A liquid accommodating container in which a fiber member and a liquid are accommodated has a fiber ratio of the fiber member is 5% or more to 30% or less, a fiber diameter of the fiber member is 10 μm or more to 50 μm or less, a volume average particle diameter (D50) of a pigment included in the liquid satisfies a condition of 50 nm<D50<150 nm, and a maximum particle diameter is 200 nm or less.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a liquid accommodating container.
2. Related Art
In the related art, a fiber absorber configured by fusing a sheath material at an intersection part of an aggregation of a double structure fiber material configured from a core material and a sheath material is known (for example, JP-A-2009-279872). For example, inks that include a surfactant with an HLB value obtained by the Griffin method of 11 or more to 18 or less and a monovalent alcohol with 8 to 12 carbon atoms is known (for example, refer to JP-A-2010-37460).
However, in cases where a fiber material with an appropriate configuration and an ink with an appropriate configuration are not combined, there is a problem were the pigment precipitates in a liquid accommodating container including a pigment ink that includes a fiber material and a pigment, thereby lowering the image quality.


A fuel injection system (10) for a multiple-cylinder engine includes a single solenoid-operated fuel metering valve (12) connected through fuel lines (50) to a plurality of fuel injection nozzles (52). The fuel metering valve (12) has a solenoid-operated movable valve member (14) that opens and closes a single discharge opening (26) having a first metering orifice (58). Each injection nozzle (52) has an equally calibrated second metering orifice (90) that serves to distribute the fuel metered by the first orifice evenly over all of the fuel injection nozzles. Preferred forms of the fuel injection nozzle is also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel injection system for a spark-ignited, multiple-cylinder, internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Fuel injection systems having solenoid-operated injection valves controlled by electronic engine control units have been widely used because of their capability of forming a combustible mixture having a desired air-to-fuel ratio in response to varying engine parameters such as engine speed and power demands.
Typically, the conventional fuel injection systems for multiple-cylinder engines may be grouped into two categories; a single-point injection system and a multiple-point injection system, also known as a throttle body injection system and a port injection system.
The single-point injection system includes one or more solenoid-operated injection valves that spray metered fuel into the flow of intake air flowing through the throttle body, the combustible charge thus formed being distributed through an intake manifold to respective engine cylinders. The problem of the single-point injection system is the difficulty in distributing the same amount of fuel into each cylinder.
This problem is solved by the multiple-point injection system wherein each intake port is provided with an injection valve to ensure that the same amount of fuel is injected in each intake port. However, the multiple-point injection system is complicated in structure and is therefore costly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,773 to Stettner et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,845 to Avdenko et al. disclose a simplified form of electronically controlled fuel injection system for a multiple-cylinder engine. The system includes a single injector or solenoid valve that meters fuel to a plurality of fuel lines each of which is connected to a fuel injection nozzle arranged in each intake port. The solenoid valve includes a movable valve member that cooperates with a valve seat to open and close a plurality of calibrated metering orifices formed on the valve seat, the metering orifices being in communication with respective fuel lines.
The advantage of the simplified fuel injection system referred-to above is that it is cost effective and is yet free from the problem of uneven fuel distribution inherent in the single-point injection system.
However, the problem of the simplified form of the fuel injection system is that it is difficult to meter fuel with a high degree of accuracy because the degree of opening of the metering orifices as the valve member is lifted away from the valve seat may fluctuate from orifice to orifice. To avoid this, the valve seat must be machined with a high precision so as to present a surface of a high flatness and the metering orifices must be calibrated with a high accuracy.
Another disadvantage is that a substantial pressure drop is developed across the metering orifices because each orifice is calibrated small enough to correspond to the flow rate through the individual injection nozzle. As a result, the differential pressure applied across the injection nozzles is limited. This entails a severe control of the opening pressure of the injection nozzles whereby a substantial time and labor are required for assembly, inspection and adjustment of the injection nozzles.


System and method for enabling the low power detection of a transmitted sequence. A preferred embodiment comprises the replacement of a portion of a preamble (after the application of any needed scrambling) with an expected sequence field (such as the expected sequence field 410). The expected sequence field may contain a sequence of values known at a receiver or a periodic sequence. The addition of the expected sequence field does not affect the length of the preamble and is compatible with existing receivers. The detection of the expected sequence field may be performed with analog circuitry, allowing receivers to place digital circuitry to sleep and reduce power

In an asynchronous wireless digital communications system, a preamble can be placed at the beginning of a transmission to help a receiver detect the presence of the transmission and to train receive circuitry to help optimize the reception of the transmission. The preamble may contain a specified sequence of information or values of certain length. The preamble may contain actual usable information that can provide information about the transmission. Alternatively, the preamble may contain no information regarding the transmission other than to inform the receiver of the presence of the transmission.
At a receiver, the receiver must be able to detect the presence of the preamble on the transmission medium (air for example) in order to train its receive circuitry and prepare to receive the remainder of the transmission. Since the communications system is asynchronous, the receiver does not know when the preamble will appear on the transmission medium. Therefore, the receiver may have to regularly check the transmission medium for the presence of the preamble. Once the receiver detects the presence of the preamble, the receiver can use the preamble to train its receive hardware and then prepare to receive the actual information carried in the transmission.
For example, in IEEE 802.11b compliant digital wireless communications systems, there can be two preambles differing from one another in length. A short preamble can start with a 56-bit sequence of values while a long preamble can start with a 128-bit sequence of values. Each bit can be scrambled by a scrambler which places a measure of randomness to the transmission. Note that for actual transmission purposes, these scrambled bits can be modulated (spread) with a spreading code. Therefore, when transmitted, each bit in the preamble can be represented by more than one value. According to the IEEE 802.11 technical standards, each bit in the preamble can be modulated by a pseudo-random number sequence commonly referred to as a Barker sequence. For example, an 11-value Barker sequence (B0=+1−1+1+1−1+1+1+1−1−1−1 or B1=−1+1−1−1+1−1−1−1+1+1+1) can be used to modulate the bits of the preamble, depending upon the value of the bit. In IEEE 802.11g compliant digital wireless communications systems there can be three preambles, one at each length as described above and a third for a different modulation type (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM)).
However, detecting pseudo-random data sequences can be difficult, especially when the sequence being detected may be a random pattern of pseudo-random sequences (such as the Barker sequences) and may require the use of a significant amount of digital signal processing. For example, in an IEEE 802.11b compliant communications system, the scrambling effectively forces a receiver to detect an unknown pattern of Barker sequences (B0's and B1's). This signal processing can increase power consumption in the receiver, which can be a problem especially if the receiver is a battery powered device. A commonly used solution that has been used in the past to help in the detection of transmissions or to denote a special operating mode is the addition of a data field in the transmission. To assist in the detection of a transmission, the data field may contain an easy to detect sequence, while to denote a special operating mode, the data field may contain a specific value.
One disadvantage of the prior art is that the use of a pseudo-random initial state in a scrambler to scramble the bits in a preamble is that to a receiver, the transmitted preamble can appear to be noise on the transmission medium. Therefore, to be able to detect the preamble, the receiver may need to perform a significant amount of digital signal processing in order to differentiate between noise and a preamble. The need to perform digital signal processing in order to detect the preamble can imply that the receiver can not place its digital circuitry to sleep in order to reduce power consumption.
A second disadvantage of the prior art is that the use of an additional data field in a transmission can result in the inability of receivers which are adherent to a specific technical standard to understand the transmission. This may be a problem since it can be difficult to market a communications system that is incompatible (and hence, unusable) with a widely accepted technical standard.
A third disadvantage of the prior art is that the use of an additional data field may not be able to assist in simplifying the detection of the transmission if the additional data field is itself scrambled. If the additional data field is scrambled, then it could also appear as noise to a receiver.

Enhanced preamble to enable low power detection


Provided is an on-vehicle control apparatus capable of automatically initializing control variables in a backup RAM only in rewriting a control program in the market. The on-vehicle control apparatus includes a CPU for controlling an on-vehicle device according to a control program, a non-volatile ROM for storing the control program therein, a backup RAM for storing control variables therein, a backup power supply circuit for supplying power to the backup RAM, a boot program for rewriting the control program, an address changeover circuit for making a changeover in execution address, and a memory rewrite unit. The memory rewrite unit outputs a rewrite signal, a command signal group including a command for activating the boot program, and an erasure command signal for erasing a diagnostic code. The control program initializes the control variables in the backup RAM in response to the erasure command signal when being activated after having been rewritten.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an on-vehicle control apparatus constructed of an electronic control unit (ECU) for controlling, for example, an engine and an on-vehicle power train including a transmission.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an on-vehicle control apparatus includes a CPU, a non-volatile memory, a backup RAM, a backup power supply circuit, a boot program, an address changeover circuit, a memory rewrite unit, and a backup power supply off-state determining circuit.
The CPU controls an on-vehicle device based on a control program using various control variables. The non-volatile memory, which is rewritable, stores a control program therein. The backup RAM stores the control variables therein. The backup power supply circuit is connected to a battery to supply power to the backup RAM. The boot program causes the CPU to rewrite the control program.
The address changeover circuit loads the boot program into an execution address of the CPU in rewriting the control program. The memory rewrite unit outputs a rewrite signal for causing the address changeover circuit to operate and a command signal for activating the boot program. The backup power supply off-state determining circuit usually holds a state of determining that the backup power supply circuit is on, and is fixed to a state of determining that the backup power supply circuit is off when it is turned off even once.
To check consistency of the control variables stored in the backup RAM, the control program compares a criterial value in the non-volatile memory with a predetermined value in the backup RAM when being activated.
When it is determined that the predetermined value in the backup RAM does not coincide with the criterial value in the non-volatile memory, the control program determines that the battery has been shut off, and initializes the control variables in the backup RAM.
In a case where the boot program has been used to rewrite the control program in the non-volatile memory, the control program compares the criterial value in the non-volatile memory with the predetermined value in the backup RAM in the same manner as described above when being activated after having been rewritten.
However, in a case where the resolution and the like of the control variables in the backup RAM are changed between the control program to be rewritten and the control program that has been rewritten, the CPU executes the changed control program using the control variables (last values) in the backup RAM. This may lead to, for example, an erroneous control of the engine.
Accordingly, when the control program in the non-volatile memory has been changed, the control variables in the backup RAM need to be initialized to values corresponding to a new control program in order to avoid an inconvenience resulting from an incompatibility between the changed control program and the control variables (last values) in the backup RAM.
Therefore, there has been proposed a method in which the battery is temporarily disconnected from the on-vehicle control apparatus to shut off the supply of power to the backup power supply circuit in rewriting the control program in the non-volatile memory, and the control variables in the backup RAM are initialized based on information from the backup power supply off-state determining circuit when the control program is activated after having been rewritten.
However, if the battery is disconnected every time the control program is rewritten, information stored in various kinds of other devices sharing the backup power supply circuit is also cleared.
Thus, backup RAMs in those devices need to be initialized again, which causes an increase in the number of rewrite processes and may lead to a rise in cost.
Also, a failure of initializing the backup RAM may arise if the backup power supply circuit has not been shut off, or a rise in cost may result from an increase in the number of processes of disconnection and connection.
Therefore, in such a conventional on-vehicle control apparatus as disclosed in, for example, JP 9-288573 A, an initialization flag set by the boot program is provided on the backup RAM in rewriting the control program in the non-volatile memory, and the control program initializes the control variables in the backup RAM in response to a set state of the initialization flag when being activated after having been rewritten.
In the conventional on-vehicle control apparatus, the control variables in the backup RAM are initialized in response to the set state of the initialization flag set by the boot program. However, the boot program usually remains unchanged throughout a development stage and a mass production stage. Therefore, the control variables in the backup RAM are also initialized in rewriting the control program in the development stage.
Thus, a learning process for an idle state and other such process need to be carried out every time the control program is rewritten, which causes a problem in that an efficiency of development is prevented from being enhanced.


A fixing device includes a pressure thermister for detecting temperature of a pressure roller. The fixing device also includes a thermal coating member on the opposite side of the pressure roller with respect to the pressure thermister. The thermal coating member has a thermal conductivity of 10W/m·K or more. The heat from the pressure roller is easily transferred to the thermal coating member because of the high thermal conductivity, so that the thermal coating member becomes warm quickly. This increases a temperature rise rate in the pressure thermister and therefore reduces time taken for warm-up of the fixing device.

The present invention relates to a fixing device for use in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses such as copying machines, laser printers and facsimile, and an image forming apparatus using the fixing device.
Conventional fixing devices include those detecting temperature on the surface of a heating roller by a noncontact temperature sensor (see JP 06-19367 A). Generally, the temperature sensor is covered with a cover material made of resin and located on an opposite side of the heating roller for protection of the sensor.
In the conventional fixing device, however, since the cover member made of resin is low in thermal conductivity and heat reflectivity, it is hard to conduct heat from the heating roller to the cover member. This makes it difficult to warm up the cover member, and therefore, to transfer the heat from the heating roller to the temperature sensor via the cover member. Thus, the temperature rise slows down in the temperature sensor. Moreover, the degree of heat reflection of the cover member is low. Therefore, it is difficult for the cover member to reflect radiant heat coming from the heating roller, and the radiant heat is not effectively conducted to the temperature sensor.
Thus, the temperature sensor has poor response to the temperature rise on the surface of the heating roller. This makes it impossible to reduce time taken for an operation which increases the temperature on the surface of the heating roller to a fixable temperature (hereinbelow referred to as warm-up).
More particularly, if the warm-up time is reduced and the temperature of the heating roller rises in a short period of time, then the heating roller suffers, for example, excessive temperature rise. This is because the temperature sensor is unable to detect the temperature of the heating roller with immediate response. When the temperature excessively rises in the heating roller, it becomes impossible to guarantee fixing quality of the recording member, durability of the heating roller and safety of the heating roller in terms of ignition prevention.

Fixing device with temperature detector and image forming apparatus

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


An integrated circuit memory is disclosed which has its primary memory array arranged into blocks and which has redundant columns, each of which can replace a column in any one of the blocks. The redundant columns are selected by way of a redundant column decoder associated with each column, each of which includes a set of address fuses into which an address is programmed, responsive to which its associated redundant column is to be selected. A plurality of redundant sense amplifiers are each associated with selected redundant columns, and are each controlled to begin the sense operation prior to propagation of the address signal through the redundant column decoders and summing circuitry. In the event that the received memory address does not match any of the programmed values in the redundant column decoders associated with a redundant sense amplifier, the sense operation is terminated. In this way, the sense operation is not delayed by the additional delay required for redundant decoding and propagation of the redundant address signals, and thus the access time penalty for accessing a redundant memory cell is much reduced or eliminated. The coupling of each redundant sense amplifier is controlled by a redundant multiplexer associated with each of the input/output terminals. Each redundant multiplexer receives the redundant column select signals from each associated redundant column decoder, and includes fuses which indicate if its input/output terminal is to be placed in communication with its associated sense amplifier upon selection of a redundant column.

Modern memory integrated circuits, particularly read/write circuits such as static random access memories (SRAMS) and dynamic random access memories (DRAMs), are becoming quite large in physical size and in the density of memory locations therein. For example, SRAMs with 2.sup.20 addressable locations and DRAMs with 2.sup.22 addressable locations are now readily available. Even with submicron feature sizes, the physical size of the integrated circuit chip containing such memories can be as large as on the order of 180 kmil.sup.2. In addition, many complex microprocessors now include significant amounts of on-chip memory, such as 64 kbytes or more of read-only memory and 64 kbytes or more of random access memory. The physical chip size of some of these modern microprocessors may be as large as on the order of 250 kmil.sup.2.
It is well known that as the minimum feature size in integrated circuit chips becomes smaller, the size of defect that can cause a failure (i.e., the size of a "killing" defect) also shrinks. As a result, especially with large chip sizes, it is more difficult to achieve adequate manufacturing yield as the size of a killing defect reduces. In order to reduce the vulnerability of a relatively large integrated circuit chip to a single small defect, modern integrated circuits utilize spare rows and columns that can be used to replace defective rows and columns, respectively, in the memory portion of the circuit. Substitution of one of the spare rows or columns is conventionally accomplished by the opening of fuses (or closing of antifuses, as the case may be) in decoder circuitry, so that access is made to the spare row or column upon receipt of the address for the defective row or column in the primary memory array. Conventional fuses include polysilicon fuses which can be opened by a laser beam, and also avalanche-type fuses and antifuses.
Examples of memory devices incorporating conventional redundancy schemes are described in Hardee, et al., "A Fault-Tolerant 30 ns/375 mW 16K.times.1 NMOS Static RAM", J. Solid State Circuits, Vol. SC-16, No. 5 (IEEE, 1981), pp. 435-43, and in Childs, et al., "An 18 ns 4K.times.4 CMOS SRAM", J. Solid State Circuits, Vol. SC-19, No. 5 (IEEE, 1984), pp. 545-51. An example of a conventional redundancy decoder is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,146, issued Feb. 25, 1986, assigned to SGS-Thomson Microelectronics, Inc., and incorporated herein by this reference.
In most memories containing redundant elements, however, the time required to access a redundant memory cell is longer than that required to access a memory cell in the primary array. Accordingly, the worst case access time for the memory is generally degraded by the enabling of redundant elements. It has been observed that a significant portion of the access time degradation is due to additional delays in the decoders associated with the redundant elements, which compare the received address value against the programmed address value to which the redundant element is to respond (i.e., the address of the replaced primary array element). Especially where the chip size of the memory is sufficiently large, significant delay is also present in the mere propagation of address signals to the redundant decoders.
Furthermore, conventional memories that assign multiple redundant columns are associated with a single redundant sense amplifier (and write circuit) generally perform a logic function on the output of the redundant decoders to determine if any one of the multiple redundant columns are being selected and, if so, enabling the sense amplifier (or write circuit, as the case may be) responsive to such selection. This logic function, for example a summing by way of a NAND, also presents propagation in the critical timing path for accessing a redundant memory cell.
As a result, the access time for a redundant memory cell is generally slower than that for a primary memory cell, in many memories. Of course, access time specifications must be met by the worst case access condition, making such memories having redundant memory cells enabled slower than a non-repaired memory. This loss in performance can have an economic effect on the manufacturer, as higher speed memories command a price premium in the market place.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a memory in which the access time push-out associated with the access of redundant memory cells is reduced or eliminated.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a memory in which the such improved accessibility of redundant memory cells without a significant power dissipation penalty.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having reference to the following specification together with the drawings.

Semiconductor memory with improved redundant sense amplifier control


Methods and Systems for Determining an Optimal Training Interval in a Communications System. A method is provided for determining an optimal training interval for a channel of a communications system. The method can include a step for receiving first channel estimations of a signal carried by a channel of a communications system, wherein the first channel estimations are generated by a first channel estimator. The communications system can include a normal mode for utilizing the channel to carry user data, a training mode for training the first channel estimator, and a failure mode for recovering channel communication after channel failure. The method can include a step for determining a time distribution of the channel transition from the normal mode to the failure mode, wherein channel failure occurs when error in the first channel estimations exceeds a first predetermined threshold. Further, the method can include a step for applying Markovian analysis to the time distribution of the channel transition to determine a first training interval such that channel utilization in the normal mode is maximized.

Broadband wireless communications systems have become an integral part of the global communications infrastructure with the rapid growth in popularity of wireless data services. There remains a need for developing new techniques for better channel utilization due to the limited bandwidth resources of wireless communications systems.
In wide-band digital communications systems, modulation pulses will spread and result in inter-symbol interference (ISI) when modulation bandwidth exceeds the coherence bandwidth of the radio channel. Typically, equalization algorithms are built into the receiver to compensate for channel amplitude and delay variations and combat ISI for reducing bit error rate (BER). Generally, the equalization algorithms can be categorized into training-based equalization and blind equalization.
Receivers utilizing training-based equalization algorithms typically include channel estimators having adaptive filters. Adaptive filters include coefficient parameters that can be adjusted, or trained, in dependence upon the characteristics of a received signal. The adjustment of the filter coefficient parameters is accomplished by transmitting a known training sequence of symbols to the receiver. The adjustment of the filter coefficient parameters is effected by comparing the received symbols to the known transmitted symbols, so as to minimize the differences between the received and transmitted symbols. This adjustment is termed equalization, because it has the effect of reducing, or equalizing, the effects of those environmental sources which caused the observed errors. After the adjustment, or training, of the receiver, the transmission of message symbols can commence. The underlying assumption in this scenario is that the environmental conditions which caused differences in the received training symbols, compared to the transmitted training symbols, would affect the subsequent received message symbols as well, and, therefore, an adjustment to the filters which minimized the errors in the received training symbols would also minimize errors in the received message symbols. Typically, training-based equalization is implemented periodically due to the time-varying nature of the wireless channel.
In blind equalization algorithms, training is not needed and higher bandwidth utilization may be achieved because the channel can be fully devoted to data packet transmission. Blind equalization is more complicated than periodic training equalization, and the performance of blind equalization suffers from a slower convergence rate. On the other hand, the bandwidth utilization of periodic training equalization is lower due to the requirement of training sequences. Additionally, a careless selection of training interval can result in either redundant training sequences when the channel varies relatively slowly, or excessive packet retransmissions when the channel varies relatively fast.
Some current training-based equalization algorithms include a scheme for determining intervals for initiating a training sequence. The basic idea of the scheme is that no training sequence is transmitted until the abrupt change detection algorithm detects changes in channel parameters that may cause an equalizer failure. In such case, the receiver requests the transmitter to transmit the training sequence to re-adjust the channel estimations at the receiver so as to recover from the failures. This scheme is known as condition-based training because the training decision is based on the channel conditions. However, this scheme is constrained by the complexity of implementation of the abrupt change detection algorithm and may be prone to performance degradation due to false and missed alarms.
Communications systems would benefit by having a scheme for determining a training decision including reduced algorithm complexity. Additionally, communications systems would benefit by having a training decision scheme that improves communication performance, specifically, channel utilization. Thus, it is desired to provide a training decision scheme having reduced complexity and improved channel utilization.

Methods and systems for determining an optimal training interval in a communications system


A self-aligning tap is used to produce correctly aligned new threads in an existing smooth bore hole. The design of the tap's shank, flutes, and cutting surfaces is that of commonly used existing taps. The flat end of the tap—the end that enters the existing bore hole—contains a threaded bore. A removable pilot that aligns the tap to the axis of the existing bore consists of a cylindrical body with a diameter slightly smaller than the existing bore hole, and a length no greater than the diameter of the major diameter of the tap. The upper end of the cylindrical pilot—the end that shoulders against the tap—comprises a threaded stem whose thread pitch matches that of the tap end's bore, and whose length is slightly less than the tap end bore's depth. Once the cylindrical pilot's stem is threaded into the tap end's bore and the resulting assembly is placed into the existing bore hole, it serves to align the tap so that its cutting teeth produce pilot threads which are accurately aligned to the existing bore hole's axis. Once the pilot threads have been produced by rotation of the tap, the tap may be removed from the existing bore hole, the pilot detached by unscrewing it, and the tap reinserted into the newly formed pilot threads. Further rotation of the tap completes the tapping operation of the existing bore hole to the desired depth.

The present invention generally relates to taps and threaded workpieces, and more particularly to producing correctly aligned threads in various metals, plastics, etc. within existing smooth bores. The parent application to the present application concerns self-tapping and self-aligning thread-replacement inserts.
When creating new threads in an existing smooth bore by means of a tap, it is obviously desirable that the new threads be correctly aligned to the axis of the bore hole. For example, if the tap enters the bore crookedly, it may bind or break, and, if it does not break but does produce crooked threads, then the crooked threads may cause misalignment of the threaded bore with the fastener and with the part secured by the fastener to the workpiece. The present invention addresses this alignment problem by modifying existing tap designs so that a pilot may be attached to and detached from the tap, to ensure that: 1) the tap enters the smooth bore straight; 2) the tap creates pilot threads accurately aligned to the smooth bore's axis; and 3) once the pilot threads have been created, that the pilot may be detached from the tap, and the tap reinserted into the newly formed pilot threads so that the smooth bore may be tapped fully through or to its bottom.
In machine shop and in industrial maintenance shop settings, the accurate tapping of holes is not normally problematic, in that power equipment such as mills and drill presses can be used to secure and position the workpiece, to properly align the tap to the workpiece by means of a chuck, collet, etc., and even to rotate the tap. However, in field settings, outside such well equipped shops, the tapping operation is usually done by hand, using a tap handle or similar device to rotate the tap. In such field settings, correct alignment of the tap to the smooth bore is often problematic. In order to start the tap straight and maintain its alignment, the operator normally relies on his eye alone, or sometimes uses assistants ("spotters") stationed to one or more sides of the workpiece to aid with the alignment of the tap. Known ways of increasing the chance that the tap's axis will match that of the smooth bore include: 1) hand-held tap guides, of a bushing-type design, which are positioned over the bore and held in place with one hand, while the operator's other hand, or an assistant, rotates the tap handle; 2) Bushing-type guides positioned over the bore hole and clamped or otherwise attached to the surface of the workpiece; 3) Taps with integral guides, whose integral guide is inserted into the bore hole to guide the tap, after which, especially when it is a blind hole that is being tapped, a second tap of the same thread pitch but without an integral guide is used to complete the tapping operation.
The disadvantages of the currently known tapping aids are: 1) Hand-held tap guides are only as accurate as the operator's skill, attentiveness, and site conditions allow. Larger diameter taps, which require high torque and larger tap handles to install, are unsuited to the use of hand-held tap guides. 2) Tap guide fixtures that attach to the workpiece are cumbersome to operate, are time-consuming to install, and are limited by space constraints and suitable attachment surfaces. 3) Both 1 and 2 above are ineffective on uneven or curved surfaces. 4) Taps with integral guides cannot create new threads all the way to the bottom of a "blind" hole, because the tap's pilot area bottoms the tap out before the tapping operation is complete, such that a second tap, without a guide, is needed to finish the job. A disadvantage of conventional (non-guided) taps is that, due to the difficulty of starting them straight, conventional taps are manufactured in three versions: a starter (taper) tap, an intermediate (plug) tap, and a finishing (bottoming) tap.
A need therefore exists, particularly under field conditions, for a tap which consistently aligns itself to the axis of the bore hole, regardless of the workpiece's shape or surface condition; which does so without the aid of any hand-held apparatus or apparatus attached to the workpiece and without the limitations of an integral-guide tap, and which eliminates the risks associated with measuring alignment "by eye."

Self-aligning thread tap and method of utilizing the same to tap existing bore holes


Foams suitable for such uses as landfill coverage, frost protection, volatile emission control, gas control in mining, are composed of a hydrolyzable protein and a pre-gelatinized cationic modified starch along with other ingredients. The foam concentrate can be made at ambient temperature, is stable over time, can be easily tailored to achieve a desired foam stiffness and drain time characteristic over wide ranges, and can be easily diluted at ambient temperature to produce a foamable composition.

The most common industrial aqueous foam applications use the produced foam as a barrier, often between a substrate and the surrounding atmosphere. The most widely known barrier application is fire fighting where a foam barrier separates a burning substrate from oxygen. This application is described in Perri, J. M., "Fire Fighting Foams", in Bikerman, J. J., "Foams: Theory and Industrial Applications," Reinhold Publishing Corporation, New York, N.Y., 1953. Although, in the case of a fire fighting foam, the heat generated by the fire destroys the applied foam, extinguishment occurs because the foam application overwhelms the burning substrate.
There are many other barrier foams which are not related to fire extinguishing. For example, various barrier foams are described in United States patents. Alm U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,903, Chao U.S. Pat. No. 5,696,174, DiMaio U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,095, Fisher U.S. Pat. No. 1,985,491, Johnston U.S. Pat. No. 4,127,383, Kent U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,590, Kittle U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,874,641, 5,096,616, 5,215,786 and 5,853,050, Kramer U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,421,788 and 4,519,338, Nachtman U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,556,033, 5,849,364, 5,897,946 and 6,096,373, Present U.S. Pat. No. 3,466,873, Stern U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,735, Thach U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,192, describe the use of foams for landfill coverage or volatile emissions applications. Butler U.S. Pat. No. 3,669,898, Cole U.S. Pat. No. 3,563,461, Lambou U.S. Pat. No. 3,891,571, Lightcap U.S. Pat. No. 7,022,651, Neumann U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,331, and Thiegs U.S. Pat. No. 2,875,555 describe the use of foams for frost protection. In these examples, foam barriers separate a solid or liquid substrate from the atmosphere, thereby inhibiting mass or heat transfer.
With the exception of fire fighting foams, which are partially consumed during application, in general, barrier foams need to exhibit persistence after they have been applied. In each of the application areas mentioned above, landfills, volatile emissions, and frost protection, the applied foam should remain essentially unchanged for a relatively long time interval, e.g., 10-12 hours, or overnight, in order to minimize application costs. To satisfy this performance parameter, the "drain time," which is usually expressed in terms of rate of drainage (% of sample per minute, rather that in terms of time), needs to be reduced, i.e., the drainage is slowed down, so that the amount of decomposition is only a small percentage of the total volume of the initially applied foam in the desired 10-12 hour interval. The general chemical approach used to reduce the drain time involves increasing the surface viscosity of the foam bubbles, in theory, but in practice, this is reduced to increasing the viscosity of the foamed material, most desirably, after the foaming operation has been completed.
There are three general methods to achieve this final viscosity result: (a) use a composition which crosslinks after foaming, as in the following United States patents: Alm U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,903, Chao U.S. Pat. No. 5,696,174, Kent U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,590, Kramer U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,421,788 and 4,519,338, Stern, or (2) use a composition which gels after foaming as in the following United States patents: DiMaio U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,095, Kittle U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,050, and Neumann U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,331, or (3) use a composition which provides a somewhat rigid and insoluble system after foaming, such as stearate salts, as in the following United States patents: Kittle U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,874,641, 5,096,616 and 5,215,786. It is notable that both the starch/gum systems and the stearate systems are similar in that both produce insoluble phases via the foaming process.
Another important application feature for many types of foam is "stiffness," which relates to the ability of the applied foam to be stacked or piled, or for the applied foam to resist cold flow, or leveling, or exhibit a high value for its angle of repose. As a common example, for reference, lightly whipped cream will exhibit a low angle of repose and little resistance to cold flow or leveling, while good quality aerosol shaving cream can be piled easily and remain in place for hours.
When the requirement of stiffness is added to the slow drain time requirement, the list of viable foaming systems becomes quite short. The implementation of two component systems, i.e., the foaming system plus the catalyst for cross linking or curing, is particularly difficult in many industrial applications. Consequently, the useful systems are generally reduced to hydrolyzed protein foaming systems, such as those described in DiMaio U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,095 and Kittle U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,050. Each of these foaming concentrates uses ferrous ion stabilized hydrolyzed protein (from hoof and horn meal), some processing aids (lignosulfonate), and an ingredient to slow down the drain time. DiMaio uses natural gums, while Kittle uses amylopectin starch. In each of these cases, an unwanted result is that the concentrates exhibit excessive viscosity (20000 +cps). The fact that the concentrates are gels leads to other processing and application difficulties. Additionally, the stabilizing iron salts contribute to instability in the concentrate, especially when natural gums are used.
During the development of the technology described in Kittle U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,050, the utilization of common corn starch as the drain time-slowing ingredient was identified and characterized. In fact, ordinary common corn starch could have been used in the production process as the final foam product, after proper dilution, was very suitable in all respects. Unfortunately, common corn starch, generally a mixture of amylose (linear starch) and amylopectin (branched starch), exhibits a characteristic called "retrogradation," which is essentially the precipitation or coagulation of poorly soluble linear dextrins present in starch solutions. Retrogradation is described in Whistler, R. L., Bemiller, J. N., and Paschall, E. F., "Starch: Chemistry and Technology," Second Edition, Academic Press, New York, N.Y., 1984. The precipitation problem causes a second phase to form in the concentrate, thereby degrading the performance, and rendering the formulation useless. This usually occurs within a week or two, and consequently the composition is not commercially viable. The remedy for this ever present retrogradation in common corn starch was to substitute, for common corn starch, a unique starch containing essentially 100% branched material (amylopectin). This is a starch obtained from waxy maize corn and it is commonly available from major starch producers.
Making the raw material substitution allowed retrogradation to be circumvented, and thereby made the product concept commercially realistic. Negative effects associated with the stability advantage include not only the previously noted "gel-like" consistency of the final concentrate, but, in addition, an extremely high viscosity during one step of the formulation production sequence. This process nuisance required special pumping equipment as well as considerable patience on the part of the operator. Needless to say, avoiding these problems would be very much worthwhile, and, in addition, would allow preparation, in general, of higher level concentrates, which is always beneficial.
When preparing compositions using amylopectin, as in Kittle U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,050), the process scheme required the use of hot water in the initial step. As the amylopectin was added to the formulation, its viscosity increased to more than 30000 cps. In order to finish the formulation, special progressive cavity pumps were required. By the time the final ingredients had been added, the viscosity was acceptable, although still very high. This processing limitation effectively restricted the available and usable final concentration.


The present invention provides a device and procedure for straightening and leveling of teeth anterior to the molar (chewing) teeth. The procedure utilizes a blocked tube having a channel and an extension and blocking wall. The extension extends from the blocked tube and is substantially parallel to the channel, and the blocking wall extends upward from an end of the extension and is substantially perpendicular to the extension. The blocking wall extends to a same height as the channel with respect to a bottom of the blocked tube. The procedure further uses conventional brackets and wires. The wires are ligated to the brackets and threaded through the channel of the blocked tubes. The wires are cut and contact the blocking wall of the blocked tube.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an orthodontic device and a procedure using the device for straightening teeth, and more particularly, an orthodontic device and a procedure for straightening teeth anterior to the molar teeth.
2. Background Description
Traditional orthodontic braces are designed to straighten and realign teeth in order to improve or correct "bite", as well as to correct the esthetic appearance of one's teeth. These traditional braces typically are applied to both front teeth (e.g., first and second bicuspids, cuspids and lateral and central incisors) and back teeth (e.g., molars and chewing teeth) and straighten one's teeth typically within 2-3 years. The use of traditional orthodontic braces is relatively expensive, and mostly used on children.
In order to maintain the beneficial effects of the orthodontic procedures, patients must wear "retainers" once the orthodontic braces are removed. However, many patients do not wear these retainers and their teeth thus shift and gradually lose their alignment. Thus, over time, the benefit gained from using traditional orthodontic devices (e.g. straight teeth) is lost.
Currently, in order to re-straighten one's teeth, traditional orthodontic braces must be again applied, which consists of a considerable reinvestment of one's time and energy. Also, many persons who do not have severe orthodontic cosmetic defects, but merely require cosmetic straightening of their teeth, would also need to undergo the traditional straightening of teeth, which is time consuming.
Thus, it would be beneficial to have available an orthodontic device and technique that, in a relatively short period of time, could restore the cosmetic benefits of an earlier traditional procedure, without having to reinvest the considerable time and energy associated with traditional braces. Also, it would be beneficial is this same procedure could be used to straighten teeth for persons who have not previously undergone the traditional procedure.

Blocked tube for braces and method of use


The miniature magnetic head according to the present invention has a bulk type magnetic head core, one side surface of which is fixed on a slider and the other side of which is exposed. The magnetic head can be made smaller than the conventional magnetic head in which both sides of the magnetic head core are respectively fixed on two sliders.

The present invention relates to miniature magnetic heads, and more particularly to a miniature magnetic head installed in a disk storage using a flexible magnetic disk.
FIG. 1 shows an internal plane view of a conventional disk storage which uses a flexible magnetic disk, and FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section taken along a line II--II shown in FIG. 1. The disk storage comprises a turn table 15, driven and rotated by a driving motor (not shown), on which a flexible magnetic disk 14 as a recording medium for recording data is to be fixed. The disk storage 15 further comprises conventional magnetic heads 2-1 and 2-2 which hold the magnetic disk fixed on the turn table 15. The disk storage still further comprises a head carriage 11 comprising a head carriage body 12 and an upper arm 13 to which the magnetic head 2-1 is attached. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the magnetic heads 2-1 and 2-2. Since each of gimbal springs to which the respective magnetic heads 2-1 and 2-2 are attached has substantially the same construction, a magnetic head 2 generalizes both of the magnetic heads 2-1 and 2-2 and a gimbal spring 1 generalizes the above gimbal springs. The magnetic head 2 has first and second ceramic sliders 3 and 4, a tunnel-erase type of magnetic core part 5, and coils 6 and 7 (not shown) each of which is wound around the magnetic core part 5 at a predetermined position. The magnetic head core part 5 is a so-called bulk type magnetic head made by junctioning a ferrite core, and the first and second sliders 3 and 4 are provided at both sides thereof. The magnetic head core part 5 is fixed on the gimbal spring 1 by the sliders 3 and 4. FIG. 4, an enlarged view of the vicinity of a gap of the magnetic core part 5 shown in FIG. 3, shows a read/write magnetic gap 8 (abbreviated R/W gap hereinafter) and erase gaps (abbreviated E gap hereinafter) 9 and 10.
As a disk storage as thin as possible has recently been required, a magnetic head 2 as miniature and thin as possible has been increasingly required. A description will be given of the miniature magnetic head with reference to FIGS. 5 6A and 6B. The magnetic head 2 is attached, as shown in FIG. 5, to the head carriage 11. That is, the magnetic heads 2-1 and 2-2 are respectively attached to the upper arm 13 which is rotatably engaged with the head carriage 12. As is generally known, when data is written down on the magnetic disk 14 (depicted by the one-dot line in FIG. 5) and/or read out therefrom, the upper arm 13 rotates counterclockwise along an arrow X around a rotating center O to contact the magnetic disk 14. Thus, the pair of magnetic head 2-1 and 2-2 contact the magnetic disk 14 to hold it and the writing/reading is performed thereby. On the other hand, when the magnetic disk 14 is ejected from the disk storage, the upper arm 13 is upwardly moved by a mechanism (not shown) to be separated from the disk 14. Then, the magnetic disk 14 is separated from the turn table 15 and ejected from the disk storage. FIG. 5 shows the disk storage in which the upper arm 13 has been upwardly moved. A distance which the upper arm 13 can upwardly move, referred to as an upward moving amount hereinafter, influences how thick the disk storage. That is, the smaller the upward moving amount is, the thinner the disk storage can be made.
FIGS. 6A and 6B respectively show views for explaining a relationship between the size of the magnetic disk and a change in the upward moving amount of the upper arm 13. FIG. 6A depicts the larger magnetic heads 2A-1 and 2A-2, and FIG. 6B depicts the smaller magnetic heads 2B-1 and 2B-2. A description will now be given of a separating operation of the magnetic heads 2A-1 and 2B-1 when the upper arm 13 moves upwardly. First the magnetic heads 2A-1 and 2B-1 are separated from the magnetic disk 14 at an outer position shown by an arrow A and finally at an inner position shown by an arrow B. In this case, the upward moving amount of the upper arm 13 while the magnetic heads 2A-1 and 2B-1 are contacting the magnetic disk and then separate therefrom changes as follows. That is, the upward moving amount of the upper arm 13 having the magnetic head 2A-1 is longer than that of the upper arm 13 having the magnetic 2B-1. In other words, if the smaller magnetic head 2B-1 is used, the upward moving amount of the upper arm 13 can be made smaller and thus the disk storage can be made thinner.
The conventional disk storage has a disadvantage in that, since the conventional magnetic head 2 shown in FIG. 3 includes the first and second sliders 3 and 4, the size of the magnetic head 2 becomes relatively large. As a result, the upper arm 13 must move to a higher position in order to separate the magnetic head 2 from the magnetic disk 14 and thus the disk storage cannot be made thinner.


A voltage trimming circuit of a semiconductor apparatus includes: a first voltage trimming unit configured to trim a first reference voltage having a first characteristic with respect to temperature based on a first trimming signal, and generate a first trimming reference voltage; a second voltage trimming unit configured to trim a second reference voltage having a second characteristic with respect to the temperature based on a second trimming signal, and generate a second trimming reference voltage; and an adjusting unit configured to trim a voltage formed from a potential difference between the first and second trimming reference voltages based on a select signal, and generate a final trimming reference voltage.

1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to a semiconductor apparatus, and more particularly, to a voltage trimming circuit and method of a semiconductor apparatus.
2. Related Art
A semiconductor apparatus requires various internal voltages VPP, VBB, VCORE, and VBLP depending on the purpose. In general, the semiconductor apparatus generates a reference voltage and then generates an internal voltage from the generated reference voltage. In order to generate a stable internal voltage, the reference voltage must be stably provided at a target level.
However, the reference voltage may have a minute difference from the target level, due to design in which the semiconductor fabrication process environment or process margin is not considered. Therefore, an operation of trimming the reference voltage level is required to adjust the voltage to the target level.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating a voltage trimming circuit 1 used in a conventional semiconductor apparatus.
The trimming circuit 1 includes a reference voltage provider 10, a divided voltage generator 20, and a trimming reference voltage selector 30.
The reference voltage provider 10 may be configured to generate a predetermined reference voltage VREF from an external voltage VDD.
For example, the reference voltage provider 10 includes a constant current source I and a first NMOS transistor N1. The constant current source I is connected to the external voltage VDD and configured to supply a constant current. The first NMOS transistor N1 having a diode-type structure is connected in series between the constant current I and a ground voltage VSS. A voltage applied to the first NMOS transistor N1 by the current supplied from the constant current source I is outputted as the reference voltage VREF.
The divided voltage generator 20 may be configured to generate a plurality of divided voltages Vtrim<0:7> having various voltage levels based on the reference voltage VREF.
For example, the divided voltage generator 20 includes first to third PMOS transistors P1 to P3, second to sixth NMOS transistors N2 to N6, and first to eighth resistors R1 to R8.
The first and second PMOS transistors P1 and P2 and the second and third NMOS transistors N1 and N2 form a current mirror structure. The second NMOS transistor N2 receives the reference voltage VREF through a gate terminal thereof. The fourth NMOS transistor N4 receives a bias voltage VBIAS and controls a bias of the current mirror.
The third PMOS transistor P3 is connected in series to the fifth and sixth NMOS transistors N5 and N6 connected in a diode type to the external voltage VDD, and receives a drain voltage of the second NMOS transistor N3 through a gate terminal thereof. A voltage divided by the fifth and sixth NMOS transistors N5 and N6 is received through a gate terminal of the third NMOS transistor N3.
The first to eighth resistors R1 to R8 are connected in series between the drain terminal of the third PMOS transistor P3 and the ground voltage VSS. Voltages divided by the respective resistors are outputted as the plurality of divided voltages Vtrim<0:7>.
The trimming reference voltage selector 30 may be configured to output the divided voltages Vtrim<0:7> as a trimming reference voltage VREFT in response to a trimming signal TR<0:7>. The trimming reference voltage VREFT may be finally used as a reference voltage or internal voltage inside the semiconductor apparatus.
The trimming reference voltage selector 30 includes a plurality of pass gates. FIG. 1 illustrates a first pass gate PG1 configured to output the divided voltages Vtrim<0:7> as the trimming reference voltage VREFT in response to the trimming signal TR<0:7> and an inverted trimming signal TRB<0:7>.
FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating a temperature characteristic of the voltage trimming circuit 1.
The reference voltage provider 10 provides the reference voltage VREF at a constant level. However, when the temperature changes, the level of the reference voltage VREF changes according to the temperature characteristic of the NMOS transistor N1. Thus, the level change of the reference voltage VREF has an effect on the level of the trimming reference voltage VREF. Therefore, although the reference voltage VREF was trimmed to generate a target-level trimming reference voltage VREFT at a specific temperature, a trimming reference voltage VREFT having a different level from the target-level trimming reference voltage VREFT may be generated when the temperature changes.
Specifically, suppose that the reference voltage VREF was trimmed so that the level of the trimming reference voltage VREFT becomes X, when the temperature is relatively high (temperature A). Then, when the temperature decreases to a temperature B lower than the temperature A, the trimming reference voltage VREFT is not generated at a desired target level Y at the temperature B, but generated at a level Z which is increased according to the diode characteristic.
That is, the conventional voltage trimming circuit can trim the reference voltage level at a specific temperature, but cannot trim the reference voltage level such that the reference voltage has a desired slope depending on the temperature.

Voltage trimming circuit and method of semiconductor apparatus


An apparatus and a process for producing a shrouded centrifugal impeller where a rear hub opening is machined into the stock material so that hard to reach surfaces in the enclosed passages can be machined. When the hard to reach passages are machined to a final stage, the rear hub opening is closed using a process such as electron beam melting or electron beam welding to enclose the passages and form a single piece shrouded impeller.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a shrouded centrifugal impeller, and more specifically to a shrouded impeller with a short axial distance and a high radial blade twist.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Shrouded centrifugal impellers are used in rocket engines to produce high pressures in the liquids being pumped to the combustion chambers. The rocket engine efficiency can be increased by using higher pressures. Higher pump pressures can be produced with higher rotational speeds of the centrifugal impeller. Prior art manufacturing techniques limit the rotational speeds of these centrifugal impellers, and therefore limit the efficiencies.
Shrouded impellers have an axial inlet with a radial outlet with separate fluid passages formed between the blades from the inlet end to the outlet end. Shrouded impellers have historically been difficult to manufacture. Prior art shrouded impellers have been manufactured in which the shrouds are brazed on after the blades and passages have been machined from a stock material. In this process, a separate formed shroud is brazed to the blades to form the enclosed passages. In a brazed centrifugal impeller, the brazed locations are not 100% covered and therefore leakage occurs. Also, the brazed shroud is not strong enough for high speed use of the speeds to produce the higher pressures required for increased rocket engine performance.

Method of manufacturing a shrouded centrifugal impeller for high speed use


A digital filter for a frequency synthesizer (e.g., PLL, UFT) may include an analog-to-digital (ADC) converter, which is responsive to a control voltage at an input thereof, and a digital-to-analog (DAC) converter, which has an input responsive to a signal generated at an output of the ADC. An impedance element is provided between the DAC and ADC. The impedance element has real and reactive components, a first current carrying terminal electrically coupled to an output of the DAC and a second current carrying terminal electrically coupled to the input of the ADC. The impedance element can include a resistor and a capacitor, which are electrically connected in parallel. A gain device, such as a programmable multiplier, may also be provided, which has an input responsive to the signal generated at the output of the ADC and an output electrically coupled to the input of the DAC.

Frequency references provided by oscillators are required in every clocked electronic system, including communication circuits, microprocessors, and signal processing circuits. Often, an integrated charge pump phase-locked loop (PLL) is used to generate a high frequency clock with a highly stable frequency from a somewhat lower frequency reference clock provided by an oscillator. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, to maintain loop stability within a PLL, the zero produced by the combination of the resistor R and capacitor C in the loop filter of the PLL should be as small as ⅕th or so of the open loop bandwidth, which means the capacitor C is typically very large and may occupy a considerable amount of die area, especially when the bandwidth of the PLL needs to be relatively small.
One example of a PLL that replaces the integrating function of a loop filter capacitor with a digital implementation is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,765,445 to Perrott et al., entitled "Digitally-Synthesized Loop Filter Circuit Particularly Useful for a Phase Locked Loop." In Perrott et al., a phase error output signal of an analog phase detector is delta-sigma modulated to encode the magnitude of a phase error using a digital (i.e., discrete-time and discrete-value) signal. This digital phase error signal is "integrated" by a digital integration block including, for example, a digital accumulator whose output is converted to an analog signal using a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). The equivalent "size" of the integrating capacitor function provided by the digital integration block may be varied by increasing or decreasing the bit resolution of circuits within the digital block. Another example of a PLL that utilizes an embedded analog-to-digital (ADC) converter is disclosed at FIG. 3 of an article by S. Cha et al., entitled "A Phase-Locked Loop with Embedded Analog-to-Digital Converter for Digital Control," ETRI Journal, Vol. 29, No. 4, pp. 463-469, August (2007).

Digital filter for phase-locked loop integrated circuits


There is disclosed a composite of 1) a polymer containing repeating units derived from a vinyl carboxylic ester having at least one organo terminated poly(alkylene oxide) side chain with the proviso that the poly(alkylene oxide) is present in an amount greater than 35 mole percent of the total of all backbone monomer units and alkylene oxide units in the polymer and 2) a metal oxide wherein the metal oxide comprises between about 1 and about 60 percent by weight of the composite. The composites can be made by a process comprising the steps of:. combining the described polymer and a metal oxide precursor in a solvent solution; PA1 casting or coating the resulting solution onto a substrate; PA1 curing the resulting sample to form a. composite of the polymer and the metal oxide. Optionally, the composite can be removed from the substrate to form a transparent free standing film. These composites have a variety of desirable properties. Optionally, a salt may be added to produce hard, abrasion resistant, transparent, antistatic coatings or films.

Poly(acrylates) and poly(itaconates) with poly(alkylene oxide) (PAO) side chains are known in the art. (These polymers will be referred to as "vinyl carboxylic PAO ester polymers". If the alkylene is specified to be ethylene, then "PEO" will be used. see J. M. Cowie and Fergusen, J. Polymer Sci: Polymer Physics Edition, Vol. 23, pp. 2181-2191 (1985); J. M. Cowie and S. H. Cree, Ann. Rev. Phys. Chem., Vol. 40, pp. 85-113, (1989); and Cowie and Martin, Poly. Comm. Vol. 26(10), pg 298, (1985)D.J. Bannister, G.R. Davies, I.M. Ward, J.E. McIntyre, Polymer, vol.. 25, pp. 1600-1602, 1984) It is also well-known that mixtures of vinyl carboxylic PEO ester polymers with simple inorganic salts results in materials with modest ionic conductivities. (Cowie and Martin cited above) However, the vinyl carboxylic PEO ester polymers have glass transition temperatures (Tg) ranging from about -60.degree. C. upwards to about 0.degree. C. With such low Tg's the polymers are quite tacky and exhibit very poor mechanical properties which limit their application. For example, if these compositions were to be used as antistatic layers on photographic elements that are rolled up upon themselves, they would be subject to a severe defect known as ferrotyping.
Alpha-alumina particles have been added to PAO (alkylene oxide) to improve its mechanical properties (J.E. Weston and B.C.H.Steele, Solid State Ionics, 1, 75 (1982). The addition of salt is known to increase the Tg's of the etheric acrylate polymers by as much as 86.degree. C., depending upon the salt which is used. Unfortunately, the conductivities of the polymer-salt mixtures are dependent upon the polymer Tg, and decrease dramatically as the Tg is raised. (Cowie and Cree cited above and J. S. Tonge and D. F. Shriver, Polymers for Electronic Applications, J. H. Lai Edit. CRC Press, 1989, p. 157) This is believed to be due to retarded mobility of the ions in the polymer matrix as the glass transition temperature increases.
It would be desirable to produce polymeric composites of vinyl carboxylic PAO ester polymers which have low Tg's but with improved mechanical properties. This would extend the possibilities for using these materials in a variety of applications in which poly(alkylene oxide) units are desirable. High molecular weight PEO is a crystalline polymer which limits its transparency and ability to dissolve salts, and thus its use in, for example, optical applications as well as its use for ionic conductivity. The vinyl carboxylic PEO ester polymers are amorphous but have relatively large amounts of PEO linkages. Composite materials with alkylene oxide units which are amorphous but still have excellent mechanical properties would be highly desirable.
An additional advantage could be obtained if mechanical property improvement could be achieved without increasing the polymer Tg. In this case the addition of small amounts of salts would result in ionic conductive materials with improved mechanical properties. Such materials would be highly desirable for such applications as abrasion-resistant antistatic coatings.
Most antistatic coatings which rely on protonic conductors are sensitive to humidity. At low humidity, the conductivity of such antistatic compositions usually decreases. Antistatic compositions using electronic conductors such as vanadium pentoxide have conductivities that are humidity independent but are difficult to coat. Vanadium pentoxide, for example, must be coated in a ceramic type layer. It would be desirable to produce ionic compositions whose conductivity is less dependent on humidity.
The possible applications of composite materials would be further enhanced if the final composite is also transparent as this offers the possibility to use these materials for overcoats on optical components, for example.

Poly(alkylene oxide) vinyl carboxylic ester containing polymer/inorganic oxide composites and methods of making


The invention introduces a method for establishing a direct connection, executed by a processing unit of a first electronic apparatus, which contains at least the following steps. A first location of the first electronic apparatus and an angle of the first electronic apparatus are obtained. Second locations are collected via a communications interface of the first electronic apparatus, where each second location is of a second electronic apparatus. It is determined which of the second electronic apparatuses the first electronic apparatus is aimed at, according to the first location, the second locations, and the angle of the first electronic apparatus. A direct connection is established with the determined second electronic apparatus via the first communications interface.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to wireless communications technology, and in particular to methods for establishing a direct connection between apparatuses and systems using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A direct connection, such as Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi P2P, Bluetooth, etc., enables devices to connect with each other, without requiring a wireless access point, to communicate for various operations from file transfer to Internet connectivity. The typical pairing of the devices may be set up to require the proximity of a near field communication or the providing of a QR (Quick Response) code displayed on one device, which is captured and recognized by the other device. Alternatively, a device may scan all surrounding devices capable of establishing a direct connection and provide a UI (User Interface) to help a user to determine which one of the scanned devices is to be connected. However, the typical pairing is inconvenient for the user. Thus, it is desirable to have methods for establishing a direct connection between apparatuses and systems using the same.

Methods for establishing a direct connection between apparatuses and systems using the same


A milled materials processor consists of a self contained, stationary or fully mobile thermal process plant for the thermal processing of 100% recycled asphalt pavement into new hot mix paving material. Mobile units are designed for transportation by vehicle to a job site and rapid arrangement. For example, the milled materials processing unit at the standard legal load or non-permit load size and configuration processes approximately 25 tons per hour of pre-sized recycled asphalt pavement materials, approximately 50,000 lbs gross, having up to 3% moisture content. Larger unit sizes are available in transportable configurations of 10′ wide×54′ long, and 12′ wide×62′ long. Alternatively, units are designed and erected as stationary modular systems for higher tonnage capacities from approximately 200 tons per hour to approximately 400 tons per hour and higher.

After bituminous paving materials have been removed from a roadbed, they are hereafter referred to as recycled asphalt pavement or RAP.
It is generally known that the majority of existing roadways, both concrete and bituminous asphalt, undergo constant repair and surface overlay with new hot mix asphalt to achieve and maintain safe and comfortable high speed riding surfaces.
In recent years, new equipment has been introduced to the road paving industry in the form of pavement milling or grinding machines. The science of preparing an old roadbed base for new resurfacing is now commonly referred to as milling. Both state and Federal Department of Transportation (DOT) agencies throughout the country have readily accepted the science of milling.
The milling of old road surfaces provides a number of advantages in preparing the old roadbed for resurfacing. Milling not only ensures a new, smooth and level base for the new hot mix overlay, but at the same time lowers the road bed height to maintain bridge deck clearances and curb and gutter depths. Grinding or milling is also beneficial in removing potholes, old cracks, joint seams, and ruts along with other surface damage that would quickly reappear in a new surface overlay if not repaired. With many of the state and Federal DOT agencies now requiring the milling of road surfaces before permitting new overlay, there is an increasing inventory of asphalt millings being generated. The piles of discarded asphalt millings are becoming problems for land use, aesthetics and the environment. Attempts at reuse have proven difficult.
Needs exist for new recycling methods and apparatus for asphalt paving millings.


A training device comprising a target member, having a target face, a target arm and target support facilitates a training regiment for soccer, baseball, football and hockey players. The target support is coupled to a goal post or cross-bar of a goal. The target member is adjustably joined to the target support such that the target member and corresponding target face may be positioned in a plurality of locations without uncoupling the target support. The target face can be positioned in a plurality of positions throughout a vertical plane and may also be adjusted in a direction parallel to the target arm. The adjustability of the target face provides a versatile training device which can be arranged in numerous configurations to maintain fresh training regiments. In practice, multiple training devices maximize the effectiveness of the training. Other features include target face illumination means, counters and speakers for transmitting audio outputs.

Sports have become a billion dollar a year industry in the United States. Worldwide the numbers are even more staggering. However, the success of sports is not predicated on any single attribute, but rather many attributes. Participating in sports allows players and/or athletes to exercise their bodies, learn team work and sportsmanship and attain common goals and objectives. In addition, many athletes may someday reach the major league in their respective sport.
The success of sports has created a great need to teach players the required skills necessary to excel at a chosen sport or sports. Many sports require players to rely on a great deal of hand-eye or foot-eye coordination. For example, football, baseball, soccer and hockey, to name a few, require such hand-eye or foot-eye coordination. Thus, there is a tremendous need in the sports field for a simple device and method for training such skills as they relate to multiple sports.
While a multitude of issued patents disclose different training devices and methods of use suitable for multiple sports, the devices and methods often suffer drawbacks, including the ease at which athletes master the device and method. Much like a video game that is easily defeated, many of the previous training devices fail to provide significant versatility thereby falling short of furnishing a complete training regiment. More particular to the embodiments of the device and method disclosed herein, previous training devices utilize target systems for training soccer, football and hockey players. Unfortunately, none of the previous target systems incorporate the versatility necessary to adequately and efficiently train an athlete.
In general, target systems seek to train an athlete's hand-eye and foot-eye coordination by repetition. In other words, athletes repeatedly attempt to strike a fixed target with a soccer ball, football, baseball or puck. In this fashion, players are trained to strike a target positioned in a desired location. Nonetheless, the previous target systems are fixed or require substantial effort to re-position the targets from a first location to a second or third location. It is apparent that a target device having target faces capable of being re-positioned quickly and effortlessly will provide significant versatility needed by athletes and will reduce the labor required to utilize the target device.

Sports training device and method of using the same


The present invention provides an active-wear garment which comfortably provides support to the chest and back areas of the physically-active wearer, while wicking away moisture from the skin of the wearer. The active-wear garment of the present invention provides support such that the breasts of the wearer are comfortably supported and effectively immobilized when worn during physical activity of the wearer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to active-wear or shape-wear garments for the chest and back areas of women, or of men who have a need for support to these areas, and particularly to an athletic active-wear garment for controlling breast movement, or to a shape-wear garment, both of which provide effective support for the breast and back areas of the wearer.
2. Background and Description of Related Art
Many women, and some men, require support and control of the chest and/or back areas. Women, particularly, have often experienced problems resulting from a lack of support to the breast and back areas. For example, back pain may result from an overweight condition resulting in particularly large breasts. Even relatively thin women who have naturally large breasts, or who have large breasts resulting from surgical implants, augmentation mammoplasty or the production of milk after childbirth, may have a need for back and/or breast support. Women who have breast cup sizes of D and above are generally carrying approximately five to ten pounds of additional weight, which often results in pain between the shoulder blades.
Known support garments for the chest and back areas have generally not been suitable or appropriate for use as outerwear, including aerobic and other exercise wear, swimwear and other such types of wear. Most breast support garments, such as bras, are worn underneath the clothing worn by the wearer, and could not appropriately be worn on the outside of the clothing.
Further, known bras and athletic support garments for the upper body usually only provide general support to the chest and back areas. Thus, they do not adequately address the needs of the larger breasted women (or men), or women who desire a maximum level of support, control and comfort when worn. In addition, existing athletic support garments and shape-wear garments for the upper body generally do not entirely provide the desired comfort together with the movement control and support to the chest and back areas which are necessary during exercise, athletic activities, such as running, and/or everyday activities which may require, or benefit from, a control of movement to the chest and back areas.
Moreover, most known support garments for the chest and back areas do not have an adequate mechanism for diminishing or eliminating the collection of moisture around the chest and back areas which may develop during exercise and/or everyday activities.
There is currently a need for a garment for the upper body which is capable of providing a significant amount of chest and back support, particularly for large-breasted women, and which is comfortable for the wearer.
The present invention solves the above problems by providing an active-wear or shape-wear garment for the upper body which may be worn either as underwear or as outerwear, which provides a high level of movement control over, and support to, the chest and back areas of the wearer, which has a high degree of moisture control, and which is comfortable.
The active-wear garment or shape-wear garment of the present invention contains contoured, structured breast cups which are incorporated into a smooth elastic fabric panel, and may not solely be worn as an undergarment, such as a shape-wear garment for wear under clothing, lingerie or swimwear, but can also be worn as an outer garment, such as daywear, a category of clothing described as active-wear. Active-wear is often worn when additional back, chest and/or breast support are needed or desired during athletic and aerobic activities. It is often worn in lieu of a bra, and in lieu of other clothing for the upper area of the body, thus, allowing the wearer the comfort and modesty of a bra, while having the look of a daywear top. In addition, the present invention constitutes shape-wear, as well as active-wear, and thus is useful for wear during everyday activities.


Heterogeneous protocol stacks are used in an approach including analyzing a destination network ID of data received by a shared, lower layer protocol stack, a data type field value, and/or whether any of the upper layer protocol stacks support broadcasting. An upper layer protocol stack is selected based on the results of the analysis. The received data is transmitted to the selected upper layer protocol stack. Accordingly, heterogeneous protocol stacks may be realized in one chip.

1. Field
The inventive concept relates to methods and apparatuses for communicating using heterogeneous protocol stacks, and more particularly, to methods and apparatuses for communicating using protocol stacks of heterogeneous communication methods sharing a lower layer protocol stack.
2. Description of the Related Art
As various communicating methods have recently been developed, there is a need for a way to efficiently support various communications methods in a single device.

Method and apparatus for communication using heterogeneous protocols


The system includes a capturing device for capturing information regarding presence from the exterior, representative of an object included within a supervisory area, which operates in combination with a device for detecting trajectories and a device for detecting inclinations of the vehicle, associated and in cooperation with an electronic system. The method includes using the proposed system to, by the generation of a chart that relates the trajectory and/or inclination with a corresponding supervisory area to be covered by the capturing device, vary the supervisory area depending on the trajectory and/or inclination of the vehicle, through the selection and execution of the appropriate actions, by the electronic system, which will depend on the type of capturing device used.

The existence of dead angles of vision for the driver of a motor vehicle represents a potential collision risk with other vehicles entering in said dead angles, which has not yet been solved in a satisfactory way by the vision offered by the rear view mirrors mounted in the vehicle. Therefore, different alternatives have arisen regarding the viewing to cover said dead angles, based on different technologies, some of which are used to cover zones very close to the vehicle and generally lateral zones, as the ones based on the detection of the distortion of the earth's magnetic field, and others are used for the detection of vehicles approaching said driver's vehicle, normally from behind, and from rather long distances, using in those cases different types of devices are needed, as for example electro-optical devices or radars. The operation of this type of devices, used for detecting vehicles approaching from rather long distances, is what is intended to be enhanced with the present invention.
The patent application EP-A-0591743 describes a device for detecting relative positions between vehicles, by means of an electro-optical sensor, preferably based on CCD technology, associated with a casing of a rear view mirror, and being said electro-optical sensor associated with an electronic processing unit connected to a central information system of the vehicle, to which it sends processed signals, providing finally warning signals. The aim of this device is to warn the driver of the vehicle where this device is installed, through various signals (acoustic, luminous, etc.), of the possible collision risk with an approaching vehicle. Furthermore, it is stated the possibility of using said device for warning the driver of the approaching vehicle of the possible collision risk, by means of the activation of the emergency lights of the vehicle, or of its direction indicators.
The patent application WO-A-01/61371 of the same applicant describes, furthermore, a device for detecting the presence of objects similar to the previous one, however, in said case the detection device consists of a receiver of electromagnetic waves and a photo sensor, which transforms the received electromagnetic waves into electric signals. In this document, special reference is made to the followed methodology when acquiring and processing the images, once digitized and previously amplified, as well as to the different calculation algorithms susceptible to be used for generating warning signals similar to the ones generated by the aforementioned device.
Even though the offered proposals represent a great step forward regarding conduction security, avoiding therewith a great number of risk situations for the occupants of a vehicle in which these devices are installed, however, it is also true that in many cases these devices turn out to be disturbing for said occupants, as the devices generate a large number of false alarms, provoked by normal driving situations without being dangerous, but which situations are interpreted wrongly and confounded with dangerous approaching of other vehicles. This happens due to the fact that, when designing said devices there has not been borne in mind the irregular circumstances through which the vehicle may go through in real driving situations, and the complexity of adapting said device to such circumstances.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,226,571 proposes a device for monitoring the environment of a vehicle, being able to predict a road's geography, as for example its curvature radius, only through the route information of a vehicle and a relative position. The proposed device includes a radar system for detecting the presence of objects around the vehicle and for supplying information about the position of the objects in a predetermined system of coordinates of detection, a vehicle identifying device to, starting from the detected objects, classify the objects that are vehicles and are driving on the road, distinguishing them from other types of objects. The device also includes a predictive device of the road's geography to predict it on the base of the position of the circulating vehicles and the route information according to an exit signal of the radar system and an exit signal of the vehicles identifying device. Even though the device proposed by said document, to the contrary of the previous ones, considers more closely a real driving situation, and combines a detection system similar to the previous ones, in this case a radar, with another type of sensors, such as speed sensors, driving angle sensors, etc., the stated applications are different to the ones proposed by the present invention, as in said patent one of the final targets is to predict as fast and realistic as possible the road or way's geography on which the vehicle is circulating, especially regarding its curvature radius. Therefore, even though it is possible to control the accelerator and the brake of the vehicle automatically, in order to maintain an appropriate distance to the preceding vehicle, on the base of the obtained information through the radar and said sensors, and, furthermore, to generate a warning signal if the situation is dangerous, in said antecedent no reference is made at any moment to the use of the information regarding the road's geography in order to modify or adjust the detection area of the radar system, or even to enhance said detection in any way.
Therefore, it is necessary to cover the existing lacks in the state of the art regarding the operation of these kind of devices, bearing in mind the different circumstances a vehicle may go through in a real driving situation, adding to the system for detecting the presence of objects in a dead angle, another series of detecting devices of said circumstances, in order to enhance said detection of the presence of objects, and therefore avoid the undesired false alarms.

System and method for monitoring the external environment of a motor vehicle


An engine emissions control system is provided. The system may include an exhaust producing engine and an exhaust system through which the exhaust produced by the engine may flow. The system may also include a NOx sensor configured to take a NOx measurement of the amount of NOx in the exhaust produced by the engine. The system may further include a charge density sensing system configured to measure the charge density of a combustion mixture of the engine. In addition, the system may include a controller configured to receive information related to the measurement of the amount of NOx. The controller may be further configured to control a charge density of the combustion mixture with which the engine operates based on the NOx measurement and the charge density measured by the charge density sensing system.

Engines, including diesel engines, gasoline engines, natural gas engines, and other engines known in the art, may exhaust a complex mixture of air pollutants. The air pollutants may be composed of both gaseous and solid material, such as, for example, nitrous oxides (NOx).
Due to increased environmental concerns, exhaust emission standards have become more stringent. The amount of particulate matter and gaseous pollutants emitted from an engine may be regulated depending on the type, size, and/or class of engine. In order to meet these emissions standards, engine manufacturers have pursued improvements in several different engine technologies, such as fuel injection, engine management, and air induction, to name a few. In addition, engine manufacturers have developed devices for treatment of engine exhaust after it leaves the engine.
Engine manufacturers have employed exhaust sensors, such as oxygen sensors and NOx sensors, which may detect levels of exhaust constituents on which engine control may be based. For example, systems have been developed that include an oxygen sensor, which may measure the amount of oxygen in the exhaust. The level of oxygen in the exhaust may be indicative of whether the air-fuel ratio (AFR) is within desired specifications. Engine control parameters, such as those affecting AFR, may be varied based on oxygen levels measured by an oxygen sensor.
Other systems may employ a NOx sensor for measuring the level of NOx in the exhaust. Systems have been developed that control engine parameters based on measurements taken by a NOx sensor. For example, one such system is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 6,370,473 issued to Yasui et al. on Apr. 9, 2002 ("the '473 patent"). The '473 patent discloses a system, wherein a NOx sensor is utilized to measure the amount of NOx in the exhaust. The '473 patent further discloses that an air-fuel ratio (AFR) of the combustion mixture may be controlled by controlling fuel supply based on the measurements taken by the NOx sensor.
While the system of the '473 patent may include a NOx sensor and may be configured to control one or more engine parameters based on measurements taken by the NOx sensor, NOx levels may be dependent on a number of different operating parameters. Except for air-fuel ratio, the system of the '473 patent does not control any of these different operating parameters based on the NOx measurement. In situations where an undesireable NOx level is due to an operating parameter other than air-fuel ratio, the system of the '473 patent may not be capable of rectifying the undesireable NOx level. For example, the '473 patent does not measure charge density, which may have a significant effect on NOx levels. Accordingly, if an undesirable NOx level is due to variations in charge density, the system of the '473 patent would not be able to detect the source of the problem, and therefore would not be able to correct it.
The present disclosure is directed to solving one or more of the problems described above.


A moving image reproducing apparatus that can produce appropriate information concerning the occurrence of a communication error in the DDC includes an error detecting unit that detects a communication error in a display data channel (DDC); an error information generating unit that generates error information if a communication error in the DDC is detected by the error detecting unit; and an error information output unit that delivers the error information to the display device via a transition minimized differential signaling (TMDS) channel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a moving image reproducing apparatus. In particular, the present invention relates to a moving image reproducing apparatus that is connected with a display device via a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) to communicate with the same for delivering moving images and sounds, so that moving image information and audio information recorded on a recording medium are read, reproduced and delivered to the display device.
2. Description of Related Art
As a standard for transmitting a digital picture signal, the digital visual interface (DVI) standard has become widespread. Furthermore, the HDMI standard has been adopted as a digital signal transmission standard that is an improvement of the DVI standard. The HDMI standard includes various requirement that are not included in the DVI standard, one of which is that a digital picture signal can be transmitted not only as R, G and B signals but also as color-difference (Y, Cb and Cr) signals.
For example, there is a display device that is made up of a liquid crystal display (LCD) or the like and is provided with an input terminal for the HDMI, so that a digital signal that conforms to the HDMI standard can be supplied to the input terminal from external equipment such as a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) player.
In addition, a transmission signal of the HDMI standard includes display related information such as resolution information and sound related information such as sound effect information as extended display identification data (EDID). For example, there is proposed a DVD player that can set resolution of an image displayed on the display device in accordance with resolution information included in the EDID (see JP-A-2005-109703).
Since this DVD player can be set in accordance with the resolution information included in the EDID, convenience for its user is improved. On the other hand, data transmission that conforms to the HDMI standard is performed via a transition minimized differential signaling (TMDS) channel for transmitting moving image information and audio information, and via a display data channel (DDC) for performing EDID transmission and a high-bandwidth digital content protection (HDCP) process (i.e., an authentication process).
Therefore, if a communication error occurs in the DDC, the above-mentioned DVD player cannot obtain the EDID correctly. As a result, it cannot be set in accordance with the resolution information included in the EDID. In addition, if a communication error occurs in the DDC, the user cannot deal with the communication error appropriately because the user cannot know which type of communication error has occurred.