An outline forming method for a semiconductor device, including the steps of placing a film carrier on which a semiconductor chip is mounted in a molding die so as to enclose the semiconductor chip in a cavity defined in the molding die; clamping the film carrier with a clamp of the molding die; injecting a resin to be molded into the cavity; and shearing the film carrier by means of the clamp to separate the film carrier into a part present inside the cavity and a remaining part present outside the cavity. Also disclosed is a semiconductor manufacturing device comprising an upper die; a lower die adapted to be joined to the upper die through a film carrier on which an semiconductor chip is mounted; one of the upper die and the lower die being formed with a cavity recess; a clamp formed around the cavity recess by extending an inner wall of the cavity recess, for clamping a peripheral portion of the film carrier; the other of the upper die and the lower die being formed with a groove for receiving the clamp; and a cutting portion formed at a front end of the clamp for shearing the film carrier along an inner surface of the cavity recess. Accordingly, the sheared end surface of the film carrier is not projected from the outer surface of a molded resin.

1. (Field of the Invention)
The present invention relates to an outline forming method for a resin-sealed type semiconductor device using a film carrier and relates also to a semiconductor manufacturing device used in this method.
2. (Description of the Related Art)
Using a tapelike film carrier formed from an organic film is known as one of manufacturing methods for a semiconductor device. A relational manufacturing method for a resin-sealed type semiconductor device using such a film carrier will now be described with reference to FIGS. 9A to 12. The manufacturing method shown is of a BGA (Ball Grid Array) type. FIGS. 9A and 9B are a plan view and a sectional view, respectively, of a film carrier in the related art; FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a molding die in the related art; FIG. 11 is a sectional view of an outline forming die in the related art; and FIG. 12 is a side view showing the shape of a molded package of a semiconductor device manufactured by the related art method.
Referring to FIGS. 9A and 9B, reference numeral 1 generally denotes a film carrier including a tapelike film 2 formed from a polyimide film or a polyester film, a plurality of circuit patterns 3 formed from a copper foil, and an insulating film 5 for insulating a semiconductor chip mounting portion. The circuit patterns 3 are formed on the film 2, and the insulating film 5 is formed on the film 2 so as to cover the circuit patterns 3. The film 2 is formed with a plurality of through holes 7 arranged regularly and exposed to the lower surface of the film 2, so as to take the circuit patterns 3 formed on the upper surface of the film 2 from the lower surface of the film 2 as electrodes.
As shown in FIG. 10, a semiconductor chip 9 is bonded to the semiconductor chip mounting portion of the film carrier 1 by means of a die bonding material (not shown). A plurality of electrode pads formed on the upper surface of the semiconductor chip 9 and a plurality of bonding portions on the circuit patterns 3 are connected through gold wires 11 on a hot heat column (not shown).
In a resin molding step, the film carrier 1 on which the semiconductor chip 9 is mounted is set in a molding die 13 as shown in FIG. 10, and a melted resin 15 to be molded is injected from a gate of the molding die 13 to seal the semiconductor chip 9, the gold wires 11, and the circuit patterns 3 with the resin 15.
The molding die 13 is composed of an upper die 13a and a lower die 13b. The upper die 13a is recessed by electrical discharge machining of a steel material in general to form a cavity 17. A pressure rib (clamp) 19 is formed around the cavity 17 by grinding, so as to prevent leakage of the melted resin 15 from the cavity 17 in injecting the resin 15 into the cavity 17 with the film carrier 1 sandwiched between the upper and lower dies 13a and 13b. To this end, when the film carrier 1 is sandwiched between the upper and lower dies 13a and 13b, the lower end surface of the clamp 19 is set lower in level than the upper surface of the film carrier 1 around the clamp 19 by several micrometers. That is, the film carrier 1 is depressed to be slightly recessed by the clamp 19, thereby preventing leakage of the melted resin 15 from the cavity 17.
After sealing the semiconductor chip 9, the gold wires 11, and the circuit patterns 3 with the resin 15, a plurality of solder ball electrodes 21 are formed at external electrode portions on the back surface of the film carrier 1. Thereafter, the molded package with the film carrier 1 is set in a dedicated outline forming die 23 as shown in FIG. 11 to carry out an outline forming step. The outline forming die 23 is composed of a stripper 25, a die 27, and a cutting punch 29. The film carrier 1 is held by the stripper 25 and the die 27, and a peripheral portion of the film carrier 1 projecting from the outer circumference of the molded package is cut off at a given position by the cutting punch 29, thereby forming the outline of a resin-sealed semiconductor device 31.
In the relational manufacturing method mentioned above, however, it is necessary to ensure a margin for absorbing a dimensional error of the molded part or variations in setting position or ensure a film pressure area 33 (see FIG. 11) in the outline forming step. As a result, the size of the film carrier 1 after cut becomes larger than the size of the molded package by about 0.3 to 0.5 mm as shown in FIG. 12. Thus, the film carrier 1 after cut projects from the outer circumference of the molded package.
Accordingly, when a force F is applied to a projected portion la of the film carrier 1 in a measurement or inspection step or during transportation, the film carrier 1 may be separated from the molded package to cause a deterioration in air tightness (especially, moisture resistance) of the package.
Further, in the case that the package is deformed by the application of the force F to the projected portion 1a, the size and shape of the package are changed to cause a difficulty of recognition of the outline of the package at a mounting machine.

Outline forming method for semiconductor device and semiconductor manufacturing device used in this method


A force control strut including a housing having first and second ends and an internal chamber, a rod member having an inner end reciprocally movable inside the housing and along the internal chamber, a guide member forming a bushing allowing reciprocation of the rod member in the housing, a bottom plug fixed in the internal chamber, a guide piston secured to an inner end of the rod and slidable along an inner surface of the internal chamber, a first coil spring positioned between the guide piston and one end of the housing to bias the rod member in a given direction in the housing, a first external connector fixed to the rod member, a second connector fixed to the bottom plug, and a damper that includes a plunger reciprocally mounted in a force controlling passageway inside the rod member and movable in a passageway of the rod member.

Coil spring elongated struts incorporated by reference herein utilize compression springs; however, these struts are not effective in controlling and selectively dampening the motion of the member to which they are attached. The prior art method for controlling the motion of an extendable strut is to match the compression spring rod loads to the application load, such as the weight of an automobile hood or trunk. Due to design limitation it is not always practical to exactly match or offset the load of the movable strut as it swings through its arc of movement. Consequently, closing speed of the hood or trunk lid varies throughout the movement stroke of these devices. There is a need to control motion of movement at a desired rate in various positions of the total travel.


A semiconductor comprising an n-type semiconductor layer 1 with donor impurities added thereto, a semiconductor layer 2 having the value of energy from vacuum level to Fermi level larger than the value of energy from vacuum level to the lower end of the conduction band of the n-type semiconductor 1 and a junction connected to said semiconductor layer 2, characterized in that the donor impurities concentration (N.sub.d) in the range of thickness of the depletion layer generated in said n-type semiconductor layer 1 in contact with the junction boundary is at least EQU 2.7.times.10.sup.3 exp{-5.5(E.sub.C -E.sub.FS)}.times.N.sub.C. (where E.sub.C is the energy value in eV from the upper end of the valence band to the lower end of the conduction band of the n-type semiconductor 1, E.sub.FS is the energy value in eV from the upper end of the valence band to the charge neutrality level of the n-type semiconductor 1, and N.sub.C is the effective density of states in cm.sup.-3 of the conduction band of the n-type semiconductor 1).. The present invention provides a semiconductor doped with a doping concentration higher than that has been considered as the basic limit of doping concentration in semiconductors and a method of fabricating such a semiconductor, thereby making it possible to enhance the semiconductor design freedom and widen the range of semiconductor applications.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor doped with impurities, and in particular to a semiconductor doped with impurities with high concentration and a method for fabricating such a semiconductor.
2. Description of the Related Art
The high-concentration doping of impurities is an important technique for semiconductor devices. Compounds such as GaAs and AlGaAs used for fabricating high-speed devices, for example, are doped to the extent of 3 to 5.times.10.sup.18 /cm.sup.3 using Si as n-type impurities with a low diffusion coefficient and high in thermal stability. Such a high-concentration doped layer is used as an electrode lead-out layer (GaAs) for the field effect transistor or the bipolar transistor and also as an electron donor layer (AlGaAs) for the hetero-junction field effect transistor utilizing the modulation doped structure, and thus has contributed to an improved device performance.
With the recent trend to an ever-smaller size and an ever-higher performance of the devices, however, a reduced element resistance is assuming an increasing importance. Under the circumstances, there is a growing demand for reduction in the channel resistance of the hetero-junction field effect transistor and in the electrode contact resistance of various transistors. Thus, an even higher-concentration doping is sought after.
The impurities doping has a metallurgical solution limit. In the case where the solution limit of impurities is exceeded in a semiconductor material providing a base, the impurity induced phase separation or extreme deterioration of crystallinity is caused. The solution limit of various impurities has been examined with comparative frequency for representative semiconductors.
With an impurities concentration far lower than the metallurgical solution limit, on the other hand, it is actually known that the saturation of electron concentration occurs.
Although the Si impurities are dissolved in GaAs to the extent of 5.times.10.sup.19 /cm.sup.3 or more, for example, it is generally known that about 5.times.10.sup.18 /cm.sup.3 is an actual limit as an active donor. The Si concentration coincides with the electron density for lessthantheactual limit value. Fortheactual limit or more, however, the electron concentration is known to saturate or assume a lower value in spite of an increased Si concentration.
This concentration saturation has been studied for various semiconductors. Tokumitsu, et al. have studied the maximum electron concentration for the various semiconductors reported in the past and have discovered that the value of the maximum electron concentration is closely related to the charge neutrality level, which is referred to as the "Fermi level stabilization energy" in the Tokumitsu, et al. papers, and the energy position of the conduction band or the valence band in each semiconductor. (Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, Vol.29, No.5, L698-L701, 1990)
From the result of the above-mentioned study, it has been found that the saturation of the electron (hole) concentration in a semiconductor has a close relation with the Fermi level of the particular semiconductor system. Specifically, although the Fermi level of an n-type semiconductor increases due to the doping, actually there exists an upper limit of the Fermi level, beyond which any effort of doping results in the compensation effect due to the generation of an inherent defect and the electron concentration is saturated virtually at a fixed value.
This model explains clearly the well-known fact that the saturation concentration of a semiconductor having a large forbidden gap is small and that the compensation phenomenon due to an inherent defect (self-compensation effect) is liable to occur. In fact, experiments have also confirmed that high-concentration Ga vacancy or related defects (acceptors) are generated with the increase in the doping concentration of GaAs or AlGaAs.
Also, even in the case where Si is added to GaAs at the saturation concentration or more, for example, the vacancy or related defects are not generated and Si enters the donor site by adding acceptors and thus reducing the Fermi level at the same time. This substantiates the importance of the Fermi level for activation of Si as a donor.
The empirical formulae reported by Tokumitsu, et al. are described below.
In the case of n-type semiconductor: EQU n/N.sub.C =2.7.times.10.sup.3 exp(-5.5(E.sub.C -E.sub.FS)) (1)
In the case of p-type semiconductor: EQU p/N.sub.V =4.0.times.10.sup.3 exp(-6.1(E.sub.FS -E.sub.V)) (2)
where n is the effective donor concentration (in cm.sup.-3), p is the acceptor concentration (in cm.sup.-3), N.sub.c is the effective density of states of the conduction band (in cm.sup.-3), Nv is the effective density of states of the valence band (in cm.sup.-3), E.sub.C is the energy value (in eV) from the upper end of the valence band to the lower end of the conduction band, and E.sub.FS is the energy value (in eV) from the upper end of the valence band to the charge neutrality level.
Also, E.sub.V indicates the energy value at the upper end of the valence band. Since this energy value is used as a reference, it is given as E.sub.V =0 (eV). The value of E.sub.FS -E.sub.V is given from Table 1 (p.2756) described in Physical Review Letters Vol.56, No.25, p.2775-2758 (1996), by J. Tersoff.
The value of E.sub.FS is known to be 0.5 eV for GaAs and 1.05 eV for AlAs, for example.
For other substances not described in the above-mentioned reference, the hybridized orbital energy value (.sub..epsilon. h-.sub..epsilon. V) in Table 1 (p.1070) described in Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B4(4), p.1068-1073 (1986), by W. A. Harrison and J. Tersoff, can be used as the value of E.sub.FS -E.sub.V.
With regard to the mixed crystal semiconductors, on the other hand, the value of E.sub.FS can be calculated using Vegard's Rule from the values of semiconductors of various configurations and the composition ratio thereof.
The empirical formulae (1) and (2) described in the above-mentioned references have so far been widely considered to provide a basic concentration limit for well-known semiconductors.
In order to realize a still higher-concentration doping, on the other hand, several attempts have been made. Taking into consideration the fact that the self-compensation in GaAs triggers the generation of Ga vacancy, for example, the Si doping to the extent of 2.times.10.sup.19 /cm.sup.3 has been realized by low-temperature crystal growth without giving the activation energy required for generation of Ga vacancy. A high-concentration doping is realized also by planar doping different from normal doping. (Review "Semiconductor Science and Technology, 9", p.1749-1762 (1994), by R. C. Newman)
It has been shown, on the other hand, that the impurities are readily diffused by heat treatment in these high-concentration doped crystals and their qualities are affected. In all of the above-mentioned methods, the semiconductor is fabricated under a highly non-equilibrium condition, and therefore the semiconductor is not thermally stable. Thus there has been a demand for a thermally stable semiconductor doped with a concentration higher than the conventional limit.
In the case of GaAs or AlGaAs, for example, a high-concentration doped semiconductor that can be fabricated preferably at not lower than 550.degree. C., or more preferably, at not lower than 600.degree. C. and a method of fabrication thereof have been sought after.


A system consisting of a plurality of terminals connected through communication is sometimes used to acquire information input from the terminals to a host terminal and edit/arrange the information in the host terminal when information is exchanged by inputting handwritten characters from the terminals. In this case, the host terminal must recognize the handwritten characters and thereafter process the characters to arrange the handwritten character information. Each terminal can perform character recognition by a unique character recognizing method. The terminals also individually prepare dictionaries for recognition. The host terminal returns the acquired handwritten character information to the terminals and causes the terminals to perform character recognition. Alternatively, the host terminal concentratively manages the character recognizing methods and dictionaries of all the terminals and performs character recognition.

The present invention relates to an information equipment having a handwritten character recognition function as an input means and, more particularly, to a character recognizing apparatus connected to a line such as a network and capable of exchanging handwritten characters, and a method of controlling the same.
Recently, pen computers have received a great deal of attention through its market, however they are not in full flourish yet. As a reason for this, the handwritten character recognition rate is not so high in practice as that described in specifications. This is because an individual has a specific peculiarity in his/her handwriting, resulting in different features of characters, or one does not have enough time to carefully write characters in some cases, resulting in scrawl. Therefore, in addition to development of an algorithm for handwritten character recognition, a method of individually customizing a recognition dictionary has been developed to reflect the personality of an individual. Various methods by registration, study, and the like can be considered as customizing methods. In any case, a personal recognition dictionary is prepared in addition to a basic recognition dictionary.
FIG. 13 is a view showing the configuration of conventional character input software. Processing associated with character input is incorporated in the system as a front-end processor (FEP) 100 for integrally processing characters regardless of keyboard input or handwriting, which can be commonly used for all applications. An input unit 101 receives input information. An edit unit 102 performs "copy", "move", "delete", "insert", and the like. After a character input from a keyboard or a handwritten KANA (Japanese syllabary) character is recognized as a character, a KANA-KANJI conversion unit 103 converts the character into a KANJI (chinese character) character. A recognition unit 104 converts handwritten input information into character code information. The recognition unit 104 is constituted by a recognition engine 105, a basic dictionary 106, a registration application 107 for individually customizing recognition, and a personal dictionary 108 prepared by the registration application 107. An OS 109 is constituted by basic software such as "Windows" or "UNIX" and performs part of communication control in addition to file or memory management. An application 110 uses the above functions.
A pen computer is used for outdoor data acquisition or sales because of portability as one of its features. For this reason, data communication between an office and a visiting destination increases its importance to make a communication function essential.
In addition, along with a progress in network, information exchange by a video conference, an electronic mail, telewriting, groupware, and the like is flourishing. A computer having a pen input function, including a pen computer, has been used as a terminal for information exchange. In application software called online KJ editor, an idea obtained from one's thought is input from a computer terminal. A host terminal can observe all ideas written at the terminals and perform editing such as rearrangement or arrangement. Since handwritten character information cannot be subjected to secondary processing, character recognition must be performed to arrange the pieces of transferred handwritten character information. When the elements of a change in input coordinates with time are sent, the handwritten character data transferred through the network can be recognized by a computer having an online handwritten character recognition function.
However, handwritten characters has features largely depending on peculiarities in handwriting, as described above. For this reason, with only a basic dictionary, a satisfactory character recognition result cannot be obtained.
Furthermore, the personal dictionary is prepared depending on the recognition algorithm. However, character recognition software applications at the terminals are often of different types or versions, so the data cannot be easily exchanged.

Character recognizing apparatus and method of controlling the same


The technology provides embodiments for displaying virtual data as printed content by a see-through, near-eye, mixed reality display device system. One or more literary content items registered to a reading object in a field of view of the display device system are displayed with print layout characteristics. Print layout characteristics from a publisher of each literary content item are selected if available. The reading object has a type like a magazine, book, journal or newspaper and may be a real object or a virtual object displayed by the display device system. The reading object type of the virtual object is based on a reading object type associated with a literary content item to be displayed. Virtual augmentation data registered to a literary content item is displayed responsive to detecting user physical action in image data. An example of a physical action is a page flipping gesture.

Static printed material may be thought of as a form of read only memory which requires no power and stores its data in a form visible to the human eye. Vellum texts over a thousand years old survive to this day. The physical nature of the printed material allows a user to physically sift through its data for "something of interest," for example, by flipping through its pages and looking at photos or catchy titles in a magazine. Of course, physical books, periodicals and paper have their disadvantages too due to the permanent setting of information on their pages.

Displaying virtual data as printed content


An assembly for feeding and milking animals. The assembly is provided with a feeding system comprising a movable feed platform and a drive unit for driving the feed platform, a number of feeding places being provided on the feed platform. The assembly is further provided with a milking system for, in particular automatically, milking animals on the feed platform, which milking system comprises a number of sets of teat cups. The feed platform is at least for the greater part free from separating elements between the feeding places, i.e. the feed platform is at least for the greater part free from separating elements for confining animals.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to an assembly for feeding and milking animals and more particularly to such assemblies in which the animals are provided with a moveable feed platform. The invention further relates to such moveable feed platforms and also to methods of milking animals using such platforms.
2. Description of the Related Art
Assemblies for feeding and milking are known of the type provided with a feeding system comprising a movable feed platform having a number of feeding places and a drive unit for driving the feed platform. A milking system comprising a number of sets of teat cups may also be provided for milking e.g. automatically, animals on the feed platform.
An assembly is known from international patent application WO 02/19807 and the article "Rund und ohne Futtertisch", DLZ Agrarmagazin, of March 2002, pages 120 and 121. Herein a standard feed platforms is described, provided with individual milking stalls, each milking stall comprising the associated teat cups and its own feed trough. The access to and the exit from the feed platform is controlled by means of a number of controlled gates. When the animals are to be milked, automatic driving devices are used to drive the cows towards the feed platform. During milking the rotational speed of the feed platform is adjusted in such a way that an animal will spend approximately 10 to 15 minutes on the feed platform (i.e. one rotation of the platform will take 10 to 15 minutes). When there is no need for milking, the assembly may be used as a feed platform. In this case the automatic driving devices are not used, but the controlled gates are. Moreover, the rotational speed of the platform is adjusted in such a way that one rotation will take approximately 30 minutes. Although such assemblies may be expected to provide an enhanced efficiency when milking large herds, these known assemblies have a number of drawbacks limiting their efficiency. It has been found that the use of automatic driving devices leads to unrest with some of the dairy animals, and these animals may then be inclined to consider the feed platform as unpleasant. This unrest will not only result in a reduced milk yield with some animals, but these animals will also be inclined not to go to the feed platform voluntarily. Consequently, when there is no need for milking, and the platform is used as a feed platform, these animals will walk more slowly to the platform or even block the gates. This may lead to further unrest and to insufficient feed consumption, which is undesirable, of course.
A further drawback of such known assemblies is that the dairy animals are not able to go voluntarily to the platform to be milked. It has been found with automatic milking robots that are freely accessible to dairy animals that a voluntary walk to the milking machine for being milked can improve the milk production and the animal health.
Other assemblies are known from US-A1-2002/0033138, U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,058, U.S. Pat. No. 3,103,912 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,358,000. These assemblies have been shown to exhibit various drawbacks. In particular, when boarding a movable feeding platform, one animal may board the platform more slowly than another animal, which may lead to delay. Furthermore, considerable problems arise when an animal refuses to board or to debark from a platform. A further disadvantage of earlier assemblies is that a dairy animal finds it unpleasant to be milked in a closed area, such as the stalls provided on the platform which limit the freedom of movement of a dairy animal to a high extent.
Another assembly is known from FR-A-2,649,858 which disposes sets of teat cups separately from the platform. The housing system as used in FR-A-2,649,858 is not explicitly described, but since the animals have to enter the circular platform from within the platform it is most likely that the animals have to be led from the outside of the platform towards the inside. In addition the assembly known from FR-A-2,649,858 also suffers from the disadvantage that a dairy animal is to be milked in a closed area, such as the stalls provided on the platform disclosed therein which limit the freedom of movement of a dairy animal to a high extent. Each stall is closed by two gates, so that this also restricts the free movement of animals since an animal has to board the platform at a specific position.
On the basis of the known feeding and milking devices, it has been found that dairy animals find it unpleasant to be milked in a closed area, in particular a closed area that limits the freedom of movement of the dairy animal to a high extent. Furthermore, dairy animals appear to experience walking to and boarding a platform as well as the mechanical way of milking as unpleasant, which may adversely affect the milk production and sometimes even the milk quality. In order to optimize the economical use of known feed platforms, the rotation of the feed platform was selected in such a way that the time a dairy animal spent on the platform during milking would amount to approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Therefore, in order to keep the rotational speed to some extent within the values admissible for dairy animals, the feed platform had to have a reduced size. In order to optimize the use of a feed platform, each milking stall was provided with the associated teat cups and further milking means. In the above-described known assemblies, the feed platform is always provided with separating elements forming a stall which can only be occupied by one animal. Such a stall was considered necessary, because it should be possible also to milk an animal in the stall. Confinement was in the past used to ensures that an animal would assume a reasonably defined position facilitating the connection of teat cups. An animal does not always experience such a confinement as pleasant, which may adversely affect the feed consumption and the milk yield. Moreover, such stalls hinder the animal boarding the platform from having the possibility of choosing only on the platform the feeding place where it wishes to eat. Free access of an animal to a feed trough on the feed platform is thus impeded.

Assembly for and a method of feeding and milking animals, and a feed platform suitable for use in such an assembly


A lighting assembly (10) is adjustable between flood and spot lighting conditions for selectively illuminating an interior passenger compartment in a motor vehicle. The assembly (10) includes a housing (16) which clamps to a supporting member, such as a headliner (12), via a sleeve (18) interacting with a rotary cam lock (22). An LED light source (26) is orbitally supported within the housing (16) for projecting light in a directionally adjustable manner. A lens (50) is disposed in the light path (28) and is moveable between an extended spot position for task lighting and a retracted flood position for general illumination within the interior compartment. A switch (74) is responsive to movement of the lens (50) into its spot position for automatically energizing the LED (30). The switch (74) opens, thus de-energizing the LED (30) when the lens (50) is returned to its flood condition. A lighting control circuit (78, 78′) is responsive to an override signal, such as from a door switch (80, 80′), for independently activating the light source (26) when the lens (50) is in its flood position. The light source (26) is supported for orbital movement within the housing (16) by a gimbal mechanism which includes an inner gimbal (38) carried in a cross (40). Pintals (42, 44) establish intersecting perpendicular axis (A,B) to accomplish the orbital movement. A latch mechanism (64) cooperates with leaf springs (62) by controlling movement of the lens (50) between its flood and spot conditions by a repeated push impulse applied by the finger of an operator. The switch (74) is incorporated into the leaf springs (62).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to lighting assemblies for illuminating the interior passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, and more specifically toward a lighting assembly which is adjustable between flood and spot lighting conditions and also directionally adjustable.
2. Related Art
Lighting assemblies are well known for use in motor vehicle interior cabins, trunks, engine compartments, and other environments where light is needed. Such lighting assemblies provide direct lighting, indirect lighting, and backlighting, among other applications, and have become smaller, more efficient, more durable and longer lasting. Typically, indirect, or general illumination lighting is accomplished by dome lamp assemblies or other lighting device which disperses light over a large area. This is in contrast to direct or task lighting applications, such as map or reading lights, where light from the light source is focused in a relatively narrow area.
Typically, the flood and spot lighting features are accomplished by separate lighting assemblies dedicated to each function. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,502,969 to Logel et al. discloses a multi-function lighting assembly in which separate lighting devices are required to accomplish the flood and spot lighting functions. Although Logel uses a unitary structure to accomplish all of these functions, the overall assembly is nevertheless large, cumbersome and expensive to manufacture.
Variable focus lighting assemblies have been proposed with limited functionality. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,434 to Suman et al. discloses an incandescent bulb with a reflector that can be repositioned to focus and unfocus the light path. The Suman et al. light assembly is deficient however, in that the light beam pattern is directionally adjustable only when in the spot lighting condition; it is immobile in the flood lighting condition. Furthermore, multiple user inputs are required to turn the light assembly on and off, and to refocus the light beam pattern. These multiple inputs can present an inconvenience, as well as a distraction to the driver.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved lighting assembly which is adjustable between flood and spot lighting conditions and which is easier to operate, less distracting for a driver, and fully directionally adjustable in both flood and spot lighting conditions.

Lamp assembly having variable focus and directionality


A coil component may include: a magnetic body; and first and eighth external electrodes formed on one surface of the magnetic body, second and third external electrodes and sixth and seventh external electrodes that are formed on two surfaces adjacent to the one surface of the magnetic body, respectively, and fourth and fifth external electrodes formed on the other surface opposing the one surface of the magnetic body. The magnetic body includes upper and lower substrates and first to fourth coil parts disposed between the upper and lower substrates and enclosed by an insulation film, the first to fourth coil parts having coupled coils wound in parallel on the same plane, respectively, so that magnetic fluxes in the coupled coils are formed in directions opposite to each other, the coupled coils being composed of first to eighth coils.

The present disclosure relates to a coil component and a board having the same, and more particularly, to a coil component in which magnetic fluxes may be negatively coupled to each other and the same coupling coefficient may be implemented, and a board having the same.
A data transmitting and receiving function of electronic products such as digital television sets (TV), smart phones, notebook computers, or the like, in a high frequency band has been widely used. In the future, these information technology (IT) electronic products are also expected to be frequently provided with multi-functionality and complex characteristics not only when used alone, but also when connected to another device via a universal serial bus (USB) or another communications port.
However, in order to rapidly transmit and receive data as described above, data are transmitted and received through many internal signal lines by changing a frequency band from a frequency band of MHz according to related art to a high frequency band of GHz.
At the time of transmitting and receiving signals in a high frequency band of GHz between a main device and a peripheral device in order to transmit and receive a large amount of data, there may be a problem in smoothly processing data due to delay of the signal and other interference. Particularly, in the case of digital TV, when communications signal lines, video signal lines, audio signal lines, and so on, are connected using various port-to-port methods, problems such as internal signal line delay and transmission and reception distortion may further frequently occur.
In order to solve these problems, electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding components are arranged in the vicinity of connection regions between IT devices and peripheral devices.
As an existing EMI shielding component, a power inductor has been mainly used.
In accordance with the recent trend toward slimness, miniaturization, complex structures and multi-function of electronic products, EMI shielding components corresponding to this trend have been in demand.
Therefore, array-type power inductor products have been produced. However, in this case, there may be a ripple noise problem due to differences in magnetic fluxes and coupling coefficients between coils, such that electronic component efficiency may be decreased.

Coil component and board having the same


An apparatus for thermo-transformation of wood planks comprises a chamber delimited by upright perforated walls, a top wall and end walls and having a closable entry for receiving wood planks into the chamber. A shell surrounds the chamber and is spaced therefrom to define a first vertical plenum with the first perforated wall, a second vertical plenum with the second perforated wall, and a horizontal plenum with the top wall. A ventilation system is in fluid communication with the plenums to produce a flow of heated air in the plenums. Vanes are actuatable to close/open access to the vertical plenums, to allow heated air into at least one of the vertical plenums, through the chamber via the perforated walls, and out from at least the other of the vertical plenums, to return to the ventilation system. A method for the thermo-transformation of wood is also provided.

The process of wood torrefaction or thermo-transformation removes a major portion of the internal moisture of wood, rendering the torrefied wood resistant to bio-degradation, insect damage, and rotting. Torrefied wood will not shrink, swell or warp with changing weather and moisture conditions. Accordingly, torrefied wood is a durable material and is hence well suited for outdoor applications, among numerous possible uses.
Moreover, as no chemicals are used in the torrefaction of wood, the wood keeps a natural appearance. In torrefying wood, the wood is subjected to high temperatures in an oven. However, one of the issues is the non-uniform coloring of the wood due to the torrefying process. Because of some variations in conditions in the torrefying oven, some planks may come out with different colors than other planks. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a thermo-transformation apparatus, system and/or method that perform generally uniform torrefying conditions.

Apparatus and method for thermo-transformation of wood


A process for preparing a transalkylation catalyst, the catalyst itself, and a transalkylation process for using the catalyst are herein disclosed. The catalyst comprises rhenium metal on a solid-acid support such as mordenite, which has been treated with a sulfur-based agent. Such treatment reduces the amount of methane produced by metal hydrogenolysis in a transalkylation process wherein heavy aromatics like A9+ are reacted with toluene to produce xylenes. Reduced methane production relative to total light ends gas production results in lower hydrogen consumption and lower reactor exotherms.

Xylene isomers, para-xylene, meta-xylene and ortho-xylene, are important intermediates which find wide and varied application in chemical syntheses. Para-xylene upon oxidation yields terephthalic acid, which is used in the manufacture of synthetic textile fibers and resins. Meta-xylene is used in the manufacture of plasticizers, azo dyes, wood preservers, etc. Ortho-xylene is feedstock for phthalic anhydride production.
Xylene isomers from catalytic reforming or other sources generally do not match demand proportions as chemical intermediates, and further comprise ethylbenzene, which is difficult to separate or to convert. Para-xylene in particular is a major chemical intermediate with rapidly growing demand, but amounts to only 20 to 25% of a typical C8 aromatics stream. Among the aromatic hydrocarbons, the overall importance of the xylenes rivals that of benzene as a feedstock for industrial chemicals. Neither the xylenes nor benzene are produced from petroleum by the reforming of naphtha in sufficient volume to meet demand, and conversion of other hydrocarbons is necessary to increase the yield of xylenes and benzene. Often toluene (C7) is dealkylated to produce benzene (C6) or selectively disproportionated to yield benzene and C8 aromatics from which the individual xylene isomers are recovered.
A current objective of many aromatics complexes is to increase the yield of xylenes and to de-emphasize benzene production. Demand is growing faster for xylene derivatives than for benzene derivatives. Refinery modifications are being effected to reduce the benzene content of gasoline in industrialized countries, which will increase the supply of benzene available to meet demand. A higher yield of xylenes at the expense of benzene thus is a favorable objective, and processes to transalkylate C9 and heavier aromatics with benzene and toluene have been commercialized to obtain high xylene yields.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,104 discloses a process for modifying ZSM-5 type zeolite catalysts with sulfur-based treating agents in order to enhance para-selective catalyst properties based upon the molecular sieve.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,666 discloses a transalkylation process over mordenite and suggests modifying the mordenite by steam deactivation or incorporating a metal modifier into the catalyst.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,763,720 discloses a transalkylation process for conversion of C9+ into mixed xylenes and C10+ aromatics over a catalyst containing zeolites illustrated in a list including amorphous silica-alumina, MCM-22, ZSM-12, and zeolite beta, where the catalyst further contains a Group VIII metal such as platinum. Treatment to reduce aromatics loss by ring hydrogenation over such a catalyst includes sulfur exposure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,060,417 discloses a transalkylation process using a catalyst based on mordenite with a particular zeolitic particle diameter and having a feed stream limited to a specific amount of ethyl containing heavy aromatics. Said catalyst contains nickel or rhenium metal.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,486,372 discloses a transalkylation process using a catalyst based on dealuminated mordenite with a high silica to alumina ratio that also contains at least one metal component.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,613,709 discloses a catalyst for transalkylation comprising zeolite structure type NES and metals such as rhenium, indium, or tin. The use of sulfur is disclosed, but Example 4 shows a sulfurization step (called sulphurization) that is only performed on a catalyst C2 containing nickel, which is described as 'not in Accordance with the Invention'. Also, nothing is disclosed about the effect of sulfur on methane yield.
Many types of supports and elements have been disclosed for use as catalysts in processes to transalkylate various types of aromatics into xylenes, but the problem presented by high methane production associated with rhenium containing catalysts appears to have gone as yet unrecognized in the art. Applicants have found a solution with specific sulfur treatment of rhenium supported on solid-acid catalysts that increases yield of xylenes and decreases yield of undesired methane, which is associated with high metal hydrogenolysis activity. Avoidance of high metal hydrogenolysis activity becomes especially important under conditions of low total hydrogen partial pressure.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Catalyst treatment useful for aromatics conversion process


An RPC conversion processing system (10) that performs relaying between a first application (70) and second application (80) of different protocols. The RPC conversion processing system includes a first interface provider (20) connected to the first application and configured to provide a first interface for the first application, an RPC conversion relay function section (40), and a second interface provider (30) connected to the second application and configured to provide a second interface for the second application. The first interface provider receives a request for processing an RPC from the first application. The RPC conversion relay function section converts the RPC into an RPC of the second application and outputs the RPC of the second application to the second interface provider, thereby relaying an RPC between the first application and the second application.

In recent years, IoT, which connects various sensors, devices, and the like to a network and utilizes data, has attracted attention. In the IoT, data is collected from various sensors, devices, and the like; therefore, the IoT requires an interface (hereinafter referred to as an "I/F") for enabling a common data processing system to process data generated by various sensors, devices, and the like.
Furthermore, data collected from these sensors, devices, and the like are used in many applications, but preparation of an individual I/F for each application is costly; therefore, an application I/F for enabling a common data processing system to provide data for various applications is required.
Moreover, as a utilization example of IoT, the way of controlling a device based on the result of data processing in an application is conceivable, which also requires control of a device from an application.

RPC conversion processing system and RPC conversion method

NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION


A method for processing papers of value in which different groups of papers of value are processed one after the other, such that for each group of papers of value an accounting unit is opened, an identification is inputted or read for each accounting unit and the identification is associated with an accounting unit, for the purpose of opening the accounting unit, only when a prior accounting unit is closed, and a check is made of whether an input for the groups of papers of value is empty.

A. Field
The present invention relates to a method for processing sheet material, in particular papers of value such as bank notes, checks, etc., by which different groups of sheet material are processed one after the other.
B. Related Art
In known methods for processing papers of value (hereinafter "sheet material", bank note processing machines are used for processing different groups of such sheet material one after the other. The different groups of sheet material are constituted by different groups of bank notes, which in turn correspond to different deposits or deliveries, as result for example in the accounting for different customers of a bank. The different groups of bank notes can also come from a single customer of the bank, for example a department store. The different groups of bank notes are then for example the daily receipts of different cash registers. During processing, the bank notes are normally checked for authenticity, the value of the bank notes is determined, each group of bank notes constituting an accounting unit for which the total value of the bank notes is determined. The individual bank notes are furthermore sorted and stacked, the criterion used being for example the value of the bank notes. For processing the groups of bank notes or accounting units, two methods have become known.
In the first known method, an operator opens for each group of bank notes an accounting unit to which the particular group of bank notes is assigned during processing with the bank note processing machine. Then the bank notes are inserted by the operator into the bank note processing machine and processing is effected. Bank notes that could not be correctly recognized during processing, for example because they were recognized as forgeries or suspected forgeries or because a disturbance occurred during processing in the bank note processing machine, are stacked in a special output unit. These bank notes must be reprocessed, either by another processing operation in the bank note processing machine or by the operator. Then the accounting unit is closed by the operator and the processing of a further accounting unit can be effected, as described above.
It has turned out to be a disadvantage of the known method that the operator must perform a plurality of operating steps on the bank note processing machine for each of the accounting units. He must make many inputs by means of an input unit, for example a keyboard. This results altogether in a high time requirement for accounting for the different groups of bank notes. Moreover, there is high proneness to error in operating the bank note processing machine since the given operating steps must be precisely adhered to and the monotonous, constantly repeating sequence of operating steps for processing each accounting unit leads to lack of concentration and symptoms of fatigue in the operator.
In the second known method, the different groups of bank notes are subdivided by separation cards before processing with the bank note processing machine. Each separation card is assigned an accounting unit in the bank note processing machine by the operator. Then a stack consisting of a plurality of groups of bank notes separated by separation cards is processed automatically and continuously by the processing machine. Processing of bank notes is effected analogously as described above for the first method. Additionally, the bank note processing machine heeds the separation cards during processing. On the one hand, the bank note processing machine recognizes the end or beginning of an accounting unit. On the other hand, the operator's assignment of separation cards to certain accounting units permits the machine to credit the accounting unit with the data determined for the associated group of bank notes.
The second known method has advantages over the first known method with respect to the time required for accounting for the different groups of bank notes but, on the one hand, it involves the problem that separation of the different groups of bank notes by the operator by means of separation cards is error-prone. On the other hand, in case of a disturbance in the bank note processing machine, e.g. a jam or overlap of bank notes, it is virtually impossible to associate all bank notes of a group of bank notes with the correct accounting unit or the accordingly assigned separation card. It is therefore no longer possible to correctly account for the different groups of bank notes and assign them to the particular deliverer.

Method for processing different groups of papers of value


Consolidation of management traffic is performed in a network by employing a gateway network management device (NMD) to route management messages between a controller and NMDs located at sites in the network. Management addresses are assigned to components of a network management system, including the management controller and NMDs. The management addresses are distinct from customer addresses associated with equipment located at the sites. These customer addresses can serve as piggyback addresses for routing encapsulated management messages through the network. Management messages from the management controller contain the management address of the destination NMD and are first sent to the gateway NMD. The gateway NMD looks up the piggyback address corresponding to the destination management address and generates an encapsulated management message containing the management message and the piggyback address. Using the piggyback address, the encapsulated message is then routed through the network to the destination NMD.

Service providers have historically managed their networks by placing network management devices at key points in the network. These network management devices monitor network performance and communicate information to backend network operations centers for troubleshooting and corrective action. In the past, Frame Relay and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) networks provided a capability to provision a management overlay network especially well suited for communication with network management devices. By configuring permanent virtual circuits (PVCs), communication routes could be deployed for reliable communication independent of customer network traffic.
Several factors have eroded the value of the aforementioned approach, including the growth of Internet protocol (IP) and multi protocol label switching (MPLS) networks with mixes of underlying Frame Relay or ATM networks, and the growth of heterogeneous environments where an enterprise is served by multiple service providers. The nature of modem IP and MPLS networks makes configuring "circuit" based point-to-point connectivity extremely difficult if not impossible. These are "mesh" networks by their nature. Even where possible, the heterogeneous environments make configuring and maintaining PVCs prohibitively expensive.
From a network management standpoint, in an MPLS network, ideally one service provider would provide the access for an entire enterprise. This approach would allow the service provider to use an overlay management network to communicate with all of the network management devices on the enterprise's network. However, this scenario is generally the exception rather than the rule. One usually finds that an enterprise network is served by multiple service providers and local exchange carriers (LECs), with one main provider or LEC providing the network management and service level agreement (SLA) guarantees. Additionally, while from the customer's viewpoint, MPLS is being used, the underlying access could be Frame Relay, ATM, point-to-point protocol (PPP), etc.
In such scenarios, setting up the management connections to network management devices can make a rollout of a network management system cost prohibitive. For network management devices connected to a service provider's or LEC's Frame Relay or ATM networks, PVCs must be provisioned, configured, and paid for (as this would be two separate groups in any service provider or LEC) in order to access the network management device. Network management devices that are connected to a competing service provider's or LEC's network are even more difficult to manage. In this case, the main service provider or LEC would have to provision, configure, and pay for access to the competing network (from a second group within its own organization), then buy PVCs to each network management device connected to the competing network from the competing service provider or LEC.
Often, service provider and LEC customers are not willing to endure the cost and time associated with setting up management access to management devices in these types of scenarios. Therefore, a solution is needed that will make such deployments much less costly and much easier to access and manage.

Methods and apparatus for IP management traffic consolidation


In a road milling machine, in particular small milling machine, for working road surfaces, with a machine frame, with a milling drum supported at the machine frame in a drum casing, with a milling drum drive comprising a drum gearbox mounted at the drum casing, where the drum gearbox comprises a gearbox housing with a connecting flange for mounting at the drum casing, as well as a reduction gearbox and an output shaft for driving the milling drum, it is provided for the following features to be achieved: that the gearbox housing comprises, on the underside between the reduction gearbox and the connecting flange, a cut-out dividing the gearbox housing and extending radially inwards in such a fashion that the reduction gearbox is arranged in a first housing part arranged outside of the drum casing, and the output shaft is arranged in a second housing part protruding into the drum casing.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a road milling machine, in particular small milling machine, for working road surfaces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Such small milling machine is known, for example, under the designation Wirtgen W 50 DC. The basic design of a generic road milling machine is known from DE 196 31 042 A1.
The small milling machine comprises a cantilevered milling drum which is mounted at the machine frame in a drum casing and can be driven by a milling drum drive.
The known milling drum drive comprises a drum gearbox that is arranged in part inside the drum casing and in part outside of the drum casing. To this effect, the drum gearbox is attached at a front wall of the drum casing by means of a connecting flange.
In a known drum gearbox according to DE 10 2010 014 529 A, at least one part of the reduction gearbox is arranged in the gearbox housing located in the drum casing so that, in the upper area of the gearbox housing, which is eccentric relative to the output shaft of the drum gearbox, the cantilevered milling drum encloses said gearbox housing with a relatively small gap. Such gearbox housing protruding into the drum casing has the disadvantage that milled material penetrating into the interior of the milling drum collects in the narrow gap between the gearbox housing and the interior skin of the milling drum where it leads to increased friction and wear and, ultimately, to a loss in performance. In extreme cases, the milled material can become wedged in the gap and block the milling drive which can cause considerable damage to the road milling machine. This is aggravated further by the fact that not only the narrow gap alone but the wedged shape of the gap causes the problems when a milling drum of circular cross-section is put over an extension housing that is eccentric or non-rotationally symmetrical to the output shaft. Owing to the wedged shape and with a stationary extension housing and rotating milling drum, the milled material is drawn into the gap and compressed.
A further disadvantage of the known prior art is that milling drums with a relatively small diameter or a spherical shape cannot be used due to the fact that the gearbox housing makes almost full use of the free interior space of the milling drum towards the top.
Finally, a further disadvantage of the known design is to be seen in the fact that the housing part located outside of the drum casing is at a higher level than the housing part located inside the drum casing, thus necessitating two separate oil supply systems. The separate oil supply systems require additional components, such as pumps or oil coolers, and exhibit temperature problems due to the lack of temperature compensation between the two gearbox parts.

Road milling machine, in particular small milling machine, for working road surfaces


A ballerina doll (10) comprising a torso (12) and a head (14) having a neck (16) integral with the torso (12). A pair of arms (18) are connected to the torso (12). A pair of legs (20) are also connected to the torso (12). A ribbon (22) is provided with a facility (24) for connecting in a permanent manner a middle portion (26) of the ribbon (22) to a crown portion (28) of the head (14). In a first instance the ribbon (22) can be tied into a decorative bow (30). IN a second instance the ribbon (22) when untied can be gripped on it's free ends (32), by a thumb (34) and index finger (36) of a first hand (38) of a person (40), to be carried therefrom. In a third instance the torso (12) can be rotated in a first direction by a second hand (42) of the person (40) to twist the ribbon (22) when gripped by a first hand (38). When the torso (12) is released, the ballerina doll (10) will rotate in an opposite second direction, to simulate twisting and spinning while dancing.

1. Field of the Invention
People are familiar with on stage ballerinas performing renditions of Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and Shakespearian dramas, etc. One of the most exciting parts of these performances is when the ballerina goes up on tip-toes and does a spin, or when she is tossed up by her dance partner and turns a few times in the air. A dramatic effect can also be created when she is twirled under an extended arm of her dance partner and continues to spin until slowed to a halt.
The ballerina doll was created for precisely this function, to twirl and spin. It is of a simple construction which does not require batteries, a cumbersome windup knob or key. This construction allows a person to play with the ballerina doll using a ribbon connected thereto, with a special twirl feature as many times as you want, without worrying about breaking of damaging the ballerina doll. The ballerina doll is also maintenance free.
The instant invention relates generally to dolls and hair ornaments and more specifically it relates to a ballerina doll. The ballerina doll has a ribbon attached to the top of the head, which can be tied into a bow, be used for carrying and be twisted to cause the doll to twirl about when the doll is released to spin freely.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous dolls and hair ornaments have been provided in prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,480,009 to Preston; U.S. Pat. No. 1,627,511 to Hopf; U.S. Pat. No. 2,267,094 to Halsey; U.S. Pat. No. 2,357,871 to Bolinger; U.S. Pat. No. 2,538,157 to Lewis; U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,647 to Doane, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,302 to Sirota and U.S. Pat. No. D83,477 to Hudson all are illustrative of such prior art. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.


A manual transmission fluid having a VI greater than 160 and a Brookfield viscosity at −40° C. less than 30,000 cP. It comprises: 1) a base oil (made from a waxy feed) having less than 0.06 wt % aromatics, greater than 5 wt % total molecules with cycloparaffinic functionality, and a ratio of molecules with monocycloparaffinic functionality to molecules with multicycloparaffinic functionality greater than 20; and a manual transmission fluid additive package. In another embodiment, the manual transmission fluid comprises: 1) a base oil having a high VI and a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. greater than 5.5 cSt, 2) less than 0.01 wt % pour point depressant, and 3) a manual transmission fluid additive package. This invention is also directed to a process to make the manual transmission fluid, comprising the steps of hydroisomerization dewaxing, selecting base oil fractions having a high VI, and blending the fractions with an additive package.

Earlier base oils have been made from waxy feeds having desired cycloparaffin compositions, including high total weight percent molecules with cycloparaffin functionality and where the cycloparaffins are predominantly monocycloparaffinic. Examples of these oils are Shell XHVI 4.0 and solvent dewaxed waxy raffinate derived from FT wax.
PCT Patent Publication WO 2005/017077A2 discloses that functional fluids with low Brookfield viscosity may be made using base oils having a low ratio of measured to theoretical low temperature viscosity. Nothing is taught about the base oils having a desired predominantly monocycloparaffinic molecular composition, and it is likely that they do not have this characteristic.
It is desired to make manual transmission fluids that have a very high viscosity index and low Brookfield viscosity out of base oils, made from a waxy feed, that have high viscosity index and preferred cycloparaffin composition.

Manual transmission fluid made with lubricating base oil having high monocycloparaffins and low multicycloparaffins


A training apparatus for improving the skills of a sports player includes arranging targets around a player-occupied central location, associating at least one visual display with each target, generating a first detectable signal and simultaneously illuminating all but one of the visual displays with a common color or pattern of lights. The visual display that is not illuminated with the common color or pattern is uniquely illuminated so that the player may identify it. A second detectable signal is generated after a predetermined lapse of time from the first detectable signal. A ball is delivered to the central location from a ball-feeding location when the second detectable signal is generated. A passing box is secured to each of the targets and a sensor is secured to each passing box. The sensor generates a signal upon detection of a ball entering into the passing box and the time of detection is recorded.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to the game of soccer. More particularly, it relates to a device that helps soccer players, as well as players of other team sports that involve a single moving object, e.g., a ball or puck, improve their situational awareness and technical skills.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Situational awareness is critical for every player on a field of play, whether the game is soccer, lacrosse, hockey, or the like. Players are constantly being taught to "look up" and to "know what to do with the ball/puck/etc. before you receive it." These coaching mantras are intended to teach players to observe their surroundings (i.e. "look up") so that they can evaluate their options and decide what they will do if they receive the ball or other sports implement such as a hockey puck before they actually receive it. As used hereinafter, the term "ball" includes any such sports implement. A player who is aware of his or her surroundings can orient their body to the ball in a manner that will allow them to efficiently receive and control the ball and then pass it on to a chosen target, all while avoiding pressure and protecting the ball from opposing players. For example, knowing where both the defensive pressure is coming from and where there is open space to move, or at least one teammate to pass the ball to, allows a player to decide what first touch to take and how to orientate his or her body to both protect the ball and be in the best position to move with or pass the ball away from defensive pressure.
The development of situational or field awareness is the most difficult part of the game for any player to learn as it is a player's natural tendency to focus on the ball. The concept of "soccer intelligence" combines a high degree of situational awareness with the ability to analyze the observed conditions and make intelligent decisions based on the observed information. It is this soccer intelligence, not technical skills, that allows players to play more quickly, i.e., make decisions and execute them more quickly, and it is this skill that separates the good from the excellent players.
It is generally accepted that the decision making process involves multiple steps or components. This phenomenon was aptly described by Colonel John Richard Boyd in the context of air combat strategy but it is not limited to such strategy. Colonel Boyd described the decision making process as a loop, which he coined the OODA loop, making reference to the mental and physical decision making and execution process performed by a fighter pilot engaged in a dog fight. The acronym OODA stands for:
Observation: Using the five senses to collect data;
Orientation: Analyzing and synthesizing the data to form a mental perspective;
Decision: Determining a course of action based upon that mental perspective; and
Action: Physically performing the decisions.
In order to make a good decision, one must Observe the conditions and variables, Orient oneself in the time and space appropriate for the observed conditions (e.g., analyze and synthesize the observed data), Decide what action to take, and finally Act, i.e., execute that decision.
The speed at which a person can complete the OODA loop process is not limited by the physical constraints of the last step in the process, Action, but instead by the time it takes to Observe, Orient, and Decide. In the context of the game of soccer, for example, the physical action of passing a ball takes very little time; it is the process of Observing, Orienting, and then Deciding where to pass the ball to that is time consuming.
A soccer training tool sold under the trademark Footbonaut® was developed in Germany and first used by Borussia Dortmund as reported in the New York Times in an article found at goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/22/footbonaut-dortmunds-secret-weapon/? R=0.
The Footbonaut® is intended to improve a player's ability to react to balls which are fed to the player at speeds of up to seventy four miles per hour (74 mph) from one of four (4) low and four (4) high ball feeding positions. The player must control the ball fed to him/her and then pass the ball into one of sixty four (64) or seventy two (72) quadrants. There are seventy two (72) of such quadrants, eight (8) of which dispense balls, leaving at least sixty four (64) of said quadrants available as targets. The player's speed and pass accuracy are measured and recorded for evaluation purposes.
The Footbonaut® tests and challenges a player's ability to react quickly to audible and visual signals. For example, the direction from which the ball will be fed to the player is not known to the player until immediately before the ball is launched at the player. The player is alerted to the direction from which the ball will be fed by an audible signal. The player must very quickly turn to face the direction from which the ball will be fed. The player must then control the ball that is fed to him/her from either the low or high ball station. The target quadrant into which the player must pass the ball is identified by a visual cue, but not until immediately prior to or after the ball is dispensed by the Footbonaut device to the player. The OODA loop is therefore commenced only hundredths of a second before the player receives the ball. The Footbonaut device thus teaches players to improve their reaction to the ball but does not address all four (4) parameters of the OODA loop.
The Footbonaut is a complex, immobile apparatus that requires a dedicated area within a building. Its cost is reported to be between one and one-half to three million dollars. The permanent enclosed location is neither portable nor easily adaptable or configurable. Presumably for these reasons, it has been reported that the Footbonaut® is being only being used by two (2) to five (5) well-funded professional teams.
The Footbonaut® structure primarily teaches the Act/action phase of the OODA loop in that it gives a player many opportunities to practice receiving/controlling balls and then passing them into a particular target. The Footbonaut structure feeds the ball to the player from differing feed points which are not disclosed to the player until immediately before the ball is launched, thereby testing a player's ability to quickly react and turn to the direction from which the ball will be fed. Furthermore, balls are intentionally fed to the player at very high speeds or at difficult trajectories and spins, or both, to challenge the player's technical ball control skills. Finally, the player must pass or shoot the ball into a particular target quadrant which is not identified to the player until either immediately before or after the player has received the ball.
The Footbonaut device does not teach a player the most critical and time consuming steps of the OODA loop, namely the Observation, Orientation, and Decision components. The Footbonaut does not allow the player (i) to Observe the entirety of his/her surroundings to identify and differentiate between targets (teammates) and non-targets (opposing players); (ii) to Orientate himself/herself with respect to, in other words to analyze, the totality of the observed information, (e.g. direction from which the ball will be fed, the location of the designated target and the location of opposing players); and (iii) use this information to Decide on the best course of action to take in light of the observed conditions.
The Footbonaut fails at these critical tasks for a variety of reasons. First, the Footbonaut does not provide the player with any time to Observe the entirety of his/her surroundings before the ball is fed to the player. Secondly, even if the player is afforded sufficient time to observe his or her surroundings the Footbonaut does not employ multiple targets and non-targets (symbolizing opposing players) but only a single target quadrant, thereby eliminating the need for a player to observe and Orientate (analyze) his/her entire surroundings. Moreover, since the player can neither Observe nor Orientate himself/herself, the player is unable to reach the best Decision. Finally, the Footbonaut's multi-directional ball feeding structure is unrealistic to the game of soccer or any game in which only a single ball is employed. The location of the ball during a soccer match is always known to the players, in fact it is this knowledge that leads players to focus only on the location of the ball thereby falling victim to the overwhelming tendency to limit their field of vision to the area in front of them.
The Footbonaut emphasizes putting a player under duress, both physical and mental, by limiting the amount of information a player is given and forcing the player to react to the information rather than Observe, Orientate, and reach a Decision based on the information observed.
Thus there is a need for a soccer training structure that emphasizes and teaches players to habitually initiate the OOD part of the OODA loop before ball reception, rather than simply reacting under duress after having already received the ball. Such a structure should create more realistic playing situations and should teach the student/player to observe the entirety of his or her surroundings, i.e., the playing field, before the ball is received so that the player can orient or analyze this information to decide on the most optimal solution given the observed variables and finally to execute or act out that decision by positioning his or her body optimally in relationship to the direction of the oncoming ball, the location of the designated target or targets and the location of the non-targets (opposing players).
The improved training apparatus should be portable and affordable to local sports clubs, whether soccer, lacrosse, hockey clubs or the like and even individual teams.
However, in view of the art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art how the needed training structure could be provided.


A method and system for gathering and analyzing customer and purchasing information permits a retailer or retail chain to process transactional information involving large numbers of consumers and consumer products. Product information is gathered that uniquely identifies a specific product by type and manufacturer and grouped into generic product clusters. Consumers are similarly grouped into consumer clusters based on common consumer demographics and other characteristics. Consumer retail transactions are analyzed in terms of product and/or consumer clusters to determine relationships between the consumers and the products. Product, consumer, and transactional data are maintained in a relational database. Targeting of specific consumers with marketing and other promotional literature is based on consumer buying habits, needs, demographics, etc. A retailer queries the database using selected criteria, accumulates data from the database in response to that query, and makes prudent business and marketing decisions based on that response. Queried information from the database may be communicated to a printing subsystem for printing promotional literature directed to particular customers based on cluster information stored in the database.

Retail store chains, especially grocery chains, survive on high sales volumes and low profit margins. Accordingly, retail industries are constantly searching for cost effective mechanisms to reach consumers and encourage them to shop at a particular retail store. While radio and television advertising are available, and of course used, it is expensive and not particularly targeted.
Although the newspaper is the traditional and less expensive mechanism for advertising in the retail industry, newspaper advertising has many disadvantages. First, newspapers provide only limited (and expensive) space for relatively generic retail advertising, making it difficult to differentiate from other competing retail stores. Second, to reduce costs, retailers typically "shotgun" newspaper advertisements to "generic" consumers rather than direct them to any particular consumer group or need. Third, if multiple retailers use the same newspaper to advertise their goods, sensitive pricing information may potentially be leaked to competitors. For example, if one retail grocer is undercut by a single penny per pound on the price of a turkey at Thanksgiving time, that grocer could stand to lose several hundred thousand dollars in revenue.
Consequently, a less expensive, less restrictive, and more effective way for retailers to direct advertisements and other purchasing inducements to consumers must be developed. Encouraging retail store loyalty necessitates determining consumer needs which vary greatly across demographic boundaries. Therefore, there is a need to make direct marketing available to retailers.
Regional and national consumer demographics data available from Nielson and other agencies regarding consumer product movement is too general to be useful to specific retailers. Additionally, these agencies do not address product movement demographics in order to learn the particular needs and buying habits of people purchasing particular products.
Increased sales and customer loyalty may be obtained by offering a reward system. For example, the airline industry rewards loyal customers using frequent flyer programs. Attempts have been made to develop "frequent shopper" marketing and sales promotion services in retail sales. Some retail grocery chains, for example, provide coupons based upon consumer purchase amounts accumulated during a particular shopping transaction. Coupons tend to be for arbitrary goods which are not directed to any particular needs or interests of the specific consumer.
Other retailers reward frequent shoppers by distributing cards to customers who regularly purchase name brand goods manufactured by a particular vendor. Cards are used at participating retail stores to identify the customer and record purchases of particular brand goods and to award points based on the number of brand good purchases. Points are accumulated, and gifts may be selected by the card member from a catalogue.
Another card type service offered to retailers is the "Reward America Program" from Citicorp. Consumers received monthly rebates based on the number of brand name items purchased, e.g. buy three loaves of Wonderbread.TM. and receive $0.50; buy five loaves, receive $0.75; buy seven loaves and receive $1.00. The consumer receives quarterly rebate booklets and periodic statements showing how many items must be purchased to obtain rebates.
Unfortunately, none of these services address or meet the needs and interests of retailers. For example, many of these existing programs like the Reward America Program service develop "brand loyalty" rather than retail store loyalty. Moreover, the retailer does not own the underlying consumer purchasing data regarding frequent shopper purchases for particular brand products. As a result, the retailer lacks direct access to this information for use in advertising and promoting the retail store itself.
None of these services allow a retailer to identify particular consumer groups and particular consumer needs. For example, in the grocery retail business in the United States, double income families are pressed for time and show a trend toward less time being spent shopping and preparing meals. Retail grocers are challenged to provide incentives to encourage these kinds of shoppers into their stores. Targeted advertising would allow retailers to appeal to current public awareness of the need for natural and/or healthy foods. Identifying those shoppers having special dietary needs, e.g. medical problems and then marketing to those dietary needs may be particularly advantageous to retailers. Providing products that appeal to certain ethnic groups instead of offering generic grocery items may also be profitable.
Identification of such groups, targeting advertisements to the identified groups, and measuring the results of that advertising are primary goals of the present invention. An integrated system is required which allows individual retailers to determine buying patterns and habits of customers to determine customer needs and preferences with respect to retail products sold. Such a system must accumulate transactional data, provide meaningful analysis, and allow retailers to target specific consumers based on determined buying patterns and preferences with promotional and advertising literature tailored to preferences and needs. To achieve those goals, such a system must be capable of inputting and categorizing enormous amounts of consumer and product data, organizing that data in a logical fashion, and providing data analysis useful for marketing and advertising.
According to the present invention, the above-identified problems are overcome and the above-stated goals are achieved by providing a retailer or a retail chain with the ability to process transactional information involving large numbers of consumers and consumer products by gathering product information that uniquely identifies a specific product by type and manufacturer, grouping that product information into product clusters, and analyzing consumer retail transactions in terms of those product clusters to determine relationships between the consumers and the products. Product, consumer, and transactional data are maintained in a relational database. Targeting of specific consumers with marketing and other promotional literature is based on consumer buying habits, needs, demographics, etc. A retailer queries the relational database using selected criteria, accumulates data generated by the database in response to that query, and makes business and marketing decisions based on that accumulated data.
A method of the present invention further includes receiving consumer information describing demographic characteristics of various consumers, grouping consumers into consumer clusters based on specifically defined demographics criteria, and analyzing product transactions in terms of those consumer clusters to determine relationships between consumers and products. Using product and/or consumer clusters, a retailer determines relationships between products and consumers as well as the effectiveness of a particular product promotion.
Since the number of consumers and products far exceeds the number of consumer clusters and product clusters, the clustering technique of the present invention permits a manageable amount of data to be extracted from a much larger amount of transactional, product, and demographics data, maintained, and readily accessible in a database. Moreover, cluster parameters and definitions may be modified and redefined by the retailer without modifying underlying consumer and/or product information.
A system according to the present invention for optimizing retail marketing operations based on purchasing transactions of consumer products includes as basic components: a relational database, means for receiving consumer identifying data and product purchase transactional data, means for grouping that data into clusters of information based on predefined criteria, means for storing the cluster information in the database, and means for analyzing the stored cluster information to determine buying behaviors of retail consumers.
Point of sale terminals, such as (but not limited to) the checkout registers in a retail grocery store, record consumer purchase transactions typically by means of scanning the bar code label attached to the product. Although optical means for detecting this coded information is preferred, other mechanisms for reading this data could also be used, e.g. magnetic strip reading, etc. Recorded consumer purchase transaction information is communicated from the point of sale terminals to the receiving means.
A supervisory retail processor performs in an alternative aspect of the present invention an intermediary function between the point of sale terminals and the relational database system. The supervisory retail processor stores a master product list containing all valid product numbers, e.g. bar codes, for every product carried by the retail store. The transactional information received from the point of sale terminals is checked against the product list to ensure that the registered product numbers are valid. The supervisory retail processor then transmits the master product list and the transaction log to the system receiving means or repositioning.
A user interface at the retail store or at the supervisory retail processor allows a retailer to input specific queries to the system to retrieve particular types of information from the relational database. For example, these queries may relate to determining purchasing behaviors of retail consumers, determining the effectiveness of promotional efforts with respect to particular products, and ascertaining particular characteristics (demographics and otherwise) of consumers purchasing particular products.
Clustering is employed in a system of the present invention to associate consumer identifying data into a plurality of consumer clusters based on predefined consumer criteria. Similarly, products from the product list are assigned to product clusters based on predefined product criteria. A retailer may modify the predefined consumer and product criteria to dynamically alter the consumer and product clusters. Thus, huge amounts of data are stored, managed, accessed, and analyzed in an effective and practical way using clusters.
The system according to the present invention further includes a mechanism for gathering consumer identifying data and encoding that data into digital format. The encoded consumer data is transmitted directly to (or via the supervisory computer) the system receiving means. Consumer identifying data includes such things as consumer demographics, income ranges, product preferences and other characteristics. Once consumer identifying data are received, membership cards are issued to consumers with coded identifiers uniquely identifying a consumer. Point of sale terminals at retail stores detect consumer coded identifiers by scanning membership cards and associate identifiers with products purchased by a consumer at that point of sale terminal.
The present invention includes a printing subsystem connected to the analyzing means for printing promotional literature directed to particular consumers based on cluster information stored in the relational database. In one embodiment, the printing subsystem generates and directs relevant promotional literature to certain consumers using names and address lists from the relational database. Promotional literature may include, for example, advertisements, newsletters, and coupons. With the printing subsystem of the present invention, customized promotional information most relevant and most likely to be of interest to a particular consumer based on their buying behaviors and their demographics is included in targeted promotional literature mailed to that consumer.
Thus, it is a primary object among many other objects of the present invention to provide efficient creation and management of a relational database system readily accessible by retailers to effectively target specific consumers and consumer groups with relevant advertisement, promotional, and informational direct mailed media. These and other features and advantages of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, read in conjunction with the drawings, and from the appended claims.

Method and system for gathering and analyzing consumer purchasing information based on product and consumer clustering relationships


Evaluation values relating to image capture are detected from at least two out of a plurality of images having different exposure amounts, which are used to generate a composite image. From a plurality of detected evaluation values relating to image capture, an evaluation value relating to image capture used to control an operation of an image capture apparatus is selected under a predetermined operation, thereby improving the detection accuracy of evaluation values relating to image capture in an HDR moving image capture operation.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image capture apparatus and control method thereof and, more particularly, to an image capture apparatus which can capture a moving image, a dynamic range of which is expanded, and a control method thereof.
Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an image sensor (CCD image sensor, CMOS image sensor, or the like) used in a general digital camera suffers a problem of a narrower dynamic range (an input luminance range expressible by output values) than a silver halide film. As a method of obtaining an image having a dynamic range broader than that of the image sensor, a technique called "HDR (High Dynamic Range)" is known. The HDR is a method of generating one image (HDR image) by compositing a plurality of images (for example, an overexposure image, underexposure image, and the like) which are obtained by capturing a single scene using different exposure amounts (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-164195).
Also, in recent years, a technique for generating an HDR image using an image sensor, which can capture a plurality of images having different exposure amounts in an image capture operation for one frame period, has been proposed, and application to HDR image generation in a moving image capture operation has also been referred to (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-244309).
In an HDR moving image capture operation for generating a frame image by compositing a plurality of images, when evaluation vales relating to image capture, which are required for image capture are detected from a composite image, a reflection timing of the evaluation values relating to image capture is delayed. This problem is posed in the arrangement which acquires a plurality of images having different exposure amounts for a plurality of frame periods, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-164195, and also in the arrangement which can acquire a plurality of images having different exposure amounts within one frame period, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-244309. Note that the evaluation values relating to image capture include an AF (Auto Focus detection) evaluation value, AE (Auto Exposure control) evaluation value, WB (White Balance) evaluation value, and the like.
For example, a case will be examined wherein an AF control operation is executed based on an AF evaluation value during an image capture operation of an HDR moving image. In this case, when an arrangement for executing the AF control operation using the AF evaluation value detected from a composite image is adopted, a reflection timing of the AF evaluation value comes after image composition, resulting in poor AF response to motions of a subject. For this reason, it is desired to detect and reflect the AF evaluation value using images before composition.
However, in an arrangement which detects evaluation values relating to image capture always using one of images before composition (for example, an overexposure image having a large exposure amount and an underexposure image having a small exposure amount), accurate evaluation values relating to image capture cannot often be detected due to the relation between the exposure amount and image capture scene. For example, in a very dark scene in which an image of a person is captured with the night view in the background, accurate evaluation values relating to image capture cannot be detected from the underexposure image. Alternatively, when a subject suffers a shadow-detail loss or highlight-detail loss since an image capture scene is sufficiently bright and has a broad dynamic range, accurate evaluation values relating to image capture cannot be detected from the overexposure image.
The same problem is posed in a backlit scene (in which the background of a principal subject is very bright), a tunnel scene (in which the background is dark, and an occupation area of a principal subject is small), and the like.

Image capture apparatus and control method thereof


An electronic component includes: a capacitor array including a plurality of multilayer capacitors consecutively disposed in a horizontal direction, first and second metal frames disposed on both side surfaces of the capacitor array and connected to first and second external electrodes, respectively. The first and second metal frames respectively include first and second horizontal bonding portions bonded to upper portions of first and second band portions, first and second horizontal mounting portions disposed to oppose the first and second horizontal bonding portions in a vertical direction, and first and second vertical portions connecting the first and second horizontal bonding portions and the first and second horizontal mounting portions and having at least one first and second cutout portions in a horizontal direction, respectively. The first and second horizontal mounting portions are spaced apart from the plurality of multilayer capacitors.

A multilayer capacitor has been used in a variety of electronic devices, as it is relatively small in size and is able to implement high capacitance.
Recently, as consumption of eco-friendly vehicles and electronic vehicles has increased, the number of power driving systems provided in vehicles has increased, and there has been increased demand for multilayer capacitors for use in vehicles.
A multilayer capacitor may be required to have a high level of thermal reliability, electronic reliability, and mechanical reliability to be used as a component of a vehicle, and thus, a level of performance required in a multilayer capacitor has been more advanced than before.
Particularly, it has been required to develop an electronic component capable of implementing high capacitance by stacking a plurality of multilayer capacitors in a limited space or an electronic component having enhanced durability against vibrations and deformation.


A coating for a surface of a surgical implant, the coating including a binding protein for capturing cells to the surface via a bi-functional linker molecule. The linker can have a first functional group (such as a trichlorosilyl group) for covalently linking to the surface, and a second functional group (such as a benzothiosulfonate group) for covalently linking to the binding protein. One exemplary linker molecule is S-(11-trichlorosilyl-undecenyl)benzenethiosulfonate. The coating may be a self-assembled monolayer and may also include a spacer molecule, which can be unreactive with the binding protein. The target cells may be endothelial stem cells (such as endothelial progenitor cells). The binding protein may be an antibody, antibody fragment or non-antibody derived antigen binding molecule. The binding protein may bind a cell surface marker specific to target cell type. Coated surgical implants, and methods of forming such a coating are also contemplated.

One of the leading causes of death worldwide is coronary heart disease. It is commonly instigated by atherosclerosis, which is the deposition of plaque on arterial vessel walls. Such deposition can result in a narrowing (stenosis) of arteries, obstructed and reduced blood flow, and increased risk of heart attack. Angioplasty, a routine surgical procedure, can be performed to widen stenotic arteries. Although successful, angioplasty can suffer from non-uniform arterial widening and re-narrowing (restenosis) due to post-surgical recoil of the artery. To mitigate these shortcomings, stenting can be used as an alternative to angioplasty in suitable candidates.
Stents are expandable meshed cylindrical scaffolds which can be constructed from medical grade stainless steel. They can vary in size from 9 to 23 mm in length, and from 2.5 to 4.0 mm in diameter. Stents can be implanted within the lumen of stenotic arterial vessels in order to widen them and reduce the effects of atherosclerosis. These devices can be implanted as bare metal stents (BMS), or coated with a polymer drug delivery system in drug eluting stents (DES). Despite the advantages of BMS over angioplasty, their function can be limited by complications associated with biocompatibility. For example, post-stent restenosis due to neointimal hyperplasia (cellular hypertrophy, proliferation and deposition of extracellular matrix on the stent and around the site of implantation) remains a difficult challenge.
To combat neointimal hyperplasia (NH), DES employ a polymeric coating that releases anti-proliferative medications. However, concerns regarding delayed healing, late stage thrombosis and hypersensitivity to the polymeric resin continue to surround DES. In light of the challenges that both BMS and DES face, further research into alternative strategies for the reduction of both NH and physiological attack of the stent surface is warranted.

Surface-oriented antibody coating for the reduction of post-stent restenosis