A method of forming symmetrical stress liners to maintain strain in CMOS vertical NW FETs and the resulting device are provided. Embodiments include providing a doped semiconductor layer on an upper surface of a substrate; providing a semiconductor nanowire on the doped semiconductor layer; forming a first stress layer on the doped semiconductor layer surrounding the semiconductor nanowire; forming a gate electrode layer on a portion of the first stress layer on opposite sides of the semiconductor nanowire; forming a gate dielectric layer on the first stress layer between the gate electrode layer and the semiconductor nanowire; forming an oxide layer on a remaining portion of the first stress layer; forming a second stress layer on the oxide layer, the gate dielectric layer and the gate electrode layer; and forming contacts to the gate electrode layer, the semiconductor nanowire, and the doped semiconductor layer.

As the semiconductor industry continues to scale down semiconductor devices beyond 5 nm, semiconductor nanowires are being integrated as device channels to improve performance. In vertical FETs with nanowires, it is critical to at least maintain, and preferably increase, strain to enhance performance. Stress-liner induced strain has been employed for fin-type FETs (FinFETs), but device performance from stress-liner induced strain is diminishing with contacted gate pitch (CGP) scaling and the use of replacement metal gate (RMG) in FinFETs. However, CGP scaling is relaxed in a vertical device.
A need therefore exists for a methodology to introduce stress-liner induced strain for vertical FETs and the resulting device.

Forming symmetrical stress liners for strained CMOS vertical nanowire field-effect transistors


A medical valve transitions between an open mode that permits fluid flow, and a closed mode that prevents fluid flow. To that end, the medical valve has a housing with an inlet and an outlet, a rigid member movably mounted within the housing, and a resilient member with a sealing portion. The housing also has at least one relief zone that is in fluid communication with the outlet when the valve is in the closed mode. The rigid member may have a proximal end, a distal end, and a flow channel. The relief zone may be radially outward from the sealing portion. The sealing portion may seal the valve and prevent fluid from passing through the valve when in the closed mode.

In general terms, medical valving devices often act as a sealed port that may be repeatedly accessed to non-invasively inject fluid into (or withdraw fluid from) a patient's vasculature. Consequently, a medical valve permits the patient's vasculature to be freely accessed without requiring the patient's skin be repeatedly pierced by a needle.
Medical personnel insert a medical instrument into the medical valve to inject fluid into (or withdraw fluid from) a patient who has an appropriately secured medical valve. Once inserted, fluid may be freely injected into or withdrawn from the patient.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Medical valve with improved back-pressure sealing


A method of regulating the charging of batteries containing a number of cells, for example NiCd cells. The battery is connected to a battery charger for impressing a current through the battery for charging thereof. Prior to the actual impression of current through the battery cells for raising their terminal voltage, the voltage drop caused by cables, connections, the inner resistances of the battery caused by the battery cells, etc., is established for a number of different brief current pulses. The value of the voltage drop established for each current pulse is stored in a memory, and currents of substantially the same magnitude as each respective current pulse are impressed successively through the battery, each one of a length of time such that the voltage measured across the battery corresponds to the maximum permitted terminal voltage of the battery, plus the voltage drop established and stored for the corresponding current pulse.

The present invention relates to a method of regulating the charging of batteries containing a number of cells, for example NiCd cells, in which the battery is connected to a battery charger for impressing a current through the battery.
A plurality of different techniques for charging batteries containing, for example, NiCd cells are known in the art. Examples are constant current charging, constant voltage charging in which the charging current is based on the battery cell temperature and pressure, pressure and temperature charging, and pulse charging. The major advantage afforded by constant current charging is that the charger may be of extremely simple design, while its major drawbacks are those of being restricted to a temperature range of between 0.degree. and 40.degree. C. and of requiring an extremely long charging time at lower temperatures, since the permitted mean current under cold conditions is considerably lower than at room temperature. Furthermore, the charging itself takes place completely uncontrolled and without any adaptation whatever to the capacity of the cells to accept the charging energy. Constant voltage charging is also uncontrolled, but in this process the properties of the cell are utilized somewhat better. However, in this case also the charging time will be long, in particular at low temperatures. Because of the difficulties in providing pressure and temperature-sensing elements, pressure and temperature charging occurs only in extremely special and uncommon circumstances. In this case, the reason for this is that the practical obstacles are as good as insurmountable. In per se conventional pulse charging, the charging takes place in cycles of, for example, 1 Hz, the charging current being, for example, twice as great as the nominal discharging current. Pulse charging has proved to be more efficient than many other charging techniques, in particular at low temperatures. In conventional pulse charging, compensation is merely effected of poor control of the charging current of the battery. However, conventional pulse charging involves considerable charging time and relatively poor control over the different parameters.


An article comprises a body having a protective coating. The protective coating is a thin film that comprises a metal oxy-fluoride. The metal oxy-fluoride has an empirical formula of MxOyFz, where M is a metal, y has a value of 0.1 to 1.9 times a value of x and z has a value of 0.1 to 3.9 times the value of x. The protective coating has a thickness of 1 to 30 microns and a porosity of less than 0.1%.

Semiconductor wafer manufacturing processes are performed in chambers where chamber components are exposed to high temperatures, high energy plasma, a mixture of corrosive gases, high stress, and combinations thereof. Chamber components can be shielded from these extreme conditions by protective coatings. Metal oxides are frequently used to coat chamber components due to their resistance to erosion from plasma etch chemistries. Metal oxide coatings transform into metal fluorides during processing of wafers from exposure to fluorine-based chemistries. The transformation of metal oxide into metal fluoride is usually accompanied by a volume expansion, increasing stress on the coating. For example, the transformation of one mole of Y2O3 (yttria) to two moles of YF3 (yttrium fluoride) has a theoretical volume expansion of about 60%. The volume expansion and added stress caused by conversion of a metal oxide into a metal fluoride can cause the chamber components to blister and/or shed particles, resulting in defects to processed wafers.


A plunger assembly (30) is disposed on the access side of a conveyor (20). The conveyor (20) has a conveying surface upon which it transports articles by moving the conveying surface in a direction of flow (F). The plunger assembly (30) is mounted overhead vertically with respect to the conveying surface of the conveyor (20) such that sufficient clearance below the plunger assembly (30) is maintained to provide an access space through which the conveyor (20) and mechanisms and elements thereof can be accessed. Further, the plunger assembly (30) may be mounted both above and at least partially offset horizontally from the conveyor surface of the conveyor (20), such that no operative portion of the plunger assembly (30) breaks the plane (C) of the conveyor surface.

Packaging machines often use one or more conveyors as a part of a system for producing packages of one or more articles as output from the machine. Plunger mechanisms are useful in packaging machines for translating articles from one location to another. Such mechanisms are particularly useful in packaging machines having one or more conveyors.
A plunger assembly is a plunger mechanism that has been typically used in conjunction with a conveying system made up of one or more conveyors to move one or more articles from a first conveyor to another surface. Often, the second surface is a second conveyor. For example, in a packaging machine, an articulating plunger element of a plunger assembly may typically move articles such as cylindrical cans from a first conveyor (such as a so-called pocket conveyor where articles have-been grouped) over an intermediate surface (such as a so-called bridge conveyor) and ultimately into cartons that are traveling on a carton conveyor.
Previously in packaging machines, plunger assemblies and conveyors have been mounted from below the working surface of the conveyors. In such previous arrangements, the article-engaging portion of the plunger assembly has been vertically aligned with the surfaces of first and second conveyors. In addition, in such previous arrangements, the first conveyor is disposed horizontally between the second conveyor and the plunger assembly. The drive mechanisms and other operating elements of the conveyors in a packaging machine are typically located under the conveying surface or adjacent to the conveyor. In the side-by-side configuration of plunger assembly and conveyors described above, the drive mechanism and other operating elements of a plunger assembly are located below the article-engaging portion of the plunger assembly. Because of the side-by-side arrangement of the plunger assembly, the conveyors and their associated drive mechanisms and other operating elements, a problem exists in that the ability of a technician to obtain access to at least one conveyor (the first conveyor) and its associated elements is often limited. For example, and in particular, it is difficult for a technician to obtain access to the surface and other elements of the first conveyor because they are located between a plunger assembly and a second conveyor. In addition, the ability to obtain access to elements of one or more other conveyors and the plunger assembly is also often limited. Thus, maintenance, adjustment, and other technician operations that require access to the working surfaces and elements of the first conveyor in particular and, to a certain extent, one or more additional conveyors and the plunger assembly, are made difficult.
One solution that has been used to address the problem of obtaining access to assemblies, elements and mechanisms of the centrally-disposed first conveyor has entailed placing the driving motor of the first conveyor away from the first conveyor itself in order to improve accessibility to the motor. However, this solution has created additional difficulties in maintaining the alignment of the drive shaft that connects the driving motor to the drive mechanisms that remain under the first conveyor.
Another solution that has been attempted to address the problem of obtaining access to assemblies, elements and mechanisms of the centrally-disposed first conveyor has been to extend the length, or reach, of the first conveyor beyond the plunger assembly and to place the various elements which need to be accessed in the extended length, or reach. However, this solution creates additional costs and can be impacted by spatial constraints applicable to the conveying system.
Therefore, a heretofore unresolved need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies of having a packaging machine that uses conveyors and a plunger assembly, but that permits access in particular to a centrally-located conveyor and its associated elements and more generally to various elements of one or more other conveyors and a plunger assembly.


The present invention relates to a radio-frequency mixer arrangement in which a differential amplifier is connected to an input on a multiplier. The differential amplifier is arranged together with at least one capacitance in the feedback path of an operational amplifier. The at least one capacitance performs the function of an antialiasing filter. The feedback operational amplifier with the design described results in a highly linear output signal given low output noise and a low current requirement. The mixer proposed is particularly suitable for use in vector modulators or polar modulators in transmission paths in mobile radios.

Radio-frequency mixer arrangements are used, by way of example, in vector modulators in order to convert a baseband signal which has undergone digital or analog modulation to a transmission frequency level. A vector modulator is constructed using integrated circuitry, normally with Gilbert multiplier cells.
An integrated multiplier circuit which is suitable for use in vector modulators in radio transmission appliances is described by way of example in the document DE 101 32 802 A1. The multiplier circuit in this document has two input terminal pairs which are used for supplying a first and a second signal which are to be multiplied. In this case, the resultant frequency of the multiplied signals is obtained from the sum of, or from the difference between, the input signal frequencies. One of the two inputs of the known multiplier circuit has voltage/current converters which are connected to the multiplier input via current mirrors. This improves the noise characteristics.
Besides good noise characteristics, however, improved linearity is demanded of vector modulators, particularly in respect of such modulation methods as take account of the constantly rising data rates.
The linearity of a Gilbert multiplier cell is proportional to the product of operating current and feedback resistances in the differential amplifiers. To achieve sufficient linearity and high gain, the differential amplifiers normally need to be supplied with a correspondingly large operating current. The feedback resistances and the operating current are the primary cause of the noise at the modulator output, besides the oscillator's phase noise. In addition, the predominant use of such integrated transmission arrangements in mobile radios, which are battery-powered, means that a low drawn current is desirable.


A software class including known system events is imported into the palette of a development tool. After selecting a class for import, all variables and methods in the class meeting predetermined criteria are discovered. The variables are marked as properties, the methods as actions and the system events as events. A capture method is generated to capture the events and forward them to the development tool. Then, an invoke method is generated to execute each of the actions, a set method is generated to set a value for each of the properties, and a get method is generated to retrieve each value. Finally, a new subclass comprising the capture method, the invoke method, the set method and the get method is generated and added to the palette.

Application development tools are frequently provided to program developers to make the job of programming simpler and more efficient. A technique that has been developed to assist novice and intermediate programmers using such tools, such as VisualAge for Smalltalk from International Business Machines Corp. and Visual Basic from Microsoft, has been the concept of visual programming from parts. In addition to the underlying programming language, such tools provide a selection of pre-built software parts or components presented to a software developer via an icon in a graphical user interface together with an open work space. By simply selecting one of the icons and dragging it into the work space, the developer in effect programs an application that the developer is creating to include the code for the function of the part or component which the icon represents.
Programming from parts is especially effective for developing graphical user interfaces for software applications being created, but is also employed for adding many types of functions to applications such as communication, database access, multimedia, etc. With the advent of the World Wide Web, another natural extension is for use with the Java language and the creation of home pages for businesses.
Many currently available tools use "plugin," "construction from parts" or similar technologies, but do not provide a simple mechanism for an end user to add objects to the tool's palette of parts. These tools tend to provide support for adding pre-built parts supplied by a third party vendor, which necessarily needs to be an expert programmer. When the user has a need for a part that cannot be obtained from a parts vendor, the only option is to write source code for a custom part. Since the general computer using public does not have the programming skill required to write the necessary source code, creating these kinds of custom parts is limited to the computer programmer.
Another problem with programming from parts is that every application development tool has different requirements for the structure of the parts. That is, for example, parts developed for Visual Basic do not work with parts for VisualAge, and vice-versa. The process of enabling software parts to be available within a specific development tool is difficult, as indicated above, requiring the writing of code that conforms to a specification provided by that specific development tool.
There are, however, hundreds of Java classes available on the Internet for reuse, and this number grows daily. There is no known way to import these classes onto a parts palette, especially when many of the classes are not designed for use with a particular tool. Thus, there is a need for a method and system which allows customizing a palette using any Java class.

Method and system for customizing a palette using any java class


A nuclear reactor has a passive system for adjusting the pH of post accident water in the containment vessel. A basic liquid is stored in the containment vessel at an elevation above the maximum post accident water level. When radiation levels in the containment vessel exceed a predetermined, normal level the basic liquid is gravitationally drained into sumps located in the containment vessel below the maximum post accident water level where it mixes with emergency core cooling system water, raising the pH of the water to about 7.

This invention relates to techniques for adjusting the pH of post accident containment water in nuclear power plants, and in particular passive techniques.
Nuclear power plants are generally provided with reactor containment vessels that surround the nuclear reactor core and steam generators attached to the core. Water, either pressurized or boiling, circulates through the core, extracting heat from the core for the generation of power. Following an accident that involves the loss of reactor coolant, an emergency core cooling system (ECCS) fills the reactor core with water to a level such that the core is covered. It is possible for the core to suffer some damage in such an accident, and, in the case where the safety injection system fails, to suffer significant damage.
After an accident, radioactive iodine present in the containment vessel can change from a particulate form, such as CeI salts, to a more volatile organic form. The organic form of iodine behaves like a gas and is more likely to leak out of the containment vessel, thereby resulting in greater releases of radioactivity from the plant. Adjusting the pH of the water in the containment vessel prevents the radioactive iodine from changing into the organic form. Therefore, during and after such accidents, it is necessary to adjust the pH of the water that is in the containment sump in order to limit the amount of radiation released from the plant.
Initially after an accident, the pH of the water in the containment vessel may be as low as 3. In order to prevent the formation of significant amounts of organic iodine the pH must be raised to a value of about 7. In current plants, the pH of the post accident water is adjusted by the addition of chemicals such as sodium hydroxide. This is typically accomplished by the use of containment spray pumps to inject sodium hydroxide along with the spray water from the ECCS. This provides an effective means of adjusting the pH. However, this means of injection is subject to some of the same failure mechanisms that can cause the failure of the safety injection system. Some of the common cause failure mechanisms include the complete loss of all AC power, the complete loss of all cooling water, or the complete loss of all ventilation systems.
In some recent advanced nuclear reactors, pumps are not used in the safety systems, and in some passive plants there is no spray system at all. Therefore, a different means of adjusting the pH is required.
One approach is to place water permeable sacks of NaOH crystals in the ECCS sump. When the sump is flooded, the NaOH dissolves in the water. However, this passive system suffers serious drawbacks. First, the NaOH is very caustic and must be isolated from equipment. Second, accidental water spills in the containment vessel could activate this type of passive system, necessitating expensive clean-up procedures to remove the NaOH and to repair any damaged equipment. Third, the sacks must be checked for leaks and replaced frequently. Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a passive pH adjustment system that overcomes the above stated problems.

Nuclear reactor with passive means of adjusting the pH of post accident water


The invention relates to the field of the protection of security documents such as for example banknotes and identity documents against counterfeit and illegal reproduction. In particular, the present invention provides processes for optical effect layers (OEL) exhibiting two or more nested indicia using a magnetic assembly comprising i) a soft magnetic plate (x31) comprising a) one or more voids (V) and b) one or more indentations (I) and/or one or more protrusions (P), and ii) one or more dipole magnets (x32).

It is known in the art to use inks, compositions, coatings or layers containing oriented magnetic or magnetizable pigment particles, particularly also optically variable magnetic or magnetizable pigment particles, for the production of security elements, e.g. in the field of security documents. Coatings or layers comprising oriented magnetic or magnetizable pigment particles are disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,570,856; 3,676,273; 3,791,864; 5,630,877 and 5,364,689. Coatings or layers comprising oriented magnetic color-shifting pigment particles, resulting in particularly appealing optical effects, useful for the protection of security documents, have been disclosed in WO 2002/090002 A2 and WO 2005/002866 A1.
Security features, e.g. for security documents, can generally be classified into "covert" security features on the one hand, and "overt" security features on the other hand. The protection provided by covert security features relies on the principle that such features are difficult to detect, typically requiring specialized equipment and knowledge for detection, whereas "overt" security features rely on the concept of being easily detectable with the unaided human senses, e.g. such features may be visible and/or detectable via the tactile sense while still being difficult to produce and/or to copy. However, the effectiveness of overt security features depends to a great extent on their easy recognition as a security feature.
Magnetic or magnetizable pigment particles in printing inks or coatings allow for the production of magnetically induced images, designs and/or patterns through the application of a correspondingly structured magnetic field, inducing a local orientation of the magnetic or magnetizable pigment particles in the not yet hardened (i.e. wet) coating, followed by the hardening of the coating. The result is a fixed and stable magnetically induced image, design or pattern. Materials and technologies for the orientation of magnetic or magnetizable pigment particles in coating compositions have been disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,418,479; 2,570,856; 3,791,864, DE 2006848-A, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,676,273, 5,364,689, 6,103,361, EP 0 406 667 B1; US 2002/0160194; US 2004/0009308; EP 0 710 508 A1; WO 2002/09002 A2; WO 2003/000801 A2; WO 2005/002866 A1; WO 2006/061301 A1. In such a way, magnetically induced patterns which are highly resistant to counterfeit can be produced. The security element in question can only be produced by having access to both, the magnetic or magnetizable pigment particles or the corresponding ink, and the particular technology employed to print said ink and to orient said pigment in the printed ink.
EP 1 641 624 B1, EP 1 937 415 B1 and EP 2 155 498 B1 disclose devices and method for magnetically transferring indicia into a not yet hardened (i.e. wet) coating composition comprising magnetic or magnetizable pigment particles so as to form optical effect layers (OELs). The disclosed methods advantageously allow the production of security documents and articles having a customer-specific magnetic design.
EP 1 641 624 B1 discloses a device for magnetically transferring indicia corresponding to the design to be transferred into a wet coating composition comprising magnetic or magnetizable particles on a substrate. The disclosed device comprises a body of permanent-magnetic material being permanently magnetized in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of said body, wherein the surface of said body carries indicia in the form of engravings, causing perturbations of its magnetic field. The disclosed devices are well suited for transferring high-resolution patterns in high-speed printing processes such as those used in the field of security printing. However, and as described in EP 1 937 415 B1, the devices disclosed in EP 1 641 624 B1 may result in poorly reflecting optical effect layers having a rather dark visual appearance.
EP 1 937 415 B1 discloses an improved device for magnetically transferring indicia into a wet coating composition comprising magnetic or magnetizable pigment flakes on a substrate. The disclosed device comprises at least one magnetized magnetic plate having a first magnetic field and having surface relief, engravings or cut-outs on a surface thereof representing said indicia and at least one additional magnet having a second magnetic field, wherein the additional magnet is fixedly positioned adjacent to the magnetic plate so as to produce substantial overlap of their magnetic fields.
Moving-ring effects have been developed as efficient security elements. Moving-ring effects consist of optically illusive images of objects such as funnels, cones, bowls, circles, ellipses, and hemispheres that appear to move in any x-y direction depending upon the angle of tilt of said optical effect layer. Methods for producing moving-ring effects are disclosed for example in EP 1 710 756 A1, U.S. Pat. No. 8,343,615, EP 2 306 222 A1, EP 2 325 677 A2, and US 2013/084411.
WO 2011/092502 A2 discloses an apparatus for producing moving-ring images displaying a single apparently moving ring with changing viewing angle. The disclosed moving-ring images might be obtained or produced by using a device allowing the orientation of magnetic or magnetizable particles with the help of a magnetic field produced by the combination of a soft magnetizable sheet and a spherical magnet having its magnetic axis perpendicular to the plane of the coating layer and disposed below said soft magnetizable sheet.
WO 2014/108404 A2 discloses optical effect layers (OEL) comprising a plurality of magnetically oriented non-spherical magnetic or magnetizable particles, which are dispersed in a coating. The specific magnetic orientation pattern of the disclosed OELs provides a viewer the optical effect or impression of a single loop-shaped body that moves upon tilting of the OEL. Moreover, WO 2014/108404 A2 discloses OELs further exhibiting an optical effect or impression of a protrusion within the loop-shaped body caused by a reflection zone in the central area surrounded by the loop-shaped body. The disclosed protrusion provides the impression of a three-dimensional object, such as a half-sphere, present in the central area surrounded by the loop-shape body.
WO 2014/108303 A1 discloses optical effect layers (OEL) comprising a plurality of magnetically oriented non-spherical magnetic or magnetizable particles, which are dispersed in a coating. The specific magnetic orientation pattern of the disclosed OELs provides a viewer the optical effect or impression of a plurality of nested loop-shaped bodies surrounding one common central area, wherein said bodies exhibit a viewing-angle dependent apparent motion.
Therefore, a need remains for processes for producing customized optical effect layers (OELs) exhibiting multi, i.e. two or more, nested dynamic effects on a substrate with good quality, wherein said processes should be reliable, easy to implement and able to work at a high production speed while allowing the production of dynamic OELs exhibiting not only an eye-catching effect but also a bright and well resolved appearance.

Processes for producing optical effects layers


Techniques disclosed herein relate to synchronizing a first database with a second database. Embodiments include detecting a write operation modifying properties of a data object in the first database. While the data object is locked, embodiments write object change data to a journal table. Embodiments query the journal table of the recovery database to retrieve a portion of the object change data corresponding to a first window of time and comprising a plurality of entries. The retrieved portion of object change data is processed to create processed object data by collapsing duplicate entries within the plurality of entries. Embodiments retrieve object data from the first database, corresponding to properties of data objects specified in the processed object change data. The retrieved object data is pushed to the second database, whereby the second database is synchronized with the first database.

Virtualization management software allows multiple virtual machines (VMs) to execute on a single hardware computing platform. Each VM is an abstraction of a physical computing system and executes a "guest" operating system. Virtualization management software also manages how hardware computing resources are allocated to each VM. A group of hardware computing platforms may be organized as a cluster to provide the hardware computing resources for the VMs. In a data center, it is common to see hundreds, even thousands, of VMs running on multiple clusters of host servers.
When a server cluster at one location fails, the virtual infrastructure at that location may be recovered at a remote location through a disaster recovery process. Such disaster recovery restarts the entire data center (or a portion thereof) at the remote location by replicating the virtual infrastructure at the remote location. Commercially available disaster recover products include VMware® vCenter™ Site Recovery Manager™.
As part of such disaster recovery, a client application may provide an interface through which administrators can visualize the status of various VMs at one or more locations. For example, such an interface may convey information such as a unique identifier for a VM, a current status of the VM, a network address associated with the VM, and so on. An administrator can use such an interface to monitor the VMs as well as initiating operations for the VMs. For example, one such operation could include a test designed to simulate a disaster recovery operation for the VMs within a particular protected site.

Data replication in site recovery environment


An output circuit including a fine-adjustment VGA and a rough-adjustment VGA, where the maximum gain of the fine-adjustment VGA, as attained when the minimum gain of the rough-adjustment VGA is attained, is lower than the maximum gain of the fine-adjustment VGA as attained when the maximum gain of the rough-adjustment VGA is attained, so that the power consumption of the rough-adjustment VGA is reduced.

A high-frequency transmitter used for performing radio communications includes an output circuit configured to amplify an output signal into desired transmission power. The above-described output circuit includes an amplifier amplifying the output signal, and the amplifier includes a combination of a variable gain amplifier (hereinafter referred to as a VGA) amplifying a baseband signal and/or a low-frequency signal and a VGA amplifying a high-frequency signal obtained by up-converting the frequency of a signal output from the VGA, so that a large linear variable range is achieved.
The above-described combination including the two VGAs may be configured as below.
A first VGA amplifying a low-frequency signal and a second VGA amplifying a high-frequency signal obtained by up-converting the frequency of a signal output from the first VGA may be used in combination. Then, control is performed so that the gain of the first VGA is monotonously increased in steps of a single least-significant-bit (LSB) width, and control is performed so that the gain of the second VGA is gradually increased while being vibrated by as much as a single LSB width. Consequently, the entire gain control curve has a linear characteristic.
Further, a first VGA amplifying an intermediate-frequency signal, a mixer up-converting the frequency of an output of the first VGA, and a second VGA amplifying the high-frequency signal of an output of the mixer may be used in combination. Then, adjustments are made to obtain an intermediate-frequency signal having a distortion amount and a signal-to-noise ratio that are appropriate for the mixer when the gain amount of the first VGA corresponds to the maximum output level.
Further, a first VGA amplifying an intermediate-frequency signal and a second VGA amplifying a high-frequency signal obtained by up-converting the frequency of an output of the first VGA may be used in combination. Then, the gain of the first VGA is controlled so that the level of output power is changed over a lower range of the output power level, and the gain of the second VGA is controlled so that the output power level is changed over a higher range of the output power level.
Further, a VGA amplifying a high-frequency signal and a power amplifier amplifying an output of the VGA may be used in combination. At the small-output transmission time, the power amplifier is turned off and bypassed.
A high-frequency transmitter should be configured so that noise output power attained outside the signal band at the maximum-power output time is limited to less than a specified value so as to reduce an influence on a different system and/or an adjacent channel due to the specifications thereof. For example, it is specified that noise power away from the signal band by as much as X Hz becomes −30 dBm or less when an output of the signal band becomes 20 dBm. In that case, the power ratio of a signal to the noise power (the carrier to noise (CN) ratio) is expressed by the equation 20 dBm−(−30 dBm) =50 dB.
Under the above-described limitations imposed by the specifications, the amplitude of a baseband signal and/or a low-frequency signal is increased so that the ratio of signal power to noise power (the CN ratio) is sufficiently increased. Further, amplification is performed through a VGA provided in the post stage so that desired transmission power is achieved. In that case, the VGA provided in the preceding stage to amplify the baseband signal and/or the low-frequency signal should be configured so that the CN ratio is sufficiently increased even though the VGA is controlled to attain the minimum gain. This is because the CN ratio of an output should satisfy the standard even though the VGA provided in the post stage is controlled to attain the maximum gain at the same time as when the VGA provided in the preceding stage is controlled to attain the minimum gain and a total of the gains becomes the maximum gain area.
However, when the level of the minimum gain of the VGA provided in the preceding stage is increased to such an extent that the above-described standard is satisfied, the level of the maximum gain of the VGA provided in the preceding stage becomes higher than the above-described level. Consequently, when the VGA provided in the preceding stage is controlled to attain the maximum gain when the VGA provided in the post stage attains a low gain, a signal with a large amplitude is input to the VGA provided in the post stage, so that a signal output from the post-stage VGA attaining the low gain is distorted and the communication quality is deteriorated.

Output circuit of radio-frequency transmitter


A rheometer or viscometer for continuously measuring the rheological properties of non-Newtonian, mixed phase fluids or slurries. The device has a vertically disposed, inverted U-tube to maintain solids in suspension and, therefore, exhibit a homogeneous character. The fluid flow rate is controlled to assure nonturbulent laminar flow through the tube. Pressure is measured at as point in each leg of the U-tube and compared. For a constant flow rate, the pressure drop over the tube is used to measure the viscosity of the fluid in the tube.

On-line viscometers are known for determining the yield stress and plastic viscosity of non-Newtonian or Bingham type fluids, calculated from formulae for laminar flow. However, in general, such known on-line viscometers are not capable of handling the extremes or demands which exist in the mining and mineral processing environments. For example, rotational types often suffer from reliability problems especially when applied to slurries. They also have difficulty in handling coarse solid particles and high process pressures. The static force measurement type viscometers are not suited to coarse particle slurries and will give erroneous readings when entrained air is present. Similar comments apply to vibrating element type viscometers.
The general technique of measuring the pressure differential between two points in a laminar fluid flowing through a tube of known diameter at a known rate is well known. This is shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3468158, 4680957 and 4384792. A technique using a vertical tube to measure slurry viscosity is shown in Australian Patent Application No. 31949/77. U.S. Pat. No. 3520179 discloses a rheometer or viscometer for non-Newtonian fluids using a capillary U-tube type apparatus, however this apparatus does not use differential pressure measurements, and further does not appear to be suitable for on-line measurements. U.S. Pat. No. 3465573 also discloses a U-tube type arrangement, but uses a comparison between two different paths, rather than the mere U-tube, to produce a measurement.
U.S. Pat. No. 4680957 (Dodd) would appear to be the most relevant reference to the present invention in that it discloses a viscosity level conduit to measure viscosity. However one of the main problems with this type of viscometer is the tendency for solids to settle out of solution along the conduit thus adversely affecting the accuracy of readings from the viscometer. There is no suggestion of the use of a U-tube in this specification.

Continuous on-line measurement of fluid or slurry rheology


An apparatus and method for observing a chemical substance. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a vessel having a base portion and an at least partially transparent wall portion depending from and extending away from the base portion. The base portion and the wall portion define an interface region at an interface between the base portion and the wall portion. The vessel can further include a background material fixedly attached to the base portion and/or the interface region, with the background material having a surface visible through the wall portion from a region exterior to the vessel. The background material can be attached to an inner surface or an outer surface of the vessel, or the background material can be integrated with a medium that forms the base portion and the wall portion of the vessel. The background material can have a single color, such as white or black, or the background material can have a plurality of hues to make the contents of the vessel more clearly visible.

Many chemistry practitioners rely on visual observations to determine when chemical processes and reactions are complete. For example, one conventional technique for determining the concentration of an acid is to titrate the acid by adding a basic solution of a known concentration to the acid until the endpoint is achieved. When the acid/base solution reaches the end point (i.e., the point at which the exact amount of necessary base has been added to completely react with the acid), the color of a chemical indicator in the acid/base solution changes. The practitioner can then calculate the concentration of the acid by measuring the quantity of the base that was required to reach the end point.
One characteristic feature of the technique described above is that the chemical indicator may change color very rapidly. Accordingly, the practitioner must pay close attention to the process to determine exactly when the color change begins. Another characteristic feature is that the color change may initially be subtle, again requiring close attention on the part of the practitioner. Accordingly, a drawback with this technique is that it can be difficult to accurately and consistently determine the end point of the target chemical, particularly if the practitioner fails to observe the initial color change.
One approach to addressing the foregoing drawback is to conduct the titration process in a flat-bottomed vessel such as an Erlenmeyer flask, and place the bottom of the flask against a white background, such as a sheet of paper or paper towel. By viewing the chemical solution against a white background, the practitioner can more readily determine when the solution changes color. However, this approach can have several additional drawbacks. For example, if the practitioner uses a slightly differently colored background material for successive titrations, the practitioner may not achieve consistent or repeatable titration results. Furthermore, the practitioner may wish to move the flask to achieve an optimal viewing angle, which can be awkward if the practitioner must also move a piece of paper or paper towel held against a surface of the flask. Still further, the practitioner's view of the chemical solution in the flask may be distorted by the curvature of the flask at the juncture between the bottom of the flask and the walls of the flask, particularly when the volume of the chemical in the flask is relatively small.

Method for observing chemical substances


A compact, lightweight, and sturdy gynecological exam device which can be placed on a bed or other appropriate surfaces for healthcare practitioners to perform examinations. This gynecological exam device is designed to be folded into a compact “box-like” design for easy storage or transportation. When folded, this gynecological exam device is compact enough to fit into a luggage, preferably a standard carry-on luggage with wheels for air travel to remote areas or in-home services. This gynecological exam device has folding and sliding panels, adjustable footrests/stirrups, and adjustable headrest built into various sections of the exam table. These panels can be unfolded or slid into wider sections to accommodate patients of different sizes, heights, and weights. Further, some of these panels are to be used to ensure stability when placed on a soft surface, such as, a mattress, for safety reasons. This gynecological exam device has an adjustable back support for tilting the angle of the top section, and height adjusting mechanism to adjust the height of the lower section to ensure proper positioning of the patient for a safe, comfortable and accurate examination. This gynecological exam device can be laid flat as an exam bed or erected as an exam chair.

Gynecological examination, including a pelvic exam, is an important part of preventive healthcare for all adult women. A pelvic exam is a complete physical examination of a woman's pelvic organs by a health professional, usually an OB/GYN doctor, midwife or a nurse practitioner. A pelvic exam helps a health professional evaluate the size and position of the vagina, cervix, uterus, and ovaries, to detect certain cancers in their early stages, infections, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), reproductive system problems or collect evidence in cases of suspected sexual assault.
Another benefit of a regular pelvic examination is to maintain maternal health for preventing complications. However, in urban and rural settings within under-developed countries, poor traveling conditions, lack of resources, lack of education, and economic limitations make it extremely difficult for women to receive proper preventive gynecological healthcare and antenatal care during a pregnancy. According to The World Factbook published by the Central Intelligence Agency, maternal mortality rate (MMR) for the year 2010 in Chad was 1,100 deaths per 100,000 live births and 890 deaths per 100,000 live births in Central African Republic. Many of these deaths could be prevented by regular gynecological check-ups, including pelvic examinations.
In the past, most of these gynecological examinations are performed in hospitals or clinics. Gynecological exam beds or chairs utilized in these hospitals or clinics are usually heavy and bulky examination tables that are not meant to be transported frequently. In most cases, these gynecological exam beds or chairs are custom-built for that particular purpose. However, there is a growing need for these gynecological examinations to be done off-site, outside of the hospital or clinics facilities, in-home or in remote areas, due to the growing population of senior citizens in the United States and around the world. At the same time, local in-home healthcare and assisted living for seniors are growing in the United States by leaps and bounds, increasing the demand for off-site gynecological examinations.
Medical healthcare practitioners performing in-home services are constantly faced with the challenge of not being able to provide certain medical examinations to their patients even though they are well qualified to do so. One such examination is a pelvic examination. A patient's body needs to be arranged in a precise position for accuracy and safety during such pelvic examination. Patients should be able to abduct their legs independently, move around on top of the exam bed or chair and follow instructions without difficulty during their pelvic exams. Further, patients receiving medical in-home services are often disabled individuals with medical and/or physical conditions that limit their ability to utilize a standard gynecological exam bed or chair found in OB/GYN facilities and outpatient clinics. Without the precise adjustments of a well-designed gynecological exam bed or chair, healthcare professionals practicing in-home services have to often turn down patient's request for a pelvic exam or other gynecological examinations.
As mentioned before, in many parts of the world, especially some under-developed countries in Africa, healthcare system infrastructure is extremely poor. Many villages have no clinic or hospital facility at all. Patients have to travel long distance to villages that have such facilities for their healthcare needs. Many patients are discouraged to travel such long distance to those facilities, therefore, being deprived from necessary professional healthcare as a result. Volunteers from around the world, for example, "Doctors Without Borders," are trying their best to solve this problem by traveling to these local villages without healthcare facilities, bringing professional healthcare services to these patients directly. Such healthcare services include pelvic and antenatal exams for women who cannot travel far distance to their clinics which are often hours away. In those remote environments, healthcare practitioners most likely will have to provide their own gynecological exam bed or chair in order to perform such pelvic and antenatal examinations.
There is a need for a compact, lightweight and sturdy gynecological exam device that can be placed on a bed or other appropriate surfaces in order for the healthcare practitioner to perform a proper examination on a patient. Yet, such gynecological exam device has to be compact enough to fit into a luggage for easy transportation, such as, air travel to remote areas.
A lightweight portable pelvic exam device is disclosed in a published U.S. Patent Application No. US 2011/0306901 A1. This pelvic exam device is designed as a bed that is not collapsible or foldable for easy storage and transportation. Further, the elevation height of the bed at the pelvic end is fixed, not adjustable to accommodate different size patients.
Another adjustable obstetrical chair is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,073,094. This chair is designed to be foldable into a large size case for transportation. Once erected, there is no adjustment on the inclination of the seat back or the height of the chair. It cannot be laid flat as a table, therefore, not suitable to be placed on a patient's bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,256,817 discloses another collapsible gynecological exam chair, similar to the chair disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,073,094, not to be laid flat on the patient's bed. Both of these patents fail to serve patients who have limited mobility and/or paralysis, such as, problem standing, sitting, walking and bending.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,062 discloses a portable childbirth chair. This chair has foldable leg support panels, adjustable backrest and headrest. However, this invention is also designed as a chair which is not suitable to be placed on a flat bed. Further, this invention is specifically designed for childbirth, without any adjustment for pelvic elevation.
None of the prior art devices described above meets the objectives of the present invention, which are:                i. lightweight,        ii. easy folding and unfolding,        iii. adjustable and strong enough to accommodate patient of different sizes, shapes and weights,        iv. compact enough to fit in a luggage, preferably a standard carry-on luggage for easy storage and transportation,        v. can be laid flat as a bed or erected upright as a chair, and        vi. expandable panels at the base for stability by distributing weight on the bed for above-average size patients.

Compact and portable gynecological exam device


A white heat-curable silicone/epoxy hybrid resin composition is provided comprising (A) a heat-curable silicone resin, (B) a triazine derived epoxy resin composition, (C) a white pigment, (D) an inorganic filler, and (E) an antioxidant. Antioxidant (E) is a phosphite compound having formula: P(OR1)(OR2)2 wherein R1 and R2 are organic groups of at least 6 carbon atoms. Components (A) and (B) are present in a weight ratio of from 5:95 to 95:5. The composition effectively cures into a product maintaining heat resistance, light resistance and improved strength over a long term.

Optical semiconductor parts such as LED have many advantages including small size, efficiency, vivid color emission, elimination of bulb failure, excellent drive characteristics, resistance to vibration, and resistance to repeated turn-on and off. These parts are thus often utilized as various indicators and light sources. Optoelectronic devices using optical semiconductor parts are mounted on substrates, which are now typically made of polyphthalamide (PPA) resins.
The current rapid advance of the optoelectronic technology has brought about photo-semiconductor devices of increased output and shorter wavelength. Photo-semiconductor devices are often encapsulated or mounted using prior art PPA resins as colorless or white material. However, these encapsulants and substrates are substantially degraded during long-term service and susceptible to visible color shading, separation and a lowering of mechanical strength. It is desired to overcome these problems effectively.
More particularly, JP 2656336 discloses that an optoelectronic device is encapsulated with a B-staged epoxy resin composition, in the cured state, comprising an epoxy resin, a curing agent, and a curing promoter, the components being uniformly mixed on a molecular level. As to the epoxy resin, it is described that bisphenol A epoxy resins or bisphenol F epoxy resins are mainly used although triglycidyl isocyanate and the like may also be used. In examples, a minor amount of triglycidyl isocyanate is added to the bisphenol A or F epoxy resin. The present inventors have empirically found that this B-staged epoxy resin composition for semiconductor encapsulation tends to yellow when held at high temperatures for a long period of time.
Triazine derivative epoxy resins are used in LED-encapsulating epoxy resin compositions as disclosed in JP-A 2000-196151, JP-A 2003-224305, and JP-A 2005-306952. None of these patents succeed in solving the problem of yellowing during long-term service at high temperature.
JP-A 2006-077234 describes a LED-encapsulating resin composition comprising an organopolysiloxane having a weight average molecular weight of at least 5×103 and a condensation catalyst. Since this organopolysiloxane must be transparent and liquid at room temperature, the composition does not lend itself to transfer molding and compression molding.
Citation List
Patent Document 1: JP 2656336
Patent Document 2: JP-A 2000-196151
Patent Document 3: JP-A 2003-224305
Patent Document 4: JP-A 2005-306952
Patent Document 5: JP-A 2006-077234

White heat-curable silicone/epoxy hybrid resin composition for optoelectronic use, making method, premolded package, and LED device


A block ice shaving machine having an outer housing with an insulative inner housing fitted therein that a block of ice is positioned on a bottom surface, and included a rotary cutter housing mounted to one end of the inner housing that includes a rotary cutter that is turned by an electric motor and including a push bar maintained in the inner housing to be moved by operation of a chain drive so as to urge the block of ice against blades of the turning rotary cutter, to shave sections or strips of ice off from the block of ice, with the ice shavings directed out of a discharge chute to be captured in a container and receive a sweet syrup thereover for human consumption. The push bar is driven forward or backward by a sprocket system whose rate of turning is manually controlled by a sprocket and clutch assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to machines for shaving ice for use in making cones of ice and the like to which flavoring is added.
2. Prior Art
Ice chips shaved from a block of ice have long been used for manufacture of deserts and confectionaries. Commonly, such ice chips or shavings are collected into a holder and a syrup of desired flavor, or combination of flavors, is poured over the top of the ice to provide sweetening and desired taste.
In the past, a great many devices have been proposed to provide a desired consistence of ice chips for ice shavings confectionaries. Hand held and operated devices are well known and have been used for many years. Such devices generally comprise a holder for a knife blade or blades that are drawn, turned, or the like, across a block of ice or in some instances, larger, bulkier, devices have been used to crush a larger block of ice. More recently, machines have been proposed that will allow a block of ice to be held in a fixed position moved into engagement with automatically operated cutter blades that are pulled or turned across a surface of the block of ice to produce ice shavings. The ice shavings are then collected and are thereafter scooped into a cone shaped container, such as one that is formed from paper or the like, and a syrup is poured over the contained ice.
Presently, there remains a continuing need for a machine that will reliably provide a uniform consistency of ice shavings to better receive syrup poured over them and provide an attractive appearance to consumers. Also, there remains a need for a machine that is safe and easy for an operator to use and control, that allows the operator to selectively control travel of a block of ice into a turning blade, that includes a unique blade mounting arrangement and provides for direct filling of the containers in which the confectioneries are to be marketed.


A fishing reel having a frame, a line carrying spool, and first structure for mounting the line carrying spool to the frame for reciprocating movement in a first predetermined path. The first structure includes a shaft that moves reciprocatively in a second predetermined path as an incident of which the line carrying spool moves in the first predetermined path. Second suture is provided on the frame for directing line onto the line carrying spool, with there being third structure cooperating between the first and second structures for causing reciprocating movement of the shaft in the second predetermined path as an incident of the second structure being operated. The first structure includes a rolling element cooperating between the shaft and the frame for guiding movement of the shaft in the second predetermined path.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fishing reels having an operating mechanism including a shaft that both rotates about, and translates relative to, an axis and, more particularly, to a bearing structure for supporting a part of the shaft.
2. Background Art
In a spinning fishing reel construction, a line carrying spool is mounted to the front of a frame. A rotor, with a bail assembly thereon, rotates to wrap line around the line carrying spool. An externally situated crank handle drives an operating mechanism which rotates the rotor and at the same time effects oscillation of the spool about a fore and aft axis. This oscillation accounts for an even distribution of line along the axial extent of the spool. In a typical construction, the spool is mounted upon a shaft which extends to the rear of the reel. The operating mechanism acts upon the rearwardly extending shaft to effect reciprocating movement thereof.
With the bail assembly in a retrieve position, the line can be drawn from the spool only by either reversely rotating the rotor or effecting rotation of the spool about its axis. To prevent unimpeded rotation of the spool, a drag mechanism is incorporated into the reel. In a typical, rear mounted drag system, a drag force is applied to the rear free end of the spool shaft.
In one known form, one or more drag washers are keyed to the rear end of the shaft to rotate therewith. These drag washers are sandwiched between another series of drag washers which are rotatable relative to the shaft. Through a threaded actuator, the stack of drag washers can be compressed against the reel frame, thereby developing a variable frictional force between the washers and the frame. An exemplary drag system of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,402,469, to Stiner.
In the Stiner structure, the shaft is required to slide lengthwise relative to the drag washers to which it is keyed. With no torque exerted on the spool, this does not create a problem. However, with the spool and associated shaft torqued, as when reeling in a fish, the shaft tends to skew. As a result, frictional forces between the shaft and the drag washers to which it is keyed increases. This offers resistance to the reciprocating movement of the shaft. Since the oscillating mechanism is driven through the line retrieve mechanism, the line retrieve mechanism similarly encounters resistance. Smooth operation of the reel is thus impeded.
In another prior art system, a die-cast metal housing is provided with an opening to key the spool shaft end against rotation while allowing relative translatory movement between the shaft and housing. While the problem of detrimental friction between the shaft and housing is present, it is not as pronounced as with the shaft keyed to the drag washers having a higher coefficient of friction. Nonetheless, there may be significant resistance to line retrieval.

Guide for reciprocating shaft on a fishing reel


A method for pull printing a document wherein the rendering is initiated at a printer is disclosed. A document on a computing device is located from a printing device. A message is sent to the computing device to print the document with at least one print option. The document is rendered at the computing device into printer ready data using the at least one print option thereby providing a rendered document. The rendered document is de-spooled to the printing device. Another print option is processed on the printing device. The rendered document is printed on the printing device.

Computer and communication technologies continue to advance at a rapid pace. Indeed, computer and communication technologies are involved in many aspects of a person's day. For example, many devices being used today by consumers have a small computer incorporated within the device. These small computers come in varying sizes and degrees of sophistication. These small computers may vary in sophistication from one microcontroller to a fully-functional complete computer system. For example, small computers may be a one-chip computer, such as a microcontroller, a one-board type of computer, such as a controller, a typical desktop computer, such as an IBM-PC compatible, etc.
Printers are used with computers to print various kinds of items including letters, documents, pictures, etc. Many different kinds of printers are commercially available. Ink jet printers and laser printers are fairly common among computer users. Ink jet printers propel droplets of ink directly onto the paper. Laser printers use a laser beam to print.
Printers are a type of imaging device. Imaging devices include, but are not limited to, physical printers, multi-functional peripherals, a printer pool, a printer cluster, a fax machine, a plotter, a scanner, a logical device, an electronic whiteboard, a tablet PC, a computer monitor, a file, etc.
Different kinds of computer software facilitate the use of imaging devices. The computer or computing device that will be used to print the materials typically has one or more pieces of software running on the computer that enable it to send the necessary information to the printer to enable printing of the materials. If the computer or computing device is on a computer network there may be one or more pieces of software running on one or more computers on the computer network that facilitate printing.
When a document is desired to be printed, the document is either in a printer ready format or needs to be converted into a printer ready format that is compatible with the printer. Once the document is in a printer ready format (i.e., print job), the print job can be either pushed to the printer or pulled by the printer. In some computing environments it would be desirable to pull print the document from the printer where the rendering is initiated at the printer. Benefits may be realized by providing increased functionality to pull printing systems and methods.
A user may also choose to use the printer as a facsimile device, such as in a multi-functional peripheral (MFP), where rendering into a hardcopy or viewable softcopy output is deferred by transmitting the document to be printed to another destination device in a printer or fax ready format.

Systems and methods for pull printing where rendering is initiated at the printer


An electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) capable of reducing the margin of threshold voltage is disclosed which contributes to the achievement of low-voltage driving and/or multiple-value data storage architectures. The EEPROM includes an array of memory cells that are changeable in threshold voltage for data storage of different logic levels, wherein data may be read out of any specified one of the memory cells. A read voltage applied to the memory cell is designed to have a temperature dependence substantially identical to that of the memory-cell threshold voltage. A write-verify voltage may also be designed to have the same temperature dependence as that of the memory cell. Thus, the inter-threshold margin and the read margins of the memory cell can be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices, and more particularly to electrically programmable read-only memories of the type in which a read voltage or a verify voltage is essentially equivalent in temperature dependency characteristic to threshold voltages of memory cells therein.
2. Description of the Background
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices are becoming more widely used in the manufacture of digital equipment, particularly computers, as the speed and cost advantages of such devices increase. As the memories require higher packing density, higher speed, and lower power dissipation, reliability becomes more critical.
Nonvolatile memories include read-only memories (ROMs). Prior known ROMs are designed to employ two different kinds of threshold voltages Vt1, Vt2 for memory-cell transistors causing them to correspond to a "1" and a "0" for binary data being stored therein. In this case, the threshold voltage Vt of a memory cell may be represented by EQU Vt=Vfb+X{2.phi..times.Fn.times.(2.phi.-Vbs)+g.times.Fs(2.phi.-Vbs)}.sup.1/2 ,
where Vfb is the flat-band voltage (this is proportional to the difference ".phi.-ms" in work function between the gate and the silicon substrate used in the memory cell), X is the polarity of channel ("+1" when the channel is of the n conductivity type; "-1" when p type), .phi. is the Fermi potential, Fn is the correction coefficient for the "narrow channel" effect, Vbs is the potential difference between the substrate and the source, g is the back-bias effect coefficient, and Fs is the short-channel effect correction coefficient. Normally, the threshold voltage may be changed or switched between the two different potentials by changing the value of .phi.-ms due to alteration of the dose of channel implantation.
During read operations, the gate potential Vg of a memory cell is set at a certain level midway between the two threshold voltages (Vt1<Vt2). Assume that a memory cell having the threshold voltage Vt1 is selected for read. In this case, a corresponding cell transistor is rendered conductive causing a drain current to flow therein. Assuming on the other hand that a memory cell with the threshold voltage Vt2 is selected for read, its cell transistor is rendered nonconductive hindering the flow of drain current. Accordingly, data may be read by sensing whether such drain current attempts to flow in such selected cell.
Generally, as temperature varies, the gate-to-substrate work function difference .phi.-ms and Fermi potential .phi. will vary with the result of the memory-cell threshold value being also changed in potential accordingly. In contrast, the gate potential applied for read operations will not vary with temperature because of the fact that the gate potential is a power supply voltage or a voltage divided therefrom. Hence, any indeterminate data will no longer be read erroneously even when the threshold voltage varies due to temperature variations; consequently, it has been required that the two kinds of threshold voltages be established with a sufficient difference being predefined therebetween. In other words, a greater margin should be strictly required for the threshold values of cells.
Unfortunately, such "greater threshold value margin" approach does not come without accompanying a serious problem, especially on occasions where the power supply voltage accidentally drops in potential or in the case where an attempt is made to increase the magnitude of information per unit cell by letting a memory cell exhibit more than three kinds of threshold voltages.
FIG. 7 shows one prior known read voltage generator circuit, which is a voltage divider circuitry including two resistors R17, R18 for resistive division of an input voltage. FIG. 8 depicts a graphic representation for explanation of the threshold voltage margin, wherein solid lines are used to designate the distribution of threshold voltages at room temperature, and dotted lines indicate the same at high temperatures. As can be readily seen from viewing the graph, the threshold value tends to decrease in potential as the temperature increases. Due to this, even if the read margin has been optimized at room temperature, when the temperature increases, the resulting minimum value of higher threshold voltage Vt2 decreases to "escape" from the margin region; this results in that the actual read margin becomes smaller than the inherently expected margin.
Electrically rewritable nonvolatile semiconductor memories such as electrically erasable programmable read only memories (EEPROMs) are known. The EEPROMs have an array of memory cells fabricated on a silicon substrate, each of which employs a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET), i.e., an MOS structure with an electrically isolated gate commonly referred to as the floating gate for storage of electrical carriers, and a control gate overlying the charge storage gate. Typically, with such EEPROMs, data-writing or "programming" is carried out by application of a specific potential higher than the power supply voltage to a presently selected one of the memory cells during write operations thus controlling the charge amount on the charge storage layer (i.e., floating gate) by use of a variety of mechanisms such as avalanche injection, channel injection, tunneling, etc., depending on the construction of the cells. The selected cell will change in threshold value due to the resulting charge amount on its charge storage layer; accordingly, the cell can be selectively at one of the two threshold voltages (Vt1<Vt2). During erase operations, all the data are set at one threshold voltage (Vt1, by way of example) with a predefined bit length as a unit. Write or program operations are made selectively with respect to every bit: the threshold voltage of a selected cell is forced to be at Vt2, whereas those of the remaining, nonselected ones are kept at Vt1.
In the MOS-EEPROMs it is also required that memory cells being erased or ones programmed be substantially uniform in threshold value among cells. To attain this, the "verify read" operations are inevitable to verify that the programming and erasing operations have been performed properly with respect to either a cell bit or a block of cells concerned, while the programming is done for every bit, the erasing of the entire array or a block of individual memory cells may be accomplished. In this situation, during write-verify operations for example, a voltage Vvrfy higher than the ordinary read voltage Vread is specifically applied to the gate of a selected cell transistor to ensure that a sufficiently wide margin remains between the two kinds of threshold voltages therein.
Also in the MOS-EEPROMs, the memory-cell threshold voltage varies in potential with temperature as in the case of ROMs discussed previously; however, the read voltage and verify voltage are substantially independent of any possible temperature variations. In view of this fact, it has been strictly required that the two kinds of threshold values be so set as to allow a sufficient difference to remain therebetween. Especially in EEPROMS, such threshold-voltage margin should be much greater than that in ROMs. One reason for this is that it will possibly happen that the temperature decreases during application of the verify voltage Vvrfy, for instance, and increases during application of the ordinary read voltage Vread. In addition, this "wide threshold-voltage margin" scheme will raise a more serious problem on occasions where power supply happens to potentially drop accidentally as in ROMs, or in case where an attempt is made to increase the information storage amount per memory cell by letting cells exhibit more than three kinds of threshold voltage levels.
As has been discussed above, it is required that the prior art nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices, including ROMs and EEPROMs be greater in threshold-voltage margin to "absorb" any possible variations of cell transistors in threshold voltage with changes in ambient temperature, which in turn leads to a serious bar to achievement of low-voltage drive and multiple value data storage memory architectures.

Nonvolatile semiconductor memory with temperature compensation for read/verify referencing scheme


The invention relates to power generation and energy storage and recovery. In particular, the invention relates to compressed gas energy storage and recovery systems using staged pneumatic conversion systems for providing narrow pressure ranges to a hydraulic motor.

Storing energy in the form of compressed gas has a long history and components tend to be well tested and reliable and to have long lifetimes. The general principles for compressed gas energy storage are that generated energy (e.g., electric energy) is used to compress gas and thus convert the original energy to pressure potential energy; the energy is later recovered in a useful form (e.g., converted back to electric energy) via appropriate gas expansion. Advantages of compressed gas energy storage include low specific-energy costs, long lifetime, low maintenance, reasonable energy density, and good reliability.
As the world's demand for electric energy increases, the existing power grid is being taxed beyond its ability to meet continuous demand. In certain parts of the United States, inability to supply peak demand has led to inadvertent brown-outs and blackouts due to system overload and to deliberate "rolling blackouts" of non-essential customers to shunt the excess demand. For the most part, peak demand occurs during the daytime hours (and during certain seasons, such as summer), when business and industry employ large quantities of power for running equipment, heating, air conditioning, lighting, etc. At night, demand for electricity is often reduced significantly, and the existing power grid in most areas can usually handle this load without problem.
To prevent power shortages at peak demand, users are asked to conserve where possible. Power companies often employ rapidly deployable gas turbines to supplement production to meet demand. However, these units burn expensive fuels, such as natural gas, and have high generation costs when compared with coal-fired systems and other large-scale generators. Thus, they are only a partial solution in any growing region and economy. The ultimate solution involves construction of new power plants, which is expensive and has environmental side effects.
Also, because most power plants operate most efficiently when generating a relatively continuous output, the difference between peak and off-peak demand often leads to wasteful practices during off-peak, such as over-lighting of outdoor areas, as power is sold at a lower rate during off peak.
In each case, the balancing of power production or provision of further capacity rapidly on-demand can be satisfied by a local backup generator. However, such generators are often costly, use expensive fuels such as natural gas or diesel, are noisy, and are environmentally damaging due to their inherent emissions.
Various techniques are available to store excess power for later delivery. One technique involves the use of driven flywheels that are spun up by a motor drawing excess power. When the power is needed, the flywheels' inertia is tapped by the motor or another coupled generator to deliver power back to the grid and/or customer. The flywheel units are expensive to manufacture and install and require costly maintenance on a regular basis.
Another approach to power storage is batteries. However, most large-scale batteries use a lead electrode and acid electrolyte. These components are environmentally hazardous. Many batteries must be arrayed to store substantial power, and the batteries have a relatively short life (3-7 years is typical). Thus, to maintain a battery storage system, a large number of heavy, hazardous battery units must be replaced on a regular basis and the old batteries must be recycled or properly disposed of.
Energy can also be stored in ultracapacitors. A capacitor is charged by line current so that it stores a potential, and this potential can be discharged rapidly when needed. Appropriate power-conditioning circuits are used to convert the power into the appropriate phase and frequency of AC. However, a large array of such capacitors is needed to store substantial electric power. Ultracapacitors, while more environmentally friendly and longer lived than batteries, are substantially more expensive and still require periodic replacement due to the breakdown of internal dielectrics, etc.
Another approach to storage of energy for later distribution involves the use of a large reservoir of compressed air. By way of background, a Compressed-Air Energy Storage (CAES) system is shown and described in the published thesis entitled Investigation and Optimization of Hybrid Electricity Storage Systems Based Upon Air and Supercapacitors, by Sylvain Lemofouet-Gatsi, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (20 Oct. 2006), Section 2.2.1, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. As stated by Lemofouet-Gatsi, "the principle of CAES derives from splitting of the normal gas turbine cycle—where roughly 66% of the produced power is used to compress air-into two separated phases: The compression phase where lower-cost energy from off-peak base-load facilities is used to compress air into underground salt caverns and the generation phase where the pre-compressed air from the storage cavern is preheated through a heat recuperator, then mixed with oil or gas and burned to feed a multistage expander turbine to produce electricity during peak demand. This functional separation of the compression cycle from the combustion cycle allows a CAES plant to generate three times more energy with the same quantity of fuel compared to simple cycle natural gas power plant.
CAES has the advantages that it doesn't involve huge, costly installations and can be used to store energy for a long time (more than one year). It also has a fast start-up time (9 to 12 minutes), which makes it suitable for grid operation, and the emissions of greenhouse gases are lower than that of a normal gas power plant, due to the reduced fuel consumption. One of the main drawbacks of CAES is the geological structure reliance, which substantially limits the usability of this storage method. In addition, CAES power plants are not emission-free, as the pre-compressed air is heated up with a fossil fuel burner before expansion. Moreover, CAES plants are limited with respect to their effectiveness because of the loss of the compression heat through the inter-coolers, which must be compensated during expansion by fuel burning. The fact that conventional CAES still rely on fossil fuel consumption makes it difficult to evaluate its energy round-trip efficiency and to compare it to conventional fuel-free storage technologies . . . ."

Systems and methods for improving drivetrain efficiency for compressed gas energy storage and recovery systems


A device for use in an environment where flammable gases may be present, the device including a sealed water proof exterior housing, and an interior explosion proof, sealed housing made of polycarbonate, mounted inside the exterior water proof housing. An electrical component is inside the interior sealed housing, and an intrinsically safe battery is outside of the interior housing but electrically connected to the component inside the interior housing. The battery is also mounted inside the exterior housing.

This invention relates to a device for use in an environment where flammable gases may be present, and, more particularly to such a device including an exterior housing, with an electrical component and battery inside the housing.
Some devices containing an electrical component have been made of polycarbonate, and polycarbonate is known to have adequate tensile strength and no ability to hold an electrical charge, i.e., it cannot be rubbed with a cloth to create a charge. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,942.
Polycarbonate has also been used as a lens for an explosion proof light source is old. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,112,485, 4,264,946, 5,534,664, 6,371,625, 6,409,942, and 7,086,283.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,485, it was noted that electric lamps are known in which a light source is placed into a transparent casing and tightly enclosed therein (see German Patent DGM No. 1833690). In other versions, one or several light sources are directly and tightly surrounded with transparent cast polyester or similar material and designated as "explosion-proof" (see British Patent No. 1166442 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,310,670).
None of this prior art addresses how to make a remote control device that can be used in an environment where flammable gases may be present.
Viebrantz et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,230 is directed to a sealed housing for a hand-held remote control transmitter, and Toth et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,933 is directed to an explosion proof and watertight enclosure.

Device for use in an environment where flammable gases may be present


A network system with which a user can easily cope with various problems of a device and a maintenance service side can manage a device efficiently is provided. A user side transmits information that is a quantified version of a sensory problem, which a user feels when the user uses a device (printer), to the maintenance service side. The maintenance service side returns information for coping with the problem, which is based on the quantified information transmitted from the user side, to the user side. The user side performs operations and processing based on the information for coping with the problem received from the maintenance service side, and solves the problem of the device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a device management apparatus, a network system, a method of coping with a device problem, and a storage medium which are used in, for example, an apparatus or a system for managing a device such as a printer via a network.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, there is a system that is configured to manage a plurality of printers, which are connected over an arbitrary network, by a server via the network. Such a system is utilized such that a server on a maintenance service side for offering maintenance services of printers collectively manages printers on a user side.
Incidentally, in the above-mentioned conventional system, if a problem such as a lack of sheet and a sheet jam occurs in a printer on a user side, the printer can automatically sense the problem and notify a user of the problem. Thus, the user can cope with the problem by work such as that for supplying sheets and discharging sheets in response to the problem.
However, if a problem that is found by a user sensorily such as an unclear image as a result of print output, an edge smeared with black, a folded printed-out sheet occurs, a printer cannot automatically sense such a sensory problem. Thus, a user needs to inquire a method of coping with the problem from a maintenance service side by telephone or the like.
In addition, a printer notifies a user of not only such a sensory problem but also a problem such as the above-mentioned sheet jam after the problem actually occurs. Thus, the user also needs to inquire a method of coping with the problem from a maintenance service side by telephone or the like if the user wishes to cope with it before it actually occurs.
Therefore, conventionally, if there is a problem that is found by a user sensorily or if a user feels a sign of a problem which is not yet sensed by a printer, the user has to take an extremely bothersome procedure of inquiring a method of coping with the problem from a maintenance service side by telephone or the like.
In particular, if a maintenance service side manages printers of many users, it is very difficult for the maintenance service side to promptly respond to all the users' inquiries. In addition, if the maintenance service side does not promptly respond, an inquiring user is put on a state of waiting for a response concerning a method of coping with a problem or waiting for maintenance, during which the user may not be able to use a printer.

Information processing apparatus, device management apparatus, network system, method of coping with a device problem, and storage medium


A synchronous rectifying circuit is provided for power converter. A pulse signal generator is utilized to generate a pulse signal in response to the leading edge and the trailing edge of a switching signal. The switching signal is used for switching the transformer of the power converter. An isolation device such as pulse transformer or small capacitors is coupled to the pulse signal generator for transferring the pulse signal through an isolation barrier of a transformer. A synchronous rectifier includes a power switch and a control circuit. The power switch is equipped in between the secondary side of the transformer and the output of the power converter for the rectifying. The control circuit having a latch is operated to receive the pulse signal for turning on/off the power switch.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention in general relates to a control circuit of a power converter, and more particularly, to a synchronous rectifying control circuit for a power converter.
2. Description of Related Art
An offline power converter includes a power transformer to provide isolation from AC line input to the output of the power converter for safety. In recent development, applying the synchronous rectifier in the secondary side of the transformer is to achieve a high efficiency conversion for power converters, such as "Control circuit associated with saturable inductor operated as synchronous rectifier forward power converter" by Yang, U.S. Pat. No. 7,173,835. However, the disadvantage of this prior art is an additional power consumptions caused by saturable inductors and/or current-sense devices. The saturable inductor and the current-sense device are needed to facilitate the synchronous rectifier operated in both continuous mode and discontinuous mode operations.

Method and apparatus to provide synchronous rectifying circuit for offline power converters


A method of manufacturing a container for receiving a food or beverage and including a heat exchange unit as an integral part thereof. The container is formed with an opening in a closed end thereof which opening is mated with a heat exchange unit containing an adsorbent material and is permanently secured thereto along with a valve and valve cap. The heat exchange unit is charged with a medium which, when activated, will heat or cool the food or beverage in the container depending upon whether the heat exchange unit is exothermic or endothermic.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to containers having a heat exchange unit as an integral part thereof for cooling or heating food or beverage disposed within the container and in contact with the heat exchange unit. More specifically, the present invention is directed to the process of manufacturing such a container.
2. Description of the Art
There exists many portable containers which are adapted to receive food or beverage therein and which also include as an integral part thereof a heat exchange unit. The heat exchange unit may contain a vessel which is charged with materials which will provide an endothermic or an exothermic reaction to either cool or heat the food or beverage disposed within the container and in contact with the outer surface of the heat exchange unit. These prior art containers take many forms and in many instances the container must be radically modified from that normally used to contain the food or beverage where no heat exchange unit is utilized. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a process of manufacturing a container which does not radically alter the traditional container and which allows the utilization of the standard packaging equipment normally utilized in the industry relating to the particular food or beverage product.
The method of manufacturing a food or beverage container, including the heat exchange unit in accordance with principles of the present invention, comprises the steps of providing a container having one end defining an opening therein, providing a heat exchange unit having an open end and a closed end, inserting the heat exchange into the container and securing the open end of the heat exchange unit to the container at the opening which is provided in the one end thereof.

Manufacturing process for container including a heat exchange unit as an integral part thereof


The position of an input signal in a two-dimensional plane is moved into the first quadrant, and based on the position of the signal point moved into the first quadrant, the origin of a signal point plane is shifted, and the signal for which the origin has been shifted is enlarged by a prescribed magnification factor for display on a display screen.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an eye pattern display method and an eye pattern display apparatus for data transmission using a modem or the like. The invention also relates to a communications apparatus for use with the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In data transmission using a modem, for example, data for transmission is encoded, before being transmitted, into signal points arranged in a two-dimensional or a complex plane (two-dimensional values or complex numbers). At the receiving end, the locations of the received signal points are determined, and based on the signal points thus determined, data demodulation is performed.
The number of signal points and their locations in the two-dimensional or the complex plane are specified for each of various transmission schemes. Under ideal conditions, the received signal points would always appear in their specified locations, but in the presence of channel characteristic degradation, the received signal points tend to be displaced from the specified locations because of the superposition of noise, the occurrence of phase shifting, etc. This tendency becomes more pronounced as channel characteristic degradation increases.
Since communication becomes impossible, for example, when the channel characteristics greatly degrade, it has been practiced to examine the reception condition of the modem and take necessary countermeasures.
To examine the reception condition of a modem, the modem is connected to an oscilloscope on which an eye pattern is displayed to view a displacement of signal points, and based on the amount of displacement, the degree of eye pattern degradation (channel characteristic degradation) is determined.
In recent years, there has been an increasing need for higher-rate transmission using modems. This can be attained by increasing the number of signal points to be transmitted. However, the number of signal points increases exponentially with increasing transmission rate; for example, 128 signal points are required for a transmission rate of 14.4 Kbps specified in the ITU-T recommendation V.33, and a maximum of 896 signal points for a transmission rate of 28.8 Kbps specified in V.34.
With low transmission rates, since the number of signal points required is small, the spacing of the signals displayed on an oscilloscope is relatively wide, so that the amount of displacement of the received signal points can be easily discerned by displaying the eye pattern on the oscilloscope.
However, as the number of signal points increases, the signal point spacing falls compared to low-rate transmission. As a result, on the eye pattern displayed on the oscilloscope, the signal points are displayed closer to each other. This tendency becomes more pronounced as the transmission rate is increased.
The closer spacing of the displayed signal points makes it difficult to discern whether each displayed signal point is located in its intended position or is displaced from that position, and if displaced, how much it is displaced. The result of this is the inability to accurately examine the degradation of the eye pattern.

Eye pattern display method, eye pattern display apparatus, and communications apparatus


Disclosed is a self-wringing flat mop. The mop includes a shaft having an operator end and a cleaning end, a plate disposed at the cleaning end of the shaft and being pivotally connected thereto, and a wringing mechanism. A liquid absorbent member such as a cleaning cover is disposed on the plate. The wringing mechanism includes a wringing handle that is disposed on the shaft and that is axially moveable with respect thereto, and a wringer connected to the wringing handle. When wringing the mop, the wringer handle is moved relative to the axis of the shaft to thereby move the wringer into a position to cover the plate and liquid absorbent member. In this position, the wringer exerts a force on the plate sufficient to compress the liquid absorbent member between the plate and the wringer.

The invention is in the field of cleaning implements, and more particularly is in the field of self-wringing mops.
Numerous mops and cleaning utensils are known in the art. Conventional string mops comprise a handle and a mop head connected to one end of the handle, the mop head including numerous stands of a liquid absorbent material. Such mops require a wringer bucket or other wringing mechanism to expel liquid from the mop head. More recently, one trend in the mop art has been towards xe2x80x9cself-wringingxe2x80x9d mops, which are mops that themselves include a wringer or wringing mechanism of one type or another to enable a user to wring the mop without the need for a separate wringer bucket. For example, the prior art has provided roller sponge mops, butterfly sponge mops, twist mops (a generic term for self-wringing string mops), handle-type sponge mops, and the like.
The prior art also has provided flat mops, which are mops that have a liquid absorbent member covering a flat plate that is pivotally connected to the shaft of the mop. Such mops find favor with many consumers. Heretofore, to the best knowledge of the inventor, the prior art has not provided a flat mop that includes a self-wringing mechanism. Rather, in the flat mops of the prior art, the liquid absorbent member must be removed and wrung manually. The present invention is directed toward such a self-wringing flat mop.
The invention is directed toward a cleaning implement that may be used as a flat mop. The cleaning implement includes a shaft, a plate that is disposed at one end of the shaft and that is pivotally connected to the shaft, and a liquid absorbent member disposed on one side of the plate. In accordance with the invention, the mop further includes a wringing mechanism. The wringing mechanism includes a wringing handle that is disposed on the shaft and that is axially moveable with respect to the shaft, and a wringer, such as a wringer roller, that is operatively connected to the wringing handle and that is moveable over a range of travel between a non-wringing position and wringing position. In its wringing positions, the wringer exerts a compressive force on the plate, the force having a component normal to the surface of the plate when the plate is in the wringing position, such that the liquid absorbent member may be thereby compressed between the wringer and plate to expel liquid from the liquid absorbent member. Preferably, the wringer is connected to the wringing handle via a pair of tension rods that are connected to the wringing handle and that extend from the cleaning end thereof. In a highly preferred embodiment, each tension rod is curved to provide the compressive tension between the roller and the plate. The terminal portions of the rods form a wringer bearing. Each rod further terminates in a bent portion, such that the bent portions of the two rods together form a journal for a journalled wringer roller.
These and other features of the invention will be made apparent in view of the following description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims.