The present invention relates to an apparatus and process for producing a thin organic film on a substrate using an ultrasonic nozzle to produce a cloud of micro-droplets in a vacuum chamber. The micro-droplets move turbulently within the vacuum chamber, isotropically impacting and adhering to the surface of the substrate. The resulting product has a smooth, continuous, conformal, and uniform organic thin film, when the critical process parameters of micro-droplet size, shot size, vacuum chamber pressure, and timing are well-controlled, and defects such as “orange peel” effect and webbing are avoided. The apparatus includes an improved ultrasonic nozzle assembly that comprises vacuum sealing and a separate, independent passageway for introducing a directed purging gas.

The use of medical implants is a multi-billion dollar world-wide industry and the development of new applications is increasing rapidly. Medical implants include, among others, pacemakers, stents, drug delivery devices, and artificial organs.
One continuing problem in the implantation of devices within the body is the reaction of the body to the implanted device. For example, the body often rejects foreign objects implanted within the body, causing undesirable side effects that can injure a patient or require the administration of oral or intravenous medications to prevent rejection of the implanted device. Also, the implantation of stents within an artery or vein is often complicated by restenosis, a complication caused by the recurrence of plaque especially after balloon angioplasty coupled with stent implantation. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,834,419, which issued to McFadden, et al. on Nov. 10, 1998, and is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. A medication can be included in an organic coating that inhibits rejection of a medical device or inhibits restenosis at the location of a stent. However, this solution requires a tough, well-adhered, smooth, thin and continuous organic coating on the surface of the device or stent that can hold the inhibitor on the surface and/or release the inhibitor over time from the stent.
The process of coating a three-dimensional shape, such as a stent, with a uniform, continuous and conformal coating is a difficult one that has not heretofore been completely solved. Frequently, the process is complicated by the delicacy, intricacy, and ultimately in-vitro use of these medical devices. For example, a cardiac stent is normally compressed during catheterization, and when the stent is in position for emplacement, the stent is expanded by a balloon or other means, which opens the previously blocked or partially blocked vessel. A coating on the stent must be able to conform to the three-dimensional shape of the stent without interfering with the expansion of the stent, and the coating must remain adhered to the surface of the stent and must be continuous and smooth following expansion of the stent.
Another application requiring high quality coatings is the fabrication of surface acoustic wave sensors (SAWS) for detection of volatile compounds. SAWS resonate in the megahertz range, usually using piezoelectric materials to create the resonance. For example, a thin, chemically reactive coating of a particular organic compound allows the sensor to capture from the surrounding environment molecules of certain hazardous compounds or molecules associated with the presence of hazardous compounds. The sensor acts as a resonating mass microbalance. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,791 to Rapp, et al., issued Nov. 13, 2001, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The presence of additional molecules that are captured by the surface coating registers as a change in the sound propagation speed of the surface wave, which can detect very low concentrations of the hazardous compounds. Intrinsically, this application requires an exceptionally adherent, thin, and uniform organic film that was difficult, if not impossible, to produce by any previously known process.
Until now, no deposition process satisfactorily achieved all of these objectives. Surface tension effects during deposition of an organic film often preferentially forms a meniscus or webbing at the interstices (which have a large negative curvature) of a three-dimensional substrate, such as can be found in a stent or medical device. Directed spray of liquid or semi-liquid droplets on a surface causes shadowing effects, which cause uneven or non-continuous coatings on the surface of a three-dimensional substrate.
A CVD process for coating a substrate using a liquid delivery System with an ultrasonic nozzle was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,260, which was filed on Apr. 15, 1994 and issued on Sep. 19, 1995, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This process produces a fine mist of very small droplets that rapidly evaporate in a vacuum chamber, such that only vapor comes in contact with the substrate. A uniform film then deposits on the substrate surface by a chemical vapor deposition process, whereby the vapor decomposes by pyrolysis, leaving a uniform metal oxide film on the surface. Although a uniform coating results on a flat surface, this process has the disadvantage of being a vapor deposition process, which can cause webbing at the interstices of a stent, for example. Furthermore, it does not allow for the deposition of a liquid that is not easily vaporized in a vacuum reaction chamber. Finally, it does not provide for pressure control during the drying of a liquid film on the surface of the substrate; therefore, vacuum levels sufficient to cause boiling on the surface of the substrate can cause an "orange peel" effect.
By "orange peer" the inventors mean that rapid volatilization of a solvent or other volatile compounds in a liquid film on the surface of a substrate can cause eruptions in the otherwise smooth and continuous coating. These eruptions are often not completely refilled by the surrounding liquid, leaving indentations on the surface that appear under magnification to resemble the irregular dimpling in the peel of an orange. If the coatings are required to be smooth, this dimpling is a cause for rejection of the coated device.

Process for coating three-dimensional substrates with thin organic films and products

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.


An overhead support system. An array of spoked rimless wheels are located over a space and supports at least one overhead cart from which a load is supported with a tension element. The load can be moved horizontally in the space by applying a horizontal force to the load causing the cart to move over the array of spoked rimless wheels carrying the load in the horizontal direction. The spoked rimless wheels rotate permitting the tension element to pass horizontally through the array of spoked rimless wheels. In preferred embodiments the spoked rimless wheel has the general shape of a star or a daisy and is referred to as a star wheel or a daisy wheel and the cart has a circular bottom surface. In preferred embodiments casters are mounted on top of the star wheels or daisy wheels to permit easy horizontal movement of the cart over the wheels. In other preferred embodiments the daisy wheels are flat on top and casters are mounted on the circular bottom of the cart.

A substantial portion of the population of the world has great difficulty in walking. A huge number cannot walk at all. These groups are forced to rely on attendants or mechanical devices such as crutches or wheelchairs for their ambulation. Included are those with ambulation problems due to recent hip and knee replacement surgery.
When a person is not able to walk for a period of several weeks or months, his leg muscles tend to degenerate unless physical therapy is provided. If the leg muscles degenerate, extensive physical therapy may be required to enable him to regain his ability to walk. Many people never walk again after an extensive period of relying on a wheel chair for transportation.
The prior art includes overhead support systems. These typically include an overhead track with some type of cart riding on the track with a load (which could be a person) suspended from the cart through a suspension tether. Many such systems exist in automated factories. The limitation of all of these prior art track systems is that the attached person or object can only traverse under the overhead tracks. In other words, an overhead transporting system using tracks provides very limited movement about a space such as a single room. Track systems are very cumbersome and restricting when more than one person (or objects) are required to move about in the same space such as a single room simultaneously. Crossing of tracks is complicated, cumbersome and limiting.
Automatic tensioning assemblies are commonly found in prior art overhead transportation systems. Generally, a tensioning assembly will maintain a set load under tension based on the load cell read-out from the torque on the tensioning assembly's drive motor. Usually, a hand held remote is used to set the load, and raise and lower the object being carried by the transportation system.
What is needed is a better overhead support system that allows random directional movement.


A Wavelength-Division-Multiplexed (WDM) network provides delivery of both switched services and broadcast analog video over optical facilities through an intermediate optical apparatus (e.g., Passive Optical Network (PON)) splitter to a plurality of remote optical apparatuses (e.g., optical-network units (ONUs)). The broadcast signal is provided to only a selected ONU, together with the switched service signal for that selected ONU, the selected ONU then distributes the broadcast signal to other ONUs over a separate distribution facility interconnecting the ONUs.

It is expensive to provide analog broadcast TV over a passive-optical network (PON) because of the high carrier-to-noise ratio (CNR) required of these signals(.about.50 dB/4 MHz). To achieve this high CNR performance, very linear transmitters must be used, and the transmission power level should be such to ensure that enough signal power (i.e. 0.2 mW) reaches the optical receiver. Since the output power of transmitters is limited, a single transmitter can only serve a limited number of receivers (unless expensive optical amplifiers are used). Because the optical receiver is not shared by many users in a fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) or fiber-to-the-curb (FTTC) systems, the cost of the transmitter will not be shared among many users. It therefore is quite expensive to provide broadcast analog video over a PON.
This problem is present in both wavelength-division-multiplexed PONs (where the light's wavelength determines which ONU receives the signal) and power-splitting PONs (where the light is split at a power-splitter, and all the ONU's receive the same signals).
One illustrative switched digital video system which broadcasts analog video signals is described in the article entitled "Video Services Delivery in Fiber in the Loop Systems Using MPEG Encoding and ATM Transport" by J. R. Jones, published in IEEE Lasers and Electro-Optics Society 1993 Annual Meeting, Nov. 15-18, 1993. This system is basically a hybrid-fiber-coax (HFC) system combined with a FTTC-PON. The broadcast signal is sent to a fiber-node, which then transmits the broadcast signals over coaxial cable serving many users (hundreds). The PON provides switched services to each ONU. The coaxial cable provides the ONU with power, and from the ONU the switched signals and the broadcast signals are transmitted to the home.
Undesirably, the prior art has not fully integrated the two systems (HFC and PON). Transmitting the broadcast signals to the neighborhood over a PON should lower the cost of deployment, operations and maintenance.

Wavelength-division-multiplexed network having broadcast capability


A multicarrier modulation position determination method that includes deploying at least one known receiver with a known location and a second receiver with an unknown location. At least two signals of opportunity with different locations are obtained by both the receiver and the second receiver. The signals having a plurality of block data, the block data having block boundaries. The block boundaries including a beginning block boundary and an end block boundary. The block data further including a cyclic prefix at the beginning block boundary. Acquiring a plurality of data samples for at least a portion of the block data and correlating the attained signal of opportunity between the receivers. The correlating process includes the calculation of a time difference of arrival between the known receiver and the second receiver. The time difference of arrival is calculated by aligning the block boundaries and computing a single scalar statistical feature associated with each block. The location of the second receiver is calculated by using a plurality of single scalar statistical features.

The invention relates to using multicarrier modulation navigation with at least one signal of opportunity.
The Global Positioning System (GPS) generally provides worldwide high-accuracy positioning. However, GPS requires lines of sight to multiple satellites and may be blocked or jammed, hence backup navigation techniques are of interest. Navigation via signals of opportunity uses existing radio infrastructure as ad hoc navigational beacons. A mobile receiver determines its position by computing a time difference of arrival (TDOA) between signal reception time at the mobile and at a reference receiver. The drawback is that this requires communication between the reference and mobile receivers.
Multicarrier modulation may be an ideal candidate for a navigation signal of opportunity. Communication between the reference and mobile may be very minimal for multicarrier modulation compared to other modulation types, since the block structure inherently aids synchronization of the two received signals.
Measurements that can be taken from signals of opportunity include the angle of arrival, the received power level, or the time difference of arrival (TDOA) at multiple receivers. TDOA may be preferable since it is difficult to get sufficient position accuracy from angle or power measurements. One difficulty encountered with using TDOA is that for each TDOA measurement, there must be either two transmitters sending the same signal or two spatially separated receivers measuring the same transmission. Usually only one transmitter is available for each signal of opportunity, hence a "reference receiver" may be placed at a known location, and the mobile (whose position is to be determined) must cooperate with the reference receiver. TDOA measurements generally may require some form of correlation between the two received signals.
One TDOA system is Long Range Navigation (LORAN). LORAN Operates in the low frequency band at 90 to 110 kHz. In this system, multiple synchronized transmitters radiate pulses of radio frequency energy. An airborne or shipborne receiver measures the TOGA of the pulses from the different transmitters. Each measured TDOA defines a hyperbolic line of position for the receiver. The intersection of multiple lines of position may be used to supply the location of a mobile receiver, as shown in FIG. 1a.
NAVSYS Corporation designed a navigation system which lessens the effects of GPS jamming or interference. The system uses multiple receivers at known locations to determine the position of a single transmission source; e.g. a GPS jamming device. Once the GPS interference source location is known, it can then be neutralized.
The present invention differs from these two systems. LORAN uses designated transmitters with a signal built for location identification, not signals of opportunity. The signal markers are built into the transmission in LORAN unlike the present system which uses a cyclic prefix in certain digital signals for distance calculations using block boundaries. The present invention in also uniquely computationally efficient and therefore "fast enough to be useful." The present invention is also designed to consume a small amount of the available bandwidth and therefore can operate in cooperation with the signal provider, rather than usurping the original intent of the signal.
NAVSYS is designed to locate GPS jamming with the same designated transmitters and signal limitations as observed with the LORAN system. It does not mitigate GPS outages.

Navigation and position determination with a multicarrier modulation signal of opportunity

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure and a semiconductor structure are provided. The method includes: providing a semiconductor substrate, and forming a first bit line; forming a support layer on the semiconductor substrate, the support layer including a first oxide layer, a first sacrificial layer, a second oxide layer, a second sacrificial layer, a third oxide layer, a third sacrificial layer and a fourth oxide layer that are stacked; forming, at a position corresponding to the first bit line, an active pillar penetrating through the support layer; removing each of the first sacrificial layer and the third sacrificial layer, and forming a first trench; removing a peripheral wall of the active pillar to form a first annular groove, a size of the first annular groove being greater than a size of the first trench in a vertical direction; forming a P-type filler in the first annular groove.

With the development of semiconductor industry, there are increasingly smaller critical dimensions (CDs) of the semiconductor devices. In the related art, gate all around field effect transistors (GAAFETs) used in dynamic random access memories (DRAMs) can decrease line widths of the semiconductor devices to some extent, but capacitors are still connected necessarily. Due to the capacitors, the minimization of the line widths is greatly restricted, which is undesirable to decrease the CDs of the semiconductor devices.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor structure and semiconductor structure


A screen system is stowed in a compact storage position at a forward part of the rear cargo area adjacent the floor. The screen is extendable from the storage position to provide multiple uses. A vertical orientation of the screen can provide a rear seat storage pocket at a half-height position or a barrier between the passenger compartment and the rear cargo area at a full-height position. Horizontal deployment of the screen will provide a cargo restraint device or a carpet protector. The screen can be connected to the support for the spring-loaded cylinder to create a wrap storage device for cargo positioned next to the spring-loaded cylinder. The cylinder can be re-oriented to an intermediate location within the cargo area to create with a vertical extension thereof a divider for the cargo area. The screen can also be utilized as a conventional elevated security cover for the cargo area.

Security screens are often found in automobiles having a rear cargo storage area, such as sport utility vehicles. Such screens are typically mounted at the forward end of the rear cargo area at an elevated position to extend from the mounting to a fastening device at the rearward end of the rear cargo area to provide a cover for the rear cargo area. Such known screens are wound into a spring-loaded cylinder to be retractable into the cylinder in a compact storage configuration, or extended from the cylinder into a deployed configuration. Once disconnected from the fastening device, which is typically a slot molded into the sidewall of the rear cargo area, the spring-loaded cylinder retracts the screen into the storage configuration.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,349,986, granted to Holger Seel on Feb. 26, 2002, the rear cargo security screen is also utilized as a barrier between the front passenger compartment and the rear cargo area by orienting the blind portion of the apparatus into a vertical orientation and attached to a mounting device adjacent the ceiling of the vehicle. The housing for the security screen apparatus is positioned at the conventional position at an elevated forward part of the rear cargo area.
In U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0090119, filed by Brian Batemen and published May 15, 2003, the vertically oriented barrier is also secured to two locations on the roof of the vehicle to divide the rear cargo area from the front passenger compartment. Similarly, a load restraining net is mounted to the rear seat of a vehicle in U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,463, granted on Oct. 16, 2001, to Donal Moore, et al. Different forms of vertically oriented divider barriers separating the front passenger compartment from the rear cargo area are shown in Great Britain Application Publication No. 2,248,806, filed by Stanley Sharpe and published on Apr. 22, 1992, and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,814, granted to Alain Beaudet on May 15, 1990.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,358, issued to Joseph Wieczorek on Sep. 7, 1999, the security screen housing is oriented in a longitudinal manner along one side of the rear cargo area and extended transversely, instead of longitudinally, to provide an elevated privacy screen over the rear cargo area. Wieczorek does not teach a relocation of the housing to a lower central location where the extendible blind can be vertically extended to provide a longitudinal divider for the rear cargo area.
A multi-section security screen apparatus is depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,674, issued to James White on Mar. 5, 1985. A secondary section drops vertically as the primary section of the blind is extended generally horizontally across an upper section of the rear cargo area. The secondary section is not secured, but merely drapes down from the housing when the primary section is extended and retracts with the primary section into the housing for storage.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,186, granted to Daniel Torres on Apr. 10, 2001, the housing of the security screen is formed with a rearward panel to help enclose the gap between the conventional housing, the extendible shade and the rear seat. Panels forming the top surfaces of trays allowing liquid to pass from objects on top of the panels into the trays below the panels are depicted in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0015531, filed by Sangwon Choi and published on Jan. 23, 2003. The panels in the Choi publication are pivotally mounted to permit access to the tray immediately beneath the panel.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a cargo restraint and security screen that would provide multiple uses, other than as an elevated horizontal privacy screen and/or a vertical barrier device between the front passenger compartment and the rear cargo area, to be selectively deployed within the rear cargo area of the vehicle.

Automotive cargo restraint and security screen


An automatic stabilizing device. A base plate includes a through hole. An imbalance detecting mechanism is disposed on the base plate and includes a detecting member and an engaging member connected thereto. The detecting member is movably disposed inside the through hole. A sliding support plate is disposed on the base plate and detachably connected to the imbalance detecting mechanism. The sliding support plate includes an engaging hole in which the engaging member is detachably engaged. A first resilient member is connected between the base plate and the sliding support plate, providing a first predetermined resilience to the sliding support plate. When the base plate swings to extend the detecting member from the through hole, the engaging member moves and disengages from the engaging hole, and the sliding support plate slides to protrude from the base plate by the first predetermined resilience.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an automatic stabilizing device, and in particular to an automatic stabilizing device for a display.
2. Description of the Related Art
A flat display is generally placed on a flat surface. When subjected to external force or agitation, the flat display can easily tip over due to a thin main body thereof. To overcome the aforementioned problem, some flat displays are equipped with stabilizing devices. For example, a conventional flat display can be fixed to a surface, such as a table, by fixing a strap to a pedestal of the flat display and the surface of a table, such that the conventional flat display does not tip over when subjected to external force. Nevertheless, the strap adversely affects the appearance of the flat display and causes inconvenience of packaging, transportation, assembly, or disassembly of the flat display.
Taiwan Pat. No. 438211 discloses conventional stabilizing devices for a notebook computer. The stabilizing devices support a host or an LCD of the notebook computer. Nevertheless, these devices require manual operation, causing inconvenience of operation.
Hence, there is a need for an automatic stabilizing device protecting a display from tipping over from external force.

Automatic stabilizing device for a display


A positioning device includes a table (5, 69), which is displaceable in two coordinate directions (X, Y) by means of Lorentz forces of electric linear motors over a base (3) and is guided over the base (3) by means of a static gas bearing, which has an air gap thickness independent of the coil systems and magnet systems (15-21, 37-43) in the motors. The positioning device is particularly suitable for the manufacture of masks with patterns for integrated circuits.

The invention relates to a positioning device comprising a table, which is displaceable in at least two coordinate directions (X, Y) by means of at least one electric linear X-motor and at least one electric linear Y-motor and is supported without contact by a static gas bearing on a base, coil systems and magnet systems corresponding to the two motors being connected to the base and to the table, respectively.
In a positioning device of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph above, known from European Patent Application EP-A1-0244012, the coil systems and magnet systems of the electric linear motors both for the X-coordinate direction and for the Y-coordinate direction are coupled and guided not only by electromagnetic Lorentz forces, but also by guide rollers, of which a few are displaceable in a direction transverse to their axis of rotation under the force of a spring. The last-mentioned fully mechanical coupling and guiding has the disadvantage that owing to the friction of the rollers in a controlled system a comparatively small bandwidth is attainable and the accuracy of the positioning device is limited.


An operating mechanism of a retractable ball-point pen including a ring mounted over a pin. The pin has at one end thereof a push button and at the other end thereof a portion having a greater diameter. Additionally, the pin has at least one pair of ribs which interact with grooves and saw-toothings on at least one end of the ring. The ends of the ribs are preferably provided with inclined lifting surfaces. To facilitate assembly, the saw-toothings may be symmetrically formed such that the direction of insertion into a pen housing is not critical. Preferably, the saw-toothings of the ring extend only over an inner partial portion of the wall thickness of the ring and the outer partial portion of the wall thickness of the ring forms a plane end face. A pen housing in which the operating mechanism may be positioned has axially extending supports configured to support the ring, preferably by engaging the plane end face of the ring.

Retractable or mechanical ball-point pens include a housing in which a tube or cartridge with an ink reservoir and a writing point is inserted. By means of a push button and an operating mechanism, the reservoir tube can be moved back and forth between a writing position in which the writing point protrudes out of the housing and a position of rest in which the writing point is located within the housing. A spring for pressing the reservoir tube in the direction of the position of rest is arranged between the housing and the reservoir tube. The operating mechanism is also received in the housing; the push button of the operating mechanism protrudes out of the housing and the reservoir tube presses on the operating mechanism on the side facing away from the push button. The housing is usually composed of at least two components; in that case, the housing is composed of a long component at the side of the writing point and a shorter component facing the push button, wherein the long component has an internal thread and the short component has a corresponding external thread. While many of these devices exist, assembly complications lead to disadvantages in high speed manufacturing.


A method of fabricating a liquid crystal panel comprises the steps of forming a black matrix on a substrate, forming a buffer layer on the substrate, forming semiconductors layer on the buffer layer, doping n.sup.+ impurities into a semiconductor layer on a pixel region on the substrate and in one semiconductor layer of the driver circuit region forming a gate insulating layer on the buffer layer and the semiconductor layer, forming a gate electrode on the gate electrode, introducing n.sup.- impurities into the semiconductor layer using the gate electrode as a mask after patterning of the gate insulating layer, doping p.sup.+ impurities into another semiconductor layer of the driver circuit unit, forming an insulating layer having a contact hole over the pixel region, forming a transparent electrode on the pixel region and into the contact hole.

The present invention relates to a liquid crystal panel and related method, and more particularly to a liquid crystal panel in which a thin film pixel driving transistors and thin film driver circuit transistors are integrated on a panel in a single process.
Large area and high resolution active matrix liquid crystal displays (AMLCD) include thin film transistors (TFTs) for driving individual pixels of the display pixels. TFTs are also incorporated into driver circuits for applying signals to gate bus lines and data bus lines coupled to the pixel driving TFTs of the display.
Generally, the driver circuit unit can be an integrated circuit attached to an outer portion of the substrate of the liquid crystal panel, and the driver circuit TFTs formed on the liquid crystal panel. Typically, the complementary metal oxide semiconductor TFTs (CMOS TFTs) with high field effect mobility are used in the driver circuits attached to the liquid crystal panel. Since this type of CMOS TFT consists of polysilicon (p-Si), the switching speed is much higher than that of amorphous silicon (a-Si). Further, because the driver circuit TFT and the pixel driving TFT are fabricated at the same time, the fabrication cost can be decreased.
FIGS. 1a-1h illustrate various steps of the conventional method of fabricating a typical liquid crystal panel including TFT driver circuits. For illustrative purposes in FIGS. 1a-1h, the driver circuit unit is shown divided into parts A and B.
As shown in FIG. 1a, a buffer layer 3 is first formed on the substrate 1 and then patterned a-Si semiconductor layers 4a, 4b and 4c are formed on the pixel and driver circuit portions. Semiconductor layer 4a corresponds to a transistor driving a single pixel and semiconductor layers 4b and 4c represent NMOS and PMOS TFTs formed on the driver circuit region.
As shown in FIG. 1b, an insulating layer 5 such as SiO.sub.2 and SiNx, a metal layer 6 such as Al, Al alloy, and Cr, and a photoresist 20a are successively formed on buffer layer 3. The insulating layer 5 and the metal layer 6 are patterned by a photolithography process to form gate insulating layer 5 and gate electrodes 6a, 6b, 6c. Low concentration n.sup.- ions are introduced into the entire area of the substrate 1, as shown in FIG. 1d, using gate electrodes 6a, 6b, 6c as masks over semiconductor layers 4a, 4b, 4c. As a result, portions of semiconductor layers 4a, 4b, 4c except those regions covered by gate electrodes 4a, 4b, 4c become doped n.sup.- layers 12b, and the regions under gate electrodes 4a, 4b, 4c become channel layers 12a.
Thereafter, photoresist layer 20b is deposited over substrate 1 and patterned to shield part B of the driver circuit region; gate electrode 6a, part of the activation layer, and an n.sup.- layer of the pixel region. As shown in FIG. 1e, n.sup.+ ions are introduced into the entire surface of substrate 1. In the pixel region, the width of photoresist 20b is larger than that of the gate electrode. Accordingly, the n.sup.+ ions are implanted into a part of the n.sup.- layer 12b. As a result, n.sup.+ layer 12c is formed in semiconductor layers 4a and 4b of the pixel region and part A of the driver circuit region. Further, the resulting transistor in the pixel region has an LDD structure including n.sup.+ layer 12c and n.sup.- layer 12b.
After photoresist 20b is removed, another photoresist layer 20c is deposited and patterned to shield the pixel region and part A of the driver circuit, as shown in FIG. 1f. P.sup.+ ions are then implanted into substrate 1, and p.sup.+ region 12d are thus formed in part B of the driver circuit. Regions 12d are doped with both p.sup.+ and n.sup.- ions, and are thus counter doped. Since the n.sup.- ion concentration is approximately 10.sup..noteq. .about.10.sup.18 /cm.sup.3 and the p.sup.+ doping is about 10.sup.19 .about.10.sup.21 /cm.sup.3, the n.sup.- layer 12b is converted into p.sup.+ layer 12d. Photoresist layer 20c is then removed.
Thus, the pixel region has TFTs with an LDD structure, including n.sup.+ layer 12a and n.sup.- layer 12b, and the driver circuit has NMOS TFTs having n.sup.+ layer 12c and PMOS TFTs including p.sup.+ layers 12d.
A contact hole is next formed in patterned SiNx insulation layer 7, as shown in FIG. 1g. A metal, such as Al, is then deposited on insulating layer 7 and into the contact hole to form source/drain electrode 8. Further, indium tin oxide (ITO) is deposited on the insulating layer 7 and source/drain electrode 8 to form a transparent pixel electrode 9 as shown in FIG. 1h. A passivation layer 10 is then provided blanketing the entire surface. In the liquid crystal panel fabricated according to the above described process, the pixel region has TFTs with an LDD structure and the driver circuit unit includes CMOS TFTs.
Although not shown in the figures, passivation layer 10 is patterned to form pad openings to interconnect the driver circuit region with an outer driver circuit attached to an outer portion of the substrate of the liquid crystal panel. Further, an alignment layer is formed on the passivation layer and rubbed mechanically to provide an alignment direction for the liquid crystal material. Further, another substrate is provided facing the above-described substrate, having color filters and a black matrix formed thereon to prevent light leakage.
In the above mentioned process, ten masks are used for patterning: the semiconductor layer, the n.sup.+ implant mask, the gate insulating layer and gate electrodes, the p.sup.+ implant mask, the contact hole, the source/drain electrodes, the transparent electrode, passivation layer pad openings, and black matrix. The conventional process, therefore, is complicated, the yield is reduced, and the fabrication cost is increased.

Liquid crystal panel with a plurality of light shielding portions over a substrate including a pixel region and a driver circuit region


A horological device including an oscillator of a watch and device for stopping this oscillator embedded in a carriage of a tourbillon or karussel, including a rod arranged to axially push a lifting finger into an active blocking position, against a first spring tending to recall same axially into a rest position in which it bears against a carriage wheel, which lifting finger includes a ramp radially repelling a stop finger against a second spring tending to radially distance same from the axis, which stop finger is remote from the axis when the lifting finger is in the rest position thereof, and, in the active blocking position of this lifting finger, the stop finger can interfere with a stop cam integral with a wheel set of the oscillator, in an angular position remote from the dead center position of the oscillator.

British patent No. 674764 filed by HEPTINSTALL discloses a spring-finger for blocking a balance.
European patent No. 1617305B1 filed by MONTRES BREGUET discloses a control for manually stopping, via the stem, pad levers for blocking a balance.
European patent No. 2787400B1 filed by CHOPARD discloses a stop element, integral with a carriage such that it rotates therewith, and which is a disc coaxial to this carriage, axially displaced for axial friction with a balance.
European patent No. 2085832B1 filed by FREDERIC PIGUET discloses a friction clutch mechanism, by radially placing clutching elements at the ends of star-shaped arms in a cylindrical surface of a driving plate, under the axial effect of a clutch spring.

Horological limiting device for a watch that includes an oscillator and means for limiting a variation rate of the oscillator


A process for bonding a first metal such as beryllium to a second metal such as a copper alloy using a powder metallurgy compositional gradient. According to one aspect of the present invention, a sequence of powder layers is located between beryllium and copper alloy pieces, the layers containing mixtures of a beryllium powder and a copper powder, e.g., of a copper alloy, high purity copper and/or the like. The composition of the layers is adjusted such that the layer adjacent the beryllium piece is beryllium rich, and so that the layers become progressively richer in copper as they get closer to the copper piece. The variation in composition between the pieces produces the compositional gradient. Bonding of the beryllium and copper alloy pieces is then accomplished by a hot consolidation technique such as hot isostatic pressing, vacuum hot pressing, solid state bonding or diffusion bonding at a temperature generally within a range of 500.degree. and 800.degree. C. The resulting bond strength is in excess of about 35 MPa at a temperature generally within a range of room temperature and 400.degree. C.

In a nuclear fusion reaction, hydrogen isotope plasmas typically react in a hollow, toroidal vessel under extraordinarily high temperatures to produce helium, neutrons, and energy. Since the reactants have ionic charges, they are confined initially by a strong magnetic field within the reactor. The products of the reaction, however, are not charged, often escaping the magnetic confinement of the reactor, and striking the vessel walls (first wall or plasma facing components).
The unique properties of beryllium make it particularly desirable for application to these reactors. The properties include an extraordinarily high affinity for the gaseous contaminants of fusion plasma, a tendency to decrease disruption event frequency, a low atomic number, high thermal conductivity, and a comparatively low tritium retention. Beryllium has been found useful, for instance, as armor for the first (or entire) wall of reactors. With reactors having a modest power output, beryllium may also serve as a diverter, such as large monolithic tiles which absorb the heat generated by the fusion reaction.
State of the art reactors presently under development are expected to impose steady state heat loads on the beryllium between 0.5 and 5 MW/m.sup.2, and transient heat loads of 25 MW/m.sup.2 or higher. Unless the beryllium is cooled, these transient heat loads bring it dangerously close to its melting point in a relatively short time. Based on engineering and safety considerations, water cooled copper alloy substrates have been used to cool the beryllium. It has been found, however, that sufficient heat transfer efficiencies can only be achieved if there is a uniform bond between the beryllium and the copper alloy. Even upon water cooling the alloy, the bond line temperature has been known to reach 200.degree. to 400.degree. C. Hence, in addition to thermal criteria, a beryllium to copper alloy bond for use in fusion reactors is slated to meet a series of other relatively stringent requirements.
First, the bond should exhibit "good" bond strength (>about 30 MPa) in the temperature range of 200.degree. and 400.degree. C.
Second, constituent materials of the bond should permit heat to be transferred between the beryllium and the copper alloy without becoming dangerously radioactive. Neither radioactive daughter elements nor low melting point daughter elements produced by the bonding materials are considered acceptable.
Third, large surface areas on the order of 2000 m.sup.2 should be covered by the bonded beryllium to copper alloy material. Hence, the bonding technique must be capable of being scaled readily to a selected commercial operation.
Finally, bond defect levels desired are lower than about 1%, the defect level of brazing operations presently used in Tore Supra fusion reactors.
Attempts to accommodate these requirements have included the development of a 90% In-10% Ag alloy for use in beryllium soldering, zinc, aluminum based alloys, and silver based alloys for brazing beryllium to itself. Diffusion bonding technology has also been considered, including homogeneous silver alloy interlayers and the use of homogeneous silver alloy sputtered coatings as intermediate bonding layers.
Conventional methods of bonding beryllium to copper alloys include the application of various intermediate layer materials traditionally used for brazing beryllium to itself and to other metals. However, thermal stresses have resulted from a mismatch between the coefficient of thermal expansion of beryllium and that of copper alloys. This has implications relatively important to the selection of a bonding temperature.
A uniform bond between beryllium and a copper alloy, with the requisite mechanical properties at elevated temperatures, has been attained by a silver based, vacuum induction brazing process. Although relatively good shear strengths of 220 MPa at room temperature and 150 MPa at 400.degree. C. were reported, the process uses a silver alloy as the intermediate bonding layer. Silver, it has been found, exhibits undesirable behavior upon neutron irradiation, and is considered generally unacceptable for advanced nuclear fusion applications.
Attempts have been made to duplicate the results of induction brazing, for example, by hot isostatic pressing solid beryllium to a solid copper alloy using a silver based interlayer. The resulting bond strengths, however, have been on the order of 30 MPa which are considered inferior.

Bonding beryllium to copper alloys using powder metallurgy compositional gradients


Antenna window structures and antennas are provided for electronic devices. The electronic devices may be laptop computers or other devices that have conductive housings. Antenna windows can be formed from dielectric members. The dielectric members can have elastomeric properties. An antenna may be mounted inside a conductive housing beneath a dielectric member. The antenna can be formed from a parallel plate waveguide structure. The parallel plate waveguide structure may have a ground plate and a radiator plate and may have dielectric material between the ground and radiator plates. The ground plate can have a primary ground plate portion and a ground strip. The ground strip may reflect radio-frequency signals so that they travel through the dielectric member. The antenna may handle radio-frequency antenna signals in one or more communications bands. The radio-frequency antenna signals pass through the dielectric member.

This invention relates to antennas, and more particularly, to dielectric antenna windows that allow antennas to operate from within electronic devices such as laptop computers.
Due in part to their mobile nature, portable electronic devices are often provided with wireless communications capabilities. Portable electronic devices may use wireless communications to communicate with wireless base stations. For example, portable electronic devices such as laptop computers can communicate using the Wi-Fi® (IEEE 802.11) bands at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz and the Bluetooth® band at 2.4 GHz. Communications are also possible in data service bands such as the 3G data communications band at 2100 MHz band (commonly referred to as UMTS or Universal Mobile Telecommunications System).
To satisfy consumer demand for small form factor wireless devices, manufacturers are continually striving to reduce the size of components that are used in these devices. For example, manufacturers have made attempts to miniaturize the antennas used in portable electronic devices.
A typical antenna may be fabricated by patterning a metal layer on a circuit board substrate or may be formed from a sheet of thin metal using a foil stamping process. These techniques can be used to produce antennas that fit within the tight confines of a compact portable device. With conventional portable electronic devices, however, design compromises are made to accommodate compact antennas. These design compromises can include, for example, compromises related to antenna efficiency and antenna bandwidth and comprises related to the visual appearance and structural integrity of the electronic devices.
It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved antennas for electronic devices such as portable electronic devices.

Antennas for wireless electronic devices


A voltage generating circuit, in which the influence of offset of an amplifier on an output voltage is reduced, has first and second bipolar transistors (Q1, Q2) having emitter terminals at the same electric potential. A base terminal of Q1 is disposed on a collector side of Q2. A first resistance element connects the collector side of Q2 with the base side of Q2; and a second resistance element (R1) connects a collector side of Q1 to R2. A third resistance element (R3) connects a base terminal of Q2 with the electric potential of the emitter terminals. An amplifier (A1) outputs a voltage based on a voltage difference between the collector sides of Q1 and Q2; and a voltage-current converting section (MP1, MP2) converts amplifier output into a current supplied to the connection node of R1 and R2. A voltage is then output on the basis of the generated current.

In a semiconductor integrated circuit such as a system LSI, a reference voltage generating circuit for supply of a reference voltage to an A/D converter (ADC), a D/A converter (DAC), a regulator, a temperature sensor and the like inside an LSI is formed. Since performances of the above-mentioned functional sections significantly depend on the accuracy of the reference voltage, the reference voltage generating circuit needs to have low dependence on a semiconductor manufacturing process and temperature. Further, the reference voltage generating circuit needs to operate at a low power supply voltage. According to these needs, a band gap reference (hereinafter, referred to as "BGR") circuit that generates voltage on the basis of a band gap value of silicon is widely used for the reference voltage generating circuit.
NPL 1 and PTL 1 disclose an example of a BGR circuit in the related art. Further, PTL 2 discloses a BGR circuit that copes with the low power supply voltage.
It is known that the temperature dependence of a base-emitter voltage of a bipolar transistor (also referred to as a bipolar junction transistor (BJT)) that is a basic component of the BGR circuit is non-linear (for example, see NPL 2). NPL 3 discloses a BGR circuit that reduces non-linear temperature dependence of an output voltage. Further, NPLs 4 to 6 disclose an example of a correcting circuit or the like for correction of non-linear temperature dependence with respect to the BGR circuit disclosed in PTL 1. Further, NPL 7 discloses a method of correcting a temperature characteristic by a current (IPTAT2) that is proportional to the square of the absolute temperature.


A new and distinct cultivar of ornamental Panicum virgatum plant named ‘Thundercloud’ with erect culms producing broad bluish foliage, with light airy panicles that persist well into the winter suitable as a potted plant, for the garden, and for cut flower arrangements.

Panicum virgatum 'Thundercloud', hereinafter also referred to as 'Thundercloud' and "the plant" is a new and distinct cultivar of Switch Grass. It was a cross by Gary M. Trucks in 2002 between Panicum 'Cloud Nine' (not patented)×Panicum virgatum 'Northwind' (not patented) at a nursery in Benton Harbor, Mich. and selected for further observation in 2003. The plant has been successfully asexually propagated by division at the same perennial plant nursery in Benton Harbor, Mich. and found to produce identical plants that maintain the unique characteristics of the original plant. The plant is stable and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.


A tape cassette has a prohibiting member which prevents the tape cassette from being loaded into a tape printing device without a mode appropriate for the tape cassette. When an operator tries to load the tape cassette into a printing device without a mode for the tape cassette, a prohibiting member provided on the main body of the tape cassette abuts an installation member of the tape printing device thus preventing improper loading. The prohibiting member also has a function as a reinforcement member and a positioning member for reinforcing the cassette case and ensuring proper loading in the device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tape cassette housing a single-sided adhesive tape with a surface for printing and a surface with an adhesive layer.
2. Description of Related Art
A tape printing device which detachably loads a tape cassette housing a single-sided adhesive tape with a releasable sheet on one surface and a method for forming a tape-like printed medium by sticking the print surface to a surface of a double-sided adhesive tape without a releasable sheet after printing a reverse image on a print surface of a transparent film is known in the field of tape printing devices.
Besides the above publication, a tape printing device having two modes, including a normal mode for forming a tape-like printed medium after printing a normal image on a transparent film and then sticking the print surface and a surface without a releasable sheet of a double-sided adhesive tape together, and a reverse mode for printing a reverse image on said print surface, has been disclosed in Japanese utility model unexamined provisional publication No. 3-68443.
The tape-like printed medium formed by the former tape printing device and a tape-like printed medium formed by the latter tape printing device represent normal images when the sheets are peeled away and are adhesively secured to objects such as the back of file notes.
Also, the tape-like printed medium formed in the normal print mode represents a normal image when the medium is stuck to the inner side of a window pane and viewed from outside.
A tape cassette with a cassette case identical to that of latter tape printing device has been available for the purpose of normal image printing, and the tape cassette has a single-sided adhesive tape with a surface for printing and an opposite surface with an adhesive layer instead of a transparent film and a double-sided adhesive tape. The latter tape printing device forms a tape-like printed medium in the normal print mode when the tape cassette for normal image printing is loaded to the printing device. The tape-like printing medium formed in this process carries a normal image on its surface when it is adhesively secured to a object.
Since a tape cassette for normal image printing employs a cassette case identical to that of a tape cassette having a transparent tape and a double-sided adhesive tape inside, the tape cassette is compatibly loaded into a tape printing device without a normal image print mode.
Consequently, the former tape printing device mistakenly loaded with a tape cassette for the normal image printing mode prints a reverse image on the print surface of the single-sided adhesive tape and wastes tape medium.

Tape printing device and tape cassette for printing normal image


A lightweight member is provided for reinforcing, sealing or baffling structures of articles of manufacture such as automotive vehicles. The lightweight member preferably includes a carrier member having a cellular structure and an expandable material disposed thereon.

For many years, industries such as the transportation industry have been innovatively designing members for enhancing structural reinforcement, damping, sealing, baffling, thermal insulation and acoustic absorption characteristics of articles such as furniture, buildings and transportation vehicles (e.g., automotive vehicles, boats, trains, busses, airplanes or the like). Design of such members can involve several different considerations, and these considerations may need to be balanced against one another to achieve a desired result. Examples of such considerations include, without limitation, strength, weight, and cost of the members. Other considerations include compatibility of the members with articles of manufacture, ease of assembling the members to articles of manufacture, ability of the members to provide desired levels of damping, reinforcement or sealing or other like considerations.
In the interest of continuing such innovation, the present invention provides an improved member suitable for providing baffling, sealing, reinforcing, a combination thereof or the like to a structure of an article of manufacture.

Lightweight member for reinforcing, sealing or baffling


An impact protection device and a method for protecting an object, such as a vehicle, using the impact protection device. The impact protection device is particularly useful for protecting a vehicle from damage due to hail storms. The impact protection device includes a layer of high tensile strength polymer and a metallic layer disposed adjacent to the high tensile strength polymer layer. The impact protection device is advantageously thin and lightweight and can be easily stored in the trunk of a vehicle for rapid deployment during a hail storm.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the protection of objects such as vehicles from potentially damaging impact events, particularly hail storms. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to an impact protection device that is adapted to fit over a vehicle and reduce or eliminate the damage caused by hail storms.
2. Description of Related Art
Various types of devices have been proposed for the protection of vehicles from hail. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,893,074 by Wilson discloses a hail cover that consists of a neoprene rubber layer that is bonded to a sheet of light density, non-memory foam rubber. The thickness of each of the flexible rubber sheet and the non-memory foam rubber sheet is between ¼ inch and ⅜ inch, and the combined thickness is in the range of about ⅝ inch to about ¾ inch. The device is adapted to be used while the vehicle is in operation and does not cover windows, headlights or other portions of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,648 by Daniel discloses a hail protective shield which consists of multiple laminated layers. An outer layer of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) mesh is layered with closed cell foam to produce a two-ply covering material. A thin vinyl layer or polyethylene sheet can also be disposed between the HDPE mesh and the closed cell foam. The closed cell foam has a thickness of about 3/32 inch.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,800,006 by Pettigrew discloses a protective vehicle cover that includes a water proof vinyl layer disposed on two-sides of an impact resistant plastic material that is adapted to cover the top, sides, front and rear surfaces of a vehicle. The impact resistant plastic is in the form of plates that are constructed of polycarbonate plastic material in a spaced checker board-like fashion.
There remains a need for a lightweight and easily transportable device for the protection of vehicles during hail storms. It would be beneficial if the device could be stored in a relatively small volume and be quickly deployed in the event of a hail storm.


An electronic component is provided with: an electronic component body including a top face, a bottom face, a pair of side faces, and a pair of end faces provided with an outside electrode; and a pair of metal terminals individually connected to the pair of outside electrodes of the electronic component body, wherein the metal terminals is electrically and mechanically connected to the outside electrode of the electronic component body, and is also in contact with bottom face of the electronic component. The electronic component requires no jig or a simple jig if any for securing a metal terminal and electronic component body in place.

Various types of surface-mounted electronic components are heretofore known, but when an electronic component is directly bonded onto the mounting side of a circuit board using paste-like bonding material (such as solder or brazing material), the high-temperature treatment involved may cause thermal expansion or thermal absorption on the mounting side of the circuit board and the resulting stress may damage the electronic component. When this happens, oftentimes the characteristics of the electronic component will drop.
Accordingly, a method has been used whereby multiple electronic components are layered to mitigate the stress generated by the circuit board as a result of thermal expansion or thermal contraction. In addition, use of a multi-layer ceramic capacitor, multi-layer ceramic varistor and other surface-mounted electronic components has become the mainstream approach today as an alternative to the aforementioned method. Examples of multi-layer ceramic capacitors can be found in Patent Literature 1 or the like.
The multi-layer ceramic capacitor described in Patent Literature 1 is structured in such a way that many internal electrodes are layered and placed in a ceramic dielectric element and then external electrodes connected to the internal electrodes are integrally provided on both ends of the element. According to this structure, directly bonding the external electrodes of the multi-layer ceramic capacitor onto the mounting side of the circuit board may cause the multi-layer ceramic capacitor element to crack when it receives stress from the circuit board. In light of the above, metal terminals are soldered onto the external electrodes and these metal terminals are used to absorb stress from the circuit board.

Electronic component and method for manufacturing the same


A network protection method is provided. The network protection method may include receiving a Domain Name System (DNS) request, logging the DNS request, classifying the DNS request based on an analysis of a DNS name associated with the DNS request, taking a security action based on the classification, analyzing network traffic after taking the security action, and providing substantially real-time feedback associated with the network traffic to improve future DNS request classifications. The method may further include receiving a DNS response and logging the DNS response. The analysis of the DNS name may include receiving DNS data related to the DNS name from a plurality of sources, receiving reputation data related to the plurality of sources, scoring each of the plurality of sources based on the reputation data, and aggregating the DNS data related to the DNS name based on the scoring.

1. Field of the Invention
This application relates generally to data processing and, more specifically, to systems and methods for protecting network services.
2. Description of Related Art
One of the most pressing problems facing both network operators and the entire Internet community today is the proliferation of botnets. A botnet is a collection of infected computers or bots that have been taken over by hackers and are used to perform malicious tasks or functions. A computer may become a bot when it downloads a file (e.g., an email attachment) that has bot software embedded in it. The typical botnet may include a bot server and one or more bot clients. A botnet may include multiple threats. The malicious acts performed by infected computers may include Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, spam, and financial theft. Internet Service Provider (ISP) networks are very attractive to botnet operators because they offer a reliable and robust infrastructure from which to launch malicious bot-related activities.
Botnets consume resources. To improve performance, network operators spend large amounts of money to maintain and upgrade their networks, which only makes them a more attractive target for the bot operators. Thus, network operators are spending more money on bad traffic each time they upgrade their network instead of deploying a robust bot mitigation solution.


A flexible disk drive device includes an adjusting circuit which sets termination timing of outputting of an index signal in response to the rotating speed of a motor by adjusting charge or discharge time constant of a capacitor; a reference voltage generating circuit which includes a plurality of resistors connected in series between the power source line and the ground line and generates the reference voltage at one of the nodes of the resistor chain; and a reference voltage switching circuit which switches the reference voltage to another reference voltage upon receipt of a speed selection signal which represents a different rotating speed from a predetermined rotating speed, wherein the other reference voltage is so set that the pulse width of the index signal corresponds to a predetermined rotating angle of the motor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flexible disk drive device (hereinafter simply called an FDD), and more specifically relates to an FDD which eliminates adjustment of the pulse width of an index signal which is required when a rotating speed of the FDD is afterward switched to a new rotating speed, such as 300, 360 and 600 rpm.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 4 is a view for explaining a three-phase motor control circuit including a conventional index signal generating circuit for an FDD.
The control circuit, which serves as a motor drive control circuit for driving a motor 1 and comprises a sensing circuit 2, an input amplifying circuit 3, a drive signal producing circuit 4 and a drive circuit, further comprises a speed selection circuit 6 and an index signal generating circuit 7.
The motor 1 comprises three coils to which flow drive currents having phases shifted by about 120.degree. each other, whereby the motor 1 is rotated.
The sensing circuit 2 is constituted by three Hall elements as its major components, and senses the rotating phase of the motor 1 and outputs a phase detection signal having a sinusoidal waveform or the like in the form of a voltage signal (a current signal is also acceptable). The respective Hall elements are always kept in an operative condition by a current flowing from a power source line Vcc to the ground line GND via a resistor.
The input amplifying circuit 3 is constituted by three major components differential amplifiers for receiving the respective detection signals. The amplifying circuit 3, amplifies the detection signals and outputs the same to the drive signal producing circuit 4. The drive signal producing circuit 4 receives the three amplified signals from the differential amplifiers, produces three signals based upon the received signals, the phases of which are advanced by e.g. 30.degree. with respect to the respective detection signals and shifted by 120.degree. with respect to each other, and outputs the same to the power drive circuit 5. The power drive circuit 5 is constituted by three power amplifying circuits which outputs drive currents which correspond to the waveforms of the respective drive signals outputted from the drive signal producing circuit 4, and outputs these drive currents to the coils in the motor 1.
In these kinds of motor control circuits, the motor 1, the sensing circuit 2, the input amplifying circuit 3 the drive signal producing circuit 4 and the power drive circuit 5 forms a feedback loop. Namely, the sensing circuit 2 generates the respective detection signals corresponding to the rotating phase of the motor 1 dependent upon the rotating condition of the motor 1, and the three-phase motor 1 is driven in a three-phase full wave by the drive signals having phases advancing by e.g. 30.degree. with respect to the respective corresponding detection signals and having waveforms corresponding to the respective detection signals. In response to the motor drive, the sensing circuit 2 detects detection signals dependent upon the rotating condition of the motor 1, whereby the motor 1 is controlled to rotate at a predetermined constant rotating speed under a steady state condition.
Now, rotating speeds such as 300, 360 and 600 rpm are currently employed for an FDD, therefore motor control circuits for an FDD are designed to allow selection of these rotating speeds from the outside. For this reason, the drive signal producing circuit 4 receives a speed selection signal A, which is set in response to the manipulation from the outside as illustrated in the drawing. When the speed selection signal A is received, the amplitude of the drive signals is varied dependent upon the condition of the selection signal A, and the motor 1 is driven to control the rotating speed to settle at the controlled rotating speed represented by the condition.
Another motor control circuit different from the one explained above is known in which a frequency generating coil (hereinafter simply called an FG coil) is provided at the motor side in order to detect the rotating speed of the motor 1. The detection signals are received by a servo circuit and the servo circuit drives the power drive circuit 5. The servo circuit in place of the drive signal producing circuit 4 further receives the speed selection signal A and varies the amplification rate of the power drive circuit 5 based upon the received signal A to thereby vary the rotating speed of the motor 1.
Still another motor control circuit different from the one explained above is also known in which similar detection signals are received. In response to the received detection signals, rectangular waveform signals are generated, and then a phase error signal is generated by comparing the phase of the generated rectangular waveform signals with a reference. The motor 1 is driven in order that the phase of the detection signals coincides with the reference phase; i.e. the motor 1 is controlled to rotate at a rotating speed corresponding to the reference phase.
In each case switching the switching control of the motor rotating speed is performed in the same manner through the manipulation from the outside. Therefore the operation of the conventional motor control circuit will be explained with reference to the example shown in FIG. 4.
The speed selection circuit 6 is constituted by a switching circuit 6a which permits manipulation from the outside and a selection signal generating circuit 6b. The selection signal generating circuit 6b outputs a speed selection signal A of "1" or high level (hereinafter simply indicated as "H"), or "0" or low level (hereinafter simply indicated as "L") depending upon the set condition of the switching circuit 6a. The speed selection signal A is received by the drive signal producing circuit 4 and the motor drive control circuit performs a control for maintaining the rotating speed of the motor 1 at respective predetermined rotating speeds dependent upon the conditions or the values of the speed selection signal A.
The index signal generating circuit 7 functions to generate an index signal in synchronism with the rotation of the motor and is constituted by such as an externally equipped charging circuit 7a, a flip-flop 7b, a discharging circuit 7c, a comparator 7d, a reference voltage setting circuit 7e and a reference voltage generating circuit 7f. The circuits in the drawing surrounded by dashed lines are constituted by one or a plurality of ICs, and the Hall elements in the sensing circuit 2, the switching circuit 6a and the externally equipped charging circuit 7a constitute so-called externally equipped circuits which are normally arranged outside the IC.
The externally equipped charging circuit 7a serves as a charging circuit for a capacitor C1 and is constituted by a resistor R1, a variable resistor VR and the capacitor C1 connected in series in this order between the power source line Vcc and the ground line GND. The charging circuit 7a adjusts the building-up time of a charging voltage (of which voltage signal is indicated by letter C in the drawing) by selecting the charging time constant with respect to the capacitor C1 through manipulation of the variable resistor VR. The dis which discharges charges in the capacitor C1 and resets the charged voltage to the ground level through the discharging operation.
The reference voltage generating circuit 7f is a resistor type divider circuit constituted by resistors R2 and R3 connected in series in this order between the power source line Vcc and the reference voltage setting circuit 7e, and is grounded via the reference voltage setting circuit 7e. A predetermined reference voltage (which voltage signal is indicated by letter D in the drawing) is generated at the node between the resistors R2 and R3.
The comparator 7d receives the changed voltage signal C and the reference voltage signal D and compares the magnitude of these signal voltages. As a result of the comparison, the comparator 7d outputs a detection signal E at the moment when the charge voltage signal C exceeds the reference voltage signal D.
The flip-flop 7b is set upon receipt of a reference rotary position pulse B (hereinafter called a reference pulse), which is generated in response to a reference rotary point, and is reset when the detection signal E is received. The flip-flop 7b further outputs an index signal F from the Q output terminal. In the present example, one of the signals from the Hall elements in the motor control circuit (in the drawing, the signal amplified by the input amplifying circuit 3 is used) is inputted to a pulse circuit 7g, wherein pulses with a narrow width are generated at the timing representing the reference rotary point in synchronism with, for example, the zero crossing point of a sinusoidal waveform signal or the building-up or falling-down timing of a rectangular waveform signal waveshaped from the sinusoidal waveform signal. Alternatively, these timings and these pulses are used as the reference pulse B. Further, the reference pulse B can be obtained by detecting the rotating condition of the motor 1 separately with a dedicated Hall element or photo sensor, and by converting the detected signal into a pulse form through the pulse circuit 7g.
Hereinafter, the operation for generating the index signal F in the index signal generating circuit 7 is explained with reference to the signal waveform diagram shown in FIG. 3.
Now, assuming that the connection of the switching circuit 6a is selected toward the power source line Vcc through the manipulation from the outside, and the selection signal generating circuit 6b is generating a signal of "H", the drive signal producing circuit 4 receives the speed selection signal A, and the rotating speed of the motor 1 is set at a rotating speed V1. At this instance, the time required to rotate from the reference rotary position through a predetermined rotating angle W with the present speed V1 is assumed as T1, which is determined so as to correspond to the pulse width of the index signal. Herein, the resistance value of the variable resistor VR is adjusted beforehand so that the above corresponding relationship is maintained.
When the reference pulses B are generated in association with the rotation of the motor 1, the flip-flop 7b is set upon receipt of the reference pulse B and the Q terminal is rendered "H", whereby an index signal F of "H" is generated in response to the generation of the reference pulse B. At the same time, the discharge circuit 7c receives an inverted signal *F of the index signal F from the Q output terminal of the flip-flop 7b to prevent discharge of the capacitor C1. Thereby, the externally equipped charging circuit 7a begins charging of the capacitor C1. As a result, the charging voltage signal C builds, up along the solid line Ca (see FIG. 3). The amplitude of the charge voltage signal C exceeds a reference amplitude Da of the reference voltage signal D at the moment when the time T1 determined by the adjustment of the variable resistor VR has passed.
At the moment of the exceeding, the comparator 7d outputs the detection signal E. Upon receipt of the same the flip-flop 7b is reset. Thereby, the index signal F is rendered "L" to terminate the above operation. Then, the charges on the capacitor C1 is discharged via the discharge circuit 7c. In such a way, an index signal F having a pulse width corresponding to the time T1 is outputted from the flip-flop 7b in synchronism with the reference pulse B.
When the connection of the switching circuit 6a is selected toward the ground line side GND, the selection signal generating circuit 6b generates a signal of "L", and with this speed selection signal A the rotating speed of the motor 1 is set at a rotating speed V2 faster than the rotating speed V1. The time required to rotate the same angle of W with the rotating speed V2 is thus assumed as T2, and at this time the resistance value of the variable resistor VR is also adjusted so that the pulse width of the index signal F corresponds to the time T2 (it is assumed herein that such adjustment is already completed).
When the reference pulses B are outputted in association with the rotation of the motor 1, the flip-flop 7b is set upon receipt of the same in the same manner as above. The index signal F is rendered "H" and at the same time, the discharge circuit 7c prevents the discharge of the capacitor C1 upon receipt of the inverted signal *F of the index signal F. Thus the externally equipped charging circuit 7a begins charging and at this time the charge voltage signal C builds-up along the dotted line Cb. Since the pulse width of the index signal is already adjusted to the time T2, the amplitude of the charge voltage signal C exceeds the predetermined amplitude Da of the reference voltage signal D at the moment when the time T2 has passed.
At this moment, the comparator 7d outputs a detection signal E. Upon receipt of the same the flip-flop 7b is reset and the index signal F is rendered "L". As a result, the charge on the capacitor C1 is discharged via the discharge circuit 7c. In such a way, the index signal F having the width T2 is outputted starting in synchronism with the reference pulse B, and both the previous index signal F and the present index signal F are equally generated for the period corresponding to the motor rotating angle W.
As explained above, with the index signal generating circuit in the conventional motor control circuit for an FDD, when the rotating speed of the motor 1 is set at one of different rotating speeds V1 and V2 by the speed selection signal, the resistance value of the variable resistor VR in the externally equipped charge circuit 7a has to be adjusted so that the pulse width of the index signal corresponds to the time period required to rotate through the predetermined angle W in response to the selected rotating speed.
Therefore, when one of a plurality of rotating speeds such as 300, 360 and 600 rpm is required to be selected as a rotating speed for an FDD, readjustment work for setting the pulse width of the index signal which is indispensable in connection with the selection or switching of the rotating speed and an additional line for the readjustment work have been needed.


A communication method (S) for communication between mobile units (10, 20), and in particular between vehicles, in which information transmitted between the mobile units (10, 20) is encoded on the transmitter side by means of an encoder (12-1, 22-1) and is decoded on the receiver side by means of a decoder (12-2, 22-2), and the mobile units (10, 20) are synchronized in communication (S3) with an external interface unit (30) outside the mobile units (10, 20) prior to communication (S5) with one another in that a codebook (Cj) defining or specifying an encoder (12-1, 22-1) and/or a decoder (12-2, 22-2) is determined (S2) by the external interface unit (30) and is communicated (S3) to the mobile units (10, 20).

The present invention relates to a communication method for communication between mobile units, a mobile unit as such, an interface unit and a communication system. The present invention relates, in particular, to a method for communication between vehicles.
In the automotive engineering domain, but also in mobile devices or units in general, aspects of communication play an increasing part. This requires the set-up and maintenance of secure and robust communication connections as a basic requirement, particularly in relation to vehicle-related ad hoc networks, which are also referred to as Vehicular Ad-hoc NETworks (VANETs). In terms of security aspects, also in the domain of vehicle-to-vehicle communication, different attack scenarios and corresponding security requirements are subjected to closer scrutiny. This also relates, in particular, to aspects of a refusal or blocking of a service, for example in the sense of a Denial of Service (DoS) and the associated Service Availability (SA).
In conventional communication methods, it is problematic that an external interference source, which is also often referred to as a jammer, can seriously affect a communication channel between mobile units either through willful intent or due to technical overlaps in the sense of communication resources. Switching or hopping between transmission channels can provide only a limited solution to the underlying problem, despite the additional outlay in terms of equipment and technology.

Communication method, mobile unit, interface unit, and communication system

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


A device for administering a powdery medicine satisfying the requirements of portability, easy and quick operation, fabrication through simple steps, rigid structure, and economy using decreased number of parts of low cost. The device for administering a powdery medicine comprises a medicine-holding portion having at least partly flexible wall portion for defining therein a powdery medicine-container space which also serves as an air reservoir, and a medicine guide portion through which the space in said medicine-holding portion is communicated with the outside, wherein the space in said medicine-holding portion is communicated with the outside through said medicine guide portion only, said medicine guide portion is of a tubular structure having, at one end thereof, a medicine spray port at a position on the outside of said medicine-holding portion and having, at the other end thereof, a medicine suction port at a position in the space in said medicine-holding portion, the bottom of the space in said medicine-holding portion is positioned nearly just under the medicine suction port of said medicine guide portion, said medicine suction port is disposed close to said bottom, and the powdery medicine is sprayed to the outside through said medicine guide portion by depressing and relaxing the flexible wall portion of said medicine-holding portion.

Patients suffering from nasal allergy, asthma, flat lichen, wide inflammatory stomatitis and the like diseases are treated by administering powdery medicines into the nasal cavities or the oral cavity. The medicines are administered by using powdery medicine dispensers or containers. Such dispensers can roughly be divided into two types depending upon their manner of containing the powdery medicines.
The device of the first type may be a unit dosage dispenser or container in which a powdery medicine of an amount (unit dosage) that will be administered each time is contained in a suitable container as a unit, and is administered in an amount of a unit dosage for every administering operation. The device of the second type may be a multi-dosage dispenser or container in which a powdery medicine of an amount (multiple dosages) that will be administered a plural number of times is contained in a suitable container, and the powdery medicine of a unit dosage is correctly taken out from the container and is administered for every administration operation. Examples of the former unit dosage dispenser further include a simple device or a disposable container which also works as a disposable device that can be disposed of after each administration operation.
Unit dosage dispenser containers have been disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 59-34267 and Japanese Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 63-6024. These devices are usually equipped with a unit dosage container-holding portion held in a capsule or the like, means for perforating the unit dosage container, and means for introducing the air stream to spray the powdery medicine from the perforated container into the nasal cavities or the like cavities of a patient. A disposable container has further been disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kohyo) No. 2-500172, according to which the powdery medicine dispenser container comprises a medicine-holding portion in which a fine powdery medicine is contained and of which the head portion has an opening for spraying or sucking the powdery medicine, and means for introducing the air, the bottom of the medicine-holding portion being communicated with the means for introducing the air through an air-permeable membrane but which does not permit the powdery medicine to pass through.
A multi-dosage dispenser container has been disclosed in, for example, WO94/26338.
According to this specification, the device comprises a device body, a storage chamber detachably mounted on said body and capable of storing a powdery medicine in an amount (multiple dosages) for plural times of administrations, medicine distribution means having a container chamber of a capacity (unit dosage) for each administration operation and is movably mounted on said body, so that said container chamber at a charging position is communicated with said storage chamber to administer the powdery medicine in the container chamber, means for moving said distribution means between the charging position and the administering position, and pump means for stirring the powdery medicine in the storage chamber by injecting the air into the storage chamber through the container chamber at the charging position, wherein the powdery medicine of a predetermined amount after stirring is charged into said container chamber from said storage chamber relying upon the suction force by said pump means and/or gravity.
As described above, many dispenser devices or containers have heretofore been devised accompanied, however, by their respective problems.
That is, the unit dosage dispenser disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 59-34267 and Japanese Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 63-6024 must be equipped with means for perforating the medicine container. Therefore, the device becomes bulky and not suited for being carried. Besides, a cumbersome operation is required for putting the medicine container in the device and effecting the perforation for each administration operation, removing the container after the administration operation, and washing the device after it is used for extended periods of time.
The multi-dosage dispenser disclosed in the specification of W094/26338 is constituted by a medicine storage unit, a medicine container chamber for each administration operation, means for measuring the medicine, and pump means. Therefore, the dispenser is considerably bulky and is not suited for being carried, and must be washed after it is used for extended periods of time.
The disposable container disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kohyo) No. 2-500172 is free from the problems of the above-mentioned multi-dosage device or the unit dosage device, but has a separator wall between the medicine-holding unit and the air introduction means. Therefore, the device is fabricated through complex fabrication steps, is likely to be broken during the pumping provided the separator wall is not strongly adhered to the periphery thereof, and becomes expensive due to the use of a filter as the separator wall, and is not economical if it is to be discarded after being used only once.
That is, none of the conventional powdery medicine dispensers or administering devices satisfy all of the requirements for being fabricated in small sizes so as to be easily carried, operated easily and quickly, fabricated through simple steps, fabricated using a small number of parts, and fabricated at low cost. In particular, when importance is given to portability, easy use and sanitation, it is strongly desired to provide a cheap and disposable administering device that can be fabricated through simple steps.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors have studied the disposable container disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kohyo) No. 2-500172. That is, the inventors have removed the separator wall, contained the powdery medicine in the powdery medicine-holding portion which has an air reservoir that is formed together with the powdery medicine holding portion as a unitary structure, opened the head portion of the medicine-holding portion and depressed (pumped) the air reservoir in an attempt to spray the powdery medicine to the outside through the opening. In fact, however, though the medicine was partly sprayed, the medicine near the opening in the holding portion flew backwards when a negative pressure was created in the air reservoir, and all the medicine contained therein could not be sprayed. It was therefore learned that even when the powdery medicine is contained in a closed flexible container, the container is partly opened and is then pumped by being depressed in an attempt to spray and discharge the powdery medicine contained therein through the opening, the medicine flew backwards, and it was very difficult to spray and discharge all of the medicine.
In treating diseases in the nasal cavities, furthermore, the device for administering the powdery medicine must be capable of evenly spraying the powdery medicine into both nasal cavities.
To evenly spray and administer the medicine to both nasal cavities, there may be used two administering devices, one for one nasal cavity and another for another nasal cavity, or there may be used an administering device having two spray ports so that the medicine can be simultaneously administered into both nasal cavities. It can be further contrived to alternatingly spray and administer the powdery medicine into both nasal cavities by using a powdery medicine administering device having only one spray port, in order to evenly administer the medicine into both nasal cavities.
From the standpoint of portability, easy use and low cost, however, neither a method of using two administering devices nor the administering device having two spray ports is desired. It is desired to evenly administer the medicine into the nasal cavities by using only one administering device and by alternatingly spraying and administering the powdery medicine contained therein into both nasal cavities.
In order to evenly administer the powdery medicine into both nasal cavities by using only one powdery medicine administering device having only one spray port, the medicine may be administered into the nasal cavities in the order of, for example, right, left, left, right, . . . .
For this purpose, more than 90% of the medicine contained therein must by sprayed and discharged through the first four or six times of spraying, and the total amount of the powdery medicine sprayed in the first and fourth times must be equal to the total amount of the powdery medicine sprayed in the second and third times, or the total amount of the powdery medicine sprayed in the first, fourth and fifth times must be equal to the total amount of the powdery medicine sprayed in the second, third and sixth times.

Device for administering powdery medicine


Disclosed is a cooling fan including a fan rotated by a motor, for forcibly circulating the air, and a fan housing having a through hole with a predetermined inside diameter so that the fan can be mounted thereon. A curvature radius of the end of the inner circumference of the through hole sucking the air is smaller than a curvature radius of the end of the inner circumference of the through hole discharging the air. As a result, the cooling fan can minimize noises in the operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cooling fan, and more particularly to, a cooling fan which can reduce noises in a cooling operation in a flow system using a high static pressure by improving the structure.
2. Description of the Background Art
In general, a cooling fan is a device for preventing an apparatus from being damaged due to heat generated in the operation of the apparatus by cooling the heat. The cooling fan cools the apparatus by forcibly circulating the air by a blast force and exchanging heat between the circulated air and a heating source.
An LCD projection TV is one of the apparatuses using the cooling fan.
The LCD projection TV is an advanced audio-visual image apparatus that has been improved from a slide projector, an OHP and a full image apparatus for performing briefing or education. A computer, a camcorder, a DVD and a VTR can be connected directly to the LCD projection TV, for performing various presentations or multimedia educations by screen projection.
The cooling fan is mounted to cool heat generated by a lamp used as a light source of the projection TV.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating part of a conventional LCD projection TV using a cooling fan.
Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional LCD projection TV uses a lamp 1 having its outer circumference curved in the length direction as a light source. The lamp 1 is mounted on a lamp housing 10 to be easily replaced and handled.
High temperature heat is generated in the operation of the lamp 1. When an inside temperature of the LCD projection TV increases by the high temperature heat generated by the lamp 1, various circuits are abnormally operated. In the worst case, a circuit board is broken by overheating.
In order to solve the foregoing problem, a cooling device is disposed at the lamp housing 10, for cooling the heat generated by the lamp 1. A plurality of through holes 11 for discharging heat or exchanging heat with the open air are formed at both sides (or top and bottom surfaces) of the lamp housing 10. A cooling fan 20 for forcibly circulating the air is installed at the outer portion of the lamp housing 10, so that the air sucked through the through holes 11 formed at one side of the lamp housing 10 can efficiently exchange heat with the lamp 1.
The cooling fan 20 includes a fan 21 having a plurality of blades 23 protruded in the radial direction from an outer circumference of a hub 22 rotated by an inside motor (not shown), and a fan housing 25 having a through hole 26 formed in the thickness direction with a predetermined inside diameter, so that the fan 21 can be inserted and fixed thereto.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, in order to use the mass-produced cooling fan 20 for multipurpose, a curvature radius R1 of the curved surface of the end of the inside diameter of the inlet side contacting the lamp housing 10 and sucking the hot air generated by the lamp 1 into the fan 21 is identical to a curvature radius R2 of the curved surface of the end of the inside diameter of the outlet side externally discharging the heat absorbed air.
In the LCD projection TV using the cooling device, when the fan 21 is rotated by supplying power to the cooling fan 20 for cooling the lamp 1 that is a heating source, the air is sucked into the lamp housing 10 through the through holes 11 formed at one side of the lamp housing 10 by forcible circulation of the fan 21, absorbs the heat generated by the lamp 1, and is externally discharged from the LCD projection TV through the through hole 26 of the cooling fan 20.
Here, the cooling fan 20 must cool the lamp 1 at an optimum temperature by sufficiently circulating the air, and reduce the noises so that the user can comfortably watch the TV.
The cooling system of the LCD projection TV will now be explained. When the air is sucked through the through holes 11 of the lamp housing 10, the lamp 1 itself becomes a resistance to the air flow. In addition, the air passage is narrowed by the space occupied by the lamp 1. In order to efficiently cool the high temperature heat generated by the lamp 1 in spite of the resistance factors, the cooling fan 20 must have high static pressure and high flow rate performance.
Still referring to FIG. 2, the curvature radius R1 of the end of the inside diameter of the inlet side of the through hole 26 formed on the fan housing 25 of the cooling fan 20 is identical to the curvature radius R2 of the end of the inside diameter of the outlet side thereof. Accordingly, when the air is forcibly circulated by the cooling fan 20 and externally discharged from the TV, noises seriously increase.
FIG. 3 is a graph showing noise variations at the air inlet and outlet sides of the conventional cooling fan 20. Here, an x axis indicates a rotary frequency of the fan 21, and an y axis indicates a sound pressure level (SPL).
As shown in FIG. 3, noises N2 generated when the air is discharged to the outlet side of the cooling fan 20 are higher than noises N1 generated when the air is sucked to the inlet side of the cooling fan 20.
In addition, broad noises in a low frequency region are very high at the outlet side of the cooling fan 20. The broad noises are flow noises generated by the cooling fan 20 and have an average value of about 27 dBA, which is much larger than an average value of the noises (about 19 dBA) generated at the inlet side of the cooling fan 20. Such noises prevent the users from comfortably watching the TV.


A device for use with a welding apparatus, such as a friction stir spot welding (FSSW) apparatus, that maintains work pieces in a generally flat or flush orientation during a welding operation. The device can be mounted to the operable end of an FSSW apparatus so that it exerts a stabilizing force against an upper work piece. The stabilizing force exerted by the device prevents the upper work piece from deflecting when the rotating tool of the FSSW apparatus passes through the upper work piece and penetrates into the lower work piece. In an exemplary embodiment, the device includes a housing component that slidably receives a movable component under the force of a biasing component.

Friction stir spot welding (FSSW) is a solid-state welding technique that creates a spot weld without melting the work pieces. In an FSSW process, a rotating tool with a contoured tip is plunged against two or more work pieces, such as flat sheet metal pieces, such that the resulting friction joins the work pieces together. During this process, the tip of the rotating tool penetrates through the top work piece and enters into the lower work piece. As the tip of the rotating tool exits the faying surface of the top work piece and enters the faying surface of the lower work piece, the rotating tool can cause the upper work piece to lift off of and deflect away from the lower work piece. This, in turn, can create an undesirable space or gap between the two work pieces where material can flow into.
With reference to FIG. 1, there is shown a weld assembly 10 having upper and lower work pieces 12, 14 that exhibit the above-explained phenomenon; notice how the faying surface of upper work piece 12 near weld 16 is not flush with the faying surface of lower work piece 14. It can be undesirable to have a deflected arrangement like this, as the deflected work piece can interfere with other components, etc. Contrast this deflected condition with weld assembly 20, which includes flat upper and lower work pieces 22, 24 joined by weld 26. In this example, the faying surfaces of upper and lower work pieces 22, 24 are flat and are in flush contact with one another.

Device for use with a friction stir spot welding (FSSW) apparatus


Seed patterns are derived from a sequence database. Execution costs for types of seed patterns are computed. Each seed pattern is iteratively distributed to distributed nodes along with that seed pattern's assigned execution cost. The distributed nodes processing in parallel to mine the sequence database for super patterns found in the sequence database. When a distributed node exhausts its execution budget, any remaining mining needed for the seed pattern being mined is reallocated to another distributed node having remaining execution budget.

Sequential Pattern Mining (SPM) is a type of data mining that is concerned with finding statistically relevant patterns between data values where the values are delivered in a sequence.
SPM is widely used in applications, such as: click stream analysis, shopping list analysis, calling pattern analysis in telecom, and gene sequence analysis. Several algorithms, such as the Generalized Sequential Pattern (GSP) algorithm and the PrefixSpan algorithm, which were created from various research efforts to solve this important problem. However, although various algorithms have been proposed and great progress has been achieved within the last decade, the algorithm complexity is still very high. For example, assuming that in a given website there are 100 kinds of webpages and the average length of a session is 10 minutes, the number of possible patterns could be 10010.
Considering processor and memory limitations of a single computer, a more efficient approach to SPM is needed in the industry.

Distributed sequential pattern mining (SPM) using static task distribution strategy