A combined writing instrument/sheet material dispenser is comprised of a body that has a tip portion, a sheet material dispenser portion and a grip portion disposed between the tip portion and the sheet material dispenser portion. Formed within the sheet material dispensing portion of the body is a compartment that is sized to receive and hold a stack of sheet material. The stack of sheet material is formed from a plurality of individual sheets that are adhered together with a releasable adhesive layer. A slot is formed in the sheet material dispensing portion of the body to communicate with the compartment and there by allow a top-most sheet in the stack to be exposed for use.

The present invention generally relates to devices for marking written or pictorial materials that may be deemed important to a person viewing such materials. In particular, the present invention relates to a writing instrument that incorporates a sheet material dispenser within the body of the writing instrument, for individually dispensing sheet material formed in a stack.
In the course of reviewing and studying printed materials, it is common for individuals to write marginal notes, underline text and even highlight portions deemed important. College or university students, for example, commonly use highlighter pens and/or colored pens or pencils to aid in reading and studying course materials. Locating particular such marked-up passages, however, often may require a search of several similarly marked-up pages. One product that facilitates locating a particular page or section of a page is a tape flag, such as those manufactured by 3M Company, St. Paul, Minn. under the trademark Post-it® flags. A typical manner of packaging sheet material formed in a stack and adhered together with a releasable adhesive layer along alternating opposing edges, e.g., in a Z-fold manner is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,320, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Various other dispensable sheet material stacks are known in the art, including those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,416,392, 4,781,306, and 5,417,345, which are incorporated herein by reference. For ease and convenience of access to both a writing instrument and tape flags or the like, it would be beneficial to house both in a single, easy to carry unit that is also not unattractive nor unpleasing to the professional eye.


A DC-DC converter wherein a series reactor and primary-side terminals of a transformer are connected between output terminals of a full-bridge inverter in which each of an upper arm and a lower arm includes a switching element and a freewheel diode, and a rectifier circuit and a filter circuit are connected to secondary-side terminals of the transformer. The DC-DC converter includes a circulation current generation mode in which a circulation current flowing between the transformer and the switching element is generated in a power non-transmission period, and a circulation current interruption mode in which the circulation current is interrupted.

A primary-side phase-shift type DC-DC converter including a full-bridge inverter combined with a rectifier circuit is configured as follows:
That is, the full-bridge inverter comprises a circuit constituted of a reference phase leg and a control phase leg connected in parallel with each other, in which the reference phase leg includes an upper arm including switching element S1, a snubber capacitor C1 connected in parallel to the switching element S1, and a freewheel diode D1 connected in antiparallel to the switching element S1, and a lower arm including a switching element S2, a snubber capacitor C2 connected in parallel to the switching element S2, and a freewheel diode D2 connected in antiparallel to the switching element S2, with the upper arm and the lower arm connected in series with each other; and the control phase leg includes an upper arm including a switching element S3, a snubber capacitor C3 connected in parallel to the switching element S3, and a freewheel diode D3 connected in antiparallel to the switching element S3, and a lower arm including a switching element S4, a snubber capacitor C4 connected in parallel to the switching element S4, and a freewheel diode D4 connected in antiparallel to the switching element S4, with the upper arm and the lower arm connected in series with each other.
The full-bridge inverter converts a DC voltage supplied to its input terminals into a high-frequency AC voltage, and outputs and supplies the AC voltage to the primary side of a transformer connected to the output terminals thereof. To the secondary side of the transformer is connected the rectifier circuit, which rectifies the high-frequency AC voltage output from the transformer. An output smoothing filter removes high-frequency components from the rectifier output, and the resultant DC voltage is supplied to a load.
Power control in the full-bridge inverter configured as described above is performed basically by phase-shift control or PWM control. When the phase-shift control is used, an overlap angle of the control phase with respect to the reference phase is controlled, thereby controlling transmission power. However, a circulation current that circulates between the primary side switching elements and the transformer arises in a power non-transmission period. Although the circulation current produces an effect of making the primary side switching elements perform soft switching operation, the current does not contribute to the power transmission but generates conduction loss in the transformer and the switching elements in the primary side thereof.
On the other hand, when the PWM control is used, it is a control system that turns on the primary-side switching elements only in a power transmission period and does not cause any circulation current. However, the primary-side semiconductors perform hard switching in the PMW control, which will resultantly increase switching loss.
Under such circumstances, a converter has been disclosed in Patent document 1 as the one that can reduce the switching loss in the primary-side phase-shift type DC-DC converter. In the converter shown in this Patent document 1, instead of a smoothing reactor, a fly-wheel diode and a tap-fitted inductor are added to the output stage of the rectifier circuit, a capacitor voltage-dividing circuit is connected between the input terminals of the inverter, and also a resonance reactor is connected between the voltage-dividing point of the capacitor voltage-dividing circuit and an output terminal of the control-phase side of the inverter. Furthermore, snubber capacitors of the control phase leg are discharged or charged through the resonance reactor, whereby the circulation current flowing through the transformer is decreased and switching loss in the switching elements of the control phase can be reduced.


A bi-stable or multi-stable device having two or more stable positions includes an elastically deformable member having two or more stable positions of minimal potential energy, the deformable member being movable, in response to an external force applied to the deformable member, between stable positions by moving through a position at which the deformable member has a peak potential energy. The device also includes an energy storage member, either separate from or part of the deformable member, that absorbs energy from the external force applied to the deformable member as the deformable member moves from a stable position toward a position of peak potential energy, and releases energy as the deformable member moves from a position of peak potential energy toward a stable position, wherein the energy storage member includes a super elastic shape memory alloy (SMA).

Deformable mechanical bi-stable devices ("bi-stable" is defined herein as referring to such devices having two or more stable positions, and therefore includes multi-stable devices) have been widely used for a variety of applications. For example, user input devices such as push-buttons are commonly used in many devices and may utilize a bi-stable device where each position of the button corresponds to a stable position of the bi-stable device. Computers, telephones, and vehicle control panels are just a few of the numerous applications requiring some sort of user input that can utilize a bi-stable device. Another application for a bi-stable device is for a hinge where a bi-stable device is incorporated into a hinge mechanism to provide stop points or resting positions for the hinged components, each such stop point or resting position corresponding to a stable position of the bi-stable device.
An exemplary bi-stable device, which can be used for illustration of characteristics shared by a wide variety of bi-stable devices, is known as the oil can device, and is illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B. FIGS. 1A and 1B depict a schematic diagram of an exemplary bi-stable device 10 having a circular deformable panel 14. In FIGS. 1A and 1B, a cylindrical mounting member 12 having an upper lip portion 13 is mounted on a support structure 11. An elastically deformable circular panel 14 is attached to the inner circumference of the mounting member. The elastically deformable panel would have a normally flat state, but is sized to have a diameter in its normal flat state that is greater than the internal diameter of the mounting member so that when it is mounted in the mounting member it is placed under a force load along vectors between opposing points on the circumference of the panel (in the horizontal plane as shown in FIG. 1). This load causes the elastically deformable panel to deform into one of two stable states, described for sake of convenience as an upper or first stable position depicted in FIG. 1A and a lower or second stable position depicted in FIG. 1B. The panel thus acts as a bi-stable snap-action panel, deformable between a convex stable configuration and a concave stable configuration. This configuration is also sometimes referred to as the "oil-can" configuration because the bi-stable snap action deformation was used in traditional old-style oil cans to displace oil out of an opening in the can.
One way that the performance characteristics of a bi-stable device is commonly represented is by a plot of potential energy versus position (i.e., physical displacement) of the device. FIG. 2 depicts a potential energy plot for an exemplary bi-stable device such as the device of FIG. 1, with potential energy E represented on the y-axis and position (P) represented on the x-axis. As seen in FIG. 2, the two stable positions of the device from FIG. 1 (corresponding to the respective positions illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B) are shown at positions P1 and P2 where the potential energy as at its minimum Emin. The position P1 represents the potential energy at the unstable position of maximum potential energy Emax when the deformable panel 14 passes through the position mid-way between the positions of FIGS. 1A and 1B where it is neither convex nor concave. It should be noted that the exemplary device of FIGS. 1A and 1B has symmetrically stable positions that have the same potential energy, Emin. Other device designs may have unsymmetrical stable positions (or multiple stable positions) that have different free energies.
Two important performance characteristics of the bi-stable device performance represented in FIG. 2 are transition energy and stability. Transition energy is the amount of energy required to transition the bi-stable device from one stable position (P1) to the other stable position (P2), and is represented by the difference between Emin and Emax. "Stability" refers to the stability of the bi-stable device in its stable positions, and is represented by the steepness of the slope of curve of the potential energy plot on either side of the stable positions P1 and P2. A relatively steep slope on either side of the stable positions represents a relatively high level of stability, whereas a relatively shallow slope on either side of the stable positions represents a relatively low level of stability.
It is often desirable in certain situations to provide a bi-stable device with a relatively low transition energy so that the device is easier to move between stable positions. This can be accomplished by reducing the stiffness of the deformable member, either by using a material with a lower Young's modulus, by reducing the thickness of the deformable member, or by increasing the length (between mounting members) or diameter of the deformable member, or by any combination of these factors. Another way the transition energy can be modulated is by utilizing an elastic member such as a spring in conjunction with the deformable member, such as shown in FIG. 3. The pre-load in the spring 22 can be adjusted to modify the transition energy required to switch the deformable member 14 from one stable position to another. In FIG. 3, the deformable panel 14 is square or rectangular in shape, and is mounted and disposed between fixed right mounting member 12 and sliding left mounting member 20. Slidable right mounting member 20 is slidably mounted on support structure 11. Fixed right mounting member 12 and left member 12′ are each fixedly mounted on the support structure 12. Spring 22 is disposed between and connected to mounting member 12 and slidable mounting member 20. Spring 22 is configured so that it is in an expanded state, and thus urges slidable member 20 towards mounting member 12, thereby exerting a horizontal compressive load on the deformable panel 14 to cause it to deform into one of two stable positions. During deformation of the deformable panel 14, slidable member 20 moves to the left as spring 22 absorbs energy, thereby reducing the amount of force required to displace the deformable panel.
The energy plot of an exemplary device like the one shown in FIG. 3 (or the FIG. 1 device where a lower modulus used) is shown in FIG. 4. As can be seen from a comparison of FIG. 4 with FIG. 2, the transition energy is significantly lower in FIG. 4 (note that although FIGS. 2 and 4 are not drawn to a particular scale, they are proportionately dimensioned for purposes of visual comparison). However, reducing the transition energy for a bi-stable device in this fashion where the stable positions P1 and P2 are kept the same also results in a reduction in stiffness of the system around its stable positions. The reduction in stiffness is readily observed by comparing the curves shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. The stiffness of the system at (any point, but specifically at) a stable position varies as the curvature (or varies inversely as the radius of curvature) of the energy vs. displacement graph. Higher curvature (or lower radius of curvature) indicates higher system stiffness at the stable position. Note that curvature is a local property i.e. it is strictly defined only at a point. Theoretically, the slope of the sides of the 'W' shaped energy vs. displacement graph is not relevant to the stiffness of the system precisely at the stable position. Of course, practical systems have smooth energy vs. displacement graphs, which necessitates that graphs with a high curvature at a stable position will also have steep slopes near this position. The steepness of the slope of the plot on either side of the stable positions P1 and P2, where it is seen that the steepness of the slope is much lower for FIG. 4 than for FIG. 2, indicating lower stiffness. Lower stiffness is often undesirable as the device may be displaced away from its stable position by a considerable distance by unintended vibration or incidental contact; however, conventional techniques have been unable to reduce transition energy without also reducing stiffness.
Accordingly, there is a need for bi-stable devices that can provide low levels of transition energy with high levels of stiffness in their stable positions.


A method of controlling a plurality of on-chip capacitors used to enhance power supply to logic circuits for a computer processor. The capacitors are each provided with transistors which temporarily disable the capacitors when an appropriate logic state is applied to the gate of the transistors. In this manner the effects of the capacitors upon system performance can be measured, and if a particular capacitor (or capacitor bank) is defective or presents an adverse impact, it can be permanently disabled by blowing fuses provided for each capacitor (or capacitor bank). The capacitors may be selectively disabled using a control circuit which has a multiplexer provided with a set of inputs from a register which contains a bit pattern that is used to determine which capacitors to disable. The register can be loaded with any pattern or with a pattern that corresponds to the states of the unblown fuses. Alternatively, all of the capacitors may be disabled, such as during power-on reset.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to computer systems and, more particularly, to a method of controlling capacitors which are provided on a computer chip to enhance power supply, allowing testing of the computer system to determine the effects of the on-chip capacitors and allowing selective disabling of the capacitors as necessary.
2. Description of the Related Art
The basic structure of a conventional computer system includes a central processing unit (CPU) or processor which is connected to several peripheral devices, including input/output (I/O) devices (such as a display monitor and keyboard) for the user interface, a permanent memory device (such as a hard disk or floppy diskette) for storing the computer's operating system and user programs, and a temporary memory device (such as random-access memory or RAM) that is used by the processor to store instructions and data during program execution. The processor itself includes many different circuits, and these circuits are often fabricated on separate chips (silicon substrates), and then interconnected by various means. Recently, chip-fabrication techniques have allowed these circuits to be formed from a single die as shown in FIG. 1. Several exemplary circuits are depicted in that figure, including a fixed-point circuit 2, a floating-point circuit 4, a storage-control circuit 6, an instruction-control circuit 8, and a data-control circuit 10, all formed on a single computer chip 12. These circuits contain the various registers and logic units which carry out program instructions. Fabrication of the circuits on a single chip has several advantages, including quicker processing speeds and a smaller chip size.
One problem that has emerged in consolidating so many different circuits on a single chip relates to the power supply for the circuits. With so many circuits on a single chip, there can be degradations in processor performance due to, e.g., lag times associated with switching of latches in the processor registers and logic units, i.e., from low-voltage states to high-voltage states. One approach that has been implemented to address this problem is the further inclusion of many capacitors (tens of thousands) arranged in banks and distributed across (i.e., formed on) the chip, such as the capacitor banks 14 shown in FIG. 1 which are respectively connected to the various circuits and to a power supply 16. Such an approach allows the capacitors to instantaneously supply power to the circuits in an improved manner, relieving some of the performance degradation problems.
The provision of on-chip capacitors raises further concerns, however, particularly capacitor reliability and performance issues. There are concerns regarding how the capacitors function during processor operation and what their impact might be on the chip's functionality. Presently, there is no way to analyze this impact under different operating conditions and applications, such as burn-in and system environment conditions and functional and self-test applications. There is also no way to disable the capacitors in cases of unreliability and adverse electrical impacts that may have been introduced by the provision of the capacitors. It would, therefore, be desirable to devise a method of testing the reliability of on-chip capacitors and of determining the impact of these capacitors on processor performance. It would be further advantageous if the method would allow selective testing of a particular bank or banks of the capacitors, and if the method were compatible with a means for disabling the capacitors in those situations where the capacitors were either unreliable or created an excessively adverse impact on processor performance. Such disabling of the capacitors would be particularly useful if the disabling could be achieved without having to initialize the chip in certain states, such as after a power-on reset condition.

Control scheme for on-chip capacitor degating

International Business Machines Corporation


An on-vehicle rod antenna device comprises an antenna rod, and an antenna base comprising a joint section to which the antenna rod is connected, in which the joint section comprises a tip portion, the tip portion is covered with the antenna rod in a state of connecting the antenna rod, and a substantially hemisphere recess or salient engaging with an inner circumferential surface of the antenna rod is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the tip portion.

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-249676, filed Aug. 21, 2000, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an on-vehicle rod antenna device.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1A is a figure which shows an external configuration of the conventional on-vehicle rod antenna device. The rod antenna device 10 is constructed such that the antenna rod 13 is screwed and attached to the joint assembly 12 rotatably provided on the antenna base 11 mounted on the vehicle as shown in FIG. 1A.
FIG. 1B is a figure which shows an external configuration of the joint assembly 12, especially, in a state of detaching the antenna rod 13. In FIG. 1B, the antenna rod cover 13a forms the outer surface of the above-mentioned antenna rod 13.
A tip portion of the joint assembly 12 is covered with the antenna rod cover 13a by attaching the antenna rod 13. The plurality of hexahedron-shaped the projections 12b (for example, at 4 portions) made of the resin with the ABS resin etc. is radially formed, along outer circumferential surface of the metal cylindrical body 12a screwed at inner circumferential surface on an tip portion of the joint assembly 12. FIG. 1C shows an outline view of the joint assembly 12.
A size of the outside diameter at the end surface position of the outer circumferential surface of each the projections 12b is set slightly larger than a size of the inside diameter of this contact portion of the antenna rod cover 13a with the corresponding elasticity. When screwing and attaching the antenna rod 13 to mount it on the joint assembly 12, the inner surface of the antenna rod cover 13a is pushed by the projections 12b and transformed with elasticity. Thereby, the antenna rod 13 is prevented from loosening and departing from the joint assembly 12 by the outside power such as the vibrations.
That is, the projections 12b of the joint assembly 12 are formed as a stopper of the antenna rod 13 loosening to the vibration, etc. of the vehicle where the on-vehicle rod antenna device 10 is attached.
In the antenna rod 13 attached on the joint assembly 12, the installation metal fittings (not shown in the figure) with a tip portion which screws to the above-mentioned cylindrical body 12a in cylindrical bottom of the antenna rod cover 13a are laid underground. Then, the antenna rod element (not shown in the figure) is drawn out and undergrounded to the axis portion of the antenna rod cover 13a so as to be connected with this installation metal fittings.
The outside diameter at the outer circumferential surface position of the projections 12b of the joint assembly 12 is set larger than the inside diameter at the position where the antenna rod cover 13a of the corresponding antenna rod 13 corresponds as mentioned above. By screwing the installation metal fittings of the antenna rod 13 to the cylindrical body 12a of the joint assembly 12, when the antenna rod 13 is connected with the joint assembly 12, The projections 12b transform the antenna rod 13 by the elasticity of the antenna rod cover 13a and the frictional force corresponding to the elasticity power is given to the inner surface of the antenna rod cover 13a. As a result, the antenna rod 13 is prevented from loosening from the joint assembly 12 by the vibration of the vehicle etc.
Therefore, since the locking effect of the projections 12b of the joint assembly 12 changes greatly according to largeness of elasticity of antenna rod cover 13, largeness of friction with inside of the antenna rod cover 13, the outside diameter at the outer circumferential surface position and a size of the antenna rod cover 13a inside diameter. A very small allowance is required at the manufacturing, there is a disadvantage of raising the manufacturing cost as a result.
In addition, when the outer circumferential surface of the projections 12b wear out by repeating the attaching/detaching of the antenna rod 13 to the joint assembly 12, an initial locking effect is lost at once.
In EC safety standard (European safety standard), so that the projection object mounted on the car may never give the person harm, even the state of detaching the antenna rod 13, it is a reference that all positions where the human body may be contacted to the joint assembly 12 have the roundness of R 2.5 mm or more (5 mm or more in the diameter) and the small R and the corner of less than R 2.5 mm are prohibited.
However, the cylindrical body 12a and the projections 12b of the joint assembly 12 and the neighborhood thereof have small R and the corner of less than R 2.5 mm as seen from FIG. 1C. Therefore, it is not possible to agree with the above-mentioned EC safety standard.
An object of the present invention is to provide an on-board rod antenna device in which a sufficient locking effect can be maintained for a long period without requiring a sever size accuracy in manufacturing, and a pointed component is not exposed to an outside, where the human body may be contacted, even in a state of detaching the antenna rod.
An on-vehicle rod antenna device according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: an antenna rod; and an antenna base comprising a joint section to which the antenna rod is connected, in which the joint section comprises a tip portion, the tip portion is covered with the antenna rod in a state of connecting the antenna rod, and a substantially hemisphere recess or salient engaging with an inner circumferential surface of the antenna rod is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the tip portion.


A fuel cell module and a method manufacturing the same that improves a contact structure of the inter-connectors to prevent gas leaks, thereby to improving the performance and the durability of the unit cell. The fuel cell module includes a plurality of inter-connectors, wherein at least one of the inter-connectors has a first face contacting a first electrode layer, a second face opposing the first face, and third and fourth faces connecting the first face to the second face, respectively, wherein at least a portion of the at least one of the inter-connectors also contacts an electrolytic layer, wherein a length of the first face of the at least one of the inter-connectors is 20% to 80% of a length of the second face.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel cell module and a method manufacturing the same, more particularly, to the fuel cell module and the method manufacturing the same having inter-connectors with an improved structure to prevent occurrence of leakage.
2. Description of the Related Art
The fuel cell, which is a clean power generation technology, uses oxygen from the air and hydrogen as reactants to produce electrical energy by an electrochemical reaction, the hydrogen either being directly supplied or being reformed from a hydrocarbon fuel such as natural gas, coal gas, and methane. The fuel cell may be classified into alkali type, phosphoric acid type, molten carbonate, solid oxide and polymer fuel according to the type of electrolyte used.
Out of these, a solid oxide fuel cell, which is a fuel cell operating at high temperature of about 600-1000° C., has several advantages in that as compared to other types of the fuel cells in the related art, has efficiency higher, less pollution and it is possible to perform complex power generation without requiring a fuel reformer.
In the solid oxide fuel cell, the inter-connectors are arranged between each of the cells to connect each of the cells together, and collect electricity produced by the cells. Further, the inter-connectors mechanically support the cell, and are responsible for separating and transporting reaction gases to the anode and the cathode.
The inter-connectors have high adhesion strength on a support having porous structure, while having low adhesion strength on an electrolytic layer having a dense structure. Accordingly, the leakage of the reaction gas frequently occurs in the fuel cell where the inter-connectors are simply coated on the electrolytic layer, and there is problem in that performance and durability of the fuel cell are lowered due to the leakage.

Fuel cell module and method manufacturing the same


A heat distributing tray for use in a barbecue grill includes a corrugated unitary body of heat conducting material having alternating solid and grated walls which define channels. More specifically, the body includes first and second side portions defined by both solid walls which extend at gradually decreasing angles with respect to a common horizontal plane and varying length grated walls interconnecting the solid walls. In use, the tray is placed over one or more heating elements in a barbecue housing, with radiant and convective heat from the heating element being optimally distributed throughout the entire interior portion of the barbecue grill due to the relative structure and configuration of the solid walls in relation to the grated walls.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of grilling and, more particularly, to a heat distributing wave tray for grilling, such as on a barbecue grill.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, gas or electric barbecue grills include one or more tube burners or cooking elements located beneath one or more radiant panels adapted to improve heat distribution across the entire surface of the grill. One example of such an appliance can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,871, wherein a plurality of uniform, undulating panels are utilized over a U-shaped burner. Although such panels improve heat distribution to some extent, the uniform nature of the panels does not address grill specific burner placement. One attempt to address the distribution of heat from a specific burner location can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,412, which depicts a baffle having holes of various sizes and locations designed to control the combustion gas travel pattern within a gas grill. However, such a baffle is not seen to adequately address the distribution of both radiant and convective heat within the barbecue grill. Therefore, there is seen to be a need in the art for a heat distribution system adapted to improve both convective and radiant heat distribution within a grill, particularly a grill having a single burner or cooking element.


The edge region of one side of a semiconductor wafer is polished by pressing the wafer by means of a rotatable polishing head against a polishing pad lying on a rotating polishing plate, and containing fixed abrasive. The polishing head is provided with a resilient membrane radially subdivided into a plurality of chambers by gas or liquid cushions, the polishing pressure independently selectable for each chamber. The wafer is held in position during polishing by a retainer ring pressed against the polishing pad with an application pressure, a polishing agent is introduced between the wafer and the polishing pad, and the polishing pressure exerted on the wafer in a chamber lying in the edge region of the wafer of the polishing head, and the application pressure of the retainer ring, are selected so that material is essentially removed only at the edge of the wafer.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for locally polishing a semiconductor wafer.
2. Background Art
Semiconductor wafers conventionally used include silicon wafers, substrates with layer structures such as SiGe (silicon-germanium) derived from silicon, or SOI, SGOI or GeOI wafers. These semiconductor wafers, particularly SOI and SiGe wafers, are intended for the most demanding of applications, in particular for the production of ultramodern microprocessors.
SOI ("silicon on insulator") wafers are generally produced by transferring a silicon wafer from a so-called "donor wafer" to a supporting wafer ("handle wafer" or "base wafer"). Methods for producing SOI wafers by means of transferring a silicon wafer are known, for example, by the names Smart Cut® (EP 533551 A1) or Genesis Process®. Another method is described in WO 03/003430 A2. SOI wafers comprise a supporting wafer and a silicon cover layer ("top layer" or "device layer") which is connected to the latter and represents the so-called active layer that is intended for the production of electronic components. Either the complete supporting wafer consists of an electrically insulating material such as glass or sapphire, or the silicon cover layer is connected to the supporting wafer via an electrically insulating interlayer, for example consisting of silicon oxide (in which case the interlayer is referred to as a "buried oxide layer", BOX). In the latter case the supporting wafer does not have to be an insulator, and it may for example be a semiconductor wafer, preferably a silicon wafer.
In the prior art, besides the transfer method described above, SOI ("silicon on insulator") structures are also conventionally produced by means of the so-called SIMOX ("separation by ion implantation of oxygen") process. In the SIMOX method, oxygen is implanted at high doses into a silicon substrate which is subsequently heat-treated and oxidized at high temperatures (>1200° C.) in order to generate a buried oxide layer in the silicon substrate.
Similarly, SIMOX and layer transfer methods are also suitable for the production of SGOI ("silicon/germanium on insulator") and/or GeOI ("germanium on insulator") structures.
SiGe layers with a high proportion of germanium, also referred to as virtual substrates, are employed inter alia for the production of biaxially strained silicon. The strain of the silicon lattice leads to an increased mobility of charge carriers, and is used in particular to make CMOS components available which have better performance than those having an unstrained silicon channel.
Virtual substrates may in principle be deposited directly on a monocrystalline silicon substrate, for example a silicon semiconductor wafer. With this procedure, however, defects such as misfit dislocations and threading dislocations are formed in large numbers. Threading dislocations and their accumulations ("pile-ups") extend to the surface of the virtual substrate and also to the surface of a strained layer of silicon deposited on the virtual substrate. Attempts have therefore been made to find a way of limiting the density of threading dislocations and their pile-ups. Such limitation can be achieved by initially depositing a graded SiGe buffer layer, in which the atomic fraction of germanium increases linearly ("linear grading") or in the steps ("terrace grading"). An SiGe layer with a constant germanium content is finally deposited on the SiGe buffer layer, and in the relaxed state forms the virtual substrate.
The semiconductor wafers described here must also satisfy the most stringent of requirements in terms of their geometry. Essentially, the requirements are given by the internationally agreed "Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors" (ITRS), which is subject to an annual review. For example the 22 nm technology, which places increased requirements on geometry, planarity, nanotopology etc., is currently in development. In each case, the aim of the next technology generation (the 22 nm technology will be followed by the 16 nm design rule) is higher switching speeds, higher clock rates and higher integration densities of the microelectronic components. The production methods have to accommodate these increased requirements, so that all the wafer fabrication steps must be adapted accordingly and often replaced by other, new processes.
SiGe and SOI wafers, which are expected to become very important in the future, entail additional problems which the present invention addresses.
In the layer transfer method described above, the donor wafer employed should conventionally be reusable. After separation of the donor wafer, however, steps are found at the edge of the wafer which would need to be eliminated before reusing the wafer (in order to transfer a further silicon layer).
In SiGe technology, the problem arises that there is also SiGe on the frontside of a wafer which is coated with heavily doped SiGe on its backside. When depositing epitaxial layers, material is often also deposited on the side which is not to be coated. This may even occur during the conventional deposition of an epitaxial Si layer on an Si wafer, which in this case is observable as thickening at the edge.
Furthermore, many semiconductor wafers exist in concavely or convexly polished form. An example which may be mentioned here is a wafer being thicker at the edge than in its inner region, or at the center of the wafer.
In the described cases, it would be desirable to eliminate these edge steps, the undesired coating in the edge region or the undesired thickness increase in the edge region.

Method for the local polishing of a semiconductor wafer


An embedded macro establishes logic for object properties that define actions that execute when an event triggers. When an embedded macro is associated with an event, a regular event property value is set to an empty string and a shadow property associated with the regular event property is created. An application that supports embedded macros recognizes the empty regular property value as an indicator that a macro is embedded in the event. A binary representation of the macro is accessed from the shadow property and is executed when the event associated with the embedded macro triggers. An action safe list identifies trusted embedded macro actions. Embedded macro actions not included on the safe list are not executed such that untrusted actions are blocked from execution.

Software operations within a computer system may be simplified through the use of macros. A macro can be used to automate a task that is performed repeatedly or on a regular basis. A macro is a series of commands and actions that may be executed when the task is to be performed. Tasks performed by macros are typically repetitive in nature allowing significant savings in time by executing the macro instead of manually repeating the commands. A macro may be associated with an event (e.g., a click event of a button, an open event of a form). When an object (e.g., a button, a form) associated with the macro is copied to another location within an application, the macro remains associated with both the old object and the copied object. Thus, any modification to the macro affects both objects. Furthermore, the macro may be associated with a database that is disabled which limits the functions that may be performed by the macro.


A package including a frame having an opening for receiving a sensor module, wherein the frame comprises at least one electrical connection which is directed into the opening and which is arranged on an insulation layer applied to the frame, and wherein the insulation layer is connected to the frame at an insertion side of the frame, from which side the sensor module is to be inserted into the opening, and is bent along the inner side of the frame proceeding from the insertion side, such that the at least one electrical connection directed to the opening is electrically couplable to the associated sensor module connection in an arrangement.

Nowadays there is a clear trend toward chip cards or smartcards, e.g. for banking applications or access control, which are provided with biometric sensors for authentication, e.g. with fingerprint sensors.
However, these cards have a complex construction with a plurality of components electrically connected to one another. By way of example, the fingerprint sensor can be electrically conductively connected to a chip (which can provide security-relevant functions and is then also referred to as a secure element) and to an antenna.
PCB-substrate-based biometric fingerprint sensors are typically produced from PCB panels and singulated therefrom e.g. by means of stamping, milling or cutting. The chip modules are then present as individual modules, which does not constitute a standard form of provision for the production of a smartcard.
For wide acceptance, mass market applications, such as e.g. payment/banking applications, must firstly be cost-effective and secondly satisfy prescribed reliability and/or security requirements, e.g. comply with the demands of the CQM standard with regard to mechanical reliability.
Hitherto, PCB-substrate-based biometric fingerprint sensors for biometric smartcards have not yet been mass-produced goods, and so hitherto the requirement has not yet arisen to revise the production concepts in the direction of suitability for mass production.
For mass production, however, there is a need for production methods for PCB-substrate-based biometric fingerprint sensors which are suitable therefor. For this purpose, it might be useful to be able to use established mounting methods that are currently used, e.g. implanting modules and sensors with standard chip card implanting equipment, e.g. by means of a hotmelt implantation using standard delivery formats, for example a 35 mm chip card carrier tape.
Silicon-based sensor packages that are usually produced by means of encapsulated substrates are confronted with similar challenges.
Integration of sensor packages into a 35 mm chip card carrier tape is usually effected for example by a module being secured to the carrier tape by means of an epoxy-based adhesive and being connected by means of wire bond connections. However, such an arrangement can easily be damaged mechanically, even by means of mechanical loads such as bending, torsion or pressure that are typical of chip cards.
There is a need for a cost-effective, reliable and easy-to-mount biometric sensor (e.g. a fingerprint sensor) for integration into a chip card, e.g. into a so-called smartcard.
This need exists both for silicon-based biometric sensors described above and for printed-circuit-board-based (PCB-based) biometric sensors for chip cards.

Package, method for forming a package, carrier tape, chip card and method for forming a carrier tape


An automatic focusing method for a camera, including scanning in a macro mode, scanning in a normal mode, and additional scanning. In the scanning in the macro mode, a region within a first distance is scanned if the macro mode is set by a user. In the scanning in the normal mode, a region beyond the first distance is scanned if the normal mode is set by the user. In the additional scanning, the scanning in the normal mode is performed additionally if it is determined that the position of the focus lens found in the scanning in the macro mode does not have the largest focus value, and the scanning in the macro mode is performed additionally if it is determined that the position of the focus lens found in the scanning in the normal mode does not have the largest focus value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic focusing method for a camera, and more particularly, to an automatic focusing method for a camera in which a focus motor is driven step by step and a position of a focus lens at which the largest focus value proportionate to an amount of high frequency components in an image signal is found.
2. Description of the Related Art
For automatic focusing of a conventional camera, for example, a digital camera, such as Digimax 350SE manufactured by Samsung Techwin Co., Ltd., a user has to press a shutter button and the user has to select either a macro mode or a normal mode.
The macro mode is appropriate when a subject is within a first distance, for example, 30 cm through 80 cm, from a focus lens. If the macro mode is set by a user, automatic focusing is performed in a region within the first distance. The normal mode is appropriate when the subject is beyond the first distance, for example, 80 cm through infinity, from the focus lens. If the normal mode is set by the user, automatic focusing is performed in a region beyond the first distance.
In such a conventional automatic focusing method described above, users set the macro mode or the normal mode. However, most users may have difficulty deciding whether the macro mode or the normal mode is appropriate for a current position of a subject. If a user fails to set a mode properly, the accuracy of automatic focusing may be undermined.

Automatic focusing method for camera performing additional scanning


According to one embodiment, a bus buffer circuit includes an input buffer circuit that receives an input signal, and outputs a non-inversion input signal and an inversion input signal, a voltage conversion circuit that operates by a second power supply, performs voltage conversion on the non-inversion input signal and the inversion input signal input thereto, and outputs the signals as a voltage-converted non-inversion output signal and a voltage-converted inversion output signal, an output retaining circuit that retains the voltage-converted non-inversion output signal and the voltage-converted inversion output signal at a same potential level when an output enable signal is in a disable state, a determinator that determines whether these signals are at a same potential level, a three-state output buffer circuit that outputs the voltage-converted non-inversion output signal or the voltage-converted inversion output signal from an output terminal, and an output controller that sets the three-state output buffer circuit in an output disable state, when the voltage-converted non-inversion output signal and the voltage-converted inversion output signal are at a same potential level, on a basis of an outcome of the determinator. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a potential different from the actual bus signal from being temporarily output during an output state transition, in a case where the state is fixed to reduce the power consumption.

Conventionally, there is a bus buffer circuit as a circuit to be connected to the data bus.
In this bus buffer circuit, the output can be set in a high impedance state to prevent the nodes in the non-operating state from affecting the bus when a plurality of nodes are connected to the bus.
Further, a bus buffer circuit including a voltage conversion function is provided with a voltage conversion circuit that includes an ordinary input, an inversion input, an ordinary output, and an inversion output, and a three-state output buffer circuit.
Here, in order to reduce the current consumption during operation, when the internal circuit state is to be fixed, the state is fixed to retain the inversion relationship in potential between the ordinary output and the inversion output.
However, there is a case where a state-fixed internal signal is different in state from the actual bus input signal. Thus, when an output state transition is caused by an output control signal, there is a risk that a potential different from the actual bus signal would be temporarily output.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above, and has an object to provide a bus buffer circuit that can prevent a potential different from the actual bus signal from being temporarily output during an output state transition.

Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation


A first amplification structure uses a single pass external diffusion amplifier wherein the picosecond beam cross-sectional area is matched to the cross-sectional area of the gain medium. A half waveplate between the gain medium and the incoming beam optimizes the polarization of the beam diameter to the polarization of the gain medium. A second amplification structure uses a double pass external diffusion amplifier wherein the beam cross-sectional area is matched to the cross-sectional area of the gain medium and passed twice therethrough. A half waveplate and a rotator create a right circular polarized beam through the gain medium and a maximum “R” coated reflector resides beyond the external diffusion amplifier and reflects a left circular polarized beam back through the gain medium, the rotator and the half waveplate where it becomes horizontally polarized and is then transmitted out of the amplification structure by the polarization sensitive beam splitter.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,720,121 to Peng et al. states in the Abstract thereof: "High-power, diode-pumped solid state (DPSS) pulsed lasers are preferred for applications such as micromachining, via drilling of integrated circuits, and ultraviolet (UV) conversion. Nd:YVO 4 (vanadate) lasers are good candidates for high power applications because they feature a high energy absorption coefficient over a wide bandwidth of pumping wavelengths. However, vanadate has poor thermo-mechanical properties, in that the material is stiff and fractures easily when thermally stressed. By optimizing laser parameters and selecting pumping wavelengths and doping a concentration of the gain medium to control the absorption coefficient less than 2 cm-1 such as the pumping wavelength between about 910 nm and about 920 nm, a doped vanadate laser may be enhanced to produce as much as 100 W of output power without fracturing the crystal material, while delivering a 40% reduction in thermal lensing."
U.S. Pat. No. 7,203,214A to Butterworth discloses a "laser comprising: a laser resonator including a gain element of Nd:YV04 having a length of at least 5 mm, said gain element being end-pumped and wherein the pump-light has a wavelength selected to be different from the peak absorption wavelength of the gain element and falling between about 814 and 825 nanometers in order to reduce thermal stresses and breakage of the gain element, such that the pump source can be operated to deliver greater than 22 Watts of power to the gain medium."
The publication entitled, Power Scaling of Diode-Pumped Nd:YVO4 Lasers, IEEE JOURNAL OF QUANTUM ELECTRONICS, VOL. 38, NO. 9, SEPTEMBER 2002, Xiaoyuan Peng, Lei Xu, and Anand Asundi, is incorporated herein by reference hereto in its entirety. This article includes information about Nd doping concentrations and it also includes information about the size of the cross-sectional areas of the gain mediums insofar as their ability to handle pump power levels.
Slabs and rods have been made using diffusion bonded techniques for some time. The primary use in Vanadate is to bond undoped end caps to a high gain doped section to reduce thermal lens effects and increase damage threshold. See www.ulticrystal.com and U.S. Pat. No. 5,936,984, issued Aug. 10, 1999 to Meissner et al. Vanadate can only be grown in lengths up to about 30 mm. Most are used as individual components for end pumped gain assemblies Oscillator or amplifier. This essentially requires mode matching between the pump source and propagating beam.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,936,984, issued Aug. 10, 1999 to Meissner et al. states: "A common problem with lasers in general, and with solid state lasers in particular, is the temperature rise in the laserable medium. This effect is the result of only a percentage of the applied pump energy being converted into useful laser radiation while at least a portion of the remaining energy is transferred into competing mechanisms such as radiationless transitions and absorption by the host lattice. To counteract the thermal effects generated by the pump radiation, typically the laserable medium must be cooled.
Cooling the entire laserable medium of a solid state laser presents a difficult problem. First, the cooling fixture should allow as much of the laserable medium to be cooled as possible. Typically some portion of the laserable medium must reside outside of the cooling fixture in order to create a leak-free joint between the fixture and the medium. Second, the cooling fixture should not interfere with the delivery of pump radiation to the laserable medium. Lastly, even if the entire length of the laserable medium is cooled, the optical coatings on the uncooled end surfaces are not cooled and are therefore subject to degradation due to temperature effects, an effect which is aggravated by the high power density of the incident pump radiation.
Some of the effects noted above which result from non-uniform cooling are further exacerbated in end-pumped laser systems. In this type of laser a lens duct is preferably used to homogenize, focus, and concentrate the radiation from the pump source into the laser rod. The end of the laser rod which is coupled to the lens duct is uncooled. Unfortunately, given the high intensity pump radiation passing through the end face of the laser rod and assuming that the laser rod is doped throughout with lasing ions, the ends of the laser rod can experience a substantial rise in temperature during lasing. This rise in temperature can negatively impact the performance of the laser by accelerating the degradation in the optical coatings, increasing the ground state re-absorption losses in quasi-three-level lasers, and eventually leading to the catastrophic failure of the laser due to thermally induced stress fractures."
Undoped end caps on a short gain medium rod can reduce thermal effects by removing some of the heat from the end faces of the doped part and into the undoped end caps. This reduces the temperature of the gain medium and it also reduces the tendency for thermal fracture of the gain medium.
Picosecond laser design typically utilizes end pumped technology with various amplifier strategies to develop the required gain characteristics. The issue with mode matching is potential heating damage to coatings and bulk rod materials especially as you increase average power and pulse energy. The area of concern is always the last stage where maximum gain and pulse energy occurs. Typical requirements for a relayed beam are spot sizes <0.5 mm in diameter. This leads to potential surface coating and bulk material damage. Obviously, the diameter of the mode matched beam through the gain regions can be increased but this is at the expense of performance.
Typically laser damage consists of point defects in the materials or coatings, inclusions, poor surface preparation or just a lack of cleanliness. Otherwise damage of the coatings or the bulk materials is caused by exceeding the heating damage thresholds of the coatings or bulk materials in the laser.
High power ultrafast technology (picosecond technology) has been developed using a variety of technologies. Typically an ultrafast seed of low power is amplified through a number of stages. A combination of fiber and solid state techniques is employed with methods including cavity dumping and regenerative amplifiers, as examples. Commercially available products are typically limited to pulse energy of 2000 which produces average maximum power of 40 W at a typical repetition rate of 200 kHz.
Typically the exit of the power amplifier of the multistage picosecond is the weak link. End pump amplifiers are mode matched though this region to maximize efficiency. The issue is potential damage to the coatings on surfaces of various optic devices which relay spot dements having diameters in the range of 0.3 mm and 0.6 mm diameter. Further, the issue is also damage to bulk devices.


A sensor includes: a substrate on which an active chip including a semiconductor circuit is disposed; and a passive chip including an acceleration sensor, and a thick portion and a thin portion, the thick portion being disposed on the substrate so as to be in contact therewith. An active chip terminal is disposed on the active chip. A passive chip terminal is disposed on the passive chip at the thin portion. The passive chip terminal and the active chip terminal face each other and are connected via a bump.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a sensor and a method for manufacturing a sensor.
2. Related Art
Sensors on which a passive element such as a sensor element is mounted are widely manufactured and utilized. JP-A-2008-107183 (Patent Document 1) discloses a sensor on which a chip with a sensor element mounted thereon and a processing circuit are mounted. According to Patent Document 1, the sensor includes a resin case in which the sensor chip and a processing circuit chip are disposed. A pressure-sensitive element is disposed on the sensor chip.
Terminals are disposed on the sensor chip and the processing circuit chip. The terminal of the sensor chip and the terminal of the processing circuit chip are connected by a gold wire.
The processing circuit chip supplies the sensor chip with a weak current. The pressure-sensitive element serving as a sensor is driven by the weak current. When a distance between the processing circuit chip and the sensor chip between which the current flows is long, the sensor is likely to be affected by electromagnetic noise. The sensor chip and the processing circuit chip disclosed in Patent Document 1 are connected using the wire.
The terminals of the sensor chip and the processing circuit chip face in the same direction, and a distance between the terminals is suitable for the work of wire bonding. The length of a wire between terminals is restricted by the layout of terminals or the dimensions of a sensor. Then, in wire bonding, noise is likely to be added to an electrical signal communicated between terminals, resulting in a reduction in the S/N ratio of the electrical signal. The processing circuit chip is referred to as an active chip, and the sensor chip is referred to as a passive chip. A sensor is desired in which the sensor has a structure capable of preventing a reduction in the S/N ratio of an electrical signal communicated between the active chip and the passive chip due to noise being added to the electrical signal.

Sensor and method for manufacturing sensor


A compressed air energy storage system comprises a high-pressure water apparatus, a low-pressure water apparatus coupled to the high-pressure water apparatus through two channels, wherein a first channel is formed by a pumped hydroelectric power generation unit, a first high-pressure pipe and a first low-pressure pipe and a second channel is formed by a gas-water energy exchange unit, a second high-pressure pipe and a second low-pressure pipe and a compressed gas storage unit coupled to the gas-water energy exchange unit.

A power system may comprise a variety of power sources, transmission lines, distribution centers and loads. The power sources, transmission lines, distribution centers and loads form a network, which is commonly known as the grid. The power sources are used to generate electric power. The power sources may be power generators utilize different technologies such as solar energy sources (e.g., solar panels), wind generators (e.g., wind turbines), combined heat and power (CHP) systems, marine energy, geothermal, biomass, fuel cells, micro-turbines and/or the like.
Power demand in a power system may vary within one day. The demand may peak during daytime and early evening hours and drop dramatically during the night. On the other hand, due to the nature of renewable energy, the outputs of some power sources such as solar panels and wind turbines may vary considerably depending on uncontrollable natural factors such as wind strength and/or the like.
In order to provide reliable and stable power to critical loads, the power system may include a plurality of power storage units such as utility-scale energy storage systems, batteries and/or the like. The power storage units are designed so as to be capable of converting excess capacity into stored energy during off-peak hours and recovering the stored energy and converting it back to electricity during peak hours.
The energy storage units may be implemented as a rechargeable battery system, a compressed air energy storage system, a pumped storage hydroelectric system and/or the like. In a pumped storage hydroelectric system, during off-peak hours, the power generated by the power sources is greater than the power demand of the power system. The excess power may be utilized to pump water from a lower reservoir into an elevated reservoir. As such, excess electric energy is converted into potential energy and stored in the elevated reservoir. During peak hours, the water in the elevated reservoir is released to drive a water turbine. The water turbine is coupled to an electric generator, which converts potential energy back to electricity.
In a compressed air energy storage system, a motor driven compressor may compress atmospheric air into a storage container such as a tank, a cavern and/or the like during off-peak hours. As such, electric power is converted into pressure potential energy. On the other hand, during peak hours, the compressed air expands within an expansion apparatus in which the expanded air drives a mechanical component such as a shaft, which converts a reciprocating motion into a rotary motion. Such a rotary motion may be used to drive a power generator to generate electric power.

Compressed air energy storage system and method


A protection circuit used for a semiconductor device is made to effectively function and the semiconductor device is prevented from being damaged by a surge. A semiconductor device includes a terminal electrode, a protection circuit, an integrated circuit, and a wiring electrically connecting the terminal electrode, the protection circuit, and the integrated circuit. The protection circuit is provided between the terminal electrode and the integrated circuit. The terminal electrode, the protection circuit, and the integrated circuit are connected to one another without causing the wiring to branch. It is possible to reduce the damage to the semiconductor device caused by electrostatic discharge. It is also possible to reduce faults in the semiconductor device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device provided with a means of preventing a circuit from being damaged by unexpected high-voltage application such as electrostatic discharge.
2. Description of the Related Art
One of the main causes of the fault of integrated circuits is damage to a semiconductor element, an electrode, or the like due to electrostatic discharge (hereinafter referred to as "ESD"). In view of this, a protection circuit is provided between a terminal and an integrated circuit in order to prevent damage to the integrated circuit caused by ESD. A protection circuit is a circuit for preventing overvoltage or overcurrent called a surge or spike (hereinafter referred to as a surge), which occurs at the time of ESD phenomenon and exceeds the rating, from being supplied to an integrated circuit. Typical examples of an element used for a protection circuit include a resistor, a diode, and a capacitor.
For example, References 1 and 2 disclose that a diode is formed using a semiconductor layer formed over an insulating film and is used as an element for a protection circuit. In Reference 1, a lateral diode obtained by laterally forming a PN junction in a polysilicon film is provided between a high-frequency input-output signal line and an external power source VDD. In Reference 2, a PIN diode formed using a semiconductor layer is used as a protection element. Providing a floating electrode which faces an i-type layer of the PIN diode makes a p-type layer (or an n-type layer) of the PIN diode and the floating electrode short-circuited when a gate insulating film is damaged by overcurrent flowing through the protection circuit element and is electrically penetrated.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A pneumatic tire has a tread pattern shaped in such a fashion that pitches determined by groove portions disposed on a tread surface in a predetermined pitch in at least a tire circumferential direction have at least three different kinds of pitch lengths. An amplitude waveform corresponding to the frequency of noise resulting from the pitch arrangement per circumference of the tire is determined by a noise simulation method, and whether or not the pitch arrangement determined by the noise simulation is a pitch arrangement of a low pattern noise is evaluated from the value of a correlational coefficient R between the amplitude waveform and a quartic expression obtained by the regression of the amplitude waveform.

It is generally known that the pattern noise resulting from the tread pattern formed on the tread surface of a pneumatic tire can be reduced by somehow devising the pitch arrangement of the tread pattern. It is known also that the pattern noise can be reduced particularly by achieving a certain specific cycle arrangement or a random arrangement by employing three or more kinds of pitches (pitch lengths).
Recently, simulation has been carried out to evaluate in advance whether or not the pattern noise can be reduced, when a tread pattern having a new pitch arrangement is designed.
A pitch variation method is one of the well known noise simulation methods for evaluating the noise by simulation.
This pitch variation method comprises the steps of determining an amplitude waveform of the noise resulting from the tread pattern of one circumference of the tire from each data of a pitch arrangement, transforming the amplitude waveform to a Fourier series not having limitation to the pitch arrangement method, avoiding those spectrum waveforms in which the amplitude of a specific frequency exhibits an excessive peak among the spectrum waveforms, regarding the spectrum waveforms which are dispersed into a large number of sideband waves having lower levels, as superior, and evaluating them as a pitch arrangement having a low pattern noise.
However, when the pneumatic tires which are evaluated as having a low noise pattern by the evaluation method described above are fitted actually to a car and a feeling test of the pattern noise is carried out by a driver, the evaluation often results in that the tires do not have a low pattern noise.
Though various other evaluation methods have been studied so far, a pitch arrangement evaluation method whose simulation result always coincides with the actual car test has not yet been developed, and a satisfactory simulation evaluation method has been desired earnestly.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an evaluation method of a tread pattern pitch arrangement of a pneumatic tire which can always bring the simulation evaluation result of a low pattern noise resulting from the pitch arrangement into conformity with the actual measurement result.

Pitch arrangement evaluation system of tread pattern of pneumatic tire


The subject disclosure relates to systems and methods that secure anti-virus software through virtualization. Anti-virus systems can be maintained separate from user applications and operating system through virtualization. The user applications and operating system run in a guest virtual machine while anti-virus systems are isolated in a secure virtual machine. The virtual machines are partially interdependent such that the anti-virus systems can monitor user applications and operating systems while the anti-virus systems remain free from possible malicious attack originating from a user environment. Further, the anti-virus system is secured against zero-day attacks so that detection and recovery may occur post zero-day.

The typical computer system depends on various forms of protection software, including anti-virus and anti-spyware applications, as well as host-based firewalls. The anti-malware tools safeguard persistent state on the PC, while firewalls cleanse network input. To provide protection, these tools rely on rules and signatures developed based on knowledge of malware, attacks, and software vulnerabilities. While these techniques do not offer perfect protection, they represent the primary defense mechanism for millions of computer users.
Unfortunately, even with these protection mechanisms in place, most computers remain vulnerable to zero-day attacks based on undiscovered vulnerabilities or unknown malware. Further, it appears that zero-day attacks are likely to be a fact of life for years to come. Recent trends indicate that zero-day exploits are on the rise. As new technologies are deployed to defend against known vulnerabilities, the incentive to launch zero-day exploits will increase. As a result, future computer systems must be able to deal with, or at least recover from, zero-day attacks.
Zero-day attacks fundamentally undermine a user's confidence in the security of her machine, since they can seize control of applications and even the operating system and then use this control to disable or subvert protection software. This subversion can be subtle and thus difficult to detect. For example, it may leave the protection software running but prevent it from downloading updates needed to detect and remove the infection. By keeping a low profile, malware may remain undetected indefinitely, and throughout this time the user is unwittingly vulnerable to arbitrary malicious activity. For instance, her bank passwords may be captured, or her computer may be used to send spam or launch denial-of-service attacks.

Securing anti-virus software with virtualization


Blood separation media include a non-woven web of fibrillated and non-fibrillated synthetic staple fibers. The fibrillated synthetic staple fibers will most preferably have a Canadian Standard Freeness (CSF) of less than about 300 mL, whereas the non-fibrillated synthetic staple fibers have a CSF of greater than about 700 mL. Preferably, the fibrillated synthetic staple fibers are present in an amount between about 20 to 90 wt. %, and the non-fibrillated synthetic staple fibers are present in an amount between about 10 to about 80 wt. %. The fibrillated and non-fibrillated synthetic staple fibers may be formed of the same, or different, polymeric material, such as polyesters, polypropylenes, polyethylenes, poyacrylonitriles, and polyamides. Especially preferred blood separation media will comprise a blend of fibrillated acrylic fibers, and a mixture of non-fibrillated nylon and polyester fibers, wherein the ratio of nylon and polyester fibers in the mixture thereof is between about 1:4 to about 1:2. The blood separation media of this invention can be formed by conventional “wet-laid” processes. In use, a quantity of whole blood may be brought into contact with the blood separation media for a time sufficient to separate the erythrocytes therein.

Several approaches have been used, other than centrifugation, to separate erythrocytes from whole blood to perform rapid diagnostic assays. Specifically, one prior approach, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,256,693 and 4,810,394 each to Masuda (the entire content of each prior patent being expressly incorporated hereinto by reference), uses successive layers of different materials to which whole blood is applied. Each layer in the multilayer blood separation media performs a separate function. One disadvantage associated with this prior approach is that a multi-layer separation media is expensive and difficult to manufacture.
Another approach to the problem of non-centrifugal separation of erythrocytes from whole blood, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,477,575 and 4,816,224 each to Vogel et al. (the entire content of each prior patent being expressly incorporated hereinto by reference), uses a layer of glass microfiber having a density of 0.1-0.5 g/cm3 to separate erythrocytes from whole blood. One disadvantage to this prior approach is that papers or packings containing 100% glass microfibers are inherently weak and require extreme care in handling. Strength can be enhanced through the use of liquid binders such as acrylic or other latexes, acrylic or other synthetic resins or polyvinyl alcohol, but these binders can cause interference with the assay.
In another approach, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,843 to Baumgardner et al. (the entire content of which is expressly incorporated hereinto by reference), a single-layer medium made of a composite of glass microfibers, cellulose fibers and synthetic staple fibers is used for separating erythrocytes from whole blood.
Although the blood separation media proposed in the past are suitable for their intended purpose, some improvements are still desired. For example, it would be desirable if a single layer media could be provided which performs substantially the same diagnostic functions and have substantially the same strength characteristics as compared to multilayer blood separation media. It would also especially be desirable if such a single-layer blood separation media could be formed completely of synthetic fibers. It is therefore towards fulfilling such needs that the present invention is directed.
Broadly, the present invention is embodied in blood separation media comprised of a non-woven web of fibrillated and non-fibrillated synthetic staple fibers. The fibrillated synthetic staple fibers will most preferably have a Canadian Standard Freeness (CSF) of less than about 300 mL, whereas the non-fibrillated synthetic staple fibers have a CSF of greater than about 700 mL.
In especially preferred forms, the present invention is embodied in blood separation media in which the fibrillated synthetic staple fibers are present in an amount between about 20 to 90 wt. %, and the non-fibrillated synthetic staple fibers are present in an amount between about 10 to about 80 wt. %. The fibrillated and non-fibrillated synthetic staple fibers may be formed of the same, or different, polymeric material, such as polyesters, polypropylenes, polyethylenes, poyacrylonitriles, and polyamides. Especially preferred blood separation media in accordance with the present invention will comprise a blend of fibrillated acrylic fibers, and a mixture of non-fibrillated nylon and polyester fibers, wherein the ratio of nylon and polyester fibers in the mixture thereof is between about 1:4 to about 1:2.
The blood separation media of this invention can be formed by conventional "wet-laid" processes. That is, an aqueous slurry of the fibrillated and non-fibrillated synthetic staple fibers may be formed and then subsequently dewatered to produce a non-woven web comprised of a blend of such fibrillated and non-fibrillated synthetic staple fibers.
In use, a quantity of whole blood may be brought into contact with the blood separation media for a time sufficient to separate the erythrocytes therein. More specifically, a quantity of whole blood is allowed to absorb into the blood separation media for a time sufficient to allow the plasma or serum to wick from the contact point a greater distance as compared to the erythrocytes. Such wicking, and hence erythrocyte separation, may occur radially (for example, parallel to the media surface) and/or vertically (for example, through the thickness of the media).
These aspects and advantages of the present invention will be further understood by reference to the following detailed description of a preferred exemplary embodiment thereof.

Nonwoven fibrous media especially useful for the separation of blood constituents


An endoscope apparatus includes an image acquisition section that acquires images in time series, a coefficient calculation section that calculates a correction coefficient for correcting blurring in a depth direction that is a direction along an optical axis of an imaging section, and a depth-direction blurring correction section that performs a depth-direction blurring correction process that corrects blurring in the depth direction on the images acquired in time series based on the correction coefficient.

The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus, a program, and the like.
In recent years, differential diagnosis has been performed using an endoscope apparatus by observing the object in a magnified state. An optical zoom process that does not cause a deterioration in the object image is generally used for magnifying observation. An electronic zoom process performed on image data acquired by a CCD or the like can further magnify the object image subjected to the optical zoom process.
For example, JP-A-5-49599 discloses a method that performs a blurring correction process by detecting the motion of the end of the scope when using an endoscope apparatus that implements magnifying observation. According to this method, a moving amount detection means that detects the direction and the angular velocity is provided in the curved section of the endoscope, and the blurring correction process is performed based on the moving direction and the moving distance.
JP-A-2009-71380 discloses a method that detects the motion amount of the object, and stops the moving image at an appropriate timing by detecting a freeze instruction signal to acquire a still image. According to this method, an optimum frozen image with a small amount of blurring is generated by detecting the periodicity of the image.


A superconducting structure (1) has a plurality of linked band-segments (2), with each linked band-segment (2) having a substrate (3) and a superconducting layer deposited onto it (4). The linked band-segments (2) are joined to one another by superconducting layers (4) that face each other. Each linked band-segment (2) is joined to two additional band-segments (7a, 7b) in such a way that the superconducting layers (4) of the two additional band-segments (7a, 7b) and of the linked band-segment (2) face each other. The additional band-segments (7a, 7b) together substantially overlap the total length (L) of the linked band-segment (2). This provides for a superconducting structure, which exhibits high superconductivity and which is very suitable for long distances.

The invention relates to a superconducting structure, comprising a plurality of band-segments of band-shaped superconductors, wherein each band-segment has a substrate and a superconducting layer deposited onto it, and wherein the band-segments are joined to one another by superconducting layers that face each other.
US 2005/0173679 A1, for example, discloses such a superconducting structure.
Superconductors can carry electrical currents practically without any ohmic losses. They are especially deployed where high electrical currents are required, for example, in magnet coils.
Superconductors can only conduct electrical current without losses below a critical temperature (also called transition temperature). Above this temperature, the superconductor enters a normally conducting state.
Metal superconducting materials, such as NbTi, which can be processed as wires, have a relatively low critical temperature (for NbTi, for example, it is about 9K), making their use quite expensive, especially with respect to the necessary cooling. Moreover, metal superconductors have relatively low critical magnetic fields, above which they lose their superconductive properties.
High-temperature superconductors (HTSL), such as yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO), have significantly higher critical temperatures, YBCO for example, about 90K, but are difficult to process due to their ceramic properties. If they are used at temperatures significantly below their critical temperature, HTSLs can conduct comparatively large currents, i.e. they have a high critical current density. With their comparatively high critical magnetic field strengths, these materials are also suitable for low operating temperatures in strong magnetic fields.
For technical applications, HTSLs are usually deposited as a thin layer onto band-shaped, usually metal substrates, wherein, as a rule, one or more buffer layers are interposed between the substrate and the superconducting layer, and one or more final metal layers are deposited on top of the superconducting layer. This type of construction is also termed a band-shaped superconductor and has commonly become known as a "coated conductor" in English.
However, depositing superconducting layers of good quality is relatively difficult. As a rule, substrate surfaces with a special texture are required, which can only be provided over limited lengths. Currently, good-quality band-segments of band-shaped superconductors are limited to a maximum range of approx. 100 to 200 m.
EP 0 545 608 A2 proposes joining conductor segments, which can only be manufactured in good quality in limited lengths, in order to enable current to be transported over longer distances, for instance, several kilometers.
US 2005/0173679 A1 discloses the joining of two band-segments of band-shaped superconductors, wherein the superconducting layers on the respective substrates face each other. The superconducting layers are to be in superconducting contact and the proximity of the two polycrystalline superconducting layers is intended to increase the effective grain boundary surface and thus improve the critical current.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,828,507 B1 also discloses the joining together of two band-segments of band-shaped superconductors, wherein the superconducting layers on the respective substrates face each other. The superconducting layers are joined by means of one or more normally conducting intermediate layers (for instance, covering layers of the individual band-segments).
The object of the invention is to provide a superconducting structure, which exhibits a high current-carrying capacity and which is also suitable for long distances.

Superconducting structure having linked band-segments which are each overlapped by directly sequential additional band-segments


A method for deriving VOI for a hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir fluid model based on DFA data (“true fluid model”) versus an “incorrect fluid model” includes calculating first, second and third objective functions that are based on NPV(s) of simulated production by a reservoir simulator with different configurations. For the first objective function, the simulator is configured with the incorrect fluid model and control variables that are optimized to derive a first group of control variable values. For the second objective function, the simulator is configured with the true fluid model and the first group of control variable values. For the third objective function, the simulator is configured with the true fluid model and control variables that are optimized to identify a second group of control variable values. The objective functions can be deterministic, or can include statistics that account for uncertainty. A visualization of such results with uncertainty is also described.

1. Field
The present application relates to methods and systems for calculating and evaluating value of information related to subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs.
2. State of the Art
Downhole fluid sampling and analysis (DFA) of hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir fluids generates DFA tool data that can be used to derive a more accurate fluid model of the reservoir fluids as compared to other standard methodologies, such as single station sampling and follow-on fluid analysis. Value of Information (or VOI) is the amount a decision maker would be willing to pay for information prior to making a decision. The VOI of the DFA tool data is typically defined as the difference between the net present value (NPV) obtained from the DFA tool data (NPVa) and the NPV obtained from the single-station fluid sampling model (NPVb). In this case, the VOI of the DFA tool data is simply stated as:VOI=NPVa−NPVb  (1)If the additional cost of obtaining the DFA data is given as dDFA, then the net VOI can be calculated as:Net VOI=(NPVa−NPVb)−dDFA.  (2)
The intrinsic flaw in the reasoning of Eqns. (1) and (2) is that it assumes that the values of NPVa and NPVb are agreed upon and uncontested. In truth, such agreement is not always likely, and thus there can be a situation where the very validity of underlying values of NPVa and NPVb are challenged. This situation may undermine the real value-adding potential of the DFA tool data.

Methods and systems for calculating and evaluating value of information for reservoir fluid models derived from DFA tool data


According to the present invention, a technique for delivering content over a network having endpoints and nodes that store content is provided. In one embodiment, the technique is realized by first launching a request for content from a requesting end point. Then propagating the request over the network to the nodes. While the request propagates, it leaves a trail at the nodes and, when content matching the request is located, a copy of the content is returned to the requesting endpoint over the trail left by the request.

The primary purpose of the Internet today, and for the foreseeable future, is carrying content from sources to consumers. The volume of traffic is often more than a single content source host can handle and mechanisms have been developed that spread load by making multiple servers look like one end point or by replicating data at multiple sites and redirecting sessions. Because an IP network is architecturally designed for point-to-point connections between specific addresses, these mechanisms are unwieldy and require changing the operation of basic mechanisms such as the domain name service (DNS) that returns an IP address for a given name.
When the same content is required by many consumers, the IP network does not spontaneously create a multi-cast situation. Multi-cast is emulated by caching information at many points and the choice of what gets cached is based on a guess at future requests or observations of previous transactions.
AN IP network is optimized for delivery of packets from one end point address to another. A future network should be designed to carry content from sources to consumers and to naturally facilitate replication and multi-cast. End-to-end connections should be a small subset of overall network function.
With the advent of very high speed networks, the granularity of information transfer can be much less (bigger chunks) than the IP packet. The larger payload permits much larger "headers". The use of a large header permits the breaking away from the address oriented model where the header is used to route the data to a known end-point.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide a technique for delivering content which overcomes the above-described inadequacies and shortcomings. More particularly, it would be desirable to provide a technique for delivering content over a network in an efficient and cost effective manner.