A slider includes a longitudinal axis, a recessed region, a bearing surface, first and second elongated rails, and first and second elongated depressions. The first and second elongated rails extend generally parallel to the longitudinal axis and are disposed about the recessed region. Each of the first and second rails include a disc-facing surface that is recessed bearing surface. The first and second elongated depressions extend along the first and second rails, respectively. Each depression includes a depression floor that is recessed relative to the respective disc-facing surface.

Disc drives are well known in the industry. Such drives use rigid discs, which are coated with a magnetizable medium for storage of digital information in a plurality of circular, concentric data tracks. The discs are mounted on a spindle motor, which causes the discs to spin and the surfaces of the discs to pass under respective hydrodynamic (e.g., air) bearing disc head sliders. The sliders carry transducers, which write information to and read information from the disc surfaces.
An actuator mechanism moves the sliders from track-to-track across the surfaces of the discs under control of electronic circuitry. The actuator mechanism includes a track accessing: arm and a suspension. The suspension includes a load beam and a gimbal. The load beam provides a pre-load force to the slider, which forces the slider toward the disc surface. The gimbal is positioned between the slider and the load beam, or is integrated in the load beam, to provide a resilient connection that allows the slider to pitch and roll while following the topography of the disc.
The slider has bearing surfaces which face the disc surface. As the disc rotates, the disc drags air under the slider and along the bearing surfaces in a direction that is approximately parallel to the tangential velocity of the disc. As the air passes beneath the bearing surface, air compression along the airflow path causes the air pressure between the disc and the bearing surfaces to increase, which creates a hydrodynamic lifting force that counteracts the pre-load force and causes the slider to lift and "fly" above or in close proximity to the disc surface.
Typical sliders include a pair of raised side rails that include some of the bearing surfaces and a sub-ambient pressure cavity. As air is dragged under the slider, the bearing surfaces of the raised side rails produce positive pressure gradients relative to the top surface of the slider, which counteract the pre-load force on the slider. Additionally, air dragged under the slider is expanded in the sub-ambient pressure cavity. The expanded air in the cavity provides a self-loading force which forces the slider toward the disc surface. The counteraction between positive pressure gradients developed along the side rails and the pre-load force provided by the suspension generates an air bearing with a high vertical stiffness. When the slider reaches a steady state condition, the slider flies above the disc surface at a desired orientation relative to the disc surface such that reading and writing operations can commence.
Sliders are designed for use with both Contact Start/Stop (CSS) and ramp load or ramp load/unload disc drives. CSS disc drives operate with the slider in contact with the disc surface during start and stop operations when there is insufficient disc rotational speed to maintain the bearing that is necessary to support the slider above the disc. CSS disc drives typically provide a dedicated landing zone near the inner diameter of the disc where no data is written.
In ramp load disc drives, it is unnecessary to land the slider on the disc surface or start the slider in contact with the disc surface. Thus, one advantage to ramp load is that the dedicated landing zone can be eliminated, which increases the data storage capacity of the disc drive. Ramp load disc drives utilize a ramp that is generally adapted to hold the slider by the suspension and is typically located adjacent the outer diameter of the disc. Ramp load disc drives load the slider from the ramp above the disc surface as it rotates, which allows for the immediate formation of the bearing that supports the slider above the disc. Additionally, prior to shutting the disc drive down, the slider is unloaded from above the disc to the ramp.
During these loading and unloading operations, the bearing under the slider can be unstable. This instability can cause excessive slider pitch and roll modulation, which can cause the slider to contact the disc surface. Such contact is undesirable due to the possibility of damaging the disc surface and/or the slider, which could result in data loss and disc drive failure. Additionally, read and write operations are delayed by the unstable bearing under the slider, since they can only be reliably performed when the slider reaches a steady state flying condition.
There is a continued need for improved slider designs for disc drives. More particularly, there is a need for a slider that has reduced pitching and rolling and faster bearing stabilization during ramp load and unload operations.

Slider configured for rapid bearing stabilization during ramp load operations


The inspection of underwater structures and the repair of leaking cracks or oints therein is effected by the use of a platform positionable at the work site and supporting an equipment cart movable therealong with the cart carrying an underwater light and television camera system for viewing the site and a number of tools for cleaning the site, injecting a leak detecting dye thereon and injecting a sealant to close the cracks or joints. Movement of the equipment cart and operation of the tools are remotely controlled, preferrably with air motors.

Underwater structures such as dams, spillways, stilling basins, draft tubes and other hydraulic structures may, over time, develop leaks which require repair. As direct access to the areas in need of maintenance frequently is difficult, such repair procedures are arduous and expensive. Underwater joint and crack repairs commonly involve cleaning of the involved area, identification of the leaks and grouting to seal the same.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a techology which permits the inspection and repair of underwater structures by remote control.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide such a technology usable with underwater structures which are inaccessable by conventional inspection and repair techniques.

Remote controlled underwater joint and crack sealing

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army


A new cultivar of Hydrangea quercifolia plant named ‘Snowcicle’ that is characterized by its inflorescences with sterile flowers comprised of numerous sepals (double) that open white and mature to a blend of rose-red, off white, and olive green, its large inflorescences that are pendulous but well supported by its upright habit with strong stems, and its fall foliage color that is deep wine and burnt orange in color.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea quercifolia and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, 'Snowcicle'. 'Snowcicle' represents a new oak leaf Hydrangea, a perennial shrub grown for landscape use.
'Snowcicle' derived from an ongoing breeding program by the Inventor in Locustville, Va. 'Snowcicle' arose from open pollination of an unnamed and unpatented proprietary plant of Hydrangea quercifolia from the Inventor's breeding program in 2003. The male parent is therefore unknown. 'Snowcicle' was selected a single unique plant from amongst the resulting seedlings in 2008.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stem cuttings by the Inventor in 2008 in Locustville, Va. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings and tissue culture using meristematic tissue has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.


Compositions comprising unsaturated resin and catalyst comprising transition metal, such as a complex of ligands and transition metals. The compositions may further comprise filler or rheology modifiers.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns compositions comprising ethylenically unsaturated resin compositions having improved stability with respect to room temperature gel ("RTG") time drift and stability against gellation compared to conventional systems.
2. The Related Art
Resin compositions, such as unsaturated polyester resin ("UPR"), and vinyl ester resin ("VER") are typically combined or blended with filler, such as aluminum trihydroxide ("ATH") with different particle sizes and surface treatment, calcium carbonate, and talc to lower the total cost and achieve desired functions, such as modulus, better resistance to abrasion, and flame retardant properties in case of ATH. Quite often, resin compositions also include rheology modification additives, such as fumed silica with different surface area and surface treatment to achieve desired properties, such as sag resistance. These compositions are used to make molded composite articles. Typically, the molded composite article is formed by contact molding, such as hand layup, spray up, and infusion, which comprises the resin and filler material and a fibrous material, e.g. glass fibers, embedded into a polymer matrix. While the mechanical properties of a bundle of fibers are low, the strength of the individual fibers is reinforced by the polymer matrix that acts as an adhesive and binds the fibers together. The bound fibers provide rigidity and impart structural strength to the molded composite article, while the polymeric matrix prevents the fibers from separating when the molded composite article is subjected to environmental stress.
Obtaining thorough cure and consistent curing behavior in a highly filled system or compositions with rheology modification additives can be a challenge for several reasons. First, the filler acts as a heat sink. This reduces the temperature of the curing composite which both slows the rate of cure and can allow vitrification which nearly stops reaction completely. Cure of composites is most commonly initiated by the catalytic decomposition of hydroperoxides, where metal salts provide the catalysis. These metal salts are present at low levels, and so may be adsorbed onto the surface of inorganic filler or additives. Also, acid or base on the surface of the filler or additive particles or present as an extractable can change the rate of radical production. Such systems are very often subject to changes in gel time on storage.
Several approaches to address the changes in RTG time drift have been proposed in the art and each has several drawbacks. For example, cobalt catalyst and co-promoters may be added to the resin immediately before use. While this approach diminishes, and in some cases eliminates, the problems associated with RTG time drift, the use of cobalt and co-promoters increases complexity of product use at the fabricator. For example, fabricators weigh and manipulate chemicals, and cobalt presents some environmental and toxic challenges. Another approach is to add a partially soluble cobalt compound, commercially known as cobalt 21%. This material slowly releases cobalt on storage, replenishing the cobalt that is absorbed by filler. While sometimes this is difficult to reproduce, in theory this allows the gel time drift to be zero at any point in time—but not at all points. The rates of neither the 'release' of new cobalt, nor the 'deactivation' of existing cobalt are steady. The two can not be matched. In addition, since this approach utilizes cobalt, careful formulation is needed to minimize RTG time drift and the cobalt presents environmental and toxic challenges. Vanadium has also been used in the art, but this material presents the same drawbacks as cobalt.
All parts and percentages set forth herein are on a weight-by-weight basis except where otherwise specified, for example by weight of the resin, meaning by the amount of all resin (UPR, VER, and/or other resins having ethylenic unsaturation) in the composition.

ASHLAND LICENSING AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LLC


An exchange membrane unit includes a first separation membrane, a first space that is connected to a second space via the first separation membrane, a first path that supplies a first fluid (carrier gas) to the first space and supplies chemical substances, which have passed through the first separation membrane from the second space into the first space and diffused, to an ion detector using the first fluid discharged from the first space, and a first ionizing unit provided in the first space. It is possible to provide a preprocessing system that produces little pollution and enables an ion detector to operate with high sensitivity. The present invention can be applied to FAIMS.

PCT publication WO2012/056709 discloses a system with a unit for analyzing samples that was proposed by the present applicant. The unit for analyzing includes: a functional unit that detects peaks that are present in a two-dimensional representation of data included in measurement data obtained by feeding a sample to an ion mobility sensor for measuring the ionic strength of ionized chemical substances that pass through an electric field controlled by at least two parameters, the two-dimensional representation indicating the ionic strength when a first parameter has been changed and the other parameter is fixed; a functional unit that classifies the peaks detected on the basis of the continuity between and the birth and death of the detected peaks and the other peaks that are present in the two-dimensional representation; and a functional unit that estimates the chemical substances contained in the sample on the basis of the classified peaks.

Exchange membrane unit and system including exchange membrane unit


The present invention relates to a data driving apparatus for driving a current driving display device. A current output device of the data driving apparatus sequentially applies data signals to data lines. The data signals correspond to analog converted output currents. The current output device may include an analog output current converter for converting the analog converted output currents to analog output currents including a main signal and a sub-signal having a predetermined ratio therebetween, a switch for supplying the analog output currents including the main signal and the sub-signal according to a first control signal, and a current sample/hold circuit for sampling or holding the analog output currents including the main signal and the sub-signal according to a current sample/hold control signal.

Generally, in an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, phosphorus organic materials are disposed in pixels arranged in a matrix format, and an image is formed by controlling the amount of a current flowing to the phosphorous materials.
Such an OLED display is an advanced display having low power consumption, a wide viewing angle, and high responsiveness. Thus the OLED display is expected to be the next-generation display because the OLED display is superior to a liquid crystal display which has been one of the most widely commercialized flat panel displays.
In further detail, the OLED display excites phosphorus organic materials, and forms an image by voltage-programming or current-programming N×M organic light emitting cells. The organic light emitting cell includes an indium tin oxide (ITO) pixel electrode, an organic thin film, and a metal layer. The organic thin film has a multi-layered structure including an emission layer (EML), an electron transport layer (ETL), and a hole transport layer (HTL), so as to balance electrons and holes and thereby enhance efficiency of light emission. Further, the organic thin film may separately includes an electron injection layer (EIL) and a hole injection layer (HIL).
According to methods of driving the organic light emitting cells having the above configuration, the OLED display is grouped into a passive matrix OLED (PMOLED) and an active matrix OLED (AMOLED). Until now, portable devices have been mostly produced by installing the PMOLED in sub-displays of the portable devices. However, it is difficult to apply the PMOLED to a wide panel with high resolution, because the PMOLED shows early degradation of organic light emitting materials and high power consumption due to its high driving current.
Therefore, the AMOLED scheme is more suitable for manufacturing and driving a wide OLED display with high resolution. Methods for driving the AMOELD are classified into a voltage programming method that programs a voltage signal to a panel to form a desired image and a current programming method that programs a current signal to the panel to form the desired image.
The voltage programming method has the feature of using a data driving integrated circuit (IC) used for driving a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD), or a modified data driving IC. However, because a polysilicon TFT used in the AMOELD manufacturing process has a large variation in threshold voltage and mobility due to non-uniform grain size and trap density, image quality of the voltage programming AMOELD display may be non-uniform.
To solve this problem, various voltage programming pixel types for compensating for the variation in the threshold voltage have been proposed, but the non-uniformity of the mobility still remains a problem to be solved.
In the current programming method, however, uniform display characteristics are achieved even if driving transistors in each pixel have non-uniform voltage-current characteristics, provided that a current source for supplying the current to the pixels is uniform throughout the entire panel (i.e., at all the data lines). In other words, the current programming AMOLED solves the problems associated with the voltage programming devices, and it has been proved through published papers and demo panels that the current programming AMOLED corrects for the variations in the threshold voltage and mobility.
It is desirable to fabricate a pixel of the current programming type AMOLED to correct for non-uniformity in threshold voltages, mobility of carriers, and saturation currents of a driving TFT while providing full current programming within a predetermined period of time. In addition, for driving a current programming AMOELD panel, a data driving IC outputting a constant current is required to sufficiently drive a parasitic resistance and a parasitic capacitance of data lines of the panel while variation in output currents is small enough to prevent non-uniformity of image quality. Such capabilities in the current driving type AMOLED display pixels may be achieved by a current mirror type pixel or a current source type pixel. The current mirror type pixel structure adopted by Sony uses two TFTs as a current mirror. Assuming that there is no variation in the threshold voltage and mobility, a width ratio of the two TFTs is set to be M:1. When M is greater than 1, program currents IIN are much greater than emission currents of the pixel. In this case, the current programming may be performed within a predetermined line time but uniformity of image quality may not be guaranteed. Further, it is impracticable to achieve no variation between all the pixels in the threshold voltage and mobility of the two TFTs in which the width ratio of the two TFTs is set to be M:1.
In addition, a data driver of the OLED display employing the current programming method requires a current mode digital to analog converter (DAC) because a DAC outputs a current. However, a conventional current mode DAC occupies a wide area, and thus, it is difficult to provide the DAC for each output data line.
The above information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the invention and therefore, it should not be assumed that all the above information forms the prior art that is already known in this country to a person or ordinary skill in the art.

Data driving apparatus in a current driving type display device


A lipstick swivel mechanism has a brake function, by which push back of the lipstick when the lipstick is being pressed is effectively hindered. An additional protrusion and a corresponding beveled helical groove are provided on the inner body and the spiral of the dispenser. When the reaction force of applying the lipstick to the consumer's lips pushes the lipstick cup down the dispenser, this reaction force is transmitted to the protrusion and the beveled helical groove so as to increase the frictional force, which impedes the relative rotation of inner body and spiral, between them; thereby push back of the lipstick cup is obstructed. Besides, the beveled helical groove is specially designed so as to make such brake function effective across the entire travel of the lipstick cup.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lipstick swivel mechanism and, more particularly, to a lipstick swivel mechanism having a brake function so as to avoid push back of the lipstick during operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional lipstick dispensers typically have an outer helical cam track sleeve and a longitudinal track inner body rotatable inside the cam sleeve to axially proper and retract a lipstick cup with a lug or lugs that track in the cam track and in the longitudinal track.
A problem found in certain conventional lipstick dispensers is the problem of push back. Push back may occur when the consumer is applying the lipstick to the consumer's lips, that is, the reaction force for applying the lipstick pushes the lipstick and the lipstick cup down the helical tracks of the dispenser. Push back is generally prevented when the lipstick is fully extended by providing horizontal locking tracks at the upper end of the inner body longitudinal track. However, if the consumer does not fully extend the lipstick (as often occurs when a new lipstick is being used), the locking tracks are unavailing since the lipstick cup is not extended sufficiently to engage in the locking tracks. Such push back is most noticeable in fast spiral dispensers, in which the cam tracks extend less than or around 360 degrees of the dispenser, which have relatively higher cam angles, so that pressure applied on the lipstick cup tends to push the cup and lipstick back down the cam and inner body tracks. This problem may be less acute in dispensers having slow spiral tracks, such as double or triple turn dispensers. However, for the convenience of a consumer, a fast spiral dispenser is preferable as it is easier and more elegant to use.

Lipstick swivel mechanism with brake function

Der Kwei Cosmetic Packaging Co., Limited


A method and apparatus for calculating a cost index in a communication network are described. In one embodiment, a plurality of cost factors associated with a first network operation mode is obtained. A plurality of second cost factors associated with a second network operation mode is subsequently obtained. A first cost index is then determined based on the plurality of cost factors associated with the first network operation mode. Likewise, a second cost index is determined based on the plurality of cost factors associated with the second network operation mode. Afterwards, the first cost index is compared to the second cost index to determine whether a recommendation for an implementation of the second operation mode is warranted.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to telecommunications systems and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for evaluating network operation costs in a communications network, such as a packet network, e.g., a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, telecommunications systems provide the ability for two or more people or machines (e.g., computerized or other electronic devices) to communicate with each other. A telecommunications system may include various networks for facilitating communication that may be generally organized into packet networks and circuit-switched networks. An exemplary circuit-switched network includes a plain old telephone system (POTS), such as the publicly switched telephone network (PSTN). Exemplary packet networks include internet protocol (IP) networks, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networks, frame-relay networks, and the like. One type of packet network is a voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) network.
VoIP network providers must often meet time-to-market demands and budgetary constraints that necessitate the utilization of manually intensive operational procedures that preclude them from scaling the network in an efficient manner. Thus, network providers may reap certain benefits by implementing a more automated operation mode within the network. However, the transfer to such a support structure may be a costly endeavor to the network provider. Consequently, due to the advantages and disadvantages presented by the automated operation mode, it may be difficult for VoIP network providers to know if they should continue investing in either a manual operation mode or an automated operation mode. Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a method and apparatus for evaluating different network operation mode costs in a communication network.

Method and apparatus for evaluating network operation costs


An architecture tangibly embodied on a computer readable medium, the architecture for creating a particle system to be used in a physical simulation, including: a plurality of particle generation modules, wherein a particle generation module generates particles in a particle system; a plurality of particle motion modules, wherein a particle motion module produces physical motion of particles in a particle system; a plurality of particle display modules, wherein a particle display module renders particles in a particle system; a plurality of target effect modules, wherein a target effect module modifies particles in a particle system to perform in a certain way when they collide with an object; and a plurality of particle data structures.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to particle systems, and more particularly, to a particle system architecture for use in creating physical simulations.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Particle systems are used for a variety of purposes in computer applications. Common uses include generating special effects in video games and movies, and simulating physical processes. Though the calculations behind particle systems are common and well understood, programming libraries to produce a particle system are less common. Most often, simulation programmers create the particle system code for a new application by themselves.
To be useful, a particle system library needs to have links to other systems within the application. As a result, particle system libraries found in game engines include links to features such as graphics, collision detection, and game behaviors, for example. In other applications, such as physical simulation, particle systems are used but are not customizable. For example, a robot painting simulation may use particles to simulate paint covering a surface, however, the user does not have access to the underlying technology or the ability to change the particle system's effects.
In most cases, a particle system is created manually by writing custom code in a programming language like C++, for example. The particle system is generally used for a specific application and is not applicable to any other. For example, a smoke simulation can be implemented using a particle system. To do this, the simulation programmer first determines an algorithm for simulating smoke using a particular particle based model. Then, the programmer writes code that encapsulates the equations of the model and applies it to an array-like data structure that represents the particles' state. All programming aspects are the programmer's responsibility including allocating the memory, keeping track of the particles' state, writing the algorithms for evolving the particles' state over time, and determining what happens when the particles reach other objects in the simulation. There is no module or library structure to the code and any code reuse results from copying and pasting snippets from another source.
Game engines sometimes include a particle system library, but these are highly variable. A sophisticated game engine may have a customizable particle system library with several modules. However, these particle systems are designed for producing graphical effects and do not have a means for producing simulated physical effects as would be desired in a simulation. For example, a particle system in a game engine might have many display parameters that control how each particle changes color over time and what graphical images to use to display the particles.
Some custom simulation systems, such as a robot painting may include a particle system as their means of implementation. However, these kinds of particle systems are hardwired into the system and not accessible to a programmer. Their purpose is to perform a specific simulated activity within the context of the application. The amount of customization that the user has over the particle system depends on the specific application.
Having to write a particle system using custom programming can be difficult and prone to errors. For example, since one is writing the system from scratch and time is limited, it is difficult to add new features or to make the simulations more sophisticated. As a result, hand-written particle systems tend to provide only as many functions as are absolutely needed and may leave out useful features.
Particle systems in game engines vary greatly in sophistication. Some are simple Newtonian solvers that allow a particle to follow arc-like trajectories. These are not always useful in a physical simulation. Further, since even the better particle system libraries in game engines are directed to creating special effects, the programmer has few options to control the effects of the particles on other objects in the system. The particles are there to look good and provide many display and animation features. In a physical simulation, however, having the particle effect other objects, such as painting a surface, moving a turbine or transferring a liquid, is often more important.
The particle systems in custom applications can be useful for their intended purpose, but are not a customizable programming system. For example, since a programmer does not have access to the application's implementation, there is no way to modify the particle simulation to have it do anything else.

Particle system architecture in a multi-body physics simulation


A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device includes a first plate, a second plate disposed over the first plate, and a first moveable plate disposed between the first plate and the second plate. The MEMS device further includes a second moveable plate disposed between the first moveable plate and the second plate.

Micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) based sensors such as microphones gather information from the environment through measuring physical phenomena. The electronics then process the signal information derived from the sensors despite the presence of noise and parasitic effects. Advantageously, MEMS devices may be manufactured using batch fabrication techniques similar to those used for integrated circuits. Therefore, functionality, reliability, and sophistication may be integrated onto a small silicon chip at a relatively low cost.
MEMS devices may be formed as oscillators, resonators, accelerometers, gyroscopes, pressure sensors, microphone, micro-mirrors, and others. MEMS devices typically use capacitive sensing techniques for measuring the physical phenomenon being measured. In all these applications, the capacitance change of the capacitive sensor is converted into a usable voltage using interface circuits. However, interface circuits may become challenging due to the miniaturization of sensors in the presence of parasitic effects and reduced sense capacitance.
Some of the key characteristics of a MEMS device include sensitivity, bandwidth, linearity, dynamic range, minimum detectable signal, stability, size, and cost. Sensitivity of a MEMS device is the change in the output voltage for an input physical phenomenon (e.g., time varying pressure) derived change in capacitance at the capacitive sensor. Bandwidth is the range of frequencies over which the sensor can be used.
However, another important metric of a capacitive microphone is linearity. The linearity of the sensor is a measure of how close the output versus input calibration curve approximates a straight line at a given frequency. The slope between the input pressure and output voltage provides the sensitivity of the transducer at that frequency. At high input amplitudes the output of the transducer deviates from an ideal straight line. The lower and higher ends of the linear range are determined by both the sensor interface circuit and the sensor. The lower end is limited by system noise such as thermal noise, 1/f noise, and mechanical noise. The higher end of the linear range is determined by structural non-linearities such as spring stiffening or by circuit non-linearities such as clipping.
The dynamic range of a capacitive transducer is defined as the ratio of the maximum and minimum input signal of the linear range. The deviation of the output from the ideal linear curve causes distortion in the microphone output. When the system is excited at a single frequency, distortion may be computed as the minimum input amplitude that causes the output to deviate from linearity by a fixed percentage.
Therefore, one of the challenges relates to the production of MEMS devices and circuits with better functionality and reliability without increasing costs.

MEMS devices, interface circuits, and methods of making thereof


Systems, methods, and devices are configured to manage the printing of an electronic document having different page sizes. They include receiving a request from a user to print an electronic document, the electronic document arranged as a set of pages. They also include determining if a page size for a page of the set of pages in the electronic document matches at least one print media size available for printing. They further include providing a message for display to the user, the message including an indication that the page size for the page is not available for printing when it is determined that the page size of the page does not match the at least one print media size. The message also including a menu with a set of user selectable options for completing the print request on the printing device.

Printer systems, such as printers, printer/scanners, and multi-function devices (MFDs), allow users to create and submit a processing job, such as a print job, a copy job, or scan job, from a physical or electronic document and produce an output as a physical printed or electronic ready-to-print document These printer systems are often networked as part of a home or office network configured to allow a user access to any one of the devices. Networked printers also allow the user to access or create an electronic document from a job created as a print job, copy job, or scan job on one MFD or printer device and print the electronic document on any other printer or MFD on the network. Printer systems are an important part of a productive home or office environment.
However, a user may initiate a request to print an electronic document on an MFD or printer device that includes pages requiring several different sizes of physical print media, such as paper, cardstock, and the like. The user may initiate the request as part of a print job or a copy job or may initiate the request after inserting a memory storage device, such as a USB memory device, in a communication port on the MFD or printer device. If the MFD or printer device does not have one or more of the proper page sizes of the print media available in its media supply trays, the printer may not print the document or may automatically print the pages of the electronic document using a different page size of print media. Further, the MFD or printer device may not provide any notification to the user regarding the availability of the correct or proper page sizes of physical media for printing and further may not provide additional printing options based on the availability, such as printing only the pages for which the proper page sizes or physical media are available. As a result, material resources, such as printing ink or toner and physical media, and electrical energy may be used unnecessarily and/or wasted. Further, the user may have to invest additional time resources and energy to complete the task of printing the entire electronic document with the correct page sizes by printing multiple copies of the electronic document on different MFDs or printer devices. Therefore, there is a need to address these and other issues associated with managing the printing of an electronic document requiring multiple page sizes based on the availability of page sizes of print media in an MFD or printer device.
Overview
Exemplary embodiments described herein include methods, systems, and apparatuses for managing the printing of an electronic document having multiple page sizes. An exemplary printing or multi-function device includes a printing engine that prints data using at least one size of print media. The multi-function device further includes a print processor that receives a request to print an electronic document using the print engine, the electronic document including data arranged as a set of printable pages, the request to print based on a job created by a user. The print processor also determines if a page size for a printable page of the set of printable pages in the electronic document matches the at least one size of print media. The multi-function apparatus additionally includes a user interface that receives instructions from the print processor to display a message to the user when it is determined that the page size of the printable page does not match the at least one size of print media, the message including a notification that the printable page cannot be printed. The message also including a menu prompting an input from the user based on a set of options for completing the print request for the electronic document.
An exemplary method includes receiving a request to print an electronic document on a printing device, the electronic document arranged as a set of printable pages, the request to print being based on a job created by a user. The method also includes determining if a page size for a printable page of the set of printable pages in the electronic document matches at least one print media size available for printing on the printing device. The method further includes providing a message for display to the user, the message including a notification to the user that the printable page cannot be printed on the printing device when it is determined that the printable page does not match the at least one print media size available for printing on the printing device. The message also including a menu prompting an input from the user to continue printing electronic document based on a set of options for completing print request for the electronic document on the printing device.
An exemplary apparatus includes a memory for storing a printable document, the printable document arranged as a set of pages. The apparatus further including a processor configured to receive a request from a user to print the printable document and determine if a page size for a page in the set of pages matches at least one size of print media available for printing using a printing device. The processor is further configured to provide a notification to the user that the printable page cannot be printed on the printing device when the page size for the page does not match the at least one size of print media size available for printing using the printing device, the notification also indicating a set of options to continue to print at least a portion of the printable document using the printing device.
It should be understood that the drawing(s) are for purposes of illustrating the concepts of the disclosure and are not necessarily the only possible configuration for illustrating the disclosure.

Apparatus and method for managing the printing of an electronic document having multiple page sizes


A diaphragm (1) of a light sound converter which has a high performance, is suitable for mass-production and has a slit (1s) formed therein. A light emitting element and a light receiving element are disposed at positions opposed to a reflective part (1a) of the diaphragm (1) having a pressure receiving surface part (1d) and the reflective part (1a), and light is radiated from the light emitting element to the reflective part (1a) of the diaphragm (1) and the reflected light from the reflective part (1a) is received by the light receiving element, whereby the position of the diaphragm (1) can be detected.

With reference to FIGS. 5 to 11, description will be made on examples of a conventional acoustic-electric converter (hereinafter called a light sound converter) for converting a vibrational displacement of a diaphragm caused by sounds into an electric signal by utilizing a change in light caused by the vibrational displacement. A diaphragm 7 of a light sound converter shown in FIG. 5 has a flat film made of an aluminum foil or the like having a thickness of, for example, about 2 μm, without performing molding, working and the like.
Light emitted from a light emitting element 3 is reflected at the surface of a planar diaphragm 7 and received by a light receiving element 4. In order to prevent reflected light from being disturbed, it is necessary to eliminate crinkling, sagging and the like and maintain flatness of the diaphragm 7 made of a very thin film. To this end, the diaphragm 7 of a planar film is formed by applying a predetermined tension to the diaphragm 7 to eliminate crinkling, sagging and the like.
While the thin film of the diaphragm is stretched, a ring 2 is adhered to an outer peripheral area of the diaphragm by means of adhesive or the like. Therefore, the thin film constituting the diaphragm is maintained flat by a predetermined tension and the outer peripheral area of the diaphragm is fixed to the ring 2. The ring 2 is fixed to a frame 9 which supports a light emitting element 3 and a light receiving element 4. A laser beam radiated from the light emitting element 3 and reflected at the diaphragm 7 is received by the light receiving element 4 to detect a displacement of the diaphragm 7 from an output of the light receiving element 4.
Since tension is applied to this conventional planar diaphragm 7, there arises a problem of a small compliance of the diaphragm 7. The diaphragm 7 is therefore harder than usual. A vibration amplitude of the diaphragm 7 therefore becomes smaller than usual, i.e., the vibration amplitude from which a wide range of frequencies is to be detected becomes smaller than usual.
To solve this problem, another method of forming a diaphragm has been proposed. According this method, a metal thin film is vapor-deposited to a thickness of, for example, about 1 μm on a surface of a wafer or the like. A ring is adhered to the metal thin film or foil formed on the wafer surface, and the ring together with the adhered metal thin film is removed from the wafer to obtain the diaphragm. Even with this method, it has been found that a weak tension is applied to the diaphragm because adhesive on the adhesive surfaces, particularly adhesive reaching to the inner peripheral area of the ring, shrinks when it is hardened.
Generally, the frequency characteristics of a planar diaphragm are not flat and the diaphragm resonates at its specific frequency to generate a peak. It is well known that the vibration amplitude of the diaphragm becomes small at the frequency other than the resonance frequency. It is difficult to obtain a vibration amplitude sufficient for detecting a wide range of frequencies, resulting in a narrow reproduction band of the light sound converter for detecting a vibration of the diaphragm by utilizing light.
To overcome this disadvantage, the present applicant has already proposed a method illustrated in FIG. 6. According to this proposal, a reflective part 8a of a diaphragm 8 has a dome shape, a suspension part 8b is formed continuously with an outer peripheral area of the reflective part 8a, and an adhesion margin part 8f is integrally formed with an outer area of the suspension part 8b. This adhesion margin part 8f is adhered to a frame 9. A laser beam radiated from a light emitting element 3 fixed to the frame 9 shown in FIG. 6 and reflected at the reflective part 8a is received by a light receiving element 4 fixed to the frame 9 to detect a displacement of the reflective part 8a from an output of the light receiving element 4.
This proposal also refers to a diaphragm 10 which has a large area suspension part 10c as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9 in order to obtain a higher vibration amplitude. A reflective part 10a of a dome shape is disposed in the central area of the diaphragm 10. A laser beam radiated from a light emitting element 3 fixed to a frame 9 and reflected at the reflective part 10a is received by a light receiving element 4 fixed to the frame 9 to detect a displacement of the reflective part 10a from an output of the light receiving element 4.
A rising part 10b rising obliquely at 45° is continuously formed with an outer peripheral area of the dome-shaped reflective part 10a. The suspension part 10c is formed integrally with the outer peripheral area of the rising part 10b, and constituted of five concentrical corrugations extending radially and each defined by a curve having a predetermined radius.
A vertical rising part 10e is formed continuously with the outer peripheral area of the suspension part 10c, and an adhesion margin part 10f is integrally formed with and horizontally protruded from the outer periphery of the rising part 10e. This adhesion margin part 10f is adhered to a ring 2. Although not shown, the ring 2 is formed integrally with the frame 9.
As well known, recent requirements of making compact a light sound converter are very severe. In order to meet this compactness requirements, the diameter of a diaphragm with a dome-shaped reflective part, a corrugation type suspension part and the like is required to be short. A compliance of the diaphragm becomes inevitably small.
The experiments made by the present inventors have verified that as the same sound pressure is applied to a diaphragm, the vibration amplitude becomes small in inverse proportion with the square of the area of the diaphragm. As the vibration amplitude of the diaphragm becomes low, it is obviously difficult, for the light sound converter for detecting a vibration displacement of the diaphragm by utilizing light, to correctly detect the vibration amplitude.
As a method capable of overcoming this disadvantage, it is easily conceivable to thin the base material of a diaphragm having a dome shape integrally formed with the reflective part 10a, suspension part 10c and the like. For example, a metal foil or resin film having a thickness of 4 μm is replaced by a metal foil or resin film having a thickness or 3 μm or thinner.
With this approach, however, although it is effective to improve the compliance of the suspension part 10c, the dome shape reflective part 10a becomes more likely to resonate as the base material is made thin. Namely, since the diaphragm is thin, a number of split resonances occur in the reproduction vibration frequency band. This approach is therefore associated with the disadvantage that there is a large strain in the reproduction band and the sound quality is degraded very much.
It is well known that the thinner a metal foil, a film or the like of the base material of a diaphragm is made, the vibration amplitude of the diaphragm becomes higher. The experiments made by the present inventors have confirmed that a thinning rate of a diaphragm is smaller than a raising rate of a vibration amplitude of the diaphragm. It is also well known that as a film is made thinner, a mechanical strength weakens which is necessary for maintaining the original structure of the film. Very delicate works of handling such a film during manufacture are therefore required and the productivity is degraded.
In order to obtain a higher vibration amplitude of a diaphragm having a predetermined area and made of a base material providing a strength eliminating resonance during vibration, it is desired to increase the compliance of only the suspension part so as to allow the reflective part to easily vibrate, i.e., it is desired to provide the suspension part with a high elasticity.
A general approach to improving the compliance of a suspension part of a diaphragm made of a film already exists. According to this approach, the area of the suspension part is reduced to provide the suspension part with a high elasticity.
For example, the suspension part is made narrow like a cantilever which supports the reflective part of the diaphragm. The present inventors have formed a cantilever suspension part 11c on a diaphragm 11 which is partially removed as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, i.e., the diaphragm with its hatched portions being removed.
Description will be made on the shape of the diaphragm 11 before removing the hatched portions. A rising part 11b rising obliquely at 45° is continuously formed with an outer peripheral area of a dome-shaped reflective part 11a. The suspension part 11c is formed integrally with the outer peripheral area of the rising part 11b, and constituted of five concentrical corrugations extending radially and each defined by a curve having a predetermined radius.
A vertical rising part 11e is formed continuously with the outer peripheral area of the suspension part 11c, and an adhesion margin part 11f is integrally formed with and horizontally protruded from the outer periphery of the rising part 11e. This adhesion margin part 10f is adhered to a ring 2. The cantilever suspension part 11c formed in this manner had most of the area around the dome shape reflective part 11a of the diaphragm 11 being removed as shown in FIG. 10. The cantilever suspension part 11c also had a large width.
The reason for this is ascribed to the shapes of trimming molds determined by taking into consideration the productivity of partially removing the diaphragm through press trimming. More specifically, in order to retain the strength of trimming molds, a punch and a die, it is required that the punch and die have allowable minimum widths. This restriction of the minimum widths results in the limited shape of the cantilever suspension part 11c. The shape of the cantilever suspension part 11c is therefore limited by a press trimming method currently used in most common.
Measurements were conducted for a vibration amplitude of the diaphragm 11 having the cantilever suspension part 11c and for a vibration amplitude of a diaphragm before partial removal of the diaphragm by trimming molds. For the measurements, the adhesion margin part of the diaphragm was clamped with a diaphragm mounting jig having a predetermined ring shape. The diaphragm mounted on the jig was placed in front of a speaker to vibrate the diaphragm. A sound pressure of 94 dB at a frequency of 1 KHz was applied to the diaphragm from the speaker. The vibration amplitude of the diaphragm vibrated in this state was measured by a laser doppler method.
The measurement results indicated that the diaphragm with the cantilever suspension part 11c had a vibration amplitude slightly higher than that of the diaphragm without the cantilever suspension part. In terms of numerical values, the diaphragm without the cantilever suspension part had an amplitude of 0.076 μm to 0.1μm, whereas the diaphragm with the cantilever suspension part 11c had an amplitude of 0.08 μm to 0.12 μm. This difference is small, verifying that the effects of the cantilever part are less.

Diaphragm structure of light sound converter


Isolation methods and devices for isolating regions of a semiconductor device. The isolation method and structure include forming an isolating trench in an active area and filling the trench with a doped conductive material containing silicon. Suitable conductive materials containing silicon include polysilicon and silicon-germanium. There is also provided a method and structure for isolating the regions by providing a trench in an active area of a substrate, growing an epitaxial layer in the trench to fill the trench or to partially fill the trench and depositing an insulating material over the epitaxial layer and within the trench to completely fill the trench.

In silicon integrated circuit (IC) fabrication, it is often necessary to isolate semiconductor devices formed in the substrate. This is true for many semiconductor memory devices, for example, DRAM, flash memory, SRAM, microprocessors, DSP and ASIC. The individual pixels of a CMOS image sensor also need to be isolated from each other.
A CMOS image sensor circuit includes a focal plane array of pixel cells, each one of the cells including a photogate, photoconductor, or photodiode overlying a charge accumulation region within a substrate for accumulating photo-generated charge. Each pixel cell may include a transistor for transferring charge from the charge accumulation region to a floating diffusion node and a transistor, for resetting the diffusion node to a predetermined charge level prior to charge transference. The pixel cell may also include a source follower transistor for receiving and amplifying charge from the diffusion node and an access transistor for controlling the readout of the cell contents from the source follower transistor.
In a CMOS image sensor, the active elements of a pixel cell perform the necessary functions of: (1) photon to charge conversion; (2) accumulation of image charge; (3) transfer of charge to the floating diffusion node accompanied by charge amplification; (4) resetting the floating diffusion node to a known state before the transfer of charge to it; (5) selection of a pixel for readout; and (6) output and amplification of a signal representing pixel charge from the floating diffusion node. Photo charge may be amplified when it moves from the initial charge accumulation region to the floating diffusion node. The charge at the floating diffusion node is typically converted to a pixel output voltage by a source follower output transistor. The photosensitive element of a CMOS image sensor pixel is typically either a depleted p-n junction photodiode or a field induced depletion region beneath a photogate. A photon impinging on a particular pixel of a photosensitive device may diffuse to an adjacent pixel, resulting in detection of the photon by the wrong pixel, i.e. cross-talk. Therefore, CMOS image sensor pixels must be isolated from one another to avoid pixel cross talk. In the case of CMOS image sensors, which are intentionally fabricated to be sensitive to light, it is advantageous to provide both electrical and optical isolation between pixels.
CMOS image sensors of the type discussed above are generally known as discussed, for example, in Nixon et al., "256.times.256 CMOS Active Pixel Sensor Camera-on-a-Chip," IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 31(12), pp. 2046-2050 (1996); and Mendis et al., "CMOS Active Pixel Image Sensors," IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Vol. 41(3), pp. 452-453 (1994). See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,177,333 and 6,204,524, which describe operation of conventional CMOS image sensors, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Shallow trench isolation (STI) is one technique, which can be used to isolate pixels, devices or circuitry from one another. In general, a trench is etched into the substrate and filled with a dielectric to provide a physical and electrical barrier between adjacent pixels, devices, or circuitry. Refilled trench structures, for example, are formed by etching a trench by a dry anisotropic or other etching process and then filling it with a dielectric such as a chemical vapor deposited (CVD) silicon dioxide (SiO2). The filled trench is then planarized by an etch-back process so that the dielectric remains only in the trench and its top surface remains level with that of the silicon substrate. The depth of a shallow trench is generally from about 2000 to about 2500 Angstroms.
One drawback associated with shallow trench isolation in the case of CMOS image sensors is cross-talk from a photon impinging on a particular pixel of a photosensitive device causing changes that may diffuse under the shallow trench isolation structure to an adjacent pixel. Another drawback is that a hole accumulation layer along the sidewall of the trench is relatively small since it is limited by the depth of the shallow trenches.
One technique which may be used to improve pixel isolation in CMOS image sensors is to implant dopants beneath the isolation region; however, it has been found that this may contribute undesirably to pixel dark current. Minimizing dark current in the photodiode is a key device optimization step in CMOS image sensor fabrication.
It is desirable to provide an isolation technique that prevents cross-talk between pixels while reducing dark current or current leakage as much as possible. It is also desirable to provide an isolation technique while increasing a hole accumulation region adjacent a pixel isolation region.

Isolation techniques for reducing dark current in CMOS image sensors


A structure for holding tubular cathode in a gas laser tube. The cathode is provided at one end with a slender projection inserted into a hollow member attached to one sealing flush member and caulked at a groove formed in the hollow member to hold the cathode. The cathode is also provided with spring plate members at the other end. A slender discharge tube is provided with an expanded portion serving as a discharge chamber, the expanded portion having a smaller diameter than the cathode and pressing against the spring plate members. The spring plate members securely hold the cathode within the gas laser tube without melting or cracking at the sealing flush members during welding.

The invention relates to a gas laser tube, and more particularly to a structure for holding a cathode in a gas laser tube of the internal mirror type in which enclosure members of the gas laser tube are sealed with sealing flush members at opposite ends of the tube and provided with hollow members with spot facings. Glass face plates are provided at the spot facings of the hollow members.
Referring to FIG. 1, in a conventional gas laser tube of the internal mirror type, enclosure members of the gas laser tube comprise a thick glass tube 4, sealing flush members 1a and 1b, hollow members 2a and 2b with spot facings, and mirrors 10. The thick glass tube at its opposite ends is sealed with the sealing flush members 1a and 1b which are respectively provided with the hollow members 2a and 2b with the spot facings. The hollow members 2a and 2b are respectively provided with mirrors 10 at the spot facings. The sealing flush members 1a and 1b are respectively attached to the hollow members 2a and 2b by soldering. A gap between the hollow member and the mirror is sealed with a low melting point glass material 9. The hollow member 2b serves as an anode.
A conventional structure for mounting the cathode to the enclosure members in the gas gas laser tube will be described. The tube type cathode made of aluminum is attached at a welding region 14 to the sealing flush member 1a by welding. The enclosure members at the anode side are provided with a discharge chamber 8 which is provided with an outlet for releasing a gas within the discharge chamber 8. A slender discharge tube 7 at the anode side is attached to a wall of the discharge chamber 8. The thick glass tube 4 and the slender discharge tube are formed as an integral structure through the wall of the discharge chamber 8. The thick glass tube 4, the cathode 5 and the slender discharge tube 7 are arranged coaxially.
In the conventional structure for holding the cathode in the gas laser tube of the internal mirror type as shown in FIG. 1, the cathode 5 is attached to the sealing flush member 1a only by means of a resistance welding. The sealing flush member la is made of Kovar (Fernico). In contrast, the cathode 5 is made of aluminum. The sealing flush member has an electrical resistance higher than that of the cathode. Consequently, when the sealing flush member 1a is subjected to the resistance welding, the welding region 14 of the sealing flush member 1a has a tendency of melting or cracking, causing leaks. Assuming that the welding for attaching the cathode 5 to the sealing flush member 1a is carried out with a low welding current, the strength of the attachment of the cathode 5 to the sealing flush member 1a is so weak as to tend to pull out the cathode from the sealing flush member 1a.
On the other hand, an alternate conventional structure for mounting the cathode to the enclosure members in the gas gas laser tube will be described. Referring to FIG. 2, the cathode 5 at its top portion is provided with a slender projection. The hollow member 2a attached to the sealing flush member 1a is formed at its hollow portion with a ring-shaped groove 13. The slender projection of the cathode is inserted into the hollow member 2a and caulked with the ring-shaped groove 13 formed in the hollow member 2a so as to hold the cathode in the gas laser tube.
In such a structure for holding the cathode, the cathode 5 may be held to the enclosure members of the gas laser tube without welding, the gas laser tube therefore does not have the problems of melting or cracking of the sealing flush member by welding. The cathode is, however, attached to the sealing flush member only by the caulking of the slender projection of the cathode with the ringshaped groove in the hollow member. In operation of the gas laser, the cathode and the hollow member are subjected to vibrations and thermal expansion. Thus, the caulking of the slender projection of the cathode tends to loosen or the cathode tends to pull out from the sealing flush member.


A nuclear reactor plant protection system printed circuit card comprises a first logic device having a number of basic logic circuits, and a second logic device operatively connected with the first logic device for testing the number of basic logic circuits without taking the printed circuit card out of service. A nuclear reactor plant protection system printed circuit card comprises a first logic device producing a first output signal in response to a test signal, a second logic device producing a second output signal in response to the test signal, and a comparator for comparing the first output signal and the second output signal, wherein the test signal has a pulse duration that is less than a latching period associated with the printed circuit card. A method of testing and a nuclear reactor control system incorporating the nuclear reactor plant protection system printed circuit card is also provided.

This invention relates generally to printed circuit cards used in a control system and more particularly, to printed circuit cards used within a nuclear reactor protection system.
The generation of electrical power in a nuclear power plant is a complex process. Numerous parameters (such as, without limitation, pressure, temperature, flow, radiation level, valve position, pump status, etc.) must be constantly monitored and measured. These measurements are used by plant operators to regulate the process (e.g., actuate valves, pumps, control rod drive mechanisms, etc.), monitor the process (e.g., monitor tank levels, flows, temperatures, etc.), and provide protection to the equipment used within the process (e.g., prevent low coolant levels, overheating, over pressurization, etc.; trigger a reactor "trip", a unit runback; etc.).
In the case of a nuclear power plant, the protection function, in particular, is very demanding. Thus, nuclear power plants employ a nuclear reactor protection system. To increase reliability of the protection system, redundant sets of critical sensors are provided to measure the numerous process parameters. For instance, four redundant sets of sensors are typically employed to measure a critical parameter, such as reactor core temperature. The sensors may be divided into a number of data channels which are in communication with the nuclear power plant's protection system. If one sensor fails, the three remaining sensors are available to measure the reactor core temperature. To prevent an unintended interruption of normal operations, the signals produced by the redundant sensors are correlated before initiating an emergency or safety response. In the current example, for instance, an indication by at least two out of the four sensors may be required as a prerequisite to actuating an emergency or safety response to lower the reactor core temperature.
Many protection systems employed today are Solid State Protection Systems ("SSPS") which employ discrete digital electronics, mechanical switches, and electromechanical relays, among others. The components of the SSPS are typically arranged in redundant logic "trains" which insures, for example, that the reactor does not inadvertently trip due to a component failure in a single logic train. Instead, the second logic train maintains the proper control. More specifically, if one logic train is off-line, malfunctioning, etc., the other train is able to provide the necessary protection. Examples of protection systems can be found in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,062,412 issued to Stucker et al., 4,804,515 issued to Crew et al., and 4,399,095 issued to Morris.
Each logic train of the SSPS typically includes a number of printed circuit cards which are used, for example and without limitation, to check the correlation between redundant sensors, check for under-voltage conditions, check for over-voltage conditions, etc. Each train may include, for example and without limitation, thirty-five (35) Universal Logic cards, one (1) Undervoltage Driver card (UV Card), and four (4) Safeguard Driver Cards.
Most existing printed circuit cards, however, employ dated technology. Existing printed circuit cards, for example, operate from a 15 volt power supply and thus consume large amounts of power. Additionally, most existing printed circuit cards do not have adequate indicators (such as LED's) incorporated therein to convey the current status of the card, the inputs/outputs, etc. As a result, troubleshooting of the SPSS is difficult. Generally, the existing printed circuit cards must be periodically tested by taking a single train out of service (i.e., taking it off-line). Once off-line, a series of test pulses are applied to the inputs of the off-line train to test the printed circuit cards in that train; the second train remains on-line and provides protection to the nuclear power plant. After testing is completed, the first train is placed back on-line. Next the second train is taken off-line and a series of test pulses are applied to the inputs of the second train to test its printed circuit cards; the first train remains on-line and provides protection to the nuclear power plant. After testing is completed, the second train in placed back on-line.
Under a typical test protocol, the trains are alternatingly tested every three to six months. For example, train-1 is tested in January, train-2 is tested in April, train-1 is tested in July, and train-2 is tested in October. As is evident, each train only undergoes testing once every six months. Thus, a malfunction that occurs shortly after a train is tested may not be discovered until the next scheduled test for that train (e.g., six months later; or even worse, only discovered after the train has caused an inadvertent reactor trip). Newer protection systems may be available; however, a wholesale change out of the protection system is cost prohibitive and complicated.
Consequently, there is a need in the art for an improved printed circuit cards for an existing SSPS. More particularly, there is a need in the art for improved printed circuit cards that provide high reliability, low power consumption, which may be incorporated as a direct replacement to existing cards, and which provides continuous self-testing, among others.


A toner jet printer and method of use for printing images by manipulating individual toner particles using two-dimensional print cell arrays built by micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) technologies. Toner particles are positioned by electrostatic forces within each print cell by either selective or non-selective filling. If selectively filled, each cell is then subjected to a mechanical force to eject the toner particles onto a paper substrate. If non-selectively filled, only those print cells corresponding to an intended image are addressed electronically to eject a toner particle from an addressed cell by mechanical forces controlled by micro actuator actuation. Single color or multiple color printing can be achieved using the same cell array.

A toner jet printer and method of use for printing images by manipulating individual toner particles using two-dimensional print cell arrays built by micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) technologies. Toner particles are positioned by electrostatic forces within each print cell. Each cell is then addressed electronically to eject one or more toner particles from an addressed cell, by a combination of mechanical and electrical forces controlled by a micro actuator, toward a substrate. As such, a mechanical assist is provided to aid in electrostatic transfer. The printer is capable of high-speed, two-dimensional printing.
There are known direct electrostatic printers, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,743,926, 4,814,796, 4,860,036 and 4,876,561, all to Schmidlin and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, that eliminate an intermediate transfer drum. There are also known micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) that have been used as basic electro mechanical structures, such as nozzles, suspension beams, hinges and diaphragms. These include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,418,418, 5,239,222, 5,313,451, 5,444,191, 5,526,172, 5,083,857, 5,457,493, and 4,956,619. These have proven feasible and sufficiently reliable for use in critical components. Rapid advances of MEMS technologies in recent years have produced commercial products in various application areas. One of these is the ink jet printer. However, until now, such technologies have not been applied to xerographic printing technology.

Two-dimensional print cell array apparatus and method for delivery of toner for printing images


In workflow management software, task objects describing a successfully-completed workflow process instance are copied. The copied task objects are then generalized in the relevant variables thereof, so that the entire workflow process is thus generalized for direct re-use in an amended workflow process definition. In this way, ad-hoc amendments to the workflow process, such as those initiated by the persons who collaborate in the work process, can be easily incorporated into a new work process.

"Workflow management software" has gained acceptance in the past few years as a medium for automating traditional office processes, such as, for example, processing of insurance claims. Briefly, the function of workflow management software is to provide specific sets of information, such as individual documents, to a series of persons, or other entities such as computers, in a given sequence so that the various persons or other entities can, for instance, approve, modify, or otherwise process the information according to a pre-designed total work process.
In a common commercial version of workflow software, such as that sold under the trade name "InConcert.TM.," a collaborative process is defined as a sequence of "tasks." A "task" can be generally defined as an instance in which what is called an entity (such as a person, one of a predefined group of persons, or a computer or printer) is assigned a "role" having a specifically-defined interaction with a set of information, through what is called a "binder." A binder, for present purposes, is a reference to some quantity of data, such as a document or a quantity of code, such as would be derived from, for example, a form filled out by a customer. A plurality of tasks are assigned interrelations, such as a sequence, which may have finish-start (FS), parallel, alternative, or if-then paths, to form the entire process. (Formal definitions of these terms, as they relate to the present invention, will be given below.) In the specific case of InConcert.TM. software, these individual tasks are each assigned an icon by type (such as "approve," "fill out form," "send to manager," etc.) with these icons being arranged by the designer of the process on a graphical user interface.
In the traditional model of applying workflow management software to a real-world process, such as processing an insurance claim, the basic process, meaning the arrangement of tasks forming the process, is established a priori by a process designer, who in effect imposes the process design on the persons and systems who will carry out the process. The burden falls on the process designer to do the initial "research" into the objectives and requirements of the entire process, and the people who collaborate on the workflow must conform to it. It has been found, however, that in practical applications of workflow management software, a process designer often does not have enough information or practical insights to successfully design the workflow of the process ahead of time. It is more likely that persons who have traditionally carried out the process will have greater knowledge of certain nuances of the process that would not be apparent to a process designer. In some cases the persons who are to carry out the process can assist the process designer in developing the process definition, but this still incurs the effort and overhead of a priori analysis and cannot anticipate the variety of actual process executions that may occur when the participants actually carry out their work. The present invention is thus directed to enabling a system where an initial basic business process can be amended, and therefore caused to evolve as a result of ad-hoc inputs from various persons involved in the process while the process is running.

Workflow management system wherein ad-hoc process instances can be generalized


A memory device, including a non-volatile memory device, a method for operating a memory device, and an apparatus for use with a memory device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the memory device includes at least one evaluation circuit for amplifying a signal resulting from the reading of a memory cell, and a device for precharging an output of the evaluation circuit to a predetermined voltage level.

The invention relates to a memory device, including a non-volatile memory device, a method for operating a memory device, and an apparatus for use with a memory device.
In the case of conventional memory devices, including conventional semiconductor memory devices, one differentiates between so-called functional memory devices (e.g. PLAs, PALs, etc.), and so-called table memory devices, e.g. ROM devices (ROM=Read Only Memory)—including PROMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, flash memories, etc.—and RAM devices (RAM=Random Access Memory), e.g. DRAMs and SRAMs.
A RAM device is a memory for storing data under a predetermined address and for reading out the data under this address again later.
Since as many memory cells as possible are to be accommodated in a RAM device, one has been trying to realize them as simple as possible.
In the case of SRAMs (SRAM=Static Random Access Memory), the individual memory cells consist e.g. of few, for instance 6, transistors, and in the case of DRAMs (DRAM=Dynamic Random Access Memory) in general only of one single, correspondingly controlled capacitive element (e.g. a trench capacitor) with the capacitance of which one bit can be stored as charge.
This charge, however, remains for a short time only. Therefore, a so-called "refresh" must be performed regularly, e.g., approximately every 64 ms.
In contrast to that, no "refresh" has to be performed in the case of SRAMs, i.e., the data stored in the memory cells remains stored as long as an appropriate supply voltage is fed to a respective SRAM.
In the case of non-volatile memory devices (NVMs), e.g. EPROMs, EEPROMs, flash memories, OTPs, etc., however, the stored data remains stored even when the supply voltage is switched off.
The memory cells provided in the above-mentioned memory devices are each adapted to be connected to corresponding bit lines so as to transmit a data value to be read out from a memory cell or a data value to be written into a memory cell.
On reading out a memory cell, an access transistor connected with a memory cell is first of all connected through by the activation or selection, respectively, of a word line, and the charge state stored in the memory cell is applied to the bit line. Later, the weak signal coming from the memory cell is amplified by a sense amplifier/evaluated by an evaluator circuit, respectively.
In the sense amplifier/evaluator circuit, the read current (Icell) resulting from the reading of a memory cell e.g. may be compared with a reference current (Iref), e.g. by use of respective current mirror devices.
The current mirror devices, e.g., might be connected to a supply voltage (Usupply), and to ground (VSS, e.g., 0V).
Further, the output of the current mirror devices might be connected to respective inverters.
If the read current (Icell) is bigger than the reference current (Iref), a voltage (Uver) at the output of the current mirror devices, i.e., the input of the inverters, is driven to the value of the above supply voltage (Usupply). Hence, e.g., a "logic 1" is output at the output of the inverters.
If, however, the read current (Icell) is smaller than the reference current (Iref), the voltage (Uver) at the output of the current mirror devices, i.e., the input of the inverters, is driven to ground, e.g., 0V. Hence, e.g., a "logic 0" is output at the output of the inverters.
Prior to the reading out of the memory cell, the corresponding bit line is precharged to a predetermined voltage (Uref), e.g. by a so-called precharge circuit that is connected with the corresponding bit line.
This—due to the parasitic capacitances of the bit line—takes a certain time t1 ("bit line charge time").
During the bit line charge time t1, the voltage (Uver) at the output of the current mirror devices—as becomes clear from the explanations above—either has the value of the supply voltage (Usupply), or has a value of 0V (ground).
When reading out the memory cell, the voltage (Uver) at the output of the current mirror devices—as also becomes clear from the explanations above, and depending on the result of the above comparison between the read current (Icell) and the reference current (Iref)—might change e.g. from the value of the supply voltage (Usupply) to ground, e.g., 0V, or vice versa, i.e., from ground, to the value of the supply voltage (Usupply).
The state of the inverters e.g. might change when the voltage (Uver) at the output of the current mirror devices reaches 0.5*Usupply. Alternatively, for safety reasons; measures might be taken that ensure that the state of the inverters does not change before the voltage (Uver) at the output of the current mirror devices reaches 0.25*Usupply or 0.75*Usupply, respectively.
To charge the input of the inverters to 0.25*Usupply or 0.75*Usupply, respectively—due to respective parasitic capacitances—again takes a certain time t2 ("evaluation time").
Further, the above inverters lead to a respective additional delay τgate delay of the output signal ("gate delay time").
Hence, in total, the reading out of a memory cell might take a considerably long amount of time t1+t2+τgate delay.
For these or other reasons, there is a need for the present invention.

Memory device, method for operating a memory device, and apparatus for use with a memory device


An apparatus for bi-directionally mining a manganese nodule includes a traveling device to travel in a predetermined traveling direction, collecting devices installed at both ends of the traveling device, respectively, to collect the manganese nodule, and a control device to sense the traveling direction of the traveling device and to drive one of the collecting devices installed at both ends of the traveling device, which is placed in the sensed traveling direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for bi-directionally mining a manganese nodule, and more particularly, to an apparatus for bi-directionally mining a manganese nodule, capable of enhancing the collection efficiency of the manganese nodule by changing the operation of a collection device according to traveling directions
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a machine to mine a manganese nodule is placed on the bottom of a deep sea area in connection with a mother ship through a pipe riser to move while collecting the manganese nodule.
The mining machine includes a driving unit employing a caterpillar and a collecting unit installed in the driving unit to collect a manganese nodule existing on the seafloor.
The mining machine moves along the seafloor by the driving unit while forming predetermined ground pressure. In addition, the mining machine collects natural manganese nodules existing on the seafloor by the collecting unit.
There is a prior art registered with Korean Patent Registration No. 10-0795667. The prior art discloses a technology of increasing grounding pressure to more than a predetermined value when collecting nodules provided on a seafloor by a caterpillar vehicle divided into two tracks.
However, since the mining machine according to the prior art collects a manganese nodule by a collecting unit that is fixedly installed, the mining machine collects the manganese nodule by repeating forwarding-turning-forwarding operations. In particular, when the mining machine turns, the mining machine cannot collect the nodule. In addition, although the integrated system of a mother ship-pipe riser-mining machine must be accurately controlled, the accurate control of the integrated system may be rarely accomplished through existing technologies.

Apparatus for bi-directionally mining manganese nodule

Korea Instutite of Ocean Science & Technology


This invention relates to imidazopyridine derivatives with the general formula II: ##STR1## These compounds are useful as dual histamine (H.sub.1) and platelet activating factor (PAF) receptor antagonists.

Potent H.sub.1 receptor antagonists of various structural types are known, and are useful in treating the symptoms of inflammatory conditions such as allergic rhinitis, and allergic conditions of the skin, which are mediated at least in part by the release of histamine. However, in such conditions, in which histamine release plays a causative role, there may be other mechanisms at work which are not inhibited by treatment with an H.sub.1 receptor antagonist alone. For example PAF is released directly from cell membranes and mediates a range of potent and specific effects on target cells resulting in a wide variety of physiological responses, including hypotension, thrombocytopenia, bronchoconstriction, circulatory shock, increased vascular permeability (oedema/erythema), and accumulation of inflammatory cells in the lower airways.
There is therefore a need for agents which have dual H.sub.1 and PAF receptor antagonistic activity for the improved treatment of conditions mediated by histamine and PAF release. Such conditions include allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, asthma, dermatitis, psoriasis, urticaria, anaphylactic shock, conjunctivitis, pruritis, inflammatory bowel disease and colitis.
European patent specification EP-B-404797 (G. D. Searle) claims a series of PAF receptor antagonists of general formula (I) ##STR2## wherein Y, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are as defined in the publication itself.
International patent applications WO-A-92/03423 (British Biotechnology) and WO-A-9516687 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,724 (British Biotechnology) disclose series of compounds, incorporating a 2-methylimidazo4,5-c!pyridine group which are potent antagonists of the PAF receptor.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,712,020 (Burroughs Wellcome) and European patent applications EP-A-085959 and EP-A-133534 (Wellcome Foundation) disclose compounds which are potent H.sub.1 receptor antagonists.
International patent applications WO-A-92/14734 (Pfizer), WO-A-92/00293 (Schering), WO-A-89/10363 (Schering), WO-A-93/20080 (Schering), WO-93/20063 (Schering), WO-A-93/23400 (Schering), WO-A-93/02081 (Schering), WO-A-94/08581 (Toray), European patent applications EP-A-515158 (Schering), EP-A-463873 (Sankyo), EP-A-549364 (Sankyo), EP-A-577957 (Uriach) and Japanese patent application published under no 4-226993 (Yoshitomi) all disclose compounds which possess both histamine (H.sub.1) and PAF receptor antagonist activity.


The method of the production of a nanoparticle of the present invention includes a step of forming a nanoparticle of a group II–group VI compound semiconductor in the cavity part of a protein, in a solution containing the protein having a cavity part therein represented by apoferritin, the group II element ion represented by Cd and Zn, and the group VI element ion represented by S and Se. Preferably, the solution further includes an ammonium ion, and the supply of the group VI element ion (X2−) into the solution is conducted by adding H2NCXNH2 to the solution. According to the aforementioned method, semiconductor nanoparticles having a uniform particle size can be produced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of the production of a nanoparticle of a compound semiconductor, a nanoparticle produced by the method of the production, and a complex including a protein and the nanoparticle generated in the production step of the method of the production.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mainstream of the development of functional materials implemented so far involves exploration and synthesis of novel compounds which allow performing a desired function. However, in recent years, it has been desired to allow performing new functions which can not be achieved in a bulk state through producing nanoparticles obtained by fine division of a substance into a nanometer size. In particular, production of nanoparticles of semiconductors or inorganic materials including a metal compound as a center has been strongly desired.
Semiconductor nanoparticles get to a state in which energy levels separate with each other by quantization of the energy levels, and they come to be controlled as a function of the particle size of the nanoparticles. Thus, in semiconductor nanoparticles, position of the peak of an exciton absorption band which appears at a slightly lower energy than the absorption edge in a longer wavelength of basic absorption of the semiconductor crystal can be controlled by changing the particle size of the semiconductor nanoparticles leading to capabilities of absorption and generation of electromagnetic wave which is different from that for the bulk. Accordingly, they are expected for use as luminescent materials and memory materials.
For example, CdSe and ZnSe that are group II–group VI compound semiconductors are known to generate fluorescence, however, the fluorescent wavelength thereof differs depending on the size of the particle (particle size). For engineering utilization of quantum effects of such semiconductor nanoparticles, it is required that nanoparticles having a uniform particle size are produced.
Methods of producing nanoparticles which have been conventionally carried out include physical grinding methods, chemical synthesis methods and the like. For example, the physical grinding methods are widely used in order to obtain starting materials upon baking of ceramics. In addition, examples of the chemical synthesis method include methods in which gold nanoparticles are produced through reducing chloroauric acid among long chain organic compounds. The long chain organic compound herein inhibits the growing of a gold particle to an enormous size.
Further, there exist methods in which a complex between an organic compound and a nanoparticle is generated followed by a chemical reaction to result in uniform particles. As an application of this method, there also exists a method in which gold nanoparticles are obtained having a SAM membrane formed on their surfaces through fixing a gold atom on a material for forming a SAM membrane, and assembling the material such that the gold atom becomes the center. Moreover, a method is also executed in which a micelle including a material which forms a nanoparticle is produced, and nanoparticles are produced using a chemical reaction in the micelle.
However, in the conventional methods as described above, it is difficult to obtain nanoparticles having a uniform particle size. In the physical grinding method, for example, it is originally difficult to make the particle size smaller than the micron size, and even though the size could approximate the nanometer order, no mechanism is established to accomplish a constant particle size. Hence, the great spread of the particle size of thus resulting nanoparticles is inevitably caused. In addition, in the chemical synthesis method, the great spread of the particle size of the resulting nanoparticles is also caused inevitably because a chemical reaction is utilized therein. Further, it is also disadvantageous in respect of the required time period and cost.
On the other hand, in an attempt to apply biotechnology to other field, there exist investigations in which nanoparticles having uniform size in the order of nano are intended to be produced through rendering the incorporation of a metal or a metal compound into apoferritin that is a protein having a function to hold a metal compound. Investigations have been carried out to so that any of various kinds of metals or metal compounds are introduced into apoferritin in compliance with the use of the nanoparticle.
Apoferritin is a protein which is present widespread in animate nature, and plays a role to regulate the amount of iron which is an essential trace element in a living body. A complex of iron or an iron compound with apoferritin is referred to as ferritin. Since iron is deleterious to a living body when it is present in an excessive amount in the body, excess iron is stored in the body in the form of ferritin. Furthermore, ferritin returns to apoferritin through releasing an iron ion as needed.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating the structure of apoferritin. As shown in FIG. 1, apoferritin 1 is a spherical protein having the molecular weight of about 460,000 with 24 monomer subunits, which are formed from a single polypeptide chain, being assembled via noncovalent bonds, having the diameter of about 12 nm, and exhibits higher thermostability and pH stability in comparison with general proteins. There is a cavity-like holding part 4 having the diameter of about 6 nm in the center of apoferritin 1, and the outside and the holding part 4 are connected via a channel 3. For example, when a bivalent iron ion is incorporated into apoferritin 1, the iron ion enters from the channel 3, and reaches to the holding part 4 after being oxidized in a place which is present within a part of the subunits and is referred to as a ferrooxidase center (iron oxidation active center). The iron ion is thereafter concentrated in a negative charge region on the inner surface of the holding part 4. Then, the iron atoms assemble by 3000 to 4000, and held in the holding part 4 in the form of a ferrihalide (5Fe2O3.9H2O) crystal. Particle size of the nanoparticle, which was held in the holding part 4, comprising the metal atom is nearly equal to the diameter of the holding part 4, which is about 6 nm.
Using this apoferritin, nanoparticle-apoferritin complexes have been also generated in which a metal or a metal compound other than iron is permitted to be artificially held.
Introduction of a metal or a metal compound such as manganese (P. Mackle, 1993, J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 115, 8471–8472; F. C. Meldrum et al., 1995, J. Inorg. Biochem. 58, 59–68), uranium (J. F. Hainfeld, 1992, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89, 11064–11068), beryllium (D. J. Price, 1983, J. Biol. Chem. 258, 10873–10880), aluminum (J. Fleming, 1987, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 84, 7866–7870), zinc (D. Price and J. G. Joshi, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1982, 79, 3116–3119) or cobalt (T. Douglas and V. T. Stark, Inorg. Chem., 39, 2000, 1828–1830) into apoferritin has been reported so far. The particle size of the nanoparticles including these metals or metal compounds is also nearly equal to the diameter of the holding part 4 of apoferritin, which is about 6 nm.
In natural world, summary of the process in which nanoparticles including an iron atom are formed in apoferritin are as follows.
On the surface of the channel 3 which connects between the outside and inside of apoferritin 1 (see, FIG. 1) are exposed amino acids having a negative charge under a condition of pH of 7–8, thus Fe2+ ions having a positive charge are incorporated into the channel 3 by an electrostatic interaction.
On the inner surface of the holding part 4 of apoferritin 1 are exposed a lot of glutamic acid residues which are amino acid residues having a negative charge at pH 7–8, similarly to the inner surface of the channel 3, and the Fe2+ ions incorporated from the channel 3 are oxidized at the ferroxidase center, followed by introduction to the internal holding part 4. Then, the iron ions are concentrated by an electrostatic interaction, and the core formation of a ferrihalide (5Fe2O3.9H2O) crystal is caused.
Thereafter, a core is grown which includes iron oxide through adherence of the iron ions which are sequentially incorporated to the crystal core, and accordingly, a nanoparticle having the particle size of 6 nm is formed in the holding part 4. Summary of the formation of a nanoparticle including iron oxide as well as the incorporation of the iron ions is as set forth above.
Although a mechanism of the incorporation of iron ions into apoferritin and a method of the preparation of apoferritin including iron oxide therein were described hereinabove, it is believed that other metal ions which were reported hitherto as candidates for the introduction also involve an approximately similar mechanism to that for the iron ion.
However, those which can be incorporated in the cavity part by the method described above were limited to particular metals or metal compounds.

Method of production of a nanoparticle of a compound semiconductor in a cavity of protein

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A mandatory access control method for securing an operating system is presented. A first integrity subject reads a first object. The first integrity subject attempts to read a second object. It is determined that a conflict exists between the first and second objects. At least one security rule is applied to the conflict between the first and the second objects.

One of the most significant issues related to operating systems for a computer system involves security. Security systems are designed to protect the confidentiality, the integrity, and the availability of an operating system. One aspect of a security system involves reducing opportunities for malicious computer instructions (e.g. a virus, a Trojan horse etc.) to affect the operating system. Operating systems such as UNIX or operating systems derived from UNIX (e.g. LINUX) incorporate a security system that can be vulnerable to malicious computer instructions.
There are several types of mechanisms that are presently used to secure operating systems such as a discretionary access control (DAC) or a mandatory access control (MAC). The DAC is unable to completely secure these operating systems for a variety of reasons. For example, the DAC restricts access to objects based solely on the identity of a subject. This makes the operating system vulnerable to Trojan horses.
Other operating systems use a MAC. A Biba low watermark mandatory access control mechanism (LOMAC) protects the operating system by dividing processes into different security areas such as HIGH and LOW integrity data. HIGH integrity data relates to highly sensitive data whereas the LOW integrity data relates to low sensitive data.
The LOMAC security rules require that a write-up not occur between objects and subjects. To illustrate, a LOW integrity subject cannot write to a HIGH integrity object. Additionally, if a HIGH integrity subject attempts to read a LOW integrity object, the HIGH integrity subject is automatically demoted to the same level as the LOW integrity object that it attempted to read. Accordingly, in this instance, the HIGH integrity subject is demoted to a LOW integrity subject.
In order to practically implement the LOMAC, the LOMAC requires that exceptions to the security rules be granted in order to overcome an access control mechanism that is too coarse grained. For example, certain computer programs are granted a trusted status with special hard-coded privileges. Trusted status means that the operating system automatically recognizes computer instructions without checking for security issues. Syslogd in Linux exemplifies the trusted status that is granted to a Linux system logging utility by the LOMAC. Syslogd is implemented as a trusted process because syslogd needs to access user profiles and also write to the system LOG files. In addition to granting trusted status to computer programs, the LOMAC performs poorly with respect to confining computer programs to their least required privileges. It is therefore desirable to have a system or a method that overcomes the disadvantages associated with conventional security systems.