion are axially-aligned with one another.

This invention relates generally to tools and accessories for driving an item, such as a ground rod or post, into the ground.
The class of items with which this invention is concerned includes an elongated portion having a lower end which is desired to be driven into the ground. One such item is a ground rod comprised of a conducting material, such as copper, and which possesses the form of an elongated cylindrical rod having a length which ranges, for example, from between eight and ten feet. These ground rods are typically desired to be driven bottom end-first vertically into the ground to a condition at which the upper end of the ground rod is disposed at or beneath the level of the ground.
Another such item is a post (e.g. a fence post) commonly constructed of metal and possessing a substantially T-shaped cross section. Such a post has an upper end and a lower end and is typically desired to be driven lower end-first vertically into the ground to a condition at which the upper end of the post remains above the level of the ground.
Because of the length of common ground rods and in order to make initial impact with the upper end of a such ground rod desired to be driven bottom end-first into the ground, an operator would typically be required to stand atop a ladder or other elevated platform to reach the upper end of the ground rod with a rod-driving tool. There exists conventional rod-driving tools which enable an operator to stand upon the ground while the ground rod is driven for a substantial distance into the ground, but none of these tools can also be utilized for driving the ground rod through a final phase of movement for positioning the ground rod at or beneath the level of the ground.
It would be desirable to provide a single ground-driving tool which can be used, in conjunction with a hammer driver, for driving a ground rod into the ground through both an initial phase of movement and a final phase of movement at which the upper end of the ground rod is disposed at or beneath the level of the ground.
It would also be desirable to provide such a tool whose principles of operation are adaptable to tools for driving other elongated items, such as posts, into the ground with a hammer driver.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved tool with which an item, such as a ground rod or post, can be driven into the ground.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a tool which is suitable for driving elongated items into the ground wherein the elongated items can possess different cross-sectional shapes or sizes.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide such tool which, when used in conjunction with a hammer driver, can be used to drive a ground rod into the ground throughout both an initial rod-driving phase of movement and a final phase of movement at which the upper end of the ground rod is disposed at or beneath the level of the ground.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a tool which is uncomplicated in structure, yet effective in operation.

Tool for driving an item into the ground


A service system stores membership qualification conditions of a plurality of services. The service system selects a service that a user can use from those and displays the selected service. The service system references information of another service of which a user has already become a member and performs a membership qualification of the user on behalf of a server of each service.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a membership service using a network such as the Internet. In particular, the present invention relates to a system and a method for processing a membership qualification for each of a plurality of services.
2. Description of the Related Art
A service provider on a network should certificate a user who is accessing the network so as to charge the user for a service fee. In a conventional service system, when one user uses a plurality of services, the uses different certificating methods designated by the individual services.
FIG. 1 shows such a conventional service system. When user 11 uses two services A and B, the user 11 sends identification (ID) and a password (PWD) for the service A to a server 12 of the service A. The server 12 references a user management database (user management DB) 13, certificates the user, and provides the service A to the user 11.
The user 11 sends an ID and a password for the service B to a server 14 of the service B. The server 14 references a user management DB 15, certificates the user, and provides the service B to the user 11. In such a manner, the user 11 can use the network services A and B.
However, the above-described conventional service system has the following problems.
When one user uses a plurality of network services, the user should take a membership qualification for each service. At that time, the user should input designated personal information on a terminal unit. Thus, when the number of services that the user uses increases, the load of the user increases.
Each service provider should perform a membership qualification for each user. Thus, each service provider should analyze personal information sent from each user. Consequently, as the number of users who want become members increases, the load of the service provider increases.
When each service provider starts a new service, while predicting the number of new members, the service provider should designate conditions used for the membership qualification. To do that, a system that allows the relation between the designated conditions and the number of members to be effectively analyzed is desired.

Membership qualification processing system and method thereof


A device for preventing a primary relief valve in a mud system from opening at a pressure lower than a nominal opening pressure includes a flow restrictor between a mud pump of the mud system and the primary relief valve. In addition, the device includes a cavity between the flow restrictor and the primary relief valve.

The disclosure relates generally to devices and methods for preventing a primary mud relief valve from incorrect opening. More particularly, the disclosure relates to devices and methods for preventing a primary relief valve in a mud system from incorrect opening.
Mud systems, as known from drilling rigs, normally include a mud pump, a pulsation dampener and a relief valve, the latter herein termed "primary relief valve". The main pump is typically a triplex pump. This kind of pump delivers a flow rate which is far from constant and fluctuates much because of i) variable piston speed—the pump is crank shaft driven, ii) mud compressibility and iii) valve and fluid inertia. The pulsation dampener is therefore included to smoothen the flow rate and mitigate the resulting pressure fluctuations. The primary relief valve may be of a design known as a "pop-off valve" in the industry, or a rupture disk. Other types of relief valves are also known.
The primary relief valve is a safety valve that is designed to prevent excessive pressure and possible hazards in the case the pump pressure exceeds the certified pressure limit for the system. Normally the so-called trip pressure, at which the primary relief valve shall switch from a closed to an open state, is set slightly higher that the system pressure of typically 5000 psi (345 bar).
It is a well-known problem in the industry that the primary relief valve sometimes trips frequently even though the recorded pressure levels never reached the nominal trip pressure level.
Tripping of a primary relief valve represents a costly and highly undesired disruption of the drilling process, both because of the time it takes to refit a new rupture disk or to reset a resettable primary relief valve and because the well can be damaged during long periods of no circulation. To lower the risk for primary relief valve tripping one can therefore reduce maximum working pressure to say 80 per cent of the system pressure limit. This is also a costly solution because flow rate and pressure is often a limiting factor that can lead to slower drilling and even cause well stability problems. The opposite solution of increasing the nominal trip pressure to compensate for the dynamic effect is also a highly undesirable solution that may lead to damage in other parts of the mud system. It may even be illegal to raise the nominal relief valve pressure to more than a few per cent over the certified system pressure.

Method and device for preventing a mud relief valve from incorrect opening


A semiconductor device includes a load current path operable to carry a load current from a supply terminal having a supply voltage to an output circuit node. The device further includes a voltage comparator configured to compare the supply voltage with a voltage threshold and to signal a low supply voltage when the supply voltage reaches or falls below the voltage threshold. An over-current detector is configured to compare a load current signal that represents the load current with an over-current threshold and to signal an over-current when the load current signal reaches or exceeds the over-current threshold. Furthermore, the semiconductor device includes a control logic unit that is configured to deactivate the load current flow when an over-current is signalled and to reduce the over-current threshold from a first value to a lower second value as long as the voltage comparator signals a low supply voltage.

Semiconductor devices, especially power semiconductor devices such as power semiconductor switches, often include a current and temperature measurement functionality for detecting faulty or undesired modes of operation during which undesirably high currents or temperatures occur. Such faulty or undesired modes of operation may be, inter alia, an over-load, or a short circuit.
Power semiconductor switches capable of detecting over-temperature, over-load, short-circuits, etc. are often referred to as "smart switches". Typically such smart switches include at least one power transistor (e.g. a DMOS high-side switch) and an over-current detection circuit for each power transistor that compares a measured signal that represents the load current flowing through the transistor with a defined threshold value that represent a maximum current. When the load current reaches or exceeds the maximum current, the load current is switched off in order to protect the device.
However, in many applications smart switches have to handle high inrush currents. This may be the case, e.g., when switching on incandescent lamps, electric motors or the like. The inrush currents are typically much higher than the maximum current, yet the high inrush currents are transient and usually do not cause a dangerous over-temperature. However, the over-current protection circuit included in the smart switch needs to distinguish between high inrush currents and over-currents resulting from a short circuit. For this reason the threshold, which determines the maximum current, is set to a higher value (higher than during normal operation) during a start-up phase in which transient inrush currents may occur. This start-up phase is usually defined as a fixed time interval, e.g., 10 ms. When this time interval has elapsed, the threshold, which determines the maximum current, is reset to the lower—nominal—value.
When an over-current is detected (i.e. when an over-current event occurs) the device may be deactivated. That is, the device is latched in an inactive state in which the load current is switched off. However, to avoid a deactivation during the start-up phase the device is re-activated after an over-current event for a defined number of times (e.g. 32 times). That is, the device is finally deactivated (and not re-activated) when the maximum number of over-current events occurs during the start-up phase. After the start-up phase, a single over-current event is sufficient for latching the device in an off-state.
The "switching" between the start-up phase with a high maximum current threshold and the normal operation with a low maximum current threshold is usually implemented digitally with a finite state machine (FSM). A further problem arises when the smart switch is supplied via a long supply line. For example, in automotive applications the supply line may be up to 5 meters long or even longer, resulting in a line resistance of about 100 mΩ and a line inductance of about μH. As a consequence the voltage drop across the supply line may be rather high due to the high inrush currents during the start-up phase. In fact, the voltage drop across the supply line may be high enough to trigger the under-voltage detection. When an under-voltage is detected (i.e. in case of an under-voltage event) the state-machine and thus the counter, which counts the over-current events during the start-up phase, is reset. As a consequence, the over-current event counter will never reach the maximum number as the supply voltage drops and thus the counter is reset every time the switch is closed and the inrush current starts to rise.
The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device including an over-current protection which can handle transient voltage drops across the supply line.

Semiconductor device including short-circuit protection


A semiconductor chip position detector including a transparent film on which semiconductor chips are placed, a film table on which the film is placed, a light source, optical fiber cables provided in the vicinity of the film table, by which light beams from the light source are radiated onto the semiconductor chips through the film having the semiconductor chips placed thereon, and a position recognition device provided above the film for recognizing the positions of the semiconductor chips based on shadow shapes of the semiconductor chips generated by the radiated light.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for detecting the positions of diced semiconductor chips placed on a film in the case where they are die-bonded to a lead frame or the like by means of a die bonding device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A die bonding device serves to pick up semiconductor chips on a film and to die-bond the same to a lead frame or the like. It is necessary to precisely know the positions of the chips in order to pick up the chips on the film accurately. The die bonding device is provided with an optical position detector for detecting the positions of the chips.
FIG. 4 is a view showing the structure of a conventional chip position detector. A film 51 has chips 52a, 52b . . . placed thereon, and can be moved on a plane with being held by a table (not shown). The movement of the film 51 causes the chips 52a, 52b . . . to be opposed to an industrial television camera (ITV) 55 in order. Light is radiated to the chips 52a, 52b . . . on the film 51 by means of a vertical illuminator 53 and an oblique illuminator 54. The ITV 55 detects the light reflected by the chips 52a, 52b . . . so as to recognize their coordinates.
In the case where the positions of the chips are detected by the above-mentioned conventional method, however, light reflection varies owing to variation in film thickness of an oxide on chip surfaces. Consequently, the positions of the chips cannot always be read precisely. In the case where the semiconductor chip is a LED element (GaP, GaAlAs or the like), particularly, a native oxide varies widely. Consequently, surface conditions are unstable so that the positions of the chips cannot always be detected precisely. This disadvantage will be described in more detail.
FIGS. 5 and 6 are plan and side views of a LED element as a semiconductor chip, respectively. The central portions of the upper faces of LED elements 52a, 52b, 52c . . . are provided with electrodes 61 comprised of Al or the like. An oxide film 62 is formed as a passivation around the electrode 61. The thickness of the oxide film 62 varies. In the case where the positions of the chips are detected by the position detector shown in FIG. 4, they cannot always be detected precisely. By way of example, FIGS. 7(a) to (d) show the state of detection carried out by the ITV 55. Although the LED elements 52a, 52b, 52c . . . are excellent in quality, the state of detection varies. In case of the state of detection shown in FIGS. 7(b) to (d), it is impossible to carry out position detection precisely.


A focus detecting apparatus, in which a pair of bundles of rays, transmitted through different portions of an exit pupil of a taking lens, are transmitted through a common focus detecting zone formed on an imaginary focal plane of the taking lens. The focus detecting apparatus includes two image reforming optical systems which reform images of the bundles of rays, incident on the focus detecting zone in different directions and transmitted therethrough, in accordance with a change in position of the exit pupil in the optical axis direction of the taking lens. A pair of line sensors are located at predetermined positions, upon which the images of the respective bundles of rays are reformed through the respective image reforming optical systems.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a focus detecting apparatus for detecting a focus state of a taking lens of a camera or the like, with respect to an object to be photographed.
2. Description of Related Art
In a known focus detecting apparatus in a single lens reflex camera or the like, bundles of rays transmitted through different portions of an exit pupil of a taking lens are converged onto a pair of line sensors by an image reforming lens of a focus detecting optical system, so that the focus state of the taking lens can be detected in accordance with a relationship between outputs of the line sensors. The principle of the focus detection by the focus detecting apparatus is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,624.
A focus detecting apparatus having an off-axis detecting area, that deviated from an optical axis, is a known apparatus for detecting the focus state of a taking lens with respect to an object located at a position other than the center of an image plane.
However, if the deviation of the off-axis detecting area from the optical axis increases, vignetting focus detecting optical system pupil occurs when position or size of the exit pupil of the taking lens changes as a result of a lens change (i.e., when using an interchangeable lens), or during a zooming operation. In such cases, the area of the focus detecting optical system pupil, through which the bundle of rays is transmitted, is reduced. As a result, the applicability of such an automatic focus detecting system to an interchangeable lens is restricted, or it is possible that the automatic focus detecting system will not work at a specific focal length within a zooming range.
To solve these problems, it is known to provide three image reforming optical systems using three bundles of rays transmitted through three different portions of the exit pupil of the taking lens in a focus detecting apparatus having an off-axis detecting area, as disclosed for example in Japanese Kokai patent publication No. HEI 2-58012. In this focus detecting apparatus , the outputs of line sensors, corresponding to two of three image reforming optical systems in which no vignetting occurs, are used to detect an focus with respect to the object within the image plane. Accordingly, the adverse influence of vignetting on the focus detecting optical system, due to the change of the exit pupil of the taking lens, is eliminated.
However, in the known focus detecting apparatus, as mentioned above, the three image reforming optical systems must be provided in a single detecting area and the three line sensors must be arranged along a diametric direction of the taking lens.
Furthermore, if the area to be detected is large, namely, is an image is long, vignetting may also occur in an area including the optical axis of the taking lens. The prior art mentioned above does not solve this problem.


A battery management system (BMS) is disclosed. In one embodiment, the BMS includes i) a first switching circuit electrically connected to a battery cell or a battery pack and configured to provide a voltage of the battery cell or the battery pack, ii) a capacitor electrically connected to the first switching circuit and configured to store the voltage provided from the first switching circuit and iii) a second switching circuit electrically connected to the capacitor and configured to provide the voltage stored in the capacitor, wherein the second switching circuit has first and second output terminals. The BMS may further include a pull-down circuit electrically connected to the second switching circuit, and configured to reduce impedance at the first output terminal of the second switching circuit.

1. Field
The described technology generally relates to a battery management system.
2. Description of the Related Technology
In general, vehicles using gasoline, diesel oil or LPG as fuel generate a large quantity of carbon dioxide emissions which pollute the atmosphere and induce global warming, thereby damaging the global environment. Accordingly, research has been actively conducted on hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) having low emissions or electric vehicles (EV) having zero emissions.
An HEV is powered by an electric motor, which uses electricity supplied from a main battery via a power conversion circuit as a driving source, as well as an internal combustion engine. Further, an HEV may be operated so as to improve the fuel efficiency of the vehicle to a high degree according to a driving situation.
The HEV motor is switched between a driving mode and a generation mode through the control of a motor control unit (MTCU) when the vehicle is braked or decelerated. At this time, the main battery is charged by the electric energy generated from a generator (or driving motor) under the control of a battery management system (BMS) connected to the MTCU. The current applied to the main battery from the generator may vary and even be discontinuous according to driving conditions.
To reach an appropriate degree of performances, the number of battery cells gradually increases, and the BMS must be capable of effectively managing the various battery cells.


A high drug load spheronized beadlet is provided wherein said beadlet comprises about 80% to 100% by weight of an acid labile medicament, preferably didanosine, about 0% to about 10% by weight of a disintegrant, and about 0% to about 10% by weight of a binder selected from the group consisting of sodium carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, potassium alginate, and partially pregelatinized corn starch. A high drug load pharmaceutical composition, comprising the beadlet, with an enteric coating disposed thereon, is also provided.

2′,3′-dideoxyinosine, which is also known as didanosine or ddI, is an acid labile drug which will degrade in the stomach. Didanosine has the following structural formula.

Didanosine is known to be effective in the treatment of patients with the HIV virus by inhibiting HIV replication. Furthermore, ddI has become widely used as a component of the therapeutic cocktails for treating AIDS.
Didanosine is generally available in a variety of oral dosages, including Chewable/Dispersible Buffered Tablets in strengths of 25, 50, 100 or 150 mg of didanosine. Each tablet is buffered with calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide. Didanosine tablets also contain aspartame, sorbitol, microcrystalline cellulose, Polyplasdone®, mandarin-orange flavors and magnesium stearate. Didanosine Buffered Powder for Oral Solution is supplied for oral administration in single-dose packets containing 100, 167 or 250 mg of didanosine. Packets of each product strength also contain a citrate-phosphate buffer (composed of dibasic sodium phosphate, sodium citrate, and citric acid) and sucrose. A didanosine Pediatric Powder for Oral Solution is also available and which is supplied for oral administration in 4- or 8-ounce glass bottles containing 2 or 4 grams of didanosine respectively, and is to be mixed with commercial antacid before oral ingestion.
With particular emphasis on the tablets, whether ingested alone or as part of a combination ("cocktail") therapy regimen, the current chewable/dispersible buffered tablets are not conducive from a patient ease of use standpoint. Whereas the other products which are a part of the AIDS therapeutic cocktail are capsules or tablets and easily swallowed, the ddI Chewable/Dispersible Buffered Tablets must be thoroughly chewed or uniformly dispersed in water before administration.
Because ddI degrades rapidly at acidic pH, ddI, in its chewable/dispersible form and its buffered powder for oral solution form, contains buffering agents and is administered with antacids in the pediatric powder form. However, the presence of the large quantities of antacid components in the formulation can lead to significant GI imbalance as noted by severe diarrhea. Many patients also complain about chewing the large ddI tablets (a single dose is two tablets of 2.1 g each), the taste of the ddI or the time required to disperse the tablets and the volume of fluid (4 oz) required for the dose. As the current adult dose is 200 mg ddI, twice a day, or a single dose of 400 mg ddI daily, a high ddI load formulation without antacid or buffers is necessary to avoid the discomforting side effects and difficulty of administering the current ddI compositions.

High drug load acid labile pharmaceutical composition


Described is a pluggable policy component that determines the look and feel, or windows visual experience, of a computer user interface. Window-related instructions are redirected to the policy component, while client area change instructions are provided to a substrate (into which the policy component plugs in) that includes a composition component. The plug-in policy component handles windows-related (e.g., structural or attribute) changes to a scene graph to construct and maintain the scene graph, while the substrate handles program content changes to the client areas within windows. The substrate may include a desktop window manager that has access to the client areas in the scene graph, whereby the desktop window manager can copy a client area for rendering. For example, the desktop window manager can provide a supplemental live thumbnail image of a window.

The look and feel of an operating system's user interface provides the primary user experience with the operating system. For example, the user experience is based on what the windows of a graphical windowing environment look like, how they are positioned on the screen relative to other windows, and so forth.
The cost to change the look and feel of an operating system is significant. In general, a design team provides a design, and programmers code the operating system to match what the design team desires. As new innovations and designs emerge, the cost is repeated whenever a new look and feel is specified.

Pluggable window manager architecture using a scene graph system


Disclosed is an electrolyte of a lithium secondary battery comprising a lithium salt, an organic solvent, and at least one additive compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following formula (1) and derivatives thereof:

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a non-aqueous electrolyte and a lithium secondary battery comprising the same, and more particularly, to a non-aqueous electrolyte for a lithium secondary battery that prevents a battery from swelling, while maintaining the electrochemical properties of the battery.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Due to recent trends toward more compact and lighter portable electronic equipment, there has been a growing need to develop a high performance and large capacity battery to power portable electronic equipment. In particular, there has been extensive research to provide lithium secondary batteries with good safety characteristics and improved electrochemical properties. Lithium secondary batteries use materials that reversibly intercalate or deintercalate lithium ions during charge and discharge reactions for both positive and negative active materials. The positive active materials include lithium metal oxide and the negative materials include lithium metals, lithium-containing alloys, or materials that are capable of reversible intercalation/deintercalation of lithium ions such as crystalline or amorphous carbons, or carbon-containing composites.
The average discharge voltage of a lithium secondary battery is about 3.6 to 3.7V, which is higher than other alkali batteries, Ni-MH batteries, Ni—Cd batteries, etc. However, an electrolyte that is electrochemically stable in the charge and discharge voltage range of 0 to 4.2V is required in order to generate such a high driving voltage. As a result, a mixture of non-aqueous carbonate-based solvents, such as ethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, etc., is used as an electrolyte. However, such an electrolyte has significantly lower ion conductivity than an aqueous electrolyte that is used in a Ni-MH battery or a Ni—Cd battery, thereby resulting in the deterioration of battery characteristics during charging and discharging at a high rate.
During the initial charge of a lithium secondary battery, lithium ions, which are released from the lithium-transition metal oxide positive electrode of the battery, are transferred to a carbon negative electrode where the ions are intercalated into the carbon. Because of its high reactivity, lithium reacts with the carbon negative electrode to produce Li2CO3, LiO, LiOH, etc., thereby forming a thin film on the surface of the negative electrode. This film is referred to as an organic solid electrolyte interface (SEI) film. The organic SEI film formed during the initial charge not only prevents the reaction between lithium ions and the carbon negative electrode or other materials during charging and discharging, but it also acts as an ion tunnel, allowing the passage of only lithium ions. The ion tunnel prevents disintegration of the structure of the carbon negative electrode, which is caused by co-intercalation of organic solvents having a high molecular weight along with solvated lithium ions into the carbon negative electrode.
Once the organic SEI film is formed, lithium ions do not react again with the carbon electrode or other materials, such that an amount of lithium ions is maintained. That is, carbon from the negative electrode reacts with the electrolyte during the initial charging, thus forming a passivation layer such as an organic SEI film on the surface of the negative electrode such that the electrolyte solution no longer decomposes, and stable charging and discharging are maintained (J. Power Sources, 51 (1994), 79-104). As a result, in the lithium secondary battery, there is no irreversible formation reaction of the passivation layer, and a stable cycle life after the initial charging reaction is maintained.
However, gases are generated inside the battery due to decomposition of the carbonate-based organic solvent during the organic SEI film-forming reaction (J. Power Sources, 72 (1998), 66-70). These gases include H2, CO, CO2, CH4, C2H6, C3H8, C3H6, etc. depending on the type of non-aqueous organic solvent and negative active material used. The thickness of the battery increases during charging due to the generation of gas inside the battery, and the passivation layer slowly disintegrates by electrochemical energy and heat energy, which increase with the passage of time when the battery is stored at a high temperature after it is charged. Accordingly, a side reaction in which an exposed surface of the negative electrode reacts with the surrounding electrolyte occurs continuously. Furthermore, the internal pressure of the battery increases with this generation of gas. The increase in the internal pressure induces the deformation of prismatic and lithium polymer batteries. As a result, regional differences in the cohesion among electrodes inside the electrode assembly (positive and negative electrode, and separator) of the battery occur, thereby deteriorating the performance and safety of the battery and making it difficult to mount the lithium secondary battery set into electronic equipment.
For solving the internal pressure problem, there is disclosed a method in which the safety of a secondary battery including a non-aqueous electrolyte is improved by mounting a vent or a current breaker for ejecting internal electrolyte solution when the internal pressure is increased above a certain level. However, a problem with this method is that mis-operation may result from an increase in internal pressure itself.
Furthermore, a method in which the SEI-forming reaction is changed by injecting additives into an electrolyte so as to inhibit the increase in internal pressure is known. For example, Japanese Laid-open Patent No. 97-73918 discloses a method in which high temperature storage characteristics of a battery are improved by adding 1% or less of a diphenyl picrylhydrazyl compound to the electrolyte. Japanese Laid-open Patent No. 96-321312 discloses a method in which cycle life and long-term storage characteristics are improved using 1 to 20% of an N-butyl amine based compound in an electrolyte. Japanese Laid-open Patent No. 96-64238 discloses a method in which storage characteristics of a battery are improved by adding 3×10−4 to 3×10−2 M of calcium salt to the electrolyte. Japanese Laid-open Patent No. 94-333596 discloses a method in which the storage characteristics of a battery are improved by adding an azo-based compound to inhibit the reaction between an electrolyte and a negative electrode of the battery.
Such methods as described above for inducing the formation of an appropriate film on a negative electrode surface such as an organic SEI film by adding a small amount of organic or inorganic materials are used in order to improve the storage characteristics and safety of a battery. However, there are various problems with these methods. For example, the added compound decomposes or forms an unstable film by interacting with the carbon negative electrode during the initial charge and discharge due to inherent electrochemical characteristics, resulting in the deterioration of the ion mobility in electrons. Also, gas is generated inside the battery such that there is an increase in internal pressure, resulting in significant deterioration of the storage, safety, cycle life, and capacity characteristics of the battery.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Non-aqueous electrolyte and a lithium secondary battery comprising the same

Abstract: where R1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen radicals, alkyls, aryls, cycloalkyls, alkenyls, alkynyls, ester radicals, and aliphatic carbonate radicals. The electrolyte improves both swelling inhibition properties at high temperature and capacity characteristics of a lithium secondary battery.


A rotating heat exchanger (10) has a first air turbine (16) connected to a first end of an axle (20). The second end of the axle (20) is connected to a second air turbine (18). A heat pipe (30, 40, 42, 44) extends from the first air turbine (16) to the second air turbine (18).

Using commercial-off-the-shelf electronics in military fighters saves money, however commercial electronics have a limited operating temperature range. As a result it is necessary to provide an active cooling system to use commercial electronics in the military fighter environment. Present heat exchangers used in military fighters use a pump to move a heat exchange medium through a heat pipe. The heat pipe allows the heat exchange medium to remove heat from the hermetically sealed electronic compartment to a cool air source. An electric fan is used in the sealed electronic compartment to circulate the cool air from the heat pipe. Unfortunately, the pump and fan require additional power and add weight that decrease performance and increase the costs of a fighter aircraft. In addition, the fan and the pump are subject to failure and therefore increase the maintenance burden for ground crews.
Thus there exists a need for a heat exchanger that does not require additional power and is not subject to failure.


A reserving apparatus of a refrigerator having a door and a case that forms a main reserving chamber therein, comprises: a supplementary reserving frame that forms a supplementary reserving chamber at the door separately from the main reserving chamber; a partition member coupled to the supplementary reserving frame, for partitioning the supplementary reserving chamber; and a connecting portion for connecting the partition member to the supplementary reserving frame so that a partitioned space inside the supplementary reserving chamber can be variable. Storage items having various sizes and forms, such as a storage items having a relatively large size and a storage items having a relatively small size, can be effectively reserved at a suitably-adjusted space inside the supplementary reserving chamber. Accordingly, the supplementary reserving chamber can have enhanced spatial utilization degree.

A refrigerator serves to store food items accommodated in a reserving space such as a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber in a fresh state by using a refrigerating cycle.
The reserving space of the refrigerator is divided into a main reserving chamber which is a hermetic space formed by a case and a door, and a supplementary reserving chamber formed at the door separately from the main reserving chamber.
The supplementary reserving chamber is a space formed by a supplementary reserving frame. A partition member for partitioning inside of the supplementary reserving chamber with a multi-stage may be installed at the supplementary reserving frame.
Generally, small items such as a beverage can is disposed on an upper surface of the partition member. As the inside of the supplementary reserving chamber is partitioned into a multi-stage, spatial utilization degree of the supplementary reserving chamber may be enhanced.
However, in the conventional refrigerator, the partition member is fixed to a certain height of the supplementary reserving frame. Accordingly, the size of the supplementary reserving chamber partitioned by the partition member is always maintained to be same. As a result, the size of the supplementary reserving chamber partitioned by the partition member is not suitable for a storage item having a relatively small size or a storage item having a relatively large size. Accordingly, spatial utilization degree of the supplementary reserving chamber may be degraded.


Disclosed herein is a method of preparing a bismuth superconductor including the steps of mixing raw materials for forming a bismuth superconductor with each other to obtain mixed powder, heat treating the mixed powder, pulverizing the mixed powder and then covering the mixed powder with a metal sheath. The mixed powder covered with the metal sheath is prepared to have a 2223 composition in a composition of Bi--Sr--Ca--Cu or (Bi,Pb)--Sr--Ca--Cu and to contain a superconducting phase which is mainly composed of a 2212 phase, and is pulverized into a mean particle diameter of not more than 1 .mu.m with no conversion of the 2212 phase to an amorphous state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of preparing a bismuth superconductor, and more particularly, it relates to an improvement for increasing the critical current density of a bismuth superconductor and homogenizing properties thereof.
2. Description of the Background Art
In recent years, ceramic superconducting materials, i.e., oxide superconducting materials, have been watched with interest as superconducting materials which exhibit higher critical temperatures.
In particular, yttrium, bismuth and thallium superconducting materials are expected for practical use with high critical temperatures of about 90 K, 110 K and 120 K respectively.
One of conventional methods of preparing oxide superconductors comprises the steps of mixing raw materials for forming an oxide superconductor with each other, heat treating the mixture, pulverizing the mixture, and thereafter covering the mixture with a metal sheath. This method is advantageously applied to preparation of a long superconducting wire, for example.
A superconductor to be applied to a cable or a magnet, for example, must have a high critical current density, in addition to a high critical temperature. In particular, it is necessary to ensure a required critical current density under a magnetic field which is applied to the superconductor. Further, properties such as the critical current density must be homogeneously attained over the superconductor. In a long superconducting wire, for example, such properties must be undispersed along its longitudinal direction.
However, a conventional oxide superconductor exhibits a rather insufficient critical current density particularly under a magnetic field, and has only unsatisfactory homogeneity of properties.

Method of preparing bismuth superconductor


A papers discriminating device which improves the accuracy in true or false judgment of imitation papers which are made by pasting parts of genuine papers on other papers. To a conventional process, a process is added in which the colors and shades of paper detected by a sensor are taken and analyzed by a CPU, the number of peaks of the entire shades and characteristic parts of the paper is examined for truth or falsehood by the CPU on the basis of the number of peaks of the shades, a ratio of peak level difference, and a combination pattern of the peak position and peak level.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a bill discriminating device for automatic vending machines, money exchange machines and video game machines, and relates to a papers discriminating device for determining patterns and others printed on money tickets, boarding passes and others.
2. Description of the Invention
Discriminating devices are used to detect by means of optical sensors and magnetic sensors the colors and shades of each part of bills and money tickets and the presence of magnetic powder which is contained in bills when papers such as bills and money tickets are being transferred, and compare the detected data with a reference data pattern to judge the kind and genuineness of bills.
Such a process is designed to output the genuine note signal for a type of papers such as bills or money tickets according to the reference data pattern only when all the values of data sampled at respective positions are within a permissible range of the reference data pattern. To remove an imitation note without fail, a permissible range is required to be narrowed, but if it is excessively narrowed, a genuine note might be misjudged as an imitation note due to dirt and wrinkles of paper when detection is optically made, uneven shades of printed colors, a shear in printing, or a positional error of paper when crossing by an optical sensor. Therefore, evaluation and judgment are required to be made based on the distribution of patterns containing all dispersion.
Consequently, there is a disadvantage that imitation papers which are made by pasting parts of genuine papers on other papers or a piece of paper cannot be judged correctly.

Paper discriminating device including peak counting and analysis


An electrode structure for use on an integrated circuit, and a method for forming the same. The electrode structure is formed by depositing a polysilicon layer on a dielectric layer. The polysilicon layer is then annealed until a plurality of non-contiguous polysilicon clusters are formed. Each of the non-contiguous polysilicon clusters has a base end and a top end. The base ends of the non-contiguous clusters are preferably separated by a spacing (S). Following the annealing step, the non-contiguous polysilicon clusters are connected electrically by depositing a conductive layer having a thickness (T) over the annealed polysilicon layer. The spacing (S) is preferably greater than twice the thickness (T).

The miniaturization of electrical components and their integration on a single piece of semiconductor material has been the catalyst for a world wide information revolution. As integrated circuit technology has progressed, it has been possible to store increasing amounts of digital data in a smaller space at less expense and still access the data randomly, quickly and reliably. Central to this increased ability to store and retrieve data has been the dynamic random access memory, or DRAM, fabricated as an integrated circuit.
In the case of mass produced DRAMs, the cost per bit of memory has historically decreased as the number of bits which can be reliably stored on each integrated circuit has increased. Thus, it is advantageous to pack as many bit-storing memory cells as possible on each square unit of planar surface area available on a semiconductor integrated circuit.
DRAMs are formed of a large number of storage nodes which require transistors and capacitors in order to store information. The state of the art of fabricating the storage nodes of DRAM circuits has progressed to the point where the transistors of the nodes can be made much smaller than the capacitors.
In order to function properly within the nodes, the capacitors must possess a minimum amount of capacitance. If a capacitor exhibits too little capacitance, it loses the charge placed upon it too rapidly, causing errors in data storage. Thus, it is essential that the electrodes of storage node capacitors be large enough to retain an adequate charge in spite of parasitic capacitances and noise that may be present during circuit operation. Generally, it is desirable that each memory cell capacitor have as much capacitance as possible, but at least 20.times.10.sup.-15 farads, and preferably more than 60.times.10.sup.-15 farads of charge storage capacity.
The capacitance value, C, of a capacitor is dependent upon the dielectric constant, .epsilon., of the material placed between the electrodes of the capacitor, the distance, d, between the electrodes, and the effective surface area, A, of the electrodes. The relationship may be expressed C=A.epsilon./d. In many cases the material used as the dielectric between the electrodes of the capacitor is limited to only a few possibilities. Also, the minimum distance between the capacitor electrodes is generally limited to a particular value in order for the number of fabrication defects to be kept to an acceptably low value. Thus, the parameter which can most easily be varied to obtain increased storage capacity in DRAM capacitors is the surface area of the capacitor electrodes.
Therefore, it is a goal of DRAM designers to increase the surface area of capacitor electrodes as much as possible. It is also a goal to reduce the planar area occupied by each capacitor to a minimum so that as many memory cells as possible can be packed onto a single integrated circuit. Various three dimensional structures have been proposed and adopted in the art of DRAM fabrication to maintain the value of capacitors at a high level while keeping the planar area, or footprint, allocated to the capacitor at a minimum
Among the proposed methods for maintaining cell capacitance while decreasing the planar area devoted to the cell capacitor is a "trench transistor cell," such as that described in Lu, "Advanced Structures for Dynamic RAMs", IEEE Circuits and Devices Magazine, pp. 27-35, (January 1989). In the trench transistor cell of the Lu paper, the capacitor cell is a vertical structure with an access transistor which is also vertical. The access transistor is placed above the cell capacitor. The described trench cell provides greater capacitor electrode area in a small planar area when compared to many planar capacitor structures. However, it provides only a modest increase in charge storage capacity, as well as additional difficulties during fabrication.
It is well known in the art that the storage capacitance of a node capacitor can be enhanced without increasing either the area required for the cell or the storage electrode height by "roughening" the silicon used to form a storage node electrode. In this method, a relatively flat silicon layer is subjected to surface migration and grain growth until the silicon layer forms into rounded clusters. An increase in capacitance results because the surface area of the rounded silicon clusters is greater than that of a relatively flat silicon layer. In this method (illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2), one plate of the capacitor may be formed by initially depositing an amorphous silicon layer 20 on a dielectric layer 10. Next, the structure shown in FIG. 1 may be patterned and cleaned, and then subjected to an annealing process during which surface migration and grain growth of the amorphous silicon layer occurs. The surface migration and grain growth that occurs during the annealing step results in the formation of connected clusters 20a in the polysilicon layer 20, as shown in FIG. 2. The clustering shown in FIG. 2 serves to increase the surface area of the capacitor plate (thereby increasing the capacitance of the cell), while maintaining as constant the planar area devoted to the cell.
As an improvement to the process shown in FIG. 2, it would be desirable to further increase the surface area of the capacitor plate by annealing the polysilicon layer 20 until the clusters 20a grow to a size larger than that shown in FIG. 2. Unfortunately, such further annealing of the polysilicon layer 20 results in polysilicon clusters 20b that grow to a point at which they are no longer connected to each other (shown in FIG. 3). Once the polysilicon clusters 20b separate from each other, the polysilicon layer 20 no longer represents a single electrode and therefore has little utility as a capacitor plate.

Method for making polysilicon electrode with increased surface area making same


A pump for transferring particulate material from a source to a remote location, including a particulate chamber having open ends, check valves at the open ends, a vacuum source connected to the chamber adjacent one end, a gas source at the opposed end of the chamber and a control which alternatively connects the vacuum to the chamber to draw particulate material from the source to the chamber and connecting the gas under pressure to drive the particulate material to the remote location. In a preferred embodiment, the chamber has a cylindrical inner diameter and the source of vacuum is a venturi pump connected to a pinch valve permitting overflow of particulate material through the pinch valve and venturi pump, which is returned to the source. In one embodiment, the pinch valve surrounds an open end of the chamber permitting overflow while avoiding agglomeration of the particulate material.

In many applications, it is necessary to transfer particulate material from one location to another. For example, when applying particulate paint, commonly referred to as powder paint, in mass production applications, it is necessary to move the powder paint from a hopper in the powder paint storage room to the paint application area, wherein it is typically received in a feed hopper adjacent to the paint applicators.
In existing automotive powder paint application systems, the powder paint is transferred by a vacuum receiver system as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,958. As disclosed in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,958, the powder paint transfer system includes a transport pipe, a receiver and a vacuum source which transfers the powder paint from a source, such as a storage hopper, to the application area. The receiver is a chamber or powder receiver coupled to a feed hopper. The vacuum source is connected to the receiver to withdraw air, substantially free from powder paint. The transport pipe is connected between the source of powder or particulate paint and the receiver to deliver a mixture of air and powder paint when the vacuum source is activated. The air/powder mixture enters the receiver and the powder paint is separated and collected, usually by a membrane filter. The air flows to the vacuum source and the collected powder is continuously or periodically discharged into the feed hopper. A gas-type sealing valve is required between the feed hopper and the receiver to avoid having gas flow from the feed hopper to the receiver. If the sealing valve is not included, this flow may impede the flow of powder paint from the receiver to the feed hopper or may prevent sufficient vacuum from being generated in the feed hopper to transport the powder from the source. There are several problems associated with the utilization of a vacuum to transfer particulate material, including powder paint, through a hose or line as disclosed in this patent. First, a vacuum is insufficient to transfer particulate material over long distances. The vacuum system disclosed in this patent is generally limited to about 100 feet. Further, the hose or line which conveys the powder paint must have a diameter of at least about two inches. Further, the powder paint is not conveyed in a dense phase and this system requires a receiver having a sealing valve, as described above.
Thus, it would be desirable to convey particulate material, particularly including powder paint, in a dense phase using a smaller delivery line over greater distances up to about 350 feet or greater. Further, it would be desirable to reduce the cost of the delivery system and eliminate the requirement for a receiver having a sealing valve system as described above. Reference is also made to U.S. Publication application 2001/0003568 A1 which discloses an apparatus for pneumatically conveying powder substances in a pipe system, wherein a volume is of powder is sucked in with reduced pressure and discharged with increased pressure. This apparatus includes a plurality of relatively small metering chambers (between 0.5 and 100 mm) and a metering pump which conveys the powder products in a metered continuously pulsating fashion. However, it is believed that the apparatus disclosed in this patent publication would not be suitable for powder paint and is relatively complex.
The pump for transferring particulate material of this invention is simple, yet rugged in construction and is particularly suitable for transferring powder paint which typically has a size range between 1 and 3 ∘ m or generally in the range of 15 to 25 μm. The powder pump of this invention further transports the particulate material in a dense phase, eliminating the requirement for a receiver having a filtration system as described above and may be utilized to transfer particulate material at least 350 feet or greater.

Pump for transferring particulate material


A display module with heat dissipation structure and a handheld device thereof. The display module includes a touch panel, a display panel and a vapor chamber. One face of the display panel is correspondingly attached to the touch panel, while the other face of the display panel is correspondingly attached to the vapor chamber. The vapor chamber serves to support the touch panel and the display panel. Moreover, the vapor chamber serves to absorb the heat generated by the electronic component and quickly and uniformly spread the heat to dissipate the heat to achieve a heat spreading effect.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a display module with heat dissipation structure and a handheld device thereof. The display module has a vapor chamber to replace the back frame of the conventional display module. The vapor chamber can absorb the heat generated by electronic components and quickly and uniformly spread the heat to dissipate the heat.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, there are various mobile devices such as tablets and intelligent mobile phones. The internal calculation execution units of the mobile devices have higher and higher operation speed. As a result, the heat generated by these units is greatly increased. In consideration of convenient carriage, these mobile devices have become thinner and thinner. With an intelligent mobile phone taken as an example, the conventional intelligent mobile phone includes a display module, a circuit board, a battery and a frame body. The display module, the circuit board and the battery are sequentially mounted in the frame body. Multiple electronic components (such as central processing unit (CPU), graphic processing unit (GPU), memories and other IC chips) are arranged on the circuit board. The display module is composed of a touch display module and a back frame. The back frame is simply used to receive the touch display module.
When the above electronic components (such as the CPU and the GPU) and the display module generate heat, it often takes place that the heat cannot be uniformly dissipated in time. As a result, the heat will continuously accumulate inside and around the electronic components themselves. This will lead to deterioration of the execution efficiency of the electronic components in the handheld device or even cause failure of the handheld device. Moreover, when a user holds the handheld device to use the same, the skin of the user's hand will contact and attach to outer surface of the frame body. At this time, in the case that the heat continuously locally accumulates inside and around the electronic components themselves and is not quickly and uniformly dissipated, the user's hand will feel uncomfortable due to the heat.

Display module with heat dissipation structure and handheld device thereof


A printed wiring board includes an uppermost insulating layer, first pads positioned to mount an IC chip on the insulating layer, second pads positioned to mount a second printed wiring board on the insulating layer, metal posts formed on the second pads, respectively, such that the metal posts mount the second board over the chip, and a solder resist layer formed on the uppermost insulating layer and having first and second openings such that the first openings exposes the first pads and that the second openings exposes the second pads, respectively. The metal posts are formed such that each of the metal posts has a diameter which is smaller than a diameter of each of the second opening portions, and the second opening portions are formed such that the diameter of each of the second opening portions is smaller than a diameter of each of the second pads.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printed wiring board having a metal post for mounting another printed wiring board (upper substrate), and a method for manufacturing the printed wiring board.
Description of Background Art
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-8228 describes a method for forming a metal post on a pad of a printed wiring board. The entire contents of this publication are incorporated herein by reference.

Printed wiring board, method for manufacturing printed wiring board, and package-on-package


An improved laparoscopic technique for treating female urinary incontinence and devices for use therein. These devices include an urethral sound, a stapling device, and a staple saw. The sound is substantially L-shaped having a handle at one end and a probe tip at the opposite end. The probe tip has a plurality of beads protruding therefrom which are observable through the wail of the bladder enabling the junction between the lower border of the bladder and urethra to be located. The stapling device attaches the pelvic floor to the pubic bone. The stapling device comprises of a handle, a stapling head, and an elongated member extending therebetween. The stapling head is pivotally attached to the elongated member. A push rod advances a pair of target pins to anchor the pelvic floor to the pubic bone. A small trigger loads staples into a discharge chamber. A large trigger discharges staples from the stapling head into the pelvic floor and pubic bone. The travel of the staple is limited by a stop plate which prevents the staple from being driven through the pelvic floor. In the event the staple is incorrectly discharged, the staple saw is provided for severing the staples and prying the severed staples apart releasing the pelvic floor therefrom. The staple saw is comprised of a handle, a hook for grappling the staple, and an elongated member extending therebetween. A trigger advances a saw blade. A crank manually drives the saw blade.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for use in the treatment of female urinary incontinence and a method of treating female urinary incontinence by lifting the pelvic floor to create a steeper posterior angle between the urethra and the bladder.
2. Description of the Prior Art
To treat female urinary incontinence the pelvic floor is lifted to create a steeper posterior angle between the urethra and bladder. To do this, a surgical technique is used to suspend the pelvic floor from the pubic bone by a suture sling. This surgery is conventionally accomplished by making an incision in the lower abdomen of the patient right above the pubic bone and by approaching the pelvic floor and bladder through the pre vesical space, outside the abdominal cavity. The pelvic floor is sutured to the pubic bone or hung with a suture to the top of the pubic arch.
With the laparoscopic technique; we are able to do the same surgery with staples without having to make traditional open surgical abdominal incisions. This not only reduces the amount of pain experienced by the patient and the length of her hospital stay, it also allows the patient to return to work and other activities much sooner than presently known techniques. The devices used in the laparoscopic technique include an urethral sound, a stapling device, and a staple saw.
One commonly known urethral sound used in urological surgical procedures is, for example, the Van Buren urethra sound manufactured by Dittmar Penn Corporation of the United States. This is an elongated, substantially circumferential, stainless steel sound having a curved end and located opposite the curved end, a flattened end. The curved end is representative of a probe tip and the flattened end is representative of a handle to assist in the manipulation of the urethral sound. Unlike the present invention to be described hereinafter, the Van Buren urethral sound has a smooth surface as opposed to having beads protruding therefrom.
Stapling devices used for suturing are well known in the art. One such stapling device is shown, for example, in Yaroslav P. Kulik U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,137 issued Nov. 15, 1988. Kulik discloses a surgical suturing instrument comprising a handle and a staple jaw extending therefrom. Kulik describes a supporting jaw hingedly attached to the staple jaw permitting the jaw to pivot 180 degrees. The supporting jaw may extend axially or may pivot to a position parallel and juxtaposed to the staple jaw. An alternative stapling device is shown in Odis L. Avant et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,977 issued Oct. 17, 1989. Avant et al. describes a stapling method and apparatus for vesicle-urethral re-anastomosis. The apparatus includes a tubular urethral sound having an inflatable anvil connected thereto. A second implement comprises a connector engagable with the urethral sound. The second implement includes a circular blade for severing a circular opening to allow flow between the bladder and the urethra. A catheter is attached to the anvil and upon the removal of the second implement is closed by a conventional surgical procedure. The anvil upon deflation is withdrawn through the urethra to position the catheter to drain the bladder during the healing of the anastomosis. David T. Green et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,715 issued Aug. 20, 1991 teaches of an apparatus and method of placing staples in laparoscopic and endoscopic procedures. The apparatus places staples and makes incisions. When used in endoscopic procedures, the apparatus includes an anvil member which is mounted to the distal end of an elongated housing. A tubular collar disposed around the arm of the anvil member is movable to bias the anvil member and cartridge assembly into cooperative alignment, thereby clamping the body tissue to be fastened therebetween. Robert G. Oddsen et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,553 issued June 30, 1992 discloses yet another a surgical suturing instrument and method. The surgical instrument staples a hernial opening in internal body tissue. The instrument comprises an elongated staple cartridge rotatably mounted to an elongated frame and an elongated staple forming plate movably mounted to the frame for ejecting a staple from the cartridge into the body tissues and for deforming the staple from an open position to a closed position. This enables the staple to hold together two pieces of body tissue. The instrument further includes a rotator assembly operatively connected to the cartridge for rotating the cartridge.
Surgical staples used in conjunction with stapling devices are also well known in the prior art. One such staple is shown in Clyde R. Pratt et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,454,875 issued Jun. 19, 1984. Pratt et al shows an osteal medical staple having a cross-bar portion defining gripping surfaces and depending leg portions flaring outwardly a predetermined amount, ensuring that a discrete, constant flaring is obtained once the staple is implanted in the bone. Loosening or reversal of the staple is eliminated by the triangular cross-section of the leg portions. Securing spikes on the under surface of the cross-bar portion are for attaching the soft tissue to the bone. Clyde R. Pratt et al. U.S. Design Pat. No. 281,814 issued Dec. 17, 1985 illustrates a osteal medical staple similar to that shown and described in the above referenced Pratt et al. patent. An alternative surgical staple is shown in Lanny L. Johnson U.S. Design Pat. No. 284,509 issued Jul. 1, 1986. Johnson shows a surgical staple having a cylindrical head and two semi-cylindrical legs. The head includes a centrally disposed threaded bore. The legs flare outwardly.
Also well known in the art are surgical saws. E. J. Greenfield U.S. Pat. No. 1,179,910 issued Apr. 18, 1916 shows, for example, a gear driven surgical saw which is manually driven through wrenching an axially aligned handle. British Patent 218,942 published Jul. 17, 1924 for Allen et al. also shows a gear driven surgical saw. Allen et al., however, teaches of a saw which is manually driven through the rotation of a radially offset wing shaped handle. Another surgical saw is shown in Mitchel Langworthy U.S. Pat. No. 1,417,669 issued May 30, 1922. Langworthy describes a surgical saw which is gear driven by an electric motor.
Other patents which may be of general interest include British Patent No. 1,044,633 published Oct. 5, 1966 for Alexander Ivanovich Boorlakov et al., Herbert W. Korthoff et al. U.S. Design Pat. No. 286,442 issued Oct. 28, 1986, Robert L. Conta et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,343 issued Aug. 19, 1986, Joseph J. Berke, U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,598 issued Dec. 19, 1989, and Ray M. St. Marie U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,307 issued Dec. 25, 1990.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.

Method and apparatus for treating female urinary incontinence