A pneumatic servomotor (12) for an assisted braking having a rigid axial casing (16) with a movable substantially truncated-cone shaped transverse skirt (18) that is integral with a piston (20) for the actuation of an associated master cylinder (14) that defines two pressure chambers (24, 26) inside the casing. A substantially annular sealing diaphragm (30) made of an elastomeric material is interposed between the casing (16) and an outer peripheral area (32) of the skirt (18) has a substantially annular seal (34) made of an elastomeric material is interposed between an inner area of the skirt (18) and the piston (20). The sealing diaphragm (30) and the seal (34) have a portion that is moulded over the skirt (18).

This invention relates to a pneumatic servomotor for an assisted braking.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a pneumatic servomotor for an assisted braking, of the type comprising a rigid axial casing, in which a substantially truncated-cone shaped transverse skirt is movable and integral with a piston for the actuation of an associated master cylinder, while it defines two pressure chambers inside the casing; of the type in which a substantially annular sealing diaphragm made of an elastomeric material is interposed between the casing and an outer peripheral area of the skirt; and of the type in which a substantially annular seal made of an elastomeric material is interposed between an inner area of the skirt and the piston.
Numerous implementations of servomotors of said type are well known.
According to a first known design, servomotors were provided, in which bearing faces of the sealing diaphragm and/or of the seal were accommodated inside a groove in the piston. Yet such design has the disadvantage of requiring a careful fitting of the bearing faces in question into the associated grooves, failing which some lack of tightness may occur between the skirt and the seal or between the skirt and the diaphragm, thus connecting the front chamber with the rear chamber of the servomotor.
In order to cope with such a drawback, a second design has been suggested, according to which a diaphragm is made in one piece with the seal and conforms to the rear face of the skirt.
The latter design theoretically eliminates any possible lacks of tightness, likely to appear between the skirt and the seal or between the skirt and the diaphragm, yet no particular arrangements are made for the elastomeric material to adhere to the skirt in a reliable manner. Should such material happen to separate from the skirt, then it might become slack and impair the tightness between the seal and the skirt, or the tightness between the diaphragm and the skirt.

Pneumatic servomotor comprising a diaphragm and/or a joint which is overmoulded onto the skirt


A utility box is mounted to a truck box without piercing the wall of the truck box. A J-bolt extends through a neoprene gasket, a washer and a back-up plate to clamp the back wall of the utility box to the front rail of a truck box. For mounting within a bedliner, the utility box is held against vertical displacement by stair stepped brackets which are bolted to the utility box to extend beneath the truck side rails. The upper faces of the stair steps are designed to interface with a variety of truck models of varying widths. When mounted in a truck box with an over-the-rail bedliner, a bolt is positioned inside the utility box and such that a shank passes through the wall of the utility box and the side wall of the liner. A spacer is positioned on the shank between the utility box wall and the wall of the liner. A collapsible nut mounted or the shank passes partway through the liner wall. Rotation of the bolt causes the portion of the collapsible nut which is located on the side of the liner wall facing away from the spacer to expand, thereby locking the side wall to the fastener.

As trucks, particularly pickup trucks, have grown in market share compared to other personal transportation vehicles, the number and type of accessories sold for use with trucks has increased. One widely used accessory used with pickup trucks is a plastic liner for the truck bed. The liner protects the bed of the truck box from dings and abrasion.
To increase the storage volume which is protected from rain and the elements on a pickup truck, toolboxes or cargo bed utility boxes are often used. Although a cargo bed utility box should meet basic functional requirements such as keeping the contents dry, organized and securely attached to the truck box, for many purchasers the appearance of the utility box is also important. For example, the appearance of a vehicle may contribute to a tradesman's reputation for neat, high quality, work.
Some pickup truck owners utilize the truck for personal transportation during the week, while using the truck's cargo transporting capability for a second job or hobby on nights or on weekends. This type of pickup truck owner is inclined to apply the appearance standards of cars to a pickup truck, further highlighting the importance of the appearance of any accessory used with a truck.
While some owners of pickup trucks who employ their trucks in their trade or business are willing to modify their trucks structurally to accommodate various storage racks and accessories, the typical consumer is reluctant to drill holes or otherwise modify their new pickup truck. There is a perception on the part of purchasers of new trucks that the immediate resale value and perhaps the long-term appearance of the vehicle might be diminished by permanent modifications to the truck even to the minimal extent of drilling holes for the mounting of attachment brackets.
Various fasteners have been developed for attaching truck bedliners to the bed of a truck without the need for modifying the truck structure. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,633 to Emery, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,040 to Edwards.
Since truck bedliners are relatively light, and have their weight distributed over the entire surface of the truck box, multiple fasteners may be used to attach the distributed weight of the bedliner to the truck box. A number of fasteners for attaching a cargo bed utility box to the bed of a truck which do not require drilling into the structure of the truck box have been developed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,737 to Farmer, Jr., discloses a clamping arrangement which allows a utility box which overlies the side rail of a truck to be clamped to the side walls of a truck box. A similar device. shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,017 to Mullican, discloses a C-clamp like device which clamps to the front wall a truck box. A simple J-bolt can also be used to hook over the front rail of a truck box.
What is needed are additional types of brackets which can function as part of an attachment system for mounting a utility box to a truck box with or without a bedliner.


Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for transferring ordered articles between carriers. Generally, an empty partitioned carrier is aligned in a generally opposing relationship with partitions in a carrier containing at least one article to be transferred to the empty carriers. The carriers are aligned to perform the transfer of the articles, while maintaining the relative order, or arrangement, of the articles in the carrier. The aligned carriers are then rotated through a gravitational field to exert a sufficient force to transfer the articles between the carriers. An apparatus of the present invention for transferring articles preferably includes a fulcrum and a lever arm having a transfer end. The lever arm is attached to the fulcrum to allow the lever arm to be rotated about the fulcrum. The transfer end includes a clamp having first and second adjacent carrier retaining portions configured to retain two carriers in an opposing relationship to allow for the transfer of articles between the carriers.

Integrated circuits are solid state devices in which electrical components and electrical connections between the components are incorporated into a solid matrix. The electrical components and connections are produced by the strategic placement of various conducting, semiconducting and insulating materials to form and encapsulate the desired circuit in the composite solid matrix. The development of the integrated circuit has led to the miniaturization of electronics by providing a strong matrix to support and protect fragile miniaturized components and connections and by facilitating the placement of the electrical components in close proximity. The integrated circuit has further served to increase the reliability of electronic devices by the elimination of moving parts and fragile electrical wiring and connections.
Integrated circuits are typically mass produced by forming hundreds of circuits, called dice, on a semiconductor substrate, or "wafer". The circuits are formed by depositing a series of individual layers of predetermined materials on the wafer. The individual layers of the integrated circuit are, in turn, produced by a series of manufacturing steps. The precise characteristics of the layers, such as composition, thickness, and surface quality, uniquely determine the electronic properties and the performance of the integrated circuit.
The integrated circuits must be produced in a clean environment to prevent contamination of the layers by foreign matter that will degrade the performance of circuits. Contamination level requirements in semiconductor wafer processing areas ("clean rooms") are typically less than 1 particle/ft.sup.3 air (referred to as Class 1 cleanliness). To achieve these requirements, special high volume ventilation systems are necessary to continually filter the surrounding air. The ventilation systems represent a significant contribution to the overall wafer production cost. Therefore, a significant savings can be realized by minimizing the size of the clean room, and thereby lessening the costs associated with operating the clean room.
In addition, the production of integrated circuits subjects the semiconductor wafers to a number of different processes and environmental conditions. Wafer carriers are used to store, transport, and track the wafers in bulk lots through and between the various processes. However, a single carrier is not typically suitable for exposure to all of the different environmental conditions encountered during processing. Therefore, the wafers must be transferred to more suitable carriers at various stages of processing.
Wafer transfer machines are typically used to transfer the wafers between carriers and/or boats. The machines generally include a base upon which a first carrier containing the wafers and a second empty carrier are placed in fixed opposing positions. A transfer arm is either manually or automatically translated to contact and push the wafers from the first carrier to the second carrier.
One problem with the wafer transfer machines currently used in industry is that the machines are generally capable of transferring only one size wafer or are designed for only one type of carrier or boat. As a result, a different machine must be acquired and placed in the clean room for each wafer size to be processed or each boat type used. The additional machines unnecessarily adds to the overall wafer production costs in terms of increased equipment and maintenance costs and increased clean room space requirements to house the equipment.
Another problem with current wafer transfer machines is that the surface or face of the wafers must be perpendicular to gravity to allow the wafers to be moved between carriers. Wafers are normally stored and transported in the carriers with the surface or face aligned generally parallel to the gravitational field. The additional handling of the carriers necessary to transfer the wafers in this manner increases the potential for damage to the wafers. The additional handling may also be awkward for personnel and could result in injuries.
Yet another problem with current wafer carrier machines is that wafer carriers must be constructed to allow access by the transfer arm to push the wafers between carriers. Therefore, the shape of the carrier cannot be optimized for the specific process in which the carrier is used.
In view of these and other problems, there is generally a need for improved article transfer apparatuses and methods. Specifically, there is a need for article transfer machines that can be used to perform wafer transfer operations for different size wafers and carriers with more ergonomically conducive, but less overall, handling, thereby reducing associated equipment and clean room costs and injuries to personnel.


A unitary vent and duct assembly for installation within a framed section of a suspended ceiling structure comprises a cowling having a substantially closed top end and a substantially closed bottom end. The bottom end of the cowling is covered with a foraminous grill that allows passage of air into or out of the assembly. The assembly is sized to fit within a framed section of a suspended ceiling structure and has a plurality of spring biased barb bearing clips arrayed about its periphery. A semi-rigid flexible and lengthwise expandable duct is coupled to the top portion of the cowling and communicates with the interior thereof. In use, the vent and duct assembly is pressed into place within a framed section of a suspended ceiling structure, whereupon the peripheral clips engage and fasten to the struts of the ceiling structure to hold the assembly firmly but releasibly in place. The flexible duct can then be pulled away from the cowling and toward a main supply or return duct to which it is to be coupled. The flexible duct, being semi-rigid, maintains its shape and length as it is stretched away from the cowling to eliminate kinks and sags. Further, since the assembly is securely held in place with its peripheral clips, the pulling of the flexible duct does not dislodge the assembly.

For decades, suspended ceilings have been installed in commercial and private buildings as a relatively quick, efficient, and inexpensive alternative to traditional beam and sheetrock ceilings. Most suspended ceilings are formed from a grid of suspended metal spars that intersect to define square or rectangular framed sections into which lightweight ceiling panels are placed to complete the ceiling. In most suspended ceiling structures, the metal spars are formed with an inverted T-shaped cross-section that defines upstanding ridges extending longitudinally along the centers of the spars. Thus, the spars along the sides of each bounded section of the suspended grid define a bounded frame that receives, aligns, and supports a ceiling panel.
Over the years, numerous types of fixtures have been designed to be installed in the framed sections of suspended ceilings. For example, florescent light fixtures, surveillance camera domes, and loud-speaker panels have all been developed to fit within selected frame sections of a suspended ceiling structure to provide light, surveillance, music, and other amenities within a building.
In most modern buildings with suspended ceiling structures, the heating and air conditioning main supply and return ducts are also disposed, along with light fixtures, plumbing, and the like, above the level of the suspended ceiling. In these types of installations, the main supply and return ducts usually communicate with the interior of a room through vent and duct assemblies that, like florescent light fixtures, are sized to be received and supported within a framed section of the suspended ceiling structure. While these types of vent and duct assemblies have proven to be attractive and efficient in buildings with suspended ceilings, their assembly and installation can be and often is time consuming and frustrating for an installer. For example, some prior art vent and duct assemblies have been shipped in pieces and have required assembly prior to their installation within the suspended ceiling. Once assembled, the vent and duct assembly usually is manually positioned within a framed section of the suspended ceiling grid within a few feet of a main supply or return duct.
With the vent and duct assembly in place, the distance between the vent and duct assembly and the main supply duct is measured or estimated and a length of rigid or flexible duct is cut to be extended between the vent and duct assembly and the main supply or return duct. The cut flexible duct is then secured at one end to the vent and duct assembly and at its other end to the main supply or return duct. The vent and duct assembly is thus coupled to the heating and air conditioning system and serves as a conduit for circulating air within the room.
The installation of vent and duct assemblies as just described, while acceptable, has nevertheless been wrought with various problems and shortcomings inherent in the design of prior art vent and duct assemblies. For example, the sizing and cutting of flexible duct to extend between the assembly and main supply or return duct must be done very accurately to ensure proper fit and air flow. If the flexible duct assembly is cut too long, for example, it will tend to sag between its ends so that airflow becomes restricted. On the other hand, if the flexible duct is cut too short, it will tend to kink or collapse at its connection points to the main supply duct or to the vent and duct assembly, similarly restricting the flow of air through the assembly.
Even when the flexible duct is measured and cut to the proper length, its installation still can generate problems for a workman. For example, the flexible duct, once cut, is usually fastened to the vent and duct assembly and then stretched lengthwise to meet and be coupled to the main supply or return duct. Many times when the flexible duct is being stretched, the forces imparted to stretch the duct are sufficient to raise the vent and duct assembly out of position within the suspended ceiling grid so that the vent and duct assembly can become dislodged or even fall through the ceiling grid. Accordingly, the installation of these prior art vent and duct assemblies has often required two workers, one to hold the assembly and the other to stretch and connect the flexible duct.
It can thus be seen that installation of prior art vent and duct assemblies in suspended ceilings has been an inefficient, time consuming, and sometimes frustrating process for the installers. Furthermore, in very large buildings where hundreds of such assemblies must be installed, the total time required to install each assembly often necessitates additional installation crews to complete the job within schedule.
Accordingly, a continuing and heretofore unaddressed need exists for a vent and duct assembly that can be installed within a suspended ceiling quickly and easily by a single installer, that does not require preassembly, does not require the sizing and fitting of flexible duct between the assembly and the main supply or return duct, and that, once installed in the ceiling grid, is held firmly in place and does not become dislodged or fall through the grid during the installation process. It is to the provision of such a vent and duct assembly that the present invention is primarily directed.


A method and apparatus for providing enhanced resolution in photodetector arrays is provided. In a first pass, pixels of a photodetector array are set to low input impedance values, and measurements of each pixel value are taken. In a second pass, selected pixels are set to high input impedance levels and remaining pixels set to low input impedance level, and measurements are taken at The low input impedance pixels. In a third pass, input impedance levels are reversed, and measurements are taken at the low input impedance pixels. A sequence of mathematical calculations are then performed on the measurements taken in the first, second, and third passes to produce half-pixel values for each of the pixels of the array, thereby doubling the resolution of the array without requiring additional circuitry or modification thereto.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing enhanced resolution in photodetectors.
2. Related Art
Photodetectors are critical components in modern optical, imaging, and communications equipment, and improvements in the resolution of such devices are continually sought. The spatial resolution of a photodetector is commonly characterized by the number of pixels provided in the detector and pixel pitch. Typically, increased resolution can be achieved by increasing the number of pixels in a given photodetector, but such an approach increases manufacturing costs and increases the overall size of the detector. As such, there is a tradeoff in the optoelectronic arts between increasing device resolution while curtailing increases in manufacturing costs and detector size.
Pixel miniaturization represents one technique for increasing detector resolution while preserving detector size, but to date, such efforts have been unsatisfactory. For example, in hybrid focal plane arrays (FPAs), a number of factors can limit the ability to miniaturize pixels, including difficulty in scaling circuitry of a given topology using available process technologies, inability to efficiently and accurately deposit indium bumps and hybridize the detector array to a readout integrated circuit (including difficulties with other die-to-die interconnection schemes), difficulty in implementing closely-spaced pixels within an array, and decreased manufacturing yield as design and manufacturing limits are approached. Further, when pixels are miniaturized, imaging difficulties arise in environments with low light levels. This can be attributed to fewer photons being detected because of a decrease in the collection area at the pixel level, as well as smaller integration capacitor size attributable to smaller pixel size.
Other techniques for increasing photodetector resolution include post-sensor processing of either controlled sub-pixel motion or sub-pixel information gleaned from frame sequences in videos. As can be readily appreciated, such techniques are inefficient because they require motion of either the scene or the detector array to achieve higher resolutions, and such motion may be undesirable and/or impractical in many applications. Further, the use of post-sensor signal processing increases overall manufacturing costs, as well as the size and power dissipation of the system. Thus, each of the aforementioned techniques require modification to existing photodetector designs, and are costly to implement.
Accordingly, what would be desirable, but has not yet been provided, is a method and apparatus for providing enhanced resolution in any suitable photodetector that does not require scene or detector motion, and which can be implemented without modification to any desired photodetector array.

Method and apparatus for providing enhanced resolution in photodetectors


Controlled architecture polymers made preferably with acrylamide type monomers are prepared in living-type or semi-living-type free radical polymerizations, with the architecture preferably being other than linear, such as star, branched, grafted or hyper-branched. The controlled architecture polymers have high weight average molecular weights and low viscosities, which make they particularly useful in replaceable capillary electrophoresis separation media for biological molecules, such as DNA fragments.

The present invention relates generally to polymers having controlled architectures, to controlled free-radical polymerization methods for preparing such polymers, to separation media prepared from such polymers, and to separation applications for such media. The invention relates, more specifically, to non-linear polyacrylamidic polymers having useful properties, such as controlled weight-average molecular weights, narrow polydispersity indices, flow-enabling viscosities, and water- or aqueous medium-solubility or dispersability, and to flowable separation media prepared from such polymers for use in capillary electrophoresis. The invention also specifically relates to living-type, nitroxide-mediated free-radical polymerization for preparing such polymers, as well as other polymers, in aqueous solution.
Electrophoresis and/or electroosmotic flow is a technique used for separation and analysis of charged molecules such as biopolymers (e.g., nucleic acid polymers such as DNA, RNA and amino acid polymers such as proteins). Typically, one or more samples containing molecules to be separated or analyzed are loaded onto a separation media, and a voltage is applied across the media. The applied voltage causes the charged molecules to move differentially, thereby fractionating the sample into its various components.
Gel electrophoresis typically employs a stationary, relatively flat separation media, referred to in the art as a "slab-gel", and usually comprising a highly cross-linked polymer.
Gel electrophoresis enhances separation of macromolecules by introducing a sieving effect, which helps separate such molecules according to size, and which complements separation according to electrophoretic mobilities. In capillary gel electrophoresis, a voltage is generally applied across a capillary that comprises a separation media. The separation medium can be stationary or flowing relative to the capillary. Typically, stationary separation media comprises either a crosslinked gel, a polymer solution, or other flowable media. Samples such as biomolecules are loaded or otherwise disposed onto or into stationary or flowing separation media. The applied voltage causes the biomolecules to differentially migrate, relative to the separation media, to a detector. The rate at which the biomolecule migrates depends upon a number of factors including the nature of the biomolecule, the size and weight of the biomolecule, the charge on the biomolecule, the nature and properties of the separation media, and the conditions under which the separation is performed.
Capillary electrophoretic separation approaches have been automated, but such approaches have limitations with respect to sample component resolution. Known separation media for capillary gel electrophoresis typically comprise linear molecular chains that may become entangled and thereby impart a mesh-like characteristic to the separation media. The pore-size of such an entangled mesh is dynamic such that the size and persistence time of the mesh in a linear polymer is related to both the chain length and the number of chains per unit volume. Hence, both polymer molecular weight and polymer concentration will impact the separation capabilities of the media for different sample components (e.g., different lengths of DNA). Resolution of relatively smaller sample molecules is more effective with a more closely-knit mesh—requiring lower molecular weight chains and/or higher polymer concentrations, whereas higher molecular weights are preferred for larger molecules. However, known separation media for capillary electrophoresis become unsuitably viscous when higher-molecular weight polymers and/or higher concentrations of polymer are employed in such media, sometimes referred to as replaceable media.
Overly-viscous media are generally disadvantageous in capillary electrophoresis systems due to the reduced flowability of the media, and due to the increased shear stresses between polymer molecules, and between polymer molecules and the capillary wall. In particular, shear stresses can interfere with the electrophoretic analysis and can cause polymer degradation. In addition, high viscosity may result in microbubble-spikes in the electropherogram. The relatively high viscosity of known separation media also presents a substantial barrier to improving performance and versatility in smaller scale capillary gel electrophoresis systems—particularly, for example, for micro-scale applications thereof, known in the art as microelectrophoresis systems.
The separation media for capillary electrophoresis have also been limited, heretofore, by the lack of narrow-band polymers for use in such media. Polymers typically comprise a number of different polymer molecules, each of which comprises substantially the same type of repeat unit(s) but which can vary in the number of repeat units (i.e., chain length). The polydispersity index—the ratio of the weight-average molecular weight to the number-average molecular weight for the polymer (Mw/Mn), is a measure of the homogeneity of the polymer with respect to hydrodynamic volume, and therefore, for linear polymers, with respect to chain-length. The state-of-the-art separation media for capillary gel electrophoresis comprise polymers having a polydispersity index greater than two, and typically ranging from about 3 to about 4. Moreover, the use of polymers with relatively high polydispersity indices limits the degree of flexibility available for formulating separation media—particularly for applications such as capillary gel electrophoresis where viscosity constraints apply.
Although present commercial capillary gel electrophoresis separation media comprise linear polymers, non-linear, star-shaped block copolymers have also been contemplated for use in such separation media. Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,418, No. U.S. Pat No. 5,759,369 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,365 to Menchen et al. report lower molecular weight star-copolymers having arms comprising alternating, regularly repeating, hydrophobic segments (e.g., fluorinated hydrocarbons) and hydrophilic segments (e.g.; polyethylene oxide). A sieving effect is apparently achieved based on association between the hydrophobic regions of polymer segments—forming a physical, non-covalent cross-link. The attachment polymerization methods employed by Menchen et al., however, lead to polymers that are polydisperse, are limited with respect to yields for attaching long polymer chains onto a common central core (e.g., are of low molecular weight), and are constrained with respect to the choice of monomer.
Hence, there remains a need in the art for improved polymeric materials suitable for use in connection with capillary gel electrophoresis.
Living-type free-radical polymerization is generally known in the art. Mediation of such free-radical polymerization using nitroxide free-radical control agents is also known for some applications.

Controlled-architecture polymers and use thereof as separation media


A radio communication receiver which includes an antenna array having at least two antennas to provide antenna diversity. The receiver is for receiving signals containing orthogonally coded data sub-streams derived from a source data stream. The receiver also has receiver circuitry, coupled to the antenna array, having a detection stage to detect the data sub-streams and a combiner stage for combining the detected data sub-streams to recover the source data stream. Each antenna has an electrically insulative core of solid material having a dielectric constant greater than 5. Each antenna also has a three-dimensional antenna element structure disposed on or adjacent the outer surface of the core.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radio communication device and, in particular, radio communication devices for use in a multi-channel radio communication system.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In the field of radio communications, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems transmit signals over at least two antennas and receive signals over at least two antennas. A typical MIMO communication system is shown in FIG. 1, which is described in more detail below. A data stream is split into a number of independent sub-streams and each sub-stream is transmitted over a different antenna using the same frequency band. Each signal is coded to be statistically independent from the other signals. At the receiver, each antenna receives the signals transmitted by all of the transmit antennas, as well as any multipath signals arising in the local environment. The received signals are processed to isolate individual data sub-streams, to the maximum extent possible according to channel conditions, which are then recombined to recreate the original datastream.
The separate transmit signals may be coded to be statistically independent using orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) techniques or code division multiple access (CDMA) techniques. Coding ensures low correlation between signals.
The throughput of a MIMO system promises to be much greater than an equivalent SISO (single-input single-output) system. This additional throughput can potentially come with no increase in bandwidth or overall transmit power. MIMO systems work best in environments in which there is a large amount of scattering, such as environments which can be modelled with independent Rayleigh fading. Scattering of this nature functions as a spatial multiplexer, which spatially decorrelates the signals. In such environments, the receive antennas receive independent linear combinations of the signals transmitted along many paths. It follows that outputs of the receive antennas are linear combinations of the transmitted signals which can distinguished from each other.
In a conventional MIMO system, coupling between receive antennas occurs according to two mechanisms. Firstly, each receive antenna receives signals from the transmitter which induce currents in the conductive structure of the antenna. The induced currents generate their own electromagnetic fields which re-radiate corresponding signals. These re-radiated signals are received by adjacent antennas. Secondly, in a typical system, signals generated by the antennas result in currents in a receiver ground plane and these currents are shared by adjacent antennas. For example, with a monopole quarterwave (λ/4) antenna over a ground plane, currents in the ground plane mimic an equivalent quarterwave dipole below the ground plane. By whichever mechanism coupling occurs between receive antennas, it is a serious problem as it causes an increase in the correlation between the signals fed from the receive antennas to receiver circuitry coupled to the antennas. These effects are particularly severe when the receive antennas are close together.


A portable electronic device having a front cover, a rear cover, and wherein one of the front cover and the rear cover is metallic and has a pattern portion with a predetermined pattern. In addition, a portable electronic device having a front cover, a rear cover, and a metallic pattern layer provided on at least one of the covers, the metallic pattern layer having a predetermined pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable electronic device, and more particularly, to a portable electronic device having cover portions that form an appearance of the portable electronic device.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, a portable electronic device performs many different functions that are used by a user. However, in addition to being multifunctional, users prefer that the portable electronic device be lightweight and easy to manipulate.
In some ways today, the portable electronic device is regarded as a fashion item. According to recent trends, the body of the portable electric device is being formed of a material different than conventional plastic materials. For example, the body of the portable electronic device may be formed of a metallic material. However, sometimes being formed of a metallic material is insufficient to differentiate the body from one formed of a plastic material simply by touch or sight.
Furthermore, there are some needs for the portable electronic device formed of a non-metallic material to appear to be formed of a metallic material.


Highly-available processing of an asynchronous request can be accomplished in a single transaction. A distributed request queue receives a service request from a client application or application view client. A service processor is deployed on each node of a cluster containing the distributed request queue. A service processor pulls the service request from the request queue and invokes the service for the request, such as to an enterprise information system. If that service processor fails, another service processor in the cluster can service the request. The service processor receives a service response from the invoked service and forwards the service response to a distributed response queue. The distributed response queue holds the service response until the response is retrieved for the client application.

In present application integration (AI) systems, there can be several single points of failure. These single points of failure can include deployment or management facilities, event forwarding, event topics, remote clients, event subscriptions, response listeners, and response queues. Each of these features is tied to a single server within a server cluster. If that single server crashes, the entire AI application can become irreparably damaged and must be rebooted via a server reboot.
Single points of failure such as request and response queue are used for processing asynchronous requests. Current implementations of asynchronous service request processing utilize a single physical request queue and response queue per server instance. In the event of a node failure, all asynchronous requests and responses within a given JMS server, for example, become unavailable until the JMS server is restarted.

System and method for providing highly available processing of asynchronous service requests


A semiconductor laser device includes: a first cladding layer, which is made of a nitride semiconductor of a first conductivity type and is formed over a substrate; an active layer, which is made of another nitride semiconductor and is formed over the first cladding layer; and a second cladding layer, which is made of still another nitride semiconductor of a second conductivity type and is formed over the active layer. A spontaneous-emission-absorbing layer, which is made of yet another nitride semiconductor of the first conductivity type and has such an energy gap as absorbing spontaneous emission that has been radiated from the active layer, is formed between the substrate and the first cladding layer.

The present invention generally relates to a semiconductor laser device for emitting blue laser radiation, which is applicable as a laser light source to an optical information storage medium such as an optical disk. More particularly, the present invention relates to a semiconductor laser device that can prevent spontaneous emission from leaking out of the device and also relates to an optical disk apparatus and optical integrated unit using such a device.
A nitride semiconductor laser device, which is made of nitride semiconductors containing Group III elements like aluminum (Al), gallium (Ga) and/or indium (In), emits blue laser radiation in a wavelength range from 400 to 500 nm when its active layer is made of an InGaN compound. Currently, a red-light-emitting semiconductor laser device, which emits laser radiation in the red part of the spectrum with a wavelength of 650 nm, is applied to recording or reproducing information from a DVD. However, if such a blue-light-emitting semiconductor laser device is actually applied to a DVD, then the storage capacity of the DVD can be increased threefold or more. Specifically, the storage capacity of a disk per side with a diameter of 12 cm can be raised to as high as 15 giga-bytes or more. The implementation of such blue-light-emitting semiconductor laser devices is in high demand. This is because a high definition (HD) video signal can be reproduced from a disk with a storage capacity of 15 gigabytes for as long as two hours or more according to the MPEG-2 standard, an inter-national standard of moving picture compression. A nitride semiconductor laser device, which can oscillate successfully at such a short wavelength (i.e., in the range from about 400 to about 450 nm), includes an InGaN active layer and AlGaN cladding layers.
The InGaN active layer and AlGaN cladding layers are usually formed by growing InGaN and AlGaN crystals over a substrate. Accordingly, a GaN substrate, which has the same crystal structure as InGaN and AlGaN and a lattice constant almost equal to those of InGaN and AlGaN, is best suited to growing these layers with minimized crystal imperfections. In the current state of the art, however, a GaN substrate with a size of 10 mm or more on each side is not available. Thus, a sapphire substrate (made of single crystalline Al2O3) is generally used as a substitute substrate. Although sapphire has a lattice constant that is different from that of GaN by as much as 14%, sapphire is still appropriate for the growth of nitride semiconductor crystals because sapphire has the same crystal structure as GaN and is stable enough even at an elevated temperature of 1000° C. or more.
In semiconductor laser devices in general, not just in nitride ones, when current exceeding the threshold value thereof is injected into the p- and n-side electrodes thereof, electrons and holes, which have been created from the injected current, are recombined to emit radiation, which is strongly confined in the active layer. As a result, the current is amplified, continuous oscillation occurs and the radiation is emitted as laser radiation through the emissive end facet of the active layer.
When the active layer of a nitride semiconductor laser device is made of InGaN mixed crystals with an In mole fraction of 15%, bluish purple laser radiation is obtained at an oscillation wavelength of 410 nm. In that case, a pair of cladding layers with a refractive index smaller than that of the active layer should be provided over and under the active layer, and the energy gap between the active layer and the cladding layers should be 0.4 ev or more. These cladding layers are usually made of AlGaN mixed crystals with an Al mole fraction of 7%.
Considering its principle of operation, however, the blue laser radiation emitted from the prior art nitride semi-conductor laser device is harder to detect than the red laser radiation, and therefore the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) obtained at a light-receiving device such as a photodetector is usually low. Thus, compared to the red-light-emitting semi-conductor laser device, it is much more necessary for the nitride semiconductor laser device of the short-wave-emission type to reduce the noise produced from the device.

Semiconductor laser device, optical disk apparatus and optical integrated unit

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A projectile (28) for a barrel assembly (10) containing multiple projectiles (28) including a propellant charge (22), a primer (23, 26) that ignites the propellant charge (22), a payload (28) that is propelled from the barrel (10) on ignition of the charge (22), and ignition system (20, 24, 25) having both an electrical (20, 24) and a mechanical (25, 26) sub-system either or both of which may be triggered to ignite the primer (23). The electrical system may involve induction white the mechanical system may involve a solenoid or fully mechanical arrangement, the mechanical system acts as a backup for the electrical system if required.

This invention relates to firing systems for weapons having multiple projectiles that are stacked in a common barrel. Weapons of this kind are usually fired by a fully electrical control system but sometimes require a backup firing system, preferably a mechanical system. Weapons having stacked projectiles are described in WO 94/20809 and WO 97/04281, and a series of later specifications, for example.

Combined electrical mechanical firing systems


According to the invention, a system for determining at least one property of a fluid flow through a conduit is disclosed. The system may include a bearing, at least one blade member, and a monitoring device. The bearing may be coupled with an interior of the conduit, and may include an inner race, where the inner race may rotate. The blade members may be coupled with the inner race, and may extend from the inner race toward the interior of the conduit. The blade members may rotate when a fluid flows through the interior of the conduit, and the inner race of the bearing may rotate when the blade members rotate. The monitoring device may be configured to determine a rate of rotation of the blade members. At least one property of the fluid flow may be determined based at least in part on the rate of rotation.

This invention relates generally to instruments for monitoring fluid flows. More specifically the invention relates to instruments for monitoring fluid flows in conduits which may also allow an object to pass through the instrument.
In certain applications where a fluid flow rate must be determined for a flow through a conduit (or other related properties such as fluid velocity and mass flow rate), access through the bore of the conduit before, during, or after fluid flow rate determination may be desirable for additional testing and/or other operations. Flow meters known in the art often consume so much space within the bore of the conduit where the flow is to be measured, that the ability to operate other testing equipment within the bore of the conduit is heavily impaired, if not impossible. Time and other resources may be lost removing the flow meter from the bore of the conduit before other testing and/or operations may proceed.
Additionally, because flow meters known in the art consume so much space within the bore of the conduit where the flow is to be measured, these flow meters are subject to all of the consequences of such total exposure to the monitored fluid flow. For example, solid particles in the fluid flow may impair operation of such flow meters, potentially causing damage. Additionally, high flow rates may work to destroy rigid portions of the flow meter to relieve increased pressure in the fluid flow due to the presence of the flow meter.


A method includes receiving, via an input interface of a mobile communication device, user input corresponding to dialed digits. The method includes causing a transmitter of the mobile communication device to transmit a connection signal to a communication network device based on the dialed digits. The method includes determining, at a processor of the mobile communication device, whether the dialed digits are associated with an action based on action information stored at a memory of the mobile communication device. The method further includes when the dialed digits are associated with the action, automatically causing the transmitter to transmit a disconnect signal to the communication network device, the disconnect signal indicating termination of a communication session associated with the dialed digits, and performing the action using the processor.

Mobile communication devices may be programmed to perform actions including making telephone calls and executing an application. Because of the wide range of available mobile communication devices, providing applications that are executable by different devices can be difficult as different device have different hardware and software available on the devices. One issue that arises when developing an application for different mobile communication devices is that different mobile communication devices often have different types of user interfaces. For example, some user interfaces have physical buttons (e.g., a numeric or alphanumeric keypad), others have touch screen interfaces, voice interfaces, or a combination of touch screen, voice, and physical buttons. Because telephone calls have historically been addressed using a sequence of numbers, mobile communication devices are able to receive numeric input.
Some mobile communication devices have been arranged to receive user inputs as a sequence of dialed digits and to launch an application in response to the sequence of dialed digits. Typically, a user provides a particular input to denote the end of the sequence of dialed digits. For example, some mobile communication devices recognize configuration codes which may begin with or end with non-numeric key sequences such as *# or #*#. As another example, some mobile communication devices may receive a "send" command to detect an end of a sequence of dialed digits. In this case, the sequence of dialed digits may be sent to a network (e.g., to initiate a call) in response to the send command. In the case that the sequence of digits is input to launch an application, the dialed digits should not correspond to a telephone number, so the communication network returns an error signal (in response to the send command) which is output by the mobile communication device (e.g., audibly or via a display of the mobile communication device) after the dialed digits are entered. Thus, the error message indicates that the mobile communication device has been instructed to perform an action.

Perform an action based on dialed digits


An apparatus for demagnetizing a shadow mask includes a shadow mask stocker, a cassette in the shadow mask stocker, wherein at least one shadow mask is disposed in the cassette, and a demagnetizing device that generates a magnetic field by an alternating current (AC), thereby removing magnetism of the at least one shadow mask.

In organic electroluminescent display devices or semiconductor devices, a thin film pattern may be formed on a substrate by using a shadow mask having desired patterns. More particularly, the shadow mask and the substrate are disposed over a source such that the shadow mask is interposed between the substrate and the source. Then, the source is evaporated and deposited on the substrate through the shadow mask.
In general, a shadow mask is attached to a substrate holder with a substrate in a chamber. The shadow mask and the substrate may be fixed to the substrate holder by a mechanical fixing method or a magnetic fixing method. In the mechanical fixing method, sides of the substrate holder, the shadow mask and the substrate may be mechanically fixed using pins or clips. In the magnetic fixing method, the shadow mask is formed of a magnetic substance, and the substrate and the shadow mask may be magnetically fixed to the substrate holder by permanent magnets or electromagnets.
In the magnetic fixing method, the shadow mask may be magnetized, and adjacent patterns of the shadow mask are contacted to each other due to the magnetization, causing undesirable patterns on the substrate.
FIGS. 1 and 2 are views illustrating an apparatus for forming a thin film using a magnetic shadow mask according to the related art.
As shown in FIG. 1, a shadow mask 102 is disposed over a mask holder 103 in a process chamber 101. A substrate 105 is disposed over a substrate holder 104, which is set up over shadow mask 102 in the process chamber 101.
The shadow mask 102 is formed of an invar, which is an alloy of ferromagnetic iron and nickel and has a relatively low coefficient of thermal expansion. The shadow mask 102 is perforated corresponding to patterns.
Two cross patterns (not shown) are formed on each of the substrate 105 and the shadow mask 102. While the cross patterns are monitored through charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras 106, the substrate 105 moves in an x, y, z or θ direction according to images from the CCD cameras 106. Therefore, the substrate 105 and the shadow mask 102 are aligned with each other such that the cross patterns of the substrate 105 overlap those of the shadow mask 102. Like this, to align the substrate 105 and the shadow mask 102, two CCD cameras 106 and two cross patterns for each of the substrate 105 and the shadow mask 102 are required.
As shown in FIG. 2, when the substrate 105 and the shadow mask 102 are exactly aligned, a chuck 107 goes down and fixes the substrate 105. A magnet 108 is disposed at a bottom of the chuck 107 and prevents the shadow mask 102 from hanging down. Accordingly, the shadow mask 102 including the ferromagnetic materials is easily fixed by the magnet 108 of the chuck 107. Then, a source (not shown) is evaporated and is deposited on the substrate 105 through the shadow mask 102 to form thin film patterns.
By the way, the shadow mask 102 may be magnetized depending on a magnetic field strength of the magnet 108, causing problems.
That is, the substrate 105 and the shadow mask 102 are fixed by the magnet 108 of the chuck 107, which is ferromagnetic, and then the thin film patterns are formed on the substrate 105. At this time, the shadow mask 102 may be magnetized. After that, the magnet 108 of the chuck 107 moves upward. Then, the shadow mask 102 may be demagnetized, and the magnetism of the shadow mask 102 may be removed.
However, the shadow mask 102 is still magnetized.
FIG. 3 shows a magnetized shadow mask of the related art. In FIG. 3, the shadow mask 102 may be a grill type. When the shadow mask 102 is fixed with the substrate 102 by the magnet 108 of FIG. 2, the shadow mask 102 may be magnetized. After forming the thin film patterns and removing the magnet 108, the shadow mask 102 is still magnetized, and thus adjacent grill patterns of the shadow mask 102 may be contacted to each other. Therefore, thin film patterns may be improperly formed due to the contacted grill patterns of the shadow mask 102 in a subsequent process. Defects may be caused in a display device.

Apparatus and method for demagnetizing shadow mask


A multiplication and addition circuit multiplies each of a plurality of analog voltages by a corresponding digital multiplier and then adds up the products. First, each bit corresponding to each of the multipliers is multiplied with the corresponding analog voltage. Then, the products for each bit of the multiplier are added. The results are weighted by each bit weight and the weighted values are added. The multipliers are rotated so that there is the number of data transmission errors is lowered.

The applicant of the present invention proposes in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 6-168349 a usable multiplication circuit for the above field, which realizes multiplication of an analog voltage and a digital multiplier without analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion.
FIG. 9 shows a conventional circuit. Input voltage X is input to capacitive coupling CP including capacitances CC0 to CC8 through switches SW1 to SW8. The output of CP is input to inverting amplifying circuit INV2, whose output is connected to its input through feedback capacitance C3.
CP outputs the result of multiplication and addition operation for X wherein multiplication is done by multiplying X by a weight which is proportional to each capacitance, and INV2 transmits the outputs to the next stage with good linearity due to the large gain and the feedback system of C3. As each capacitance of CP corresponds to each binary bit, multiplication with binary numbers can be performed by controlling the opening and closing of each switch.
Through intermediate capacitance C4, the output of INV2 is connected to inverting amplifying circuit INV3, whose input and output are connected through feedback capacitance C5. The output of CP is transmitted to the two successive stages to obtain a non-inverted output.
In CP, capacitance CC8 is also connected in parallel to the other capacitances. CC8 is connected to X through switch SW9, inverting amplifying circuit INV1 and capacitance C1, sequentially. The input and output of INV1 are connected through feedback capacitance C2. When switch SW9 is closed, inverted X (-X) is output with good linearity.


A method and device of executing a load multiple instruction in a superscaler microprocessor is provided. The method comprises the steps of dispatching a load multiple instruction to a load/store unit, wherein the load/store unit begins execution of a dispatched load multiple instruction, and wherein the load multiple instruction loads data from memory into a plurality of registers. The method further includes the step of maintaining a table that lists each register of the plurality of registers and that indicates when data has been loaded into each register by the executing load multiple instruction. The method concludes by executing an instruction that is dependent upon source operand data loaded by the load multiple instruction into a register of the plurality of registers indicated by the instruction as a source register, prior to the load multiple instruction completing its execution, when the table indicates the source operand data has been loaded into the source register. Also, according to the present invention, a method of executing a store multiple instruction in a superscaler microprocessor is provided. This method comprises the steps of dispatching a store multiple instruction to a load/store unit, whereupon the load/store unit begins executing the store multiple instruction, wherein the load store instruction stores data from a plurality of registers to memory; and executing a fixed point instruction that is dependent upon data being stored by the store multiple instruction from a register of the plurality of registers indicated by the fixed point instruction as a source register, prior to the store multiple instruction completing its execution, but prohibiting the executing fixed point instruction from writing to a register of the plurality of registers prior to the store multiple instruction completing.

1. Technical Field:
The present invention relates in general to the allocation of resources during the execution of instructions in a microprocessor, and in particular the present invention relates to the early deallocation of resources dedicated to a serialized load/store multiple operation to allow simultaneous execution of additional instructions.
2. Description of the Related Art:
Multi-register load/store instructions require complete serialization since these instructions modify or use up to all general purpose registers (usually 32) contained within a microprocessor. In the PowerPC.TM. line of microprocessors produced by International Business Machines, Inc., integer load/store multiple instructions are accommodated, which move blocks of data to and from the microprocessors general purpose registers (GPRs). The multi-register instructions provided are the Load Multiple Word (lmw) and the Store Multiple Word (stmw) instructions.
In the prior art, because such multi-register load/store instructions may modify or use up to all the general purpose registers in the system, later instructions in the instruction sequence are held in the instruction buffer until the multi-register instruction is complete. Therefore, it was assumed that multi-register instructions force complete serialization of these instructions in the instruction stream. To implement such a serialization in the prior art, the multi-register instructions are allocated all of the required general purpose registers until the instruction completed. Such a system substantially restricts performance by holding up the instruction pipeline until the multi-register instruction is completed.
What is needed is a mechanism to allow resources to be deallocated from the multi-register instructions as those instructions are executed and the resources become available to allow subsequent instructions to begin execution simultaneously with the executing multi-register instruction. Such a mechanism would substantially improve the performance of a microprocessor having a superscalar design by allowing instructions that utilize multiple registers to be executed in parallel with subsequent instructions that utilize the GPRs.

Method and processor that permit concurrent execution of a store multiple instruction and a dependent instruction

International Business Machines Corporation


Provided is a method and system for streaming multimedia data between hetero UPnP networks configured of a private network. The method comprises establishing a communication channel with a relay peer; establishing a virtual communication channel with a specific extensible home connector selected from a plurality of extensible home connectors connected with the relay peer; searching multimedia data to play from multimedia data in the specific extensible home connector which exists on the UPnP network through the virtual communication channel; establishing a communication environment through the UPnP internet gateway of the specific extensible home connector in case of demanding play of the searched multimedia data; and receiving multimedia data from the specific extensible home connector through the communication environment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a UPnP network, and more particularly, to a method and system for streaming multimedia data between hetero UPnP networks each a private network.
This work was supported by the IT R&D program of MIC/IITA
[2006-S-068-02, Development of Virtual Home Platform Based on Peer-to-Peer Networking]
2. Description of the Related Art
Universal Plug & Play (UPnP), introduced by Microsoft at 1999, is a technology for sharing a personal computer (PC) and peripheral devices, such as a printer, through a home network. Each of devices has a unique internet protocol (IP) address, uses internet-related protocols such as transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) and dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) for communicating with other devices, and communicates with other devices through an extensible markup language (XML). Hereinafter, networks supporting UPnP according to the related art will be described.
One of UPnP proxy algorithms according to the related art enables a user on the Internet to remotely control UPnP devices in home through a UPnP proxy installed in a home gateway or a home server. The UPnP Proxy algorithm supports unidirectional access and control from the Internet, the outside of a home network, to the home network, but cannot perform device discovery, device control, and a streaming service in bidirection between physically separated hetero UPnP networks.
According to the related art, hetero UPnP networks are connected using a juxtapose (JXTA) protocol. Due to a relay service, which is a core function of JXTA protocol, load of relay peers increases for transmitting multimedia data between UPnP audio/video (A/V) devices. Transmission delay also occurs because relay peers cache multimedia data to relay it to a target device.
Also, a multimedia streaming method according to the related art provide a multimedia streaming service using a virtual media server between UPnP based home networks. However, the multimedia streaming method according to the related art has problems as follows. A home connector must be installed in each of home networks, the home connector must be manually set up to connect a home network with another home network, and it is difficult to dynamically configure connections according to the movement of a user. Also, load is concentrated on a virtual media server because the virtual media server relays streaming data and collects contents information of each media server.
A mobility supporting technology according to the related art was introduced to support the mobility of a UPnP device. Since the mobility supporting technology according to the related art uses session initiation protocol (SIP), a mobile UPnP device must support SIP. Therefore, the mobility supporting technology must be redeveloped in order to apply it to typical UPnP devices not supporting SIP. Also, the mobility supporting technology cannot provide connectivity between hetero UPnP networks.

Method and system for serving multi-media data between hetero UPnP networks

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


An image forming apparatus includes a printing unit configured to form an image on a recording medium, and a guide device configured to guide the printing unit to be drawn in a direction perpendicular to a recording medium conveying direction in which the recording medium is conveyed. Thus, because the printing unit can be drawn out from the main body of the apparatus, maintenance work to the printing unit can be easily performed in a state that the printing unit has been drawn out from the apparatus.

1 . Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an image forming apparatus, and in particular relates to an image forming apparatus in which a printing part is drawn toward the front side of the apparatus so that the printing part can be easily replaced.
2 . Discussion of the Background
An image forming apparatus using an ink jet process is relatively simple in configuration when compared with an image forming apparatus performing optical writing by scanning a laser beam. Generally each component of a printing part of the apparatus is mounted to a frame of the apparatus. When repair is necessary to the printing part, the apparatus itself is replaced or each component of the printing part in need of repair is replaced.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-506758 describes a hard copy apparatus as an image forming apparatus in which each component of a printing part is replaceable. The hard copy apparatus is configured in such a way that it includes: a writing engine device as the printing part, an ink jet printing module which transfers ink to a print medium, a service module which maintains ink jet printing functional integrity of the writing engine device, at least one ink, at least one ink containing module which contains a predetermined quantity of said ink, a delivery module which delivers said ink from said ink containing module to said ink jet printing module, and an electrical module which connects power and control to said writing engine device all housed in a housing module in respective operational configurations as selectively replaceable units within the hard copy apparatus.
When repair is necessary to a printing part in an image forming apparatus using an ink jet process (ink jet printing apparatus), replacing each component of the printing part in need of repair is inefficient in working efficiency because liquid ink is used and thereby careful attention is needed. That is, in the ink jet printing apparatus, because ink needs to be supplied to an ink jet printing module including printing heads, a mechanism to supply the ink to the ink jet printing module, e.g., ink supplying tubes or ink supplying conduits, are connected with the ink jet printing module. When replacing the inkjet printing module, for example, after disconnecting such ink supplying tubes or conduits from the ink jet printing module, the ink jet printing module is detached from the apparatus, and when attaching the ink jet printing module to the apparatus, the ink supplying tubes or conduits must be attached to the ink jet printing module again. Thus, the work of replacing the ink jet printing module takes a relatively long time because it involves detachment of ink supplying tubes or conduits.
Further, when replacing the ink jet printing module, because of a possibility of ink leakage, ink in the ink jet printing head (in a sub-tank) must be removed, and in performing the replacing work, attention must be paid to a difference in ink level between the sub-tank and a main tank. If ink leaks, the inside of the apparatus might be soiled, or the floor of the customer's premises where the apparatus is placed might be soiled. In order to avoid such ink leakage, the work must be performed very carefully, which further lengthens the time of replacing the ink jet printing module. If the inside of the apparatus or the floor of the customer's premises is soiled, it takes time and trouble to clean the inside of the apparatus or the floor; thereby the working efficiency is further decreased.
In relation to the above-described problem, Japanese Patent Publication No. 3167486 describes an ink jet printing apparatus as an image forming apparatus in which a printing part is replaceable as an integrated unit. The ink jet printing apparatus includes an ink jet printing head opposing and moving relative to a printing sheet, a fixed ink storage device as a supply source supplying ink to the ink jet printing head, an ink supplying tube supplying the ink in the fixed ink storage device to the ink jet printing head, and a connecting cable connecting a drive circuit and an electrode of the ink jet printing head with each other. The ink jet printing head and its driving device, the fixed ink storage device, the ink supplying tube, and the connecting cable and its connecting terminal are mounted to a support member to be configured as an integrated replaceable unit, and the support member is configured to be detachably attached to the main body of the apparatus. Specifically, the replaceable unit including the ink jet printing head, the fixed ink storage device, etc. is attached to an upper surface of the main body of the apparatus from above through the intermediary of an attaching axis, and is fixed by a hook at a side surface of the main body. Accordingly, in this case, the ink jet printing head, the ink supplying mechanism including the fixed ink storage device, and the connecting cable and its terminal can be replaced as an integrated unit. However, the replacing work to the unit must be performed from above, so that an upper space of the main body must be open. Further, a sheet feeding and conveying mechanism including a platen roller and its driving system and a drive source of the ink jet printing head are provided at the side of the main body of the apparatus, separately from the replaceable unit. Thus, the ink jet printing head is structurally independent from the drive source of the ink jet printing head and the sheet feeding and conveying mechanism. When the printing part including the ink jet printing head is replaced, it is hard to keep a distance between the ink jet printing head and the sheet feeding and conveying mechanism and to keep their relative positions the same as before replacing the printing part. Thus, there is a limit in printing accuracy that can be obtained after replacement of the printing part.
Further, when detaching the printing part from the main body of the apparatus, as described also in JP publication NO. 3167486, electrical systems connecting the printing part and the main body must be also detached. In an ink jet printing apparatus, because an ink jet printing head includes many nozzles and these nozzles must be controlled, the number of connecting pins for connecting the printing part and a control board of the main body reaches 100 to 200. When the number of connecting pins is large, a drawer-type connector is ideal. However, a relatively large power is needed in pulling and inserting hundreds of pins, so that under present circumstances, a connector having hundreds of pins is not available, and generally, plural connectors are used.
In an ink jet printing apparatus, a control part of the main body of the apparatus is often arranged at the rear side of the main body of the apparatus because of a need to perform clearance of a jammed sheet and replacement of an ink cartridge from the front side of the apparatus. Therefore, when the control part of the main body of the apparatus is arranged at the rear side of the main body and connectors for connecting electrical systems connecting a printing part of the apparatus and the control part of the main body are arranged at the front side of the apparatus, connecting cables must be wired from the rear side to the front side of the apparatus. This results in the connecting cables connecting the printing part and the control part of the main body being made longer, which increases a possibility of picking-up noise, and thereby a problem may be caused in printing control. When the connectors are arranged at the rear side of the apparatus, the apparatus itself must be first drawn to this side to disconnect the connectors, which is inconvenient.


A method for providing an interface to a service for a plurality of clients by a backend data center using a remote file system that includes receiving a first file by the remote file system from a client of the plurality of clients, determining the service associated with the first file, reformatting the first file based on the service, transmitting the reformatted first file as a request to the service, receiving a response from the service based on the request, and storing the response in a second file on the remote file system, wherein the second file is accessed remotely by the client from the remote file system, and wherein the first file is simultaneously visible to the client and the backend data center.

The typical distributed computer system includes multiple interconnected nodes, connection devices, and a connection medium. One common example of a distributed computer system is the Internet. Through the Internet, nodes in one region of the world are able to communicate with nodes in a different region.
Communication between the client and the server is typically achieved using a variety of communication standards. For example, communication may be performed using SOAP. SOAP is a standard for exchanging XML-based messages typically using HTTP. Specifically, in SOAP messages include a header with an envelope and a body. The header contains relevant information about a message and the body typically includes the message formatted with XML tags.
Another communication standard is Representational State Transfer (REST). In REST, a client makes a request to a server using well-defined operations. Neither, the client nor the server needs to keep track of the state between requests. Similar to SOAP, REST also typically uses the HTTP protocol.
Services, such as web services and network services, typically use the communication to provide functionality to one or more clients. Specifically, a client may send a request to a service. The service processes the request and may or may not send a result back to the client.
For example, a client may desire a computer program product. Accordingly, the customer on a client accesses the website of a merchant's web service through a web browser and submits a request and payment for the computer program product. The web service processes the requests and makes the corresponding computer program available for download to the client. Once the client downloads the computer program product, the client may install the computer program product and execute the program.
Large entities, such as companies, educational institutions, and other organizations often use web services to provide functionality to the employees of the large entity. For example, administrators may access various websites to determine how to keep the computer systems on the large entity current. In order to access the information, the administrator typically uses a web browser and finds the website of the vendors. Once at the website, the administrator must search through the information and determine which components require updating. Next, the administrator typically installs the updates from the Internet.

File system interface to web and network services


A planetary gear train transmission includes:                an outer case fitted with a ring gear having internal teeth;        at least one outlet planet carrier having planet gears meshing with the ring gear, and with a central, sun gear;        an inlet gear and an inlet bearing provided in the case; and        an outlet bearing from the transmission provided in the case;        the transmission including an outlet member coupled to rotate with the outlet planet carrier and co-operating with the planet carrier to form elements for preloading the outlet bearing.

The field of transmissions is well known, in particular concerning rotary machines and machine tools.
The most compact transmissions are generally made from one or two stages of planetary gears depending on the gear ratio that it is desired to obtain (for equal or comparable power transmission), each stage or each gear train comprising a sun gear meshing with planet gears carried by a planet carrier, which planet gears also mesh with an outer ring gear having internal teeth. The sun gear, the ring gear, and the planet carrier constitute elements of the transmission suitable for being connected externally, i.e. to the transmission line, with the gearing thus subdividing the transmission line into an upstream portion generally coming from a motor and a downstream portion which comprises a driven member of the transmission, i.e. a member that is driven at a speed of rotation applied with a given torque, this member generally also being a rotary machine (a machine tool, a roller, the screw of a press, . . . ).
The transmission also comprises an outer case containing the gearing and it too co-operates with the supports, cases, and housings of upstream and downstream portions of the transmission line. Finally, the planet carrier (or one of the planet carriers) is mounted to rotate inside the outer case by means of roll or ball bearings that require assembly or clamping means to be implemented in order to achieve axial positioning of the bearing assembly, usually under stress.
These assembly means form members that are additional to the strictly functional parts of the transmission, and constitute a factor that increases the cost price. Furthermore, such a structure requires initial assembly and needs to be monitored throughout the use of the transmission, thereby likewise constituting a drawback that needs to be remedied.
Furthermore, a manufacturer of transmissions must be capable of satisfying demand from a variety of rotary machine manufacturers that make transmission lines from components coming from a plurality of suppliers, or using components that they make themselves, depending on the machine and its shape. It is therefore necessary to make transmissions almost as custom-made items, which is not very compatible with seeking to rationalize the manufacture of transmissions in order to reduce their cost.


For effecting cryptographic communications between entities i, j using a common cryptokey, each of the entities i, j generates a common cryptokey by applying an identifier transformation algorithm and a secret private key, which have previously been distributed from a center, to the identifier of the other entity with which to communicate (step 3). In a transmitting side, one-time pass cryptographic communication random number data are generated and encrypted by the common cryptokey, a plaintext is encrypted using the random number data, and the encrypted random number data and the encrypted plaintext are combined into an encrypted communication text (step 4). In a receiving side, the encrypted random number data in the encrypted communication text are decrypted using the common cryptokey, and the encrypted plaintext is decrypted using the decrypted random number data as a key (step 5).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of effecting cryptographic communications between entities on a computer network using a common cryptokey.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recent years have seen a pressing need for ciphertext communication technology to keep communication data secret from third parties for communications on a network such as the Internet.
One well known type of such ciphertext communication technology is a form of public key cryptography known as RSA. Another form of ciphertext communication technology which is generally known in the art is a process of sharing a cryptokey used for communications between entities on a network. According to such a process of sharing a cryptokey, a transmitting entity encrypts communication data of a plaintext using a cryptokey and then transmits the cryptographic communication data to a receiving entity. Then, the receiving entity decrypts the received cryptographic communication data back into the original communication data, using the same cryptokey as the cryptokey used by the transmitting entity. The term "entity" used above signifies any existing body for carrying out communications, e.g., a device such as a terminal connected to the network, a user of the device, a program for operating the device, a combination thereof, or the like.
Conventional attempts to realize the process of sharing a cryptokey are disclosed in "NON-PUBLIC KEY DISTRIBUTION/Advances in Cryptography: Proceedings of CRYPTO '82/Plenum Press, 1983, pp. 231-236" by Rolf Blom, "An Optimal Class of Symmetric Key Generation Systems/Advances in Cryptology: EUROCRYPT '84/Springer LNCS 209, 1985, pp. 335-338" by Rolf Blom, Japanese patent publication No. 5-48980, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,276, for example.
According to the above disclosed proposals, a center or central facility established on the network generates a secret private key for each of the entities for generating a common cryptokey and distributes the generated secret private key to each of the entities. When the entities communicate with each other, each of the entities applies its own secret private key to the other entity's identifier (name, address, or the like), generating a common cryptokey shared by the entities.
In the above process, the secret private key for each of entities is generated by transforming the identifier of each entity according to a center algorithm which is held by the center only and common to the entities.
More specifically, if the center algorithm is expressed as a function P(x, y) of variables x, y representing two arbitrary identifiers, respectively, then the center algorithm is established so that it has a symmetry represented by P(x, y)=P(y, x). A function P(x, i) (hereinafter expressed as "Pi(x)") which is generated when the actual identifier i of each of the entities is substituted in the value of the variable y, for example, of the variables x, y of the function P(x, y) is distributed as a secret private key to each entity. When the entity having the identifier i subsequently communicates with the entity having the identifier j, the entity having the identifier i applies the identifier j of the other entity to its own secret private key Pi(x), i.e., sets the variable x to "j", thus generating a cryptokey Pi(j). Similarly, the entity having the identifier j applies the identifier i of the other entity to its own secret private key Pj(x), thus generating a cryptokey Pj(i). Since the center algorithm has the above symmetry, the cryptokey Pi(j) is equal to the cryptokey (Pi(j)=Pj(i)). Therefore, the entities having the respective identifiers i, j have obtained a common cryptokey.
With the above process of effecting communications using a common cryptokey, it is necessary that the cryptokey should actually not be analyzed. In the process disclosed in Japanese patent publication No. 5-48980, all cryptokeys contain information relative to the center algorithm which determines the cryptokeys, it is important to keep the cryptokeys difficult to analyze.
Since communication data (plaintext) themselves are encrypted by a cryptokey for communications according to the conventional communication process, the cryptokey may possibly be analyzed from features of the communication data. With the process disclosed in Japanese patent publication No. 5-48980, once the cryptokey is analyzed, the center algorithm may also be analyzed by a collaboration of entities.

Method of effecting communications using common cryptokey


The resource cost associated with each resource in a programmable logic device (PLD) can be obtained from topology information. In one embodiment, the PLD can be geometrically divided into an array of logical tiles. The cost can be set equal to the number of tiles the resource intersects (span). A signal path between a.source and a destination can be routed using this resource cost. In another embodiment, the cost is set as the maximum value between the vertical and horizontal spans (instead of the total span). This embodiment often increases the speed of routing.

The present invention relates to programmable logic devices (PLDs), and more particularly to a method for assigning costs to routing resources in PLDs.
A typical FPGA comprises a large plurality of configurable logic blocks (CLBs) surrounded by input-output blocks and interconnectable through a routing structure. The routing structure comprises many interconnect wires and associated programmable interconnect points (PIPs). In one embodiment, a PIP contains a pass transistor that can be turned on and off, thereby allowing an associated interconnect wire to be either connected or disconnected (depending on the state of the transistor) to other circuit elements. The CLBs and routing structure of the FPGA are arranged in an array or in a plurality of sub-arrays wherein respective CLBs and associated portions of the routing structure are placed edge to edge in what is commonly referred to as a tiled arrangement. An example of such a tiled arrangement is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,914,616 entitled xe2x80x9cFPGA Repeatable Interconnect Structure with Hierarchical Interconnect Lines.xe2x80x9d The CLB portion of a tile comprises a plurality of primitive cells which may be interconnected in a variety of ways to perform a desired logic function. For example, a CLB may comprise a plurality of lookup tables (LUTs), multiplexers and registers. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cprimitive cellxe2x80x9d means the lowest level of user accessible component.
When an FPGA comprises thousands of CLBs in large arrays of tiles, the task of establishing the required multitude of interconnections between primitive cells inside a CLB and between the CLBs becomes so onerous that it requires software tool implementation. Accordingly, the manufacturers of FPGAs, including Xilinx, Inc., the assignee hereof, have developed place and route software tools that may be used by their customers to implement their respective designs. Place and route tools not only provide the means of implementing users"" designs, but can also provide an accurate and final analysis of static timing and dynamic power consumption for an implemented design scheme.
Routing tools are very important in determining the performance of a circuit implemented on a FPGA. If signals are not routed properly, excessive amount of resources are used to carry signals. This could lead to design with poor timing and power performance. Further, routing tools are very difficult to develop and very time consuming to execute. Consequently, it is important to improve routing tools.
The present invention involves a method for routing a signal from a source to a destination in a PLD that has a plurality of routing resources. The topology information of each of the plurality of resources is obtained. In one embodiment, the PLD can be geometrically divided into an array of logical tiles. These tiles can be used to supply the topology information. Each of the plurality of resources is assigned a cost based on its associated topology information. For example, the cost can be set as the number of tiles the resource intersects (xe2x80x9cspanxe2x80x9d). A signal path between the source and destination can be routed using the cost information for the resources.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the cost is set as the maximum value between the vertical and vertical spans (instead of the total span). This embodiment often increases the speed of routing.
The above summary of the present invention is not intended to describe each disclosed embodiment of the present invention. The figures and detailed description that follow provide additional example embodiments and aspects of the present invention.

Resource cost assignment in programmable logic device routing


A system comprises a first processor, a second processor coupled to the first processor, an operating system that executes exclusively only on the first processor and not on the second processor, and a middle layer software running on the first processor and that distributes tasks to run on either or both processors. A synchronization unit coupled to the first and second processors also may be provided to synchronize the processors. Further still, a translation lookaside buffer may be included that is shared between the processors. Each entry in the translation lookaside buffer (“TLB”) may include a task identifier to permit the operating system or middle layer software to selectively flush only some of the TLB entries (e.g., the entries pertaining to only one of the processors).

1. Technical Field
The present subject matter relates generally to a multi-processor, single operating system computing system.
2. Background Information
Despite well recognized advantages of using Java code such as portability, security, and code density, Java execution remains relatively slow thus militating against a wider acceptance into the marketplace. One of the performance bottlenecks in Java execution environments is the latency induced by native tasks, such as real-time processing or garbage collection. Accordingly, improvements to accelerate the execution of Java are desirable.

Tasks distribution in a multi-processor including a translation lookaside buffer shared between processors


A modular storage container adapted to hold cosmetics or other small items in a stylish and sleek way is provided. The modular storage container can include a base unit having a first side and a second side, one of a mirror and magnifying device being arranged on the first side of the base unit, an illumination assembly for illuminating the mirror, and a removable cover. The removable cover can be adapted to secure to the first side of the base unit and to protect one of the mirror and magnifying device in a first secured position of the cover. The second side of the base unit is capable of being secured to one or more of a plurality of modular storage units in a stacked relationship. The second side of the base unit can be capable of being secured to the cover in a second secured position of the cover. The first side of the base unit can be adapted to secure to a first end of the cover and the second side of the base unit can be adapted to secure to a second end of the cover.

Modular storage containers are useful for carrying and organizing small items, including cosmetics. Modular storage containers can be especially useful when it is desired to selectively carry one or more items related to personal makeup and its application, including mirrors, blush, lipstick, eye shadow, and the like.
Prior art modular storage containers are oftentimes non-stylish in appearance and lack useful features, such as, for example, an illumination source or, for further example, a positionable mirror or magnifying device. Prior art modular storage containers also do not provide convenient features such as a storage cover that can cover the modular storage container when not in use, or can serve as an elevated support base when the modular storage container is being used.
Accordingly, there is a need for an aesthetically pleasing modular storage container having useful and convenient features as described.