A plastic annular disk has a convex exterior surface upon which is situated an adhesive wafer. A removable protective shield is formed to have a substantially wrinkle-free surface with a contour identical to that of the convex surface. The disk and wafer are placed in a vacuum chamber, below a planar plastic sheet. The top of the chamber is heated. The space above the sheet is evacuated to draw the sheet against the heated surface. The remaining portion of the chamber is then evacuated to eliminate air between the wafer and disk. Lastly, the top of the chamber is vented such that the heated sheet is pressed over the wafer and disk.

Certain surgical procedures known as colostomy, ileostomy and urostomy result in an opening in the abdominal wall, called a stoma, which permits waste discharge from the interior of a body cavity. Since the patient has no control over the waste discharge, it is often necessary for the patient to utilize an ostomy device to protect the stoma and collect the waste material as it is discharged.
Over the years, ostomy devices of a variety of different types and constructions have been utilized. Various materials and adhesives have been developed to increase the utility and wearability of same.
The basic device includes a collection receptacle or pouch connected to an adhesive coated faceplate which mounts the pouch to the body. The pouch includes first and second thin film walls which are sealed by heat welding or the like along their periphery. The pouch has an inlet opening designed to be aligned with the stoma. In one piece devices, the pouch is permanently affixed to the adhesive coated faceplate. In two piece devices, the pouch is detachably mounted to the faceplate by coupling rings or the like. In this way, the pouch can be replaced without removal of the faceplate each time.
For the ostomy device to function properly, it is necessary that it make a fluid-tight connection with the peristomal skin to prevent any liquid, solid, semi-solid or gaseous waste from escaping and a weight bearing connection to support the weight of the device. When the muscle beneath the skin surrounding the stoma is smooth and has sufficient rigidity and the stoma protrudes outwardly beyond the skin surface, a planar faceplate will achieve good results. However, when the rigidity of the muscle surrounding the stoma is lacking due to advanced age or abnormal stretching or the peristomal skin is scarred or indented or the stoma does not protrude sufficiently, the planar faceplate is often not adequate.
The advisability of the use of a convex faceplate in such situations has been previously recognized. See, for example, Galindo U.S. Pat. No. 4,219,023, issued Aug. 26, 1980 and entitled Convex Insert And Ostomy Bag Structure, in this regard. We are also aware of an ostomy device which includes a convex pressure ring as disclosed in Nowak U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,731. However, up until now, there has been no effective process for mass producing ostomy devices with convex adhesive faceplates in a manner which prevents localized drying of the adhesive layer. Moreover, there are no products which include a convexly shaped protective shield with a relatively wrinkle-free surface which, when removed, leaves a uniform, uninterrupted adhesive surface which will ensure an excellent seal with the skin.
When a planar annular faceplate is used, it is commonly stamped from a sheet of dough-like material. After it is formed, one side is heat welded to the pouch surrounding the inlet opening. The other surface is coated with a layer of adhesive which may be deposited on the surface itself or which may be on a microporous wafer or label. The exposed surface of the adhesive is then provided with a sheet of planar release paper which protects the adhesive until use.
When the faceplate has a planar surface, the process of placing the adhesive coating thereon and the release paper over the adhesive is relatively straight-forward and results in an adhesive coating which is uniform and smooth. However, the use of a convex faceplate instead of a planar faceplate presents certain complications in the conventional fabrication process due to the fact that the faceplate disk is convex but the release paper is planar. Because the release paper is planar and hence does not readily fit the convex contour of the disk, the adhesive layer may contain air gaps which result in localized drying of the adhesive. Moreover, the release paper may become wrinkled due to its inability to properly conform to the convex surface. When this occurs, the adhesive layer may contain surface ridges instead of being smooth. Hence, it is not possible to mass-produce convex faceplates of acceptable quality.
In order to overcome these difficulties, we have invented a fabrication process which lends itself to mass production and in which a uniform adhesive coating is formed on the convex surface of the faceplate disk. Instead of conventional release paper, a thin plastic protective shield is provided. The shield is fabricated to have a substantially wrinkle-free surface with a contour which is identical to the contour of the convex surface of the disk. All air gaps in the adhesive are eliminated during the fabrication process. Hence, when the shield is removed, the adhesive coating on the convex surface of the faceplate disk is completely smooth and has no dry areas.
It is, therefore, a prime object of the present invention to provide a mass producible ostomy device with a convex adhesive faceplate.
It is an another object of the present to provide an ostomy device with a convex adhesive faceplate in which gaps leading to localized drying of the adhesive have been eliminated.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an ostomy device with a convex faceplate and a convex protective shield.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for fabricating an ostomy device with a convex adhesive faceplate disk and a convex protective shield with a wrinkle-free surface.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for fabricating an ostomy device with a convex faceplate in which the adhesive layer is uniform, smooth and substantially devoid of gaps.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for fabricating an ostomy device with a convex adhesive faceplate which employs vacuum forming techniques to form a convex plastic shield.
It is another object of the invention to provide a method for fabricating an ostomy device with a convex adhesive a faceplate wherein a planar plastic sheet is fabricated into a wrinkle-free convex protective shield.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for fabricating an ostomy device with a convex adhesive faceplate wherein the plastic protective shield is vacuum formed to ensure that its contours are substantially identical to the contour of the convex surface of the faceplate.

Method for fabricating an ostomy device with a convex adhesive faceplate and protective shield


A beam blanking unit (1) comprises first and second blanking plates (2, 3) mounted to a support plate (15). A stopper (4) is mechanically and electrically connected to the first blanking plate (2).

An electron beam lithography system includes a pair of electrodes for electrostatically deflecting an uninterrupted beam of electrons away from the optical axis towards a stopper and thus "switch" the electron beam "on" and "off". This process is commonly referred to as "blanking".
Normally, the beam is deflected so as to hit a stopper which may be a part of the electron beam column or a block of metal specially provided for the purpose. However, a drawback of this technique is that primary electrons striking the stopper generate secondary and backscatter electrons which charge-up the part of the system through which the electron beam passes.
One solution is to provide a stopper in the form of an aperture or opening with a pocket into which the electron beam is deflected. Although secondary electrons are still generated, they are absorbed by the walls of the pocket. The smaller the aperture, then the fewer secondary electrons escape. However, as the aperture is made smaller, the more difficult it becomes to deflect the beam into the aperture. Therefore, a compromise is usually made by making the aperture small enough to reduce escape of secondary electrons, while keeping it large enough to aid deflection of the electron beam into the aperture.
Another solution is to apply a positive voltage to the stopper. When positively biased, the field draws secondary electrons towards the stopper. Although this technique helps to reduce secondary electrons, it can be difficult to implement since it requires the blanking bias and the collector bias to be switched simultaneously.
Ion beam systems suffer similar problems.
The present invention seeks to provide improved apparatus for blanking a charged particle beam.

Apparatus for blanking a charged particle beam


A tilt hinge comprises a fixing member composed of a fixing base fixed to a main body of a device and a bearing plate; a rotating shaft having a small diameter part rotatably born at the bearing plate of this fixing member; a first friction washer placed between a large diameter part of the rotating shaft and one side surface of the bearing plate with its small diameter part being inserted into and passed through its central part; a second friction washer arranged to be contacted with the other side surface of the bearing plate with the small diameter part being inserted through its central part; a pressing plain washer arranged to be contacted with this second friction washer with the small diameter part being inserted into and passed through its central part; wherein the end part of the small diameter part is press fitted to cause the first friction washer to be press contacted between the bearing plate and the large diameter part and the second friction washer to be press contacted between the bearing plate and the spring washer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tilt hinge which is preferable when a display member of an office automation equipment such as a lap-top type personal computer or a word processor or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present applicant proposed in the past a tilt hinge for use in supporting a display member of an office automation equipment such as a lap top type personal computer or a word processor or the like in which its structure is simple and a stable frictional torque can be attained over a full-opened angle of the display member, wherein it is comprised of a fixing member to be fixed to a main body of the device and a rotating shaft having its reduced diameter part born at a bearing plate of the fixing member so as to support the display member, and various kinds of washers are placed between the rotating shaft and one side surface of the bearing plate and also between the other side surface of the bearing plate and a fixing end of the rotating shaft so as to cause the rotating shaft to be rotated only when a predetermined rotational torque is given to the rotating shaft.
In recent years, there has been present an occurrence of a trend in which these office automation equipment have been small in size and more thin in thickness and in compliance with this trend, it has been required to provide such a tilt hinge for use in supporting the display member as one having a smaller size, a certain durability and a high rotational torque.
3. Objects of the Invention
It is an object of the present invention to provide a tilt hinge in which its size can be made small, a more durability can be realized and a higher rotational torque can be produced.
In order to accomplish the aforesaid object, the present invention is comprised of a fixing member composed of a fixing base fixed to a main body of a device and a bearing plate, a rotating shaft also acting as a supporting member for a display member for use in rotatably supporting a small diameter part at the bearing plate for the fixing member, a first friction washer placed between a large diameter part of the rotating shaft and one side surface of the bearing plate while having its small diameter part inserted at a central part thereof, a second friction washer arranged while being contacted with the other side surface of the bearing plate and having the small diameter part inserted at its central part and a pressing plain washer contacted with the second friction washer and having the small diameter part inserted at its central part, wherein an end part of the small diameter part is press fitted to cause the first friction washer to be press contacted between the bearing plate and the large diameter part, the second friction washer to be press contacted between the bearing plate and the spring washer, when the rotating shaft is rotated, lubricant is coated at portions generating sliding friction either between the first friction washer and the bearing plate, or between the first friction plate and the large diameter part, and either between the second friction washer and the bearing plate, or between the second friction washer and a spring washer.

Tilt hinge for office automation equipment


An improved frequency selective surface (FSS) comprises a periodically replicated unit cell, the unit cell including a material having a first electrical conductivity in the presence of an external condition, and a second electrical conductivity in the absence of an external condition, or in the presence of a modified external condition. For example, the material may be a chemoresistive material, having an electrical conductivity that changes in the presence of a chemical or biological analyte, i.e. having a first value of electrical conductivity in the presence of the analyte, and a second value of electrical conductivity in the absence of the analyte.

A typical conventional Frequency Selective Surface (FSS) has a periodically replicated patterned metal film printed on the surface of a thin dielectric substrate material. A single instance of the replicated metal pattern is referred to as a unit cell. The unit cell may include one or more metal patches. The geometry of the metal patches is chosen to obtain a desired property of the FSS, such as electromagnetic scattering or absorption.
FSS applications include electromagnetic filtering devices for reflector antenna systems, radomes, absorbers, and artificial electromagnetic bandgap materials. The majority of FSS designs have been considered for microwave and millimeter wave applications, however the concept is scalable to higher frequency ranges such as infrared and even optical frequencies. FIGS. 20A-20C show three conventional devices, namely electromagnetic reflector 300, electromagnetic absorber 308, and antenna 310 respectively), each including a conventional FSS, the antenna also including radiative element 314. FIG. 20A shows absorber 300 comprising FSS 302, dielectric layer 304, and ground plane 306.
An electromagnetic absorber can be made by placing an FSS screen above a conventional metallic ground plane, separated by a relatively thin (compared to electromagnetic wavelength) dielectric layer. Such an FSS-based electromagnetic band gap (EBG) structure can act as an Artificial Magnetic Conductor (AMC) at a desired operating frequency, allowing thin absorbers (typical thicknesses can range from a tenth of a wavelength to as thin as a fiftieth of a wavelength or even less).
In a conventional absorber design, and in most FSS applications, the geometry and material parameters are engineered to produce a static frequency response. However, several groups have investigated the possibility of tuning or reconfiguring an FSS so that its frequency response can be shifted or altered altogether while in operation. This can be accomplished either by changing the electromagnetic properties of the FSS screen or substrate, by altering the geometry of the structure, or by introducing elements into the FSS screen that vary the current flow between metallic patches.
In a first class of Reconfigurable Frequency Selective Surface (RFSS), the frequency response of the FSS is changed by altering the electromagnetic properties of the substrate. Several groups have realized this by using a ferrite as the substrate material. By changing a DC bias applied across the ferrite substrate, the FSS can be tuned to higher or lower frequencies. However, there are some serious disadvantages associated with the concept of using ferromagnetic substrates. Ferrites have high mass, and large currents are required to maintain the DC bias across the substrate. Furthermore, setting up a DC bias over a large area of substrate is a complicated task. Nevertheless, a two-layer FSS with one or two ferrite substrates can be designed to switch between an absorber and a reflector at resonance by applying a DC bias to the substrate.
A related technique uses a liquid dielectric as the substrate. In this approach, a substrate cavity below the metallic screen is filled with a liquid dielectric or emptied to vary the permittivity. Varying the permittivity also varies the electrical wavelength inside the substrate, changing the frequency response. This technique has been demonstrated to tune the FSS frequency response, but it requires a complex design to properly handle the liquid substrate.
Another technique that alters the substrate properties uses a slotted FSS screen with a silicon substrate to produce a pass band at resonance under normal operation. However, when the silicon substrate is illuminated by an optical source with sufficient intensity, the silicon behaves like a conductor, making the pass band disappear. One final technique of interest involves using plasma to form a virtual FSS screen. Elements with a high plasma density behave like a metallic conductor. The plasma features can be altered thereby changing the frequency response of the virtual FSS.
The second category of RFSS design techniques are those in which the geometry of the metallic screen elements is altered in such a way as to effect a desired change in the frequency response. One technique that has been reported involves using two FSS screens with identical apertures or patch elements and a dielectric or spacing layer in between. The front and back screens are shifted vertically or horizontally with respect to each other, which produces a corresponding change in the frequency spectrum. The bandwidth and resonance positions both change when the screens are displaced.
A second reconfiguration technique has been introduced that is based on micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. The metallic elements of the FSS are designed to be able to lay flat on the substrate or tilt up to 90° from the substrate. Thus the incident radiation sees a variable-size element depending on the tilt angle of the metallic patches. This method for tuning the response of an FSS has been successfully demonstrated by Gianvittorio et al. (IEE Electronics Letters, Vol. 38, No. 25, December 2002). However, it requires complex fabrication techniques and the ability to produce an external electromagnetic field in order to mechanically control the element positions.
A further class of RFSS incorporates circuit elements into the metallic screen that can be used to vary the current between patch elements. A technique has been proposed for controlling the response of an FSS by interconnecting metallic patches in its screen with lumped variable reactive elements (C. Mias, IEE Electronics Letters, Vol. 39, No. 9, May 2003). Although variable reactive elements were not used in experiment, the effect of varying reactive loads between patches was shown through numerical simulations to shift the position of stop bands. This technique was taken a step further by including varactor diodes to tune the stop band of an FSS absorber.
Another option that has been investigated is to use PIN diodes as switches between metallic patch elements. PIN diodes either allow or inhibit current flow between patch elements depending on the voltage bias applied across the diode. Thus, they can be used to make a resonance disappear, or they can drastically change a resonance location based on the RFSS design. The active FSS described by Chang, et al. also incorporates a ferrite substrate so that the resonant frequency may be tuned by biasing the ferrite substrate or by switching the PIN diodes to go from a transmitting to a reflecting mode and back again (IEEE Proc. Microwaves, Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 143, No. 1, February 1996). One difficulty with using PIN diodes as switches in RFSS is the added complexity of incorporating bias lines into the design.
Several interesting applications have been suggested for RFSS that switch on or off using diodes. The design procedure for a horn antenna that has two tapered walls was described by Philips, et al. (IEE Electronics Letters, Vol. 31, No. 1, January 1995). The outer wall of the antenna is made of a solid metallic sheet while the second, narrower wall consists of a RFSS that incorporates diodes so that it can be switched from transmitting to reflecting. In the transmitting state, the horn antenna has a relatively wide aperture, but when the RFSS is switched to a reflecting state it acts as the inner wall of the horn antenna giving it a narrower aperture. The same type of active RFSS was proposed for building walls in order to control the transparency of the structure at a given radio frequency.

Reconfigurable frequency selective surfaces for remote sensing of chemical and biological agents


Provided are a semiconductor memory device having a post package repair control circuit and a post package repair method. In the semiconductor memory device and the post package repair method, in a post package repair mode, a second memory bank is used as a fail bit map memory for storing failed bit information regarding a first memory bank, and the first memory bank is used as a fail bit map memory for storing failed bit information regarding the second memory bank.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device, and more particularly, to a semiconductor memory device having a post package repair control circuit and a post package repair method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional post package repair method related to a semiconductor memory device, a mass-production package test is conducted in order to identify and collect failed package memory products. Next, the failed package memory products are retested using expensive test equipment having a storage device, e.g., a fail bit map memory, and failed bit information regarding the memory cells in the failed package memory products is stored in the storage device, i.e., the fail bit map memory. The failed bit information is read from the fail bit map memory and then failed memory cells corresponding to the failed bit information are repaired. An example of a technique of repairing failed memory cells has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,788,596 B2.
The conventional post package repair method not only requires expensive test equipment having a storage device (a fail bit map memory) but also requires a lot of time conducting a mass-production package test, retesting using the expensive test equipment, and then performing repairs. Accordingly, gains obtained by performing post package repairs are less than losses caused by using expensive test equipment having a fail bit map memory.

Semiconductor memory device including post package repair control circuit and post package repair method


In an ultrasound imaging system, sets of imaging parameter values are saved as preset modes. When a user later selects one of the preset modes, the system automatically operates in accordance with the corresponding set of imaging parameter values. The imaging parameter values for each preset mode are selected and adjusted by the user while the system is generating a desired ultrasound image, thereby ensuring that the stored imaging parameter values correspond to a desired ultrasound image. The system can store preset modes for different exam types, for different image displays, for different patients and for different users. Each of the preset modes can be selected with a single keystroke.

Ultrasound imaging is widely used in medical applications to noninvasively observe structures within the human body, such as cardiac structures, the vascular system, the fetus, the uterus, the abdominal organs and the eye. In a typical imaging system, short bursts of ultrasound energy are directed into a patient's body with a handheld transducer. The returning reflected energy, or echos, are received by the same transducer. The signals representing the reflected energy are processed and formatted into a video image of the target region.
The ultrasound imaging system has a number of imaging parameters that control transmission and reception of ultrasound energy, processing of received signals and image display. Different organs and regions of the human body may require very different imaging parameters due to the different depths, sizes and tissue types of the structures being imaged. Furthermore, the ultrasound imaging system typically has several display modes for presenting different images of a target region. Examples include two-dimensional imaging, M-mode imaging, color flow imaging and Doppler imaging. For each of these display modes, various imaging parameters are adjustable. In order for an ultrasound imaging system to provide flexibility, many imaging parameters must be adjustable. Thus, adjustment of a number of imaging parameters is required to obtain a desired ultrasound image. If the imaging parameters were manually adjusted each time the instrument were used to obtain a different image, a high degree of user skill would be required. Furthermore, the manual adjustment procedure would be time consuming.
A further difficulty is that the ultrasound imaging system is typically located in a hospital where different users may operate the system at different times. Thus, a user may find the imaging system in an unknown state as a result of operation by a different user.
The problem has been partially alleviated in prior art systems by providing predetermined operating modes, such as cardiac, vascular and obstetrics. However, within each predetermined operating mode, many imaging parameters are adjustable. Thus, while use of the imaging system is simplified to some extent, adjustment for a particular exam can still be difficult and time consuming.
A further difficulty with prior art systems relates to the frequent need to perform repetitive tests. In order to obtain consistent and reliable results, the imaging system should have the same parameter settings for each test of the same type. With prior art systems, it has been difficult or impossible to return to a previous set of imaging parameters after the system has been used for a different test. The predetermined operating modes described above are insufficient for two reasons. To cover all possible imaging parameter settings would require an unacceptably large number of predetermined operating modes, many of which would be unused in any particular hospital. Second, users typically adjust imaging parameters after selection of a predetermined operating mode in order to optimize the ultrasound image.
Prior art systems typically utilize control knobs or switches wherein each parameter value is determined by the mechanical position of a control switch or adjustment knob. Storage of these values for later use is not feasible, because the stored parameter values would differ from the parameter values indicated by the control switches and adjustment knobs, and thereby cause user confusion. Several prior art systems permit storage of several parameter values for later use. However, these parameter values must be selected or typed into the system at a time when the user is unable to observe the desired ultrasound image.
A medical ultrasound imaging system which utilizes an electroluminescent touch panel is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,535, issued Nov. 10, 1992 to Short et al.

Ultrasound imaging system having user preset modes


A heat dissipating module including multiple first heat dissipating fins and multiple second heat dissipating fins combined to the first heat dissipating fins is provided. Each first/second heat dissipating fin has a first/second body and multiple first/second heat dissipating groove assemblies disposed in the first/second body, wherein each first/second heat dissipating groove assembly has multiple first/second heat dissipating groove unit. One end of the first heat dissipating groove unit is overlapped to one end of the second heat dissipating groove unit adjacent thereof. The other end of the first heat dissipating groove unit is overlapped to one end of another second heat dissipating groove unit. The two second heat dissipating groove units are disposed in the second body adjacent to each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a heat dissipating module. More particularly, the invention relates to a heat dissipating module having a preferred heat dissipating efficiency for a heat source.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, with the enormous progress of the computer technology, the operating speed of the computer is continuously increased, and the heat generation rate of electronic elements within a computer host continuously rises correspondingly. In order to prevent the electronic elements within the computer host from overheating to cause a temporary or permanent failure to the electronic element, how to provide sufficient heat dissipating performance to the electronic elements within the computer is accordingly important.
For example, in a computer system, for example, a center process unit (CPU), a north bridge chip, a south bridge chip, or other heat generating elements are disposed on a mother board. In the prior art, in order to remove the heat on the mother board generated during the high speed operation, a heat dissipating module is usually disposed on these heat generating elements for performing the heat dissipation.


A head includes a common ink chamber, a plurality of individual electrodes which communicate with the common ink chamber, and a plurality of ink channels through which, an ink supplied from the common ink chamber flows. Each ink channel is provided with a first electrode which is common for the individual electrodes, a plurality of second electrodes corresponding to the individual electrodes respectively, and an insulating layer which covers the first electrode and the second electrodes. Furthermore, the individual electrode of each ink channel is associated with an individual electrode of another ink channel, and the corresponding second electrodes are in electrical conduction. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce a cost of an electrical system by reducing the number of wirings which are connected to electrodes provided to each of the liquid channels.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid transporting apparatus which transports a liquid.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a liquid transporting apparatus, an ink-discharge head which discharges an ink on to a printing medium such as a recording paper has hitherto been known. Such ink-discharge head includes a channel unit which has a plurality of individual ink channels including pressure chambers which communicate with nozzles, and an actuator which applies a pressure to the ink in the pressure chambers (Refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-326712 for example). However, in such ink-discharge head, as it is necessary to form individual ink channels of a multiple number of complex shapes in the channel unit, a manufacturing cost tends to become high. Moreover, for discharging a fixed quantity (a predetermined quantity) of ink, it is necessary to make a volume of the pressure chamber to be more than a predetermined volume. It is difficult to arrange closely (high integration) such individual ink channels having the complex shape including the pressure chambers, and therefore it is difficult to make the ink-discharge head to be a small size.
In view of the abovementioned situation, the inventor of the present invention has proposed a liquid transporting apparatus which transports an ink by an electrowetting phenomenon, as an apparatus which is capable of transporting a liquid, having a structure simpler than a structure of the conventional ink-discharge head (Refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-35640 for example). This liquid transporting apparatus includes a substrate in which a plurality of liquid channels is formed, individual electrodes (first individual electrode and second individual electrode) which are arranged at the middle in each of the liquid channels, and an insulating layer which covers the individual electrodes. When a voltage (driving electric potential) is not applied to the individual electrodes, a wetting angle of a liquid with respect to a surface of the insulating layer covering the individual electrodes is high, and the liquid cannot move onto the surface of the insulating layer. When the driving electric potential is applied to the individual electrodes and an electric potential difference is developed between the individual electrodes under the insulating layer and the liquid on the insulating layer, the wetting angle of the liquid with respect to the surface of the insulating layer becomes small (electrowetting phenomenon), and the liquid can move onto the surface of the insulating layer covering the individual electrodes. According to this arrangement, it is possible to transport the liquid independently in each of the liquid channels, only by changing (switching) the application of the driving electric potential to the two types of electrodes (first individual electrode and second individual electrode), without complicating the structure of the liquid channel.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A method, apparatus, and system in which an embedded memory comprises one or more electrically-alterable non-volatile memory cells that include a coupling capacitor, a read transistor, and a tunneling capacitor. The coupling capacitor has a first gate composed of both N+ doped material and P+ doped material, and a P+ doped region abutted to a N+ doped region. The P+ doped region abutted to the N+ doped region surrounds the first gate. The read transistor has a second gate. The tunneling capacitor has a third gate composed of both N+ doped material and P+ doped material.

A non-volatile memory retains the contents of the information stored in a memory cell even when the power is turned off. Many System-on-Chip (SoC) design teams find themselves confronting a seeming conundrum: How to design non-volatile memory (NVM) into a SoC project. To achieve a single chip solution, the design team typically has little option but to select a special process technology that trails the most current standard logic process by two or three technology generations. This choice generally requires additional processing steps that increase wafer costs. Alternatively, the team could implement a less efficient, more costly, slower, and larger two-chip solution by separating the SoC and the NVM into discrete components.
FIG. 1 illustrates a prior technique of creating a non-volatile memory cell. The previous technique created a two polysilicon layers for the nonvolatile memory cell. The second polysilicon layer was the word line, and the word line receives a bias voltage. The bias voltage is coupled from the word line to the first polysilicon layer, referred to as a floating gate, by a coupling capacitor. The floating gate is separated from the PWell of the polysilicon by an insulating material. The floating gate in connection with the PWell creates the cell channel or read transistor. The read transistor typically communicates the logical information stored by that particular memory cell during normal operations.
Typically, the read transistor for that memory cell functions as both the sensing component to communicate the information stored during normal operations, and a charging component to allow either erasing or programming information stored in that memory cell. The second polysilicon layer, the word line, typically is used to couple voltage into the floating poly gate either for write or read operations. Next, electrons charge through the coupling capacitor into the floating gate to store the information.
To create a prior non-volatile memory cell, typically a standard CMOS-based logic process is used as a starting foundation. Next, additional process steps are incorporated into the logic process flow to create the non-volatile memory cells. Examples of such additional process steps include second polysilicon deposition junction dopant optimization, etc. Integrating "non-volatile memory"-specific process steps into the standard CMOS-based logic process creates complications which require extensive qualifications. Consequently, embedded non-volatile memory technologies generally lag advanced logic fabrication processes by several generations. For a system-on-chip (SoC) approach, which requires embedding a non-volatile memory, a design team may have no choice but to accept a logic flow process usually two to three generations behind the current advanced standard logic process as well as the addition to that process of seven to eight additional lithographic masks. This prior approach not only typically increases the wafer cost, but also falls short of the peak performance that the most advanced standard logic process can deliver.
Also, the performance and reliability of a SiO2-based non-volatile memory cell typically degrades under extended program and erases operations due to the cycling-induced degradation of the SiO2. The previous technique of subjecting all of the non-volatile memory cell components to the higher program and erase voltages typically hastens the degradation of the SiO2.

Electrically-alterable non-volatile memory cell


Methods and apparatus are disclosed for battery current monitoring. An example apparatus includes a haptic device, an isolation switch to deliver power from a battery to the haptic device, an integrator to integrate a signal based on a current from the battery to the haptic device to generate an integrator output, and control logic to control the isolation switch based on a comparison of the integrator output to a threshold.

Wearable devices such as wrist wearable computing devices and head wearable devices (e.g., virtual reality headsets) can provide enhancements to user experiences in new ways. For example, virtual reality headsets can provide for user interaction, as part of those experiences. In particular, head mounted displays can be a convenient way for users to gain access to these new experiences. Similarly, wrist wearable computing devices can provide users with convenient access to experiences and/or information. However, some improvements may be needed, since wearable devices such as wrist wearable devices, head wearable devices and/or the like can come in close contact with users.

Methods and apparatus for battery current monitoring


Apparatus and methods for controlling access by a browser to one or more Internet servers are disclosed. Access control is performed by ascertaining an IP address of an internet server that the user is trying to access and performing lookup of the IP address in an IP address rating database. If the lookup reveals that the IP address to be suspicious and data received from the internet server is encrypted, block the access to the internet server. Alternatively, if the lookup reveals the IP address to be suspicious, block the access to the first internet server by the browser without first performing content analysis on the data from the internet server.

As the Internet continues to evolve, increasingly greater volume and variety of data is becoming available to computer users. Most of the available data (which includes both renderable text/graphics/audio data and executables) is benign or at worst not useful when accessed by a user via the Internet. However, some of the data may be objectionable and/or malicious. Preventing intentional or unintentional access to the malicious data is an important task for administrators and parents alike.
One way to prevent access to potentially malicious data involves the use of web filters and in particular URL filtering. Generally speaking, URL filtering works by examining the URL and blocking access to websites that have been deemed to be prohibited. For example, some URL filtering products are implemented as software in web filter gateways and function by checking the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of web pages that are sent to the user's browser. If the URL associated with a webpage is found to be associated with a prohibited website, the gateway would block that web page from reaching the user's browser. For example, if website XYZ131.com is a prohibited website, any web page that contains the string "www.xyz131.com" in its URL would be blocked by the web filter from reaching the user's browser.
Clever users attempt to bypass or confuse web fibs by using anonymizers. There exist commercial websites offering anonymizer service to users. Instead of accessing the prohibited website directly, the user instead access the anonymizer website and employs the anonymizer website to perform the access to the desired destination site (e.g., the aforementioned xyz131.com). With some anonymizer sites, when the webpage is returned to the user, the URL of the webpage reflects the URL of the anonymizer website and not of the desired destination site (e.g., xyz131.com). Other anonymizer sites may alternatively or additionally encrypt the data, rendering it impossible for the web filters to ascertain the origin or content of the data.
Current solutions to combat anonymizers include blocking any data that is returned from known anonymizer sites, i.e., treating all data from known anonymizer sites as harmful. This approach is shown in prior art FIG. 1 wherein user 102 attempts via a browser to access destination website 104 via a commercially available amonymizing web server 106. In this case, a gateway 108 performs URL filtering on the data returned from anonymizing web server 106 would block all traffic from anonymizing web server 106, thus preventing data from prohibited destination website 104 from reaching user 102. In the example of FIG. 1, gateway 108 is implemented separately from a firewall 110 but these two functions may be implemented together in the firewall in some cases if desired.
However, this approach fails to detect data that has been anonymized by web servers that are not known to the web filtering software. For example, if an employee runs an anonymizer software on his home computer 112 as a user-hosted anonymizer software and accesses the anonymizer software from work to visit prohibited website 104, the anonymized data appears to the company's firewall at his work place as if that data comes from the employee's home computer 112. As such, the anonymized data is not blocked and web filtering is frustrated.

Methods and apparatus for controlling internet access


A gas turbine engine includes, among other things, a compressor section including a low pressure compressor and a high pressure compressor, a turbine section including a low pressure turbine and a high pressure turbine, an inner shaft that interconnects the low pressure compressor and the low pressure turbine, an outer shaft that interconnects the high pressure compressor and the high pressure turbine, a bearing structure that supports at least one of the inner and outer shafts, and a buffer system. The buffer system prepares buffer air, communicates the buffer air to the bearing structure to pressurize a bearing compartment, and then from the bearing structure along at least one of the shafts.

This disclosure relates to a gas turbine engine, and more particularly to a buffer system that can provide buffer cooling air to cool portions of the gas turbine engine, including at least one shaft of the gas turbine engine.
Gas turbine engines typically include at least a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section. During operation, air is pressurized in the compressor section and is mixed with fuel and burned in the combustor section to generate hot combustion gases. The hot combustion gases are communicated through the turbine section which extracts energy from the hot combustion gases to power the compressor section and other gas turbine engine modes.
Gas turbine engines typically include shafts that support a plurality of airfoil supporting rotors of the compressor section and the turbine section. For example, in a two-spool turbofan engine, an inner shaft (i.e., a low speed shaft) and an outer shaft (i.e., a high speed shaft) can be incorporated. These shafts, in particular the inner shaft, can be exposed to relatively high torque loading and stresses that result from size limitations caused by the need for the shaft to traverse the rotor structure inboard of the radially inner disk bores.


An optical disc device capable of detecting a reference position of an optical disc in a rotating direction includes an optical disc rotation drive unit, an optical sensor, and a control circuit. The optical disc rotation drive unit rotates the optical disc provided with a rotation reference mark. The rotation reference mark is formed into a shape having a width changing in the radial direction of the optical disc. The optical sensor detects the rotation reference mark. The control circuit controls the optical disc rotation drive unit and the optical sensor, extracts a detection signal of the rotation reference mark as a pulse waveform from an output signal of the optical sensor with the optical disc being rotated, and specifies a rotation reference position of the optical disc in accordance with the pulse waveform.

The present disclosure relates to an optical disc device, an optical disc rotation position detection method, and an optical disc.
Immunoassays are known that quantitatively analyze disease detection and therapeutic effects by detecting particular antigens or antibodies as specimens associated with diseases. Japanese Translation of PCT International Application Publication No. 2002-521666 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1) and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-322819 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 2) disclose an optical disc device in which antibodies that are fixed to a reaction region on an optical disc are allowed to bind to antigens in a sample, so that the antigens are labeled by nanoparticles having antibodies.
The optical disc device scans and detects the nanoparticles captured on the reaction region on the optical disc with laser light emitted from an optical pickup. The optical disc device disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 serves as an analysis device for detecting a specimen.
The optical disc device moves the optical pickup in a radial direction of the optical disc being rotated. Since the optical disc is provided thereon with a plurality of reaction regions, a reaction region in which nanoparticles are detected needs to be specified. The optical disc device disclosed in Patent Document 1 specifies a corresponding reaction region by use of address information of the optical disc. Patent Document 2 discloses that the optical disc includes a group of pits in which positional information on reaction regions is recorded.
The optical disc device as disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 thus needs to preliminarily record the address information for specifying the positions of the reaction regions on the optical disc. This complicates the process of manufacturing the optical disc, increasing manufacturing costs of the optical disc accordingly.

Optical disc device, optical disc rotation position detection method, and optical disc having rotation reference mark formed as width changing in radial direction


A method of adhering a colored electroplating layer on zinc-electroplated steel articles that utilizes an alternating current power supply which supplies electricity of frequency of 10-20 Hz, voltage of 60-120 V, and current density of 20-80 Amp/dM.sup.2 ; and an aqueous electroplating solution which contains 150-200 g/l of silicate, 15-20 g/l of sodium hydroxide and 5-50 g/l of cobalt salt. The electroplating liquid is kept at a constant temperature of 20.degree. C.-30.degree. C. In this method, two stages are utilized to perform the electroplating and adhere a colored electroplated layer so that the surface of the zinc-electroplated layer can adhere a blue electroplated layer. Thus the aesthetics and the corrosion-resistant capability of the zinc-electroplated layer can be enhanced because of the colored electroplated layer adhered to the surface of the zinc-electroplated layer. In this method, the cobalt salts can be replaced by metal salts such as manganese salts of 5-20 g/l, chromium salts of 5-15 g/l, iron salts of 2-15 g/l, and tin salts of 20-40 g/l so that the adhered color of the surface of the zinc-electroplated layer will be of brown, green, white, or grey color, respectively.

The present invention relates to a method of adhering a colored electroplating layer on zinc-electroplated steel articles. The method utilizes an alternating current power supply which supplies electricity having a frequency of 10-20 Hz, voltage of 60-120 V, and current density of 20-80 Amp/dM.sup.2 ; and an aqueous electroplating solution which contains 150-200 g/l of silicate, 15-20 g/l of sodium hydroxide and 5-50 g/l of cobalt salt. The electroplating solution is kept at a constant temperature of 20.degree. C.-30.degree. C. In this method, two stages are utilized to perform the electroplating and adhere a colored electroplating layer so that the surface of the zinc-electroplated layer can adhere a blue electroplated layer. Thus the aesthetics and the corrosion-resistant capability of the zinc-electroplated layer can be enhanced because of the colored electroplated layer adhered to the surface of the zinc-electroplated layer. In the method mentioned hereinabove, the cobalt salts may be replaced by metal salts such as manganese salts of 5-20 g/l, chromium salts of 5-15 g/l, iron salts of 2-15 g/l, and tin salts of 20-40 g/l so that the adhered color of the surface of the zinc-electroplated layer would be brown, green, white, or grey, respectively.
The main object of the present invention is to apply a colored electroplated layer on the surface of a zinc-electroplated article so as to enhance corrosion-resistance. This is achieved by an alternating current electroplating method utilizing a voltage, a current, and a constant temperature of a limited range. In this method, salts contained in the solution and used in the electroplating process result in a colored electroplating layer being adhered to the surface of the zinc-electroplated layer of the zinc-electroplated steel article and the aesthetics and the corrosion resistance of the zinc-electroplated steel article are thereby enhanced by the colored electroplated layer.
Zinc is an amphoteric metal which is very active and which has the corrosion resistance capability. For this reason many commercially available products, which are made of iron or the like, such as home appliances, automobile body, bridge structure, electric power transmission equipment utilize zinc as corrosion resistant layer. Since the surface coating of the zing layer is soft and susceptible to wearing and corrosion, and the zinc layer becomes zinc oxide after being oxidized, the adherence between the zinc oxide and the iron material is deteriorated. This causes the zinc oxide to peel off the iron material. Furthermore, the surface of conventional zinc-plated steel articles is silver white which lacks aesthetics and limits the field of usage. Conventionally, several methods are employed to improve the color of the surface of the zinc-plated layer and to inhibit the consumption of the zinc layer on the surface; e.g. (1) chemical conversion coating for metals; (2) coating treatment; (3) to produce an interference coloring alloy by adding the elements such as titanium, magnesium or manganese during the process of hot-dip galvanizing; and (4) electrochemical coloring treatment. However, each of the above-mentioned methods has the following drawbacks:
(1) Chemical conversion coating for metals:
This method includes phosphates treatment method, chromates treatment method, and sulphurizing etc. Although the chemical conversion coating can be used for the corrosion resistant treatment for the zinc-plated steel articles, it has drawbacks since the chromates and the sulphites are highly toxic and the phosphate is difficult to dissolve. This causes environmental pollution. Furthermore, the corrosion resistant effect of this method is not ideal for high corrosion areas such as areas close to the sea.
(2) Coating treatment:
There are many kinds of resins which are being used in this method, e.g. PVC resin, acrylic resin, epoxy resin, or the like. However, the coating on the zinc-plated steel articles which have been coated with these resins have the tendency to peel off after being exposed. In particular the adherence between a paint and the surface of a zinc-plated layer is not good if the paint is applied on a steel article which has just been zinc-electroplated.
(3) To produce an interference coloring alloy by adding elements such as titanium, magnesium, or manganese during the process of hot-dip galvanizing:
This method produces alloy products in which the uniformity and the recurrence has to be overcome. Furthermore, the interference coloring alloy produced with this method is relatively thin and does not have a good anti-wearing property.
(4) Electrochemical coloring treatment:
In 1962, a Canadian company named Comince developed APCF (zinc anodized treatment procedure) which is an anodized treatment which utilizes zinc chromate and zinc ammonium phosphate electrolyte, with the voltage raised to 200V, to produce a green coating. In 1971, the U.S. Navy set up standards for zinc and zinc alloy anodized treatment coating, in which there are four kinds of colored coating treatment procedures, i.e., APCF (green coating), SSC (light grey coating), SSCV (dark grey coating), and SSMN (brown coating). These manufacturing procedures use solutions such as chromates, hydrofluoric acid, and permanganates, which are highly toxic and highly corrosive. Thus there is a tendency for causing environmental pollution.
The inventor of the present invention mitigates the problems such as coloring the zinc-plated layer and the thinness of the layer. The inventor conducted research in the technique relating to the zinc-plating of steel articles and the different clay coatings.
The present invention provides mainly a method for providing a colored layer adhered to zinc-plated layers which are zinc layers of pure zinc, hot-dip galvanized zinc, electroplated zinc, die casting zinc, and thermal sprayed zinc. In this method, the zinc-plated layer has enhanced adherence, microhardness, and erosion-resistant properties.

Method of adhering a colored electroplating layer on a zinc-electroplated steel article


An underground secondary containment system that is preassembled to a large extent at a manufacturing site prior to shipping to the site of installation. In this manner, the time expended at the site of installation in installing the underground secondary containment system is reduced. The underground secondary containment system includes a double walled fuel storage tank having isolated adjoining compartments for storing two different grades of fuel. A pair of dispenser sumps are mounted on the fuel storage tank at opposite ends thereof. A pair of tank sumps are mounted on the fuel storage tanks above the corresponding compartments. Each tank sump is connected to each of the dispenser sumps via flexible piping which extends along the exterior of the fuel storage tank. In this manner, two different grades of gasoline can be provided to each dispenser without utilizing piping disposed internally of the fuel storage tanks. The provision of separate tank sumps which are not located below above ground dispenser units permits ready access to the pump and associated fittings.

Various devices have been utilized for containing fuel and other hazardous products to prevent the contamination of the surrounding environment. One such system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,477. Another such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,713. This latter system, while attempting to reduce installation time, has several significant disadvantages. First, where multiple dispensers are serviced by a single multi-compartment underground storage tank, adjacent compartments are connected via internal piping, i.e., piping disposed on the interior of the storage tank and extending between the adjacent compartments. Due to variances in the fuel level of the adjacent compartments, the internal piping is subject to stress and hence breakage. This will lead to contamination of the higher grade gasoline. Also, this system utilizes only a single containment chamber for each above ground dispenser unit. Therefore, in pressure systems the pump is housed in the containment chamber under the dispenser unit. This makes access more difficult and further provides less area for servicing the pump.

Preassembled underground secondary containment system for containing fuel


An apparatus or method for testing of a SOC processor device may minimize interference that is caused by interfacing a comparatively low-speed testing device with the high-speed processor during testing. Implementations may gate the input clock signal at the clock input to each domain of the SOC processor device rather than at the output of the PLL clock. The gating of the clock signal to each domain may then be controlled by clock stop signals generated by the testing device and sent to the individual domains of the processor device. Gating the clock signal at the domain may provide a more natural state for the circuit during testing as well as allow the test control unit to test the different domains of the SOC device individually.

System-on-a-chip (SOC) processors generally go through automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) testing after manufacturing to test for failures in the design and manufacturing process of the device. One type of ATPG testing is known as delay fault testing. Delay fault testing provides a test pattern to a SOC processor under test and determines whether the SOC device meets the expected timing analysis as the test pattern is propagated through the device.
Because most testers cannot produce clock speeds at the same high frequency as modern SOC processors, many testers utilize the internal clock generated by the processor to perform the at-speed testing of the processor. As a result, delay fault testing of high-speed SOC processor devices by typical ATPG testers has proven particularly difficult.

Method and apparatus for testing delay faults


A method of producing a print medium to reduce problems associated with the gradual dye-fade and color-shift of inks over time, and to provide improved resistance to physical handling is provided Specifically, a method can comprise steps of coating a media substrate with a porous coating composition of semi-metal oxide or metal oxide particulates to form a porous ink receiving layer, coating the porous ink-receiving layer with a latex layer configured to allow an ink-jet ink to be received at the porous ink-receiving layer, printing ink-jet ink on at least a portion of the latex layer to form ink-associated latex regions exclusive of non-printed latex regions, and heating the latex layer. The ink-jet ink can include an ink vehicle, a colorant, and a film promoting additive that lowers the film forming temperature of the latex particulates in the ink-associated latex regions. Upon heating, the ink-associated latex regions form a continuous film, and non-printed latex regions do not form a continuous film. Associated systems and ink-jet prints are also provided.

In ink-jet technology, image quality of high-resolution images can be a function of both the ink-jet ink used to produce an image, and the print medium upon which the image is printed. Desirable attributes of print quality include saturated colors, high gloss and gloss uniformity, and freedom of grain and coalescence, among other characteristics.
Once a high-resolution image is printed, however, another major issue arises, namely, image permanence relating to how long the quality of the image will last. As the photo industry continues to move from film to digital image methods, the issue of image permanence becomes much more important.
With respect to much of the print media currently on the market, printed images commonly have undesirable attributes in the area of image permanence. One such undesirable attribute is the gradual dye-fade observed when dye-based ink-jet inks are printed on porous media. Such fade has been shown to be caused by small amounts of reactive compounds in the air, such as ozone. It appears that, over time, ozone reacts with many dyes commonly used in ink-jet inks, thus causing them to break down and to lose or diminish their intended color properties. It should be noted that dye-fade is more of a problem with certain dyes than with others. For example, cyan dyes tend to be affected to a greater extent by the presence of ozone in the air than do some other dyes.
Along with dye-fade, another significant undesirable attribute is color-shift. It has been observed that when ozone reacts with ink-jet ink dyes, the intended color properties of a given dye may shift to another wavelength value along the visible spectrum. This effect causes a gradual change in the perceived colors of the printed image from what was originally intended by the dyes.
These undesirable attributes, namely dye-fade, color-shift, and damage as a result of physical handling, gradually affect the perception of the printed image. Because the printed image is susceptible to these significant changes over time, many have been reluctant, especially in the graphics arts and photography industries, to embrace ink-jet printing of images intended to last a significant period of time.
As such, it would be beneficial to develop print media that provided for a more physically durable printed image with increased ozone fastness and reduced color-shift.

Ink solvent assisted heat sealable media

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


An air conditioning system for a vehicle includes a heat exchanger, a case clamping an outer peripheral part of the heat exchanger in its thickness direction, and an elastic body disposed at the outer peripheral part of the heat exchanger between the case and the heat exchange. The opposite side of the exchanger is held directly by the case. The elastic body is compressively deformed between the case and the heat exchanger to clamp the heat exchanger. A region of the outer peripheral part of the exchanger includes a planar portion at least on one side of the exchanger. The case includes an air stop rib at a position of the case opposed to the planar portion in the thickness direction of the exchanger. The air stop rib is located adjacent to the planar portion to limit an air leak.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioning system for a vehicle that holds a heat exchanger inside a case.
2. Description of Related Art
In such an air conditioning system for a vehicle, as described in JP-A-H11-078506, for example, a heat exchanger is held with the heat exchanger sandwiched in a case in a thickness direction of the heat exchanger. An elastic body is disposed between the heat exchanger and the case, and the elastic body is arranged on the generally entire outer peripheral part of the heat exchanger.
The purposes of the use of the elastic body as described above are as follows.
Firstly, an air leak between the heat exchanger and the case is limited so as to pass the air reliably through a heat exchanging core part, and heat exchanging performance is thereby ensured.
Secondly, vibration transmission from the heat exchanger to the case is alleviated, so that development of an abnormal noise is limited.
Thirdly, by reliably holding the heat exchanger inside the case, a backlash of the heat exchanger is prevented.
To fulfill these purposes, it is desirable that the elastic body should be disposed along the whole region of the outer peripheral part of the heat exchanger. However, in this case, the large amount of the elastic body used results in increase of a production cost. If use of the elastic body per se is given up for the reduction of the production cost, the above purposes cannot be achieved.

Rigid and elastic mounting for vehicle heat exchanger


A method and apparatus control operation of a disk drive array system which is accessible to a plurality of host computers over a SCSI bus. In accordance with the invention, an Inquiry command, configured to set a global semaphore or hardware lock for reserving exclusive control of the disk array, is sent to the disk system over the SCSI bus from a first host system. The disk drive system responds to the Inquiry command by setting the global semaphore if the global semaphore has not already been set. The disk drive system stores an identification of the host which sets the semaphore and reserves exclusive use of the control functions on the disk drive system for that host. The disk drive system then sends an Inquiry command response back to the host identifying a current holder of the semaphore. The host can also send other commands inquiring of the identity of the owner of the global semaphore, releasing its ownership of the global semaphore, and, if a maximum available predetermined time interval has passed, forcing either the reservation or release of the global semaphore. In this manner, synchronized use of the control functions of the disk drive system is maintained even though the host computers might otherwise have been able to corrupt or interfere with each other's competing applications and accesses.

The invention relates generally to disk storage systems, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for controlling a disk storage system in which multiple users can connect to and access the disk storage system.
Traditionally, disk storage systems, in particular disk arrays, were passive storage devices making large amounts of magnetic disk storage available to the host computers connected to them. As the speed of the interconnections between hosts and arrays increases, as the arrays themselves grow in size, and, as the arrays become more intelligent, it is increasingly more likely that multiple hosts could simultaneously access and use, and/or change, the same disk file or data or attempt to control the whole system. Accordingly, data could be corrupted if, while a first host computer is modifying the data, a second host computer also attempts to read and/or modify the data, or obtain control of the whole array. Some mechanism for establishing synchronization between the different hosts must be provided to ensure that two or more different applications will not be able to perform control operations on the disk array in overlapping time intervals.
A typical interconnection bus between the hosts and the disk array is a SCSI bus. The SCSI command library is well defined, and has a command to perform a reserve operation (reserve-SCSI 16H and release-SCSI 17H). Unfortunately, however, this command only operates on a single device and is used in association with normal read and write operations. Therefore, no SCSI command is available which performs the needed "reserve" operation to reserve the whole disk array to a single host computer or application for performing a control operation on the array, for example setting perma-cache, re-allocating devices, etc. These are control operations that affect the state of the whole disk array. They must be performed only by one host at a time. Thus, a mechanism is needed to "reserve" the whole disk array for performing such a control operation.

Control of a multi-user disk storage system


Provided are a multi-phase transformer having an easier-producible structure, and a transformation system wherein a plurality of such transformers are serially connected. Disclosed is a three-phase transformer (Tra) provided with three coils (1u, 1v, 1w) and a pair of magnetic members (21, 22) respectively provided on opposite ends in the axial direction of the coils (1u, 1v, 1w), wherein the coils (1u, 1v, 1w) are respectively provided with first and second sub-coils (11u, 12u; 11v, 12v; 11w, 12w).

A transformer is also called a voltage converter or an Xformer, and it serves as a component for transferring electric energy flowing in a primary coil to a secondary coil through electromagnetic induction. The transformer is widely used in not only electric products and electronic products, but also in electric power systems, etc. Such a transformer generally includes a primary coil, a secondary coil, and a core. The primary coil and the secondary coil are each constituted by winding, e.g., a soft copper wire, which has an insulating coating and has a round or rectangular sectional shape, around the core. The core is constituted, for example, by stacking a plurality of thin electrical steel sheets, e.g., silicon steel sheets. The core functions as a magnetic circuit for coupling the primary coil and the secondary coil to each other with mutual inductance. As other related-art transformers, there are, e.g., a transformer including a plurality of secondary coils to be adapted for plural transformation ratios, and a transformer including a tertiary coil for a specific purpose.
One of those transformers is disclosed in, e.g., Patent Literature (PTL) 1. In the transformer disclosed in PTL 1, a strip-like electrical steel sheet is wound and the wound electrical steel sheet is cut in a widthwise direction. After inserting two windings through the cut, cut ends of the wound electrical steel sheet at the cut are abutted and joined to each other, thus closing the cut, while the windings are fixedly held. In the transformer disclosed in PTL 1, the wound electrical steel sheet corresponds to the core, and the windings correspond to the coils.
In the related-art transformers described above, the core is of an annular structure having a circular or square shape, for example, to form a magnetic circuit, which can eliminate a leakage of magnetic flux to the exterior, and which can realize efficient magnetic coupling from the primary coil to the secondary coil. Therefore, when the primary coil and the secondary coil are each fabricated by winding a wire around the core that remains in the annular structure, an operation of winding the wire is complicated because the core has the annular structure, thus causing a limit in increasing productivity. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of facilitating the winding operation, when the winding operation is separately performed on each of plural separated members of the core and the plural members are then joined to each other to form the core of the annular structure, or when the wound electrical steel sheet (core) is cut in the widthwise direction and, after inserting the windings through the cut, the cut ends are jointed to each other to close the cut as described in PTL 1, the joining operation requires to be performed in a manner minimizing the magnetic kiss. In PTL 1, particularly, because the cut ends have to be processed so as to incline at an angle of 50° to 70° with respect to the winding direction, substantial time and labor are needed.

Multi-phase transformer and transformation system


The invention relates to fatty acid guanidine or salicylate guanidine derivatives; compositions comprising an effective amount of a fatty acid guanidine or salicylate guanidine derivative; and methods for treating or preventing a metabolic disease comprising the administration of an effective amount of a fatty acid guanidine or salicylate guanidine derivative.

Oily cold water fish, such as salmon, trout, herring, and tuna are the source of dietary marine omega-3 fatty acids, with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) being the key marine derived omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids have previously been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance in normoglycemic men and in obese individuals. Omega-3 fatty acids have also been shown to improve insulin resistance in obese and non-obese patients with an inflammatory phenotype. Lipid, glucose, and insulin metabolism have been shown to improve in overweight hypertensive subjects through treatment with omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA) have also been shown to decrease triglycerides and to reduce the risk for sudden death caused by cardiac arrhythmias in addition to improve mortality in patients at risk of a cardiovascular event. Omega-3 fatty acids have also been taken as dietary supplements part of therapy used to treat dyslipidemia, and anti-inflammatory properties. A higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids lower levels of circulating TNF-α and IL-6, two of the cytokines that are markedly increased during inflammation processes (Chapkin et al, Prostaglandins, Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 2009, 81, p. 187-191; Duda et al, Cardiovasc Res 2009, 84, p. 33-41). In addition, a higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids has also been shown to increase levels of the well-characterized anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 (Bradley et al, Obesity (Silver Spring) 2008, 16, p. 938-944). More recently, there is additional evidence that omega-3 fatty acids could play a significant role in oncology (Anderson et al, Lipids in Health and Disease 2009, 8, p. 33; Bougnoux et al, Progress in Lipid Research 2010, 49, p. 76-86; Erickson et al, Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids 2010, 82, p. 237-241). In a study using the xenograft model in nude mice, treatment with omega-3 fatty acids, such as DHA and EPA, resulted in breast tumor regression. Here, treatment with DHA/EPA appeared to increase the level of PTEN protein and attenuate the PI 3 kinase and Akt kinase activity as well as the expression of the anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL in the breast tumors (Ghosh-Choudhury, T. et al. Breast Cancer Res. Treat. 2009, 118 (1), 213-228). Additional evidence supporting the use of omega-3 fatty acids in oncology also appeared in a recent study by Lim et al. showing that DHA/EPA could inhibit hepatocellular carcinoma cell growth, presumably by blocking β-catenin and cyclooxygenase-2 (Lim, K. et al. Mol. Cancer Ther. 2009, 8 (11), 3046-3055).
Both DHA and EPA are characterized as long chain fatty acids (aliphatic portion between 12-22 carbons). Medium chain fatty acids are characterized as those having the aliphatic portion between 6-12 carbons. Lipoic acid is a medium chain fatty acid found naturally in the body. It plays many important roles such as free radical scavenger, chelator to heavy metals and signal transduction mediator in various inflammatory and metabolic pathways, including the NF-κB pathway (Shay, K. P. et al. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 2009, 1790, 1149-1160). Lipoic acid has been found to be useful in a number of chronic diseases that are associated with oxidative stress (for a review see Smith, A. R. et al Curr. Med. Chem. 2004, 11, p. 1135-46). Lipoic acid has now been evaluated in the clinic for the treatment of diabetes (Morcos, M. et al Diabetes Res. Clin. Pract. 2001, 52, p. 175-183) and diabetic neuropathy (Mijnhout, G. S. et al Neth. J. Med. 2010, 110, p. 158-162). Lipoic acid has also been found to be potentially useful in treating cardiovascular diseases (Ghibu, S. et al, J. Cardiovasc. Pharmacol. 2009, 54, p. 391-8), Alzheimer's disease (Maczurek, A. et al, Adv. Drug Deliv. Rev. 2008, 60, p. 1463-70) and multiple sclerosis (Yadav, V. Multiple Sclerosis 2005, 11, p. 159-65; Salinthone, S. et al, Endocr. Metab. Immune Disord. Drug Targets 2008, 8, p. 132-42).
Metformin has long been the standard of care treatment for patients with Type 2 Diabetes. It has shown to be anti-atherosclerotic, cardioprotective, has positive effects on vascular endothelium, and suppressant effects on glycation, oxidative stress and in the formation of adhesion molecules. In addition, metformin has shown favorable effects on lipid profiles, reduces liver volume, improves hepatic insulin sensitivity and has positive effects on polycystic ovary syndrome. (Scarpello, J H and Howlett, H C, Diab Vasc Dis Res, 2008, 5(3), 157-167, Nestler, J., New England Journal of Medicine, 2008, 358, p. 47-54). Metformin acts upon the NF-kB axis by increasing the antiangiogenic Thrombospondin-1 (Randeva, H. et al, Cardiovascular Research, 2009, 83, 566-574) as well as by inhibiting P-glycoprotein expression (Jeong, H G e al, British J Pharmacology, 2011, 162(5), 1096-1108). Other guanidine derivatives that have been shown to have anti-diabetic activity include N-methyl-N-guanylglycine, also referred to as creatine. In a comparison study regarding the anti-hyperglycemic effects of creatine (2×3 g a day) and metformin (2×500 mg a day) in recently detected type 2 diabetics, both agents have been shown to elicit similar glucose lowering effects (Rocic et al, Clinical and Investigative Medicine 2009, issue 6, p. E322-E326). Metformin has been used widely since its introduction in the mid 1990's. However, because of its fully protonated form under physiological conditions, it is slowly and incompletely absorbed from the upper intestine upon oral administration. Furthermore, metformin displays some uncomfortable gastrointestinal side effects which sometimes limit patient compliance and effectiveness. Hence, a number of different pro-drug forms of metformin have been investigated. Some of these are detailed in Huttunen et al, Synthesis 2008, p. 3619-3624. Some of these pro-drug forms included carbamate derivatives and rigid phenyl derivatives that allowed 1,6-elimination of either a p-amino or p-hydroxybenzylic group. Other cyclic derivatives of metformin have also been prepared in order to improve its tolerability. These cyclic derivatives of metformin included imeglimin (Wacharine-Antar et al, Org. Process Research & Development 2010, 14, p. 1358-2363) and other compounds disclosed in Helmreich et al's WO 2010108583.
Salicylates and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can influence the NF-κB pathway, allowing people to derive relief and reduced inflammation from these drugs. Aspirin and COX inhibitors act to reduce inflammation by reversibly or irreversibly blocking access to the hydrophobic channel via acetylation of serine 530 (COX-1) or Serine 516 (COX-2). For some selective NSAIDs with a carboxylate group, there is significant charge-charge interaction with Arginine 120. This binding or interaction blocks the cyclooxygenase enzyme that forms PGH2. Salicylate does not irreversibly inhibit cyclooxygenase because it lacks the ability to acylate the COX enzyme and has little, if any, direct inhibitory action on the COX enzyme at concentrations that are relevant in vivo. Salicylate has been shown to inhibit the activity of IKKβ and thereby inhibit NFκB leading to reduced expression of COX-2 in an inflammatory state where COX-2 expression has been induced.
Because of the ability of guanidine derivatives such as, for example, metformin and omega-3 fatty acid or salicylic acid to act on the NF-κB axis, a synergistic activity would provide a great benefit in treating multiple myeloma, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) or other metabolic diseases.

Fatty acid guanidine and salicylate guanidine derivatives and their uses


A rotatable steering wheel aid is secured to the wheel by a segmented annular holder which embraces the wheel and to which a rotatable head member is attached by a threaded fastener and bearing assembly.

Presently, there are many differently designed steering wheel rotating aids available in the market. These steering wheel rotating aids are, however, complicated in structure and can not be easily mounted onto the steering wheel. In some cases, the mounted rotating aid radially projects from the steering wheel to a considerable extent, as shown in FIG. 6, which will not only hinders the driver from smooth handling of the steering wheel, but also makes the steering wheel look unsightly. The complicated structure and the difficulty in mounting further causes higher manufacturing cost. It is therefore an object by the inventor to develop a steering wheel rotating aid which eliminates the drawbacks of the conventional steering wheel rotating aids.


Systems, computer readable media, and method concern assigning an abstraction representation to data associated with a system of the SCADA environment. The method also includes providing the abstraction representation to a control system associated with the system of the SCADA environment. The control system is implemented in a computer system. Further, the method includes receiving actual data from the system of the SCADA environment. Additionally, the method includes generating abstract data from the actual data using the abstraction representation. The method, also includes forwarding the abstract data to the control system.

Today's SCADA systems use fault-tolerance techniques in an attempt to remain available even when parts of the system fail. In particular, state-of-the-art SCADA systems use a hot backup of the SCADA master within a single control center to take over if the primary SCADA master fails. In addition, many SCADA systems use a cold-backup approach of maintaining a backup control center in a different geographic location that can be activated within a few minutes to a few hours by the SCADA system operators it the primary control center fails.
Using this approach, a SCADA system can successfully withstand a single benign failure of a single server within a control center and can restore operation after a complete control center failure with a few minutes or hours of downtime. When a control center fails as the result of a single benign problem, the few minutes or hours of downtime are likely to occur at a normal, nan-critical time, and therefore are considered acceptable today.
However, as malicious attacks become more prevalent, the assumptions that failures will generally not occur at critical times and that only benign failures need to be addressed no longer hold. For example, a sophisticated attacker can take down the primary control center at a critical moment, incurring system downtime at the worst possible time (e.g., during a major snowstorm or during a coordinated large-scale attack in multiple domains).
Switching from a cold-backup approach to a hot backup approach, where the backup control center is always active and ready to take over, does not solve the problem; network partitions (due to either benign failures or malicious attacks) can cause a split-brain problem in which both control centers believe they are the primary and try to issue control commands. Beyond this, a compromised SCADA master (in either a cold-backup or hot-backup approach) can issue incorrect commands, with devastating effects on the SCADA system.
SCADA manufacturers are considering moving SCADA systems to cloud-like settings to obtain cost, scalability, and fault-tolerance benefits. In such settings, a few large cloud SCADA providers could manage SCADA systems for many individual clients, for example, utility companies. While the cloud-based settings may lower the clients' cost, simplify management, and potentially offer new features and services, the cloud-based settings raise security and confidentiality issues.
For example, a utility company may want to keep certain sensitive information about its SCADA system private and avoid revealing those details to the cloud provider, tor instance, due to concerns about cloud data breaches or unauthorized access by other utilities using the cloud. Such sensitive information may include locations and Internet Protocol (IP) addresses (or other communication/access methods) of field sites and Remote Terminal Units (RTUs), and may include potentially other types of data.

Systems and methods for cloud-based control and data acquisition with abstract state


The policy setting support tool according to the present invention simplifies the operation required for setting up policies by providing a policy creation unit 102 and a user interface unit 101. The policy creation unit 102 creates a draft policy from a combination of sample policies prepared for each kind of software, association information providing information on the programs that are likely to access a given object, and an access log showing a history of behavior of a given program. A user interface unit 101 displays the draft policy and allows the user to check and revise it. The support tool also facilitates the maintenance of policies, by providing a differential detection unit 104 for detecting items for suggested change referring to the current object 112 and the subject information database 113, for presenting them to the user as through a user interface unit 101, and for allowing the user to revise the policy in simplified operation.

The present invention relates to a policy setting support tool used in an access control system which controls, in accordance with a set of prescribed policies, access to information assets managed by a computer system.
To protect computer resources including information, many of today's computer systems employ a combination of the user authentication mechanism provided by the multi-user, multi-task operating system and an access control mechanism based on the result of the authentication. A typical arrangement is that when accessing an information processing system on which the operating system runs, the user is required to present his/her user ID and password to its host operating system and obtain authentication.
In such an arrangement, every file managed by the information processing system is given an access control list (called a policy) as its security attribute. This list specifies, based on the user ID and the group ID, what type of access (e.g., read, write) each user is granted for the file.
Each time a user attempts to access a file through an application program, the operating system checks his/her user ID and the ID of the group he/she belongs to against the policies assigned to the target file and to the directory it belongs to, and grants access only if he/she is covered by them.
Further, to provide a stricter means of access control, such an arrangement can be expanded to require, as the information on the access requester, the identification of the application program serving as the access intermediary, in addition to the requester's user ID and group ID.
An example of such access control is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-337864 (Document 1). It should be noted that to prevent unauthorized access, policies should be set up so as to limit access to the minimum level required to carry out the tasks or to provide the intended services.
Further, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-108818 (Document 2) discloses a method for reducing the time required to create a security policy, whereby the user creates one by selecting the one best fitting his/her purposes among a number of model or sample policies and modifying it.
In view of providing a secure environment for the use of information assets, it is critical to define policies so as to limit access permission to the bare minimum. If, however, in defining policies one is to consider the identification of the program serving as the carrier of the access request (access intermediary) in addition to the user ID and group ID, it would make the procedure tedious and lengthy, although it would realize more elaborate checking of the access right. For example, one would need to know the specifications of the software such as what data it is going to access.
If the software is composed of more than one program, the problem would become greater. Even with the method disclosed in Document 2, the user would be loaded with increased chores of studying the specifications of the software, because it is nobody but the user who can modify the sample policy so as to fit his/her purpose.
Another conceivable problem arises when the contents of the program file itself are changed because of an update to the program, there is a change in the registered information on the user or the group, or the file or the directory, which is part of the information assets, is deleted, moved, or renamed. In such an event, the registered policy may not correctly reflect the most up-to-date characteristics of the information asset any longer, which would make access control ineffective.


A toner supply device is equipped with a coupling that has a toner supply opening on the side wall, a partition wall provided in this coupling integrally with a specific space provided on the inner wall and a hole larger than a toner supply opening on the side wall. A toner bottle containing toner is provided in the coupling with its cap portion inserted airtight into the partition wall detachably and an opening provided on its cap portion opposing to the hole on the partition wall for replenishing toner to a developing device from this opening through the hole and a toner supply opening.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a toner supply device and an image forming apparatus that are used in, for example, electro-photographic copiers.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus forms an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive drum that is an image carrier and develops this electrostatic latent image with a developing device. A toner bottle that is a toner supply device is attached to the developing device and toners are supplied to the developing device.
A cap portion of the toner bottle is inserted into a coupling that forms a driving unit and connected to the coupling. An opening is provided on a peripheral wall of the cap portion and a toner supply opening is provided on a peripheral wall of the coupling. When the cap portion of the toner bottle is inserted into the coupling, its opening is opposed to the toner supply opening of the coupling.
When supplying a toner, the toner bottle is rotated with the rotation of the coupling and when the opening of the toner bottle and the toner supply opening is located at the lower side, a toner in the toner bottle falls by its own weight through the opening and is supplied in the developing device.
As the cap portion of the toner bottle is inserted in the coupling and fitted in the airtight state, when the toner bottle is pulled out, the pressure in the coupling changes rapidly,
However, as a hole provided so far to the coupling was only at the toner supply opening. A strong sucking power acts on the toner supply opening. Therefore, there was such a problem that toner adhered to the peripheral edge portion of the toner supply opening is sucked into the toner bottle and the inside of the coupling is contaminated.
Further, when some defect was generated and the rotation of the toner bottle was stopped during the image forming operation, operator may pull out the toner bottle erroneously at a position other than the specific position.
However, when the toner bottle was pulled out at a position other than the specific position, the coupling was so far kept in the stopped state at that position. Therefore, there was such a trouble that a time was needed to position a toner bottle against the coupling and the toner bottle could not be inserted smoothly into the coupling when reinserting the toner bottle.
Further, there are couplings that can be rotated irrespective of the presence of a toner bottle. In this case, however, there was such a problem that if the coupling was erroneously rotated without inserting a toner bottle into the coupling, a toner flows back from the toner supply opening of the coupling and is scattered by centrifugal force.

Toner supply device and image forming apparatus


A coated article or layer system is provided which includes at least one infrared (IR) reflecting layer including niobium (Nb) sandwiched between at least a pair of dielectric layers. In certain embodiments, a Cr inclusive barrier layer is provided to protect the Nb inclusive IR reflecting layer, for chemical durability purposes. In other example embodiments, a protective overcoat including a zirconium oxide inclusive layer may be provided to protect the Nb inclusive IR reflecting layer for durability purposes.

Solar control coatings having a layer stack of glass/Si3N4/NiCr/Si3N4 are known in the art, where the metallic NiCr layer is the sole infrared (IR) reflecting layer in the coating.
Unfortunately, while such layer stacks provide efficient solar control and are overall good coatings, they sometimes are lacking in terms of: (a) corrosion resistance to acid (e.g., HCl boil); (b) mechanical performance such as scratch resistance; and/or (c) thermal stability upon heat treatment for tempering, heat bending, or the like (i.e., ΔE* value(s)). For example, a known heat treatable coated article having a layer stack of glass/Si3N4/NiCr/Si3N4 has an undesirably high glass side reflective ΔE* value of above 5.0 after heat treatment (HT) at 625 degrees C. for ten minutes. This high glass side reflective ΔE* value means that the coated article when HT will not approximately match its non-HT counterpart with respect to glass side reflective color.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a coated article that has improved characteristics with respect to (a), (b) and/or (c) compared to a conventional layer stack of glass/Si3N4/NiCr/Si3N4, but which still is capable of acceptable solar control (e.g., blocking a reasonable amount of IR and/or UV radiation) and/or heat treatment.
Commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/338,878 (hereby incorporated herein by reference) discloses a coated article comprising glass/Si3N4/NbN/Si3N4. This coated article is advantageous with respect to the aforesaid glass/Si3N4/NiCr/Si3N4 in terms of color stability upon heat treatment. In particular, coated articles of glass/Si3N4/NbN/Si3N4 described in Ser. No. 10/338,878 may be able to achieve ΔE* values due to heat treatment of less than or equal to 3.0, more preferably less than or equal to 2.5, and so forth.
Unfortunately, while coatings with Nb and NbN IR reflecting layers achieve excellent thermal performance and mechanical durability, their ability to withstand chemical attack is suspect. For example, coated articles of glass/Si3N4/NbN/Si3N4 and glass/Si3N4/Nb/Si3N4 have less than desirable resistance to alkaline attack and oxidation at elevated temperatures.
Thus, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that there exists a need for a technique for improving chemical durability of coated articles including Nb inclusive IR reflecting layer(s). In certain other embodiments set forth below, such technique(s) may also be applied to coatings including other types of IR reflecting layers such as Ni or Ni alloy IR reflecting layers.

Heat treatable coated article and method of making same