Systems and techniques alerting a client of a state change at a remote server by creating a user profile indicating a preference to receive at least one alert corresponding to a change in state at the remote server; connecting to a communications system including the remote server; generating an address for the remote server from the user profile; navigating to the address of the remote server; retrieving data corresponding to a particular type of alert from the remote server; and using the retrieved data in delivering an alert to the client.

Online service providers are constantly offering new services and upgrading existing services to enhance their subscribers online experience. Subscribers have virtually on-demand access to news, weather, financial, sports, and entertainment services as well as the ability to transmit electronic messages and to participate in online discussion groups. For example, subscribers of online service providers such as America Online or CompuServe may view and retrieve information on a wide variety of topics from servers located throughout the world. A server may be maintained by the service provider or by a third party provider who makes information and services available through the network of computers that make up the online service.
The proliferation of electronic mail (email) as a means of communication has facilitated the efforts of online service providers to develop and offer additional services to improve subscribers access to information. For example, a subscriber to America Online may register for a service that tracks stock ticker symbols designated by the subscriber and delivers a daily report directly to the subscriber by email at the end of each trading day. The daily report includes daily closing quote data, index quotes, a market news summary, news associated with the company identified by the ticker symbol, and relevant content links.
America Online offers a service that delivers information to a registered subscriber according to the subscribers profile. By setting up a subscriber profile specifying certain categories and/or search words, a registered subscriber can receive a daily newsletter containing articles that pertain to the subscribers profile. A subscriber can also receive a daily listing of Internet or online sites (links) related to the subscribers profiles and can register to receive reminder emails before holidays and/or other special occasions.
America Online also has provided subscribers with the ability to send and receive instant messages. Instant messages are private online conversations between two or more people who have subscribed to the instant messaging service and have installed the necessary software. Because such online conversations take place virtually in real time, instant messaging can provide immediate access to desired information. Instant messaging is fast becoming a preferred means of communicating among online subscribers.

Instant messaging client having an embedded browser


A flat, rectangular protective sleeve for receiving two superimposed bank cards or the like has an inner space subdivided into an upper and lower receiving regions for corresponding cards with a gripping opening for the upper receiving region and a gripping opening for a lower receiving region, wherein the upper gripping opening is located at a small distance from one longitudinal edge and the lower gripping opening is located at a small distance from another longitudinal edge so that on the plane view the gripping openings do not overlap one another.

The present invention relates to a protective cover for two bank cards.
More particularly, it relates to a flat, rectangular protective cover which is injection molded as a one-piece element of synthetic plastic material and has a receiving space for two super imposed bank cards or similar flat cards.
Protective covers of the above mentioned general type are known in the art. One of such protective covers is described in the European Patent Document EP-B1-121 598. This patent document discloses a protective cover for one bank card, composed as a one-piece injection molded synthetic plastic part. In this patent, in FIGS. 6-8 and in the associated description a protective cover for two superimposed bank cards is also disclosed. The gripping openings for each of the both bank cards are formed so that on a plane view they overlap one another, whereby the gripping openings are located in the central region of the flat sides of the protective sleeve. The overlapping arrangement of the gripping openings is considered in this document as indispensable, in order to reliably hold the slider which forms the receiving space for the bank cards, during the injection molding process. For holding the slider also small holding openings are distributed in the edge region, and holding pins of the injection molding tool which are in alignment in pairs with one another can hold the slider from above and from below during the injection molding process. Thereby the aligned holding openings are produced in the finished protective cover.


The present invention relates to a blind spot warning system and method for sensing a vehicle in a blind spot of a vehicle and warning thereof in advance, the blind spot warning system comprising a line-to-line space-generating unit that generates, in real time, line-to-line space data, which changes when the host vehicle is driven; a distance-measuring unit, which measures the distance between the host vehicle and a target vehicle located in a blind spot of the host vehicle; an input unit, which receives the line-to-line space data and the distance measurement information; a comparison unit, which compares the target vehicle distance data with the line-to-line space data to decide whether the target vehicle is located within the threshold vehicle-to-vehicle distance; and a warning output unit for outputting a warning if the target vehicle is located within the threshold vehicle-to-vehicle distance in the blind spot.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a blind spot warning system and method, and in particular, to a blind spot warning system and method for sensing a vehicle located in a blind spot formed at a posterolateral area of a host vehicle and announcing it in advance.
2. Description of Related Art
A blind spot warning system ("BSW system") refers to a system that senses a target vehicle that approaches a side blind spot or a rear blind spot of a host vehicle and announces it in advance. Most blind spot warning systems utilize an ultrasonic sensor or laser sensor for sensing objects around the host vehicle. An example of such blind spot warning systems is disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 1998-058678 (Oct. 7, 1998).
Due to the characteristics of the ultrasonic sensor or the laser sensor, the conventional blind spot warning system cannot recognize the lines on the road. That is, since the conventional blind spot warning system measures the distance between the host vehicle and the target vehicle on the basis of a pre-set lane width, this blind spot warning system is disadvantageous in that the rate of occurrence of malfunctions is high and in that the reliability of the warning system is deteriorated under the condition where a lane width is changed.
According to the regulations of the Road Traffic Act in Korea, in practice, the line-to-line space, i.e., the lane width, is prescribed at roughly 3 meters or more, or 275 centimeters or more when a left turn only lane is provided. Thus, the lane width is variously determined according to the road environment, such as the total width of the road and similar factors. For example, public roads or highways have various lane widths, among them widths of approximately 275 centimeters, approximately 300 centimeters, approximately 350 centimeters and approximately 400 centimeters. Accordingly, since the conventional blind spot warning system mounted in the host vehicle judges whether the target vehicle is located in the side region or rear region of the host vehicle on the basis of a fixed lane width that has been pre-set, target vehicle recognition errors frequently cause the blind spot warning system to malfunction.


A wide area dispersal warhead including a housing defining a cavity, an explosive charge in the housing, and a large plurality of individual munitions in the cavity of the housing about the explosive charge. The explosive charge is configured to deploy the munitions upon detonation into a hemispherical dome shaped pattern.

There are several scenarios where multiple potential or actual threats in a given volume of space are to be targeted. Conventional hit-to-kill and other missiles and warheads cannot typically be used to address multiple threats or targets in a given volume of space. Background information regarding hit-to-kill and other weapons is disclosed in textbooks by the inventor hereof: Chapters 2 and 5 of "Conventional Warhead Systems Physics and Engineering Design" (1998) and Chapters 3 and 6 of "Physics of Direct Hit and Near Miss Warhead Technology" (2001), incorporated herein by this reference.


A method for forwarding a page message to a communication device includes receiving a page message and a list of Closed Subscriber Group (CSG) Identities in conjunction therewith. Each of the CSG Identities is indicative of which radio base stations among said plurality of radio base stations the communication device is allowed to access. The method also includes selecting, based on the list of CSG Identities received in conjunction with the received page message, a subset of radio base stations among said plurality of radio base stations and forwarding the page message to each radio base station in the selected subset of radio base stations, whereby the communication device is paged only via radio base stations that the communication device is allowed to access.

Specification is ongoing in 3GPP for E-UTRAN (Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network) that is the next generation of Radio Access Network. Another name used for E-UTRAN is the Long Term Evolution (LTE) Radio Access Network (RAN). A base station in this concept is called eNB (E-UTRAN eNodeB). The specifications also include the possibility to have an E-UTRAN base station to provide home or small area coverage for a limited number of users. This base station is called HeNB (Home eNodeB) in this document. The HeNB would provide normal coverage for the end users and would be connected to the mobile core network using some kind of IP based transmission. The coverage provided is called femto cell in this document. One of the main drivers of this new concept of providing Local Access is to provide cheaper call or transaction rates/charges when connected via the HeNB compared to when connected via the eNB. The HeNB would in most cases use the end users already existing broadband connection (e.g. xDSL, Cable) to achieve connectivity to the operators mobile core network and possibly to other eNB/HeNB. FIG. 1 illustrates an E-UTRAN with femto cells and HeNBs.
With the use of HeNBs the number of base stations the Core Network (CN) nodes need to interface with will be significantly higher than for a 'normal macro deployment', i.e. there may be 100 000's or even millions HeNBs in a network which will cause scalability problems in the CN nodes. This means that the MME (Mobility Management Entity) would need to have connections to all these HeNBs.
Therefore, it appears to be reasonable to include a 'HeNB concentrator' node in the network architecture, in the 3GPP specifications the concentrator node is referred to as a HeNB gateway (HeNB GW) or gateway node. It is also most likely that all the HeNBs will belong to a few TAs (Tracking Area) and that a one single TA is allocated for each HeNB. For example, FIG. 1 shows one scenario where "TA10" is allocated for all HeNBs. The location of a UE, user equipment, is known in CN on TA level or on a TA list level. This means that a new concept of multiple TAs for the registration and paging area has been introduced. Expressed differently, the TA list is a new concept that has been introduced to minimize the need for TA updates. The CN furthermore knows which eNBs serve a particular TA. So in case a UE terminated session needs to be established, the MME in a 'normal' macro deployment sends a page message to the macro eNB(s) serving the relevant TA(s).
However, in the HeNB case with a concentrator node, for example just one or a few TA(s) are exposed towards the CN (as a result of the concentration performed). So in this case, the TA does not uniquely pinpoint which HeNB the UE is camping on. For example, if 10 different TAs/TAIs are allocated and reused between all the HeNBs, then approximately 1/10 of the HeNBs belong to the same TA. If there exists 1 million of HeNBs in the network, then ˜100 000 of these would share the same TA/TAI. So a page message received from a MME would in the HeNB case mean that the 'HeNB concentrator' would need forward the page to all HeNBs that has been allocated the particular TA. This means that the 'concentrator' needs to spend a lot of processing power on sending the page message towards lots of HeNBs and a lot of load is generated on the backhaul transport network between the HeNB concentrator and the HeNBs. The backhaul is most likely owned by the subscribers where it is inappropriate to have the links flooded with useless paging messages on HeNBs where the UE being paged is not even allowed to access.
In the SAE/LTE 3GPP standards a concept known as CSG (Closed Subscriber Group) has been introduced. With CSG, particular HeNBs can be associated to certain UEs meaning that only these associated UEs are allowed to access the HeNB(s). The allowed CSGs are stored in the UE in a so called CSG Whitelist (or "Allowed CSG List"). Each HeNB broadcasts the CSG Identity allocated to it in System Information (SI) such that a UE that 'hears' (i.e. is able to read the SI) a CSG that is stored in its CSG Whitelist knows that it is allowed to access this HeNB. The association is also known by the CN (MME) which may perform an access control based on UE identity and the CSG identity of the current HeNB cell when an UE is accessing the network. This access control is mostly usable in the case when the stored CSG Whitelist in the UE is wrong. The CSG Identity can be, e.g., equal to the combination of TA Identifier and Cell Id but could also be considered to be a new identity.
Also in previous system architectures, sometime referred to as 3G systems, the concept of small area coverage base stations and the concept of CSG have been introduced. In a 3G system, such as WCDMA system, the Home eNodeB is referred to as a Home NodeB (without 'e') or HNB for short. Similarly, the HeNB concentrator or gateway node is referred to as a HNB GW, which is an abbreviation for Home NodeB gateway.
Therefore, there is a need for an improvement of the method for sending a page message to a mobile terminal in a telecommunication system.
In WO2007040452, there is disclosed a method for paging control to a femto radio base station of a radio access network. The paging is controlled by maintaining a paging control database of allowed user equipment units for which paging is permitted in a cell of a femto radio base station. When a page message is received, the paging control database is used to redefine an effective paging area for a target user equipment unit. Thus, with this method, the paging control database is accessed in order to determine which cells to page. Then, the page message is forwarded only to femto radio base stations which are included in the effective paging area.

Methods and arrangements for paging a communication device


The present invention relates to a capacitor in semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same, wherein, owing to formation of a lower electrode and an upper electrode into a stack structure of a poly-silicon layer and an aluminum (Al) layer and formation of an alumina (Al2O3) film as a dielectric film, the lower electrode is formed into a stack structure of the poly-silicon layer-aluminum (Al) layer, thus increasing a surface area of electrodes due to the absence of oxidation during annealing, and preventing degeneration of the device, and use of the dielectric film including a high-dielectric constant material layer enables reduction of the dielectric film's thickness. Accordingly, the present invention is capable of increasing capacitance, is capable of reducing leakage current and improving dielectric breakdown characteristics via internal formation of an MIM capacitor, and is capable of reducing production costs by performing a continuous process via use of a single piece of equipment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a capacitor in semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the. More specifically, the present invention relates to a capacitor in semiconductor device and method of manufacturing of the same, wherein an alumina (Al2O3) film capable of further decreasing the effective thickness is used as a dielectric film, instead of a conventional nitride film, and an aluminum (Al) layer is used as a conductive film, thus enhancing the breakdown voltage of the capacitor and decreasing leakage current leading to improved reliability of the device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, the high degree of integration of semiconductor devices has led to a decrease in cell size, and, as a result, it has become more difficult to fabricate a capacitor having sufficient capacitance. Particularly, in dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices consisting of a MOS transistor and a capacitor, a crucial factor to achieve high integration of DRAM devices is to increase capacitance of the capacitor occupying a large area in a chip while reducing such an area.
In this connection, the capacitor primarily employs poly-silicon as a conductive material, and an oxide film, a nitride film or a lamination film thereof, namely an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) film as a dielectric material. Therefore, as methods to increase capacitance (C) of the capacitor, as given by C=(∈0×∈r×A)/T wherein ∈0 represents permittivity of vacuum, ∈r represents a dielectric constant of a dielectric film, A represents the surface area of a capacitor, and T represents the thickness of a dielectric film, there may be exemplified a method involving utilization of a material having a high dielectric constant as a dielectric substance, a method of forming a dielectric film with a low thickness, or a method entailing increasing a surface area of the capacitor.
However, such methods suffer from problems and disadvantages. That is, a great deal of research has been focused on dielectric substances having a high dielectric constant, for example, tantalum oxide (Ta2O5), titanium oxide (TiO2) and strontium titanate (SrTiO3), but it is difficult to apply these materials to practical devices due to the absence of solid confirmation of reliability such as breakdown voltage and thin film characteristics. In addition, decreasing the thickness of the dielectric film results in destruction thereof during operation of the device, this, in turn, significantly affects reliability of the capacitor.
Additionally, a method of increasing a surface area of a lower electrode of the capacitor by forming a poly-silicon layer into multi-layers and then forming the resulting multi-layers into a fin structure connecting each layer therethrough, or a method of increasing a height of the capacitor such as formation of a cylinder-shaped lower electrode on an upper part of a contact suffers from difficulty of subsequent processes due to a step caused by increased height of the capacitor, and high integration of DRAMs leads to a decreased area of the device, thus making it difficult to secure sufficient capacitance of the capacitor.
In addition, since current designs call for twice the number of cells per bit line as in the conventional art, in order to increase cell efficiency, capacitance of the cell capacitor should be further increased, whereas an available surface area of the capacitor is decreased. Therefore, in currently available fin type or cylinder type capacitors, the effective surface area of the capacitor is increased by increasing the height of the capacitor, decreasing the gap between low electrodes, or utilizing hemi-spherical silicon grains.
FIGS. 1a and 1b are views illustrating a capacitor of a semiconductor device in accordance with a conventional art.
First, referring to FIG. 1a, lower structures such as element-isolation oxide films, MOSFET and bit lines are formed on a semiconductor substrate, although they are not shown in FIG. 1a. Next, a lower electrode 12 made of poly-silicon layer pattern is formed on the semiconductor substrate 10 having a contact plug for the lower electrode formed over the entire surface of the resulting lower structures, and an oxide film formed on the surface of the lower electrode 12 is removed by a pre-cleaning process using an HF solution.
Next, a nitride film, as a dielectric film 16, is formed on the surface of the lower electrode 12 via low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) and thermal oxidation is then carried out. As a result, an oxide film 14 made of silicon dioxide (SiO2) is formed between the nitride film 16 and poly-silicon layer 12, and a SiOxNy film 18 is formed on the nitride film 16. Herein, the nitride film 16 can be changed into a SiOxNy material.
Next, referring to FIG. 1b, an upper electrode 20 made of poly-silicon material is formed on the SiOxNy film 18, thereby forming a capacitor having a semiconductor-insulator-semiconductor (SIS) structure.
In such a method of manufacturing a capacitor of a semiconductor device in accordance with a conventional art, the capacitor having the SIS structure is formed wherein the lower electrode 12 and upper electrode 20 are formed of poly-silicon layers, and a nitride film is used as a dielectric film 16. Meanwhile, as a design rule is reduced, the cell area is also decreased, and in order to secure sufficient capacitance, an effective thickness of the dielectric film 16 should be decreased. However, if the effective thickness of the nitride film is reduced to less than 40 Å, oxidation resistance thereof is sharply decreased, which results in problems such as oxidization of lower structures including lower electrode 12 and bit lines during a subsequent thermal oxidation process, increased leakage current of the capacitor itself and attenuation of breakdown voltage.
Further, as the upper/lower electrodes are formed of poly-silicon layers, there are additional problems such as degeneration of electrodes, and formation of oxide films on the dielectric film and electrode interfaces thus increasing the effective thickness of the oxide film and then decreasing capacitance.

Capacitor in semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same


A process is provided for hydrolysis of fluorinated ion exchange membranes. The membrane is contacted with an aqueous solution containing a hydrocarbon having ether, epoxy or ketone linkages and an alcohol group, preferably 1-methoxy 2-propanol, for a period of time sufficient to perform the hydrolysis of the precursor groups. The membrane is useful in a fuel cell or in an electrolytic cell, particularly a chloralkali cell.

The use of a fluorinated ion exchange membrane having carboxylate and/or sulfonate ion exchange groups, as a membrane for separating the anode and cathode compartments of a fuel cell or an electrolytic cell, especially a chloralkali electrolytic cell, is well known. In an electrolytic cell, it is desired that the ion exchange membrane exhibit low cell voltage and high current efficiency, thereby enabling the electrolytic cell to be stably operated with low electric power consumption. In a fuel cell, it is desired that the ion exchange membrane exhibit high ionic conductivity, thereby enabling the fuel cell to be stably operated with high electric power output.
The fluorinated ion exchange membrane having carboxylate and/or sulfonate ion exchange groups is conventionally manufactured by first molding a fluorinated polymer having ion exchange precursor groups and having thermoplastic properties into a film, and then hydrolyzing the ion exchange precursor groups to thereby form carboxylate and/or sulfonate ion exchange groups. The customary method for hydrolyzing the ion exchange precursor groups comprises contacting the precursor groups with an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide or with a mixture of an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide and an organic solvent selected from an alcohol such as methanol, ethanol or propanol or a water soluble organic solvent such as dimethyl sulfoxide. The alcohol or the water soluble organic solvent is added in order to increase the hydrolysis rate of the ion exchange precursor groups.
It is known that an ion exchange membrane is likely to swell, thereby forming wrinkles on the surface of the membrane, when it comes into contact with a cell electrolyte. This wrinkle formation is likely to be accompanied by problems, such as increase in voltage of an electrolytic cell attributed to the retention of evolved gas and/or electrolyte by the wrinkles, pinhole formation, and membrane tearing attributed to the rubbing of the wrinkled membrane against an electrode. To cope with these problems, proposals have been made in which an ion exchange membrane is pre-swollen prior to installation in the cell by immersing the membrane in a specific organic solvent or an aqueous solution of an organic solvent. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,476 discloses a process for pre-swelling an ion exchange membrane with an aqueous solution containing an organic solvent such as diethylene glycol and triethylene glycol. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,376,030 discloses a process for pre-swelling an ion exchange membrane in which the membrane is pre-swollen at a temperature of from 20.degree. to 80.degree. C. using an aqueous solution containing an amine selected from primary, secondary and tertiary amines, most preferably triethanolamine, in an amount of from 2 to 60% by weight.
However, in these prior art hydrolysis processes, two separate steps, i.e. a hydrolysis step and a pre-swelling step, are inevitably involved. Consequently, all of these processes have a drawback in that a complicated procedure is necessary.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,904,701 discloses a hydrolysis process in which the membrane is hydrolyzed with an aqueous solution of at least one basic organic compound for a period of time sufficient to hydrolyze the precursor ion exchange groups. The basic organic compounds include basic nitrogen compounds such as an amine or an imine, preferably triethanolamine or diethanolamine. However, the basic organic compound may not completely hydrolyze the precursor ion exchange groups or the hydrolysis process may take a long time. In addition, the basic organic compound may adversely interact with the ion exchange change groups, thereby decreasing the stability and efficiency of the membrane. In addition, amines such as triethanolamine may be flammable or explosion hazards.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,066,682 discloses a hydrolysis process in which the membrane is hydrolyzed with an alkali aqueous solution containing dimethyl sulfoxide, methanol, ethanol or propanol. However, methanol, ethanol and propanol are difficult to handle due to flammability and explosion hazards. In addition, high concentrations, up to 30% by weight, may be necessary for the additive to facilitate hydrolysis. Dimethyl sulfoxide may be toxic and also causes noxious odors. Dimethyl sulfoxide may also contribute to poisoning of the electrode catalyst in an electrochemical cell, particularly a cell having a unified membrane and electrode structure. Moreover, dimethyl sulfoxide may be difficult to dispose of, because it may cause noxious odors during incineration or in an anaerobic treatment facility.
Therefore, a hydrolysis process for ion exchange membranes is needed in which the membrane may be hydrolyzed in a quick, simple manner, the membrane is dimensionally stable and is pre-swollen in order to avoid wrinkles and pinholes, the hydrolysis agent does not adversely interact with the membrane's ion exchange groups, the hydrolysis agent is not highly flammable, does not poison the electrode catalyst and may be readily disposed of.

Process for hydrolysis of ion exchange membranes


Disclosed is a high density ethylene polymer comprising a homopolymer of ethylene, or a copolymer of ethylene with at least one comonomer selected from an .alpha.-olefin, a cyclic olefin, and linear, branched and cyclic dienes, and having the following properties: (a) a density d (g/cm.sup.3) of from 0.951 to 0.980; (b) an M.sub.I (g/10 minutes) of more than 3 and not more than 100 (M.sub.I is the melt flow rate as measured at 190.degree. C. under a load of 2.16 kg); (c) the polymer satisfying: log a.sub.kI .gtoreq.-0.844 log M.sub.I +1.462 [M.sub.I is as defined above, and a.sub.kI is the Izod impact strength (kgf.multidot.cm/cm.sup.2)]; (d) the polymer satisfying: log M.sub.IR .gtoreq.-0.094 log M.sub.I +1.520 [M.sub.I is as defined above, and M.sub.IR is the H.sub.MI /M.sub.I ratio in which H.sub.MI (g/10 minutes) is the melt flow rate as measured at 190.degree. C. under a load of 21.6 kg and M.sub.I is as defined above]; and wherein (e) the d (g/cm.sup.3) and the M.sub.I (g/10 minutes) satisfy: d.gtoreq.-0.00873 log M.sub.I +0.972. The ethylene polymer has excellent mechanical properties and excellent moldability, and can be advantageously produced by use of a catalyst comprising (A) a specific transition metal compound containing, as a ligand, an unsubstituted or substituted indenyl group, or di or tri substituted cyclopentadienyl group; (B) an inorganic solid component comprising a particulate inorganic solid having OH groups on a surface thereof and, carried thereon, an organoaluminumoxy compound having an alkyl group; and (C) an organoaluminum compound.

1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates to a high density ethylene polymer and a method for producing the same. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with a high density ethylene polymer which is advantageous in that it has not only excellent mechanical properties, such as high impact resistance and high stiffness, but also excellent moldability, such as high melt flowability, and a method for producing the same.
2. Prior Art
High density ethylene polymers have been put into a wide variety of practical uses in the form of molded articles produced by various molding methods. For example, as a representative method for obtaining a molded film, there can be mentioned an inflation method in which a high density ethylene polymer is melted and the resultant molten polymer is extruded through a die while blowing air into the molten polymer being extruded, to thereby inflate the molten polymer extrudate. Further, as examples of methods for producing molded articles having desired shapes, there can be mentioned a blow molding method in which a high density ethylene polymer in the molten state is introduced into the cavity of a mold to form a molten polymer mass in the cavity. Air is blown into the molten polymer mass in the mold cavity, thereby causing the molten polymer mass to be expanded and pressed onto the inner wall of the cavity. Also an injection molding method is known in which a high density ethylene polymer in the molten state is injected under pressure into the cavity of a mold to fill the cavity.
To all of these various molding methods for high density ethylene polymers, it is common that a melt-molding operation be performed in which a high density ethylene polymer is melted by heating and the resultant molten polymer is molded. Therefore, the behavior of the high density ethylene polymer at heat-melting, i.e., melt properties, are extremely important in molding the high density ethylene polymer.
Especially in the injection molding method, melt properties, especially melt flowability, of a high density ethylene polymer are crucially important for achieving a satisfactory molding.
In the present invention, the term "melt flowability" means a property corresponding to the extrusion load at extrusion of a molten resin through an extruder. As examples of indices which can be used as a yardstick for melt flowability, there can be mentioned M.sub.I, H.sub.MI and M.sub.IR.
In the present invention, M.sub.I means an MFR (melt flow rate) as measured at 190.degree. C. under a load of 2.16 kg. H.sub.MI means an MFR as measured at 190.degree. C. under a load of 21.6 kg. M.sub.IR means the ratio of H.sub.MI to M.sub.I, that is, H.sub.MI /M.sub.I.
In general, with respect to each of M.sub.I, H.sub.MI and M.sub.IR, the larger the value, the higher the melt flowability.
However, in practice, the desired properties of a polymer as a molding material vary depending on the molding method employed. Therefore, which index can be suitably used as a yardstick for melt flowability varies depending on the molding method employed. For example, in the injection molding method, for surely obtaining a molded product having high impact resistance, there is a tendency to use a high density ethylene polymer having a narrow molecular weight distribution. In general, a high density ethylene polymer having a narrow molecular weight distribution has a small M.sub.IR, so that, as an index for melt flowability, M.sub.I and H.sub.MI are mainly used.
Conventionally, a high density ethylene polymer for use in the injection molding method has generally been produced by a polymerization using a Ziegler-Natta catalyst, which contains titanium, or using a chromium-containing catalyst. However, in general, a high density ethylene polymer produced by using such a conventional catalyst tends to have a broad molecular weight distribution, and it has been impossible to render a molecular weight distribution narrower than a certain breadth. In order to solve this problem, it has been attempted to improve the moldability of a high density ethylene polymer to be used for injection molding by lowering the molecular weight of the polymer so that the values M.sub.I and H.sub.MI can be increased. However, this attempt has led to a disadvantage in that the produced high density ethylene polymer virtually contains extremely low molecular weight components, so that the mechanical properties, such impact resistance, of the polymer are markedly lowered. That is, when good mechanical properties are desired, M.sub.I and the like cannot be largely increased. This means that, for example, injection molding cannot be performed at a high rate.
On the other hand, it has recently been found that when a catalyst system comprising a solvent-soluble transition metal compound containing at least one halogen, such as bis(cyclopentadienyl)zirconium dichloride, and an aluminoxane is used for homopolymerization of ethylene or copolymerization of ethylene with an .alpha.-olefin, the catalyst system exhibits high polymerization activity. With respect to the details of this technique, reference can be made to, for example, Examined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 4-12283 (corresponding to DE 3127133.2). Further, an improved technique over the technique disclosed in the above-mentioned Examined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 4-12283 is disclosed in, for example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 60-35007. The catalyst system proposed in these prior art documents is attracting attention as the so-called metallocene catalyst system. By using such a metallocene catalyst system, an ethylene polymer having a narrow molecular weight distribution can be produced, wherein, when the ethylene polymer produced is an ethylene copolymer, the copolymer has not only a narrow molecular weight distribution, but also a narrow copolymerization distribution (i.e., narrow distribution with respect to the proportions of different component monomer units constituting the copolymer). By virtue of having a narrow molecular weight distribution, an ethylene polymer produced by using such a metallocene catalyst system has advantages in that it has high mechanical properties, such as high impact resistance, that it is substantially free of low molecular weight components and high molecular weight components (both of which pose problems, such as high tack and gellation), and that it has excellent properties, such as high resistance to solvent extraction and high transparency. Therefore, energetic researches have conventionally been made on the use of a metallocene catalyst system mainly for producing, for example, a linear low density ethylene polymer (LLDPE), a very low density ethylene polymer (VLDPE) and an ultralow density ethylene polymer (ULDPE). As mentioned above, on one hand, an ethylene polymer produced by using a metallocene catalyst system has such great advantages by virtue of the narrow molecular weight distribution thereof; however, on the other hand, such an ethylene polymer has a problem in that it has an extremely poor moldability due to its narrow molecular weight distribution. Because of this problem, conventionally, with respect to the development of the application of a metallocene catalyst system in production of high density ethylene polymers, which are required to have a good balance between mechanical properties and moldability, a remarkable progress has not yet been achieved.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, it has been proposed to broaden a molecular weight distribution by using, for example, a method in which use is made of a plurality of reactors or a method in which use is made of a plurality of types of metallocene catalysts in combination. Specifically, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 60-35008 proposes a method for rendering a broad molecular weight distribution wherein use is made of a mixture of at least two types of transition metal compounds as a catalyst. Further, a method for rendering a broad molecular weight distribution by using a customary multi-step polymerization process is known. For example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 3-234717 discloses a method for improving the melt properties of a polymer, wherein a multi-step polymerization process is performed by using an olefin polymerization catalyst comprising a transition metal compound and an organoaluminumoxy compound. Further, for example, in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification Nos. 61-57638, 6-49287, 6-136195 and 6-206939, it is attempted to improve the moldability-of a polymer by taking a measure to broaden the molecular weight distribution. When these conventional methods for rendering a broad molecular weight distribution are used, the moldability is improved; however, a lowering of other properties inevitably occurs, so that it becomes impossible to obtain a high density ethylene polymer product having excellent properties, such as high mechanical properties, which are achieved by a narrow molecular weight distribution.
In Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification Nos. 7-90021 and 7-97408, with respect to the production of a film by inflation molding, it is attempted to improve moldability, such as the stability of a bubble (i.e., a molten polymer tube inflated for forming a film therefrom), by a method in which melt tension is increased by maintaining a relatively high intrinsic viscosity. However, such a method has a problem in that a lowering of melt flowability inevitably occurs, so that it becomes difficult to perform molding at a high rate.
In order to solve these problems, in the production of an ethylene copolymer by using a metallocene catalyst, it has recently been attempted to produce an ethylene copolymer which is advantageous in that it not only has both a narrow copolymerization distribution and a narrow molecular weight distribution, but also has excellent melt properties. For example, International Patent Application Publication No. W093/08221 proposes a method for producing an ethylene copolymer having improved melt flowability while maintaining a narrow molecular weight distribution thereof. In this proposed method, copolymerization is performed by using a specific metallocene catalyst to thereby cause the ethylene copolymer to have a long branched chain. However, such an ethylene copolymer has a problem in that, although the melt flowability is improved to some extent, the mechanical properties, such as impact resistance, are considerably lowered, as compared with those of an ethylene copolymer produced by using an ordinary metallocene catalyst.
As described hereinabove, the prior art techniques have problems in that it is impossible to obtain an excellent high density ethylene polymer having both excellent mechanical properties and high melt flowability.
Therefore, if an excellent high density ethylene polymer having both excellent mechanical properties and high melt flowability is obtained, the above-mentioned problems accompanying the ethylene polymer produced by using a titanium-containing Ziegler-Natta catalyst or a chromium-containing catalyst, and also the above-mentioned problems accompanying the ethylene polymer produced by using a conventional metallocene catalyst can be completely solved and the application fields of ethylene polymers can be greatly expanded. That is, such an excellent high density ethylene polymer is of extremely great commercial significance.

High density ethylene polymer and method for producing the same


A method for determining at least one dynamic flow characteristic of a multiphase flow circulating in a pipe, said flow being composed of an aqueous phase and a hydrocarbon (oil) phase. Oxygen atoms in the aqueous phase are activated by irradiation with neutrons at a chosen first location in the pipe. The concentration of activated oxygen at a chosen second location in the pipe is measured with a detector as a function of time t, so as to obtain at least one signal S(t). Then a relationship is fitted to the signal S(t) so as to derive the values of the velocity U of the aqueous phase. The slip velocity v.sub.s of a dispersed phase relative to the velocity of a continuous phase is also advantageously determined. From the values of velocities U and v.sub.s and from the volume fraction y.sub.1 of the continuous phase in the pipe (obtained by an ancillary measurement), the volumetric flow rates of the phases are determined.

Field of Invention
The present application provides a method for determining the flow rate of an aqueous phase of a multiphase flow. In particular the method is useful for determining the flow rate of the aqueous or "water" phase of a two phase flow in a hydrocarbon production well. In such a case, the other phase is an oil phase which is immiscible with the water phase which may contain dissolved substances as well as water.
A common method of monitoring the flow of fluids is to introduce some chemical or physical identifier, known as tracer, into the flow and then to monitor the passage of that tracer by means of some measurement. Examples include the introduction of saline solution into water flows and using electrical conductivity as a monitor, or introducing radioactive materials and using radiation detectors to track the progress of the fluid. A tool, called a Tracer Ejector Tool "TET", for injecting tracers into wellbore flows is commercialised by the company Schlumberger, frequently for monitoring the flows of water in injection wells. This tool and the methods of acquiring and interpreting the data are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,166,215 and 4,166,216. These patents relate to a tracer-survey method and apparatus for obtaining measurements representative of the dynamic flow characteristics of the continuous-phase present at one or more depth locations in a production well containing a lighter discontinuous-phase wellbore fluid. Minor amounts of suitable radioactive tracer are periodically discharged into the fluids at the selected depth location in the production well. Thereafter, by simultaneously monitoring the level of radioactivity present in the wellbore fluids above and below that depth location, measurements are obtained which are representative of one or more dynamic flow characteristics of the heavier continuous-phase at that depth location in the wellbore. These measurements are based on the travel time of the tracer from the location where it is discharged in the flow to another location where it is detected. However, the interpretation of the results has proved to be difficult due to the "smearing out" of the signal caused by the extensive mixing generated by the passage of the bubbles or droplets of the dispersed phase. Due to the large width of the signals obtained, it is difficult to locate precisely the peaks of the signals and therefore large errors are incurred by considering the time difference in peak arrival as representing the transit velocity of the flow.
A further method of monitoring fluid flow is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,508 granted to Arnold. In this case, instead of mixing a tracer with the fluid being monitored, the fluid is irradiated with neutrons. The patented method comprises a method of determining the flow characteristics of injection water in a perforated, cased hole. The injection water is irradiated with neutrons such that oxygen atoms in the water are transformed into radioactive nitrogen atoms. These are unstable and decay by emitting .gamma. radiation which is detected at various locations relative to the neutron activation location to determine the movement of the injection water in conjunction with separate measurements taken with a flow meter.

Method for determining the flow rate of aqueous phases in a multiphase flow


A system for reducing an evaporation and energy transfer rate between a body of fluid and an environment is provided. The system comprises a plurality of buoyant bodies, where each of the plurality of buoyant bodies has a shape that is defined by a plurality of faces and edges, and where each edge is formed by two intersecting faces. The bodies are disposed or partially submerged in the fluid so that at least a portion of a first face of a first body contacts at least a portion of a first face of a second body to form a substantially gapless barrier between the surface of the fluid and the environment.

Reducing pollutants (which may result from fluid evaporation) and/or fluid loss generally are major concerns for both industry and the public. These concerns are often of particular concern in the chemical and petroleum industries where substantial sums of money are lost yearly due to the evaporation of volatile substances. Moreover, environmental concerns require stringent regulation of fluid pollutants and toxins contained in standing fluids; thus, evaporation of volatile substances pose both an environmental and a financial burden.
Moreover, these concerns are not limited to bodies of toxic fluids. For example, the evaporation of non-toxic materials is also problematic in regions permanently subjected to arid weather or areas temporarily experiencing unusual drought conditions. The reduction of evaporation or the control of energy transfer may be critical to the viability of industry in those geographical regions.
The phase change process that occurs during evaporation of a fluid may be influenced by a variety of factors. Factors that drive the evaporation rate, typically expressed in pounds of product per minute, include wind speed, the molecular weight of the fluid constituents, the exposed surface area of the fluid, vapor pressure of the fluid, and temperature. Even a small evaporation rate extended over a relatively long period of time can result in a very large loss of product.
One method of controlling evaporation is to reduce the surface area of the fluid exposed to the environment. In prior art systems, hollow plastic spherical balls have been used to cover the fluids surfaces and reduce evaporation. When deposited on a body of fluid, balls of similar size arrange themselves into a close-packed cover, often referred to as a ball blanket or floating blanket. Plastics frequently selected to make the prior art balls include high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyvinylidene fluoride, depending on the temperature, sunlight exposure, and properties of the fluid and environment where the balls will be used.
Such floatable balls can cover only approximately 91% of the surface of the fluid because their spherical configuration only allows them to engage in point-to-point contact. Hence, prior art balls provide a floating ball blanket that has a plurality of gaps. These gaps leave open space for fluid loss by evaporation, heat loss by such evaporation, and heat transfer by convection from the surface of the fluid. It has also been found in actual practice that because such spherical floatable balls float high in the fluid, much less than 91% of the fluid surface is in contact with the ball. Thus, surface evaporation and heat transfer by convection are not sufficiently reduced as may be desired.
Furthermore, the spherical shape of the floatable ball allows each ball to roll freely as the fluid is agitated or exposed to wind. This rolling action may produce further loss of fluid as the fluid that wets the bottom of the ball surface readily evaporates when it is rolled upwardly and is exposed to the atmosphere.
Consequently, systems have been developed that more completely cover the fluid surface and/or prevent rolling of the floating balls. Typical of such an approach is the device set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,204. The '204 patent describes a floatable ball having contoured flat surfaces surrounding its equatorial plane. The ball is rigid and contains ballast in its bottom portion so that its flat surfaces are vertically oriented and juxtaposed to each other. When the fluid surface is uniform or non-oscillatory, the collective surface-to-surface contacts between the equatorial planes of these balls provide a substantially gapless or uninterrupted floating ball blanket. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,550 discloses a plurality of buoyant devices having more substantial flat vertical surfaces for greater coverage in undulating surface conditions. As is known to those skilled in the art, these approaches allow a floating device to float upright when the center of gravity of the device is sufficiently below the center of buoyancy of the fluid. Because the center of buoyancy is partly determined by the center of gravity of the fluid, such approaches are limited in application to fluids having specific gravities, i.e. densities, that are within a relatively limited range.
Other prior art evaporation and energy reduction techniques and systems which cumulatively form a barrier are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,749,606; 4,582,048; 4,467,786; 4,458,688 and 4,270,232. As is known to those skilled in the art, these devices and techniques suffer barrier breach when confronted with undulatory surface conditions.
Thus, there still exists a need for a better approach to provide a barrier that can function effectively on a variety of fluids and under a variety of environmental conditions including undulating fluid surfaces, but which is also easy to deploy and economical to manufacture and maintain.

Apparatus and method for creating a floating cover


A system for paving a bridge comprising a screed rail configured to support a concrete paver and a plurality of adjustable width barrier brackets to support the screed rail with a bridge barrier, where each adjustable width barrier brackets comprise a rail support bracket and an “L” barrier bracket which allows for width adjustment by translation of the rail support bracket through the “L” barrier bracket.

In the past, the concrete paving industry has utilized various different types of barrier brackets for supporting the screed rail for pavers. These barrier brackets often would be custom made to fit a specific barrier, or oversized barrier brackets were used and after the oversized barrier bracket was placed over the barrier, material would be wedged between the barrier bracket and the barrier to limit the movement of the bracket with respect to the barrier.
The use of custom barrier brackets for each width of barrier is expensive in that many different sizes of barrier brackets would be needed to be purchased and stored for later use. The use of oversized barrier brackets required more time and skill necessary to obtain an adequate fit between the barrier and the barrier bracket.
Consequently, there exists a need for improved methods and apparatuses for efficiently supporting a screed rail from a variety of barriers with differing widths.

System and method for supporting a rail of a concrete paver from a series of barriers having differing barrier width characteristics


A receiver includes: a broadcast contents acquisition unit configured to acquire contents from a broadcast signal; a determination unit configured to determine whether a received application is an application whose reference to the contents has been permitted; a recording unit configured to record, in a first storage area, an application whose reference to the contents has been determined to have been permitted by the determination unit, and record, in a second storage area, an application whose reference to the contents has been determined not to have been permitted by the determination unit; an execution unit configured to execute the application recorded in at least one of the first storage area and the second storage area; and a reference refusal unit configured to refuse reference to the contents acquired by the broadcast contents acquisition unit due to execution of an application other than the application recorded in the first storage area.

With the recent development of digital broadcasting and broadband communication, realization of broadcasting-communication integrated services, including European HbbTV (Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV), has been studied and developed. Further, an enhanced television called a "smart television" enabling various communication services to be utilized using applications, as well as having a broadcast reception function, has begun to spread. Each user adds applications selected from an application list distributed via a portal site or the like to such an enhanced television enabling the user to use services other than the broadcast. Various communication services can be utilized when the added applications are executed by the enhanced television.
An API (Application Programming Interface) may be provided in a platform introducing applications to expand services as described above or a device constituting the platform as an interface for enabling functions of the platform or the device to be used from the applications. It is possible to simplify design and coding tasks for software for enabling the functions of the platform or the device to be handled from the application by providing such an API. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently produce applications. Such a concept has also been considered in a receiver intended for broadcasting-communication integration.
For example, a structure which easily acquires information related to broadcasts through communication and uses the information by providing an API between a data broadcasting browser and a communication function of a receiver is disclosed in Patent Document 1.


In the resin film forming method for extruding a fused resin from an extruder die to form a resin film, the second resin forming both ends in width direction of the resin film uses a resin greater in extension viscosity than the first resin forming the center in width direction of the resin film. Thereby, even if production conditions such as resin condition and operating conditions change, faults such as neck-in and its resultant thickening at both ends of the resin film can be suppressed. In the production of a laminate by nipping a support and a resin film of a thermoplastic resin by means of a nip roller and a cooling roller while coating the resin film onto the surface of the support, the accompanying air following the rotation of the cooling roller to the nip point is shut off by blowing a gas permeable through the resin film from a gas jet nozzle toward the surface of the cooling roller. Thereby, the occurrence of craters can be inhibited, a laminate excellent in surface appearance can be produced and the production of a laminate effective especially at the time of a line speed rise in the laminate production is performable.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a resin film forming method, to a laminate production method and apparatus and in particular to an art of suppressing a neck-in phenomenon or the like in extruding a resin from an extruder die to form a resin film and inhibiting the occurrence of craters on a resin film surface of a laminate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally on extruding a resin from a extruder die to form a resin film and producing a film-shaped product from this resin film or a film-shaped stack obtained by laminating or coating the resin film onto a support, a phenomenon known as so-called neck-in occurs, in which the extruded film has a width smaller than the extruding width. It is accompanied with a problem that the film thickness at both ends in width direction of the resin film becomes greater than that at the center. Furthermore, in case of forming a resin film at high speed owing to the speedup of production line, there is also a problem that a phenomenon of film shake takes place owing to the unstable both ends in width direction of the resin film and the film width is not kept constant, thereby decreasing the yield. In this case, a technique of resin edge stacking in width direction is present principally for purposes of recycling-up, but there is a problem that a film is separated between the central resin and the marginal resin of the resin film at the time of edge stacking of resins different in physical property.
Namely, in forming of a resin film by using an extruder die, there are principally (1) a problem of neck-in and its accompanying increase in thickness at both resin ends, (2) a problem of film shake and (3) a problem of film separation originating from the difference of resin in physical property between the center and both ends of a resin film and thus measures to improve these have been desired. These problems are not limited to the case of extruding a resin from an extruder die but take place also in case of ejecting a coat liquid from an extruder die.
So far, as countermeasures against the above problems, there have been adopted a method for improving the material physical property by mixing a plurality of materials (Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 64-3655 and 5-82806), a method of changing the flow of a resin in the extruder die (Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-61819 and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 64-64822) and a method of cooling both ends of the resin film extruded from an extruder die (Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-33134).
However, the method for improving the material physical property has a drawback of deficiency in general usability because a suitable additive must be added for each material. The method of changing the flow of a resin in the extruder die by using a forming plate has a drawback of being ineffective for the film shake though effective for the suppression of neck-in. The method of cooling both ends of the resin film extruded from an extruder die has a drawback that no stable effect can be obtained in case of an increase in line speed.
Widely adopted in the production of a laminate such as support for photo printing paper is an extrusion laminate method (also referred to as an extrusion coating method) of laminating a resin film on a support by not only coating but also nipping a resin film of a thermoplastic resin such as polyolefin extruded from an extruder die to a running support for pressure adhesion at the nip point between a nip roller and a cooling roller.
In the production of this laminate, minute pores (hereinafter, referred to as craters) may appear on the surface of the resin film laminated on a support. When the number of these craters is great, the outer appearance of a product is damaged, and the glossy feeling also lowers in the case of the laminate being used as a photoprint paper support, for example, so that the product markedly decreases in value. The occurrence of craters is attributable to the fact that the accompanying air is, under influence of the accompanying air generated on the rotation of a cooling roller, accumulated in the area between the resin film and the cooling roller and a convex recess arises on the resin film. With increasing line speed in the production of a laminate, with decreasing thickness of the resin film, with lowering discharge temperature of a resin from the extruder die, with smaller nip pressure and with greater surface roughness of a support, craters become more likely to occur.
As preventive measures against the occurrence of craters, various examinations have been made, for example, from the viewpoint of a resin like Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-36238, from the viewpoint of an improvement in the surface of a support like Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 4-81836, on the basis of specifying the process conditions like Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-214342 and on the basis of proposing a new equipment for spraying a gas permeable through a resin film toward the nip point like Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 63-246227.
Though effective in its own way, however, the above-mentioned preventive measures against the occurrence of craters involved a problem that no sufficient effect could be obtained in case of a line speed rise in the production of a laminate.
In this case, the provision of a windshield plate has been proposed as a further improvement of the equipment in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 63-246227, but is not fully effective in case of speedup to a high speed range equal to or greater than 300 m/min and a contact of the windshield plate with a cooling roller brings about a fear of damaging the cooling roller.


A recording medium has a program recorded to operate a testing apparatus for testing an electronic device. The program causes the testing apparatus to perform functions as a comparing unit for comparing an output signal from the electronic device with an expected value, a timing generating unit for generating a rate signal and providing the comparing unit with the rate signal, wherein the rate signal determines timing at which the comparing unit compares the output signal with the expected value, a fail memory for saving the comparison results obtained by comparing the output signal with the expected value successively according to the rate signal to different addresses, and a period calculating unit for calculating a period of the output signal based on the comparison results stored successively in the fail memory, when executing a test for measuring the period of the output signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording medium on which a program is recorded to operate a testing apparatus for testing an electronic device, a testing apparatus and method for testing an electronic device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a testing apparatus, which can measure the period of an output signal from an electrical device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, for electronic devices such as a semiconductor memory and the like, devices, which have a function of outputting a signal with a fixed period, such as an internal clock, have increased. Such a signal needs to be formed to have proper waveform in order to be transferred to a device of next step. For this, in case of testing an electronic device, it is desirable to measure the frequency of the signal, and the like.
With incriminations of such a device, testing apparatus, which have a function of measuring the frequency of a signal, have increased. These kinds of testing apparatus measure the frequency of the signal by using a frequency counter and the like. However, in most of the testing apparatus for memories, which have been used conventionally, measuring means, such as the frequency counter, is not provided. In these kinds of testing apparatus, it was impossible to measure the frequency of the internal clock of an electronic device and the like.
An object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium on which a program of a testing apparatus is recorded, a testing apparatus and a testing method, which are capable of overcoming the above drawbacks accompanying the conventional art. The above object can be achieved by combinations described in the independent claims. The dependent claims define further advantageous and exemplary combinations of the present invention.

Program, test apparatus and testing method


A method of making an alkaline membrane fuel cell assembly is disclosed. The method may include: depositing a first catalyst layer on a first gas diffusion layer to form a first gas diffusion electrode; depositing a second catalyst layer one a second gas diffusion layer to form a second gas diffusion electrode; depositing a thin membrane on at least one of: the first catalyst layer and the second catalyst layer; joining together the first and second gas diffusion electrodes to form the alkaline fuel cell assembly such that the thin membrane is located between the first and second catalyst layers; and sealing the first and second gas diffusion layers, the first and second catalyst layers and the thin membrane from all sides.

Membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs) are the core components of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) and anion-exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs). Generally, the membranes are manufactured separately from the electrodes. The electrodes, anode and cathode, are deposited either on the membrane itself, a membrane known in the art as catalyst-coated membrane (CCM). Alternatively, the catalyst layers can be deposited on gas-diffusion layers (GDLs) known in the art as gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) that are further pressed against the membrane.
Electrolyte membranes are usually freestanding sheets of a few tens of microns thick. They are generally made of ionomer and a supporting mesh, i.e. a microporous substrate, for improving their mechanical properties. Mesh reinforcement also limits the membrane swelling upon water uptake. Freestanding non-supported membranes have also been demonstrated, but they are mechanically weaker and therefore are usually thicker in order to have sufficient mechanical strength. Some membranes were prepared by a multi-layer deposition of a sequence of GDL, first catalyst layer, membrane, second catalyst layer followed by a deposition of another GDL.
The membrane plays multiple roles within the fuel cell. First, it provides a gas-tight separation between the two electrodes. It also conducts ions and transfer water between the two electrodes. In order to limit ohmic losses and fuel cell dry-out, it is essential to have membranes having high ionic conductivity, which in turn depends from the quality of the ionomer material. Another way is to decrease the membrane thickness. However, it becomes increasingly difficult to manufacture freestanding membranes with thicknesses in the range of a few tens of microns or below. Successful approaches to manufacturer ultra-thin freestanding membranes involved the use of the supporting mesh with relatively low porosity such that the ionomer fraction within the membrane is significantly reduced. This in turn compromises the benefit of reducing the thickness. At such low thicknesses, non-supported membranes do not exhibit sufficient mechanical strength to be form as freestanding membranes for use as fuel cell separator.
Therefore, there is a strong interest to make MEAs with very thin membranes while conserving a relatively high fraction of the ionomer. This would allow benefiting from the geometrical effect without compromise the intrinsic ionic conductivity of the membrane.

Alkaline membrane fuel cell assembly comprising a thin membrane and method of making same


A standard, modularly expandable system is for measuring and analyzing far spread signals from industrial processes consisting of several partial processes in an essentially feedback-free and synchronous manner. Random signals occurring in the partial processes are detected by way of measuring heads, optionally provided with a time stamp, and transferred to a measuring bus system in a predefined form as measuring signals or time signals. The measuring bus system is not identical with existing automation-related bus systems. The measuring signals and/or time signals are further processed by data concentrators. Evaluation units and/or display units that are local or indefinitely removed from the industrial process make it possible to further process or visualize measuring signals and/or time signals. The measuring heads detect a standard time signal such as the one of the global positioning system.

The acquisition and processing of signals from industrial processes form the basis for central real-time evaluation and the support of analytical and diagnostic functionalities both in situ and at a distance from the respective process. The latter is significant in particular for services of an equipment manufacturer such as, for example, remote monitoring and remote diagnostics.
The processes in question occur in industrial equipment which is generally composed of a plurality of equipment components which are usually spatially distributed. The processes in question are controlled and/or regulated by way of at least one automation device. The signals which are to be acquired and processed may originate from a very wide variety of sources and are present in any desired and different form, for example analog, binary, numerical, as video signals and/or as variable physical parameters.
A suitable method and a device for carrying out such a method for acquiring and processing signals must pick up signals from a large number of sources, it being possible for the spatial distribution of the sources to be very extensive. A suitable method must sense measuring signals precisely with continuously high quality and at the same time also be able to support high sampling rates. Easy and rapid activation with a low degree of complexity of wiring and configuration, as well as ease of operation, comparable with the "plug and play" principle, are expected from a corresponding device.
Especially if the individual partial processes of an industrial process are spatially distributed over a wide area, methods and devices for acquiring and processing signals from industrial processes are known which are implemented by way of individual, different partial methods and devices with respectively different performance spectrums and characteristics or by integration into existing control systems, or both.

Method and device for the detection and processing of signals from industrial processes


The present invention is related to an apparatus for paperless transfer printing, which includes a printer and a heat transfer printing machine, the printer is connected and assembled with the heat transfer printing machine by an endless metal foil belt, the heat transfer printing machine includes at least a heating transfer printing roller, or a weight bearing crawler belt, or a weight bearing plate the heating transfer printing roller can absorb the belt of metal foil by negative pressure of vacuum or by magnetic means, which result in the close fitting of the belt to the surface of the heating transfer printing roller. The paperless heating transfer printing apparatus also includes a heating device to heat the belt of the metal foil. A set process of printing is also proposed in this invention, which used said apparatus. By using this kind of apparatus and the process, the problem, that the metal foil easier wrinkles than paper does is overcome, and the substrate can close contact with the surface of the roller, the heat can be transferred more uniformly. The patterns the apparatus made are lucidity and less color difference or un-sharpness, the pulling force acting on the foil is also reduced.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for transfer printing of textile, a heat transfer base material and heat transfer printing process thereof, and more particularly, to an apparatus of absorptive-type paperless transfer printing and the process thereof, which are capable of resolving the contradiction between tensile strength and heat transfer.
Among various printing techniques for textile, heat transfer printing is especially popular due to its capability of printing extremely fine patterns, simple process, low investment and rapid benefit. The previous heat transfer printing processes usually take following steps: At first, the patterns are printed with gravure press onto paper to obtain heat transfer printing paper; then the heat transfer printing paper is attached to the cloth, and they are ironed with high temperature and high pressure on the heat transfer printing machine to produce printed cloth. This printing process prevents waste and pollution of water which usually occur in pattern printing, and the products produced with this technology are featured with strong stereo sensation and well-arranged patterns. However, this technology is associated with a great deal of paper consumption, and indirect waste and pollution of water in paper production, which result in high production cost. To resolve the afore-mentioned problems, Chinese patent No. 97111774.8 suggests using a metallic foil to replace heat transfer base material so as to overcome the problem of indirect waste and pollution of water in the heat transfer printing technology. However, metallic foil is easy to wrinkle. And, in thermal printing process, the heat transfer base material must be put tightly against the cloth to be printed, otherwise the print products may have problems of color difference or unclear patterns. Therefore, the metallic foil has to endure big pulling force. For the same material, bigger thickness results in higher tensile strength but poorer heat transfer performance. It is a contradiction between tensile strength and heat transfer performance. That is why traditional paperless heat transfer printing and dyeing machine cannot be widely used.

Apparatus for paperless transfer printing and the process thereof


The present invention discloses a terminal and a method for controlling audio alarm of the terminal. The method comprises detecting whether a valid wireless signal can be received, and setting said terminal to a non-audio alarm mode when it is determined that said valid wireless signal cannot be received. With the terminal and the method of the present invention, it is possible to suppress noise pollution caused by the ringing of the terminal.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to the field of communications, in particular to a terminal and a method for controlling the audio alarm of the terminal.
2. Description of Prior Art
The rapid advance of communications technology has endowed mobile phones (cell phones) with numerous merits, such as convenience, quickness, flexibility and limitless in terms of time and location, which gives rise to a remarkable prevalence of such mobile cells among general users and a fast growth in the number of handset users. Mobile phones, one of the symbols for the Age of Information Technology, have gradually stepped into people's daily life and work as an indispensable tool. Also, some other devices, such as personal computers and notebook computers, can be utilized to make an IP call. As an example, one in North America can use SKYPE to make a free phone all over the land of North America. Complemented with ubiquitous stationary telephone sets, these devices facilitate the communication between people to a great extent.
While the popularity of such communication products has brought to us plenty of convenience and quickness, noise pollution caused by their ringing deteriorates with unconstrained use of such communication terminals. For example, thanks to the unregulated use of these communication products, the atmosphere of silence and solemnity in various public places, such as office, conference room, classroom, library and presentation hall, is severely spoiled, leading to disturbance with the normal processes of some activities.
A variety of measures have been proposed in the prior art, with the purpose of counteracting the noise pollution caused by the ringing of communication terminals. One scheme is to dispose a dedicated device within a certain regions requiring quietness, which sets all mobile phones in this region to a silence mode by sending a control signal. Such mandatory approach, that is, switching all mobile phones to a silence mode, is hardly accepted by most users. Besides, mobile phones usually differ from one manufacture to another, and therefore, the above scheme cannot be universally implemented if some phones reject the control signal from the dedicated device.
Another scheme is that a RF (Radio Frequency) transmitter is employed to transmit a non-audio RF mechanism or control signal. Upon the reception of such non-audio mechanism or control signal, a cell phone and/or pager forbids automatically its function of audio alarm and informs its user of an incoming call with blinking light or vibration; when there is no non-audio mechanism or control signal coming again or after a constant predefined period has elapsed, the cell phone and/or pager resumes automatically its normal operation state and indicates the existence of an incoming call with the ringing of the cell or the buzzing of the pager. On the other hand, if the RF transmitter is located far enough from the cell phone and/or pager that the latter cannot receive the above non-audio mechanism or control signal, they will ring as usual.

Terminal and method for controlling its audio alarm


The invention notifies a robot controller of the need to re-create map data. A robot control system (1) includes a robot (2) that moves along a path while detecting obstacles, and a robot control terminal (3) that records map data (321) and specifies the path of said robot (2), whereby said robot (2) uses lasers to make measurements while in motion and sends the results as sensor data (324) to said robot control terminal (3), which uses said sensor data to generate simulated sensor data (325) along the future path of said robot, and if the proportion of sections for which simulated sensor data and said map data (321) do not coincide exceeds a threshold value, the user is notified of a reconstruction of said map data (321).

In order to efficiently move a robot in an environment, the robot needs to know a position and an orientation thereof. In estimating a position and an orientation of the robot, such a technique is typically used that a matching is performed between a preset map data representing a geometrical shape of an environment and a geometrically-shaped data obtained from a sensor of the robot. In the technique of estimating a position and an orientation, the preset map data is assumed to coincide with a real environment (an actual environment). Depending on an environment in which the robot is operated, however, an unmatched portion may be generated between the preset map data and the actual environment because a human, an other robot, or the like may move an object present in the environment. The discrepancy between the map data and the actual environment generated as described above may lead to a matching error between the map data of the robot and the sensor data, that is, an estimation error of a position and an orientation of the robot, which results in a failure of an autonomous movement of the robot. It is thus necessary to re-create the map data for the robot such that there is no discrepancy between the map data and the actual environment.
One of the effective ways to determine whether or not it is necessary to re-create the map data is that an unmatched portion generated between a map data and an actual environment is made visual by a robot or a control system thereof and is presented to an administrator of the robot.
A technique related to visualization of an unmatched portion between the map data and the actual environment is described in, for example, Non-Patent Document 1. The technique of Non-Patent Document 1 proposes that: the latest sensor data is compared to an older sensor data; a difference therebetween is detected on a map and is represented by a group of points in 3DCG (3-Dimension Computer Graphics); and a change in the map from the past data is presented to an administrator of the robot.

System and method for determing necessity of map data recreation in robot operation


A hydraulic striking device requiring no complicated adjustment of the flow rate of hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pressure source of a hydraulic construction machine, etc. and operable by utilizing the power unit of a variety of such hydraulic machines. The adjusting valve (8) is disposed inside the main body near the control valve (5) and used to restrict the flow of hydraulic fluid ejected from the upper piston chamber (16) and passed through the control valve (5) with respect to the pressure of the hydraulic fluid supplied into the upper chamber (12) before flown from the outlet (11) to control the pressure in the upper piston chamber (16). Thus, a nearly constant, appropriate operating pressure can automatically be maintained irrespectively of the flow rate of the hydraulic fluid supplied from outside.

Because of its low noise and high energy efficiency, the hydraulic striking device is widely used for the jobs of destruction and crushing in construction, reconstruction or repairing of roads, buildings, etc. As known from the disclosure in, for example, the Japanese Examined Patent Application No. 52914/1985 (Kokoku) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,274, the hydraulic striking device comprises a slidable piston which is reciprocated under the hydraulic pressure to drive or hammer a tool such as chisel or the like.
The hydraulic striking device of such conventional type is operated as fed from a dedicated hydraulic pressure source or a so=called hydraulic unit. However, use of such a dedicated hydraulic unit will unavoidably cause the equipment cost, installation space, running cost, etc. to increase. To avoid such disadvantages, it has been proposed to operate the hydraulic striking device with a hydraulic pressure supplied from the hydraulic unit incorporated as standard component in a hydraulically driven machine, for example, hydraulic construction machine such as power shovel, bulldozer, wheeled loader, hydraulic crane truck or the like.
Since this system requires no dedicated hydraulic pressure source, the hydraulic striking device can be used in a wider industrial application. Also the hydraulic unit of a hydraulic construction machine can be effectively utilized as the power source of the device, and thus a civil engineering or construction work as a whole can be done more efficiently with such a hydraulic striking device.
However, the hydraulic construction machines vary in design very much from one to another, and accordingly the powers they supply also vary in pressure and flow rate significantly from one to another. On the other hand, as the flow rate of a hydraulic fluid supplied from the hydraulic pressure source to the hydraulic striking device varies, the operating pressure (pressure per unit area for driving the hammer piston) varies correspondingly. That is, a higher flow rate of the hydraulic fluid supplied from the hydraulic pressure source leads to an increased operating pressure, while a lower hydraulic fluid flow rate causes a decreased operating pressure.
Further, the impact given to a tool by the down-stroke piston of the hydraulic striking device is generally proportional to the operating pressure. Therefore, the operating pressure must be kept at a certain level when crushing a concrete or the like. Namely, if the operating pressure is too low, the impact given to the tool is also too low for the device to perform the function of striking. On the contrary, if the operating pressure is too high, the impact given to the tool becomes excessively large, causing the device parts to be heavily abraded or causing an excessively large vibration, which will make it difficult to handle the hydraulic striking device or eventually cause a great danger. That is, simple connection of the hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pressure source of a hydraulic construction machine to the hydraulic striking device will not permit the device to work well and stably.
For a good and stable operation of the hydraulic striking device, it has been proposed to use the controller of the hydraulic pressure source or hydraulic unit of a hydraulic construction machine to limit the flow rate of the hydraulic fluid supplied to the hydraulic striking device to a certain range (for example, 20 to 25 liters/min). However, this method necessitates it to adjust the discharge rate at the hydraulic construction machine side each time when the hydraulic striking device is used with the machine. Such adjustment is very complicated and also takes much labor and time. Moreover, to use the construction machine for another job (its original function) after combined use with the hydraulic striking device, the controls and valves must be readjusted for the hydraulic pressure to match the working capacity of the construction machine. This is also troublesome. Neglecting of the discharge rate adjustment and inappropriate readjustment have frequently used to cause the failure of the hydraulic striking device.


An exposure method includes the steps of (a) calculating a pupil transmittance distribution in a projection optical system based on a first effective light source distribution of the projection optical system acquired by a measuring apparatus of an exposure apparatus, and a second effective light source distribution derived from a pupil plane light intensity distribution measured on a plate plane using light that has passed the projection optical system without a reticle, (b) calculating an imaging performance by using a result of the pupil transmittance distribution calculating step and the first or second effective light source distributions, (c) adjusting at least one of the effective light source distribution or the projection optical system by using the imaging performance, and (d) exposing the plate based on at least one of the effective light source distribution and the projection optical system that have been adjusted.

The present invention relates generally to a measuring apparatus, and more particularly to a measuring apparatus of an incident angular distribution or a light distribution characteristic (also called "an effective light source" and "a σ distribution") on an illuminated plane. Here, a measurement of an effective light source distribution of an illumination optical system intends to cover not only a measurement of the σ distribution, but also a measurement of the centroid (or center of gravity) of illumination light.
A projection exposure apparatus, which is conventionally used for the photolithography technique to manufacture fine semiconductor devices, projects a circuit pattern of a reticle (mask) onto a wafer, and the like, via a projection optical system, thus transferring the circuit pattern.
Along with the recent demand for finer and lower profile electronic devices, finer semiconductor devices mounted on these electronic devices are increasingly demanded. A higher quality exposure requires an effective light source optimal to a reticle pattern. An effective light source distribution depends upon an adjustment of a light intensity distribution near an exit plane of, e.g., a fly-eye lens to a desired shape, such as a normal illumination shape, an annular illumination shape, and a quadrupole illumination shape. Moreover, a projection exposure apparatus is demanded to control its numerical aperture ("NA"), coherence factor σ (which is an NA of an illumination optical system/an NA of a projection optical system), and an effective light source, thus setting up a condition optimal to each of various characteristics.
Control over the coherence factor σ needs a more accurate measurement of an effective light source distribution. A measurement of a light intensity distribution on an incident pupil plane of a lens will provides the effective light source distribution. The measurement of the effective light source distribution also provides a measurement of the centroid of illumination light on the incident pupil plane, which causes an asymmetry of the imaging performance, i.e., the so-called telecentricity.
The conventional method of measuring the light intensity distribution on the pupil plane is seen, for example, in Japanese Patent No. 2,928,277, Japanese Patent Applications, Publication Nos. 2000-19012, 5-74687, and 2002-110540.
These conventional measurement methods require, in addition to a reticle, etc., a measuring apparatus, such as a mirror, a condenser optical system, a relaying optical system, an image sensor, and the like, to be arranged on a plane or planes conjugate with reticle and wafer planes. However, an accommodation of these components in an exposure apparatus would increase the cost due to its limited capacity. In addition, such measurement methods should be applicable to an immersion exposure apparatus.


A firearm identification kit is provided including a data storage media bearing ballistics information and other indicia that may be useful in matching a fired spent cartridge case or bullet to the firearm that fired it.

It is highly desirable to identify a gun used in a crime. Identifying the source of a firearm used in a crime can quickly provide police or other law enforcement officials with an active lead in the crime investigation. Many firearms have a serial number or other identifying markings etched or engraved into the gun during manufacture. If a crime gun is recovered, such markings may help law enforcement official locate the owner of the gun, where it was purchased, and other useful information. However, serial numbers and other identifying markings may be removed from firearms used in the commission of a crime, making identification of a gun used in a crime more difficult.
If a crime gun is not available, other methods may be used to identify the weapon. Fired bullets and spent cartridge cases typically have characteristic markings caused by the gun from which they were fired. These markings result from forced contact between the bullet or cartridge casing and the metal parts of the firearm. Machining of the parts during the manufacturing process yield microscopic differences between one part and the next. Microscopic examination of fired bullets and spent cartridge cases can be used to demonstrate that they were likely to have been fired by a specific gun.
Automated ballistics matching systems, such as the Integrated Ballistic Identification System (IBIS) and the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), are already in use by some law enforcement agencies for the identification of firearms. Such systems enable spent cartridge cases recovered from a crime scene to be matched against a database of cartridge cases and firearms. If a match is found, the information can provide beneficial leads to help solve a crime more quickly. More information about gathering and using ballistics information is described for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,801, issued on Aug. 5, 1997, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference.
However, automated systems like IBIS and NIBIN only provide useful information if there are matching cartridge case images in the database. Cartridge case images in the database often come from cartridge cases found at crime scenes, for example. Because the vast majority of publicly owned firearms have not been used in the commission of a crime, they will not show up in an IBIS or NIBIN-type database. It would therefore be desirable to provide a means for increasing the number of firearms for which IBIS/NIBIN-type information and data is available.
One means of populating an IBIS/NIBIN-type database would be to mandate that ballistic information be obtained and entered into the database for all firearms. However, such a mandate would be politically unpalatable in many places. For example, in the United States powerful activists groups would resist such a mandate as an affront to the right to bear arms and an infringement of privacy rights. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide information for populating IBIS/NIBIN-type databases without hampering such basic rights.
Stolen firearms represent a significant source of guns used in crimes. A European study reported that as many as 95% of guns used in crimes are stolen from individuals and legitimate dealers. A study by Americans for Gun Safety indicated that approximately 1.7 million guns were stolen in the United States during a ten year period; that 81.2% of the stolen guns were taken from individuals; and that over half are still missing. It would also be desirable to provide methods and apparatus for supplying IBIS/NIBIN-compatible ballistic information to the authorities when a firearm is lost or stolen.


The invention relates to a method for measuring the geometric morphometric parameters of a person wearing glasses (21), said method implementing an independent computing device (1, 10) comprising a screen, a target (8, 18), a compact image acquisition system (7, 17) which is provided with a means of determining the inclination thereof, said system (7, 17) being connected to said screen, and a computer for controlling the image acquisition system (7, 17) and processing the images obtained. The main feature of a measuring method according to the invention is that it comprises a step in which the person observes the target (8, 18) placed in a position known to the image acquisition system (7, 17), by rolling his or her head in an upward direction while keeping his or her eyes fixed on the target (8, 18).

Field of the Invention
The technical field of the invention relates to methods for measuring morpho-geometric parameters of a spectacle wearing individual. These parameters may, for example, include the pupillary distance PD, the height H separating the pupil from the lower edge of a lens, the pantoscopic angle ΘP, which is the angle of inclination of the lenses relative to the facial plane of the individual, the distance DLE between the eye and the lens L, and the center of rotation CRO of the eye. Knowledge of these parameters is essential if a pair of spectacles, and in particular a pair of progressive lenses, is to be properly personalized.
Description of Related Art
Methods allowing a certain number of these morpho-geometric parameters to be measured already exist. A first category of these methods employs a large vertical measuring column, with a video camera adjusted to eye height, the spectacle wearing individual looking into a mirror. This type of apparatus is very bulky and therefore requires large premises to carry out the measurements, and it is rather inflexible to use insofar as it cannot easily be moved in order to refine the measurements, nor be dissociated into several elements so as to adapt to a given situation.
A second category of methods involves a smaller apparatus, that can in particular be installed on a table, but that requires a very constraining protocol for measurement and positioning of the spectacle wearing individual. Indeed, this type of method compels the individual to adopt a particular head carriage, and the installation of a clip furnished with a balance-bar on the spectacle frame. A first step then consists in making the individual adopt a natural posture, the balance-bar then being clamped to freeze the angle between the clip and the balance-bar, this angle corresponding to the pantoscopic angle. During a second step, the individual equipped with his spectacle frame and clip, looks at a video camera fixed above a screen. He must incline his head in such a way that the clamped balance-bar is perpendicular to the axis passing through the eyes and the video camera. Such a method demands complex and precise adjustments, and calls for a certain dexterity on the part of the spectacle wearing individual, so as to be able to position himself precisely with respect to the axis of the video camera and to freeze the position of the balance-bar accordingly.

Method for measuring the geometric morphometric parameteres of a person wearing glasses

ESSILOR INTERNATIONAL (COMPAGNIE GENERALE D'OPTIQUE)


A scraper vehicle is described that can contribute, with a relatively simple and low-cost configuration, to shortening of a construction period, reduction of construction cost, and the like without travel being disabled easily. The scraper vehicle includes an auxiliary drive system that supplies, in excavation by the scraper, a driving force to at least part of traveling wheels of the scraper vehicle. The driving force is supplied constantly or in accordance with a travel resistance of the scraper vehicle.

Conventionally, as an exemplary scraper vehicle including a scraper for scraping the surface of the earth or the like, a scraper vehicle manufactured by K-Tec Earthmovers Inc. (registered trademark) is known (see, for example, Internet <URL: http://ktec.com/our-scrapers/k-tec-1243-adt>).
Such a scraper vehicle is a towed vehicle that is provided with a scraper and towed by a towing vehicle such as a large truck or another towing vehicle, and is used for work of leveling off the surface of the earth or the like.
For example, in large construction work or the like (for example, development of a residential area, a golf course, or a solar-panel power plant site), work is repeatedly performed in which a scraper vehicle (towed vehicle) towed by a towing vehicle scrapes and levels off the protrusion of the surface of the earth with a scraper, collects the scraped earth and sand or the like in a storage portion, and conveys the stored earth and sand or the like to a predetermined earth-and-sand placing site to discharge it at the storage place.
Note that, although not such a towed vehicle, a configuration in which a small scraper is attached to a tractor and scraped soil is stored in a container and is conveyed is referred to as a ground leveling carrier or the like, and is described in, for example, JP Patent Publication No. 2000-166305 A.

Scraper vehicle, method of controlling the same, and towing vehicle