A network management apparatus performing trouble-shooting in each device state and improving the operation efficiency and workability in maintenance management operations. A table storage unit stores a device status table, a restriction condition table, and a trouble shooting table. An analysis unit determines whether a status change request satisfies the restriction conditions in the current device state. If the restriction conditions are not satisfied but trouble can be avoided, all the trouble shooting data are extracted until the restriction problems are eliminated. If the restriction conditions are not satisfied and trouble cannot be avoided, the cause for not being able to avoid trouble is extracted. Thus, an analysis of normality of the status change request is conducted. A user interface unit sends the extracted trouble shooting data or the cause for not being able to avoid trouble. A device communication unit transmits a command corresponding to the status change request.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to network management apparatuses, and more particularly, to a network management apparatus that performs network management operations.
(2) Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a wider variety of information network services have been expected, and the information infrastructure for providing these services has become larger and complicated. In this trend, there is an increasing demand for network management apparatuses (NMA) that perform maintenance management of network devices (or network elements: NEs) such as transmission devices that constitute a network.
To change the current state of a NE, an operator inputs a status change request into a network management apparatus. Upon receipt of the status change request from the operator, the network management apparatus generates a command corresponding to the request, and transmits the command to the corresponding NE. The network management apparatus then receives data in response to the command. By doing so, the state of the NE is changed, and the device status in the network is controlled. Also, to prevent a critical failure due to a wrong operation in the network, complicated restriction conditions are normally set in each NE.
Here, the restriction conditions refer to the rules about the relationships between the state of a NE and acceptable status change requests. For example, the restriction conditions specify that, when the NE is in a state of A, a command of a status change request A is acceptable, but a command of a status change request B is not acceptable.
Therefore, an operator needs to make a status change request so as to satisfy the restriction conditions. Upon receipt of a command of a status change request, a NE accepts the command if the command satisfies the restriction conditions, or returns an error response to the command to the network management apparatus if the command does not satisfy the restriction conditions, depending on the device status at that point.
To efficiently manage the history of operations such as command transmissions, each operator needs to skip unnecessary operations. When an operator is to send a status change request to a NE, the operator needs to confirm in advance whether the status change request satisfies the restriction conditions in the current NE state. By doing so, a proper status change request can be transmitted, and an error response from an NE can be avoided.
By the conventional management control, however, an operator needs to search for the restriction conditions for each status change request in advance, using the instruction manual or the help function for each NE, regardless of whether the NE is a newly introduced one or an old one. Furthermore, the operator needs to check whether the current device status satisfies the restriction conditions. Carrying out these processes is very troublesome, often resulting in a poor workability in maintenance management.
Also, if a command of a status change request is not accepted by a NE and an error response is sent from the NE, the operator has to find out the way to have the command accepted by the NE, studying the error contents, the current device state of the NE, and the restriction conditions or the like. Furthermore, if there are several solutions for the problem, the operator needs to try each solution. Accordingly, there are so many processes each operator has to carry out in the conventional network management operation, resulting in a poor operation efficiency.
Meanwhile, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2000-339289 discloses a network management method. According to this method, the cause of trouble that can be estimated from the error contents and the solutions for the trouble are generated and stored in advance. When an error occurs, the possible causes of trouble and the solutions are displayed through the help function. The operator then determines the cause of trouble, and then inputs a new command.
In this conventional method, however, the current operation state of the NE is not taken into consideration, and the cause of trouble in the current state cannot be clearly pointed out. Therefore, the operator has to search for the cause of trouble and solutions, studying the possible causes of trouble and solutions. As a result, the operation efficiency is lowered. Furthermore, to produce solutions for problems in advance, it is necessary to store all the procedures of solving each problem. In such a case, some procedures unnecessary in the current operation state are also stored, resulting in a poorer management efficiency.


A fuel cell has an anode (3) and a cathode (5) on either side of an electrolytic membrane (1) made of a solid polymer. A fuel supply plate (7) and an air supply plate (9) are provided at either side of the electrolytic membrane (1), so as to form a fuel cell with a solid polymer membrane. A fuel supply path (11) is provided on the anode (3) side of the fuel supply plate (7), and an air supply path (13) is provided on the cathode (5) side of the air supply plate (9). Moisture supply paths (21) are provided between fuel supply paths (11) of the fuel supply plate (7), these moisture supply paths supplying moisture directly to the electrolytic membrane (1) via the anode (3). A moisture pressure-adjusting valve, which adjusts the amount of supply of moisture by opening and closing in response to the temperature of coolant effluent from the fuel cell, is provided at a moisture introduction part which introduces moisture to the moisture supply paths (21).

In a fuel cell having a solid polymer membrane as a PEM (proton exchange membrane) made of an electrolytic substance, this electrolytic membrane is disposed between a "region supplied with a fuel to be dissociated to promote an anodic action" (herein called "anode") and a "region supplied with air as an oxydant for promoting a cathodic reaction" (herein called "cathode"). At the anode, where hydrogen is supplied as the fuel, this hydrogen (H2) is dissociated into hydrogen ions (H+) and electrons (e−), such that H2→2H++2e−. The hydrogen ions are transported through the electrolytic membrane, from the anodic side to the cathodic side. The electrons are conducted from the anode to the cathode through external circuitry connected therebetween, thereby supplying electric power to a load in the circuitry.
At the cathode, oxygen (O2) in the air supplied thereto reacts on hydrogen ions (H+) transported thereto and electrons (e−) conducted thereto, producing water (H2O) to be ejected outside the fuel cell, such that ½O2+2H++2e=→H2O. Therefore, in the fuel cell, as a whole, water (H2O) is produced from hydrogen (H2) supplied as a fuel to the anode and oxygen (O2) in the air supplied to the cathode, such that H2+½O2→H2O. The hydrogen and air are sometimes each respectively called "reaction gas".
The electrolytic membrane needs to be saturated with water contained therein to serve as an ion-transportable electrolyte, and to function for isolation between hydrogen as a reaction gas at the anode and oxygen as a reaction gas at the cathode. If the water content is insufficient, the electrolytic membrane has a decreased ion mobility and/or causes an unfavorable mixing between reaction gases, resulting in a failure for the fuel cell to generate sufficient electric power.
When dissociated hydrogen ions are transported through the electrolytic membrane from the anodic side to the cathodic side, water is moved together, so that the electrolytic membrane inherently has a drying tendency at the anodic side. The water content of the electrolytic membrane is supplemented by moisture contained in reaction gas, which is supplied through gas inlet ports near the electrolytic membrane. If the moisture content of reaction gas is insufficient, the electrolytic membrane tends to be dried in regions vicinal to the gas inlet ports.
It therefore is necessary for a solid polymer membrane, as an electrolytic membrane in a fuel cell, to be moisturized by an externally supplied "moisture or hydration water" (herein collectively called "moisture"). Techniques for such "moisturization or hydration" (herein collectively called "moisturization") are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,718 in which fuel and air are let through semi-permeable layers in a humidification section of a fuel cell, where they are humidified, before entering an active section for their reaction, and in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 11-162490 in which fuel and air are let through supply pipes, where they are humidified by externally supplied water vapor.

Fuel cell with solid polymer membrane to be moisturized, fuel cell system, and moisturizing method for fuel cell


A submerged nozzle for continuous casting of molten metal, wherein two or more discharge hole flow passages are provided on a cylindrical side surface of a submerged nozzle, and first and second inner surface side walls and first and second outer surface side walls of the discharge hole flow passages in a horizontal cross-section of the submerged nozzle when in use are composed by straight lines formed so as to be inflected at an inner side point of inflection and an outer side point of inflection.

In general, a submerged nozzle is widely used in continuous casting equipment, in order to introduce molten steel from a tundish into a mold. The submerged nozzle has a role of preventing re-oxidation of the molten steel due to direct contact with the atmosphere, and is an important refractory which makes a great contribution to improving the quality of the cast metal.
Furthermore, the flow of the molten steel discharged into the mold from the submerged nozzle affects the quality of the cast metal. For example, in rectangular molds, such as blooms, billets, or the like, it is important to supply as uniform a discharge flow as possible, at each of the mold surfaces, in order to prevent cracks in the cast metal. On the other hand, the surface quality of the cast metal is also improved by rotating and churning the molten steel inside the mold, since inclusions and air bubbles become less liable to be captured in the solidification shell.
A known method for churning the cast steel inside the mold, for example, is to provide an electromagnetic stirring device in the vicinity of the mold, and to use electromagnetic forces to churn the molten steel. However, since an electromagnetic stirring device is extremely expensive, there have been demands to carry out churning by an alternative, inexpensive system.
As a method for this, it has been attempted to create a rotational flow inside the mold by means of the discharge flow from a submerged nozzle, thereby churning the molten steel.
For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a method for obtaining a rotational flow by discharging a discharge flow in a tangential direction at a plurality of positions which are symmetrical with respect to the center of the discharge, and at an angle of 45±10° with respect to the square mold surface. Furthermore, it has also been proposed to form the discharge holes with a straight shape or curved shape.
Moreover, Patent Document 2 proposes a nozzle in which a portion of the inner wall of a discharge hole coincides with the tangent to the inner circumference of the nozzle.
Furthermore, Patent Document 3 proposes a method using a nozzle wherein the direction of discharge from a discharge hole is formed at an angle in the circumferential direction with respect to a radiating direction from the center, in such a manner that the submerged nozzle receives a reactive force produced when the molten steel is discharged, thereby causing the submerged nozzle itself to rotate about a perpendicular axis and hence causing the flow of molten steel flow to rotate.
Moreover, Patent Document 4 proposes a method wherein a discharge hole is arranged at an inclination to the radiating direction, the submerged nozzle is divided into two parts, an upper and a lower part, and the lower nozzle is caused to rotate about a perpendicular axis.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. S58-77754
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. S58-112641
Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. S62-270260
Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H10-113753

Submerged nozzle for continuous casting apparatus


A method for packaging digital evidence for long term validation comprises forming a package of a digital document (10), an electronic signature (12) for the document (10), together with evidence (16) of the authority of the signature in the document and a time stamp (20) indicating when the document was digitally signed. All of the pieces form parts of the packaged evidence.

It is well known to make use of public key cryptography to validate digital documents as originating from a particular user having access to related public and private keys. The same system can be used to allow only that user to access a document encoded with the public key. The use of public key cryptography is typically implemented by use of digital certificates. A digital certificate may be issued by a certification authority (CA) which checks the credentials or personal information/financial information (whatever information is particularly relevant) before issuing a certificate to that user. The certificate may then be provided to reliers or third parties to authenticate that the user is who they say they are. The relier takes it on trust that the CA has conducted whatever checks are necessary to issue the user with the certificate. Chains of certificates may be produced whereby a root CA issues a certificate to a second CA to certify that the second CA is trusted by the root CA. The second CA may then issue a certificate to a third CA on the basis that the third CA is trusted by the second CA. The third CA may then issue a certificate to a user, who may use the certificate with an independent party who trusts the validity of the certificate on the basis that the root authority is trusted and the relationships which the root authority keeps are also trusted.
Documents such as emails can be digitally signed by use of public key cryptography when a user encrypts a signature for an email using his private key. A third party can authenticate that signature by decrypting the signature with the public key.
A problem exists of how to package and maintain a digitally signed document as evidence which can be interpreted at a later date, for example in a court of law. Typically, a document retention period may be seven years, although at present a CA will not necessarily retain certification information for that period of time. An existing CA called VeriSign keeps different levels of certificates. VeriSign's level 2 and level 3 certificates are retained for five years. A CA such as VeriSign will only keep certification details, rather than any document which has been signed with a certificate issued by the CA. Furthermore, by making use of the reliance on the CA in the way described above disadvantages are found because reliance is placed on an outside party to prove the validity and meaning of signatures at later dates.

Packaging evidence for long term validation

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


Enhanced access devices, e.g. credit cards and/or check cards, are issued with enhanced security features and processes that allow a customer to control circumstances under which their account can be accessed. If a fraudster tries to access the account without knowledge of the consumer set controls, the system can take remedial action with reduced instances of false positives. An account is typically established for an account holder through a central entity, e.g. an issuer. At least one access device is established for the account, wherein at least one user is associated with the access devices for one or more transactions. Use of the access devices is defined by a set of rules defined by the central entity and a set of rules that are controllable by the customer, typically comprising any of the account holder and the user of the account. The customer can input, control, and/or update at least one parameter associated with the customer-controllable rules. Subsequent authorization of the access devices is then controlled based on the customer input and other controls.

Financial institutions and/or other organizations typically issue consumers or businesses with access "devices", such as credit cards or debit cards. Authorized users of such access devices can then make purchases and/or obtain financial instruments, e.g. such as at a point of sale, through an ATM, through an internet site, or at another remote location.
Misuse of access devices for fraudulent purposes has materially negative consequences for users of the devices, for the issuers of the devices, and for any other entity that can be negatively impacted by either actual or perceived security risks. Users are often negatively effected by identify fraud, loss of access to funds, and/or inconvenience. As well, providers of such access devices lose millions of dollars annually to fraudulent device use.
In an attempt to control misuse, issuers of access devices and related institutions have created numerous processes, materials and techniques to reduce the risks referenced. Such efforts include consumer education and sophisticated authorization systems.
Authorization systems involve the combined efforts of various organizations in the value chain, such as merchants or entities that accept the device or access methods, issuers who provide accounts and access devices or access methods to consumers and business users, and associations such as MASTERCARD®, AMERICAN EXPRESS®, VISA® and DISCOVER®, that provide rules and guidelines for managing the card payment environment.
In a typical example, a user applies for and is issued a credit or check card, wherein a credit card accesses a line of credit, while a check card accesses the consumer's available funds. To use the device, the user presents the device and/or account access Is information (account number, CVV number, verification information, etc.) to a merchant to purchase goods, services or funds, such as through a physical, i.e. brick and mortar, store, via telephone, or through an Internet site.
Before providing the goods, services or funds, the merchant first authorizes the transaction either through a terminal or other means. In the authorization process, the merchant must follow certain guidelines including providing information from the presenter of the device. If the authorization is approved, the merchant provides the goods, services or funds.
If at a later time it is determined that the receiver of the goods, services or funds was a "fraudster", the system has been defrauded with various negative consequences such as: the access device can be shut down, the consumer may be materially inconvenienced and/or suffer financial loss, the provider of the device or the merchant suffer financial loss, and/or confidence in the payments system is negatively impacted.
Some financial companies have started barring all credit and/or debit transactions originating from nations that exhibit high levels of fraud. For example, as reported in "Blocking Entire Nations to Curtail Card Fraud", by David Breitkopf, American Banker, Jan. 30, 2006, "One of the more extreme examples: First Bank and Trust Co. of Abingdon, Va., which issues Visa debit cards, does not accept transactions originating anywhere outside the United States unless a customer asks for permission to use their cards abroad."
Almost all, if not all issuers of these devices set parameters that will result in a declined authorization under certain circumstances, such as but not limited to a number of transactions that exceeds some threshold, or a pattern of transactions that results in a score below a threshold. A key problem is that this approach leads to "false positives", in that transactions that should or could have been approved are declined, and sometimes approves transactions that turn out to be fraudulent. A transaction that exceeds a credit line is typically treated as a factual factor, which results in either a yes or no decision, but does not lead to a false positive.
Current systems do include a variety of customer control features such as:                being required to contact the device issuer to activate their account or access device;        being required to use a PIN or personal identification number in some cases; and/or        as noted above, in some cases being required to call and request to turn access on, such as if the user plans to use the card internationally.
It would be advantageous to provide a system, structure and method such that access devices and their use may provide increased security, for users and for financial institutions, as compared to security infrastructures that are currently available. The development of an enhanced customer account system and associated method would constitute a major technological advance.
As well, it would be advantageous to provide a system, structure and method wherein an account holder may be further involved with defining where and how their credit cards and/or debit cards are used. The development of such a transaction system would constitute a further major technological advance.
In addition, it would be advantageous to provide a system, structure and method wherein an account holder and other appropriate parties within the network who have a need to know may be notified if and when there is an attempt to access the account holder's credit card and/or debit card account in a manner that is counter to parameters for account access that have been set by the account holder. This would allow the account holders and/or other appropriate parties to take preemptive action to thwart the intentions of fraudsters, not only for the account holder in which fraudulent access has been attempted, but also potentially for others based upon gained information. The development of such a transaction system and process would constitute an additional technological advance.

Customer controlled account, system, and process


A channel quality circuit, incorporated within a sampled amplitude read channel utilized in a magnetic storage system, for processing and accumulating performance data from the individual read channel components, wherein the performance data is used to calibrate the read channel to operate in a particular environment, to estimate the bit error rate of the storage system, and to detect defects in the magnetic medium. The channel quality circuit generates a test pattern of digital data which is written to the storage system. Then, as the test pattern is read from the storage system, the channel quality circuit accumulates performance data from the read channel components. The test pattern is used to generate expected samples and expected sample errors relative to the samples read by the read channel. Gating logic is programmed to accumulate only the particular performance data of interest. The channel quality circuit computes auto and cross-correlations, squared errors, and threshold comparisons. A defect detection filter detects particular defects in the media. In order to predict the bit error rate of the storage system, the channel quality circuit accumulates noise auto-correlation data, confidence metrics from a sequence detector, and cross-correlation of expected sample errors with actual sample errors.

In magnetic storage systems for computers, digital data serves to modulate the current in a read/write head coil so that a sequence of corresponding magnetic flux transitions are written onto a magnetic medium in concentric tracks. To read this recorded data, the read/write head passes over the magnetic medium and transduces the magnetic transitions into pulses in an analog signal that alternate in polarity. These pulses are then decoded by read channel circuitry to reproduce the digital data.
Decoding the pulses into a digital sequence can be performed by a simple peak detector in a conventional analog read channel or, as in more recent designs, by using a discrete time sequence detector in a sampled amplitude read channel. Discrete time sequence detectors are preferred over simple analog pulse detectors because they compensate for intersymbol interference (TSI) and, therefore, are less susceptible to noise. As a result, discrete time sequence detectors increase the capacity and reliability of the storage system. There are several well known discrete time sequence detection methods including discrete time pulse detection (DPD), partial response (PR) with Viterbi detection, maximum likelihood sequence detection (MLSD), decision-feedback equalization (DFE), enhanced decision-feedback equalization (EDFE), and fixed-delay tree-search with decision-feedback (FDTS/DF).
In conventional peak detection schemes, threshold crossing or derivative information, implemented in analog circuitry, is normally used to detect peaks in the continuous time analog signal generated by the read head. The analog read signal is "segmented" into bit cell periods and interpreted during these segments of time. The presence of a peak during the bit cell period is detected as a "1" bit, whereas the absence of a peak is detected as a "0" bit. The most common errors in detection occur when the bit cells are not correctly aligned with the analog pulse data. Timing recovery, then, adjusts the bit cell periods so that the peaks occur in the center of the bit cells on average in order to minimize detection errors. Since timing information is derived only when peaks are detected, the input data stream is normally run length limited (RLL) to limit the number of consecutive "0" bits.
Detection errors are also caused by intersymbol interference (ISI). Storage density is directly related to the number of pulses stored on the storage medium, and as the pulses are packed closer together in the effort to increase data density, they eventually interfere with each other resulting in intersymbol interference. This interference can cause a peak to shift out of its bit cell, or its magnitude to decrease, and result in a detection error. The ISI effect is reduced by decreasing the data density or by employing an encoding scheme to ensure that a minimum number of "0" bits occur between "1" bits. For example, a (d,k) run length limited (RLL) code constrains to d the minimum number of "0" bits between "1" bits, and to k the maximum number of consecutive "0" bits. A typical RLL code is a (1,7) 2/3 rate code which encodes 8 bit data words into 12 bit codewords to satisfy the (1,7) constraint.
Sampled amplitude detection, such as partial response (PR) with Viterbi detection, allows for increased data density by compensating for intersymbol interference. Unlike conventional peak detection systems, sampled amplitude recording detects digital data by interpreting, at discrete time instances, the actual value of the pulse data. The analog pulses are sampled at the baud rate and the digital data is detected from these discrete time sample values. A discrete time sequence detector, such as a Viterbi detector, interprets the discrete time sample values in context to determine a most likely sequence for the data. In this manner, the effect of ISI can be taken into account during the detection process thereby decreasing the probability of a detection error. After processing a consecutive sequence of sample values, the sequence detector compensates for ISI by selecting the most likely digital sequence associated with the sample values. This increases the signal to noise ratio and, for a given (d,k) constraint, allows for significantly higher data density as compared to conventional analog peak detection read channels.
The application of sampled amplitude techniques to digital communication channels is well documented. See Y. Kabal and S. Pasupathy, "Partial Response Signaling", IEEE Trans. Commun. Tech., Vol. COM-23, pp.921-934, September 1975; and Edward A. Lee and David G. Messerschmitt, "Digital Communication", Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston, 1990; and G. D. Forney, Jr., "The Viterbi Algorithm", Proc. IEEE, Vol. 61, pp. 268-278, March 1973.
Applying sampled amplitude techniques to magnetic storage systems is also well documented. See Roy D. Cideciyan, Francois Dolivo, Walter Hirt, and Wolfgang Schott, "A PRML System for Digital Magnetic Recording", IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications, Vol. 10 No. 1, January 1992, pp.38-56; and Wood et al, "Viterbi Detection of Class IV Partial Response on a Magnetic Recording Channel", IEEE Trans. Commun., Vol. Com-34, No. 5, pp. 454-461, May 1986; and Coker Et al, "Implementation of PRML in a Rigid Disk Drive", IEEE Trans. on Magnetics, Vol. 27, No. 6, November 1991; and Carley et al, "Adaptive Continous-Time Equalization Followed By FDTS/DF Sequence Detection", Digest of The Magnetic Recording Conference, Aug. 15-17, 1994, pp. C3; and Moon et al, "Constrained-Complexity Equalizer Design for Fixed Delay Tree Search with Decision Feedback", IEEE Trans. on Magnetics, Vol. 30, No. 5, September 1994; and Abbott et al, "Timing Recovery For Adaptive Decision Feedback Equalization of The Magnetic Storage Channel", Globecom'90 IEEE Global Telecommunications Conference 1990, San Diego, Calif., November 1990, pp.1794-1799; and Abbott et al, "Performance of Digital Magnetic Recording with Equalization and Offtrack Interference", IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, Vol. 27, No. 1, January 1991; and Cioffi et al, "Adaptive Equalization in Magnetic-Disk Storage Channels", IEEE Communication Magazine, February 1990; and Roger Wood, "Enhanced Decision Feedback Equalization", Intermag'90.

Channel quality circuit employing a test pattern generator in a sampled amplitude read channel for calibration


A vehicle motion state control device controls an actuator capable of regulating a vehicle motion state so that an actual yaw rate approaches a target yaw rate determined based on a steer angle and a vehicle speed, target yaw rate limit values for left and right turn directions of a vehicle are individually determined by a target yaw rate limit value determining mechanism based on detected lateral acceleration, detected vehicle speed, and predetermined set minimum lateral acceleration set in a direction opposite to that of the detected lateral acceleration; and target yaw rates for the left and right turn directions are determined by a target yaw rate determining mechanism while limiting them by the determined target yaw rate limit values. Thus, an oversteer control is started at an early timing when an abrupt steering operation at a large steer angle occurs which causes a phase difference to the yaw rate and the lateral acceleration.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle motion state control device that controls an actuator capable of regulating a motion state of a vehicle so that an actual yaw rate approaches a target yaw rate determined based on a steer angle and a vehicle speed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a vehicle motion state control device is already known from, for example, Japanese Patent No. 3214826.
However, in the motion state control device disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3214826, the limit lateral acceleration is estimated based on the fact that the lateral acceleration converted into an absolute value corresponds to a friction coefficient of a road surface, and a revolution angular speed determined by (lateral acceleration/vehicle speed) is set as a control target yaw rate whether the turning direction is left or right. Therefore, after the steering operation by a vehicle driver, an over steer control is not started until the yaw rate exceeds the revolution angular speed in the reverse direction. Therefore, when an abrupt steering operation at a large steer angle which causes a phase difference to yaw rate and lateral acceleration is performed, the over steer control is not started in some cases even when the yaw rate (rotation speed) is obviously large with respect to a locus angle rate (revolution speed) of the vehicle.


An electronic camera system includes a photographing ordering system and a photographing system. The photographing system includes an image sensor which photographs a subject and generates an image signal; a camera-side communication unit which communicates with the photographing ordering system; a subject judging unit which judges whether or not the subject is the person to be photographed based on the person identifying data when or after the subject is photographed; an image processing unit which generates the image data with the image signal; and a camera-side control unit which extracts the image data of which the person to be photographed has been photographed based on a judged result of the subject judging unit and transmits the extracted image data to the photographing ordering system.

In recent years, electronic cameras that convert a subject image into electricity and generate image data are rapidly being widespread. For such an electronic camera, an extension unit of a wireless communication device that transmits photographed image data to the outside is known (refer to non-patent document 1). Thus, for example, in the news field, it is becoming very common that image data photographed at site are transmitted to an editorial department through a communication line network and image data at site are obtained without a time lag.
In addition, in the news field, when photography is performed at a remote location, it may be difficult to properly employ photographers. Thus, when a subject needs to be photographed from many directions, it would be convenient if one photographer could operate a plurality of electronic cameras. With respect to this point, patent document 1 discloses a remote control tripod head system for video camera photography.
However, if a photographer at site cannot identify a person to be photographed, image data of the desired person cannot be obtained. If the number of frames to be photographed is large, the photographer or the editor needs to spend much time to select image data of the desired person. If the photographer at site has photographing orders from many editors, he or she may mistakenly transmit image data to them or forget to photograph desired people. The foregoing non-patent document 1 does not disclose any countermeasures against such problems.
The technique disclosed in the foregoing non-patent document allows one photographer to operate a plurality of cameras to photograph a subject from many directions. However, a slave camera that the photographer does not directly operate may not correctly frame a subject. Thus, there is yet room for improvement in the related art.
Patent document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. HEI 11-95313
Non-patent document: Digital single-lens reflex camera "D2H" catalog—Wireless Transmitter WT-1, NIKON CORPORATION, Sep. 15, 2003, p. 10

Electronic camera system, photographing ordering device and photographing system


A sewing machine is provided with an X-correction value input unit that corrects, in an X-direction, seam position with respect to a position of an opening, e.g., a circular hole, formed in a workpiece cloth by an opening forming mechanism, and an X-direction seam data correction unit that corrects seam data based on an X correction value inputted from the X-correction value input unit. The sewing machine can also be provided with an Y-correction input unit and a Y-direction seam data correction unit for correcting Y-direction information in the seam data. With the seam data corrected by the seam data correction units, a seam position can be corrected with respect to the position of the opening formed by the opening forming mechanism. The sewing machine is also provided with a stitch width correction input unit that is used for inputting a correction value of a stitch width of the seam, and a seam data correction unit that corrects the seam data based on the stitch width of the seam input by the stitch width correction input unit. The stitch width changes when the seam is stitched with the corrected seam data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a button holer sewing machine capable of forming a button hole seam in a workpiece cloth set on a feed bar by horizontally moving the feed bar and vertically moving a needle bar up and down with an electric motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been known a button holer sewing machine including a lower knffe and an upper hammer. The lower knife is positioned below the upper surface of the feed bar and retracted a predetermined distance behind a needle bar of the sewing machine. The hammer is provided above the lower knife so as to be pivotally movable toward the knife. When a workpiece cloth is set on the feed bar of the sewing machine and the start switch of the sewing machine is pressed, then the hammer pivots against the cloth so that the knife cuts a hole in the workpiece cloth. Next, the feed bar is moved frontwardly a distance determined by the above-described predetermined distance minus the sewing length, that is, the length of the button hole to be sewn. At this point, the sewing machine is started up. Next, the feed bar is moved in synchronization with vertical movements of the needle bar. The needle bar is pivoted in predetermined amounts. That is, when the needle bar is descending, it is alternately brought to an outer stitch position and an inner stitch position so that a desired hole seam is sewn.
Button holer sewing machines are capable of forming button hole seams using two methods: the first type is called the cut-first method, wherein sewing is performed after the hole is opened, and the second type is called the cut-last method, wherein the hole is opened after sewing is performed. A user selects the type of sewing method most appropriate to the user's need. When the cut-first method is used, seam data is prepared so as to stitch slightly inner side portions of the hole. On the other hand, when the cut-last method is used, seam data is prepared so as to stitch slightly outer side portions of the hole.
With the conventional button holer sewing machines, when the stitch width is to be changed, the pivotal amount of the needle bar between the inner stitch position and the outer stitch position is changed. It takes time even for a skilled worker to change the pivotal amount of the needle bar. Therefore, changing the stitch width lowers working efficiency.
Further, with conventional button holer sewing machines having a knife and hammer configuration, the lower knife must be frequently replaced to change the hole shape in accordance with the product to be produced. However, when the lower knife is attached with poor precision, holes are not opened at the ideal position with respect to the seam. The resultant button holes have a poor appearance. When the cut-last method is used, in the worst situation, the seams can be cut by the knife, thereby ruining the finished product. For this reason, the attachment of the lower knife must be performed by a skilled worker and with great care, which is troublesome.


Electrical assemblies including various complementary electrical components and plurality of cables are provided. Components of the electrical assemblies are configured such that respective signal conductor ends of the plurality of electrical cables can be isolated from one another and placed in electrical communication with the complementary electrical components using a conductive material. In accordance with some embodiments, the electrical assemblies include organizers that define respective pluralities of cavities and are configured to be attached to the complementary electrical components. In accordance with another embodiment, a leadframe assembly can define a plurality of cavities. The cavities of each of the pluralities of cavities are isolated from each other such that respective signal conductor ends of the plurality of electrical cables can be inserted into respective ones of the pluralities of cavities and placed into electrical communication with the respective complementary electrical components by filling the cavities with conductive material.

Electrical assemblies, such as electrical connectors, can include conductor carrying cables that can be configured to be placed into electrical communication with a complementary electrical component, such as an underlying substrate in the form of a printed circuit board. For example, respective conductor ends of a plurality of cables can be mounted to respective contact pads of a printed circuit board. A typical method of mounting cable conductor ends to the contact pads of a printed circuit board is to align the cable conductor ends such that they abut respective ones of the contact pads and to solder the cable conductor ends to the respective contact pads, for instance using a solder reflow process. However, during a typical solder reflow process, solder from a joint between a particular conductor end and a corresponding first contact pad can flow onto an adjacent second contact pad, thereby creating an undesirable short circuit between the first and second contact pads and the cable conductors mounted to them.


A dialog for entry of uniform resource locators is provided with options, selected by actuation of a radio button, for entering blocks containing a resource identifier, a domain identifier, and a filename extension. The block text is visually distinguished from text entered by single characters from a physical or virtual keyboard. Once entered, the blocks are treated in a unitary manner for the purposes of deletion or substitution, with backspaces or deletes removing the entire block add selection of alternative options replacing the entire block. Character strings entered manually may be compared to the text blocks associated with the options provided and, when a match is identified, replaced with the block form to facilitate form checking of the composed uniform resource locator before returning it to the underlying application.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to applications utilizing uniform resource locators and in particular to dialog boxes within applications for entry of uniform resource locators. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a mechanism within application dialog boxes reducing the potential for incorrect entry of uniform resource locators.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many applications currently utilized in connection with the Internet employ uniform resource locators (URLs) to identify files to be retrieved or otherwise manipulated. A uniform resource locator typically includes: a resource identifier, such as "HTTP://", "FTP://", or "GOPHER://"; a domain name identifying the system to be accessed utilizing the specified resource, such as "www.irs.gov" or "us.ibm.com"; and a directory path and filename identifying the file to be retrieved, executed, or otherwise manipulated.
Within user interfaces for an application, uniform resource locators are difficult to enter in dialog boxes. The component portions of a uniform resource locator appear esoteric and/or difficult to comprehend to novice users. Uniform resource locators include special characters such as colons, backslashes (/), and often tildes (.about.). Despite these difficulties, however, applications such a browsers which employ uniform resource locators may be extremely exacting. These applications require that uniform resource locators be entered correctly or an error will result, generally with little helpful corrective information provided by the application.
Due to their complexity and lack of intuitiveness, users frequently enter uniform resource locators incorrectly. The problem is exacerbated by the growing use of virtual keyboards, in which the keys are displayed within the user interface of, for example, a set-top box system. Virtual (or "soft") keyboards are difficult to use, slower, and more error prone than conventional keyboards. One problem in particular which arises from utilization of virtual keyboards is the number of views. Virtual keyboards typically require separate views for lower case letters, upper case letters, and special characters. The necessity of switching between views when entering a uniform resource locator contributes to the likelihood of errors and may be exasperating for the user.
As utilization of the Internet increases, uniform resource locators are similarly expanded. For example, seven additional top level domain names were recently added to the existing three: ".com", ".edu", and ".gov". The new domains include: ".org", ".net", ".store", ".firm", ".web", ".arts", and ".rec". Such expansions further complicate the problems associated with accurate entry of a uniform resource locator. As the number of top level domain names expands, users may find it difficult to recall which domain contains the Web site which they wish to contact.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a mechanism simplifying entry of uniform resource locators within applications and reducing the potential for incorrect entry of uniform resource locators. It would further be advantageous if the mechanism facilitated entry of the correct uniform resource locator by a user.

Universal resource locator dialog with extended top level domains

International Business Machines Corporation


A method and device for tinnitus therapy. The method includes generating pure sounds, each having a predetermined frequency, within an audible range, and waiting for a user to press an input button when the user hears the pure sound. Then, the hearing characteristics of the user are interpreted in conjunction with equal loudness contours. From this interpretation, either a tinnitus masking method or a tinnitus retraining therapy are selected according to the hearing characteristics of the user.

1. Field of the Invention
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention relate to tinnitus therapy, and more particularly, to treating tinnitus by selecting either a masking method or a retraining therapy.
2. Description of the Related Art
Tinnitus is a condition which causes a person to perceive noises in their ear when no external sound is present, due to an abnormal stimulus of a hearing nerve. It is caused by a disease of the ear, mental excitement, or a vascular disorder. Tinnitus often takes the form of a ringing sound, which may be intermittent or constant, varies from low to high pitch, and occurs usually in one ear or sometimes in both ears.
Between 15 and 20 percent of adults have experienced some type of tinnitus, and 4 percent of those have suffered from serious symptoms. The most typical cause of the tinnitus is damage to the hearing nerve, and in middle age, the hearing nerve can be somewhat degenerated or damaged, and thereby, ringing in the ears may occur. Recently it has been noted that exposure to loud noises such as industrial noise, loud music, and the use of stereo headphones commonly induces tinnitus. Other causes vary from too much earwax to a serious disease.
As the causes of tinnitus are diverse, treatments are varied, including medication, surgery for conditions such as a brain tumor, vascular disease and muscle disease, a masking method which masks the perception of the tinnitus using a hearing aid-style device that produces a noise similar to, but louder than the tinnitus sound, and a tinnitus retraining therapy in which a quieter sound than the tinnitus is constantly provided, ranging over a wide frequency spectrum, to treat the tinnitus without accompanying hearing loss.
Tinnitus treatments have been continuously studied to develop various tinnitus treatment devices. U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,074 entitled 'Programmable hearing aid operable in a mode for tinnitus therapy' discloses a programmable digital hearing aid including a signal converter, an amplifier, a digital signal processor, a memory, and acoustoelectrical input and output transducers. The programmable digital hearing aid is operable in a mode for tinnitus therapy using a tinnitus masking method. U.S. Pat. No. 6,610,019 entitled 'Method and device for treatment of monofrequency tinnitus utilizing sound wave cancellation techniques' discloses a method and device for treating monofrequency tinnitus patients utilizing wave cancellation techniques, which includes a sound generator, a pair of headphones, and a phase shift network. Also, the patent discloses another device including a means for selectively coupling a phase shifted output wave to remove a tinnitus tone transmitted to a patient. U.S. Pat. No. 6,682,472 entitled 'Tinnitus rehabilitation device and method' discloses a device and method which provide an audio signal spectrally modified in accordance with a predetermined masking algorithm designed to modify the intensity of the audio signal at a selected frequency, and this tinnitus rehabilitation device may be employed in conjunction with a personal music player.
However, since the related art does not consider the hearing characteristics of individuals, and attempts to uniformly treat tinnitus patients having different symptoms, a therapy suitable for each patient cannot be provided.


A housing assembly for a mobile device includes a cover formed from optically transmissive material, and opaque material formed over a portion of the cover. The opaque material is arranged to define a display portion which is optically transmissive. The housing assembly further includes a frame sized to receive the cover, and a first housing structured to couple with the frame, such that the cover, the frame, and the first housing are structured to define an enclosure sized to contain electrical components for the mobile device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile device, and in particular to a housing assembly for a mobile device.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a related art mobile device having a first body 110 slideably coupled to second body 120. The first body includes outer case 114, which is structured to receive display window 112 and auxiliary key pad 116. The display window cooperates with an underlying display, and the auxiliary keypad permits user input and operation of various functions of the mobile device. The second body includes main keypad 122, which is designed to receive input from a user.
Display window 112 and auxiliary keypad 116 are typically mounted as separate components in outer case 114. However, the manufacturing and assembly process is complicated because these elements are separate components.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Wound care device comprising chitosan, said chitosan being capable of absorbing liquid to form a swollen, coherent gel, and said chitosan being in the form of fibres having been modified by treatment with acid in a solvent which is not able to dissolve the chitosan fibres and by treatment with heat.

In the treatment of exuding wounds there is a need for an absorbent dressing being capable of adapting to the conformation of the individual wound. This may be done by using fibre dressings or hydrogels.
Wound care devices comprising fibres may be based on polysaccharide fibres, which are usually water insoluble, but water absorbing. They are in general based on alginate or CMC. Wound care products such as dressings or fillers based on alginate or CMC, may be able to absorb up to 15–25 g exudate/gram product, with limited swellablity and gellability. These fibre dressings/fillers are normally supplied as sterile.
The use of fibres often suffers from the drawback of a limited absorption and/or lack of cohesion, leading to difficulties with respect to removing the fibre product from the wound as the product does not constitute a cohesive part.
Methods of preparing alginate fibres are well known. Normally sodium alginate is completely converted into insoluble calcium alginate fibres. Methods for enhancing the solubility of alginate fibres are also well known. International Patent Application No. WO 94/17227 discloses a method for preparing highly absorbent alginate fibres by conversion of calcium alginate fibres into alginic acid fibres.
In International Patent Application No. WO 94/16746 is disclosed a process of preparing carboxy methyl cellulose fibres which are gellable, but still coherent enough to be removed from a wound in one piece.
European Patent Application No. 627 225 discloses a method for preparing a superabsorbent chitosan powder, being capable of absorbing liquid many times it own weight by forming a transparent gel. This is done by treating the powderous chitosan with an acid, preferably a hydroxy carbon acid like lactic acid or hydroxy butylic acid. The resulting powder is capable of absorbing high amounts of water by forming a gel.
The acid-modified chitosan disclosed in EP 627 225 A2 is suitable for use as a superabsorbent in diapers and like products, in which the powdered material will be encapsulated and little or no coherence is demanded. However, the reference is silent with respect to preparation of highly coherent material, for use in e.g. wound care products.
Published Japanese Patent Application No. JP 9-69654-A discloses a method for preparing partly deacetylated chitin fibres for wound care. The preferred chitin material has a deacetylation degree of max. 90%, preferably 40–60%. The material is not used as an absorbent, but as a haemostatic agent for stopping bleeding wounds.
In European Patent Application No. 171 254 is disclosed chitin fibres being treated in an aqueous solution with acid and elevated temperature. The fibres remain their structure due to the fact that chitin is not soluble in an acidic aqueous solution.
Contrary to chitin, chitosan is soluble in an acidic aqueous solution.
International Patent Application No. 97/29132 discloses chitosan being dissolved in a weak acidic aqueous solution. The chitosan is treated with a carboxylic acid polyanhydride as a cross-linking agent. The resulting hydrogel may subsequently be processed into powders or fibres.
Thus, there still is a need for a wound care device comprising a material being capable of absorbing large amount of liquid by gelling, having a three-dimensional structure in the form of fibres, and having a high degree of cohesion after absorption. The need is fulfilled by the wound care device of the present invention.


One method of forming a part includes deforming a shape memory polymer from a permanent shape into a temporary shape, where the permanent shape of the shape memory polymer is a predetermined part shape and the temporary shape is a shape larger than the predetermined part shape. The shape memory polymer in each of the permanent shape and the temporary shape defines a cavity therein. The method further includes introducing a molding material into the cavity of the shape memory polymer, and reverting the shape memory polymer back into its permanent shape. Other methods for forming the part are also disclosed herein.

Various automotive and/or aerospace parts including, for example, structural parts, internal cabin parts, and/or the like are often formed using conventional molding processes such as compression molding, injection molding, extrusion molding, blow molding, etc. Although the foregoing molding processes tend to be suitable for forming parts having relatively simple geometries, difficulties may arise when molding parts having geometries with higher complexity. For example, a part may include one or more small, intricate features that may, in some instances, render molding the part using conventional molding techniques rather difficult. Yet further, such small, intricate features may hinder or even prevent removal of the part from a molding tool once the component is formed. In these cases, additional removal procedures using additional machinery and/or materials may be needed to remove the part from the molding tool, which may, in some instances, increase forming time and/or costs and/or energy consumption associated with such removal procedures.

Methods of forming a part using shape memory polymers


A switch arrangement is disclosed. The arrangement comprises a number of switches arranged on a substrate, each switch having a resiliently deformable conductive dome for making an electrical connection with a corresponding contact on the substrate; and a number of signal lines for connection to a microprocessor for signalling an operation of a switch. The switches are arranged such that operation of any given switch creates a unique electrical connection between two of the signal lines and each of the signal lines is electrically connected to a conductive surface of a respective dome. Also disclosed is a cover for a portable electronic apparatus, having a number of user operable keys. The keys are connectable to a microprocessor in the apparatus via electrical connections made using the conductive domes.

A keypad device, for example as used on a portable telephone, comprises several individual keys. A typical keypad on a portable telephone generally comprises keys for the digits 0–9 as well as the special keys * and #. Additional menu and functions keys, such as volume control, cursor control and call answer/reject keys are generally provided also.


A method for forming a semiconductor device includes forming a dielectric layer over a substrate. The method further includes forming a select gate layer over the dielectric layer. The method further includes etching the select gate layer at a first etch rate to form a first portion of a sidewall of a select gate, wherein the step of etching the select gate layer at the first etch rate includes using an oxidizing agent to oxidize at least a top portion of the substrate underlying the dielectric layer to form an oxide layer. The method further includes etching the select gate layer at a second etch rate lower than the first etch rate to form a second portion of the sidewall of the select gate, wherein the step of etching the select gate layer at the second etch rate includes removing only a top portion of the dielectric layer.

1. Field
This disclosure relates generally to semiconductor processing, and more specifically, to split gate devices.
2. Related Art
Split gate devices, which include both a select gate and a control gate, are typically used as bitcell storage devices within nonvolatile memory arrays. The use of a separate select gate for the bitcells in such arrays allows for improved isolation and reduced bitcell disturb during programming and reading of the bitcells. For example, program disturb is reduced for memory cells that are unselected but are either on the selected row or, in the alternative, on the selected column. Normally, cells on the selected row or the selected column are the most likely to be a problem for disturb regardless of the operation that is being performed on a selected cell. With the split gate memory cell having substantially solved the program disturb problem for cells on the selected rows or columns, a disturb problem with cells on unselected rows and unselected columns has become significant. One of the reasons is that the particular stress that is applied for cells on unselected rows and columns is applied for many more cycles than for a stress that is applied for cells on a selected row or column. Also, due to the length of the select gates and control gates, reduced drive current is obtained which degrades reading performance.


Piezoelectric transducers and associated methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, a piezoelectric transducer includes a support member, a piezoelectric element attached to the support member, and a pressurized chamber at one side of the piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element comprises a flexible film, and the pressurized chamber contains a fluid that applies a static pressure to a side of the piezoelectric element.

Laminated piezoelectric transducers have been used for acoustic transduction, fluid pumping, and power generation using flexure. Examples of acoustic applications include piezoelectric microphones, speakers, and piezoelectric pickups for electrically amplified instruments. Piezoelectric sensors are also used with high frequency sound in ultrasonic transducers for medical imaging.
In an effort to improve the performance of piezoelectric transducers, researchers have explored the properties of a device consisting of a curved piezoelectric diaphragm. Such approaches use the curvature of the diaphragm to convert extensional strains into radial motions, rather than relying upon flexure. This vibration is often referred to as the uniform mode. For this mode, it has been found that the resonance frequency and displacement amplitude of the curved diaphragm is inversely proportional to the radius of curvature, thus allowing for a magnification of radial displacements that cause acoustic waves in the surrounding medium. The investigations have also shown that clamped boundaries and extensional stresses cause additional flexural vibrations. The first natural frequency of the flexural mode is lower than that for the uniform mode, making it potentially useful for some applications. Experimental measurements and numerical computations have shown that the magnitude of the flexural vibrations is on the same order as those of the uniform mode. However, the flexural mode does not vibrate in phase across the diaphragm surface, leading to poor acoustic coupling to the surrounding medium.


A mouse device includes an upper cover, an intermediate cover, a lower cover, a circuit board, and two switches. Two protrusion posts of the upper cover are respectively penetrated through two perforations of the intermediate cover. Two first pivotal parts of the upper cover are respectively connected with two second pivotal parts of the intermediate cover. The upper cover is fixedly connected to an annular sidewall of the lower cover. The circuit board and the two switches are disposed on the lower cover. When the upper cover is rotated relative to the intermediate cover through the two first pivotal parts and two second pivotal parts, one of the two switches is triggered by the corresponding protrusion post so as to generate a corresponding electronic signal. The use of the present mouse device can prevent from introducing foreign matters, reduce the depressing force and avoid erroneously triggering the switch.

In the conventional computer system, a mouse device is widely used to control a cursor position or a page scrolling action of a display screen of the computer system. In the conventional mouse device, an upper cover is usually divided into a left button zone and a right button zone. When the left button zone or the right button zone is pressed down, a corresponding switch on a circuit board is triggered. However, since the upper cover of the conventional mouse device is divided into the left button zone and the right button zone, a seam is formed at a middle region of the upper cover. Under this circumstance, the integrity of the entire outer appearance of the mouse device is restricted and destroyed. In addition, the use of the conventional mouse device is limited. For most users, since the index finger and the middle finger are frequently placed on the left button zone and the right button zone, respectively, the design of the conventional mouse device is detrimental to the hand care of the user. Moreover, due to the above limitations, the conventional mouse device fails to provide a multi-touch function.
For solving the above drawbacks, a key-free mouse has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,164,412 for example. Hereinafter, the structure of the key-free mouse will be illustrated with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a schematic exploded view illustrating a conventional key-free mouse.
First of all, the components of the mouse device 1 will be illustrated. The mouse device 1 comprises an upper cover 10, a lower cover 11, and a circuit board 12. The upper cover 10 comprises two pivotal shafts 101 and two pressing parts 102. The two pivotal shafts 101 are located at a front side and a rear side of the upper cover 10, respectively. The two pressing parts 102 are located at a left side and a right side of the upper cover 10, respectively. The lower cover 11 comprises two fastening slots 111. The two fastening slots 111 are located at a front side and a rear side of the lower cover 11, respectively. Moreover, the mouse device 1 further comprises two springs 13, a first switch 14, and a second switch 15. The first switch 14 and the second switch 15 are disposed on a top surface of the circuit board 12. The two springs 13 are disposed on the first switch 14 and the second switch 15, respectively.
For assembling the mouse device 1, the circuit board 12 is firstly disposed on the lower cover 11. The upper cover 10 is connected with the lower cover 11 from the top side of the circuit board 12. Moreover, the two pivotal shafts 101 are inserted into the two fastening slots 111, respectively. Consequently, the upper cover 10 is rotatable relative to the lower cover 11. In addition, after the upper cover 10 is connected with the lower cover 11, the first switch 14 and the second switch 15 are disposed under the two pressing parts 102, respectively. Moreover, the two pressing parts 102 are connected with the two springs 13, respectively.
When a left side of the upper cover 10 of the mouse device 1 (i.e. the left side of the right-handed user who operates the mouse device 1) or a right side of the upper cover 10 of the mouse device 1 (i.e. the right side of the right-handed user who operates the mouse device 1) is depressed by the user, the upper cover 10 is rotated relative to the lower cover 11. As the upper cover 10 is rotated relative to the lower cover 11, a corresponding pressing part 102 of the two pressing parts 102 is moved downwardly to push a contact part 141 of the first switch 14 or a contact part 151 of the second switch 15. Consequently, a corresponding command is executed by the computer.
When the left side or the right side of the upper cover 10 of the mouse device 1 is no longer depressed by the user, in response to the restoring forces of the two springs 13, the upper cover 10 is returned to its original position where the upper cover 10 has not been depressed.
From the above discussions about the conventional key-free mouse device 1, the upper cover 10 is rotatable relative to the lower cover 11 by means of the two pivotal shafts 101 and the two fastening slots 111. Consequently, the first switch 14 or the second switch 15 on the circuit board 12 is correspondingly triggered.
However, the conventional key-free mouse device 1 still has some drawbacks. For example, after the upper cover 10 and the lower cover 11 are combined together, the upper cover 10 and the lower cover 11 are not completely sealed. Moreover, the circuit board 12 is disposed on the lower cover 11. When the upper cover 10 is rotated in a direction toward the left side or the right side and tilted, a vacant space between the upper cover 10 and the lower cover 11 is possibly too large. Consequently, the dust or other foreign matters may be introduced into the conventional key-free mouse device 1 through the vacant space. Under this circumstance, the circuit board 12 of the mouse device 1 and the electronic components on the circuit board 12 are possibly suffered from damage or malfunction, and the use life of the mouse device 1 is shortened.
Moreover, since the two springs 13 are respectively disposed on the first switch 14 and the second switch 15, the user's fingers have to be placed on the upper cover 10 at the positions corresponding to the first switch 14 and the second switch 15. In addition, the forces exerted on the first switch 14 and the second switch 15 should be large enough in order to trigger the first switch 14 and the second switch 15. Under this circumstance, the tactile feel is strengthened. As known, the strengthened tactile feel is detrimental to hand care.
Moreover, the user usually holds the sidewall of the mouse device in order to move the mouse device or perform any other appropriate operation. Since the sidewall of the mouse device 1 is extended from the upper cover 10, the user fails to stably hold the sidewall of the mouse device 1 during operation of the mouse device 1. Moreover, during the process of moving the mouse device 1, the upper cover 10 is possibly pushed by the user. Under this circumstance, the first switch 14 or the second switch 15 may be erroneously triggered.
Therefore, there is a need of providing an improved key-free mouse device in order to eliminate the above drawbacks of the conventional key-free mouse device.


In an image reading apparatus, a retreat control device moves a conveyance target through a conveyance mechanism, when a stop operation is performed by a stop control device, in an opposite direction to an image reading direction to a position further from a restart reference position set by a position setting unit. A reading control device again moves the conveyance target, which has been moved by the retreat control device, at a constant speed in the image reading direction under a predetermined condition; inputs a line start signal to a reading unit when an offset time set by a time setting unit has elapsed from a time point when the conveyance target reaches the restart reference position; and periodically inputs a line start signal to thereby cause the reading unit to perform a reading operation from a point; where the reading unit is located when the offset time has elapsed.

This invention relates to an image reading apparatus that changes a relative position between a reading unit and a reading target to read an image line by line.
There are known image reading apparatuses, such as a flat-bed type image reading apparatus and an auto document feeder-type (ADF-type) image reading apparatus. In the flat-bed type image reading apparatus, a reading target (a document) remains in a stationary state, and a reading unit performs reading operation while being conveyed over the reading target to thereby read image information of the reading target. In the ADF-type image reading apparatus, a reading unit remains in a fixed state and reads image information of a reading target (a document) while the reading target is conveyed over the reading unit.
Another type of image reading apparatus includes, as a reading unit, a CCD line sensor having a plurality of light receiving elements (photo diodes) aligned along a line direction. In this type of image reading apparatus, pixel data is generated depending on electric charges accumulated in the respective light receiving elements, and pixel data for one line is arranged to generate line image data.
A pulse motor and a DC (Direct Current) motor are known conventional drive sources for conveying the reading unit. The pulse motor is commonly used due to easiness in position control and convenience in configuring a control system of the pulse motor. A pulse motor, however, has disadvantages that noise and power consumption during driving are larger than in a DC motor and that scanning speed during driving is slower than in a DC motor. Therefore, in these days, development of an image reading apparatus, in which a DC motor is employed as a driving source, is performed actively for the purpose of reducing noise and power consumption and improving speediness during driving.


A drum brake device that functions as a leading-trailing (LT) type when the service brake is applied, and as a duo-servo (DS) type when the parking brake is applied, in which no strange noises are generated, nor is any impact load applied to any of the components, thus enabling a lighter device. The middle segment of a long link 11is pivotable in the middle of the one brake shoe 2. A shoe clearance adjustment device 12 is provided adjacent to a service brake actuator 8 between the other brake shoe 3 and the one end of the long link 11. A parking brake actuator 16 is provided adjacent to an anchor 9 and between the other brake shoe 3 and the other end of the long link 11. The force urging the second adjacent ends of the brake shoes toward each other, is greater than the force urging the first adjacent ends of the brake shoes toward each other.

This invention relates to a drum brake device. More specifically, it relates to a dual mode drum brake device that functions as a leading-trailing (LT) type when the service brake is applied, and as a duo-servo (DS) type when the parking brake is applied.
This type of dual mode drum brake device has been disclosed in Australian Patent Number AU-B1-53 491/79. Briefly, as shown in FIG. 12, a pair of brake shoes b, c are provided on top of a back plate a. An anchor block d is provided between the adjacent ends of each brake shoe. Two coil springs e, f bias the respective brake shoes in the direction of the anchor block. A hydraulic cylinder g is provided between the other adjacent ends of each brake shoe. A return spring h, provided adjacent to the hydraulic cylinder, biases the two brake shoes towards each other. The parking brake lever j is pivoted on one end i of one brake shoe b. An idler lever k is pivoted so as to swing on the other brake shoe c. A first and second rod I, m are provided between the two brake shoes b, c, wherein one end n of the first rod I engages the parking brake lever j, and the other end o engages the idler lever k. One end p of the second rod m engages the one brake shoe b, while the other end q engages both the other brake shoe c and the idler lever k.
The drum brake device as described above needs the following areas of improvement:
When the parking brake is applied, the adjacent ends of each side of both brake shoes move apart to spread apart the whole brake shoe assembly. In other words, the one end of both shoes also separate at once from the anchor block. When the brake drum which is interlocked with the wheels starts to rotate with the device in this state both brake shoes, the rods, and other components all turn in tandem, wherein one or the other brake shoe collides against the anchor block. The noise so generated is disconcerting to the driver. Additionally, since this impact load is applied repeatedly on the anchor block, the strength of the components becomes critical.
The cumulative effect of the tolerances of each component will be such that the idler lever could abut against the second rod or play could be generated. At the very least, play will be generated when the driver steps on the brake pedal. Accordingly, the idler lever could vibrate creating a strange noise when the vehicle is in motion or the foot brake is applied. Again, this noise can be disconcerting to the driver.


An end cap assembly for a reciprocating air motor comprises a pilot valve and an end cap body. The pilot has a valve stem. The end cap body comprises a central bore for receiving an air motor rod, a valve bore in which the pilot valve is disposed such that the valve stem extends through the end cap body, and an air port extending through the end cap body. The air port has a contour to direct air toward the valve stem.

The present invention is directed generally to reciprocating piston pumps and more particularly to pilot valves used in reciprocating air motors used to drive reciprocating piston pumps.
Reciprocating piston pumps typically include an air-driven motor that converts a steady flow of compressed air into linear reciprocation of an air motor rod using an appropriate reversing valve and a pair of pilot valves, as is known in the art. The air motor rod is then used to drive a linearly reciprocating pump piston that can be configured to pump in both directions using appropriate check valves. These types of linearly reciprocating double-acting piston pumps are commonly used in lubrication dispensing systems to deliver highly viscous lubricants, such as oil or grease.
The reversing valve itself reciprocates to alternatively direct compressed air from a source to opposite sides of an air piston within the air motor to produce the reciprocating action of the pump piston. Reciprocation of the reversing valve is controlled by two pilot valves that engage the air piston at changeover positions to pneumatically change the position of the reversing valve. Engagement of the air piston with one of the pilot valves causes compressed air from the source to be directed to the opposite side of the reversing valve. For example, operation of such a valve combination is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,943,823 to Tammy.
Compressed air provided to the air motor can include small dust and dirt particles, despite efforts to prevent entry of these particles into the air motor. Prolonged exposure to dust and dirt can degrade performance of moving parts and ultimately lead to failure. Pilot valves include a valve stem that can be subject to cyclic operation upwards of hundreds of actuations per minute. Dust and dirt can cause the valve stems and seals placed around them to prematurely wear out. Replacement of the pilot valves is costly and inconvenient to operators of the air motor. There is, therefore, a continuing need to improve the wear life of moving parts in air motors.

Method to prevent debris build-up on reciprocating air motor pilot valves


An apparatus for processing green waste comprising a sectional rotatable drum having therein as components a plurality of first blade members, a plurality of second smaller blade members, a plurality of longitudinal platforms each having teeth-like projections on their perimeter, a plurality of spikes, and an end cap with radial members thereon to retain larger material within. The radial members have additional teeth-like members thereon to further assist in the processing of green waste. Upon discharge of the processed green waste, one or more screening members adjacent to a discharge end permit passage of varying sizes of processed material. The components, including the teeth-like members on the radial members, may be removable.

The current manner of processing discarded vegetation and wood, referred to as green waste, entails grinding the green waste in one device and then sifting or screening the usable material in another device; generally an open-top tub-like grinder, referred to as a tub grinder, having large hammers, teeth or blades impacting material under very high torque. The device operates in a blender-like fashion. Problems associated with this method include the generation and release into the environment of volumes of dust and debris, movement of large volumes of ground material to another device for screening processed waste, and limited sifting and sorting options. Plastic container bags of green waste must be opened and trash therein sorted before being placed into a grinder. The grinder also receives grass, sand, dust, and other small particles not requiring grinding by such a device. This grass, sand, dust, and smaller particles cause excessive wear on the grinder due in part to the moisture or coarseness of the material.
Green waste is loaded into the tub grinder from the top. In addition to the hammer and teeth or blades, the grinder relies on gravity and the weight of the material in its processing. Because of this operating principal, the motor to operate this grinder and turn the grinding tools burdened by the weight of the materials thereon must be extremely powerful. In spite of its power, it is not suited for fibrous materials such as palm tree waste (palms, trunk, and bark) and yucca plants and moist material such as ice plant and grass. These green waste materials cause the grinder generally to become impeded in its operation or to jam.
In addition, this grinder is costly to manufacture and is expensive to operate. Excessive jamming and down time adversely affect its efficiency and effectiveness. Because huge quantities are loaded into the grinder from the top, it is difficult to screen out unsuitable green waste. Large metal objects or rocks can damage or break the hammer and teeth. To provide for such screening requires manpower thereby further increasing the cost of operation.
Though the grinder can process such material quickly, it generally does so much more quickly than most recycling processing centers receive such material to process. Because of this, and because of the costs to maintain and to operate the grinder, these recycling processing centers usually collect and stockpile their green waste until'such time that a sufficient volume has been received to make operation of the grinder cost-efficient. Grinding, therefore, is periodic. These delays in processing result in a decomposition of the material with the concomitant creation and emission of unpleasant odors. The present invention processes the material as it is received and aerates the processed material thereby precluding the creation and emission of unpleasant odors.
Another waste processor is found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,930,799, issued to Eweson on Jan. 6, 1976. This apparatus is designed for producing organic fertilizer by fermentation. It provides for a large rotatable drum and a series of blades and chains within to grind materials placed therein. It best operates with several compartments within the drum to permit the ground material to stand and ferment and to pass through apertures between the inner compartments to the next compartment. Excluded from processing are materials such as wood. The drum, with its interior configuration, is designed to rotate slowly, about 10-60 revolutions per hour. The Eweson apparatus is not suited for green waste and wood materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,614,003 issued on Oct. 19, 1971, to Tremolada processes scrap lead batteries. It has a rotatable drum with a decreasing diameter from beginning to end, lifting wings (or platforms) for lifting the batteries and dropping and crushing them against the opposite side wall of the drum as it rotates, a continuous spiral bar to move the material within from front to rear as it processes, and a screening means to permit passage of finely processed materials. This device, like the prior patented apparatus is not suited for processing green waste and wood.


An electro-optical device includes: a substrate; a plurality of wiring lines which is formed on the substrate; and an IC which is mounted on the substrate so as to be electrically connected to the plurality of wiring lines. At least a pair of wiring lines among the plurality of wiring lines include a first conductive layer formed on the substrate and a second conductive layer formed on at least the first conductive layer. The first conductive layer and the second conductive layer have different resistance values. The first conductive layer of one of the pair of wiring lines has a plurality of first resistors each extending toward the other wiring line, and the second conductive layer of the other wiring line has a second resistor extending toward the one wiring line. The plurality of first resistors is connected to the second resistor.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an electro-optical device and an electronic apparatus suitable for displaying various information items.
2. Related Art
Various electro-optical devices, such as a liquid crystal display device, an organic electroluminescent display device, a plasma display device, and a field emission display device, have been known in recent years. In the liquid crystal display device, which is an example of the electro-optical device, liquid crystal is injected between a substrate having, for example, a plurality of signal electrodes formed thereon and a counter substrate having, for example, a plurality of scanning electrodes formed thereon.
There has been disclosed a liquid crystal display device capable of accurately displaying an image having high brightness without any variation in output by providing a resistor pattern composed of an indium tin oxide (ITO) layer on the surface of a glass substrate and by trimming the resistor pattern on the surface of the glass substrate to reduce the resistance value thereof (for example, see JP-UM-A-6-36037).
In general, in the liquid crystal display device, the resistor pattern composed of the ITO layer having a large resistance value is removed to reduce the resistance value of the resistor pattern. Therefore, the liquid crystal display device has a limit in which it can minutely adjust the resistance value of the resistor pattern.

Electro-optical device, method of manufacturing the same, and electronic apparatus


A device includes a Through-Assembly Via (TAV) Module, which includes a substrate, a plurality of through-vias penetrating through the substrate, and a second plurality of metal posts at a bottom surface of the TAV module and electrically coupled to the plurality of through-vias. A polymer includes a first portion between and contacting sidewalls of the first package component and the TAV module, a second portion disposed between the first plurality of metal posts, and a third portion disposed between the second plurality of metal posts. A first plurality of Redistribution Lines (RDLs) is underlying a bottom surface of the second and the third portions of the polymer. A second plurality of RDLs is over the first package component and the TAV module. The first plurality of RDLs is electrically coupled to the second plurality of RDLs through the plurality of through-vias in the TAV module.

In a conventional Package-on-Package (POP) process, a top package is bonded to a bottom package. The top package and bottom package may also have device dies packaged therein. By adopting the PoP process, the integration level of the packages may be increased.
In an existing PoP process, the bottom package is formed first, which includes a device die bonded to a package substrate. A molding compound is then molded on the package substrate, wherein the device die is molded in the molding compound. The package substrate further includes solder balls formed thereon, wherein the solder balls and the device die are on a same side of the package substrate. The solder balls are used for connecting the top package to the bottom package. Accordingly, the heights of the solder balls need to be greater than the thickness of the device die, so that the top portions of the solder balls may protrude above the top surface of the device die, and above the top surface of the molding compound. Accordingly, the lateral sizes of the solder balls are also large, and the amount of the solder balls that can be used in a PoP structure is limited.

PoP structures including through-assembly via modules

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


A remote communications node unit (86) determines radio frequency (RF) dynamic spectrum utilization for use in a RF communications network (154) and includes a measuring module (46) for measuring radio frequency (RF) interference at a location of the communications node unit (86). A processing module (62) receives RF measurement data from the measuring module (46) for determining RF interference in a local environment of the remote communications node (86) based upon selected factors of the type including mission priority parameters, channel availability statistics, link dynamic information, and the waveform dependent susceptibility data. The processing module (62) controls communications frequency and characteristics used by the remote communications module (86) for exchange of information with other remote communications nodes (86).

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to the field of communication systems and particularly to systems for frequency spread bandwidth allocation.
2. Background Art
Many communication systems have ever increasing problems with available spectrum. There are many problems associated with the lack of radio frequency (RF) spectrum. Interference associated with many systems is a significant cause of lack of spectrum bandwidth. The present invention is believed to dramatically improve the spectrum allocation and re-use by using interference detection, discrimination and rating techniques and methods. The techniques go beyond the known frequency policy methods and hardware implementations that have been used in the past as well as those currently being used.
Traditional co-site interference can be described as Radio Frequency (RF) energy present within a set area or facility that causes interference and degradation of communication links and systems. Internal interference sources consist mostly of fundamental RF power, broadband noise, and spurious transmissions originating from co-located transmitters. These transmissions not only interfere with defined communication channels and frequencies, but also degrade and reduce the overall available spectrum that is not used at any particular time.
Traditional co-site solutions consist of complex and unique hardware implementations of antenna directivity, agile RF filtering and combining with other high power techniques, such as interference cancellation phase inversion systems (also known as ICS systems). These solutions are geared toward solving the problems within the platform defined RF channels and frequencies respectively.
RF Interference that does not originate within a given site by design or "as is" can be described as interference that is external or unknown. Sometimes this type of interference can be described as non-directed innocent transmissions or can also be described as directed or hostile transmissions. Intentional jamming is a directed intentional interferer. The dynamic spectrum utilization ("DSU") methods and techniques of the present invention can help differentiate the sources of interferences as described subsequently. The differentiation augments frequency management systems that otherwise may make incorrect decisions on where a communication system may or may not transmit in. Interference blind re-try methods are usually very poor in trying to re-establish a link failure or a link's data performance.
There are many forms of normal RF interference that are not intentionally intended to interfere with communications systems. Typical sources are existing communication systems such as TV and FM transmissions, mobile communication systems such as Cellular systems, municipality transmission systems such as police, fire and rescue, general aviation, and air traffic control radar and guidance. Recently, the family radio service ("FRS") bands are also sources of new external interference. Additionally, government and military systems, as well as other systems, may be causes of interference. These systems are usually well enough defined that they can be discriminated from one another by known signal processing techniques.
Hostile interference can be described as transmissions that are intentionally intended to disrupt, degrade, cause failure or destroy communication systems. These can be categorized into rough transmissions by individuals or tactical jamming systems developed by militaries and nations. The present DSU methods and techniques discriminate these intended transmissions.
Many other sources of interference can be identified. Items such as power-lines, computers and machinery can cause interference. Many of these can be mitigated by standard electronic design practices such as power supply de-coupling, filtering, and mechanical shielding techniques. These will not be extensively referenced herein, but should be similarly addressed by the present invention. The majority of the present DSU methods will describe and discriminate the aforementioned sources of interference as a method to improve the allocation and usage of available spectrum.
All communication links also have range or distance limitations. These are dependent on things such as transmit power, receiver sensitivity, bandwidth, antenna gains and channel coding. When observing and classifying interference on a communications system, it is usually ideal to limit measured interference to emissions that are above the range and Signal to Noise requirements of the system in question. These limitations are used in formulating smart thresholds when rating available spectrum for a given communication link and its corresponding present range.
For example, in an end to end mobile communication system, as the pair gets closer to each other, the sensitivity requirements of each receiver unit or end gets easier to understand. By dynamically adjusting the availability threshold level when classifying whether a channel is available or not allows one to classify not only the sensitivity requirements of the receiver, but that of the transmitter as well. The ratings are based on the time—distance relationship of the link which better serve frequency allocation sub-systems decision processes.
Terrain limitations on communications links are usually defined as an obstruction such as a building, mountain or vegetation such as a forest. This limitation can be addressed with GPS coordinated mapping techniques and augmented by a number of methods such as ground or airborne relay sub-systems. Link failures in these cases are not attributed to available spectrum, but to physical terrain.
While the above cited references introduce and disclose a number of noteworthy advances and technological improvements within the art, none completely fulfills the specific objectives achieved by this invention.

Dynamic spectrum utilization techniques and methods


A credit-based data flow control method between a consumer device and a producer device. The method includes the steps of decrementing a credit counter for each transmission of a sequence of data by the producer device, arresting data transmission when the credit counter reaches zero, sending a credit each time the consumer device has consumed a data sequence and incrementing the credit counter upon receipt of each credit.

Flow control techniques seek to efficiently organize the transmission of data packets between a producer device and a consumer device located on two distinct nodes of a shared asynchronous transmission channel, e.g. a network.
Within the context of a credit-based flow control, a consumer has a buffer memory or input queue for each producer, which stores packets awaiting consumption. Each producer has a credit counter that starts at the size, in number of packets, of the input queue of the consumer.
At each packet transmission, the producer decrements counter. It stops transmission when its counter reaches zero.
Transmitted packets arrive in the input queue of the consumer. The latter, after consuming as number or packets in its queue, returns to the producer a credit indicative of the available space in the queue. Upon receiving the credit, the producer increments its counter by the corresponding number, which allows, it to continue the transmission of packets.
Optimizations of technique may consist in adjusting the threshold for sending credits so that the producer receives the credits before its counter reaches zero, while their number does not congest the reverse transmission channel.
Such a flow control is used, for example, in the so-called "PCI-Express" bus.
A credit-based technique is typically used in situations where the bandwidth of the transmission channel is small compared to the processing capacity of the producers and consumers, e.g. in the context of a macroscopic network. This means that a consumer is able to empty its input queue faster than it can be filled by the transmission channel, and that the producer is able to fill an output queue in less time than it takes to empty by the transmission channel. In this situation, the packet structure has little importance because producers and consumers have sufficient resources between two packet transmissions to implement format conversions, if required.
In a network-on-chip, the network bandwidth may match the capacity of the producers and consumers. It may then be appropriate to take account of the word sizes used by the consumer and the producer, whereby a same packet may be formed of different word sizes, depending on whether it is seen by the producer or the consumer. Counting credits in numbers of packets may then be inappropriate.


Disclosed is a friend recommendation method, comprising: creating a recommendation backlist for a user; deleting a recommended object included in the recommendation backlist of the user from a recommended object list; and recommending remaining recommended objects in the recommended object list to the user. The present application further discloses a server and a storage medium, so as to recommend friends based on the requirements of a user and recommend objects that the user is really interested in. Therefore, the accuracy and efficiency of friend recommendation are improved, friends can be recommended effectively and the user experience is enhanced.

With the popularization of social network, such as network platform, micro blog and alumni book for instant messaging, more and more people find friends over the network. To enable a user to create a relation chain on his network platform, each social network may recommend friends to him.
Generally, the current friend recommendation method is to estimate a familiarity between a user and each recommended object, and to recommend an object with a high familiarity to the user. The recommended object may be other users. However, for a recommended object who has been recommended for many times but is always not added by the user as a friend, he/she may be recommended repeatedly all the time, which lowers the efficiency of friend recommendation method and deteriorates user experience, thus arousing the resentment of the user and even causing the loss of network users.

Friend recommendation method, apparatus and storage medium

TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED