An improved adjustable lawn sprinkler is provided having a counterbalanced nozzle assembly having a nozzle. The nozzle assembly is connected to a rotating mechanism allowing the nozzle to freely rotate. The lawn sprinkler has a guide member for supporting barrier supporters which support barriers to form a user defined shape which corresponds to the irrigation area. The guide member is attached to support structures. The nozzle assembly is in fluid communication with a water transfer member which is in fluid communication with a water inlet member which is further in fluid communication with a fluid source. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

1. Held of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lawn sprinklers, and, more particularly, to an improved adjustable lawn sprinkler particularly adapted for watering a user-defined area.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many homeowners take great pride in a well-manicured lawn. Although there are many factors involved with keeping a well-manicured lawn, an extremely important factor includes proper lawn irrigation. Many homeowners rely on lawn sprinklers for irrigating their lawns, and there are several different types of lawn sprinklers available to homeowners.
However, the typical lawn sprinkler is designed to irrigate a lawn in an arcuate or semi-arcuate pattern. Since most lawns take on a generally rectangular or square shape, the arcuate or semi-arcuate irrigation pattern becomes a problem and does not efficiently irrigate a homeowner's lawn. If only one lawn sprinkler is used, the lawn sprinkler must be repeatedly transferred to new areas in order to irrigate the entire area of the lawn. Further, since the irrigation pattern is arcuate or semi-arcuate by design, water is likely to be dispersed outside of the rectangular or square shape of the lawn resulting in wasted water. A user can eliminate the problem of transferring a single lawn sprinkler to various areas by utilizing a plurality of lawn sprinklers arranged in an overlapping fashion to cover the entire area of the lawn. Although this removes the need for transferring, this tends to increase the amount of wasted water due to the overlapping, as well as still dispersing water outside of the typical lawn boundary.
A different type of lawn sprinkler, an oscillating-type lawn sprinkler, is designed to irrigate lawns in a rectangular or square shape. These are beneficial when dealing with truly rectangular or square shaped lawns, but require the sprinkler itself to be placed in the middle of the lawn and then removed for mowing. Furthermore oscillating-type lawn sprinklers irrigate in a rectangular pattern, and are strictly limited to dispersing water within that rectangular or square geometry and are not beneficial for irregularly shaped lawn areas.
Other attempts have been made to produce lawn sprinklers with non-circular irrigation patterns, and these attempts usually involve modifying a standard impulse sprinkler. Standard impulse sprinklers have been modified by changing the vertical spray angle while rotating the nozzle of the lawn sprinkler, or by varying the flow rate while the sprinkler rotates, in an attempt to alter the range of the jet. Although a non-circular irrigation pattern is produced, the irrigation pattern tends to be unpredictable and cannot be varied sufficiently to water a square or rectangular area.
What has not yet existed is an improved adjustable lawn sprinkler that can provide an irrigation pattern to an irregularly shaped or rectilinear area of a lawn from a single point outside that lawn, reducing wasted water while applying a uniform amount of water to that specific area of the lawn, and avoiding the need to remove the sprinkler for mowing.
Consequently, a need has been felt for providing an improved adjustable lawn sprinkler particularly adapted for watering a user-defined area from a single location anywhere within or outside that area.


An image pickup apparatus includes a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion unit, an amplification element configured to amplify a signal based on a signal charge generated in the photoelectric conversion unit, and a first signal holding unit and a second signal holding unit located at a stage following the first signal holding unit and arranged on an electric path between the photoelectric conversion unit and an input node of the amplification element, in which a coverage by a light-shielding member of the first signal holding unit is lower than a coverage by a light-shielding member of the second signal holding unit.

1. Field of the Invention
One disclosed aspect of the embodiments relates to an image pickup apparatus. In particular, an embodiment relates to a configuration including signal holding units in a pixel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Up to now, an image pickup apparatus of a pixel amplification type provided with an amplification element for each pixel is proposed. The respective pixels of the image pickup apparatus of the pixel amplification type may hold a signal in a photoelectric conversion unit and an input node of the amplification element. In the above-described image pickup apparatus of the pixel amplification type, a global electronic shutter technology is developed with which exposure periods may be set identical over an entire image pickup surface. Plural configurations for realizing the global electronic shutter are proposed. In particular, a configuration of including, in addition to the photoelectric conversion unit and the input node of the amplification element, a signal holding unit on an electric path between the photoelectric conversion unit and the input node of the amplification element is proposed. Furthermore, a configuration of including plural signal holding units between the photoelectric conversion unit and the input node of the amplification element is also proposed (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-296674 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-217315.
In a case where the signal holding unit is arranged in the pixel in addition to the photoelectric conversion unit and the input node of the amplification element, a light-shielding member is generally arranged in this signal holding unit so that light incidence is avoided while the signal is held (for example, paragraph 0065 of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-217315). However, the area of the light-shielding member is increased, and in accordance with this, the exclusive area for the signal holding unit in the pixel is increased. Along with this, a sensitivity of the photoelectric conversion unit is decreased. The above-described phenomenon is particularly prominent in a case where the plural signal holding units are provided in the pixel.

Image pickup apparatus including signal holding units


In some aspects the present invention relates to engineered endothelial cells, such as E40RF1+ ETV2+ engineered endothelial cells. In other aspects the present invention relates to methods of making such engineered endothelial cells, and methods of using such engineered endothelial cells, for example in co-culture applications.

Members of the E-twenty six or "ETS" family of transcription factors (TFs), including ETV2 (Lee et al., Cell stem cell, 2: 497-507 (2008); Sumanas et al., Blood, 111: 4500-4510 (2008)), FLI1 (Liu et al., Current Bio. 18: 1234-1240 (2008)), and ERG (McLaughlin et al., Blood, 98: 3332-3339 (2001)) have been implicated in regulating vascular development and angiogenesis (De Val et al., Dev Cell, 16: 180-195 (2009); Sato et al., Cell Struct Funct, 26: 19-24 (2001)). These TFs directly regulate the expression of genes associated with endothelial cell (EC) development and function. Adult ECs constitutively express several ETS factors, such as FLIT ERG (isoforms 1 and 2), ETSJ, ETS2, Elfl, Elkl, VEZF and ETV6, while ETV2 is transiently expressed during embryonic development and is absent in adult ECs (Kataoka et al., Blood, 118: 6975-6986 (2011); Lelievre et al., The International Journal Of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, 33: 391-407 (2001)). In addition to playing key roles in vascular specification during development (Liu et al., Circ Res, 103: 1147-1154 (2008); Pham et al., Dev Biol, 303: 772-783 (2007)), it has also been shown that transient expression of some of these TFs can reprogram pluripotent stem cells into endothelial cells or can reprogram/transdifferentiate other (non-pluripotent) cells types into endothelial cells (see, e.g. Choi et al., Stem Cells 27, 559-567 (2009), James et al., Nat. Biotech. 28, 161-166 (2010), Prasain et al., Nat. Biotech. 32, 1151-1157 (2014), Morita et al., PNAS, 112, 160-165 (2015), Kurian et al., Nat. Methods 10, 77-83 (2013), and Ginsberg et al., Cell, 151: 559-575). However, to the best of the inventors' knowledge, prior to the present invention, ETS family transcription factors, and in particular the ETV2 transcription factor, was not believed to have effects on differentiated endothelial cells or endothelial cells already committed to the endothelial cell lineage. Similarly, prior to the present invention, and to the best of the inventors' knowledge, it was also not expected that endothelial cells expressing such factors might have enhanced properties with regards to their ability to support the expansion of other cell types, such as stem and progenitor cells.
The adenoviral early 4 (E4) region contains at least 6 open reading frames (E4ORFs). The entire E4 region has been shown previously to regulate angiogenesis and promote survival of endothelial cells (see Zhang et al. (2004), J. Biol. Chem. 279(12):11760-66). It has also been shown previously that, within the entire E4 region, it is the E4ORF1 sequence that is responsible for these biological effects in endothelial cells. See U.S. Pat. No. 8,465,732. See also Seandel et al. (2008), "Generation of a functional and durable vascular niche by the adenoviral E4ORF1 gene," PNAS, 105(49):19288-93.

Engineered endothelial cells expressing an ETS transcription factor


A soft start circuit generates a soft start voltage which changes over time when light emission of an EEFL is started. A pulse modulator receives a feedback voltage that corresponds to the output voltage of an inverter and the soft start voltage, and adjusts the duty ratio of a pulse signal PWM such that these two voltages match one another using a feedback operation. A striking control circuit monitors an error signal which is asserted when an abnormal state occurs. In a case in which the error signal has been asserted at a detection timing after the soft start voltage has reached a target voltage, the striking control circuit resets and restarts the soft start circuit. A driver controls the switching of the voltage at the primary coil of a transformer according to the pulse signal received from the pulse modulator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inverter which supplies driving voltage to an external electrode fluorescent lamp.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, liquid crystal display TVs, which provide a TV having a thin shape and a large size, are becoming popular as replacements for CRT-based TVs. Liquid crystal display TVs include multiple cold cathode fluorescent lamps (which will be referred to as "CCFLs" hereafter) or external electrode fluorescent lamps (which will be referred to as "EEFLS" hereafter) arranged on the back face of a liquid crystal panel on which video images are to be displayed, which are used as light-emitting backlights.
The CCFL or EEFL is driven using an inverter (DC/AC converter) which boosts DC voltage of around 12 V, and which outputs the voltage thus boosted in the form of AC voltage, for example. The inverter converts the current flowing through the CCFL into voltage, and returns the voltage thus converted to a control circuit as a feedback voltage, thereby controlling the ON/OFF operation of a switching element based upon this feedback voltage. For example, a CCFL driving technique using such an inverter is disclosed in Patent document 1.
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2003-323994
EEFLs have a problem in that it is difficult to turn on an EEFL as compared with other fluorescent lamps such as CCFLs. Whether or not the EEFL is switched to a light-emission state is a matter of probability. Accordingly, in order to ensure that the EEFL emits light, conventional inverters repeatedly perform a start-up operation several times, thereby raising the probability of light emission. Specifically, in order to perform EEFL striking, conventional inverters repeatedly perform an operation in which high voltage is applied to the inverter and the inverter is shut down.
Such conventional techniques require an external circuit which repeatedly performs the shut down operation and the start-up operation of a control circuit for the inverter, in addition to the control circuit. This leads to a large circuit area and high costs.


An apparatus and method for dispensing and distributing loose particulate material includes a system for applying an agent to the loose particulate material. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a container for holding and transporting the loose particulate material to the site of application. A feeder regulates the flow of loose particulate material out of the container. Loose particulate material exiting the feeder is blown out of the apparatus through a hose by an air stream produced by a blower. An agent is introduced via a carrier fluid to the air stream carrying the loose particulate material, whereby the resulting mixture of the agent with the carrier fluid is then mixed with the loose particulate material carried by the air stream.

The present invention is an improvement to methods and apparatus used to pneumatically dispense and distribute loose particulate material. The improvement provides methods and apparatus for applying agents onto loose particulate material carried by an air stream for dispensing and distribution.
A number of industries, including the forest by-products, landscaping, and playground industries have long been in need of efficient methods and apparatus for transporting, dispensing and distributing non-free-flowing or loose particulate materials. An exemplary but non-exclusive list of commonly distributed non-free-flowing or loose particulate materials includes loose bark, wood chips, sawdust, compost, etc. Applications for such materials include residential and commercial landscaping and playground installations.
As society recognizes the increased need to improve the safety of playgrounds, it is increasingly important to cover areas surrounding playground equipment with a cushioning material. Such materials cushion a child""s fall thus reducing the occurrence of injuries. Some of the commonly used playground cushioning materials include loose bark, wood chips, sawdust, rubber particles, etc.
In the past, it had been difficult to safely and efficiently transport and apply loose particulate materials to the application site. Loose particulate materials are generally trucked on site in a dump truck, unloaded and then distributed manually using wheelbarrows, shovels, rakes, etc. To increase the efficiency of the distribution process, the present inventor first invented a container truck to transport and distribute loose particulate materials. The container truck includes an open top through which the truck can be filled using a front-end loader or other loading equipment. The container truck includes a moving floor or conveyor. The moving floor moves loose particulate material within the container into a material feeder at the rear of the container. The material feeder provides a regulated flow of loose particulate material into an air stream from a powerful blower. Loose particulate material exiting the feeder mixes with the air stream from the blower and is blown out of the container through an attached hose. An operator applies loose particulate material by pointing the free end of the hose at the location, where the loose particulate material is desired.
Although the inventor""s first invention dramatically increases the efficiency of the dispensing and distribution process, it had room for further improvements. The moving floor sometimes moves loose particulate material over the feeder so that it xe2x80x9cbridges,xe2x80x9d e.g., blocks the passageway to the feeder, thus preventing material from entering the feeder. An operator must then enter the container truck to break up the loose particulate material so that it falls into the feeder.
In order to prevent bridging or blocking of the feeder, a second operator is located within the container to redistribute or break up the loose particulate material. However, placing an operator within the container is not desirable because the operator is located adjacent to dangerous equipment including the moving floor and feeder. In addition to increasing the possibility of injury, the use of two operators adds to overall distribution costs.
Another concern identified during the operation of the container truck was the production of a great deal of airborne particles. Blowing dry loose particulate materials such as wood chips or sawdust creates a large quantity of airborne particles or dust. The airborne particles create an unpleasant working environment for the operator and people within the vicinity of the application process. In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is investigating whether airborne particles present health concerns for operators or bystanders. The EPA has urged the industry to research methods to distribute dry loose particulate materials without creating large quantities of airborne particles.
Having solved the aforementioned problems in U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,237, the inventor of the present invention has redirected his efforts to another problem. The inventor, having realized that the choice of a proper loose particulate material is heavily influenced by its aesthetic qualities, not the least of which is its colored appearance, has developed a method and apparatus for applying agents onto the loose particulate material cooperatively with the pneumatic dispensing and distributing operation. As a general proposition, consumers prefer dark colors, such as for example, wood chips made from the bark of trees. Unfortunately, much of the wood products which are recycled to make wood mulch or chips do not come from bark, but rather from the lighter tree core. The supply of dark wood is regrettably in short supply. In order to enhance the marketability of the lighter wood products, it is desirable to enhance the aesthetic qualities of the wood chips by dyeing the chips. Rondy (U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,587) for instance, discloses a rotating helical screw conveyer with a reservoir containing a coloring agent in the lower section of the screw conveyer housing. However, devices similar to these further necessitate the loading and transporting of the colored wood chips onto another vehicle for transportation to its ultimate application site. Therefore, the present invention makes use of the dispensing and distributing device to advantageously combine the dyeing operation with the dispensing operation. In addition, the inventor has discovered that virtually any agent which is desirable to be mixed with loose particulate material may be a candidate for this new apparatus and method.
Thus, a need exists in the industry for methods and apparatus to distribute loose particulate materials while enhancing the properties of those materials simultaneously with the distribution and dispensing operation. The present invention is directed towards fulfilling some of these needs.
The present invention is an apparatus and method for applying an agent onto loose particulate material in conjunction with the dispensing and distributing of the loose particulate material. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a container for holding and transporting the loose particulate material to the site of application. A feeder regulates the flow of loose particulate material out of the container. Loose particulate material exiting the feeder is blown out of the apparatus through a hose by an air stream produced by a blower. In accordance with the present invention, an agent is introduced via a carrier fluid into the air stream carrying the particulate material, whereby the resulting mixture of the agent with the carrier fluid is then mixed with the loose particulate material carried by the air stream.
The introduction of an agent to the air stream carrying the loose particulate material reduces the number of operations required to produce a finished product. Whereas previously, agents such as coloring dyes, fertilizers, fumigants, microorganisms and pesticides have been applied in a distinct and separate operation, unrelated to the dispensing step, the present invention makes use of a carrier fluid to include desirable agents into the dispensing step, thus accruing savings for operators who pass the savings to the consumer.

Apparatus and method for applying agent to particulate material


A suction pipe assembly of an internal combustion engine has a suction pipe and a cooling fluid intercooler arranged in the suction pipe. A seal chamber is provided that is delimited by at least one section of the suction pipe and at least one section connected with the cooling fluid intercooler. A seal, disposed in the seal chamber, seals the suction pipe relative to the cooling fluid intercooler. The seal is made of an initially flowable sealing material introduced into the seal chamber in an initially flowable state and subsequently cured in a curing phase in the seal chamber. The seal chamber is seal-tightly closed with the exception of at least one fill opening through which the sealing material is introduced into the seal chamber.

The invention concerns a suction pipe assembly of an internal combustion engine, in particular of a motor vehicle, comprising a cooling fluid intercooler arranged in the suction pipe and a seal that seals the suction pipe relative to the cooling fluid intercooler.
DE 10 2009 050 258 B3 discloses a suction pipe of an internal combustion engine, in particular of a motor vehicle, in which a water intercooler is arranged. The water intercooler has a connecting water tank and a deflection water tank which are arranged at opposite ends of the water intercooler. The connecting water tank forms partially the suction pipe. An exterior wall of the deflection water tank is formed by a sidewall of the suction pipe housing. An end plate of the water intercooler on the side of the deflection water tank is bent at its rim areas and is pushed onto oppositely positioned sidewalls of the deflection water tank that are extending toward the heat exchanger. The sidewalls delimit laterally a deflection chamber of the deflection water tank. A cooling medium seal is provided between the bent rim areas of the end plate and the sidewalls of the deflection chamber.
The invention has the object to design a suction pipe of the aforementioned kind in which the sealing effect of the seal can be further improved. In particular, the seal should be realizable in a simple way.

Suction pipe assembly of an internal combustion engine having a cooling fluid intercooler


The liquid ejection apparatus comprises: a liquid ejection unit which ejects a liquid; a liquid storage unit which stores the liquid to be supplied to the liquid ejection unit; a plurality of flow passages through which the liquid flows; and a switching unit which holds a removable filter to trap foreign matter and switches a position of the filter so that the filter is connected to each of the plurality of flow passages in succession.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid ejection apparatus and a liquid tank, and more particularly to a liquid ejection apparatus and liquid tank which remove foreign matter from a collected liquid so that the liquid can be reused.
2. Description of the Related Art
When discarded ink is collected for reuse in an ink ejection apparatus comprising ink ejection nozzles, foreign matter such as viscous ink lumps and paper particles are typically contained in the discarded ink. Therefore, if the ink containing such foreign matter is reused as is, the ink ejection nozzles become blocked, leading to defective ink ejection. Hence, apparatuses comprising a filter for removing foreign matter from discarded ink have been proposed.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2-281960 discloses an apparatus formed with an ink collection chamber in the upper portion of an ink cartridge and an ink supply chamber in the lower portion of the ink cartridge. A filter (filtration member) is provided in a connecting portion which leads from the bottom surface of the ink collection chamber into the ink supply chamber.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-315357 discloses an apparatus in which a filter is provided in a flow passage through which discarded ink ejected from an ink ejection head is collected in an ink cartridge, and a pump for removing the foreign matter that accumulates in the filter is provided upstream or downstream of the filter. The foreign matter removed from the filter by driving the pump is discharged together with the discarded ink.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-200771 discloses an apparatus comprising a tank (sub-tank) which supplies ink to an ink ejection head, and a tank (discarded ink tank) which collects ink ejected from the ink ejection head. A filter is provided in a connecting portion which connects the two tanks, and a pump is provided to discharge the discarded ink intermixed with foreign matter from the discarded ink tank.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-315358 discloses an apparatus in which a filter is disposed in a flow passage through which ink ejected from an ink ejection head is collected in an ink cartridge, and a device for reducing the viscosity of the ink along the flow passage is provided upstream of the filter.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-240318 discloses an apparatus in which a filter is disposed in a flow passage through which ink ejected from an ink ejection head is collected in an ink storage tank, and a user is encouraged to replace the filter when the flow velocity of the ink through the flow passage decreases below a predetermined threshold.
As the number of nozzles which eject the ink increases, the amount of discarded ink generated during a restoration operation such as a dry discharge or suction also increases. The foreign matter intermixed in the discarded ink is trapped by the filter, but the filter becomes blocked by the trapped foreign matter, and therefore the filter must be replaced with increasing frequency as the amount of discarded ink increases.
In the apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2-281960, the foreign matter that flows into the ink collection chamber together with the collected ink settles on the bottom surface of the ink collection chamber, and as a result, the filter disposed in the connecting portion leading from the bottom surface of the ink collection chamber into the ink supply chamber becomes blocked easily by the foreign matter. This filter is provided inside the ink cartridge, and hence it is impossible to replace the filter alone when the foreign matter blocks the filter. As a result, the whole ink cartridge must be replaced, even when usable ink remains in the ink cartridge.
In the apparatuses described in Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 2001-315357 and 2002-200771, ink is discharged together with the removed foreign matter, and therefore the ink consumption increases.
In the apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-315358, the viscosity of the collected ink is reduced along the flow passage, and re-melting of the impurities that are separated by evaporation requires a large amount of time. Therefore, this apparatus is inadequate.
In the apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-240318, the user is encouraged to replace the filter with great frequency when the amount of discarded ink increases.

Liquid ejection apparatus and liquid tank


An absorbent article body part includes a liquid permeable surface side sheet, a liquid impermeable back face side sheet, and an absorbent body, positioned between the sheets, and having flap parts, extending outward to the respective sides of the absorbent body, and is formed by layering an outer layer sheet onto the back face side of the main absorbent article body part. At the outer layer sheet, first and second leg part elastic bodies are positioned with sides at one end being set along leg parts from parts of a dorsal waist part at one side and the other side, intermediate parts crossing a crotch part obliquely, and the sides at the other end being set along the leg parts at parts of a ventral waist part at the other side and the one side. Third leg part elastic bodies are positioned along the longitudinal direction at the flap parts.

As the above-mentioned type of disposable diaper or other disposable absorbent article, a disposable absorbent article, with which a liquid permeable surface side sheet, an absorbent body, and a liquid impermeable back face side sheet are layered to form a dorsal waist part, a crotch part, and a ventral waist part successively and integrally in the longitudinal direction, has been known generally since priorly.
Also, a disposable diaper, with which an outer layer sheet, forming a dorsal waist part, a crotch part, and a ventral waist part integrally and successively in the longitudinal direction, is affixed to the back face side of a main absorbent article body part, arranged from a liquid permeable surface side sheet, an absorbent body, and a liquid impermeable back face side sheet, has been proposed (Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-158359). With the outer layer sheet of this disposable diaper, a dorsal waist part elastic body is positioned at the dorsal waist part, a ventral waist part elastic body is positioned at the ventral waist part, and leg part elastic bodies are positioned at parts of both legs.
Furthermore as shown in FIG. 12, with this disposable diaper, the respective end parts of leg part elastic bodies 2,2 are positioned along leg parts at the dorsal waist part side and leg parts at the ventral waist part side of outer layer sheet 1, and intermediate parts of these leg part elastic bodies 2,2 are positioned across the crotch part in a mutually separated and opposing manner. Also, leg part elastic bodies 2,2 are positioned in substantially U-like form so as to be substantially symmetrical at the dorsal part and the ventral part.
However, with this disposable diaper, the effects of stretching of leg part elastic bodies 2,2 are separated into that of the dorsal side at the dorsal side and that of the ventral side at the ventral side, and the effect of putting the entirety of the diaper body into close contact with the body of a wearer, especially at the crotch part, cannot be obtained readily.
Also, though the manufacturing properties are improved due to the movement distance of leg part elastic bodies 2,2 in the width direction of an outer layer sheet component material 1a being comparatively low, since leg part elastic bodies 2,2 are separated in an opposing manner in the longitudinal direction of the outer layer sheet at the crotch part and an elastic body is not positioned at a substantially central part in the longitudinal direction of the leg parts at both sides, this disposable diaper cannot be put readily in close contact with the body of a wearer across substantially the entireties of the leg parts at both sides and excreted fluids may leak while the disposable diaper is worn.
Thus an arrangement may be considered wherein leg part elastic bodies 2,2 are positioned along the leg parts at the respective sides of outer layer sheet 1 of a disposable diaper so that the leg part elastic bodies 2,2 that are provided at the leg parts at the respective sides will be positioned at the parts at which they are mutually separated in outer layer sheet 1, thereby providing substantially the entireties of the leg parts at both sides of the above-mentioned disposable diaper with stretchability.
As a method for manufacturing this type of disposable diaper, a method of moving a long outer layer sheet component material 1a, which is outer layer sheet 1 made continuous in the width direction, in its longitudinal direction (direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 12) and meanwhile positioning waist part elastic bodies of long length (not illustrated) and leg part elastic bodies 2,2 of long length in a continuous manner in the longitudinal direction, and then cutting the above-mentioned outer layer sheet component material 1a in the width direction to form outer layer sheet 1, has been proposed (Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-158359).
In this process, the waist part elastic bodies are positioned in the form of straight lines while being stretched in the longitudinal direction of outer layer sheet component material 1a, and leg part elastic bodies 2,2 are positioned while being moved and stretched in the width direction of outer layer sheet component material 1a.
However, with each of the above-described arrangements, since leg part elastic bodies 2,2 are positioned along a direction that intersects the movement direction of outer layer sheet component material 1a, that is, along the width direction, leg part elastic bodies 2,2 must be stretched and positioned while being moved at a high speed in comparison to the movement speed of outer layer sheet component material 1a. The manufacturing process is therefore not easy.
An arrangement can thus be considered wherein leg part elastic bodies 2,2 are positioned on outer layer sheet 1 so that the respective end parts thereof are set along the leg parts at the dorsal part side and the ventral part side and positioned on outer layer sheet 1 so that the intermediate parts respectively intersect at the crotch part and cross the crotch part obliquely as shown in FIG. 13.
With the present disposable diaper, an outer layer sheet component material 1a of long length is moved in its longitudinal direction (direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 13) as with the arrangement shown in FIG. 12 and at the same time, the respective leg part elastic bodies 2,2 are curved in a U-turning manner in the width direction at the central part in the width direction of the above-mentioned outer layer sheet component material 1a so as to intersect mutually at the intermediate parts. Leg part elastic bodies 2,2 are thereby positioned as a pair of opposing U-like forms that intersect in the longitudinal direction. Since leg part elastic bodies 2,2 are positioned across substantially the entireties of the leg parts at both sides of outer layer sheet 1, this disposable diaper can be put into close contact with the entirety of the crotch area of a wearer when it is worn.
However, since leg part elastic bodies 2,2 of this disposable diaper intersect and oppose each other in the longitudinal direction at the crotch part and the width direction dimension along which leg part elastic bodies 2,2 are positioned on the outer layer sheet component material 1a of long length in the manufacturing process thus becomes large in comparison to the arrangement shown in FIG. 12, the movement distances of leg part elastic bodies 2,2 in the width direction over the long outer layer sheet 1 become large and the manufacturing process is therefore not easy.
That is, in the case where leg part elastic bodies 2,2 are to be positioned in a manner in which they oppose each other in the longitudinal direction of outer layer sheet 1 and are mutually curved in a substantially U-like shape, the above-mentioned leg part elastic bodies 2,2 must be reciprocated across a curving width dimension l2 while outer layer sheet component material 1a is moved across the length dimension l1, corresponding to the width direction dimension for a single outer layer sheet 1 shown in FIG. 13. Thus in comparison to the arrangement shown in FIG. 12, the curving movement amounts of leg part elastic bodies 2,2 become large, the movement speed of a device for positioning leg part elastic bodies 2,2 becomes high, and leg part elastic bodies 2,2 therefore cannot be positioned readily on outer layer sheet component material 1a.
An arrangement can thus be considered wherein one of the above-mentioned leg part elastic bodies 2,2 is positioned so as to cross obliquely across the crotch part from a part of the dorsal waist part at one side to a part of the ventral waist part at the other side, the other leg part elastic body 2 is positioned so as to cross obliquely across the crotch part from a part of the above-mentioned dorsal waist part at the other side to a part of the above-mentioned ventral waist part at the one side, and the pair of leg part elastic bodies 2,2 are made to intersect mutually and form a substantially X-like shape at the crotch part as shown in FIG. 14.
With the disposable diaper shown in FIG. 14, when a single cycle is defined as the interval in the manufacturing process in which the above-mentioned outer layer sheet component material 1a is moved over a length dimension l3, corresponding to the width direction dimension of two outer layer sheets 1, it is sufficient for a device for positioning leg part elastic bodies 2,2 to reciprocate across the width direction of the above-mentioned outer layer sheet component material 1a during this single cycle, and since the above-mentioned positioning device thus does not have to be moved at a high speed in the width direction of the above-mentioned outer layer sheet component material 1a in comparison to the arrangements shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, leg part elastic bodies 2,2 can be positioned comparatively readily.
However, when leg part elastic bodies 2,2 are intersected mutually in a substantially X-like manner at the crotch part of outer layer sheet 1, the leg part elastic bodies 2,2 positioned at substantially the central part of the above-mentioned crotch part of the above-mentioned outer layer sheet 1 cannot make the leg parts at the respective sides of the disposable diaper be stretched in the longitudinal direction of the disposable absorbent article. Thus when the above-mentioned disposable absorbent article is fitted onto the body of a wearer, excreted fluids may leak out from the leg parts at the respective sides of the disposable absorbent article.
This invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an absorbent article, with which good close contact is realized at the leg parts at both sides when the article is fitted onto the body of a wearer, the function of preventing the leakage of excreted fluids is improved, and leg part elastic bodies can be positioned readily during manufacture so as to enable manufacture to be performed readily.


In a computer-implemented method for re-provisioning a server of a data center, and while the server is provisioned to a first virtual network of the data center, the server is provided 1) a pseudo-random data stream, and 2) instructions on how to overwrite substantially all of its data storage volumes using the pseudo-random data stream. Upon completion of the overwrite, the server is powered down, then moved to a second virtual network of the data center, and then caused to initiate a network boot from within the second virtual network. After the network boot of the server, one or more indications of the data stored at a number of addresses of the server's data storage volumes are requested from the server via the second virtual network. It is then determined whether the server is in a compromised state by, remotely from the server, comparing the provided indication(s) to one or more expected indications.

A data center is a collection of secure, fault-resistant resources that are accessed by users over a communications network (e.g., a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet). By way of example only, the resources of a data center may comprise servers, storage, switches, routers, or modems. Often, data centers provide support for corporate websites and services, web hosting companies, telephony service providers, internet service providers, or application service providers.
Some data centers, such as Hewlett-Packard Company's Utility Data Center (UDC), provide for virtualization of various resources within the data center. For example, a data center may comprise a server pool from which servers may be dynamically provisioned to form one or more virtual networks. The virtual networks may then be provisioned to one or more clients.
One issue that needs to be addressed by a data center is security, including 1) the security of the data center's core (e.g., the data center's controller) from attack via one or more of the virtual networks, and 2) the security of each virtual network from attack via another one of the virtual networks.

Methods and apparatus for re-provisioning a server of a data center

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A photodetector (10) includes a substrate (12) having a surface; a first layer (14) of semiconductor material that is disposed above the surface, the first layer containing a first dopant at a first concentration for having a first type of electrical conductivity; and a second layer (16) of semiconductor material overlying the first layer. The second layer contains a second dopant at a second concentration for having a second type of electrical conductivity and forms a first p-n junction (15) with the first layer. The second layer is compositionally graded through at least a portion of a thickness thereof from wider bandgap semiconductor material to narrower bandgap in a direction away from the p-n junction. The compositional grading can be done in a substantially linear fashion, or in a substantially non-linear fashion, e.g., in a stepped manner. Preferably the first dopant concentration is at least an order of magnitude greater than the second concentration, and more preferably is at least two orders of magnitude greater. When the first p-n junction is reverse biased, a depletion region (17) exists substantially only within the second layer, and varying the magnitude of the reverse bias shifts the wavelength at which a maximum spectral sensitivity or responsiveness is obtained. At least one electrical contact is provided for coupling the second layer to a source (32) of variable bias voltage for reverse biasing the p-n junction. As the magnitude of the bias voltage is changed a wavelength of electromagnetic radiation to which the photodetector is responsive is thus changed. An alternating current signal can be superimposed on the reverse DC bias voltage and a synchronous detection technique used to detect photons corresponding to a certain bandgap energy.

Electromagnetic radiation detectors that are responsive to light in more than one wavelength band, also referred to as multi-spectral or multi-color detectors, provide a number of advantages in modern imaging systems. In general, the light that is detected may be visible light or light that is not visible to the human eye (e.g., infrared (IR) radiation).
Early efforts to detect IR radiation within more than one spectral band have relied on the use of multiple detector arrays, each having a different spectral filter. Multiple detector arrays with different spectral responses have also been used. The use of a continuously variable wedge filter in conjunction with a detector array is also known in the art, as is the use of a mechanical spectral filter selector. For reasons related at least to increased cost, complexity and weight, these conventional approaches to multi-spectral imaging are disadvantageous for many applications.
It was thus realized that the detection of IR radiation in two or more spectral bands with a single integrated detector device was a very desirable alternative to the conventional approaches. Representative examples of such detectors can be found in the following commonly assigned U.S. patents.
In U.S. Pat. No.: 5,113,076 by Eric Schulte, "Two terminal multi-band infrared radiation detector", there is described a radiation detector that includes a first heterojunction and a second heterojunction that are electrically coupled together in series between a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact. The detector contains at least a three regions or layers, including a first layer having a first type of electrical conductivity, a second layer having a second type of electrical conductivity and a third layer having the first type of electrical conductivity. The first and second heterojunctions are coupled in series and function electrically as two back-to-back diodes. During use the detector is coupled to a switchable bias source that includes a source of positive bias (+Vb) and a source of negative bias (−Vb). With +Vb applied across the detector the first heterojunction is in far forward bias and functions as a low resistance conductor, thereby contributing no significant amount of photocurrent to the circuit. The second heterojunction is in a reverse bias condition and modulates the circuit current in proportion to the photon flux of an associated spectral region or color. Conversely, with −Vb applied across the detector the second heterojunction is in forward bias and contributes no significant photocurrent to the circuit while the first heterojunction is reversed biased and produces a current modulation proportional to the incident flux, where the flux is associated with a different spectral region.
In U.S. Pat. No.: 5,731,621 to Kenneth Kosai, "Three band and four band multispectral structures having two simultaneous signal outputs", there is described a solid state array that has a plurality of radiation detector unit cells, wherein each unit cell includes a bias-selectable two color photodetector in combination with either a second bias-selectable two color detector or a single photodetector. Each unit cell is thus capable of simultaneously outputting charge carriers resulting from the absorption of electromagnetic radiation within two spectral bands that are selected from one of four spectral bands or three spectral bands.
In U.S. Pat. No.: 5,751,005 by Richard Wyles et al., "Low-crosstalk column differencing circuit architecture for integrated two-color focal plane arrays", there is described an integrated two-color staring focal plane array having rows and columns of photodetector unit cells, each of which is capable of simultaneously integrating photocurrents resulting from the detection of two spectral bands. A readout circuit performs a subtraction function, and includes a differential charge-sensing amplifier in a one-per-column arrangement. The amplifier works in cooperation with circuitry located in each unit cell. The subtraction function is employed to create a separate Band1 signal from a Band2 and (Band1+Band2) signals generated by each simultaneous two-color detector. The circuit offers low spectral crosstalk between the two spectral bands.
Also by example, in U.S. Pat. No.: 5,959,339 by Chapman et al., "Simultaneous two-wavelength p-n-p-n infrared detector" there is disclosed an array that contains a plurality of radiation detectors. Each radiation detector includes a first photoresponsive diode (D1) having an anode and a cathode that is coupled to an anode of a second photoresponsive diode (D2). The first photoresponsive diode responds to electromagnetic radiation within a first band of wavelengths and the second photoresponsive diode responds to electromagnetic radiation within a second band of wavelengths. Each radiation detector further includes a first electrical contact that is conductively coupled to the anode of the first photoresponsive diode; a second electrical contact that is conductively coupled to the cathode of the first photoresponsive diode and to the anode of the second photoresponsive diode; and a third electrical contact that is conductively coupled to a cathode of each second photoresponsive diode of the array. The electrical contacts are coupled during operation to respective bias potentials. The first electrical contact conducts a first electrical current induced by electromagnetic radiation within the first predetermined band of wavelengths, and the second electrical contact conducts a second electrical current induced by electromagnetic radiation within the second predetermined band of wavelengths, less an electrical current induced by electromagnetic radiation within the first predetermined band of wavelengths.
The disclosures of these various commonly assigned U.S. Patents are incorporated by reference herein in so far as there is no conflict with the teachings of this invention.
Also of interest to the teachings of this invention is a p-i-i-n (p-type, intrinsic, intrinsic, n-type) detector that is described by Brüggermann et al., "The operational principle of a new amorphous silicon based p-i-i-n color detector", J. Appl. Phys. 81(11), 1 Jun. 1997, 7666–7672. The device is constructed using two large band gap front layers of doped and intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC:H), followed by an intrinsic and a doped a-Si:H layer. These authors report that by band gap engineering an experimental red response is maximized at a large reverse bias voltage, whereas the green response has its maximum at low reverse bias voltage. The potential profile of the p-i-i-n structure is said to be of crucial importance to the color detection mechanism. At larger wavelengths the large potential drop across the two highly defective front layers assists recombination in the back part of the device, which leads to the drop in the red response at low reverse voltage. For the voltage-dependent shift in spectral sensitivity it is said to be important that photogenerated carriers, under green bias illumination, are lost by recombination in the front part of the device.
Also of interest is an n-i-p-i-i-n detector of a type described by H. Stiebig et al., "Transient Behavior of Optimized nipiin Three-Color Detectors", IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Vol. 45, No. 7, Jul. 1998, 1438–1444. These authors report the detection of the fundamental components of visible light (blue, green, red) with a multi-spectral two-terminal photodiode that is based on amorphous silicon. The preferential carrier collection region of the two-terminal device shifts upon a change of the applied bias voltage, which leads to a color sensitivity. Structures with controlled bandgap and mobility-lifetime product exhibit a dynamic behavior above 96 dB. Three linearly independent spectral response curves can be extracted to generate a RGB (red-green-blue)-signal. Bias voltage switching experiments under different monochromatic illumination conditions were carried out to investigate the time-dependent behavior.

Photodiode having voltage tunable spectral response


A method of forming a doped gate structure on a semiconductor device and a semiconductor structure formed in that method are provided. The method comprises the steps of providing a semiconductor device including a gate dielectric layer, and forming a gate stack on said dielectric layer. This latter step, in turn, includes the steps of forming a first gate layer on the dielectric layer, and forming a second disposable layer on top of the first gate layer. A fat spacer is formed round the first gate layer and the second disposable layer. The second disposable layer is removed, and ions are implanted in the first gate layer to supply additional dopant into the gate above the gate dielectric layer, while the fat disposable spacer keeps the implanted ions away from the critical source and drain diffusion regions.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to semiconductor device manufacturing, and more particularly, the invention relates to a method of fabricating semiconductor devices having a reduced carrier-depletion effect of polysilicon (polySi) gate conductor. Even more specifically, the invention relates to the use of a fat disposable spacer, in such fabrication methods, to facilitate post-doping of the polySi gate conductor without disturbing the optimum source and drain doping profile for a high performance metal oxide semiconductor filed effect transistor (MOSFET).
2. Background Art
With decreasing gate lengths in metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), the effective gate dielectric thicknesses (Tinv) of the order of 2 nm or less are required to improve short-channel behavior and to increase the on-current without increasing the off-current. The contribution of carrier-depletion effect of the polySi gate conductor at the gate dielectric interface, the so called "polySi depletion effect," to the effective gate dielectric thickness becomes significantly large when the Tinv is of the order of 2 nm or less. It has been recognized that it is important to dope the polySi gate heavily, particularly near the gate dielectric interface, to reduce the polySi depletion effect. However, with the conventional manufacturing process, where the gate polySi and S/D diffusion are implanted at the same time, it is not possible to dope the polySi gate in such a way to minimize the polySi depletion effect without compromising the optimum source and drain (S/D) diffusion doping profile, because the polySi and S/D diffusion are doped by the same ion implantations. It is desirable to decouple the PolySi and S/D implantation so that they can be optimized separately.
One method to decouple the gate and S/D implant is known as "pre-doping" of PolySi. The polySi is implanted prior to PolySi etching to define the gate conductor to boost polySi-doping levels. The disadvantage of this method is that the PFET and NFET areas are doped using different species (e.g., boron and arsenic) which can cause these areas to etch differently during the PolySi etch. This is a serious concern for device length control of both NFET and PFET.
Another method to decouple the gate that has been used is known as post-doping with "anti-spacer." It is called post-doping because the additional doping to the gate is made after the gate PolySi etching to avoid the problems associated with etching of the dual doped PolySi. With the post-doping method with anti-spacer, a planarizing polymer layer such as an anti-reflective coating material (ARC) is spun onto the wafer after the PolySi has been etched. The ARC fills areas between the PolySi lines, which blocks the implant from going into the Si S/D regions while thin enough ARC is left on top of the PolySi. However, the most serious drawback of this technique is that enough ARC material actually stays on top of the PolySi of either a wide PolySi line or dense multiple PolySi lines, which blocks the implant from going into the PolySi, where it is needed.

Formation of a disposable spacer to post dope a gate conductor

International Business Machines Corporation


A door opening spring assistance apparatus is set forth that will automatically apply a door opening assistance force using a combination of rods and coil springs. The release of the rods by the coil springs reduces the force required to set the door in motion.

In many commercial buildings and manufacturing facilities, heavy metal doors are often utilized for purposes of security, fire doors, or serve as containment doors between an enclosure having a negative air pressure relative to an environment on an opposing side of the door. Frequently, the requirements and operating environment of the door are such that a force in excess of 50 pounds is needed to set the door in motion. For example, there may be a pressure differential between opposite sides of the door which increases the force needed to set the door in motion. Such pressure differentials can be intentional or can be transient events such as the result of operation of an internal HVAC system.
For safety reasons, the amount of force human operators need to apply to a door should never exceed 50 pounds of force and new doors may be limited by building codes to as little as 30 pounds of force. While foot or hand operated levers have been utilized to assist in door opening operations, such designs are frequently prohibited by safety codes because it requires two manual actions to operate the door. It remains a need in the art for a passive door assistance-opening device that compensates for a door weight or pressure and automatically operates upon initiation of a normal door opening sequence. Accordingly, there remains room for variation and improvement within the art.


An electronic writing solution server includes a query engine and a user interface engine. The query engine receives a search query from a user, the search query specifying a field in at least one form and including a first stroke or text, retrieves clusters from a database, retrieves example strokes from the clusters at vary levels of similarity to the first stroke, receives user selections for strokes of interest from the example strokes, and retrieves information associated with the strokes of interest from the database. The user interface engine generates graphical data for presenting the retrieved information to the user.

1. Field of the Invention
The specification relates to information search. In particular, the specification relates to searching for matching strokes based on clusters created for strokes in a set of forms.
2. Description of the Background Art
As the use of portable computing devices becomes common, many users input information into a form by using a stylus or a fingertip on the portable computing devices. For example, a user can fill out a medical form on a table. When searching the stroke data in the form, one approach is to convert the stroke data to symbolic text and perform a search using the symbolic text. However, the conversion can be error prone and if the results were similarly converted from stroke data, the results are subject to an error prone conversion as well. Another approach is to collect multiple stroke samples from the user (e.g., ask for the user to write the same word multiple times on multiple devices), analyze the multiple stroke samples and perform a search based on the analysis. The matching data from this approach create too many irrelevant results, and therefore have limited usefulness.


An apparatus for applying a signal to a nerve for the treatment of a disorder includes a first electrode and a second electrode. Each of the electrodes is adapted to be secured to a nerve of a patient. A signal generator is electrically connected to each of the first and second electrodes. The signal generator is adapted to create a signal having a first waveform at the first electrode and a second waveform at the second electrode. The waveforms have parameters selected to block propagation of neural action potentials. The waveforms have a repeating pattern of cycles of pulses with a delay period between at least selected ones of said pulses. In one embodiment, the first and second waveforms are out of phase for a cycle of one of the waveforms to occur during a delay period of the other of the waveforms.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to electrodes for nerves and therapeutic signals to be applied to such electrodes. More particularly, this invention pertains to such electrodes and signals for placement on the vagus nerve for treatment of obesity.
2. Prior Art
a. Neural Conduction Block
The Assignee of the present application has a number of pending U.S. patent applications pertaining to application of a conduction block technology to a nerve for a treatment of a variety of disorders. These applications include the following (all filed Sep. 29, 2003): U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/674,330, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,489,969 (published Sep. 2, 2004 as Publication No. US 2004/0172086 A1); U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/675,818 (published Sep. 9, 2004 as US Patent Application Publication No. US 2004/0176812 A1) now abandoned, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/674,324 (published Sep. 2, 2004 as US Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0172085 A1), now abandoned. These patent applications describe, in a preferred embodiment, the application of neural conduction block therapy to a vagus nerve alone or in combination with a stimulation of the nerve.
The conduction block therapy includes application of an electrical signal with parameters selected to down-regulate vagal activity by creating conditions in which normal nerve propagation potentials are blocked at the application of the signal on both afferent and efferent nerves fibers of the vagus. A number of different disorders are identified for treatment through the technique. These disorders include obesity, pancreatitis and other gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome and functional disorders.
Electrodes may be placed directly on the vagus (for example as cuff electrodes) or may be placed on bands surrounding the vagus at the esophagus or placed on an intraluminal device within the esophagus for transmitting the energy from the device across the tissue of the esophagus to the vagus nerves in the region of the esophagus. These embodiments are disclosed with greater particularity in the Assignee's U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/752,944 which has issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,167,750, and Ser. No. 10/752,940, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,444,183, both filed Jan. 6, 2004 with respective publication dates of Aug. 26, 2004 and Sep. 2, 2004, Publication Nos. US 2004/0167583 A1 and 2004/0172088 A1.
b. Blocking Signal Parameters and Duty Cycle
On Jun. 30, 2004 the Assignee of the present application filed Ser. No. 10/881,045 (published Feb. 17, 2005 as Publication No. US 2005/0038484 A1) noting that a duty cycle of electrical impulses to the nerve to block neural conduction on the nerve can be adjusted between periods of blocking and no blocking in order to vary the amount of down regulation of the vagus nerve as well as preventing accommodation by the enteric nervous system.
On Jan. 21, 2005 the Assignee filed Ser. No. 11/040,767 describing with greater particularity parameters for controlling block and to avoid accommodation. That application notes that a representative blocking signal is preferably greater than 500 Hz and that such conduction block is preferably within the parameters disclosed in Solomonow, et al. "control of muscle contractile force through indirect high-frequency stimulation", American Journal of Physical Medicine, Volume 62, No. 2, pages 71-82 (1983). Particularly, the nerve conduction block is applied with electrical signals selected to block the entire cross-section of the nerve (for example, both afferent, efferent, myelinated and non-myelinated fibers) at the site of applying the blocking signal (as opposed to selected sub-groups of nerve fibers or just afferent and not efferent or vice versa).
Preferably, the frequency of the blocking signal is selected to exceed a 200 Hz threshold frequency described in Solomonow, et al. More preferred parameters are a frequency in excess of 500 Hz (with other parameters as non-limiting examples, being an amplitude of 1-8 mA, pulse width of 100 microseconds, and a duty cycle of 5 minutes on and 5 minutes off. A more preferred blocking signal has a frequency of 3,000 Hz to 5,000 Hz or greater applied by either by bi-polar or mono-polar electrodes. Such a signal has a preferred pulse width of 100 micro-seconds (associated with a frequency of 5,000 Hz).
It is believed this frequency and pulse width best avoid neural recovery from blocking and avoid re-polarization of a nerve. A "short-off" time in the pulse cycle (for example, between cycles or within a cycle) can be acceptable as long as it is short enough to avoid nerve re-polarization. The waveform may be a square, triangular or sinusoidal waveform or other shape. The higher frequencies of 5,000 Hz or more have been found, in porcine studies, to result in more consistent neural conduction block. Kilgore, et al., "Nerve Conduction Block Utilizing High-Frequency Alternating Current", Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing, Vol. 24, pp. 394-406 (2004). Applicants have determined that a signal amplitude of 0.5 mA to 8 mA is adequate for blocking. However, other amplitudes may suffice.
While a duty cycle can be a predetermined time period, it is currently preferred that the duty cycle be less fixed to reduce the likelihood of patient accommodation whereby the autonomic (parasympathetic, sympathetic and enteric) and/or the central nervous systems accommodates for the loss of signals on the vagus or other nerve. While the periods of off and on can be stable or random, they can be set at any fixed or non-fixed sequence (for example, 5 minutes on followed by 5 minutes off repeated for the duration of the therapy or, alternatively, 5 minutes on followed by 10 minutes off as a first cycle with a following cycle meaning a different set of time—such as 10 minutes on and 2 minutes off, with a non-repeating duty cycle continuing over a 24 hour period). Other signal attributes can be varied to reduce the likelihood of accommodation by the nerve or an organ. These include altering the power, waveform or pulse width.


A substrate etching method and a substrate processing device, the substrate etching method includes: S1: placing a substrate to be processed into a reaction chamber; S2: supplying etching gas into the reaction chamber; S3: turning on an excitation power supply to generate plasma in the reaction chamber; S4: turning on a bias power supply to apply bias power to the substrate; S5: turning off the bias power supply, and meanwhile, starting to supply deposition gas into the reaction chamber; S6: stopping supply of the deposition gas into the reaction chamber, and meanwhile, turning on the bias power supply; S7: repeating steps S5-S6, until the etching process is completed. In the whole etching process, the etching operation is always performed, and the deposition operation is performed sometimes. Therefore, during the deposition operation, the plasma in the reaction chamber can etch away at least a part of deposited polymers formed by the deposition operation on a sidewall of an etched section, so that the sidewall of the etched section of the substrate is smooth.

As MEMS devices and MEMS systems are widely used in the field of automobile and consumer electronics, and through-silicon via (TSV) etch technology has wide prospect in the field of packaging, plasma deep silicon dry etching process gradually becomes one of the most important processes in the field of MEMS manufacturing and TSV technology.
Deep silicon etching process is different from a general silicon etching process in that: etching depth of the deep silicon etching process is much larger than that of the general silicon etching process and is generally several tens of micrometers or even up to one hundred meters, and however etching depth of the general silicon etching process is smaller than 1 micrometer. In order to etch a silicon material of several tens of micrometers, the deep silicon etching process is required to have a larger etching rate, a higher selection ratio and a larger aspect ratio.
Currently, a popular deep silicon etching process is Bosch process invented by Bosch in Germany or improvements on it. The main features of Bosch process are: the whole etching procedure is multiple repetitions of one circulation unit and the circulation unit includes an etching operation and a deposition operation, that is, the whole etching procedure is alternate circulation of the etching operation and the deposition operation. Process gas used in the etching operation is SF6, which allows a higher etching rate of a silicon substrate. In practical application, since the etching procedure is isotropic etching, it is difficult to control sidewall morphology. So, in order to avoid etching of the sidewall, the deposition is incorporated in the whole etching procedure to deposit a layer of polymer protection film on the sidewall to protect the sidewall from being etched, so as to etch only in the vertical direction.
The defects in the prior art are: since the etching operation and the deposition operation are performed alternately, the polymer deposited on the sidewall of the etched section is not smooth, and so the product resulted from such an etching is not ideal.

Substrate etching method and substrate processing device


A superconductive device that includes a ground film made of the superconductive material, wherein part of the ground film has an opening pattern.

In connection with the recent widespread use of mobile phones or advances thereof, high-speed, large-capacity signal transmission has become an essential technology. Superconductors have significantly smaller surface resistance even in a high frequency region than typical electric conductors. Use of a superconductor can thus achieve a low-loss, high-Q resonator, and a resonator using a superconductor (superconductive device) is a promising device as a filter for a mobile communication base station.
When such a superconductive device is applied to a bandpass filter on the receive side, it is expected that the bandpass filter has low signal transmission loss and a sharp frequency cutoff characteristic. On the other hand, when such a superconductive device is applied to a bandpass filter on the transmit side, it is expected that the bandpass filter can remove signal distortion generated in a power amplifier disposed in the front end stage. However, in such a case, there is a problem of requiring a large amount of power for transmitting high frequency signals. That is, when a superconductive device is applied to a bandpass filter on the transmit side, achieving size reduction and a satisfactory power characteristic at the same time is an immediate challenge.
When a superconductive device is applied to a bandpass filter on the transmit side, there is a problem with transmission loss due to high RF power input. This problem of the transmit loss is, in other words, a problem of current density concentration. To eliminate this problem of current density concentration, it has been proposed that a linear pattern, such as a hairpin pattern and a microstrip pattern, be replaced with a disc (circular) shape superconductive resonator pattern. In a disc shape superconductive resonator pattern, the current density concentration at a linear edge can be reduced, as compared to a linear superconductive resonator pattern.
As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, there has also been proposed a dual-mode filter having a notch (cutout) in part of a disc superconductive resonator pattern, which induces resonant modes in two direction perpendicular to each other. (For example, refer to Sang Yeol Lee, Kwang Yong Kang, and Dal Ahn, IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, Vol. 5, No. 2, page 2567, June 1995.)
As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, in the conventional dual-mode resonator filter, a disc resonator pattern 102 formed of a superconductive film is provided on a dielectric substrate 101. FIG. 1B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the resonator shown in FIG. 1A taken along the line that connects input/output signal lines 103 to a notch 105. The notch 105 is formed in part of the disc resonator pattern 102 to induce dual modes, as best seen in FIG. 1A. In the conventional dual-mode resonator filter, the notch 105 is provided at a position apart from the extensions of the input/output signal lines (feeders) 103. The back side of the dielectric substrate 101 is entirely covered with a ground film 104, as shown in FIG. 1B.
FIG. 1C is a graph showing the frequency response characteristic of the superconductive resonator filter shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C. In the graph shown in FIG. 1C, the horizontal axis represents the frequency (GHz), and the vertical axis represents the magnitude (dB) indicative of the signal transmission characteristic.
As a result of the simulation, the reflective characteristic (S11) and the transmissive characteristic (S21) shown in FIG. 1C are obtained. Specifically, the sample has two resonant frequencies. 4.862 GHz (f1) and 5.051 GHz (f2), in the 5-GHz band.
In such a dual-mode resonator filter, degeneracy of the electric and magnetic modes perpendicular to each other is broken to separate resonant frequencies, so that two resonant frequencies f1 (on the low frequency side) and f2 (on the high frequency side) are generated, as shown in FIG. 1C. However, provision of the notch 105 causes the problem of current density concentration at the corners of the notch 105.
FIGS. 2A and 2B show the results of simulation of current density distribution in the conventional notch-type dual resonator. As shown in FIG. 2A, the current on the low frequency f1 side (especially compared to the High frequency f2 side concentrates at the corners of the notch 105 in the resonator plane, and hence exceeds the maximum current density in a typical disc resonator without the notch 105. In this example, a maximum current density of 702 A/m is induced on the f1 side, as shown in the left hand drawing in FIG. 2A.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2B, since the back side (ground plane) of the dielectric substrate 101 is entirely covered with a superconductive film, there is substantially no local concentration of current density. It is however noted that the current density slightly rises around the center of the substrate along the current directions in the two resonant modes. The current directions in the two resonant modes refer to a first direction toward the notch 105 and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The resonant frequencies f1 and f2 are out of phase by 45 degrees with respect to each other at the maximum current density.
As described above, in the conventional dual-mode resonator filter, the current density concentrates at the corners or the edge of the notch 105 in the resonator pattern 102. As a result, in a bandpass filter and an antenna using a superconductive resonator, the withstanding power, which is the allowable power value (allowable power), is reduced, or the signal distortion increases in a disadvantageous manner.
Accordingly, the conventional technology cannot provide a superconductive device with high power handling capability and reduced concentration of the current density (signal distortion).

Dual-mode superconductive filter having an opening pattern in a ground plane


Cartridge case member with a combustible tube, ammunition with a semicombustible cartridge case incorporating this member and process for filling this ammunition.. The present invention relates to the field of combustible ammunition and relates more particularly to that of dart-shell semicombustible ammunition.. The invention relates to a cartridge case member (3) with a combustible tube (6) comprising a bottom (7) which has a central opening (8) and a side opening (9). A hollow component (4) enters the said member (3) through the central opening (8) without obstructing the side opening (9). This hollow component (4) is a shell of revolution which comprises, over its entire height, a central cavity on the wall of which are arranged means (18) for fastening a separate component.. The invention also relates to semicombustible ammunition (1) comprising a member (3) according to the invention.. Finally, the invention relates to a process for assembling such ammunition, a process according to which, after the ignition tube (34) and the shell have been fastened to the member (3), the latter is filled with powder by virtue of the side opening (9) and the metal base (2) is fitted only afterwards by snapping on.

In conventional artillery it is known to employ ammunition with metal cartridge cases, made of brass in most cases.
While the metal cartridge case has undoubted advantages where the robustness and the leaktightness at the rear of the shell at the time of firing are concerned, it nevertheless has many disadvantages.
Being made of metal, it does not take part in the combustion of the propellent charge and represents a useless dead space from the viewpoint of ballistics. Furthermore, after the propellent charge has burnt, it contains many toxic gases, and this represents a certain handicap when it has to be extracted and kept inside a closed enclosure such as, for example, a battle tank. Finally, since the metal of which it consists is generally a copper-based alloy, its manufacturing cost is high.
To get rid of these disadvantages, one solution consists in employing entirely combustible cartridge cases. The combustible cartridge case, in fact, offers the twin advantage of taking part in the combustion of the propellent charge and, in doing so, of contributing additional energy and of leaving no solid space containing toxic gases after combustion. For these reasons, wholly combustible cartridge cases are extensively called for in modern ammunition. Nevertheless, in comparison with metal cartridge cases, these present a disadvantage where the leaktightness during firing at the rear of the shell is concerned. In fact, precisely because they are destroyed at the time of firing, combustible cartridge cases do not contribute any additional leaktightness to that offered by the breech closure device. In the usual weapon systems the closure device generally ensures effective leaktightness up to 3.times.10.sup.8 Pa, or 3000 bars. This limit is wholly acceptable in the case of most conventional shells and allows a wholly combustible cartridge case to be employed. However, this limit is insufficient for some shells such as the dart shells intended for piercing armour and which must be fired at higher pressures which can be up to 7.times.10.sup.8 Pa, or 7000 bars. In this case, if the breech of the weapon system is not to be modified and mad heavier, the metal cartridge case offers the advantage of contributing the indispensable addition of leaktightness due to its metal base.
With this type of shell, a particularly advantageous solution is provided by semicombustible cartridge cases consisting, on the one hand, of a case-shaped combustible member and of a metal base. In this type of cartridge case the combustible case takes part in the combustion of the propellent charge, contributing additional energy and avoiding the retention of a large quantity of toxic gases, while the metal base ensures effective leaktightness at the rear of the projectile, even at very high pressures. There are essentially two types of semicombustible cartridge cases in existence. In the first type the combustible member is simply a combustible tube obtained advantageously by spiralling combustible paper, the joint with the metal base being made by means of an additional bottom part, as described, for example, in the addition 87,428 to French Patent 1,349,818. In the second type, described, for example, in French Patent 2,365,096, the combustible member comprises both a tubular part and a bottom which can fit directly into the metal base. Such a combustible member is preferably obtained by felting, by starting with an aqueous slurry containing the materials of which the combustible member is composed.
As can be seen from the abovementioned patents, the fastening of the combustible member to the metal base is effected by means of a fastening component, generally a fastening ring, which binds the bottom of the combustible member around a hollow internal collar carried by the metal base. This solution is practical, but necessarily means that the interior of the combustible member must be free at the time of the fastening of the metal base, to allow the introduction and the positioning of the said fastening component. Consequently, in currently known semicombustible cartridge cases the propellent powder can be introduced only after the metal base has been fitted. Furthermore, a correct ignition of large-calibre ammunition requires the presence of an ignition tube situated in the extension of the said hollow collar carried by the metal base and which, for obvious safety reasons, must preferably be fitted before the powder is introduced.
Under these conditions it is therefore not possible to ensure a correct filling with propellent powder of semicombustible ammunition through the bottom of the latter.
On the other hand, it is easy to fill semicombustible ammunition with powder through the open end of the tube of the combustible member, which is away from the metal base, and then to fit the shell. This solution is suitable in the case of conventional shells which have a rounded bottom which does not enter far into the combustible tube.
On the other hand, a new difficulty arises with dart shells which have finning entering deeply into the combustible tube. For obvious safety reasons these shells must be fastened to the combustible member before the powder is introduced. With this type of ammunition, since the introduction of the powder must be performed after the metal base and the shell have been positioned, this introduction can be performed only through a side opening made in the wall of the combustible tube, an opening which must then be closed again. Combustible materials do not lend themselves well to a cutout of this type, and the automation of the manufacture of dartshell semicombustible ammunition is at present practically impossible.

Societe Nationale des Poudres et Explosifs


A first calculator calculates, for each combination of the physical machines, a network distance representing magnitude of load during communication between one of a plurality of physical machines and another physical machine. An acquisition unit acquires communication permission information representing that a newly operated virtual machine is permitted to communicate with which virtual machine among a plurality of virtual machine already operated in any one of the plurality of physical machines. A second calculator calculates, for each of the plurality of physical machines, a network cost representing magnitude of load of the network system during communication between the communication-permitted virtual machine and a new virtual machine, when one of the plurality of physical machines operates the new virtual machine on the basis of the network distance and the communication permission information. A determination unit determines which physical machine is to operate the new virtual machine, using the calculated network cost.

Cloud computing is a technique in which a user uses IT resources prepared in a data center as a service. The cloud computing is classified into SaaS (Software as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), and IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service), according to a service form of the IT resources. The SaaS is to provide application software as a service, and the PaaS is to provide development environment or execution environment of the application software as a service. In addition, the IaaS operates a virtual machine on request of a user, on a physical machine connected to a network system of a data center, so as to provide resources of the virtual machine as a service.
By the cloud computing technique, the user of the IT resources can obtain advantages that reduction of initial investment can be expected and the used IT resources can be easily increased or decreased according to a necessary amount. On the other hand, in the cloud computing technique, a plurality of users share the IT resources of the data center, and thus it is pointed out that response to non-functional requirement such as performance is weak. In the IaaS, when the virtual machine is newly operated on request of the user, it is important to consider which physical machine should be operated for efficiently operating the virtual machine on the whole system, from a plurality of physical machines connected to the network system of the data center, from the view point of the response to the non-functional requirement. That is, by the selection of the physical machine operating the new virtual machine, a problem may occur, in which load of a network concentrates on a specific portion, or the virtual machines which need to communicate with each other are disposed to perform communication through a network path with a long delay, so that performance necessary in the whole network system is not satisfied. For this reason, it is desirable to provide a technique of determining a physical machine optimal to operate the new virtual machine, so as to efficiently dispose the virtual machine on the whole system.

System management device, network system, system management method, and program


A display device has C-MOS p-Si TFTs which enable high integration by reducing spaces for P-MOS TFTs and N-MOS TFTs in a driving circuit or the like thereof. A self-aligned C-MOS process is adopted, which uses a half tone mask as an exposure mask for manufacturing the C-MOS p-Si TFTs mounted on the display device. With the use of the half tone mask, the alignment or positioning at a bonding portion between a P-MOS portion and an N-MOS portion becomes unnecessary, and, hence, the number of photolithography steps can be reduced and high integration of C-MOS TFT circuits can be realized.

The present invention relates to a display device; and, more particularly, the invention relates to a display device in which C-MOS thin film transistors, which are highly integrated using a small number of manufacturing steps, are provided as active elements on a display region, or in a driving circuit for controlling the display region.
There has been a tendency in the design and production of a flat-panel type display device, which uses liquid crystal or organic EL, to employ polysilicon thin film transistors (p-Si TFT), which are advantageous for high definition and fast operation, as driving circuits or active elements. In a display device which uses these low-temperature polysilicon thin film transistors, by directly building driving circuits in the periphery of a substrate of the display device, it is possible to reduce the number of external connection terminals, so that the manufacturing cost thereof can be reduced.


A method includes receiving a request from a vehicle to perform a computing task, selecting a machine learning model from among a plurality of machine learning models based at least in part on the request, and predicting an amount of computing resources needed to perform the computing task using the selected machine learning model.

Autonomous vehicles depend for their operation on a large amount of data generated by built-in devices, such as cameras, sensors, and electronic control units. One estimate is that an autonomous vehicle will generate 4 TB of data per day. Thus, there may be significant challenges in processing such a large amount of data within vehicles. This may be especially so for real-time tasks with high computational complexity, such as image-based object detection, or tasks with high demands for storage capacity, such as updating driving records, uploading HD maps, or path planning. Accordingly, in order to meet the computing requirements for autonomous vehicles, these vehicles may use external computing platforms, such as edge servers or cloud computing platforms, to perform certain computing tasks.
When utilizing such external computing platforms, it is important to ensure that a sufficient amount of computing resources are available for performing the requested computing tasks. If a large number of autonomous vehicles are utilizing such external computing platforms, with each vehicle consuming significant computing resources, ensuring that sufficient resources are available for all of the vehicles may be challenging. Thus, it may be useful to predict the amount of resources that a vehicle will need to complete a computing task before the task is performed so that sufficient resources may be appropriately allocated.
Accordingly, a need exists for providing a method and system that predicts the amount of computing resources needed for a computing task when a request for the computing task is received.

Methods and systems for selecting machine learning models to predict distributed computing resources

TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.


The invention relates to a folding container with four vertical side walls (2, 3) that are hinged to a baseplate (1) and can each pivot inward into a horizontal position. Two opposing side walls partially overlap each other in their horizontal position and the overlapped region of the side wall lying underneath has projections and recesses (21, 22) on its upper side and the overlapping region of the side wall lying above is correspondingly shaped on its underside, in such a way that the total thickness of the two regions overlapping each other corresponds to the thickness of one side wall.

It is known to fold two vertical side walls on the narrow sides of a folding container inward along the horizontal hinge axis at the bottom until they rest on the bottom plate. Then the two side walls of the long sides are folded inward over them. In the erected state or configuration, the side walls of the narrow sides rest against a vertical catch strip on the edge of the other side walls. This catch strip protrudes inward and after the side walls of the long sides are folded into the upright position, the side walls of the narrow ends rest against the catch strip with positive fit.
More often than not, the two side walls of the long sides have a height that is greater than half the width of the bottom plate so that they lie on top of each other and as a result, increase the overall height of the container when in the collapsed position.