The invention is directed to a single channel mask estimation method capable of improving reverberant speech identification for CI users. The method is based on the energy of the reverberant signal and the residual signal computed from linear prediction (LP) analysis. The mask is estimated by comparing the energy ratio of the two signals at different frequency bins with an adaptive threshold. As the threshold is updated for each frame of speech based on the energy ratios of the reverberant and LP residual signals computed from previous frames, it is amenable for real-time implementation. It can thus be used as a specialized (for reverberant environments) sound coding strategy used for cochlear implant applications.

Reverberation severely degrades speech intelligibility for cochlear implant (CI) users. The ideal reverberant mask (IRM), a binary mask for reverberation suppression which is computed using signal-to-reverberant ratio, was found to yield substantial intelligibility gains for CI users even in highly reverberant environments (e.g., T60=1.0 s). Motivated by the intelligibility improvements obtained from IRM, a monaural blind channel-selection criterion for reverberation suppression is proposed. The proposed channel-selection strategy is blind, meaning that prior knowledge of neither the room impulse response (RIR) nor the anechoic signal is required. By the use of a residual signal obtained from linear prediction analysis of the reverberant signal, the residual-to-reverberant ratio (RRR) of individual frequency channels was employed as the channel-selection criterion. In each frame, the channels with RRR less than an adaptive threshold were retained while the rest were zeroed out. Performance of the proposed strategy was evaluated via intelligibility listening tests conducted with CI users in simulated rooms with two reverberation times of 0.6 and 0.8 s. The results indicate significant intelligibility improvements in both reverberant conditions (over 30 and 40 percentage points in T60=0.6 and 0.8 s, respectively). The improvement is comparable to that obtained with the IRM strategy.
Several speech de-reverberation algorithms have been proposed in order to improve the quality or intelligibility of reverberant speech (e.g., see Huang et al., 2007; Naylor and Gaubitch, 2010). However, little is known about the effectiveness of such algorithms in improving speech intelligibility for CI users. In addition, existing dereverberation algorithms are computationally expensive, which makes their integration into CIs a formidable task.
Regardless of the speech coding strategy used in CI devices, most CI users are able to achieve open-set speech recognition scores of 80% or higher in quiet anechoic conditions. However, current speech coding strategies in CIs perform poorly in the presence of noise or reverberation. For example, advanced combination encoder (ACE) which is one of the most commonly used speech coding strategies in CI processors, selects only a subset of channels (8-12) for stimulation at each analysis window. It operates based on the principle that only peaks of speech in the short-term spectrum are sufficient for speech identification. Therefore, during the unvoiced segments (e.g., stops) of the reverberant utterance, where the reverberation overlap-masking effect dominates, the ACE strategy mistakenly selects the channels containing reverberant energy, since those channels have the highest energy.
Binary masking refers to algorithms that decompose the signal into T-F units and select those units satisfying a given criterion (e.g., SNR>0 dB, for noise suppression), while discarding the rest by applying a binary mask to the units of the decomposed signal, i.e., the mask for a given T-F unit is set to 0 if it does not satisfy a given criterion or is set to 1 if it satisfies the criterion. Binary masks have been widely used for different speech enhancement as well as sound separation applications resulting in gains in intelligibility and quality of the processed noisy speech. Use of the binary masks for dereverberation is attractive as it does not rely on the inversion of the RIR. Thus there is a need for a method that can improve the intelligibility of reverberant speech for cochlear implant users.

Enhancement of reverberant speech by binary mask estimation

The Board of Regents of the University of Texas System


A method and system for providing pilot fuel for a pilot ignition system of an internal combustion engine having one or more cylinders and having a lubrication system. A portion of the lubricating oil is diverted from the lubricating system. During the pilot ignition phase of the engine combustion cycle, the diverted lubricating oil is injected into the one or more cylinders.

In an internal combustion engine, the "ignition system" is the mechanism that ignites the fuel consumed by the engine. Most engines use either an electrical or a compression heating ignition system. Electrical spark ignition systems rely on a battery and an induction coil to provide an electrical spark to ignite the air-fuel mix in the engine's cylinders. Compression heating ignition systems inject fuel into the engine's cylinders and rely on the heat created in the air by compression in the cylinders to ignite the fuel.
Today's engines must meet the demands of government regulations and consumers for low emissions and high fuel economy. One approach to satisfying these demands is the use of a highly dilute pre-mixed fuel for ignition. However, in the case of spark ignition systems, only a limited amount of dilution is tolerable before misfire and unstable operation occur.
To overcome this shortcoming of spark ignition systems, "pilot" ignition systems have been developed. A small quantity of liquid fuel is injected into a pre-combustion chamber to allow high energy self-ignition. Direct injection pilot ignition systems using diesel fuel have proven to increase the dilution tolerance of both stoichiometric and lean burn engines.
In the case of a non-diesel engine, the use of the diesel-fueled pilot ignition system requires two different fuels for engine operation. Both fuels must be available for re-fueling, and for vehicle engines, both fuels must be carried on-board.

Use of engine lubricant as ignition fuel for micro-pilot ignition system of an internal combustion engine


A marine outboard engine for a watercraft is disclosed. The marine outboard engine features a padded section adapted to provide a padded area for carrying the outboard engine over the shoulder of a person.

Small outboard engines for boats or watercrafts are typically provided with a handle on the stern bracket of the outboard engine and another handle on the rear of the cowling of the engine to enable the user to lift, carry, manipulate, and mount the outboard engine onto the rear end of the watercraft.
In situations where the outboard engine must be carried over relatively long distances to be brought to a river bank or a lake shore from the side of a road for example, boater must carry the outboard engine as best they can over often uneven terrain. The handle on the stern bracket of the outboard engine and the other handle on the back of the cowling only provide an awkward grip that makes it difficult to carry the outboard engine over relatively long distances. In these instances, boaters have adopted carrying the outboard engine over their shoulders. Boaters will typically put the outboard engine 9 on its skeg, kneel down, shift the weight of the outboard engine over one shoulder and lift the outboard engine 9 on their shoulder for transport as illustrated in FIG. 1. The outboard engine resting over one's shoulders is easier to carry than when held with both hands gripping the handles provided to manipulate the outboard engine.
However, marine outboard engine are relatively heavy; the lightest outboard engine on the market weight approximately 34 Kg (75 lbs) for a 9.9 hp engine size. Because of that, the weight of the outboard engine digs into to the shoulder on which it rests thus making the process of carrying the outboard engine uncomfortable at best and often painful especially if the outboard engine weighs over 38 Kg (85 lbs).
Thus, there is a need for a marine outboard engine adapted to be carried over one's shoulders more comfortably than existing marine outboard engine and with relative ease.

Marine outboard engine having a padded section


Before a device key generation procedure is updated in response to execution of revocation, a recorded transport stream is decrypted using an unupdated device key and is stored in a memory unit after being re-encrypted. In this manner, broadcast programs that are recorded before the revocation can be viewed while maintaining a copyright protection function.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a broadcast receiving apparatus and a broadcast receiving method for receiving a digital broadcast signal and recording/reproducing the received broadcast content.
2. Description of the Related Art
Measures for copyright protection are sometimes taken in digital broadcasting. For example, a system for transmitting scrambled content and allowing only viewing-contract-based valid broadcast receiving apparatuses to descramble the scrambled content is employed in digital broadcasting. In Japan, a conditional access system (CAS) that uses an integrated circuit (IC) card is adopted.
Identification of valid broadcast receiving apparatuses, secure encryption and transmission of content, and successful descrambling processing of the valid broadcast receiving apparatuses are important in the conditional access system. Here, the valid broadcast receiving apparatuses indicate apparatuses that are authorized to have a copyright protection function and have a valid viewing contract. In the case of paid broadcasting, the valid broadcast receiving apparatuses have to be successfully charged for viewing.
An IC card stores an ID number unique to the IC card and master key information for use in descrambling of content. Valid broadcast receiving apparatuses are identified using the information stored in the card. Content is encrypted with three keys, which include the master key information.
On the other hand, a new conditional access system that does not use an IC card is additionally standardized. Hereinafter, this new standard is referred to as a rights management and protection (RMP) system. Digital terrestrial broadcast receiving apparatuses and mobile broadcast receiving terminals may be designed in accordance with the RMP system.
A specific method of the RMP system is as described below. An entitlement management message (EMM) containing encrypted master key information is transmitted over a broadcast wave instead of storing the master key information in an IC card. The EMM is data contained in a payload of a transport stream (TS) packet and carries device key information and work key information for each model of broadcast receiving apparatuses. The broadcast receiving apparatuses extract key information (device key) corresponding to an ID of each model from the EMM. The device key information contained in the EMM is encrypted. A device key is generated using a specific device key generation procedure. The device key generation procedure indicates, for example, software for executing an algorithm to generate a device key or hardware for executing predetermined processing to generate a device key.
Content is encrypted with three keys. A device key, a work key, and a scramble key are used to descramble the encrypted content. The work key is encrypted with the device key and is contained in the EMM. The scramble key is encrypted with the work key, contained in an entitlement control message (ECM), and transmitted over a broadcast wave. Like the EMM, the ECM is data contained in a payload of a transport stream (TS) packet and carries scramble key information and program information commonly used by all broadcast receiving apparatuses. In this manner, valid broadcast receiving apparatuses sequentially decrypt encrypted key information based on the device key, thereby realizing viewing of the content.
When leaked device key information is misused to violate copyright protection, a measure for updating key information contained in an EMM and transmitting the updated key information is taken. This measure is referred to as revoke. Since the revoke prevents the leaked device key information from being misused, content is securely transmitted thereafter. However, when a device key generation procedure leaks, an updated device key can be generated in accordance with the leaked device key generation procedure even if key information contained in the EMM is updated. In such a case, the EMM is updated so that none of revoke-target broadcast receiving apparatuses can generate a key using the leaked device key generation procedure.
Once the EMM is updated, the revoke-target broadcast receiving apparatuses cannot realize viewing of broadcast content thereafter. To permit viewing of the broadcast content again, the device key generation procedure is updated to more-secure hard-to-leak one. For example, a method for updating key generation software included in a broadcast receiving apparatus is employed (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-129244). Since invalid broadcast receiving apparatuses cannot update the key generation procedure, following content can be securely transmitted.
On the other hand, apparatuses for storing a digital broadcast program in a storage device, such as a hard disk, and realizing repeated viewing of the program are also put to practical use. Digital broadcasting employs a moving picture experts group (MPEG) 2 system and uses a transport stream (hereinafter, referred to as "TS"). Streams of video, audio, data for data broadcasting, transmission control information, and reception control information are dividedly contained in each of TS packets and are transmitted according to time-division multiplexing. If the apparatuses store the received TS data on a recording medium as it is, the apparatuses can store the TS data without deteriorating the image quality.
When the TS data is stored as scrambled TS data, the data has a copyright protection function equivalent to that of a broadcast wave. Even if the TS data cannot be descrambled due to lack of key information stored in an IC card or the like, the scrambled TS data can be stored as it is. Hereinafter, it is assumed that recorded TS data indicates recorded data that has not undergone descrambling.
As in the case of viewing of a broadcast wave, recorded TS data is descrambled at the time of reproduction and viewing of a recorded broadcast program. At this time, a device key, a work key, and a scramble key extracted from an EMM and an ECM of the recorded TS data are decrypted to perform descrambling.
Once a device key generation procedure is updated in response to discovery of an invalid broadcast receiving apparatus in the RMP system, viewing of content that has been recorded as recorded TS data is no longer available.
This is because a device key generated from an EMM of the recorded TS data has been already revoked. More specifically, even valid viewers not invalidly violating a copyright protection function can no longer view the TS-format content recorded before the revoke.

Broadcast receiving apparatus and broadcast receiving method


A radio apparatus forming a radio network system calculates a calculated distance, based on a tentative self-position and tentative positions of a plurality of radio apparatuses existing in the vicinity. The radio apparatus successively and autonomously corrects the tentative self-position so that the calculated distance comes closer to the measured distance, relying more heavily on the calculated distance than the measured distance between itself and each of the plurality of radio apparatuses, and determines the position of itself. Other radio apparatuses also successively correct the tentative self-positions by the same method as the radio apparatus, and determine the positions of themselves.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radio apparatus and a radio network system including the same. Specifically, the present invention relates to a radio apparatus capable of autonomously estimating a position and a radio network system including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.08
Wide spread use of car navigation systems using GPS (Global Positioning System) and the start of personal navigation system using portable telephones in these days have lead to rapid development of services based on position information (LBS: Location Based Service) in mobile market.
By way of example, various services related to crime-prevention utilizing position information of a person, a car or a pet have been provided. Further, mobile communication providers started providing services of transmitting/receiving current position information by e-mail with map information.
It is expected that various and many other LBSs will be introduced to the market, and so-called location business will surely thrive.
For market expansion, however, it is essential that the scope of use covers not only outdoors and facilities located outdoors but also indoors and facilities/equipment indoors, and that not only the position of an object but also dynamic state of the object can be handled.
On the other hand, cost-effectiveness of micro devices and diffusion of radio communication technique have lead to reduction in size and cost and higher performance of radio digital devices (RFID tag, Bluetooth (registered trademark) and ZigBee (registered trademark)) allowing short-distance communication with small power, whereby such devices are now available for various purposes.
Because of the characteristics of radio digital devices as such, these devices are expected to be attached to various and many daily-use articles of everyday life, and be distributed on a massive scale. When radio digital devices are attached to general articles of everyday life, an environment becomes a reality in which various articles that could not have been the object of information processing in the past and wide areas in which these articles exist become the object of information processing. In other words, a ubiquitous computing environment is being built.
In the ubiquitous computing environment, human-oriented information processing is desired. Therefore, a number of studies and experiments have been made, which are related to LBS for offering services based on positional relation of a human being and ubiquitous articles and their states. Such studies and experiments of LBS include highly sophisticated LBS in which positions and states of a human being and articles are detected accurately and more delicate and real-time services are provided, utilizing a free space fully equipped with sensors (A. Harter, A. Hopper, P. Steggles, A. Ward, and P. Webster, "The Anatomy of a Contextaware Application", MOBICOM 1999, (1999)).

Radio network system capable of autonomous estimation using position correction

Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International


An apparatus for measuring spectral components of a signal is described. The apparatus comprises a measurement acquisition unit configured to receive an input signal and to provide a measurement trace. The apparatus also comprises a model module configured to model one or more of a phase noise from the apparatus, a broadband noise from the apparatus, and a third order intermodulation (TOI) product from the apparatus. The apparatus also comprises a display configured to show one or more of the phase noise from the apparatus, the broadband noise from the apparatus, and the TOI product from the apparatus.

A spectrum analyzer is a measurement device used to examine the spectral composition of waveforms, such as electrical, acoustic, or optical waveforms. Often spectrum analyzers are also configured to measure the power spectrum of the waveforms over a particular frequency range. There are two types of spectrum analyzers: analog spectrum analyzers and digital spectrum analyzers. Generally, an analog spectrum analyzer uses either a variable band-pass filter whose mid-frequency is automatically tuned (shifted, swept) through the range of frequencies of which the spectrum is to be measured or a superheterodyne receiver where the local oscillator is swept through a range of frequencies. Generally, a digital spectrum analyzer computes the discrete Fourier transform (DFT), a mathematical process that transforms a waveform into the components of its frequency spectrum.
More and more, spectrum analyzers are relied upon to provide accurate measurements of comparatively complex signals. For example, modern digital communications signals undergo comparatively complicated modulation schemes. These types of complex signals can tax the limits of performance of spectrum analyzers.
The performance of spectrum analyzers can be degraded by sources of signal distortion that are inherent within the spectrum analyzers. Thus, the spectrum analyzer can distort the spectrum of the signal under test (SUT). Notably, three sources of signal distortion are inherent to spectrum analyzers: broadband noise, phase noise and third order intermodulation (TOI) distortion. The noise sources result from, for example, local oscillators, frequency references and other components of the spectrum analyzer. The noise sources are power sums resulting from independent and uncorrelated processes. Thus, phase and broadband noise are scalars that add to the noise of the SUT. By contrast, TOI products from the spectrum analyzer are vectors that add to the TOI products of the SUT by coherent vector addition, leading to distortion of the TOI products of the SUT.
Noise and TOI products can reduce measurement accuracy of a spectrum analyzer when the noise and TOI products of the spectrum analyzer cannot be isolated from signal measurements that are performed by the spectrum analyzer. These noise and TOI products can also limit measurement sensitivity of the spectrum analyzer. If the noise and TOI products of the spectrum analyzer are sufficiently high relative to the signals being measured, the signals can be masked by the noise and TOI products of the spectrum analyzer and go undetected by the spectrum analyzer. Unfortunately, decreasing the noise of the spectrum analyzer and reducing the TOI products to improve the measurement accuracy and measurement sensitivity can be costly or difficult to achieve.

Spectrum analyzers with dynamic range indicator and methods of use


An endoscope apparatus has a clamp circuit that clamps an image pickup signal that is obtained by picking up of an image with a CCD at timing that is specified with an optical black pulse, an image processing section that applies various kinds of signal processing to the image pickup signal that is outputted from the clamp circuit to convert the image pickup signal into a video signal, and a timing generator and a control section that change a phase of the optical black pulse in response to a kind of an endoscope or a length of an insertion portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in a medical field, endoscopes have been widely used, which are capable of observing organs inside body cavities and the like by elongated insertion portions being inserted into the body cavities, and performing various therapeutic treatments with use of treatment instruments that are inserted through insides of treatment instrument channels in accordance with necessity. Further, in an industrial field. endoscopes for industrial use are also widely used in observation and inspection of flaws, corrosion and the like in insides of boilers, turbines, engines. chemical plants and the like.
For the endoscopes for industrial use as above, endoscope apparatuses exist that are configured so that endoscopes having elongated insertion portions are attachable and detachable thereto and therefrom, and allow users to replace the endoscopes in response to inspection targets, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-224555.
In the endoscope apparatuses for industrial use as above. endoscopes having insertion portions of various lengths adapted to various inspection targets are lined up. The lengths of the insertion portions of the endoscopes correspond to a wide variety of lengths of 1 m to 30 m, and the main body sides have to be designed so that signal processing can be performed without a problem even if the endoscopes are attached thereto and detached therefrom.
Signal transmission includes transmission from the main body side to the distal end of the insertion portion, and transmission from the distal end of the insertion portion to the main body side, and therefore, a signal delay corresponding to the length which is twice as long as the insertion portion occurs. Namely since a normal electrical signal has a delay of approximately 5 nsec/m, the endoscope having the insertion portion of 1 m has a delay of 5 nsec×2=10 nsec, and the endoscope having the insertion portion of 30 m has a delay of 5 nsec×60=300 nsec.

Endoscope apparatus which controls clamping of optical black included in an image pickup signal


A multi-chamber air sterilization system including an air inlet, an air test chamber in fluid communication with the air inlet, a mechanical and chemical filtration chamber, an ultraviolet light chamber, a blower and an air exhaust. The system includes a filter sleeve for filtering particulates and chemical agents, and an ultraviolet lamp for killing biological agents.

In spite of a large amount of misinformation which has been presented to the public, there is convincing scientific and technical information available that it is possible for most people to survive a full scale exchange of nuclear, biological or chemical weapons, or disaster caused by an industrial accident provided that proper advance preparations are made.
It is acknowledged that there would be little incentive for an individual to survive such a nuclear holocaust or biological disaster if, as a result, all life on earth were doomed to extinction or marginal existence. However, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has produced extensive reports on the atmospheric effects from various war scenarios, which contradict any such idea. In reality, therefore, the question today is not whether persons can survive a nuclear, biological and chemical warfare or disaster agents, but whether people have the will and determination to prepare for survival.
A number of underground disaster shelters have been developed in preparation of such a disaster. The typical backyard, or personal, shelter has the capability of providing shelter for a small number of people, such as a family unit and incorporates features to protect its occupants against some of the effects of nuclear weapons. However, many shelters have oxygen tanks to provide the shelterists with fresh, uncontaminated air. Further, even in shelters that do include liquid oxygen tanks, these tanks are seldom large enough to provide sufficient oxygen to such a shelter for extended periods of time. Therefore, when oxygen tanks are depleted, or malfunction, shelterists are forced to breath air from outside the shelter, which may be contaminated by a number of different agents. Therefore, there is a need to provide an air sterilization system that will purify contaminated air entering a disaster shelter.
It is recognized that a number of air purification systems have been designed to filter the air in a room in order to remove contaminants from breathable air. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,877 issued May 3, 1993, describes a method for the purification of air in which air polluted with potentially harmful chemical and biological matter is purified and pollutants degraded to less hazardous substances by a combined chemical and electrical process.
Although this invention purifies and destroys most potentially harmful airborne chemicals, microorganisms and other biologicals both by chemical and electrochemical means, it has a number of drawbacks. First, the system does not filter harmful nuclear fallout, and therefore is ineffective in the event of a nuclear disaster. Second, it is directed at purifying the air in a room where a known contaminant is found and therefore, neither filters incoming air nor maintains a closed environment to prevent outside air from entering a room. Third, the electrochemical reaction utilized by this system relies on available ions and bondable compounds to attract the hazardous and undesirable contaminants. Accordingly, this method will eventually cease to function properly due to the lack of available bondable ions and compounds. In such an event, the filtration system will not function properly unless the used chemicals are removed and fresh chemical replenished. Finally, the need to remove and replenish chemicals creates another potential hazard for the average person due to the risk of accidents during handling and storage of the spent and unspent chemical. For these reasons this method of air purification is not suitable for use in protecting from nuclear, biological and chemical disasters.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,071 issued Jun. 29, 1982 describes an on-site apparatus that produces cryogenic temperatures used to remove, by condensations all pollutants in the air so that an ultra clean air supply is obtained for human consumption in the interior of living enclosures, such as automobiles, homes, offices, hospitals etc. The apparatus can recycle air in the enclosure, i.e. resupply the oxygen consumed by the human being and remove the carbon dioxide produced by respiration. Cold traps (filters) of different cryogenic temperatures are built into the system to condense the pollutants of different condensation temperatures. The condensed pollutants can be disposed of by periodical defrost and purge of the system.
Although this system would allow a sealed room to maintain breathable atmosphere, it also has a number of drawbacks. First, this system does not contain a filter capable of removing nuclear fallout, biological hazards and dangerous chemicals from the air. Second, this system maintains a closed environment by recycling air, the system does not accomplish the decontamination process which is crucial for maintaining a safe environment in the event of a full scale exchange of nuclear, biological or chemical weapons, or disaster caused by an industrial accident. Third, the large amount of power required to maintain the temperatures required by these systems cannot be supplied for long by existing battery systems. Therefore, such a system will be ineffective in circumstances where power to a shelter is not functioning.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,820 issued May 6, 1997 describes a clean room air-filtering device. This device features a clean room and chemical air filter suitable for use in the air handling system of the clean room directly upstream of high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters. This device includes a HEPA filter (high efficiency particulate air filter), in addition to chemical filters targeted for the removal of the specific contaminants contained in the various air streams inside a clean room. The clean room air filter is designed to remove chemicals and other gas-phase contaminants created from within the clean room itself during the regular activities occurring in the manufacture of semiconductor devices. In addition, this device includes a processing station that generates a gas-phase contaminant in which the activated carbon particles are preferably selected to remove contaminant produced by the processing station.
This system is also ill suited for use in disaster situations. First, this air handling system preferably includes a make-up air system for drawing air from an atmosphere outside of the clean room, and is subject to contamination by an ambient contaminant. As this make-up air is made to air is passed through borosilicate filter material, rather than more efficient HEPA and/or charcoal filters, this make-up air may act to contaminate the interior air. Second, as this filter is directed to preventing dust and other airborne contaminants from interfering with manufacturing operations, it is not suited for the protection of humans from nuclear fallout, chemical or biological disasters that occur outside the processing station. Finally, this system does not include any means of determining whether contaminants are present within the air entering the system and, therefore, would need to be continuously employed to be effective.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,399,319 issued Mar. 21, 1995 describes a portable, convertible apparatus for creating either a negative pressure or a positive pressure in and filtering the air in a room. Within the airflow path, a HEPA filter is located in the device. This device will maintain a negative pressure in a room thereby preventing the air from inside the room where the device is active from escaping the room. Allowing only non infected air from outside the room to enter the room where the device is located. Alternatively, the device can function to maintain clean air inside a room so that if a door in the room opens, clean air will rush out of the room thereby preventing contaminated air from rushing into the room.
Although this device is useful in creating either a positive or negative pressure inside a room and thus maintaining either the desired clean air or infected air inside a room, the device does not filter air from the outside. This device contains one filter, a HEPA filter, that is capable of removing small quantities of contaminants that accidental entered the room, but is not useful in removing contaminants from the air outside of the room, which is needed in order to filter air entering a shelter. This device does not take air directly from the atmosphere, or outside of the room, and filter contamination, rather the device filters only that air already present in the closed room. Therefore, it is not designed to maintain a clean air environment for an undefined period of time and provide adequate air for human survival. Finally, this device would not provide human protection from atmospheric contaminants in the event of a nuclear, biological or chemical attack or accident.
Finally, the inventor of the present invention invented the life cell disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,693, which is directed at filtering contaminated air entering a room in the event of a disaster. This life cell includes a contaminant detector, for detecting the presence of a contaminant in a volume of air, and an air filtration system for removing contaminants from the volume of air. The air filtration system of the life cell includes an air inlet, HEPA filter in fluid communication with the air inlet for removing particulate contaminants from the volume of air, and a carbon filter in fluid connection with the HEPA filter for removing chemical and biological contaminants from the volume of air. A blower is placed in fluid communication with the carbon filter and HEPA filter and acts to draw the volume of air from the air inlet, through the HEPA filter and carbon filter, and exhaust the volume of air such that a positive pressure is created. The preferred life cell includes a carbon filter made up of two layers of foam, an activated carbon filter medium, and a Whetlerite carbon filter medium. Finally, the preferred life cell is disposed within a self-contained housing and includes a battery bank, a light, a radio, and a communications device.
The life cell disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,693 is effective at filtering air entering a room of a home of most chemical and biological contaminants. However, because the life cell needed to create a positive pressure within a room, it could not be sealed to prevent ingress or egress of air from an enclosed space, like a shelter cell. In addition, the life cell did not protect against many strains of bacteria and airborne viruses. Finally, the two stage filtering design, where the HEPA filter and chemical filter were separated, increased the size of the life cell such that it could not easily fit within the entranceway of a conventional shelter. Therefore it does not solve all of the problems facing shelterists.
Therefore, there is a need for an air sterilization system that provides human protection from atmospheric contaminants in the event of a nuclear, biological or chemical attack or accident, that purifies air directly from the atmosphere, that may be effectively operated by batteries, that includes a means for determining whether contaminants are present within the air entering the system, that does not require that used chemicals are removed and fresh chemical replenished, that both purifies incoming air and exhausts spent air, heat and moisture from a shelter, that may be sealed to prevent ingress or egress of air from an enclosed space, and that protects against all known strains of bacteria and airborne viruses.

Multi-chamber air sterilization system and method


It is intended to provide a semiconductor ceramic composition containing no Pb, which is capable of shifting the Curie temperate to a positive direction as well as of controlling room temperature resistivity and having an excellent jump characteristic. Since the semiconductor ceramic composition in which a portion of Ba of BaTiO3 is substituted by Bi—Na has a crystal in which a central part and an outer shell part of a crystal grain are different from each other in composition, the composition is capable of improving control of room temperature resistivity and a jump characteristic, and therefore it is optimum as a material for a PTC thermistor, a PTC heater, a PTC switch, a temperature detector, and the like.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a semiconductor ceramic composition having a positive temperature coefficient of resistivity, which is used for a PTC thermistor, a PTC heater, a PTC switch, a temperature detector, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as materials showing a PTCR characteristic (Positive Temperature Coefficient of Resistivity), there have been proposed compositions in which various semiconductive dopants are added to BaTiO3. These compositions have a Curie temperature around 120° C. Depending on the use, these compositions need to be shifted in Curie temperature.
For example, it has been proposed to shift the Curie temperature by adding SrTiO3 to BaTiO3; however, the Curie temperature is shifted only in a negative direction and is not shifted in a positive direction in this case. Currently, only PbTiO3 is known as an adding element for shifting the Curie temperature in a positive direction. However, since PbTiO3 includes an element that causes environmental pollution, a material which does not use PbTiO3 has been in demand in recent years.
In the BaTiO3 semiconductor porcelain, with an object of preventing a reduction in a temperature coefficient of resistivity by Pb substitution as well as reducing a voltage dependency to promote productivity and reliability, there has been proposed a method of producing a BaTiO3 semiconductor porcelain in which one or more kinds of Nb, Ta, and a rare earth element is added to a composition obtained by using no PbTiO3 and controlling x to a range of 0<x≦0.15 in a structure of Ba1−2x(BiNa)xTiO3 that is achieved by substituting a portion of Ba of BaTiO3 by Bi—Na; followed by sintering the composition in nitrogen; and thereafter subjecting the composition to a heat treatment in an oxidation atmosphere (see Patent Reference 1).
Patent Reference 1: JP-A-56-169301


A charge pump for an integrated circuit includes a substrate, first and second transistors and a capacitor. The first transistor includes first source and first drain regions disposed within the substrate and defining a first channel therebetween. The first source and first drain regions are implanted with one of an n-type and a p-type dopant. The second transistor includes second source and second drain regions disposed within the substrate and defining a second channel therebetween. The second source and second drain regions implanted with the same type dopant as the first source region. The capacitor includes a metal terminal and a substrate terminal with a dielectric therebetween. The substrate terminal is disposed within the substrate and implanted with the same type dopant as the first source region. The substrate terminal contacts the first drain region and second source region within the substrate to provide electrical continuity therebetween.

A charge pump (also known as a Dickson charge pump or Dickson multiplier) takes a low voltage DC supply as its input, and so is a kind of low voltage DC to DC converter that uses capacitors as energy storage elements to create either a higher or lower voltage power source at the charge pump's output. In addition to the DC input, the circuit generally requires a feed of two clock pulse trains with an amplitude swinging between the DC supply rails. These pulse trains usually have opposite polarities. Charge pump circuits are capable of high efficiencies, sometimes as high as 90-95% while being electrically simple circuits. Charge pumps can provide double voltages, triple voltages, halve voltages, invert voltages, fractionally multiply or scale voltages (such as ×3/2, ×4/3, ×2/3, etc.) or generate arbitrary voltages, depending on the controller and circuit topology.
However, with constant down-scaling and increasingly demanding requirements to the speed and functionality of ultra-high density integrated circuits, the interconnection wiring between the transistors and capacitors of a charge pump circuit becomes increasingly problematic. In order for the charge pumps 40 (in FIG. 2A) and 50 (in FIG. 2B) to function, electrical continuity must be established between each transistor's source and gate, and between the clock signals and the capacitors. Additionally, electrical continuity must be established between each capacitor, the drain of one transistor and the source of an adjacent transistor. In prior art integrated circuits, these charge pump interconnections often involve a plurality of metal interconnections and contacts between capacitors and transistors that can take up space, and/or extend for relatively long distances and contacts (or vias) through several layers within the integrated circuit.
Additionally, as the technology is down-scaled, the supply voltage (typically referred to as Vdd) is also down-scaled. The lower the supply voltage, the more stages are required in a charge pump circuit to meet various voltage requirements throughout the integrated circuit. Therefore a compact design for an integrated circuit charge pump becomes an ever-more increasing premium as the technology is scaled.
Accordingly, there is a need for a charge pump circuit design, and method of making the same, that reduces the amount of metal interconnection wiring required between capacitors and transistors in a charge pump circuit. Additionally, there is a need for a more compact design for a charge pump circuit compared to prior art charge pumps.

Semiconductor charge pump with imbedded capacitor


A printed wiring board including a wiring substrate provided with at least one conductor circuit, a solder resist layer formed on the surface of the wiring substrate, covering the at least one conductor circuit, conductor pads formed on a part of the at least one conductor circuit exposed from respective openings provided in the solder resist layer for mounting electronic parts, and solder bumps formed on the respective conductor pads. The ratio (H/D) of a height H of the solder bumps from solder resist layer surface to an opening diameter of the openings are made to be about 0.55 to about 1.0 with the pitch of the openings provided in the solder resist layer of about 200 μm or less.

Recent years, high performance is remarkable in electronics represented by portable telephones and communication terminals. And, for these electronics is used a printed wiring board having IC chips mounted thereon. As a method of mounting IC chips on a printed wiring board, a flip chip type of directly mounting IC chips on the surface of a printed wiring board is widely employed. As such a printed wiring board, there has been known the one comprising a core substrate, a build-up layer formed on the core substrate and connecting pads for mounting an IC chip through a solder bump on the surface of the build-up layer.
Here, as a printed wiring board, use are made of epoxy resin, BT (bismaleimide triazine) resin phenol resin and the like formed with reinforcement such as glass fiber or the like. The thermal expansion coefficient of these core substrates is about 12-20 ppm/° C. (30-200° C.) and about 4 times larger than that (about 3.5 ppm/° C.) of silicon of the IC chip package.
Therefore, the flip-chip type has, in case of repeating temperature change with heat generation, the possibility of destroying the solder bump due to differences in thermal expansion and heat contraction between the IC chip and the core substrate. For solving such problem, there is proposed a method of interposing an interposer having a thermal expansion coefficient between the printed wiring board and the IC (refer to Japanese unexamined patent application No. 59-996).


An apparatus for molding a honeycomb structure provided with an extruder for the honeycomb structure capable of extruding a honeycomb structure in the gravity direction or an oblique direction at an angle of smaller than 30° with the gravity direction and at least one cradle, said apparatus being provided with a means of being able to place the honeycomb structure extending in length with progress of extrusion on the cradle with cell opening end face 9 of the honeycomb structure being pressure contacted with the cradle under a pressure smaller than the compressive strength at the end face and then to move the cradle at a speed capable of keeping the pressure contact state and in the same direction as the lengthwise direction of the honeycomb structure.

As for ceramic honeycomb structures which are recently used as catalyst carriers for purification of exhaust gases and others, attempts have been earnestly made to reduce the heat capacity of cell walls supporting the catalysts by reducing the thickness of the cell walls for rapidly raising the catalyst temperature at the time of starting of engine to improve purification performance. Specifically, at present, a thickness of the cell walls of 0.1–0.2 mm is mainly employed, and even a thicknes of less than 0.1 mm is employed.
Furthermore, the attempt to thin the cell walls is also made for large-sized honeycomb structures, and at present, large-sized products of more than 150 mm in outer diameter which are thinned in walls are put to practical use.
On the other hand, conventional apparatuses for producing honeycomb structures and method for producing them are generally those according to which honeycomb structures extruded from an extruder are continuously extruded in a direction perpendicular to the gravity direction while placing them on a plurality of cradles having concave faces corresponding to the shape of the outer peripheral side face (JP-B-64-6916, etc.).
As an automatic cutting device suitable for the apparatuses for producing honeycomb structures and method for producing them by the continuous extrusion molding, there is disclosed an automatic cutting device having a cradle on which the honeycomb structures are placed, a carrying path for moving the cradle with the honeycomb structures placed thereon, a speed sensor for sensing the extrusion speed of the honeycomb structures, a cutting device carrying out the cutting of the honeycomb structures while moving in the moving direction of the honeycomb structures and at the same speed as the extrusion speed of the honeycomb structures which is sensed by the speed sensor (the same patent publications referred to as above).
However, since according to the conventional apparatuses and methods, the honeycomb structure is extruded in the direction perpendicular to the gravity direction, there is a problem that its own weight is apt to be applied in the thickness direction of cell wall which is structually small in strength. Therefore, in case a honeycomb structure which is considerably reduced in strength due to the reduction in wall thickness or a honeycomb structure in which its own weight is apt to be applied in the thickness direction of the cell wall due to increase in size is produced, there occurs distortion of outer wall such as rupture, or distortion of cell wall such as cell twisting or mesh creasing owing to its own weight, and these are severe causes to hinder reduction in thickness of walls and increase in size of the honeycomb structure.
As a result of intensive investigations conducted by the inventors in an attempt to solve the above problems, first, it has been found to employ the gravity direction or an oblique direction at an angle of smaller than 30° with the gravity direction (hereinafter referred to as "gravity direction, etc." as the extrusion direction of the extruding machine so as to apply the own weight of the honeycomb structure mainly in the lengthwise direction of the cell wall which has structurally the highest strength.
However, it has been found that according to the apparatuses having the above extrusion direction, there is a new problem that distortion is apt to occur in the extruded honeycobm structure due to the force in the diameter direction with extension in length of the extruded honeycomb structure, being different from the conventional apparatuses in which cradles are successively supplied to the outer peripheral side surface.
That is, when the extrusion direction is the gravity direction, etc., it has been found that the honeycomb structure extruded becomes difficult to maintain its inherent attitude even by a very small force in the diameter direction with extension of the length, and there occurs distortion of outer wall due to bend or rupture of the honeycomb structure or distortion of cell walls such as cell twisting at the position of opening of die at which forces in the diameter direction are apt to be concentrated owing to the factors such as cutting stress caused by cutting with a small-gage wire, vibration of machine and others.

Equipment and method for manufacturing honeycomb structural body


A method is described for producing homogeneous wrought microstructure during equal channel angular extrusion of difficult-to-work high temperature alloys that exhibit a high degree of flow softening at hot-working temperatures, wherein flow non-uniformities are minimized by imparting an increment of initial upset deformation to an alloy immediately preceding shear flow through the deformation zone.

The present invention relates generally to methods for hot working metals and alloys for attaining selected microstructure, and more particularly to a method for producing homogeneous wrought microstructure during equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE) of difficult-to-work high temperature alloys.
Wrought processing of metals often involves hot working during initial (ingot breakdown) and intermediate fabrication steps. Typical hot working techniques include hot extrusion and various types of hot forging (cogging, pancake forging, etc.)
Conventional ECAE (see Segal et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,633; Segal, "Working of Metals by Simple Shear Deformation Process," Proceedings Fifth International Aluminum Technology Seminar, Vol 2, 403-6 (1992); Segal et al, "Plastic Working of Metals by Simple Shear," Russ Metall, Vol 1, 99-105 (1981)) can be used for primary breakdown and secondary hot working of an alloy ingot. Large deformations can be imparted without change in ingot cross section, which permits small ingots to be melted to obtain a given semi-finished product size. ECAE is especially useful for materials prone to macrosegregation during casting of large ingots. Other advantages include moderate working pressures (compared to extrusion through converging conical dies) and control of crystallographic and mechanical texture during multi-pass ECAE by selective rotation of the workpiece between passes.
Although ECAE is useful for imparting large deformations to a variety of alloys, because of the simple shear nature of the deformation during ECAE, the deformation is confined to a narrow-shear zone. Thus, materials that exhibit flow softening are prone to flow localization in shear. In ECAE, formation of a shear band or shear crack results in the development of grossly nonuniform flow. Eventually, the final extruded billet exhibits a periodic series of shear bands (or shear cracks) and undeformed zones. Development of shear bands or shear cracks leads to undesirable, grossly nonuniform microstructures. Thus, the conventional (Segal et al) ECAE process may not be useful for materials that exhibit significant flow softening during hot working.
The invention solves or substantially reduces in critical importance problems with conventional ECAE by providing a method for ingot breakdown or secondary hot working via ECAE of difficult-to-work alloys that exhibit extensive flow softening, resulting in homogeneous deformation and development of uniform microstructure in alloys such as conventional titanium; nickel, iron, and cobalt base superalloys; and intermetallic alloys in the cast or wrought condition, by subjecting the alloy to an increment of upset deformation prior to shear flow in ECAE.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a hot-working method for metals and alloys.
It is another object of the invention to provide a method for hot working metals and alloys for preselected microstructure in the hot worked product.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method for hot working difficult-to-work high temperature alloys to produce homogeneous wrought microstructure.
It is another object of the invention to provide a method for hot working high temperature aerospace alloys to produce uniform deformation and uniformly wrought microstructure by ECAE.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent as a detailed description of representative embodiments proceeds.

Equal channel angular extrusion of difficult-to-work alloys

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


Provided are embodiments of an image sensor. The image sensor can comprise a first substrate including a transistor circuit, a lower interconnection layer, an upper interconnection layer, and a second substrate including a vertical stacked photodiode. The lower interconnection layer is disposed on the first substrate and comprises a lower interconnection connected to the transistor circuit. The upper interconnection layer is disposed on the lower interconnection layer and comprises an upper interconnection connected with the lower interconnection. The vertical stacked photodiode can be disposed on the upper interconnection layer and connected with the upper interconnection through, for example, a single plug connecting a blue, green, and red photodiode of the vertical stack or a corresponding plug for each of the blue, green, and red photodiode of the vertical stack.

An image sensor is a semiconductor device for converting an optical image into an electrical signal. The image sensor is roughly classified as a charge coupled device (CCD) image sensor or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor (CIS).
The CIS includes photodiodes and MOS transistors in a unit pixel, and sequentially detects electrical signals of respective unit pixels in a switching manner to realize an image. Particularly, the unit pixel of a typical CIS includes a photodiode region receiving a light signal to convert the light signal into an electrical signal and a transistor region processing this electrical signal.
In a horizontal CMOS image sensor, the photodiode and the transistor are horizontally formed adjacent to each other on a substrate. Accordingly, an additional region for a photodiode is required on the substrate for each unit pixel, which reduces a fill factor and limits possibility of resolution.

Image sensor and manufacturing method thereof


Methods, apparatuses, and systems directed to managing wireless node access to one or more wireless networks. According to one implementation, a business logic application may function as a package tracking application to manage access to wireless access points in different WLANs along the route. A sensor node is initialized and configured with one or more connection parameter sets allowing it to associate with a given wireless network implemented by one or more access points. In one implementation, the sensor node is configured only to accept received wireless frames that it can properly decrypt using the currently stored encryption key. When the sensor node and such a wireless access point associate, they may exchange encrypted information (e.g., data regarding the package) using an encryption key. Before the sensor node disassociates with time wireless access point, the wireless access point transmits a new connection parameter set to the sensor node.

Market adoption of wireless LAN (WLAN) technology has exploded, as users from a wide range of backgrounds and vertical industries have brought this technology into their homes, offices, and increasingly into the public air space. This inflection point has highlighted not only the limitations of earlier-generation systems, but also the changing role that WLAN technology now plays in people's work and lifestyles, across the globe. Indeed, WLANs are rapidly changing from convenience networks to business-critical networks. Increasingly users are depending on WLANs to improve the timeliness and productivity of their communications and applications, and in doing so, require greater visibility, security, management, and performance from their networks.
In package delivery systems, a WLAN may include a personal area network (PAN) to monitor physical packages (e.g., mail or goods) as packages travel from one location to another. A PAN is a short-range (e.g., within 10 meters) wireless network, which may be a part of a WLAN, and is used for communication among wireless clients (e.g., notebook computers, personal assistant devices, sensor nodes, etc.). A wireless client typically includes an application for selecting and joining a network such as a PAN. While the package is on route, PANs along the route facilitate in tracking the package by tracking a sensor node that is attached to the package. More specifically, as the package travels from one PAN to another, the sensor node on the package associates and disassociates with particular wireless access points in each PAN. While a package is associated with a given PAN, the PAN infrastructure tracks the package by reading information that is stored in the sensor node. Such information may be, for example, information about the sensor node and information about the package.
In accordance with the IEEE 802.15.4 specification, a sensor node can perform active or passive scanning to associate with wireless access points in a given PAN. During active scanning, the sensor node sends out a probe request frame, requesting wireless access points to respond. The surrounding wireless access points that can allow an additional sensor node to join, respond to the request. The sensor node chooses one network to join from the list. During passive scanning, the sensor node receives surrounding beacon frames that wireless access points broadcast, and responds to one of the beacon frames in order to join the PAN. With either passive or active scanning, the sensor node ultimately determines which PAN to join.
This situation may not be desirable when a sensor-node is moving between overlapping areas of network coverage, and it is desired that the sensor-node move from one network to another specified network. In addition, for various reasons, it may be desirable to have the sensor-node skip certain associations and join only specific networks. In addition, problems may exist when a sensor node may associate with the wrong, or an undesired, PAN (e.g., an unauthorized or rogue PAN, or a PAN outside of a given administrative domain, etc.). An incorrect association may occur for, example, if the package carrying the sensor node is misrouted or moves into an area that is covered to by two different PANs. If the sensor node stores any sensitive information, an unauthorized or rogue PAN infrastructure may intercept the sensitive information.
In light of the foregoing, a need in the art exists for methods, apparatuses, and systems that address the foregoing problems and that effectively manage access of sensor nodes in wireless networks. Embodiments of the present invention substantially fulfill this need.

Intelligent association of nodes with pan coordinator


A high lift system for an aircraft with at least one high lift flap arranged on each of the main wings of the aircraft. The high lift system includes an input device for the generation of flight phase-related requirements for the high lift flap. The high lift system further includes a control device, with a conversion function with which the flight phase-related requirements are converted into setting commands for the actuation of a lift device for the adjustment of the high lift flap. The conversion function is configured such that from a take-off requirement, a setting command to the drive device is generated with which the leading edge flap of the high lift flap is arranged in a set state in which a gap exists between the leading edge flap and the main wing with a gap width of between 0.1% and 0.4% relative to the local wing chord.

From U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,847 a high lift system is of known art, in which for the improvement of the lift characteristics of a wing its wing thickness is defined.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,699 A discloses a combination of a wing and a slat which is positioned in a take-off/climb position such that the trailing edge of the slat is in contact with or closely adjacent to the forward concealed nose and upper surface portion such that a concealed forward nose and upper surface portion is provided.
EP 1 310 848 A1 describes an aircraft high lift control system comprising several controllers which are split into two similar groups in order to provide a fail-safe configuration.

High lift system for an aircraft with a high lift flap and method for adjusting the high lift flap


Earplugs (22, 24) and a combination (20) of a pair earplugs and a cord (26) that joins them, each can be detected by metal and/or magnetic detectors even if the parts of the combination becomes separated and fall into a batch of food, etc. Each earplug includes an earplug core (32) formed of a first elastomer with a multiplicity of metal-mag detectable particles (36) (particles detectable by electrical or magnetic detectors) embedded in the first elastomer, and an earplug covering (32) of a second elastomer (that may be the same as the first one) that is devoid of such particles. The cord includes a cord core (50) formed of a first flexible polymer with metal-mag detectable particles embedded therein, and a cord covering (54) formed of a second polymer that is devoid of such particles. The particles are preferably of iron, which is magnetically detectable but that can mark skin or clothing that it contacts, but which is isolated from the skin and clothing by the earplug and cord coverings. The earplug covering can be molded and then filed with the earplug core. The cord core can be extruded and the covering extruded around the core.

Earplugs are commonly worn by workers who are subjected to loud noise, to protect their hearing. Occasionally, an earplug may fall from a worker, as when he/she is handling it as to pull it out or push it into the ear canal. In contamination-sensitive processes such as in the preparation of food or medicine, steps are taken to minimize the possibility that an earplug will fall into the material being produced. This often involves tying together a pair of earplugs with a cord. The cord may limit falling of one of the earplugs as where the other earplug is held in the worker's ear or the cord is separately held. In addition, an earplug that falls into a batch of food or medicine must be detected.
Earplugs and cords can be detected by attaching a metal fitting to the earplug or cord for detection by a metal detector. It is usually preferred that the metal be detectable by a magnetic detector, and an iron based alloy is usually preferred because it is of low cost and sensitive to detection by a magnetic detector. Magnetic detectors are often more sensitive than metal detectors. Applicant notes that certain ceramics (which are as hard as hard metals) are magnetically detectable and are the equivalent of metal for the purposes of the invention. Both the earplug and any cord that connects them should be separately detectable because an earplug may become detached from a cord. U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,411 describes the placement of a metal ball of about 2 millimeters diameter (and 6 cubic millimeters volume) in a deep passage in the rear of an earplug and the placement of a metal ring or crimp barrel of about 2 millimeters diameter and 8 millimeters length (volume of about 2 cubic millimeters) around a cord, to detect either one by magnetic, electrical or x-ray detectors. U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,566 describes a metal ring of about 0.2 inch diameter (5 millimeters diameter and a volume of about 5 cubic millimeters) attached to an earplug for detection.
Although the presence of a metal ball or ring greatly helps detect an earplug or cord, there is still a possibility that the earplug or cord will go undetected. If undetected in material being processed, a metal ball or ring of about 2 millimeters diameter may be even more disastrous than a solely polymer earplug or cord. Such metal piece may do more damage to a person eating the metal piece or to machinery that processes the material, than a solely polymer earplug or cord.
It would be desirable if a corded earplug pair comprising a pair of earplugs and a cord with opposite ends attached to the earplugs, were constructed so that all components of the combination could be detected by a metal and/or magnetic detector. It would be especially desirable if the earplugs and/or cord were separately detectable by metal and magnetic detectors, without the earplugs or cord containing a metal piece of appreciable diameter or volume (more than 0.1 cubic millimeter).


A technique includes applying a liquid dielectric composition onto a substrate, where the composition includes metal ions, at least partially curing the composition to form a dielectric layer with the metal ions, patterning the dielectric layer to form electron-rich regions at a surface thereof, heating the patterned dielectric layer to drive the metal ions to the electron-rich regions thereof, thereby forming a metal barrier layer on at least a portion of the surface of the dielectric layer, and depositing one or more metal layers onto the metal barrier layer.

The semiconductor industry continues to present a need for the development of new dielectric materials with a low dielectric constant (k). In integrated chips or other microelectronic structures, dielectric material is typically in contact with metal interconnects, which provide conductive channels. Diffusion of metals such as copper (Cu) from interconnects into adjacent dielectric material can lead to the degradation of the electrical properties of the dielectric.
A metal barrier can be applied on a dielectric material to prevent diffusion, as shown in FIG. 1. Layers of tantalum nitride 9 and tantalum 7 are deposited over patterned dielectric 3 disposed on substrate 1. The layers 9 and 7 form a metal barrier against diffusion of Cu from the subsequently applied interconnect 2 into the patterned dielectric 3.
A self-forming metal barrier shown in FIG. 2 can also be used to prevent Cu diffusion from an interconnect into an adjacent dielectric material. A seed layer 4 of Cu—Mn (copper-manganese) alloy is deposited over patterned dielectric 3 disposed on a substrate 1, followed by deposition of a Cu interconnect 2. On heating the structure, a non-Cu metal component Mn in the Cu—Mn alloy segregates to the interface between the dielectric 3 and the interconnect 2. The Mn then reacts with the dielectric to form a barrier layer 5.

International Business Machines Corporation


A heat sink unit includes: a cooling member including a metal plate having a plurality of attachment holes on edges thereof, a first surface of the metal plate adjoining a heat-producing electronic component, and a second surface of the metal plate having a plurality of cooling fins erected on an area other than the attachment holes. The heat sink unit further includes: an attachment member including an opening in which the cooling fins are disposed when the cooling member is installed and a plurality of threaded bosses protruding from the first surface to be inserted into each of the attachment holes; and coil springs into which the bosses are respectively inserted. The coil springs are interposed between the attachment member and the metal plate, and the bosses are inserted into the attachment holes to fix the cooling member by screws.

For example, a personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as a "PC") internally has a circuit board on which a heat-producing electronic component such as a CPU is mounted, and a heat sink unit abutted on the heat-producing electronic component for cooling the heat generated from the heat-producing electronic components is also mounted on the heat sink unit. In some heat sink units, elasticity against the heat-producing electronic component is added to alleviate a difference of heights of the heat-producing electronic components and provide sufficient an abutting force against the heat-producing electronic component.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 10-223816 discloses a structure having an attachment clamp for mounting the heat sink on the circuit board and a spring interposed between the heat sink and the attachment clamp to apply elasticity between the heat sink and the heat-producing electronic component. However, in this structure, an attachment component or a spring is separately prepared in addition to the heat sink unit, and thus, errors maybe frequently generated in an assembling process.
Also, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 10-70383 discloses a structure which applies elasticity between the heat sink and the heat-producing electronic component by inserting a coil spring between the screw head and the heat sink during a process of fixing the heat sink to the circuit board by screws.
However, even in this structure, the heat sink unit fails to have a structure for applying elasticity on its own. Since the coil spring is installed when the heat sink unit is attached to the circuit board, errors may frequently occur.

Heat sink unit, circuit board unit, and electronic device


A sheet supply apparatus has a separation member which is elastically flexible to change an angle thereof when the separation member is urged by a sheet fed out by a sheet supply unit, thereby separating the sheet which rides over the separation member from the other sheets, and a load releasing device for removing a load from the separation member to permit the separation member to return to its original state after the sheet is separated by the separation member and a guide for guiding the sheet separated by the separation member in the state where the separated sheet is not contacted with the separation member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet supply apparatus for supplying a sheet (recording sheet, transfer sheet, photo-sensitive sheet, electrostatic recording sheet, printing sheet, OHP sheet, envelope, post card, original sheet or the like) from a sheet stacking portion to a sheet treating portion (such as a recording portion, a reading portion, working portion or the like) in a recording apparatus (printer) acting as an information outputting apparatus of a word processor, a personal computer and the like, or in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile and the like, or other equipments using the sheet, and a recording apparatus having such a sheet supply apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
In sheet supply apparatuses, a function for surely separating a single sheet from a sheet stack is requested. In the past, there has been proposed a technique in which a pawl member is arranged at a front corner of the sheet stack so that, when the sheets are fed out by a sheet supply roller, by flexing only an uppermost sheet to ride over the pawl member, the uppermost sheet is separated from the other sheets. However, even when this technique is used, it is very difficult to separate a sheet which is hard to be flexed (for example, an envelope or a post card having strong resiliency).
On the other hand, in order to separate the sheet which is hard to be flexed (such as an envelope or a post card), a technique is proposed as disclosed in the Japanese Patent Appln. Laid-open No. 3-284547. This technique will now be explained with reference to FIG. 28. In FIG. 28, a sheet stacking plate 201 on which sheets are stacked is biased upwardly by a spring member 203. A free roller 204 for regulating a position of an uppermost sheet on the sheet stack is abutted against an upper surface of the sheet stack rested on the sheet stacking plate 210 so that the upper surface of the sheet stack is maintained below a guide surface 205. Further, an inclined surface 207 for separating the sheets is arranged at a downstream side of the sheet stacking plate 201.
A sheet supply roller 206 is a semi-circular roller having a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion. During rotation of the sheet supply roller, when the large diameter portion thereof is contacted with the uppermost sheet on the sheet stack, the sheets are fed out. The sheets fed out by the sheet supply roller 206 are urged against the inclined surface 207, and the uppermost is flexed to ride over the inclined surface 207, thereby separating the uppermost sheet from the other sheets. Since tip ends of the second, third and other sheets are held down by an elastic force of the flexed uppermost sheet, the second, third and other sheets cannot ride over the inclined surface 207. In this way, only the uppermost sheet can surely be separated from the other sheets.
However, in such a sheet separating mechanism, since the tip ends of the second, third and other sheets are held down by the elastic force generated when the sheet is flexed between the inclined surface 207 and a point P (contact point between the sheet and the free roller 204), and, thus, since the elastic force affects a great influence upon the separating operation, it is necessary to select an inclination angle of the inclined surface 207 in accordance with the bending elastic modulus of the sheet. That is to say, when a sheet having the great bending elastic modulus is separated, the inclination angle of the inclined surface must be selected to be smaller so as not to fold the sheet to be fed out; whereas, when a sheet having the small bending elastic modulus is separated, the inclination angle of the inclined surface must be selected to be greater so as to surely hold down the other sheets by the elastic force of the flexed uppermost sheet.
Accordingly, if the inclination angle of the inclined surface 207 is selected to be smaller to permit the separation of the sheet having the great bending elastic modulus (such as an envelope, a post card or the like), for example, when it is desired to separate a sheet (for a copying machine) having a weight of 60-100 grams/m.sup.2, the second, third and other sheets cannot be sufficiently held down by the elastic force of the flexed uppermost sheet, with the result that the double-feed of sheets may occur. Thus, this arrangement cannot be used in separation of the sheet (such as plain sheet) having the small bending elastic modulus.
To avoid this, there has been proposed a technique in which plural kinds of sheets having each different bending elastic modulus can be separated by a single separation means, for example, as disclosed in the Japanese Patent Appln. Laid-open No. 58-202228. Now, this technique will be briefly explained with reference to FIG. 29.
A sheet stacking plate 301 on which sheets are stacked is biased upwardly by a spring 302, and a position of an uppermost sheet on the sheet stack is regulated by holder pawls 302 disposed in the proximity of left and right front corners of the sheet stack. A sheet supply roller 303 is urged against the uppermost sheet so that, when the sheet supply roller is rotated, the sheet can be fed out. An abutment member 305 provided on a reference surface 304 for regulating tip ends of the stacked sheets is formed from a plastic film or a metal spring plate having a predetermined bending elastic modulus so that the abutment member can be bent or flexed when it is urged by the sheets fed out by the sheet supply roller 303.
In such a sheet supply apparatus, for example, sheets (for a copying machine) having small bending elastic module are separated one by one when a tip end portion of the uppermost sheet is flexed and rides over the holder pawls 302, as is in the conventional separation means of pawl separation type. On the other hand, regarding thick sheets (such as envelopes, post cards) having great bending elastic modulus, the abutment member 305 is greatly flexed by the tip ends of the sheets, with the result that the sheets are successively advanced while sliding on the flexed abutment member. Consequently, the thick sheets are separated one by one. In this way, various kinds of sheets each having different bending elastic modulus can be separated.
Further, as shown in FIG. 30, a thick sheet separating plate 306 may be provided in association with the reference surface. In this case, the thick sheets are separated one by one when the uppermost sheet rides over the separating plate 306 and flexes the abutment member 305.
Further, the Japanese Patent Appln. Laid-open No. 2-193834 discloses a technique for separating sheets one by one by using a member similar to the above-mentioned abutment member. In this technique, a sheet stacking plate on which sheets are stacked is urged against a sheet supply roller by springs so that, when the sheet supply roller is rotated, the sheets can be fed out. An abutment member is disposed perpendicular to a sheet supplying direction so that the sheets fed out by the sheet supply roller can be separated one by one when the abutment member is flexed by the sheets. According to this arrangement, various kinds of sheets each having different bending elastic modulus can be separated one by one.
In this arrangement, although the sheets are separated one by one when the abutment member is flexed, when the sheets are fed out by the sheet supply roller, not only the uppermost sheet but also second and other sheets may also be fed out. In this case, after the uppermost sheet is separated, the abutment member is maintained in the flexed condition by the urging action of tip end portions of the second other sheets. This is the reason why, even when the tip ends portion of the second other sheets are tried to be returned by the elastic restoring force of the flexed abutment member, since the second and other sheets are firmly held by the biasing forces of the springs for biasing the sheet stacking plate upwardly, and the holding forces of holder pawls and the sheet supply roller, the second other sheets cannot be returned. Under this condition, if the next sheet is tried to be fed and separated, the separating action obtained by flexing the abutment member cannot be sufficiently achieved, thereby causing the double-feed of sheets. Further, when the abutment member is maintained in the flexed condition for a long time, the abutment member may be deformed permanently or be deteriorated, thereby worsening the separating action.
To avoid this, if the elasticity of the abutment member is increased to return the second and other sheets by the elastic force of the abutment member, thin sheets cannot be separated one by one because of great elasticity of the abutment member.


An apparatus for manufacturing molten iron includes i) at least one fluidized-bed reduction reactor that reduces and plasticizes iron ore and converts the iron ore into reduced materials, ii) a melter-gasifier into which the reduced ore is charged and oxygen is injected, the melter-gasifier manufacturing molten iron, and iii) a reducing gas supply line that supplies a reducing gas discharged from the melter-gasifier to the fluidized-bed reduction reactor. The fluidized-bed reduction reactor includes a cyclone that is installed in the fluidized-bed reduction reactor to collect fine iron ore. A gas injector, which prevents the fine ore from adhering by injecting gas containing carbon, is connected to the cyclone.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates an apparatus for manufacturing molten irons that prevent fine iron ore from adhering to itself within a cyclone in the fluidized-bed reactor in a smelting reduction process using fine ore.
2. Background Art
The iron and steel industry is a core industry that supplies the basic materials needed in construction and in the manufacture of automobiles, ships, home appliances, and many of the other products we use. It is also an industry with one of the longest histories that has progressed together with humanity. In an iron foundry, which plays a pivotal roll in the iron and steel industry, after molten iron, which is pig iron in a molten state, is produced by using iron ore and coal as raw materials, steel is produced from the molten iron and then supplied to customers.
At present, approximately 60% of the world's iron production is realized by using the blast furnace process developed from the 14th century. In the blast furnace process, cokes produced by using bituminous coal and iron ore that have undergone a sintering process are charged into a blast furnace, and hot gas is supplied to the blast furnace to reduce the iron ore to iron, to thereby manufacture molten iron.
The blast furnace process for manufacturing molten iron requires materials that have the rigidity beyond a certain level and that can secure breathability in a blast furnace. Therefore, the carbon materials used for fuel and plasticizes lean against the coke, which produces specific fuel coke. Sintered ores, which passed a serial process, are mainly used as iron sources.
Accordingly, in the modern blast furnace method, it is necessary to include raw material pre-processing equipment such as coke manufacturing equipment and sintering equipment to process iron ore, and not only is it necessary to obtain accessory equipment in addition to the blast furnace, but equipment to prevent and minimize the generation of pollution in the accessory equipments are needed. The amount of investment, therefore, is considerable and ultimately increasing manufacturing costs.
In order to solve these problems of the blast furnace method, much research is being conducted into a smelting reduction process for manufacturing molten irons in many countries by directly using raw coal as a fuel and a reducing agent, and also directly using fine iron ore that makes up 80% or more of output ore in the world as an iron source.
Two steps of a reducing method including preliminary reduction and final reduction of ore are generally used in the smelting reduction process. The conventional smelting reduction apparatus consist of a fluidized-bed reduction reactor that forms a bubble fluidized-bed and a melter-gasifier connected the bubble fluidized-bed that forms a coal packed-bed. The fine iron ore at room temperature and additives are charged in to the melter-gasifier and are pre-reduced.
Since hot reducing gas is supplied to the fluidized-bed reduction reactor from the melter-gasifier, the fine iron ore in a room temperature and additives contact the hot reducing gas, and then their temperatures are raised. Simultaneously, fine iron ore at room temperature and additives are reduced with at a ratio of equal to or more than 90% and is plasticized with a ratio equal to or more than 30% and then charged into the melter-gasifier.
Meanwhile, a plurality of cyclones collect ore in the fluidized-bed reduction reactor as fine iron ore particles, drop them by gravity, and recirculate it the fluidized-bed.
A high density flow of the fine iron ore is formed in the cyclone. At this time, operating temperature of the fluidized-bed reduction is equal to or more than 700 degrees, and fine iron ore continuously contacts the reducing gas. In this condition, adhesiveness of the surface of fine iron ore, that is, a state of physical adhesion between fine iron ore particles, becomes high.
Therefore, fine iron ore particles are adhered to each other in the cyclone and such adhesion is promoted more and more since the cyclone is continuously vibrated by the reducing gas flow in operation of the fluidized-bed reduction reactor.
If a size of the fine iron ore particles become equal to or more than a predetermined size, the cyclone is blocked with the adhesive materials, and thereby the flow of fine iron ore is interrupted. As described above, if the flow is interrupted in the cyclone, a large loss of fine iron ore occurs, since the fine iron ore cannot be recovered
Moreover, since considerable working hours are necessary to remove the adhesive materials formed in the cyclone, the blockage phenomenon of the cyclone due to the adhesive materials largely reduces an operating ratio of the fluidized-bed reduction reactor.
In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is contrived to provide an apparatus for manufacturing molten iron that prevent agglomeration of fine iron ore particles in a cyclone from forming during fluidizing a fine iron ore reduction process.

Apparatus for manufacturing molten irons

Siemens VAI Metals Technologies GmbH & Co.


For determination of a relative movement of a chassis and a body of a wheeled vehicle, which is movably joined to the chassis, three linear accelerations of the wheeled vehicle, which extend perpendicular to each other, respectively, as well as at least two rotational speeds of one respective rotational movement or a component of a rotational movement about a coordinate axis of the wheeled vehicle are measured (in measuring device 1), the at least two coordinate axes running perpendicular to each other, respectively. A momentary position of the relative movement is determined (in evaluation unit 9) using the three linear accelerations and the at least two rotational rates.

In order to determine the suspension travel or height levels the prior art discloses measuring, in the vicinity of the wheels, a length of a dimension between the chassis and the vehicle body or the change in a position of a measuring point. For example, four-wheeled vehicles always have one such measuring sensor per wheel or three such measuring sensors, these being designated as height-level sensors in the following.
However, height-level sensors are relatively expensive and subject to significant stresses during their deployment in a motor vehicle. This is due in particular to adverse mechanical effects e.g. from particles and stones which are swirled up into the region between wheels and vehicle body during travel, and from humidity and temperature fluctuations.

Determining a relative movement of a chassis and a body of a wheeled vehicle