The present invention is a window protector device suitable for protecting a window and window frame from excess moisture. The present invention has a slidable shield slidably attached between two parallel rails rigidly attached on either side of and along a window. The shield may be slidably moved in front of a window when protection is needed and slidably moved away from the window when not needed. A locking means can be utilized to releasably engage the shield in a desired position.

The present invention is a device for use in protecting a window from excess moisture. More specifically, the present invention relates to a slidable shield used to protect a window, located in a shower alcove, by physically preventing water spray from landing on the window or window frame.
Many homes, especially older homes, have windows located in the shower alcove of a bathroom. In a majority of cases, the window is located in the shower alcove because, originally when the house was built, the bathroom only possessed a bathtub and a shower facility was not existent. The placement of the window on an exterior wall adjacent and above the bathtub was not, therefore, likely to result in water contacting the window or window frame causing subsequent damage. In most cases, because of the relative small size of the bathroom, the window in the shower alcove is the only window in the bathroom.
When the window is located in the shower alcove, no matter how careful one might be, the window and window frame are usually sprayed with water when the shower is utilized. To move the window out of the shower alcove, however, is usually not an available option due to cost and/or structural limitations. For example, when the bathtub in the older home is located next to the only exterior wall in the bathroom, the window cannot be moved to another wall. Completely removing the window from the bathroom is normally not an alternative either, because its removal would eliminate the main source of outside ventilation and natural light.
The window and window frame in the shower alcove, because of water spray from the shower head, are highly susceptible to moisture damage such as rot, mold, mildew and rust. In addition, during the winter months, water spray from the shower contacts the window or window frame and is then absorbed into the window frame. This can cause structural damage if the water freezes and expands. Consequently, because removal of the window would leave the bathroom without natural light or good ventilation and because of a general enthusiasm for maintaining a window in the bathroom, a need exists to protect a window from water spray which is effective, low-maintenance, low-cost, and aesthetically pleasing.
One conventional way of protecting a window or window frame from water spray is to install a water-resistant curtain across the window or window frame. This method of protecting the window or window frame, however, is not very effective because the curtain is a loose, hanging apparatus that does not tightly seal around and across the window or window frame. The lack of a tight seal fails to completely prevent all water spray from contacting the window or window frame. In addition, because the curtain must be water-resistant to be effective, its heavy plastic look is not aesthetically pleasing. Cleaning the curtain can be time consuming and/or cumbersome. Because of a curtain's folded configuration, wiping the curtain while hanging can be tedious and time consuming. Similarly, while removing the curtain for cleaning will make the cleaning work easier, the act of removing the curtain from its hanging apparatus can be time consuming, eliminating any time saved actually cleaning the curtain. Furthermore, because the curtain usually does not completely enclose a window or window frame, it does not provide complete privacy in a shower alcove from outside the window.
Another conventional method of protecting a window or window frame from water spray is to completely seal the window frame with a plastic sheet. While this means of protecting a window or window frame from water spray often works effectively in preventing water spray from contacting the window or window frame, it precludes an individual from opening and/or cleaning the window without performing the time-consuming chore of removing the plastic sheet first. Furthermore, if the window is the only source of outside air ventilation in the bathroom and ventilation is needed after every shower, the continual removing of the plastic sheet becomes especially aggravating. Consequently, the inability to ventilate the bathroom will likely result in mold, mildew, rot and/or rust occurring elsewhere in the bathroom as opposed to the window or window frame. The use of a plastic sheet over the window also usually results in decreased visibility through the window and decreased natural light. In addition, the plastic sheet means of protecting a window is not aesthetically pleasing because it is usually attached to the window frame with an adhesive or a tacking device and the plastic sheet requires periodic changing because of soap scum build up or hard water deposit build up.
The conventional methods of protecting a window from water spray, set forth above, are not desirable. As mentioned, using a curtain to protect a window is ineffective because it does not completely seal around a window or window frame resulting in spray from the shower head contacting the window or window frame. In addition, the curtain is difficult to clean and does not always provide an adequate means of privacy. The conventional method of applying a plastic sheet over the window frame, although effective in preventing water spray from contacting the window or window frame, is not effective in allowing adequate window access, adequate ventilation or adequate natural light through the window. In addition, the longevity of the plastic sheet is very limited due to its slight construction.


The invention relates to a method and apparatus for reducing the flow of repetitive broadcast datagrams over a communication link between two local area networks while still maintaining reception of all of the repetitive broadcast datagrams generated and intended by one of the local area networks for transmission to the other local area network over the communication link. The reduction, which can be to zero, occurs for intermittent periods of time having various durations.

This invention relates to reducing the flow of broadcast datagrams over a communication link, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for reducing such datagrams while maintaining reception of all broadcast datagrams by local area networks (LANs) coupled to either end of the communication link.
LANs provide a method for connecting computers or other devices together to exchange data or to harness groups of computers together to apply their combined power to a single problem. (The terms device and node as used herein refer generally to any of a variety of systems which can be connected to a LAN, including computers, file servers, routers, and bridges.) Generally speaking, a LAN includes: 1) a high speed transmission medium, typically metallic or fiber optic, for connecting each of the devices to the LAN; 2) the ability to transmit a message on the transmission medium directed to a single device (known as "directed datagram"); and 3) a means known as "broadcast" in which all devices connected to the LAN medium can receive a message transmitted on the medium. A standard for the implementation of LAN devices and systems has been established by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers as IEEE Standard 802.
The physical length of the transmission medium and the total number of devices which can be connected thereto are typically limited on a LAN due to the physics of high speed transmission systems. Bridges and routers are devices used to connect multiple LANs to provide communications between individual LANs and to construct large networks that transcend the technical size limits of a single individual LAN. When the individual LANs to be interconnected are at geographically remote locations, bridges and routers are used in pairs, one at each site, to provide a path for data to flow from one LAN to another, with a lower speed communication link (e.g., a private long distance telephone line) between the bridge or router pair. Typically the data rates of the long distance communication link between the bridge or router pair is a fraction of the data rate of the LAN medium. The use of bridges and routers has been limited, however, due to the cost of these devices and the costs of the long distance communication link.
An all-digital telephone network, known as the Integrated Services Digital Network ("ISDN"), has become a potential substitute for the private long distance lines currently used by bridges and routers. ISDN provides relatively high speed digital transmission service on an "as needed" basis, and is different from LAN transmission media in that it is a switched transmission media which provides a point-to-point transmission service on an intermittent basis.
Devices on LANs typically use three kinds of messages to transport information: directed datagrams, multicast datagrams, and broadcast datagrams. Some devices on a LAN require a constant exchange of broadcast datagrams to maintain proper operation. The traffic load of these broadcast datagrams on private lines or switched lines (e.g., circuit switched lines or packet switched lines) can be a significant percentage of the traffic capacity of the lines.
Some devices on a LAN such as routers and file servers rely on a continuous stream of broadcast datagrams to exchange topology and other information for proper operation. Interruption of this flow for a prolonged period (e.g., 60 seconds or more) will result in undesirable behavior of these devices.
It is desirable to reduce the traffic of broadcast datagrams over a communication link between LANs without interrupting the flow of such datagrams to devices on the LANs which must receive the broadcast datagrams in order to operate properly.

Method and apparatus for reducing the transmission of repetitive braodcast datagrams over communication links


Provided are a kaolin clay for a thermoplastic resin composition that can provide high impact strength and glossiness and a thermoplastic resin composition containing the same. A kaolin clay for a thermoplastic resin composition is subjected to a surface treatment with 0.2 to 10 parts by mass of at least one selected from the group consisting of methyl silicate, ethyl silicate, propyl silicate, and butyl silicate relative to 100 parts by mass of the kaolin clay.

For the purpose of increasing the flexural modulus elasticity of thermoplastic resins, including polyester resins, such as polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), and polyphenylene sulfide resins, a filler, such as talc or mica, is mixed in such a thermoplastic resin. However, mixing with talc, mica or like fillers causes the thermoplastic resin to fail to obtain high glossiness. Therefore, the above fillers have a problem that they cannot be used for applications requiring glossiness.
Kaolin clay can be given as an example of a filler that can provide high glossiness. However, mixing with kaolin clay presents a problem that the thermoplastic resin is decreased in impact strength. The decrease in impact strength can be improved by subjecting kaolin clay to a surface treatment with a silane coupling agent, as disclosed in Patent Literature 1 or others.

Kaolin clay for thermoplastic resin composition and thermoplastic resin composition


Sealed frameless multiple glazing units comprising at least three panes of glass wherein the air spaces within the unit are hermetically sealed one from the other are believed to be new. The units preferably comprise a fixing assembly wherein the boss is formed from two interlocking parts. The two part boss facilitates the assembly of the units and serves to support the weight of the unit.

This invention relates to sealed glazing units spaced apart by a perimeter seal, to methods for the construction of such units and to fixing assemblies which are useful in these novel units and methods.
Suspended assemblies comprising a plurality of sealed double glazing units spaced apart by a perimeter seal (so-called frameless glazing units) mounted edge to edge so as to provide the appearance of a solid glass wall are increasingly used in buildings. GB 2171137 describes such assemblies comprising an array of double glazed units each of which comprises a fixing assembly which is attached to one of the panes in a manner which allows the unit to flex without impairing the seal of the unit.
The known frameless systems are all based upon double glazed units. As building regulations become more stringent the performance of these units especially their heat retention properties may be less than is required by regulation or desired by the architect. One method of improving the heat retention properties of conventional framed windows is to replace double glazed units with triple glazed units. However the design of a triple glazed frameless glazing unit is complicated by the need to support the additional weight of a third pane and by the need to ensure that the glazing does not fail under wind load.


A technique for polishing an exposed surface of metal on a substrate to remove defects from mechanical working of metals, such as burrs and pigtails resulting from drilling, and defects from plating, such as nodules and depressions, is provided. The substrate has an exposed metal surface such as copper thereon which is to be treated to remove defects. A planarizing or polishing head, preferably a rotating roller, is provided which is continuously rotating with respect to the substrate, with the head in contact with the metal surface on the substrate. A chemical etchant, essentially free of abrasive material, is continuously supplied to the interface between the metal surface and the head. The treating and polishing continues until the defects have been removed or reduced to an acceptable value. In some instances where significant height reduction is required, thus requiring significant metal removal, several passes of the substrate may be required or a device with multiple heads may be used. The polishing head preferably includes a film having a layer of very fine grit embedded therein, such as 5.mu.-15.mu. silicon carbide (SiC).

There are several different methods of plating and creating printed circuit lines on substrates such as circuit boards and circuit cards which are presently in use. Of these, additive panel plating is utilized to control both line height and line width. However, this method is costly and time-consuming. The above disclosed application Ser. No. 08/495,277 describes a method of producing fine-line circuit boards using chemical polishing. As disclosed therein, the printed circuit board is produced from an initial substrate board coated with a resist layer. The resist layer is patterned according to a circuit mask that defines circuit paths. The pattern resist layer is then selectively removed from the board in the desired circuit paths, and a conductive material is deposited on the board in the areas where the resist was removed as defined by the circuit mask. The conductive material is deposited so that the height of the conductive material relative to the substrate board equals or exceeds the height of the resist layer relative to the substrate board. In a first etching step, a low reactive solution is to applied over the conductive material and slowly dissolves it by first forming a film layer. Mechanical contact is then used to remove this film layer on any surface above the resist layer. The removal of the thin film layer allows a new conductive material surface layer to be exposed to the solution, and a new film layer to be formed. This process continues until the height of the resist layer is reached. At this point, when contact with the conductive material cannot be made without contacting the resist layer, a final film layer is formed. This final film layer then becomes a barrier to the low reactive solution and, in fact, on any area that is below the resist layer, such as a plated through hole. In this way, no abrasive materials are used in ensuring that the height of the conduct line will be substantially uniform and will conform to substrate undulations and surface irregularities. Conductive line width control is defined by the developed resist image. Circuit boards are then produced so as to have uniform height and precise width, even with organic flexible composition substrates. As taught in application Ser. No. 08/495,277, the relative height of the conductive material is determined by viewing a section of the board under an optical magnifying glass, such as a microscope, to determine when the relative heights are the same. As disclosed therein, the etching solution is applied, allowed to react and form a barrier, then removed. Then, a new solution is applied, the barrier is formed, and the barrier is removed. This process is repeated until an essentially planarized surface of copper circuitry is obtained.
Application Ser. No. 08/704,193 discloses a method and apparatus for planarizing a surface. This application specifically describes planarizing a surface wherein metal has been additive plated using photolithographic techniques to form a smooth top surface of metal coplanar with the cured resist.

Technique for removing defects from a layer of metal

International Business Machines Corporation


A storage rack which hangs on the upper edge of a base cabinet door. A pair of hanger brackets fit closely on the door edge and are constructed to accommodate the plain edge of a flush mounted door or the stepped edge of a recessed cabinet door. Hooks on the inside parts of the brackets receive mounting fixtures used to attach storage devices such as baskets, trays, shelves, paper towel holders, food wrap dispensers, towel hooks or towel bars. Tabs on the outside parts of the hanger brackets allow a towel bar or other device to be mounted on the outside surface of the base cabinet door. Alternative embodiments provide a single bracket which can be applied to both flush and recessed doors and which accommodates different types of storage devices that may be hooked or otherwise connected to the brackets. The connections between the brackets and storage devices can be made in various ways, including hooks fitting through openings and threaded connections.

Kitchen cabinets are commonly used for the storage of food, tablewares and various household products such as dish towels, bags, soaps, paper towels, food wrap, and cleaning supplies. Other household areas such as bathrooms, basements, laundry rooms and garages are also often provided with cabinets of various types. Because of the variety of items that are typically stored in these cabinets, it is common for the cabinets to become cluttered and disorganized. The hinged doors that open and close cabinets are used at times to hold racks which are permanently fixed to the inside door surface. In some instances, it is undesirable to mar the door with a fastener. Many consumers are unwilling or hesitant to purchase products that require tools to install.

Over door storage rack for cabinet doors


An apparatus for circulating cooling water for an internal combustion engine has a cooling water outer passageway, through which an engine body, a radiator, an indoor heater core and an oil cooler communicate with each other, for flowing the cooling water therethrough. The cooling water outer passageway includes a gong-to-engine-body communicating passageway through which the cooling water flows from the radiator towards the engine body, a going-to-heater-core communicating passageway through which the cooling water flows from the engine body towards the indoor heater core, and an oil cooler cooling water communicating passageway, bypasses the engine body communicating passageway and the heater core communicating passageway with respect to a water jacket, including an oil cooler midways of this oil cooler cooling water communicating passageway. The engine body communicating passageway and the heater core communicating passageway provided with flow rate control valves for reducing a quantity of the cooling water when a temperature of the cooling water comes to a predetermined temperature. A connecting point between the oil cooler cooling water communicating passageway and the heater core communicating passageway, exists more upstream than a point M at which the flow rate control valve is disposed on the heater core communicating passageway.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for circulating cooling water for an internal combustion engine.
2. Related Background Art
A cooling water circulating apparatus for an internal combustion engine is constructed to absorb, with cooling water, heat emitted from a body of the internal combustion engine and utilize some proportion of the absorbed heat as a thermal source for an indoor heater for heating an interior of a vehicle room.
A construction for this purpose is that the cooling water flows an intra-engine cooling water passageway, i.e., a so-called water jacket formed within the body of the internal combustion engine, during which the cooling water becomes hot by absorbing the heat from the body of the internal combustion engine, and flows to the indoor heater from the body if the internal combustion engine via a heater cooling water passageway through which the body of the internal combustion engine is connected to the indoor heater.
Immediately after starting up the internal combustion engine, however, the cooling water is not sufficiently heated, and hence the indoor heater does not work well.
Under such circumstances, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No.59-119010 discloses a technology for providing a flow rate control valve capable of controlling a flow rate of the cooling water flowing down to the indoor heater in accordance with a temperature of the cooling water. According to this technology, when the temperature of the cooling water is low, the flow rate of the cooling water is reduced by throttling down the flow of the cooling water, thereby increasing the temperature of the cooling water. Therefore, a start-up velocity of the indoor heater can be increased even when actuating the internal combustion engine.
In a high-performance internal combustion engine, however, a lubricating oil with its temperature increased by actuating the internal combustion engine is cooled off by an oil cooler, and a cooling source thereof involves the use of the cooling water.
The oil cooler utilizing the cooling water as a cooling source is known as a water cooling type oil cooler. The water cooling type oil cooler is hereinafter simply termed an "oil cooler". Then, an oil cooler cooling water communicating passageway for supplying and discharging the cooling water to and from the oil cooler, is formed separately from the heater cooling water passageway for connecting the internal combustion engine body to the indoor heater.
On the other hand, the cooling water flowing to both of the oil cooler and the indoor heater is circulated by a water pump and, after flowing to the oil cooler and the indoor heater, flows back to the same water pump.
Then, the technologies contrived so far take such a structure that a large quantity of cooling water flows toward the oil cooler cooling water passageway even just after actuating the internal combustion engine not enough to be heated up. Further, the oil is still in a cool state of not being sufficiently heated up just after the internal combustion engine has been actuated. Hence, when the large quantity of cooling water assuming a small quantity of heat is flowed to such an oil, the heat held by the cooling water is absorbed by the oil. This is because the temperature of the lubricating oil is always, as shown in FIG. 3, lower than that of the cooling water immediately after actuating the engine.
Therefore, the temperature of the cooling water is absorbed by the lubricating oil, and it takes comparatively much time to increase the temperature of the cooling water. Therefore, the heater does not well start up, and warming-up is promoted with a difficulty.

Apparatus for circulating cooling water for internal combustion engine


A method of forming a core for and forming a composite wiring board. The core has an electrically conductive coating on at least one face of a dielectric substrate. At least one opening is formed through the substrate extending from one face to the other and through each conductive coating. An electrically conductive material is dispensed in each of the openings extending through the conducting coating. At least a portion of the surface of the conductive coating on one face is removed to allow a nub of the conductive material to extend above the substrate face and any remaining conductive material to thereby form a core that can be electrically joined face-to-face with a second core member or other circuitized structure.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a method and structure for producing a Z-axis interconnection of printed wiring board elements and, more particularly, to a method and structure of providing a printed wiring board formed of a plurality of elements which are laminated together to form a printed wiring board having Z-axis interconnections.
2. Background of the Invention
Printed wiring boards are conventionally made up of a plurality of individual elements joined together to provide various levels of wiring on the surfaces of the elements and interconnections between the various wiring levels, such interconnection between the various levels often being referred to as Z-axis interconnections. In some conventional techniques for forming such interconnections in the Z-axis, a drilling operation is required after the various elements have been joined together. This requires precise alignment of all of the elements as well as precise drilling of the final structure which creates the possibility of misalignment at least requiring either rework of the board or at most scrapping of the board after it reaches this late assembly stage. Thus, it is desirable to provide elements for forming a printed wiring board and a technique for forming the elements in the printed wiring board which does not require drilling in the final stage but, rather, allows the individual elements to be formed with the components of the Z-axis connection which, when finally joined together, will provide the necessary connection between various layers of metal wiring.

Method and structure for producing Z-axis interconnection assembly of printed wiring board elements

International Business Machines Corporation


In a device having data communication capability, a security method dynamically detecting a control connection, which originates from the device, and detecting a negotiation of a related connection within the control connection. The negotiation comprises at least defining a port of the device for said related connection. The method further checks if relationship between said port of the device and the control connection fulfills predefined criteria, and conditionally blocks said related connection, if said port of the device does not fulfill said predefined criteria. The method can be used for suppressing a vulnerability related to applets.

In data networks such as Internet, it is in practice mandatory to have information security measures in place in order to secure proprietary information and to defend against malicious intruders.
An applet is a little application. On the Web (WWW, World Wide Web), using Java, the object-oriented programming language, an applet is a small program that can be sent from a Web server along with a Web page to a user. Java applets can perform interactive animations, immediate calculations, or other simple tasks without having to send a user request back to the server. When a browser requests a Web page with applets, the applets are sent automatically and can be executed as soon as the page arrives in the browser. If the applet is allowed unlimited access to memory and system resources, it can do harm in the hands of someone with malicious intent. For the sake of security, applets are run in "a sandbox", where the applet has only limited access to system resources. The sandbox creates an environment in which there are strict limitations on what system resources the applet can request or access. Sandboxes are used when executable code comes from unknown or untrusted sources and allow the user to run untrusted code safely. However, not all functionality of an applet can be denied even in sandbox. For example, an applet may need to open new outward connections towards the server they originated from.
FTP is an example of commonly used transfer protocols, which consist of more than one separate connection. In such protocols, a first connection is opened and then at least one other connection is opened on the basis of information obtained from or transferred within the first connection. That is, some attributes, such as port numbers, of the other connection are negotiated within the first connection. These are herein referred to as a control connection (the first connection) and a related connection (the other connection). In FTP, the related connection is often called data connection. Such a related connection is always related to some control connection and does not exist alone in a sense that opening the related connection requires intervention of the control connection. In addition, one related connection may be a control connection of another related connection. This concerns for example H.323 protocol. In these protocols, the attributes of related connections usually change dynamically. For example it is usually not known beforehand to which port a related connection will be established. Also the direction in which a related connection is opened may vary.
A firewall is traditionally considered as a set of components forming a gateway between two or more networks, which have different security requirements. Thus, a firewall is a gateway which operates at the same time as a connector and a separator between the networks in a sense that the firewall keeps track of the traffic that passes through it from one network to another and restricts connections and packets that are defined as unwanted by the administrator of the system. A firewall can be also so called personal firewall, which sits in an individual device, which needs to be protected, and monitors only connections going in to or coming out from that device. The operation of such personal firewall is in principle similar to the operation of a gateway firewall.
A firewall is configured by means of rules, which define which data packets are allowed to traverse the firewall and which are not. A rule comprises information for identifying a data packet (e.g. source and destination addresses and ports) and an associated action, which may be for example to allow or deny the packet. A firewall may be a simple packet filter, which compares header fields of a data packet to the firewall rules and processes the data packet according to the rule, which matches the data packet. A more advanced, stateful, firewall keeps track also on the state of different connections.
In a stateful firewall for example an FTP data connection is allowed only if negotiation of such data connection is noticed within a legitimate control connection. Other protocols comprising of more than one connection are treated similarly to FTP connections in stateful firewalls.
The use of protocols, which open related connections, creates vulnerability in a device, which is running applets, irrespective of whether a firewall is protecting the device or not. Let consider following scenario for illustrating this:                A Java applet is delivered to a client browser,        The Java applet acts as an FTP client and opens a control connection to the server,        A data connection from the server to the client is negotiated for a port in which some other vulnerable service is running (previous experimentation or even an educated guess can be used for finding out such port),        for an outside process, the data connection seems perfectly legitimate, since it was negotiated within a legitimate control connection, and thus it is allowed to traverse any firewall, either gateway or personal.
Thus the server is allowed to open a connection to a port, where a vulnerable service is running. In some cases connections to ports below 1024 are denied in a firewall, but plenty of vulnerable services can be found also in ports above 1024.
One solution for tackling this vulnerability is to block all related connections. The disadvantage of this solution is that it blocks also all legitimate use of some important protocols. In many cases this is not a viable solution. In case of FTP blocking active FTP would help, but then not even legitimate active FTP connections would be allowed and still related connections associated with other protocols could be exploited. (FTP connections are classified into passive and active; in passive FTP the data connection is opened to the same direction with the control connection and in active FTP the data connection is opened to the opposite direction with the control connection.) Another partial solution would be to monitor related connections and allow them only if data is going only in one direction. This would make malicious use of FTP more complex, since in legitimate FTP data connections data is going only in one direction, but it would not help in relation to protocols in which data is transferred bi-directionally in the related connections. And even FTP attacks would not be disabled by this solution, since past experience has proven that it is possible to craft an attack, which transmits data only to the target and does not require any return traffic.
Thus, a new solution for tackling this problem is needed.

Detecting and blocking malicious connections


An apparatus adapted to a film cartridge provided with an opening-and-closing cover comprises an operating portion which operates the opening-and-closing cover of the film cartridge by rotating, a driving portion which rotates the operating portion, and an elastic portion which is disposed at the driving portion and urges the operating portion selectively in a direction in which the driving portion rotates the operating portion.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improvement of an apparatus, such as a camera, adapted to a film cartridge provided with an opening-and-closing cover.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, there is proposed a film cartridge provided with a light-lock door which serves as an openable and closable light-shielding cover arranged to shield a film egress/ingress slot from light. For example, a film cartridge disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,334 is such a type of film cartridge. The film cartridge of this type necessitates a camera to perform opening-and-closing control over the light-lock door. For this control, the camera must be provided with a novel mechanism which is unnecessary for cameras adapted for use of a 135 film. An example of this mechanism has been proposed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. HEI 7-92534. According to this proposal, the light-lock door is driven to open and close through a spring balance between a plurality of springs.
However, since a driving force of the proposed mechanism for opening and closing the light-lock door is determined by the spring balance, the driving force is unstable. In order to reliably ensure the operation of the mechanism, an extremely strong spring force is necessary, thereby disadvantageously requiring a heavy operation. An attempt to lighten the heavy operation, on the other hand, makes a reliable operation impossible. Further, the incorporation of the proposed mechanism causes an increase in size of the camera. However, no art for preventing such a mechanism from increasing the size of cameras has been known.

Apparatus adapted to film cartridge provided with opening-and-closing cover


A solar cell including a substrate 1, a nanopillar 11 having diameter D1 connected to the substrate 1, and a nanopillar 12 having diameter D2 connected to the substrate 1 is characterized in that D2 is greater than D1 in order to realize a solar cell having, as the surface structure, a nanopillar array structure with which it is possible to prevent reflection within the broad wavelength region of solar light. A nanopillar array structure 21 formed from two types of nanopillars having different diameters has a point of minimum reflectivity of a nanopillar array structure formed from the nanopillar 11 having diameter D1 and a point of minimum reflectivity of a nanopillar array structure formed from the nanopillar 12 having diameter D2 and therefore, is capable of preventing reflection within the broad wavelength region of solar light.

In recent years, trials using rugged structures finer than wavelengths of solar light, so-called sub-wavelength structures, are actively carried out as a surface structure of a solar battery cell (for example, Patent Literatures 1 to 3, and Nonpatent Literature 1). Its motive lies in a respect that an antireflection effect higher than that of an antireflection film of a thin film can be achieved by the sub-wavelength structure. As a surface antireflection structure of the solar battery cell, a textured structure formed by wet etching with an alkali solution or acid solution is most generally used at present. It is expected that replacement of this with the sub-wavelength structure make it possible to realize a lower reflectivity and to increase an output current of the solar battery cell. For example, Nonpatent Literature 1 shows that increase of the output current by the antireflection effect is possible by using the nanopillar array structure among the sub-wavelength structures that will be described later as the surface structure of the solar battery cell.


A survey document is provided on a server, for delivery to a client on a network, having questions and potential answers in a format defining branches of the questions. Programming instructions are also provided on the server for delivery to the client on the network. The instructions are for causing the client to render questions on a user interface from the survey document. The questions initially rendered include a first one of the questions. The instructions are also for causing the client to branch to and render on the user interface second or third ones of the questions responsive to the survey document and an answer received for the first question.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns a method, apparatus and computer program product relating to delivering survey questions, and more particularly to delivering on-line surveys that dynamically present questions responsive to answers received.
2. Related Art
On-line surveys suffer from some problems. First, they are not interactive. That is, conventionally all possible questions are displayed in a survey form, irrespective of answers that a user gives when filling out the form. Therefore, even if a certain answer precludes a certain following set of questions, the certain questions are still displayed after the user selects the certain answer. Also, on-line survey forms are conventionally created individually, one-by-one. That is, the survey exists on a server as a collection of (possibly numerous) forms, each for individual delivery to a client. It is problematic that if a new question has to be added to the survey its addition may affect many or even all the existing survey forms, so that may or all the forms have to be modified. Therefore, a need exists for improvements in delivery and handling of surveys.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An EMR reduction technique using grounded conductive traces and vias circumscribing the internal planes of printed wiring boards. Conductive vias are placed in a circuitous path near the border and encircling the signal traces of each layer of a printed circuit board. The ground plane is extended to encompass and electrically ground each of the vias. For each signal plane, a conductive trace is routed and connected to each of the vias forming a grounded shield around the signal-carrying traces on the signal plane. For the power planes, a conductive trace is also provided connecting the conductive vias and forming a grounded shield around the power planes. A non-conductive path is provided between the power plane and the power plane conductive trace to electrically isolate the voltages of the power plane from the grounded conductive trace.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns reducing electromagnetic radiation generated by high speed digital signals in computer systems by using grounded conductive traces circumscribing the internal layers or planes of printed circuit boards.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer systems are being designed to operate at lower power and higher speeds. For example, typical personal computer systems operate at clock speeds of 25 to 66 megahertz (MHz) or more and are designed to operate more efficiently and consume less power, with frequency and efficiency increasing almost daily. In general, the higher the frequency of the clock and other digital signals of the computer system, the more operations the computer system can perform per second. Higher frequency signals, therefore, are deemed desirable since they allow faster operation which enhances system performance. Most digital computer systems use digital logic signals based on square waves, so that higher frequency digital signals include faster rising and falling edges. The fast rise and fall edges include very high frequency content which increases the electromagnetic energy of the digital signals. The increased electromagnetic energy, in turn, increases the electromagnetic radiation (EMR) produced by the digital signals, which may then be received and cause electromagnetic interference (EMI) in nearby circuitry and electronic devices, such as aircraft navigation, commercial radio systems, televisions and other communications equipment.
The EMR generated by high speed digital signals is typically coupled through stray capacitance of nearby circuitry, resulting in EMI in the form of current or voltage spikes. The problem of EMI is exacerbated by the fact that electronic devices are being designed at lower power levels, implying higher impedance circuitry, where the higher impedance tends to amplify the electronic noise. In computer systems, the faster edges and higher frequencies are used to effect higher resolution, so that much less output noise is permitted. Even relatively small amounts of stray capacitance can couple significant noise levels if exposed to EMR caused by high speed logic signals. Reducing stray capacitance is desirable, but it is very difficult, if not impossible, to remove all stray capacitance. In any event, the primary focus for most electronic design engineers is on reducing EMR. Since high speed digital signals are desirable to improve system performance in spite of the additional electronic noise levels, isolation of the source and reduction of EMR is the goal, especially in computer systems.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates the amount of radiated and conducted emissions generated by electronic devices including computer systems and peripheral devices, and has developed a classification system indicating acceptable levels of EMR for particular uses. It is very desirable to keep the standard high, and thus the EMR low, when designing electronic devices for home use, since the typical home includes a high number of susceptible electronic devices, such as televisions, video cassette recorders, stereos and many other home electronic devices. The FCC must certify each piece of hardware including computer systems and peripheral devices before the hardware can be sold of even displayed at a trade show. The FCC defines two levels of certification of electronic devices based on the amount of non-ionizing radiation emitted at certain specified distances. A class A device is suitable for commercial use only, where EMR is measured at 10 meters and must not exceed 90 microvolts per meter (.mu.V/m) for the 30-88 MHz frequency range, 150 .mu.V/m for the 88-216 MHz range, 210 .mu.V/m for the 216-960 MHz range and 300 .mu.V/m above 960 MHz. A class B rating is met when the EMR measurements taken at 3 meters do not exceed 100 .mu.V/m for 30-88 MHz, 150 .mu.V/m for 88-216 MHz, 200 .mu.V/m for 216-960 MHz and 500 .mu. V/m for frequencies greater than 960 MHz. A class B rating is a tighter standard desirable for home use and for portable computer use. Computer designers must constantly seek new and improved methods of reducing EMR in order to qualify for a class B rating as system frequencies increase. Due to the ever increasing demand for greater capabilities at lower power, however, it is becoming more difficult to meet this standard. In fact, the first prototype versions of new computer systems rarely qualify for class B, so that engineers spend significant amounts of time identifying sources of EMR and designing fixes to reduce EMR.
The high frequency digital signals necessary to perform the function of a computer system are transmitted from one component to the next on conductive traces routed on planes or layers of multilayer printed circuit boards (PCBs). These signal traces are a primary source of EMR. EMR is also conducted to the power plane of the PCB through common impedance noise coupling. Electrostatic shields can be very effective in isolating, reducing or even eliminating EMR. One of the most effective electrostatic shields is a metal box or a closed metal shell comprising a low impedance element preferably coupled to ground or to a common voltage level. The underlying principle is that a charge from an external potential can not exist on the internal portion of the shield, and vice versa, so that the electric field is theoretically eliminated. It is impracticable to implement completely closed metal shells in computer systems, so that shields are typically implemented as partial shells, or metal walls and barriers. Even partial metal shields, however, increase cost, add weight restrict airflow and consume Valuable space. Furthermore, metal shields are difficult and inconvenient to implement for use with PCBs.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an apparatus or method to significantly reduce EMR generated by high speed digital signals residing on internal planes of PCBs without adding components, consuming space, increasing weight or significantly increasing cost.

Electromagnetic radiation reduction technique using grounded conductive traces circumscribing internal planes of printed circuit boards


A laser light show device and method produces a surface projected or suspended holographic image, and includes multiple image projectors. One image projector provides the object image information representing the primary subject. For surface projections, additional background image projectors provide background image information generated using a wobbler plate-reflected beam diffracted through a spherical lens, a beam unidimensionally diffracted through a rotating cylindrical amorphic dipolyhedral lens, and a beam diffracted through multiple diffraction gratings. A suspended holographic image is produced by parabolically focusing multiple images projected onto a spherical image screen.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and method for generating a laser light show, and in particular, a device and method for generating a laser light show having enhanced holographic effects.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the cost and reliability of laser light sources has decreased and increased, respectively, their applications have become increasingly varied and common. One application growing increasingly popular is in the field of entertainment. Laser light sources are being used to create laser light shows, both indoors and outdoors. Indeed, modern concert tours can often be considered disappointing unless a laser light show is included.
Devices for generating laser light shows have suffered and continue to suffer from a number of drawbacks. One drawback is that the devices tend to be rather large and bulky, and therefore difficult to transport. The laser light sources themselves tend to be rather large and bulky, and a series of beam reflectors, e.g. mirrors, and converging means, e.g. lenses, are required to draw the multiple colored laser beams (e.g. red, yellow, green) into close mutual proximity to facilitate their manipulation.
Devices for generating laser light shows typically fail to take advantage of the holography generating capabilities of laser light. Rather, the devices typically will simply use the laser light sources to project brilliantly colored light patterns upon some surface.
Accordingly, a need exists for a laser light show device having an improved design to reduce its size and complexity, and means for advantageously using the laser light to create and enhance holographic imagery.

Method for generating holographic images


Control processing reads out a serial number of an image forming apparatus from a serial number storage area, and reads out order information corresponding to the serial number from a shipping table written in a shipping table storage area before shipping. In addition, the control processing reads out, from an order table in a USB memory, preset setting information associated with the order information, and writes the read information in a non-volatile storage area. Then, by the system being restarted, a network, printing conditions, and the like are set according to the preset setting information written in the non-volatile storage area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a method, and a kitting system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, when image forming apparatuses such as printers are to be delivered to a municipal organization or the like, an IP address for each apparatus and settings regarding printing defined for each apparatus are required to be set in advance before the delivery and installation. Here, in the conventional method, an installer updates each image forming apparatus to the latest firmware, and then sets each IP address through an operation panel of the image forming apparatus. However, there is a problem in this method in that a load on the installer (serviceperson) is large, and it takes a long operation time. In addition, erroneous setting may occur when, for example, a plurality of apparatuses is installed.
Accordingly, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) Publication No. 2006-289690 discloses a technique in which a file having network-related information such as an IP address written therein is stored in a USB memory and, when the USB memory is inserted into a USB memory connecting section of an image forming apparatus, network setting information is read out from the file stored in the USB memory, so that network settings are automatically performed.
Also, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) Publication No. 2009-100103 discloses a technique in which, when a plurality of different files (functions or programs) are found in a USB memory, they are displayed on a panel so as to be selected by the operator.

Image forming apparatus configured for efficient shipping thereof, method for same, and method and kitting system for efficient installation thereof


An electrical connector includes an insulating housing (1) defining a first direction and a plurality of conductive contacts (20) arrayed in the housing along the first direction. The contacts are divided into a first type and a second type and each includes a soldering portion extending out the insulating housing. The soldering portion of the second type is wider than that of the first type and distances between every adjacent soldering portions of the first and second type are the same.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, especially to an electrical connector with ground contacts or power contacts thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
In high density current connector, a plurality of conductive contacts transferring signal are arrayed parallel in the housing along an elongated direction. Usually, the distance between adjacent contacts is more and more smaller due to miniaturization based on high density. And contacting portions each are wider than corresponding soldering legs so that the contacting portions can reliably engage with mating contacts of a mating connector and the distance between two adjacent soldering legs are enlarged, thereby avoidance of adjoining the adjacent soldering legs by weld raw materials is obtained. Power contact or grounding contacts might be added to optimize signal transfer or the connector, for example, a current connector disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. D505,919. The connector disclosed is provided with power contacts, which is larger than the signal contacts to transfer a larger current. The power contacts stand beside the signal contacts with a larger distance, which will increase the connector. More, the power contacts must be solely produced, which results in increasing cost of production.
Therefore, an improved electrical connector is desired to overcome the disadvantages of the prior arts.

Electrical connector with improved contact


A filter capable of separating or filtering micro foreign particles in a flow passage is provided. A first mask and a second mask are formed on a silicon substrate by dry etching. Before performing the dry etching, a resist of the first mask is subjected to a heat treatment performed at a temperature equal to or higher than a glass transition point. A resist of the second mask is not subjected to such a heat treatment. This processing simultaneously forms in the substrate a groove portion and a wall having a hole that is located in the groove portion. A silicon material located beneath a wide portion of the first mask remains as a wall portion separating the holes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manufacturing method for a filter substrate that is used in a micro analysis device, such as a microreactor, a chemical-chip, a bio-chip, or a nano-chip, which has a micro structure as part of its constituent members, such as a flow passage, a reaction tube, a reaction tank, an electrophoresis column, a chromatographic column, or a membrane separation mechanism.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a manufacturing method for a micro chemical device that includes two members bonded together in which a groove or comparable recessed portion is formed on a substrate surface of one member.
Furthermore, the present invention relates to devices that can be manufactured by using the above methods. For example, the present invention relates to an inkjet recording head used to perform recording with a droplet of ink or other liquid discharged onto a paper or other recording material, and also relates to a manufacturing method for the inkjet recording head.
2. Description of the Related Art
A micro analysis device, which uses a very small amount of solution to cause a reaction or to perform separation or analysis, is composed of a smooth substrate overlaid with a member having a micro flow passage formed therein. The smooth substrate has an inlet and an outlet for the solution. The micro flow passage is formed on the member by chemical processing or energy ray treatment. Then, the smooth substrate and the member are bonded together by using ultrasonic wave, heat, pressure, or chemical processing.
In general, the substrate is made of an inorganic material, such as silicon, silica glass, boron silicate glass or ceramic, or an organic material, such as plastic materials including polycarbonate and polyacrylamide, silicone rubber, or silicon resin. A typical chemical processing is a dry etching or a wet etching. An energy ray treatment can be realized by using a laser or ion beam. The flow passage width of a micro flow passage is generally in a range from 40 μm to 500 μm, although it is dependent on the usage of the device. The depth of the flow passage is in a range from 0.6 μm to 500 μm.
In a structural body having such a flow passage formed therein, it is necessary to provide a filter in the flow passage so as to remove or separate foreign particles contained in the solution flowing in the flow passage or so as to separate such substances by electrophoresis. As a method for forming a filter, it is possible to employ a method of filling a part of the flow passage with gel, polymer, or zeolite with reference to the size of substances to be separated, or a method of providing a plurality of columnar structural bodies in the flow passage that are formed by dry etching or wet etching so as to arrange a physical filter.
An inkjet recording head is a structural body that requires a filter formed in the liquid passage. In general, the inkjet recording head has a plurality of discharge pressure generating portions, each including a fine discharge port (i.e., an orifice), a liquid flow passage connected to the discharge port, and a discharge pressure generating element provided partly in the liquid flow passage. The discharge pressure generating element is constructed from, for example, an electrothermal transducer.
Japanese Patent No. 3143307 discloses a related manufacturing method for an inkjet recording head. According to this manufacturing method, a mold of a liquid flow passage is formed with a dissoluble resin on a substrate on which a discharge pressure generating element is formed. Subsequently, a coating resin containing an epoxy resin that is in a solid state at ordinary temperatures is dissolved in a solvent. This solution is coated on the dissoluble resin layer by solvent coating techniques. Thus, a coating resin layer that forms a flow passage wall separating liquid flow passages is molded. Subsequently, a discharge port is formed in the coating resin layer. Finally, the dissoluble resin layer is eluted and removed.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-95119 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-34928 disclose an inkjet recording head and its manufacturing method, according to which the height of a flow passage located close to a supply port is set to be greater than the height of a flow passage located close to a discharge pressure generating element. According to these conventional manufacturing methods, a portion of a substrate corresponding to an area extending from the vicinity of the supply port to the vicinity of the discharge pressure generating element is recessed to assure a sufficient height of the flow passage in the vicinity of the supply port. As a result, the liquid flow passage has a large cross-sectional area. Accordingly, even if the discharge frequency (i.e., driving frequency) is increased, ink can be surely refilled into the flow passage after a droplet is discharged.
It is a recent trend that a higher resolution image and a higher quality image are demanded. To this end, the density of arrangement of discharge ports on an inkjet recording head tends to increase. Accordingly, if the cross-sectional area of the liquid flow passage is increased, the height of the liquid flow passage becomes greater than the diameter of the discharge port. Therefore, very fine foreign particles may enter the liquid flow passage and may clog the discharge port. On the other hand, it is conventionally known that a columnar filter can be provided between an ink supply port and a liquid flow passage.
Japanese Patent No. 3143307 discloses a manufacturing method for easily manufacturing this kind of columnar filter. However, this columnar filter cannot bring about sufficient filtering effects regarding a direction perpendicular to the direction of the liquid flow passage.
On the other hand, according to a filter forming method that requires a step of filling a part of the flow passage with gel, polymer, or zeolite, some time is necessary for such a filling step in each operation of the device. In addition, such a filler has nonuniformity in the molecular structure of holes. This brings about differences in the separation function, and, accordingly, it is difficult to obtain a desired size for the filler. Such a problem is not limited to the above-described inkjet recording head, and a similar problem will arise even in a micro analysis device.

Method for manufacturing a filter substrate, inkjet recording head, and method for manufacturing the inkjet recording head


A docking connector comprises a first connector and a second connector. The first connector has an insulating first housing. The first housing includes guide pins that extend from a mating surface of the first housing. The guide pins are moveable toward and away from the first housing. The guide pins are locked in a position away from the first housing by a locking member. The second connector has an insulating second housing. The second housing includes guide pin receiving openings that receive the guide pins. The second connector has a lock release member for unlocking the guide pins during insertion of the guide pins in the guide pin receiving openings.

Electronic devices, such as personal computers, are provided with docking connectors that connect the electronic device to an extension unit. High-density, compact docking connectors having numerous contacts have been developed to increase the performance and networking of the electronic devices. Because of the high density of these docking connectors, it is important that mating connectors in the docking connector are accurately positioned so that all of the corresponding contacts contact each other.
A first example of a docking connector that aligns corresponding contacts to each other is illustrated in JP 11-288760 and shown in FIG. 16. The docking connector 101 includes a first connector 110 that mates with a second connector 120. The first connector 110 is mounted on a first circuit board PCB1 that is provided on a side of a personal computer (not shown). The first connector 110 comprises an insulating first housing 111 and a plurality of contacts 112. A pair of guide pins 113 extends from a mating surface of the first connector 110 and are provided on ends of the first housing 111. The guide pins 113 are constructed so that the guide pin on one end has a larger diameter than the guide pin on the other end. The guide pins 113 are attached to the first housing 111 by attachment fittings 114 that are attached to the first housing 111.
The second connector 120 is mounted on a second circuit board PCB2 provided on a side of an extension unit (not shown). The second connector 120 comprises an insulating second housing 121 and a plurality of contacts 122. A pair of guide members 123 that receive the guide pin 113 of the first connector 110 are provided on each end of the second housing 121. The guide members 123 are attached to the second housing 121 by attachment fittings 124 that are attached to the second housing 121. At the time of mating the first connector 110 and the second connector 120, the guide pins 113 are inserted into the guide members 123. The positional deviation between the first connector 110 and the second connector 120 is absorbed, and it is possible to correctly align all of the contacts 112, 122 with each other.
In the docking connector 101 shown in FIG. 16, the docking connector 101 is for use in right-angle connections so mating surfaces of the first circuit board PCB1 and the first connector 110 and mating surfaces of the second circuit board PCB2 and the second connector 120 are perpendicular. Accordingly, the docking connector 110 is not suitable for applications requiring the mating surfaces of the first circuit board PCB1 and the first connector 110 and the mating surfaces of the second circuit board PCB2 and the second connector 120 to be parallel.
An example of an electrical connector that aligns corresponding contacts to each other is illustrated in JP 8-315910 and shown in FIG. 17. The electrical connector 201 consists of a first connector 210 that mates with a second connector 220. The first connector 210 is mounted on a side of a first circuit board PCB1. The first connector 210 comprises an insulating first housing 211 and a plurality of contacts 212. A pair of guide pins 213 extends from a mating surface of the first connector 210 at ends of the first housing 211.
The second connector 220 is mounted on a side of a second circuit board PCB2 that is substantially parallel to the first circuit board PCB1. The second connector 220 comprises an insulating second housing 221 and a plurality of contacts 222. A pair of accommodating recessed members 223 into which the guide pins 213 of the first connector 210 are inserted are formed in ends of the second housing 221. When the first connector 210 and the second connector 220 are mated, the guide pins 213 are inserted into the accommodating recessed members 223 so that positional deviation between the first connector 210 and the second connector 220 is absorbed, and it is possible to align all of the contacts 212, 222 with each other.
In the electrical connector 201 shown in FIG. 17, mating surfaces of the first circuit board PCB1 and the first connector 210 and the mating surfaces of second circuit board PCB2 and the second connector 220 are parallel. However, the guide pins 213 of the first connector 210 are accommodated inside the accommodating recessed members 223 in the second connector 220 when the first connector 210 is mated with the second connector 220. Accordingly, the electrical connector 201 can not be formed with a low height. If the length of the guide pins 213 is shortened in order to lower the height, adequate guiding function can not be achieved. Additionally, forming openings in the second circuit board PCB2 for receiving the guide pins 213 will not effectively reduce the height, because wiring or the like is not possible in the openings, so the electrical connector 201 will not be suitable for high-density mounting.
Another example of a docking connector for connecting a personal computer and an extension unit is illustrated in JP 2000-089850 and shown in FIGS. 18–19. The docking connector comprises a first connector 302 and a second connector 311. The first connector 302 is provided on a circuit board 303 on a side of a personal computer 301. The second connector 311 is provided on a side of an extension unit 310 and mates with the first connector 302. Guide pins 312 that guide the first connector 302 and the second connector 311 to the docking position are provided on the extension unit 310. The guide pins 312 extend from an upper housing 310a of the extension unit 310 and allow vertical movement of the guide pins 312. The guide pins 312 are biased upward by springs 314.
A groove 312a is formed in an outer circumference of each of the guide pin 312. A substantially U-shaped release spring 316 is received in the groove 312a. An attachment fitting 318 that restricts the downward movement of the U-shaped release spring 316 is attached to the upper housing 310a by a screw 319. A release pin 315 that releases the U-shaped release spring 316 from the groove 312a is attached thereto so that the release pin 315 can move in an up and down direction. Each of the release pins 315 is constantly biased upward by a spring 317. A bottom portion of the extension unit 310 is provided with a lower housing 310b. Grounding fittings 313 that contact the guide pins 312 when the guide pins 312 are lowered are provided on the lower housing 310b.
When the first connector 302 and the second connector 311 are mated, the guide pins 312 of the extension unit 310 enter the guide pin receiving openings 304 in the personal computer 301. Upper ends of the release pins 315 contact a bottom surface of the personal computer 301. Since the U-shaped release springs 316 are received in the grooves 312a in the guide pins 312, the downward movement of the guide pins 312 is restricted by the U-shaped release springs 316. When the personal computer 301 is moved further downward, the U-shaped release springs 316 are spread apart by the release pins 315 in a direction of the plate surface of the attachment fittings 318 so that the U-shaped release springs 316 are released from the grooves 312a. As a result, downward movement of the guide pins 312 is made possible. When the personal computer 301 is moved further downward, the guide pins 312 contact the grounding fittings 313, and the first connector 302 and the second connector 311 are fully mated.
In the docking connector shown in FIGS. 18–19, the guide pins 312, the U-shaped release springs 316, the attachment fittings 318, the release pins 315, and the springs 317 that lock and unlock the vertical movement of the guide pins 312 are provided in the extension unit 310 separate from the second connector 311. Space inside the extension unit 310 is therefore required, which reduces space in the extension unit 310 for other components and limits design options. Moreover, the mechanism that allows the vertical movement of the guide pins 312 and the mechanism that locks and unlocks the vertical movement of the guide pins 312 is complex, which increases manufacturing costs.

Docking connector with locking retractable guide pins


Continuous sequin strip having a multiplicity of continuously-connected sequins is let out from a reel and then placed on the upper surface of a supporting plate. Sequin feeder apparatus feeds the sequin strip at a predetermined pitch corresponding to a size of a sequin of the continuous sequin strip through advancing and retracting movement of a feed lever interlocked to sewing operation of a needle bar of a sewing machine. The feed lever includes two engaging portions for engaging a predetermined sequin of the strip to feed the strip. With the two engaging portions engaging at least two points of the sequin, the sequin can be fed out reliably irrespective of the position of the sewing hole formed in the sequin. Thus, even sequins, each having the sewing hole eccentrically offset in a direction perpendicular to a sequin-strip feeding direction, can be fed out at the predetermined pitch with an increased reliability.

Example of the conventional sequin feeder apparatus is known from German Utility Model Registration No. G9209764.2 (patent literature 1), U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,168 (patent literature 2) or German Patent No. DE19538084 (patent literature 3) (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,168 above). Such a conventional sequin feeder apparatus includes a feed mechanism, which causes a strip of a multiplicity of continuously-connected sequins (spangles) to be played out or let out from a reel, having the continuous sequin strip wound thereon, onto the upper surface of a supporting plate and then, through predetermined forward and rearward (i.e., advancing and retracting) movement of a feed lever, feeds the continuous sequin strip at a predetermined pitch corresponding to the size of each sequin of the strip. One sequin is sewn at a time onto a sewing workpiece while being severed from the continuous sequin strip having been fed in interlocked relation to sewing operation by a needle bar of the sewing machine.
As well known in the art, each sequin has a sewing hole such that the sequin is sewn onto a sewing workpiece by the sewing needle being passed through the sewing hole. The feed lever feeds the sequin strip by causing its distal end to engage the sewing hole of a predetermined sequin and advancing the distal end engaging the sewing hole, and then it retracts the distal end to engage the sewing hole of a predetermined succeeding sequin of the sequin strip.
There are a variety of sequins having various different contours and various different sizes. FIG. 14(a) shows examples of strips of continuously-connected circular-shaped, rectangular-shaped and flower-shaped sequins. Although the sequins of the types shown in the figure differ in shape and size, they all have the sewing hole in the sequin center. Further, with each of the sequin feeder apparatus disclosed in patent literature 1 to patent literature 3 mentioned above, it is possible to reliably feed out sequins at a predetermined pitch because the apparatus feeds out each predetermined sequin by causing the distal end of the feed lever to engage the sewing hole (in other words, because the sewing holes of the individual sequins is located on an imaginary line connecting between the connecting portions of the individual sequins) so that a feeding force applied by the distal end of the feed lever acts on the imaginary line connecting between the connecting portions of the individual sequins.
In recent years, various modified sequins of types as illustrated in FIGS. 14(b) and 14(c) have also appeared, which have the sewing hole offset from the sequin center, in order to enhance the decorativeness of a product with these sequins sewn thereto. For a continuous sequin strip having sequins of the type having the sewing hole offset from the sequin center in the sequin feeding direction (arrow A in FIG. 14(b)) as illustrated in FIG. 14(b), the conventional arrangements, where each sequin is fed out by the distal end of the feed lever engaging the sewing hole, can reliably feed the continuous sequin strip a predetermined pitch at a time with no problem because the sewing holes of the individual sequins are located on the imaginary line connecting between the respective connecting portions of the sequins. However, for a continuous sequin strip having sequins of the type having the sewing hole offset in a direction perpendicular to the sequin feeding direction as illustrated in FIG. 14(c), the sequin feed-out operation by the conventional arrangements would become far less reliable. Namely, for the continuous sequin strip having sequins of the type shown in FIG. 14(c), the conventional technique, arranged to feed out a predetermined sequin through one-point engagement by the distal end of the feed lever, undesirably produces a force to rotate the sequin generally about the connecting portion, so that the connecting portion would be deformed and the sequin would be inclined about the vertical axis. If the sequin has been inclined about the vertical axis in this way, the feeding at the predetermined pitch can not be performed appropriately, and thus, the sequin to be fed out can not be appropriately severed from the sequin strip in the connecting portion.


An apparatus is provided to test valves. The apparatus includes a sensor and a driving mechanism. The driving mechanism is configured to control an external camshaft that is coupled to a valve train of an engine head. The apparatus controls the driving mechanism to control a rotation of the external camshaft that further controls an activation of each valve of the valve train associated with the engine head. The apparatus further controls the sensor to acquire information associated with the activation of each valve of the valve train based on the rotation of the external camshaft. The apparatus further compares the acquired information with pre-stored information, to determine an abnormality in each valve of the valve train, and generates a notification based on the comparison.

Valves may be generally used to control a fluid flow (such as airflow, gasoline flow, or a combination of both) in one or more machines (such as an engine). Typically, valves may releasably couple with ports (such as inlet and outlet ports) of the machine and configured to control the fluid flow in the machine. In certain cases, there may be an abnormality (such as an interference between the valves and the ports, or a leakage between the valves and the ports) during an installation of the valves on the ports. Such abnormality during installation of the valves may lead to improper valve actuation (such as abnormal combustion cycle, in case the machine is the engine) and may subsequently affect the performance of the machine. Therefore, during the installation of the valves, it may be necessary to test an assembly between the valves and the ports of the machine.
In certain cases, the valves may be activated (such as a movement of the valves to open and close the ports of the machine) to test the assembly between the valves and the ports of the machine. If the valves are activated faster than a required speed, then it may be difficult to precisely determine an abnormal valve from multiple valves. Further, if the valves are activated slowly than the required speed, then there might be an impact on a cycle time (such as an increase in time that may have incurred to activate the valves and test the assembly between the valves and the ports of the machine).
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of described systems with some aspects of the present disclosure, as set forth in the remainder of the present application and with reference to the drawings.


A single-to-differential converter and a method of fabricating the single-to-differential converter on an integrated circuit are described. The single-to-differential converter provides a pair of differential outputs based on a single-ended input and includes an input node to receive the single-ended input, and a first transistor connected to a power supply pin. A second transistor is connected to the power supply pin. The first transistor and the second transistor are biased under a same amount of direct current (DC) and the pair of differential outputs are generated at respective collectors of the first transistor and the second transistor.

A single-to-differential converter converts a single-ended signal to a differential signal that includes two complementary (180 degrees out of phase with each other) signals. The differential signal may be transmitted via twisted-pair cables, for example, and generally provides higher signal-to-noise ratio and is more resistant to electromagnetic interference than the single-ended signal. A single-to-differential converter may be used in a transceiver system, for example. The converter may drive an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) or be used in conjunction with a quadrature generation circuit in a phase shifter, for example. A single-to-differential converter may be implemented with passive or active elements. The passive element approach (e.g., rat-race coupler) takes up a significant amount of chip area. Current single-to-differential converters that use active elements (e.g., common-emitter amplifier with common-base amplifier) suffer accuracy issues due to mismatch between the two transistors. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an active single-to-differential converter that requires less chip space while avoiding the accuracy issues of other active element approaches.

Internally matched active single-to-differential RF converter


A method, device, or system is arranged to determine the presence of a person. The system includes a data store that stores a plurality of locations and stores a subset of the plurality of locations. The system includes a server in communication with the data store that is arranged to i) associate the subset of locations of the plurality of locations with the person and ii) associate a mobile device with the person. The system also includes a mobile device arranged to i) monitor the geographic position of the mobile device, ii) store the subset of the plurality of locations, iii) determine that the geographic position of the mobile device is within a vicinity of a first location of the subset of locations; and iv) provide a first indication that the mobile device is within the vicinity of the first location.

Entities such as corporations, associations, and government organizations have traditionally monitored an individual's presence at the entity's facilities to ensure that the individual has been present to perform assigned tasks or duties. Companies have typically monitored when an employee arrives and departs from their workplace. For example, companies have required employees to use timecards that are time-stamped to validate when an employee arrives or departs from work.
There is an administrative burden associated with tracking when employees or individuals enter or leave a workplace. Typically, a supervisor or other administrator must collect timecards to confirm that employees were present and calculate the amount of time that the employee was present. Alternatively, employees can prepare and submit timecards manually or electronically. However, such a process is burdensome and time-consuming to employees. Accordingly, there is a need to enhance the ability of an entity to monitor the presence of employees or individuals associated with the entity in a less obtrusive and more cost-efficient manner.
In certain circumstances, employees or individuals may be required to perform their duties or be present at multiple facilities that are geographically separated from each other, but at different time periods. Hence, it becomes substantially more difficult to track the presence of an employee among multiple facilities at different times. Accordingly, there is a need to enable efficient monitoring or tracking of the presence of employees or individuals associated with the entity when the individuals perform their duties or move among multiple different facilities.
An entity such as a company must manage and coordinate the work schedules of multiple employees. In certain circumstances, the entity must coordinate work schedules of individuals that work and move among multiple facilities. To coordinate work schedules, administrators typically gather individual work schedules, gather information regarding the future availability of individuals, determine the production or service needs of the entity, and then determine the schedules of each of the multiple individuals to meet the needs of the entity. Again, such a process can be time-consuming and burdensome on supervisors and administrators. Accordingly, there is a need to enable more efficient scheduling of work among multiple individuals moving among multiple facilities.

Systems and methods for determining the presence of a person

ANAESTHESIA ASSOCIATES OF MASSACHUSSETTS, P.C.


A complementary metal oxide semiconductor integrated circuit may be formed with NMOS and PMOS transistors that have high dielectric constant gate dielectric material over a semiconductor substrate. A metal barrier layer may be formed over the gate dielectric. A workfunction setting metal layer is formed over the metal barrier layer and a cap metal layer is formed over the workfunction setting metal layer.

The present invention relates to semiconductor devices, in particular, semiconductor devices with metal gate electrodes.
Complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) devices with very thin gate dielectrics made from silicon dioxide may experience unacceptable gate leakage currents. Forming the gate dielectric from certain high dielectric constant (k) dielectric materials, instead of silicon dioxide, can reduce gate leakage. Because such a dielectric may not be compatible with polysilicon, it may be desirable to replace polysilicon based gate electrodes with metal gate electrodes in devices that include high-k gate dielectrics.
To form metal NMOS and PMOS gate electrodes that have appropriate workfunctions, it may be necessary to form them from different materials—one that ensures an acceptable workfunction for the NMOS gate electrode, and another that ensures an acceptable workfunction for the PMOS gate electrode. A replacement gate process may be used to form metal NMOS and PMOS gate electrodes from different metals. In that process, a first polysilicon layer, bracketed by a pair of spacers, is removed selectively to a second polysilicon layer to create a trench between the spacers. The selective removal may include the use of selective etchant, such as tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) or NH4OH, with sonication. The trench is filled with a first metal. The second polysilicon layer is then removed, and replaced with a second metal that differs from the first metal.
In a subtractive process for forming metal gate transistors with high-k dielectric layers, the dielectric layer is covered by different metal layers and a polysilicon masking layer. These layers are then etched to define NMOS and PMOS gate electrodes.
With existing metal gate over high-k dielectric structures, the workfunction metal may exhibit reactivity with conventional semiconductor processes, especially wet etch processes. In addition, the workfunction metal may not adhere well to the gate dielectric. Also, existing metal gate structures may not meet targeted threshold voltages, may have insufficient mobility and gate dielectric thickness may be excessive.
Thus, there is a need for a better structures for metal gate transistors.


The present invention is a pump control and distribution system consisting of a pump and reversing flow control valve with a single-handle to control flow direction and flow rate of a liquid. The system can be operated at a rate of 0 to 300 gallons per minute and the flow reversed or stopped with a single motion of the operating handle. The flow rate of the liquid can be precisely controlled in either direction, along with the liquid pressure. This allows the use of a constant speed pump turning in one direction and gives the operator the ability to control the product transfer regardless of viscosity or volume. A purge valve connected to the outlet of the pump is used to remove substantially all retained liquid in the system after transfer of liquid is complete. The system can be mounted to a vehicle for delivery of bulk liquids.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of controlling the directional flow of bulk liquids. Bulk liquids are generally held in large containment vessels to be stored or transported. This patent deals with the precise control and distribution of liquids from these containment vessels along with the capability of pumping liquid back into the containment vessel by the means of suction. Additionally this patent deals with a unique method of removing any excess liquid from the hoses and lines in the system to insure that no liquid is spilled on the ground or retained within the hoses.
Existing methods of pumping and siphoning bulk liquids has in the past been cumbersome where quantities of the liquid are left within the pump, hoses and distribution lines and this liquid is often spilled onto the ground. A great amount of the bulk liquid is in the form of chemicals, fuel and oil products that produce an environmental hazard when spilled. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has endeavored to put strict regulations on the handling and spillage of these liquids. The petroleum tank and containment vessels are extremely regulated, but the pumping systems are not. No standard or performance windows have been made for the installation and capabilities of the pump systems presently in use.
2. Description of Related Art
The new manual bulk liquid pump control and distribution system was designed primarily for the over the road petroleum transportation industry delivering to above the ground tanks, but it has been found to be useful in the handling of a wide variety of other bulk liquids. This patent is not intended be limited in its scope to the petroleum industry only, but has the capability to be effective in the handling of a variety of other bulk liquids. The new manual bulk liquid pump control and distribution system has been designed to revolutionize not only the way bulk liquids are handled by truck tankers but also the way bulk liquids are transferred between containment vessels. Bulk liquids in the petroleum industry consist of gasoline, oil, diesel, aviation-gas, and transmission fluid to anti-freeze, used oil, and more.
In environmentally sensitive areas such as coast lines, rivers, lakes, ski slopes, parks, wetlands, high water tables or any area where underground tanks cannot be used, there is zero tolerance of a contamination spill. Further, underground tanks must be specially designed, manufactured, installed and monitored to detect and prevent leaks. Accordingly, it is extremely expensive to put a tank underground. In these applications, they are filled by a gravity drop, and no pump is required to deliver fuel to these tanks.
Most corporate farms, businesses, municipalities, airports, rental car yards, trucking companies, construction companies, bus companies and railroads use above ground storage tanks. This style of tank requires a pump to fill them. The application of federal law requires like vehicles to respond to their own accidents and rollovers. In the case of the petroleum industry, if a vehicle is rolled over and lying on its side, the fuel must be removed before the vehicle is up-righted. The fuel is salvageable and requires a pump to remove it. The railroad locomotives are filled, and tank cars are loaded and unloaded with the use of pumps mounted on trucks. All package oil facilities that purchase bulk oils and package them for retail sale, use above ground tanks and require vehicles with pumps to fill them. All shipyards and container yards use above ground tanks, and they require pumps mounted on trucks to load and unload fuel on the tugs and tankers.
Presently, not all states are equal in their environmental requirements. California was the first state to have them, and consequently has the highest restrictions with respect to the handling and transportation of hazardous liquids. Many other states have followed suit with similar requirements and the EPA is now beginning to enforce these laws more diligently in all states. The possibility of a trucking company spilling fuel upon disconnecting of the hoses is being greatly scrutinized. There is no longer any tolerance for these types of frequent spills. The manual bulk liquid pump control and distribution system eliminates substantially all spillage in these zero spill environments.
As regulation of the industry continues to increase, more above ground fuel tanks will be installed to replace underground tanks, resulting in a dramatic increase in above ground pumping applications. Today in California, if you are a jobber that contracts to Chevron, you are required to have a pump installed on your truck to service their customers. That number is growing, and most all new tankers put into service in California will have pumps installed on them. As the agencies tighten the regulations and enforce the environmental laws, more pumps are required to meet the laws governing the above ground fuel storage and handling systems.
The fuel oil transportation industry and chemical transportation industry have problems that are similar to the petroleum industry. Tankers are no longer used as a single delivery of product to an underground tank and back to the refinery for another partial load. These vehicles and operators must be able to multi-task to survive. These include multiple deliveries per load, both gravity and pump loads, numerous drivers per vehicle, variable products, multitudes of tanks and vessels to deliver to, emergency responses, station pump outs, and railroad deliveries, all of which are just some of the different daily conditions. These are all done under the ever-growing scrutiny of the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Transportation, and insurance industry.
The same environmental laws are now being enforced in international markets as well. Islands such as the Dominican Republic are converting to all above ground tanks and are changing their entire transport fleets. They are using a variety of pumps that are put on trucks with no forethought about problems that might be caused. Every single pump is unique and operates differently. This results in daily spills on each and every delivery, which is no longer an accepted practice.
Accordingly, there is a need for a manual bulk liquid pump control and distribution system which improves upon devices that can transfer bulk liquids and still meet the high standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Transportation, the Air Resources Board and the insurance companies. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

Manual bulk liquid pump control and distribution system


A method for operating an internal combustion engine by introducing air, in which the air is conducted into the induction region of the internal combustion engine following shutoff of the internal combustion engine. If necessary, the intake valves and the exhaust valves of at least one cylinder are moved into a position in which at least one intake valve and one exhaust valve of a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine are open simultaneously. The method may be used in for an internal combustion engine having an electric turbocharger for the introduction of air.

A method and a device for operating an internal combustion engine is referred to in German patent document 44 00 536. According to this method, secondary air is introduced into the exhaust-gas pipe system during operation of the internal combustion engine and cools the high temperature segment of a catalytic converter as well a muffler element. Modern catalytic converters reach temperatures at a high engine load (full load) of approximately 1000° C. If the vehicle is switched off shortly after such full load operation, the outer wall temperature of the catalytic converter may quickly reach several 100° C. This results to a certain extent in a heat build-up since during still stand of the vehicle, there is no cooling from the head wind.
However, stopping the vehicle with a running engine following full load operation is less critical since the comparatively cool exhaust air of the internal combustion engine that is at a temperature of ca. 300° C. to 400° C. during idling is able to draw off excessive heat from the hotter catalytic converter, thereby cooling the catalytic converter via the exhaust air. The heat build-up at vehicle still stand with a switched off engine may heat the catalytic converter wall to the extent that dry grass, for example, on which the vehicle is parked may catch fire. Some automobile manufacturers activate a warning light in the vehicle cockpit given a risk of grass catching fire as a result of the heat radiation from the catalytic converter, which also involves the risk of vehicle fire. The driver may then move the vehicle to a different parking location or allow the internal combustion engine to idle for a while in order for the catalytic converter to cool.
A vehicle also emits pollutants after shutoff. Among others, small quantities of hydrocarbons (HC) escape from the induction pipe into the environment. Sources of such HC emission include, for example, crankcase ventilation or residues on an injection valve or tank ventilation.
These emissions will have to be eliminated due to stricter exhaust-gas limit values, in the future.

Method and device for operating an internal combustion engine


A method includes providing a first wafer including a respective set of first metal bonding pads and at least one first alignment diagnostic structure, providing a second wafer including a respective set of second metal bonding pads and a respective set of second alignment diagnostic structures, overlaying the first wafer and the second wafer, measuring at least one of a current, voltage or contact resistance between the first alignment diagnostic structures and the second alignment diagnostic structures to determine an overlay offset, and bonding the second wafer to the first wafer.

Wafer-to-wafer bonding can be employed to enable low-cost mass production of bonded semiconductor chips. However, misalignment between a bonded pair of wafers can lead to high yield loss for the bonded semiconductor chips. Further, misalignment during the wafer-to-wafer bonding process can produce a significant number of bonded semiconductor chips that fail in the field due to high overlay offsets that may be locally induced due to wafer warpage even if the overall overlay between the bonded pair of wafers is within the overlay tolerance limit.

Electrical overlay measurement methods and structures for wafer-to-wafer bonding