Providing a negative-electrode active material for nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary battery, the negative-electrode active material enabling an output characteristic to upgrade, a production process for the same, a negative electrode for nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary battery, and a nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary battery. The negative-electrode active material includes an Si-metal-carbon composite composed of: a metal/carbon composite matrix including at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Cu, Fe, Ni, Ti, Nb, Zn, In and Sn, at least one member selected from the group consisting of N, O, P and S, and amorphous carbon; and nanometer-size Si particles dispersed in the metal/carbon composite matrix.

Nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary batteries, such as lithium-ion secondary batteries, lithium secondary batteries and sodium-ion secondary batteries, are secondary batteries having high energy densities and enabling high powers to output. For example, lithium-ion secondary batteries have been used mainly as a power source for portable electronic devices. In addition, lithium-ion secondary batteries are expected to serve as a power source for electric automobiles having been anticipated to prevail from now on. A lithium-ion secondary battery has a battery construction in which the positive electrode and negative electrode are made of an active material being able to sorb (or occlude) and desorb (or release) lithium (Li), respectively. Thus, the lithium-ion secondary battery is operated by lithium ions moving within an electrolytic solution disposed between the two electrodes.
In current lithium-ion secondary batteries, lithium-containing metallic composite oxides, such as lithium-cobalt composite oxides, have been used mainly as an active material for the positive electrode. As for an active material for the negative electrode, carbonaceous materials have been used primarily. A polar plate for the positive electrode, and another polar plate for the positive plate have been fabricated as follows. One of the active materials, and a binder resin, as well as a conductive additive, if needed, are dispersed in a solvent to make a slurry. The resulting slurry is coated onto a metallic foil serving as a current collector. The solvent is removed by drying to form a mixed-agent layer. Thereafter, the current collector with the mixed-agent layer formed is molded to a shape by compressing with a roll pressing machine.
Recently, developments of negative-electrode active materials, which possess charge and discharge capacities excelling the theoretical capacities of carbonaceous materials greatly, have been under way, for use in lithium-ion secondary batteries. For example, silicon-based materials, such as silicon or silicon oxides having higher capacities than do carbonaceous materials, have been investigated.
Silicon-based materials alloyed with lithium are able to possess such a high capacity as 1,000 mAh/g or more. However, when a silicon-based material, like silicon or silicon oxide, is used as a negative-electrode active material, the volume of the negative-electrode active material has been known to expand and contract as being accompanied by the sorbing and desorbing of lithium (Li) in the charging and discharging cycles of lithium-ion secondary battery. Such expansions and contractions of the volume of the negative-electrode active material apply loads to a binding agent performing a role of retaining the negative-electrode active material onto a current collector. The binding agent to which the loads have been applied causes declines in adhesiveness between the negative-electrode active material and the current collector, and destructions in conductive paths within a negative electrode. Moreover, the repetitive expansions and contractions of the volume of the negative-electrode active material generate distortions in the negative electrode. The distortions arisen in the negative electrode cause the negative-electrode active material to be miniaturized, and cause the negative-electrode active material to be eliminated from the negative electrode. Therefore, when a silicon-based material, like silicon or silicon oxide, is used as a negative-electrode active material, the expansions and contractions of the negative-electrode active material result in such a problematic issue that no battery performance, such as initial efficiency, capacity and durability which the silicon-based material is supposed to have inherently, is obtainable.
For the purpose of solving the above problematic issue, adding a buffer to a negative-electrode mixed-agent layer has been investigated in order to inhibit a negative electrode as a whole from changing volumetrically, thereby inhibiting cyclability of the negative electrode from deteriorating. The buffer herein inhibits the negative electrode from suffering volumetric changes resulting from expansions and contractions of the volume of a negative-electrode active material.
For example, in Patent Gazette No. 1, using a negative-electrode active material, in which Si particles and amorphous carbon had been composited, led to successfully upgrading a lithium-ion secondary battery in the cyclability. However, the negative-electrode active material according to Patent Gazette No. 1 had a structure in which the Si particles were buried in the amorphous carbon with low conductivity. Consequently, the present inventors believe the following as concerns over the negative-electrode active material: declines in the lithium-ion conductivity within the negative-electrode active material at the time of charging and discharging the lithium-ion secondary battery, and increments in the battery resistance being accompanied by the declines. Thus, using the negative-electrode active material, in which Si particles and amorphous carbon have been composited, results in such a possibility that an output characteristic of the lithium-ion secondary battery declines.    Patent Gazette No. 1: Japanese Patent Gazette No. 4281099

Negative-electrode active material for nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary battery production process for the same, negative electrode for nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary battery, and nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary battery


An image forming apparatus having; a photoconductive drum, a LED print head to write an image on a surface of the photoconductive drum, and a positioning device to locate the LED print head in a relative position in respect to the photoconductive drum, includes; centering sections respectively arranged at both ends of a center shaft of the photoconductive drum so as to rotate centering around the shaft thereof, LED print head positioning members fixed at the centering member respectively, and a rotation direction determination member to fix the centering members onto an image forming apparatus main body side when a preferable relative position of the LED print head in respect to the photoconductive drum is obtained by rotating the centering sections.

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus capable of high accuracy positioning of a process unit representing image forming section equipped with a LED print head.
In color image forming apparatus, the process unit of each color is configured with a photoconductive drum and members arranged at its peripheral such as a charging device, exposing device, developing device and cleaning device, and a degree of parallelization between each member and the photoconductive drum is key issue to improve sharpness of an image and stability of reproducibility. In color image forming particularly, adjustment of the position by individual process unit is needed first. Further the degree of parallelization between each process unit is important to prevent occurrence of color skew of the image. As Patent Document 1 disclose, it has been popular that the degree of parallelization in respect to the photoconductive drum is maintained, for example, by adjusting the position of the LED print head serving as an exposing device via a frame portion which is coaxially connected to a rotation center of the photoconductive drum, in other words based on the frame portion. However, even by the above adjusting method, there is a case where the process unit is slightly deformed when the photoconductive drum and its drive mechanism, a developing roller, and a screw and its drive mechanism are assembled and connected. Thus the position LED print head is misaligned and the degree of parallelization is deteriorated. Further when the process unit is deformed with time, the accuracy of parallelization is further deteriorated.
Once the degree of parallelization in respect to the photoconductive drum is deteriorated, the process unit had to be dismantled from the image forming apparatus main boy so that the each member is reassembled and adjusted. Also, it was inconvenient that when the LED print head is replaced, the apparatus had to be carried into a maintenance room to carry out adjusting work, thus field service was extremely difficult.
Also, in order to prevent such phenomenon, described in the Patent Document 2, ensuring of the degree of parallelization in respect to the photoconductive drum is attempted to maintain, for example, by pressing a partial cylindrical section of a position setting section where a LED print head setting section and a developing device setting section are integrated, onto a cylindrical section of the photoconductive drum having the same diameter. However, since the position setting section and the photoconductive drum abut each other in sliding manner, it is not preferable as a positioning means and the degree of parallelization cannot be maintained stably.    Patent Document 1: Tokkai 2005-55781    Patent Document 2: Tokkai 2005-242119

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


A fastening device provides for the securement of an elongate member to a support structure. The fastening device includes a housing having a support portion for supporting the elongate member. The fastening device further includes a fixed component fixably securable to the support structure. The housing is insertable over the fixed component and may be variably positioned thereon at select angular orientations such that the support portion is variably positioned about the fixed component.

Studmount cable fasteners are typically employed in machinery, duct work, motor vehicles or other applications in order to provide an attachment point to which electrical cable, wires, wire bundles, cables and the like may be secured. It is desirable to properly secure cables to a structural member so that the cable will not interfere with the operation of the device or other components. Proper securement is especially important when the cables or wires are located adjacent moving components or in adverse conditions. Wires or cables if not properly restrained may become caught or entangled resulting in the wires becoming frayed or cut. Such damage to the wires or cables may lead to component failure and possibly costly troubleshooting and repair.
Space constraints of a particular design may require the wiring to be located in a specific location in order to provide clearance for other components. The precise ideal location of cables or wiring harnesses may only be known upon the final assembly of the wiring to the structure due to various factors that are difficult to calculate in advance. Therefore, it is desirable to have a wiring mounting device which provides location flexibility for attaching the wire harness.
Prior art wire or cable fasteners include devices which are bolted or secured to a structural member. Such devices also include an opening through which a cable tie or strap may extend. The strap then may be wrapped around the wires or cable, thereby securing the wires to the structural member. Such fasteners, however, are typically fixedly secured to the structural member such that the wires to be secured must extend directly over or in close proximity to the mounting point. In many applications, the bolt holes, which are used to secure the wire fastener, are typically pre-formed in the structural member prior to the installation of the wires. If after installing the wires the optimum location in which the wires to be supported is not adjacent this hole, either another hole must be made or a special fixture must be formed to accommodate any location discrepancy.
Adjustable cable fasteners are known in the prior art, however, their adjustability and therefore their ability to accommodate any discrepancy is extremely limited. One example of such a cable fastener is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,208 to Cordes, et al. Cordes, et al. discloses a spacer mounting for electrical cable bundles and the like. The spacers include a pair of interlocking mounting members with each member having a saddle portion for engaging and holding the cable. In one embodiment, the mounting members are interlockable with one mounting member having a plug and the other mounting member including a socket which receives the plug. The mounting members are rotatable with respect to each other so that the saddles may be aligned to engage the cable. Both saddles contain slots through which cable ties may extend in order to aid in securing the cable.
In an alternative embodiment, the cable fastener of Cordes, et al. includes interlocking pins having locking heads that are used to hold the mounting members together. The members may be rotated relative to each other between two endpoints of an arcuate slot.
In both embodiments of Cordes, et al., since the cable mounting surface is in line with the units of the devices center of rotation, the device has only limited ability to accommodate cables running over the devices center of rotation. However, if the wire or cable runs adjacent to the center line of rotation, the device cannot be used to properly support the cable. Each end of the slot includes an interlocking section in which the pins will snap into upon rotation of the mounting members relative to each other.
In addition, the spacer mount of the first embodiment of Cordes, et al. does not provide rotational support for the cable since the mounting sections are freely rotatable relative to each other. While the second embodiment of Cordes, et al., does provide for the mounting parts to be locked relative to each other, the locking feature only occurs at the endpoints of the slot. Therefore, the cable must be correctly aligned with the saddle in either one of the two end positions so that the spacer mount may be properly secure the cable.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a cable fastener that may be securely fastened to a structural member and that can accommodate a variety of cable locations and have the ability to secure the cable in both a rotational and translational manner in a particular location.


An apparatus for manipulating a surgical needle is disclosed, comprising a body portion, a first needle receiving jaw mounted for movement on a distal end of the body portion and having a first needle engaging member, a second needle receiving jaw mounted for movement on the distal end of the body portion and having a second needle engaging member, the second needle engaging member being operatively interconnected to the first needle engaging member for relative reciprocal movement therewith, wherein each of the first and second needle receiving jaws has a recess for receipt of a portion of a surgical needle therein. The first and second needle engaging members are mounted for alternate reciprocal movement into and out of locking engagement with the surgical needle. The apparatus also includes a wheel rotatably mounted within the body portion with a proximal end portion of each of the first and second needle engaging members connected to opposing sides of the wheel such that rotation of the wheel simultaneously retracts one of the needle engaging members and advances the other. Also disclosed is a method of manipulating a surgical needle inside a body cavity using a surgical instrument having a control mechanism, a first jaw and a second jaw, where at least one of the jaws is mounted for movement between a first position adjacent the other jaw and a second position spaced apart from the other jaw.

1. Technical Field
The technical field relates generally to surgical instrumentation and, more particularly, to a suturing apparatus suitable for use in endoscopic or laparoscopic surgical procedures.
2. Description of Related Art
During many surgical procedures in order to join tissue sections it is generally considered desirable to place two or three lines of stitching in the tissue sections, such as, for example, when performing an anastomosis to provide reinforcement. This is generally accomplished by providing a suturing device capable of passing a needle, having a length of suture material attached thereto, back and forth between jaws located on opposite sides of the tissues. One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,470 to Stenson. The device of Stenson includes a pair of arms configured to alternately receive opposed ends of a needle-shuttle member. The shuttle member with an attached length of filament is passed alternately back and forth between the arms to stitch skin together.
Numerous surgical procedures are now being carried out endoscopically or laparoscopically. Endoscopic or laparoscopic procedures are characterized by the use of an elongated cannula having a relatively small diameter. The distal end of the cannula is passed through the surrounding tissue into the body cavity wherein the surgical procedure or examination is to be effected, thus providing a conduit for the insertion of surgical instrumentation. A plurality of cannulas may be used to allow insertion and operation of a variety of instruments simultaneously during a given procedure. For example, one cannula may provide a conduit for an endoscope for vision and illumination within the operative cavity while the other cannulas may provide conduits for control of specialized surgical instruments such as graspers, dissectors and staplers, designed for performing specific procedural functions.
During many endoscopic and laparoscopic procedures, it is necessary to rapidly and accurately place successive needle-suture combinations within the jaws of a surgical suturing apparatus for immediate and repeated use during the surgical procedure. Further, it is often necessary to hold the needles at specific locations along the needle body to facilitate suturing such as, for example, at one end or the other. Laparoscopic suturing presents a particularly challenging task, because it must be accomplished through a port that typically averages between five and ten millimeters. One instrument for facilitating laparoscopic suturing is discussed in British Patent Application No. 2260704, published Apr. 28, 1993.
Although the suturing device described in application Ser. No. 2260704 can be used to place laparoscopic sutures, once the suture is used up, or if a new needle is required, the suturing device must be re-loaded by inserting the suture within the device by hand, which can be very time-consuming. As it is generally considered desirable to place two or three lines of stitching when performing an anastomosis to provide reinforcement, the laparoscopic suturing device as described in the British application mentioned above may require manual reloading one or more times.
Another instrument for facilitating laparoscopic suturing is disclosed in German Patent Specification No. DE 41 24 383 C1. The device disclosed in DE 41 24 383 C1 includes a stationary jaw having a spring biased needle clamping device and a movable jaw having a movable two part clamping device. A needle can be moved back and forth between the jaws by pushing or pulling the needle into or out of the rigid jaw with the movable jaw by way of pneumatic actuation. When the needle is retained within the movable jaw it is releasable at any time and when the needle is retained within the stationary jaw it cannot be released without being pulled free.
In the devices listed above the shuttle member or needle may be released from the jaws when the jaws are at least partially opened. Thus, the shuttle or needle may be lost resulting in inconvenience or, if released during surgery, potential injury to a patient. Additionally, as in the case of U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,470 and German Patent Specification No. DE 41 24 383 C1, the jaws of the device may be opened before the shuttle or needle has been fully secured therein resulting in the aforementioned dangers.
Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a laparoscopic suturing instrument to permit quick, efficient and safe reloading of a new needle and suture. A laparoscopic suturing device would also provide an advantage if the surgical needle could not be released by the operator during a surgical operation while the jaws are in the open condition. It would be a further advantage if the jaws could be prevented from moving when the needle is not secured in either jaw, so as to prevent the needle from accidentally dislodging in the body cavity. It would be a still further advantage if the suturing device could be rapidly and precisely reloaded without touching the needle by hand.

Surgical suturing apparatus with locking mechanisms


The invention refers to a method performed by a radio network node (200), wherein the radio access network comprises a central unit, CU (220), and a distributed unit, DU (210), comprising obtaining (502) one or more criteria for determining a preferable location for a UE context controller in the radio access network node, the UE context controller managing a connection between a UE (100) and the radio access network node (200); and determining (504), based on the one or more criteria, whether the UE context controller shall be located in the CU (220) and/or in the DU (210). The invention further related to a corresponding radio network node (200).

The 3GPP is working on a New Radio (NR) standard for 5G, building on LTE/EUTRAN standards.
As e.g. described in 3GPP TS 36.401 (current version 15.1.0), there are several types of UE associations needed in the access node (e.g. eNB or gNB); the so-called (eNB) UE context stores all information needed for a handling of the user equipment, UE.
The UE context may be regarded as a block of information associated to one UE. The block of information contains the necessary information required to maintain the radio access network, RAN, services towards the active UE. The UE context may comprise UE state information, security information, UE capability information and identities of the UE-associated logical S1 connection. A UE context is e.g. established when the transition to active state for a UE is completed, or in a target access node after completion of handover resource allocation during handover preparation.
For radio access network systems employing a disaggregated radio access network node, e.g. NR radio access networks comprising radio access nodes being referred to as gNBs, it has been agreed that a new interface, called F1, is to be specified to enable an deployment of a disaggregated gNB, wherein the is split into a node called central unit, gNB-CU, or CU and another node called distributed unit, gNB-DU or DU on the logical (or functional) level.
The CU may include a subset of gNB functions like transfer of user data, mobility control and session management, whereas the DU may include another subset of the gNB functions that are not included in the CU.
By consequence of the split, the radio interface between the UE and the gNB (the Uu interface) is split into two legs, and the protocol layer functions are split into different components of the gNB.
FIG. 1 illustrates such a system employing a disaggregated gNB (radio access network node) deployment, wherein the gNB functions are distributed into a CU and into a DU. The CU may be further split into a control plane unit, CU-CP, and a user plane unit, CU-UP. There may be one or a plurality of DUs, wherein each of the DUs may be associated to one or a plurality of cells.
The functional distribution by way of example may be chosen such that Uu functionality (associated to the Uu interface) is distributed to the CU, and to the DU, such that the radio resource control, RRC, layer and packet data convergence protocol, PDCP, layer reside in the CU, while the radio link control, RLC layer, the media access control, MAC, layer and the physical, PHY, layer of the radio interface reside in the Done or the plurality of DUs.
The F1 interface that shall connect the CU and each of the DUs may be further specified with a separate control plane component (F1-C) and a user plane component (F1-U). Consequently, the CU may be further split into a control plane unit, CU-CP and into a user plane unit, CU-UP. The PDCP functions further consequently my be split in a control part, PDCP-C residing in the CU-CP and a user plane part, PDCP-U residing in the CU-UP.
CU-CP and CU-UP may communicate to each other over an interface being referred to as E1 interface. The gNB further has a control plane protocol interface NG-AP and a user plane protocol interface NG-UP to a 5G core network.

UE context handling in disaggregated radio access node


A method of manufacturing IC devices from semiconductor wafers includes providing the wafers and fabricating ICs on the wafers. At probe, a unique fuse ID is stored in each IC, and an electronic wafer map is electronically stored for each wafer indicating the locations of good and bad ICs on the wafer and the fuse IDs of the ICs on the wafer. Each IC is then separated from its wafer to form an IC die, and the IC dice are assembled into IC devices. At the opens/shorts test at the end of assembly, the fuse ID of each IC in each device is automatically retrieved so the wafer map of the IC device may be accessed and evaluated to identify any IC devices containing bad ICs that have accidentally been assembled into IC devices. Any “bad” IC devices are discarded while remaining IC devices continue on to back-end testing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing and, more specifically, to methods in IC manufacturing processes for identifying and redirecting ICs mis-processed during their manufacture.
2. State of the Art
As shown in FIG. 1, a typical process 10 for manufacturing very small electronic circuits referred to as "Integrated Circuits" (ICs) begins with the ICs being formed or "fabricated" on the surface of a wafer 12 of semiconductor material, such as silicon. Once fabricated, ICs are electronically probed to determine whether they are functional (i.e., "good") or nonfunctional (i.e., "bad"), and a computer then stores an electronic wafer map 14 of the wafer 12 identifying the locations of the good and bad ICs on the wafer 12.
After being probed, ICs are sawed from their wafer 12 into discrete IC dice or "chips" using high-speed precision dicing equipment. IC dice identified as good by their wafer map 14 are then each "picked" by automated equipment from their sawed wafer 12 and "placed" on an epoxy coated bonding site of a lead frame, while IC dice identified as bad are discarded into a scrap bin 16. The epoxy attaching the good IC dice to their lead frames is then allowed to cure, and the attached dice are wire bonded to their lead frames using high speed bonding equipment. At this point in the process 10, the lead frames of IC dice are still connected to other lead frames.
Once wire bonded, IC dice and their lead frames are formed into IC packages using a hot thermosetting plastic encapsulant injected into a mold. Leads of the lead frames project from the IC packages after encapsulation, and these leads are dipped in a cleansing chemical bath in a process referred to as "de-flash." After de-flash, IC packages are cured to set their plastic encapsulant, and their projecting leads are then electroplated with a lead/tin finish.
After lead finishing, connections between the lead frames of different IC packages are cut to "singulate" the IC packages into discrete IC devices. Discrete devices are then tested in a simple electronic test that checks for "opens" (i.e., no connection) within the devices where connections should exist and "shorts" (i.e., a connection) where connections should not exist. Devices that fail the opens/shorts test are discarded into the scrap bin 16, and devices that pass proceed to extensive back-end test procedures where they are tested for functionality and operability before being shipped to customers.
On occasion, bad IC dice are accidentally picked from a sawed wafer 12 for subsequent assembly and back-end testing as described above. This can happen, for example, because a human, software, or electronic error causes the automated pick and place equipment described above to access the wrong wafer map 14 for a wafer 12. It can also happen because of a misalignment, referred to as a "registration" error, between the automated pick and place equipment and a wafer 12. In either case, such accidents typically are not detected until the bad IC dice undergo at least some back-end testing and, as a result, waste back-end testing resources. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a method of identifying and discarding accidentally assembled IC dice before the dice undergo back-end testing procedures.
As described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,301,143, 5,294,812, and 5,103,166, some methods have been devised to electronically identify IC dice. Such methods take place "off" the manufacturing line, and involve the use of electrically retrievable identification (ID) codes, such as so-called "fuse IDs," programmed into individual IC dice to identify the dice. The programming of a fuse ID typically involves selectively blowing an arrangement of fuses or anti-fuses in an IC die so that when the fuses or anti-fuses are accessed, they output a selected ID code. Unfortunately, none of these methods addresses the problem of identifying and discarding accidentally assembled IC dice "on" a manufacturing line.

Method in an integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing process for identifying and redirecting IC's mis-processed during their manufacture


A writing implement, wherein elements forming a reverse flow prevention mechanism are formed in rather simple shapes and assembly process for the reverse flow prevention mechanism is rather simplified. The reverse flow prevention mechanism (19) comprises a valve chamber (54b), an inflow port (55) opened to the ink storage part (16) side of the valve chamber (54b), an outflow port (56) opened to the writing tip (17) side of the valve chamber (54b), a valve element (57) stored in the valve chamber (54b), a restricting body (58) stored in the valve chamber (54b) at a position on the outflow port (56) side of the valve element (57), and a valve seat (54c) formed around the inflow port (55). When the writing tip (17) is faced upward, the inflow port (55) is closed by the valve element (57), and when faced downward, the valve element (57) is allowed to touch the restricting body (58) and does not reach the outflow port (56).

Conventionally, as a writing implement having a reverse flow prevention mechanism for ink, for example, a ballpoint pen disclosed in JP 04-52067 Y or JP 3197422 B is known. Hereinafter, explanation is made referring to both FIG. 8 illustrating the former prior art and FIG. 9 illustrating the latter one. Here, the figures referred to in the following explanation are all described in these FIGS. 8 and 9.
A ballpoint pen 100 disclosed in JP 04-52067 Y, as illustrated in FIG. 8, comprises an ink storage tube 110, a joint 120 fixed to a front end of the ink storage tube 110, and a tip 130 fixed to a front end of the joint 120.
In a center of the joint 120 is provided a valve chamber 121. In front of the valve chamber 121 is provided a tip fixing hole 122 penetrating from the valve chamber 121 to the front end of the joint 120. In rear of the valve chamber 121 is provided an ink storage tube fixing hole 123 penetrating from the valve chamber 121 to a rear end of the joint 120.
At a rear part of the valve chamber 121 is provided a valve seat 124. On an inner surface of a front part of the valve chamber is provided a plurality of protrusions 125 protruding inward of the valve chamber 121.
The joint 120 is molded integrally of elastically deformable resin composition.
In the valve chamber 121 is stored a spherical valve element 126. The valve element 126 can move in the valve chamber 121 by its own weight and cannot slip out of the valve chamber 121.
A rear end part of the tip 130 is pressed into and fixed to the tip fixing hole 122. A front end of the ink storage tube 110 is pressed into and fixed to the ink storage tube fixing hole 123.
When the tip 130 is faced upward, the valve element 126 falls toward the ink storage tube 110 by its own weight and touches a whole circumference of the valve seat 124. Thereby, reverse flow of ink is prevented.
On the other hand, when the tip 130 is faced downward, the valve element 126 falls toward the tip 130 by its own weight and is caught by the protrusions 125. Thereby, the ink is supplied to the tip 130 through gaps between the protrusions 125.
On the other hand, a ballpoint pen 100 disclosed in JP 3197422 B, as illustrated in FIG. 9, comprises an ink storage tube 110, a joint 120 fixed to a front end of the ink storage tube 110, and a tip 130 fixed to a front end of the joint 120.
In a center of the joint 120 is provided a valve chamber 121. In front of the valve chamber 121 is provided a tip fixing hole 122 penetrating from the valve chamber 121 to the front end of the joint. In rear of the valve chamber 121 is provided a guiding hole 127 penetrating from the valve chamber 121 to a rear end of the joint.
At a rear part of the valve chamber 121 is provided a valve seat 124.
In the valve chamber 121 is stored a spherical valve element 126. The valve element 126 can move in the valve chamber 121 by its own weight and cannot slip out of the valve chamber 121.
A rear end of the tip 130 is pressed into and fixed to the tip fixing hole 122.
A rear end of the joint 120 is pressed into and fixed to a front end of the ink storage tube 110.
An intervening piece 140 is inserted forcibly and fixed between the valve element 126 and the rear end of the tip 130. At a rear end of the intervening piece 140 is provided ink grooves 141. Ink can pass through the ink grooves 141 when the valve element 126 touches the rear end of the intervening piece 140.
In the tip 130 is stored a spring 150. A rear end of the spring 150 touches a front end of the intervening piece 140. A front end of the spring 150 touches a rear end of a ball 131 held by a front end of the tip 130.
When writing is not performed, the ball 131 is pressed onto an inner surface of a bent portion by being pushed by the spring 150.
When the tip 130 is faced upward, the valve element 126 falls toward the ink storage tube 110 by its own weight and touches a whole circumference of the valve seat 124. Thereby, reverse flow of the ink is prevented.
On the other hand, when the tip 130 is faced downward, the valve element 126 falls toward the tip 130 by its own weight and touches the rear end of the intervening piece 140. Under this condition, the ink is supplied to the tip 130 through the ink grooves 141. Moreover, though writing is not performed, a direct flow of the ink is prevented since the ball 131 is pressed onto the inner surface of the bent portion by being pushed by the spring 150.
However, as disclosed in JP 04-52067 Y, when the protrusions are provided on the inner surface of the valve chamber, a mold structure for molding becomes rather complex since the protrusions make undercuts. Thereby, manufacturing cost for a whole writing implement becomes rather expensive. Moreover, since the protrusions make undercuts, the size of each protrusion must be made as small as possible. Then, passages for the ink flow may not be sufficiently secured depending upon a diameter of the ball or a kind of the ink.
Moreover, as disclosed in JP 319422 B, when the intervening piece is fixed between the valve element and the rear end of the tip, a shape of the intervening piece becomes complex and highly-developed manufacturing technology is necessary for a process of inserting the intervening piece into the joint with the intervening piece correctly directed. Namely, very highly-developed manufacturing technology is necessary for a process of inserting the intervening piece to be located in a predetermined position in the joint with the ink grooves of the intervening piece being directed backward. Thus, manufacturing cost for a whole writing implement becomes expensive.
Then, the first problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a writing implement wherein elements (a valve chamber, etc.) forming a reverse flow prevention mechanism are formed in rather simple shapes and assembly process for the reverse flow prevention mechanism is rather simplified, thereby contributing to reduction of the manufacturing cost.
Moreover, the second problem to be solved by the present invention is, in addition to the first problem, to provide the writing implement wherein the assembly process for the reverse flow prevention mechanism is more simplified.


A robot wrist and spray head applicator assembly (10) comprising a base (18) presenting an arm axis (A) and supported on a robot arm (16). A housing (22) is supported by the base (18) for rotation about the arm axis (A). A tool support member (30) has a tool axis (B) and is rotatably supported by the housing (22) for rotation about a transverse axis (C) which is disposed at an acute angle relative to the arm axis (A) for movement between a straight ahead position in which the tool axis (B) is generally parallel to the arm axis (A) and a transverse position in which the tool axis (B) is transverse to the arm axis (A). A spray head (38, 38') is rotatably supported by the tool support member (30) for rotation about the tool axis (B) and the spray head (38, 38') and includes a needle valve (44) movable between open and closed positions for controlling flow. The assembly is characterized by a motion transmitting core element (46) extending from the base (18) for rectilinear movement for moving the needle valve (44) with the core element (46) being flexible for bending through a curved path between the base (18) and the spray head (38, 38') as the housing (22) and/or the tool support member (30) are rotated relative to the base (18) and as the spray head (38, 38') rotates. In addition, the core element (46) is connected to a piston (56) supported by a fluid coupling member (54). The fluid coupling member (54) presents a fluid inlet (60) for actuating the piston (56), a paint connection (68) for receiving paint and an air inlet (76) for receiving spraying air and a bracket (86) supports the coupling member (54) on the robot arm (16) in spaced relationship to the base (18).

1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to a robot wrist and spray head applicator assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wrist assemblies are well known for supporting various tools including paint spray heads. One such wrist assembly is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,012 to Dahlquist et al and 4,402,234 to Malarz et al. When spray heads are supported by such wrists, flexible fluid lines extend through the wrist to the spray head to convey paint and spraying air. The paint spray heads typically include a needle valve for controlling the flow of paint through the spray head, e.g., U.S. Pat. 4,613,082 to Gimple et al.
There is a constant objective to minimize the weight of the robot wrist and spray head applicator assembly to reduce the loads upon the various components. The smaller the operating loads, the smaller the size of the components. In addition, it is desirable to reduce the complexity of the assembly of the components.


A fishing reel includes a drag mechanism adjustable by a drag controller, and a characteristics varying device for varying a drag increasing and decreasing rate relative to a unit operation of the drag controller. The characteristics varying device includes an adjusting dial for selecting drag variation characteristics. A turning force of the dial is transmitted through a worm gear to a movable disk having a plurality of projections. A plurality of cams are supported in a holder to be tiltable to varied degrees as a result of variations in positions of contact with the projections formed on the movable disk.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fishing reel having a drag mechanism whose drag is adjustable by a drag controller. More particularly, the invention relates to a technique of adjusting the degree of drag when the drag controller is operated to a predetermined position.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional technique as noted above is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1988-29423. According to this technique, an initial pressure acting on a friction plate of a drag mechanism is adjusted by operating a dial type knob. In this way, the degree of drag occurring when a lever is operated to a predetermined position is adjustable by operating the knob.
When an attempt is made to catch a large fish with a thin fishing line, the drag must be adjusted with a high degree of precision. Further, where, as in a trolling reel, the drag mechanis is handled like a clutch mechanism in unwinding the fishing line from the spool, it is sometimes desired to switch by operating the controller between a state of applying drag and a state of unwinding the fishing line from the spool.
In the prior art noted above, however, the initial pressure acting on the friction plate of the drag mechanism is variable with operation of the knob. When the lever is operated, the pressure acting on the friction plate is variable at a constant rate of change. Thus, wherever the knob is set, it is difficult to adjust the drag with precision when the lever is operated a unit amount or to vary the drag to a large extent.
The following table shows an ideal range of drag adjustment in the trolling reel.
______________________________________ drag strike position maximum (1/3 of (1/2 of line strength line strength) line strength) difference ______________________________________ 36.3 kg (80 Lb) 12 kg 18 kg 6.0 kg 22.7 kg (50 Lb) 7.5 kg 11.4 kg 3.9 kg 13.5 kg (30 Lb) 4.5 kg 6.8 kg 2.3 kg ______________________________________
Where the three types of fishing lines 36.3 kg, 22.7 kg and 13.5 kg are used, the drag applied to the respective lines varies as shown in this table when the drag controller is operated from a strike position to a stroke end for increase. The differences resulting from the variations of the drag are 6 kg, 3.9 kg and 2.3 kg, respectively.
It will be seen from these examples that, with a drag mechanism as noted above which is constructed to vary only the initial pressure, drag is variable in a constant amount when the drag controller is operated a predetermined amount. It is therefore impossible to obtain an ideal drag suited to the strength of the fishing line.

Fishing reel with adjustable drag force characteristics


The invention relates to 1-(arylsulfonyl)-4-(piperazin-1-yl)-1H-benzimidazole compounds of the Formula I:

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) (5-HT) receptors play a critical role in many physiological and behavioral functions in humans and animals. These functions are mediated through various 5-HT receptors distributed throughout the body. There are now approximately fifteen different human 5-HT receptor subtypes that have been cloned, many with well-defined roles in humans. A recently identified 5-HT receptor subtype is the 5-HT6 receptor, first cloned from rat tissue in 1993 (Monsma, F. J.; Shen, Y.; Ward, R. P.; Hamblin, M. W. Molecular Pharmacology 1993, 43, 320-327) and subsequently from human tissue (Kohen, R.; Metcalf, M. A.; Khan, N.; Druck, T.; Huebner, K.; Sibley, D. R. Journal of Neurochemistry 1996, 66, 47-56). The receptor is a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) positively coupled to adenylate cyclase (Ruat, M., Traiffort, E., Arrang, J-M., Tardivel-Lacombe, L., Diaz, L., Leurs, R., and Schwartz, J.-C., Biochemical Biophysical Research Communications 1993, 193, 268-276). The receptor is found almost exclusively in the central nervous system (CNS) areas both in rat and in human. In situ hybridization studies of the
5-HT6 receptor in rat brain using mRNA indicate principal localization in the areas of 5-HT projection including striatum, nucleus accumbens, olfactory tubercle, and hippocampal formation (Ward, R. P.; Hamblin, M. W.; Lachowicz, J. E.; Hoffman, B. J.; Sibley, D. R.; Dorsa, D. M. Neuroscience 1995, 64, 1105-1111).
5-HT6 receptor in rat brain using mRNA indicate principal localization in the areas of 5-HT projection including striatum, nucleus accumbens, olfactory tubercle, and hippocampal formation (Ward, R. P.; Hamblin, M. W.; Lachowicz, J. E.; Hoffman, B. J.; Sibley, D. R.; Dorsa, D. M. Neuroscience 1995, 64, 1105-1111).
There are many potential therapeutic uses for 5-HT6 ligands in humans based on direct effects and on indications from available scientific studies. These studies include the localization of the receptor, the affinity of ligands with known in vivo activity, and various animal studies conducted so far.
One potential therapeutic use of modulators of 5-HT6 receptor function is in the enhancement of cognition and memory in human diseases such as Alzheimer's. The high levels of receptor found in important structures in the forebrain, including the caudate/putamen, hippocampus, nucleus accumbens, and cortex suggest a role for the receptor in memory and cognition since these areas are known to play a vital role in memory (Gerard, C.; Martres, M.-P.; Lefevre, K.; Miguel, M. C.; Verge, D.; Lanfumey, R.; Doucet, E.; Hamon, M.; E I Mestikawy, S. Brain Research, 1997, 746, 207-219). The ability of known 5-HT6 receptor ligands to enhance cholinergic transmission also supported the potential cognition use (Bentley, J. C.; Boursson, A.; Boess, F. G.; Kone, F. C.; Marsden, C. A.; Petit, N.; Sleight, A. J. British Journal of Pharmacology, 1999, 126(7), 1537-1542). Studies have found that a known 5-HT6 selective antagonist significantly increased glutamate and aspartate levels in the frontal cortex without elevating levels of noradrenaline, dopamine, or 5-HT. This selective elevation of neurochemicals known to be involved in memory and cognition point to a role for 5-HT6 ligands in cognition (Dawson, L. A.; Nguyen, H. Q.; Li, P. British Journal of Pharmacology, 2000, 130(1), 23-26). Animal studies of memory and learning with a known selective 5-HT6 antagonist found positive effects (Rogers, D. C.; Hatcher, P. D.; Hagan, J. J. Society of Neuroscience, Abstracts 2000, 26, 680).
A related potential therapeutic use for 5-HT6 ligands, particularly antagonists, is the treatment of attention deficit disorders (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in both children and adults. Ernst, M; Zametkin, A. J.; Matochik, J. H.; Jons, P. A.; Cohen, R. M. Journal of Neuroscience 1998, 18(15), 5901-5907).
5-HT6 ligands also show potential for the treatment of schizophrenia and depression. For example, clozapine (an effective clinical antipsychotic) has high affinity for the 5-HT6 receptor subtype. Also, several clinical antidepressants have high affinity for the receptor as well and act as antagonists at this site (Branchek, T. A.; Blackburn, T. P. Annual Reviews in Pharmacology and Toxicology 2000, 40, 319-334).
Impaired cognitive function is a core feature of schizophrenia, exhibiting numerous manifestations, including a fundamental defect in the patient's ability to manipulate available information. Weinberger et. al. International clinical psychopharmacology, 1997, 12, 38-40. The magnitude of the cognitive deficit in schizophrenia is considerable and remains relatively stable despite fluctuations in other symptoms. Id. The degree of dysfunction also has a high predictive value for long-term disability. Id. Good cognitive function depends upon the brain's ability to prioritize tasks and to switch from parallel processing to sequential processing when the processing load is excessive. Id. This requires working executive memory. Neuroimaging and functional analyses suggest that such cognitive function relies upon unimpaired prefrontal activity. Id. There is increasing evidence that antipsychotic drugs with 5-hydroxytryptamine-blocking activity (particularly 5-HT2a) produce better cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia than drugs with predominantly dopamine (D)2-blocking activity (conventional neuroleptics). Id. Accordingly, improving or stabilizing cognitive function in patients suffering from schizophrenia through administration of antipsychotic drugs with 5-hydroxytryptamine-blocking activity will ideally lead to improved patient outcomes.
The neurocognitive deficits in schizophrenia are considered a separate area of the illness that is relatively independent of psychotic symptoms and closely related to functional outcome. These neurocognitive deficits include working memory, attention/vigilance, verbal learning and memory, visual learning and memory, reasoning and problem-solving, speed of processing, and social recognition (Green M F, Nuechterlein K H, Gold J M, et al. "Approaching a consensus cognitive battery for clinical trials in schizophrenia: the NIMH-MATRICS conference to select cognitive domains and test criteria", Biol. Psychiatry 2004; 56:301-307).
Further, recent in vivo studies in rats indicate 5-HT6 modulators may be useful in the treatment of movement disorders including epilepsy (Stean, T.; Routledge, C.; Upton, N. British Journal of Pharmacology 1999, 127 Proc. Supplement 131P and Routledge, C.; Bromidge, S. M.; Moss, S. F.; Price, G. W.; Hirst, W.; Newman, H.; Riley, G.; Gager, T.; Stean, T.; Upton, N.; Clarke, S. E.; Brown, A. M. British Journal of Pharmacology 2000, 130(7), 1606-1612).
Taken together, the above studies strongly suggest that compounds which are 5-HT6 receptor modulators, i.e. ligands, may be useful for therapeutic indications including: the treatment of symptoms associated with Alzheimer's disease, such as dementia, a deficit in memory, cognition, and learning; the treatment of personality disorders such as schizophrenia; the treatment of behavioral disorders, e.g., anxiety, depression and obsessive compulsive disorders; the treatment of ADD and ADHD; the treatment of motion or motor disorders such as Parkinson's disease and epilepsy; the treatment of diseases associated with neurodegeneration such as stroke and head trauma; or withdrawal from drug addiction including addiction to nicotine, alcohol, among others.
Because 5-HT6 receptors are located almost exclusively in the brain, modulation of the receptors by parenterally administered drugs requires that the drugs cross the blood brain barrier. The blood brain barrier is composed of brain capillary endothelial cells with continuous tight junctions making it virtually impossible for compounds to enter into the brain around the cells. J. Bryan, Pharmaceutical Journal, 273 (2004) 475-476. Instead, access to the brain is limited to passive diffusion or active transport through the endothelial cells. G&G, Pharmaceutical Basis of Therapeutics, 10th Ed at page 10. Accordingly, bioavailable parenterally administered compounds affecting 5-HT6 activity must not only possess favorable solubility profiles in order to successfully enter the blood stream, but they also need to cross the blood brain barrier in order to target the 5-HT6 receptors. Advantageously, this invention provides compounds which are capable of modulating 5-HT6 receptor activity and are bioavailable.
Recent clinical and preclinical efforts on 5-HT6 ligands have been reviewed by Rudy Schreiber, Andrew Sleight and Marie Woolley, "5-HT6 Receptors as Targets for the Treatment of Cognitive Deficits in Schizophrenia" in The Receptors Book The Serotonin Receptors, Humana Press, 2006, Pages 495-515, Edited by Bryan L. Roth; Johnson C N, Ahmed M, Miller N D, "5-HT6 receptor antagonists: prospects for the treatment of cognitive disorders including dementia" Curr. Opin. Drug Discov. Devel. 11 (5): 642-54 (September 2008), Jorg Holenz, Petrus J. Pauwels, Jose Luis Diaz, Ramon Merce, Xavier Codony, and Helmut Buschmann, "Medicinal chemistry strategies to 5-HT6 receptor ligands as potential cognitive enhancers and antiobesity agents", Drug Discovery Today, 11 (7/8) April 2006, and Robin Emsley, "Drugs in development for the treatment of schizophrenia", Expert Opinion on Investigational Drugs, 18 (8) 1103-1118, August 2009.
Nine 5-HT6 ligands have entered human clinical trials. Lu-AE-58054 from Lundbeck is in schizophrenia cognitive disorder Phase II trials, SAM-531 from Wyeth is in Alzheimer's disease Phase II trials, SYN-114 from Synosia Therapeutics is in Alzheimer's disease Phase I trials, PRX-07034 from EPIX Pharmaceuticals Inc, is in schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, and obesity Phase Ib trials, SUVN-502 from Suven Life Sciences Ltd. is in Alzheimer's disease Phase I trials, SB-742457 from GlaxoSmithKline is in cognitive dysfunction associated with Alzheimer's disease Phase II trials, LY-483518 from Lilly, which is licensed to Saegis Pharmaceuticals (SGS-518) is in cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia Phase IIa trials, SAX-187 from Wyeth is currently in anxiety Phase I trials, and SB-271046 from GlaxoSmithKline was in Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia Phase I trials but has been discontinued (probably because of low penetration of the blood-brain barrier).
The structures of 1-[(3-fluorophenyl)sulfonyl]-4-(1-piperazinyl)-1H-benzimidazole, 1-[(2-fluorophenyl)sulfonyl]-4-(1-piperazinyl)-1H-benzimidazole, 1-[(3-chlorophenyl)sulfonyl]-4-(1-piperazinyl)-1H-benzimidazole, 1-(1-naphthalenylsulfonyl)-4-(1-piperazinyl)-1H-benzimidazole, and 1-[(2,5-dichlorophenyl)sulfonyl]-4-(1-piperazinyl)-1H-benzimidazole were generated by ChemZoo, Inc. of Winston-Salem, N.C. in 2008 through the ChemSpider data base. However, the compounds do not appear to ever have been offered for sale. No information is provided as to their ability to bind to the 5-HT6 receptor or to any pharmacological effect or use of these compounds. There is no evidence they were ever made and no method for making the compounds is provided.
The invention provides compounds useful as therapeutic agents in the treatment of a variety of conditions related to or affected by 5-HT6 receptor activity, including psychoses (e.g., schizophrenia, anxiety, or depression), motor disorders (e.g., Parkinson's disease), anxiety, depression, drug addiction, obsessive compulsive disorder, attention deficit disorder, or any condition which is known to be related to or affected by the 5-HT6 receptor. These and other features of this invention will become more apparent by the detailed description set forth herein below.

1-(arylsulfonyl)-4-(piperazin-1-yl)-1H-benzimidazoles as 5-hydroxytryptamine-6 ligands

Abstract: or a tautomer, stereoisomer, or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the constituent variables are as defined herein, compositions comprising the compounds, and methods for making and using the compounds.


An image input apparatus comprises a stage provided on a substantially horizontal surface of a main body of the apparatus and detachably supporting a film original; a stage scanning mechanism for horizontally moving the stage; an illumination unit provided above the stage and containing a light source for illuminating the film original; and a photoelectric converter for effecting photoelectric conversion of the light transmitted by the film original, wherein the illumination unit can assume a position close to the stage and surrounding the upper and lateral spaces of the stage or a position separated from the stage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image input apparatus for reading an image for example on a photographic film by transmissive illumination and converting said image into electrical signals.
2. Related Background Art
A conventional image input apparatus of the above-explained kind is configurated as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 and as will be explained in the following.
The apparatus is divided into a front part 201 and a rear part 202, with a recessed part 203 in the middle.
Said recessed part 203 is provided to accommodate a film holder 205, which is mounted on a stage 204 fixed to the front part 201.
The rear part 202 houses therein a lamp for illuminating a film set in the film holder 205, an illuminating lens, various circuits and a power supply unit.
Also the front part 201 houses therein a mechanism for moving the stage 204, a projection lens and a line sensor.
The light from the lamp in said rear part 202 is transmitted by the illuminating lens 206 and illuminates the film set in the film holder 205. The light transmitted by said film enters the projection lens in the front part 201, and is focused on the line sensor. A horizontal movement of the stage 204 causes the film to move likewise, and the entire image on the film is scanned in succession and focused on the line sensor.
In this operation, in order to exclude the external light, a cover 207 is moved in a sliding movement to cover the recessed part 203 as shown in FIG. 15.
The image focused on the line sensor is converted into electrical signals which are subjected to amplification and correction.
The above-explained prior art has been associated with following drawbacks.
The apparatus is difficult to make compact and involves limitation in the design, as the recessed part 203 required for mounting the film holder 205 occupies a considerable space.
Also the mounting of the film holder 205 onto the stage 204 is difficult since it is positioned vertically in the recessed part 203.
Furthermore, as the recessed part 203 needs to be covered by the cover 207 for avoiding the intrusion of external light, the number of component parts increases inevitably.

Transmissive illumination type image input apparatus


A method of system design, and more particularly a method of designing systems that achieve a set of performance goals using a hierarchically partitioned system representation wherein performance simulations are performed at multiple levels within the hierarchy and are combined to simulate a system level result in order to reduce the aggregate time required for performance simulation.

Systems are composed of components. Components can be represented by models of various sorts for purposes of simulation. The component models can be characterized by quantitative values, some of which are considered as being constant (i.e. they cannot be changed for design purposes), and others of which are considered as variable (i.e. "variables") for the purpose of adjusting system performance. The number of variables is the dimensionality of a variable space (i.e. "design space") within which sample sets of variable values resulting in desired system performance may be sought. Generally, a separate simulation is required for each sample. In order to more or less uniformly sample a region of design space, the number of samples, and therefore also the number of simulations, increases more or less superlinearly (e.g. exponentially) with the number of variables, or equivalently, the dimensionality of the design space. A prohibitively large simulation time requirement can easily result from the exploration of the design space for the purpose of determining practical system parameters for required performance because of the superlinear dependence of the number of samples to be simulated on the dimensionality of the design space.
One approach to manage this problem is to limit the number of variables in any given design space exploration, by fixing the values of some of the variables. This can reduce design space dimensionality, and correspondingly the execution time for necessary simulation, but it can also constrain the design space exploration so that samples of variable values corresponding to superior circuit performance may be missed. Additionally, the choice of which particular variables to be fixed for this approach may be difficult to determine a priori because it is not easily guided by a "designer's intuition" (i.e., expertise based upon a designer's prior experience with subcircuit building blocks). Another approach is to limit the size, but not the dimensionality, of the design space by constraining ranges of values for at least some variables. This can also result in a smaller design space to explore, and consequently reduce simulation time. Unfortunately, the best samples of variable values for system performance may lie outside of the explored region of design space.
It is therefore desirable to develop a method for system design that reduces design space dimensionality and therefore required simulation time, while also reducing the risk of missing sets of variable values corresponding to desired system performance, and while potentially and beneficially making use of a designer's intuition.


A charge trapping floating gate is described with asymmetric tunneling barriers. The memory cell includes a source region and a drain region separated by a channel region. A first tunneling barrier structure is disposed above the channel region. A floating gate is disposed above the first tunneling barrier structure covering the channel region. A second tunneling barrier is disposed above the floating gate. A dielectric charge trapping structure disposed above the second tunneling barrier and a blocking dielectric structure is disposed above the charge trapping structure. A top conductive layer disposed above the top dielectric structure acts as a gate. The second tunneling barrier is a more efficient conductor of tunneling current, under bias conditions applied for programming and erasing the memory cell, than the first tunneling barrier structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to non-volatile memory devices, and in particular to flash memory and manufacturing of flash memory devices.
2. Description of Related Art
Flash memory technology includes memory cells that store charge between the channel and gate of a field effect transistor. The charge stored affects the threshold of the transistor, and the changes in threshold due to the stored charge can be sensed to indicate data.
One type of charge storage memory cell in widespread application is known as a floating gate memory cell. In a floating gate memory cell, a floating gate of conductive material such as polysilicon is formed over a tunneling barrier structure, and an interpoly dielectric is formed over the floating gate to isolate it from the wordline or control gate of the memory cell. The geometry of the floating gate is engineered to establish a high coupling ratio for a voltage between the floating gate and channel, so that a voltage applied on the control gate will result in a stronger electric field across the tunneling barrier structure. For example, floating gates are implemented using a T-shape or a U-shape, which results in a greater surface area between the control gate and the floating gate than between the floating gate and the channel, and thereby a greater capacitance between the floating gate and the control gate. Although this technology has been widely successful, as the sizes of the memory cells and the distances between them shrink, the floating gate technology starts to degrade because of interference between neighboring floating gates.
Another type of memory cell based on storing charge between the channel and gate of a field effect transistor uses a dielectric charge trapping structure. In this type of memory cell, a dielectric charge trapping structure is formed over a tunneling barrier structure which isolates the dielectric charge trapping structure from the channel, and a top dielectric layer is formed over the charge trapping structure to isolate it from the wordline or gate. A representative device is known as a silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon SONOS cell.
In memory cells using dielectric charge trapping structures, the device can be planar because there is no coupling ratio engineering involved in the design. Because of the planar structure, and very little coupling between adjacent cells, memory cells using dielectric charge trapping structures are forecast to overtake floating gate memory cells in importance as the minimum feature size for the manufacturing processes goes beyond about 45 nanometers.
It is found that even SONOS-type memory cells can suffer performance degradation as the minimum feature size goes below about 45 nanometers. In particular, non-uniform injection of charge along the channel width in the dielectric charge trapping structure due to the fringing fields can result in a region along the edge of the memory cell with effectively a low threshold voltage, while regions toward the center of the channel have an effectively high threshold. The low threshold region along the edge can result in performance degradation. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/756,559, filed 31 May 2007, entitled CHARGE TRAPPING DEVICES WITH FIELD DISTRIBUTION LAYER OVER TUNNELING BARRIER (now US Publication No. 2008-0116506), having the same assignee and same inventor as the present application, describes the combination of a floating gate structure, referred to as a field distribution layer, with a charge trapping layer between the gate and the floating gate structure.
Therefore, it is desirable to maintain a more constant threshold voltage along the channel width dimension even if there is non-uniform charge concentration in the charge trapping structure along the channel width dimension.

Floating gate memory device with interpoly charge trapping structure


A method for selectively treating sections of soil which are more remote from a soil venting well than previously treated soil sections. Air is drawn through a first group of passageways in a well casing during treatment of a particular section of soil. Air is then prevented from passing through the first group of passageways, as by sealing them, and is drawn through a second lower group of passageways. By sequentially following these steps, different sections of soil located farther from the well and deeper than previously treated sections can be selectively treated.

With the increased emphasis on environmental matters, one area of attention is in remediation of contaminated vadose zone soil. Soil venting is an attractive in-situ method of extracting vapor from volatile and semivolatile petroleum hydrocarbons and removing adsorbed liquid hydrocarbons from the vadose zone. In this method air is drawn between soil particles to volatilize the contaminant and accelerate the evaporation rate of the adsorbed hydrocarbons, and is then vented to the surf ace through vent wells. The vapor may be treated at the surface by suitable means, such as activated charcoal, so as to be discharged in concentrations compatible with local guidelines.
In carrying out a soil venting process a wellbore is drilled in the zone of interest and a casing containing openings for the passage of air is installed. Typically, the casing includes a screened section for this purpose which extends for a substantial distance, in the order of 10-20 feet, along the length of the casing. When suction is drawn on the vent well to draw air from the surf ace down through the soil, the air tends to follow the shortest flow path, which is from the area immediately surrounding the wellbore to the upper portion of the screened section. Therefore, in order to treat soil outside of this area it is normally necessary to provide additional vent wells. To treat soil which is deeper than the normal flow path of the air it would be necessary to provide new casings having lower screened sections. These are costly procedures, however, and it would be highly desirable to be able to enlarge the scope of treatment without having to employ them.
It is therefore an object of the invention to be able to treat a larger area of soil by means of a vent well without requiring additional wells or drastic modifications to conventional soil venting procedures.

Method of controlling flow in a soil venting well


A laser-radar receiver comprising an array of optical fibers, wherein the opposite ends of the optical fibers are connected to at least one electromagnetic radiation detector, each of the optical fibers having differing physical characteristics which result in known delays in the transmission time of pulsed electromagnetic radiation.

This invention relates to the field of laser-radar imaging and related sensor technology.
Conventional active laser-radar imaging systems provide an array of sensor elements which combine optically to capture an image of a body or target. The use of an active or pulsed light source such as a laser to illuminate the body or target generally provides an improved optical return, thereby allowing a three dimensional image of a scene to be captured. Such images comprise information relating to azimuth, elevation and range.
Where a laser is used as the active or pulsed light source to produce the required optical returns, it is advantageous to utilise short duration laser pulses in order to help reduce the energy levels required by the sensor systems. The use of such lasers helps achieve a greater range resolution.
Conventional sensor array detector elements used with active or pulsed light sources often have relatively long time constants which require shorter duration pulses to be integrated into longer pulses. This can lead to a reduction in the range resolution of the system as a whole. The use of active pulse light sources as a means of achieving greater range resolution has been made possible by the use of Q-switching, whereby laser sources can achieve nanosecond pulse durations. To help overcome the integration problems associated with conventional array detector elements, Avalanche Photo-Diodes (APD's) have been used. APDs can readily perform the required optical detection and processing of short duration pulses, but problems still exist in relation to the fabrication of APDs into arrays.
In a paper number #3065-04 presented at the SPIE AeroSense meeting (Apr. 20th–25th, 1997, Orlando, Fla.), a prototype active imaging laser-radar receiver was presented. The receiver incorporated an array of fibre coupled multi-channel receivers enables it to acquire images from a single laser pulse. Conventional scanned laser-radar imaging receivers require multiple pulses to assemble full images and suffer from jitter and image tearing caused by platform or target instability and other environmental effects. The paper proposed the use of a single pulse approach thereby eliminating distortions and providing high quality, high speed range based images.
The receiver as presented in the paper consisted of a focal plane array, formed of end polished multi-mode fibres. Each fibre acts as a light bucket, thereby capturing optical signals and relaying said signals to a series of detector elements. An array of APDs (APDs) was then utilised to detect and process light captured by the pixels formed by each end polished fibre-optic.
The configuration of the imaging laser-radar receiver as presented in the above referenced paper, requires that each pixel in the fibre-optic array has an associated APD detector. It therefore follows that, for example, a 24×24 array of pixel elements would require a total of 576 APD detector and processing elements. This makes any such a receiver comparatively large, and expensive in terms of the number of APDs and the associated electronics. In addition to the physical size and cost of developing such a system, the APD detection and processing electronics will remain largely dormant when a typical pulse repetition rate of 1 kHz is used. This follows because the detector is required to respond to pulses of a few nanoseconds duration, thereafter lying dormant for the remainder of the one millisecond pulse duration.
The invention provides for an imaging laser-radar receiver which requires substantially fewer detectors (and associated processing electronics) by utilising fibre-optic delay lines to supply time shifted pulses into each detector. The reduction in the number of detectors can provide for a physically smaller and more compact receiver system along with a corresponding reduction in the costs associated with the number of APDs required. Additionally, the invention provides flexibility in relation to the physical location of both detectors and associated electronics, thereby providing for further benefits in terms of packaging volume and the use of otherwise redundant space in host containers and vehicles.


Rapid opioid detoxification procedures are provided which include sedating a patient with a rapid-acting, safely reversible intravenous anesthetic agent having a very short full recovery period. The patient is administered an opioid antagonist while sedated and can be revived to an ambulatory condition within eight hours of initiating therapy. The described methods for detoxification can be used with dually-addicted patients who have abused opiates, such as heroin, as well as benzodiazepines. Even with these dually-addicted patients, the process is completely reversible early on in the procedure if any adverse complications arise.

Heroin addiction is a growing healthcare problem in the United States. The United States Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse Branch issued a report in December of 1994 stating that the number of emergency department visits directly related to heroin use rose from 48,000 in 1992 to 63,000 in 1993, a 31% increase. The rate of heroin-related episodes per 100,000 people rose 81%, from 15 to 28 per 100,000, between 1990 and 1993. Upon breaking down the heroin-using population into ethnic groups and age groups, it has been demonstrated that all subsets have increased rates of use for this time period.
Human opiate detoxification has been in use for some time. More than 31,000 individuals of the Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield subscriber base in New York were hospitalized at least once for opiate dependency between 1982 and 1992. The majority of these individuals were working adults, and their principal reason for hospitalization was addiction treatment. Drug detoxification accounted for 96% of the admissions, and the length of stay ranged between five and ten days.
It is widely known that heroin addicts fear and loathe heroin detoxification. For the addict, withdrawal can be like having a massive panic attack, an acute case of Huntington's Chorea, a psychological shock syndrome, and a nasty flu, all rolled into one.
Even if we discount the less than warm reception by addicts, the current method of detoxifying an individual from opiates is flawed in several respects. First of all, it is extremely uncomfortable for individual patients. Second, it can take days, and even weeks, for treatment, and this treatment is very expensive when one considers the overall length of stay at a hospital. Third, it is not very effective. Early relapse is the rule rather than the exception.
These results are not surprising. At the end of customary detoxification therapy there remains a considerable amount of opiates on the receptor sites in the brain of the patient. As these opiates diminish, the individual continues to feel uncomfortable and seeks relief by the administration of another dose of opiates. This can be readily appreciated if one attempts to initiate naltrexone oral antagonist therapy immediately after a standard detoxification in an attempt to interfere with the anticipated relapse. The patient promptly experiences considerable discomfort from the displacement of the remaining opiates from the receptor sites.
In the 1980s, outpatient protocols were developed in an attempt to reduce expenses and to entice more addicts to receive treatment. In one particular therapy, a shortened five-day schedule was employed. On the first day, patients received a naloxone hydrochloride ("naloxone") challenge test at 9:00 a.m., using 0.8 mgs of naloxone, and then were started on clonidine hydrochloride ("clonidine") premedication. Clonidine is a potent antihypertensive agent and stimulates adrenergic receptors in the brain, leading to reduced sympathetic nervous system output. Daily averages of medication were, for day two: clonidine 1.1 mgs and naltrexone 8 mgs; day three: clonidine 0.6 mgs and naltrexone 40 mgs; day four: clonidine 0.3 mgs and naltrexone 50 mgs; and day five: clonidine 0.2 mgs and naltrexone 150 mgs.
In 1990, Loimer et al. described an inpatient technique in which 12 hours after the patient's last dose of opiate, they were sedated with 100 mgs of the barbiturate, methohexitone. This was followed by further injections of 400 mgs of methohexitone and 10 mgs of naloxone. After the narcotic effect had worn off, 2 mgs of naloxone was given intravenously about 30-40 minutes later. This did not elicit any further withdrawal response. This study showed that the acute onset of withdrawal symptoms induced by naloxone in opiate addicts is blocked by barbiturates.
Loimer et al. in 1991 described another inpatient, technique for enabling patients to transfer quickly from methadone to naltrexone maintenance. In a study of seven patients, they induced acute methadone detoxification by using a 4 mg bolus of intravenous naloxone ten minutes after intravenous sedation was started with 30 mgs of midazolam, a short-acting benzodiazepine. After the naloxone infusion was completed, the patients received repeated dosages of flumazenil, a benzodiazepine antagonist, until they were awake. Within hours, the patients tolerated full doses of naltrexone.
Loimer pointed out that conscious sedation with midazolam was safer than general anesthesia. The technique also suppressed withdrawal signs and symptoms. Loimer used intranasal naloxone to induct patients onto naltrexone.
Loimer further described in 1993 an inpatient technique using intranasal naloxone. Twenty opiate-dependent patients reported a mean daily heroin dose of 2.0 grams for at least 2 months prior to detoxification. Twelve hours after their last heroin use, all the patients were sedated with 60 mgs of midazolam. Simultaneously, they received 0.3 mgs of clonidine and 5.0 mgs of ondansetron (a selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, generally used to prevent nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy). Ten minutes later, oral naltrexone, 50 mgs, was administered. The patients typically were asleep fifteen minutes post-midazolam injection, at which time withdrawal was precipitated by 4 mgs of naloxone administered nasally as a spray. Naltrexone, 50 mgs/day, was continued for the next 2 days before discharge.
Loimer has reported that none of his patients showed severe withdrawal distress before 30 detoxification. He has found that following the administration of naloxone, withdrawal distress was significantly higher than baseline levels at 30, 45, 60 and 90 minutes, but that there were no significant differences from the baseline on all subsequent measurements. Furthermore, he has reported that systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate did not change significantly during treatment.
Legarda and Gossop in 1994 also described an inpatient technique enabling heroin addicts to undergo a rapid transition to naltrexone maintenance, now referred to as rapid opiate detoxification ("ROD"). Legarda belongs to the CITA group, which has been detoxifying heroin patients in Spain, Israel and Mexico under general anesthesia.
As in Loimer et al.'s 1991 report, Legarda and Gossop used intravenous midazolam (0.5-0.7 mgs/kg initially, then as a constant infusion) for sedation. In this study, however, patients received an initial dose of oral naltrexone, 50 mgs, immediately prior to the injection of midazolam, and did not receive any naloxone reversal while under sedation.
They also pretreated the patients with repeated oral doses of guanfacine (like clonidine, a centrally acting agent with alpha-2 agonist properties) 1-2 mgs/hour. Oral doses of loperamide (4 mgs) and ondansetron (8 mgs) were given, to avoid diarrhea and vomiting during the detoxification procedure.
During the time they were sedated, the subjects' opiate withdrawal signs primarily were piloerection, sneezing and motor agitation.
Four hours after the sleep induction, the patients received a naloxone test (0.8 mgs IV), and then 12 hours later they received 50 mgs of naltrexone, both of which provoked no withdrawal responses.
While Dr. Loimer's initial barbiturate procedure has relieved patients of the conscious symptoms of withdrawal by administering general anesthesia simultaneously with a large continuous dose of a pure narcotic antagonist, he requires patients to be anesthetized for 12 to 24 hours. This is because barbiturate anesthesia tends to accumulate and is not reversible, requiring patients to be monitored for an extended period of time following the procedure. It also minimizes the options available to the physician if adverse conditions arise, such as severe respiratory suppression.
The use of the benzodiazepines, such as midazalom is completely reversible by antagonists such as flumazenil, an imidazobenzodiazepine derivative. Flumazenil competitively inhibits the activities at the benzodiazepine recognition site on the brain's receptor complex. Unfortunately, if the patient is dually-addicted to heroin and benzodiazepines, such as Zanax, Halcion, or Valium, the use of flumazenil to reverse the effects of benzodiazepine anesthesia can cause seizures.
In a 1993 Spanish survey of 973 heroin addicts, 68% of the patients admitted to using benzodiazepines, and 43% admitted to using them on a daily basis. It has been observed that heroin-dependent patients often use benzodiazepines in the days and weeks prior to seeking treatment to help them sleep when they are trying to cut down on their own. These reported figures are believed to be conservative since addicts have no trouble concealing their benzodiazepine use from their treating physician, even when provided with a warning of adverse side effects.
The duration of action for flumazenil may also not be sufficient to eliminate the effects of benzodiazepines which are still present in the patient's blood and bile. This can lead to resedation, and requires extended periods of observation. Of course, extended observation is usually associated with additional nights in a hospital and added expense.
Accordingly, there is a need for rapid opiate detoxification procedure which is safe for both opiate and dually-addicted patients. There is also a need for an effective detox therapy which can permit the swift discharge of ambulatory patients without latent anesthetic side effects.


An electrical connector for connecting a daughter and a mother printed wiring board. A receptacle is connected to one board on one face and to the header on the other. The header has a conductive housing with opposed end walls and a medial pin receiving wall where it is connected to the other board. The receptacle housing is electrically connected to the header conductive housing by removable springs extending from the end walls of the header housing and separate removable grounding pins extending to a printed wiring board from the medial wall.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to modular connectors for use in connecting a daughter printed wiring board to a mother printed wiring board.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Developments
In the manufacture of computers and other various electronic assemblies, daughter boards are commonly connected to mother boards by means of a connector having a receptacle having a plastic housing and a first and second face wherein terminals are connected in one face to the daughter board and at the other to a header connected to the mother board. Various arrangements have been suggested to ground such connectors to the mother or daughter boards but such arrangements have tended to complicate the construction of the connector. A need, therefore, exists for simple and inexpensive means for grounding connectors between mother and daughter boards. There is also a need for such a connector which reduces crosstalk and EMI.

Electrically enhanced modular connector for printed wiring board


A method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving resource allocation information in a communication system are provided, in which a Base Station (BS) transmits resource allocation information including a folding bitmap and a Zone Flag (ZF). The folding bitmap provides zone configuration information about zones included in a subframe and the ZF indicates whether a last zone of the zones is allocated as a first service zone or a second service zone. The first service zone carries data for a first service, the second service zone carries data for a second service, and each of the first and second services zones includes at least one resource unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving resource allocation information in a communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Future-generation communication systems are under development to provide various high-speed, large-capacity services to Mobile Stations (MSs). An example of a future-generation communication system includes an Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.16m communication system.
With reference to FIG. 1, a method for transmitting resource allocation information in an IEEE 802.16m system will be described below.
FIG. 1 illustrates a subframe structure in an IEEE 802.16m communication system according to the related art.
Before describing FIG. 1, a description will first be given of a frame structure in the IEEE 802.16m communication system.
In the IEEE 802.16m communication system, a superframe includes a predefined number of frames, each frame having a predefined number of subframes. Each of the subframes includes a predefined number of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) symbols. The numbers of DownLink (DL) frames and UpLink (UL) frames in a superframe are determined according to a predefined DL-to-UL ratio. The number of frames per superframe, the number of subframes per frame, the number of OFDMA symbols per subframe, and the ratio between DL frames and UL frames in a superframe may be changed.
Resource allocation is performed with the resources of each subframe in the IEEE 802.16m communication system. The resources of each subframe are allocated on a unit basis, for example, on a Resource Block (RB) basis. Upon completion of an allocation of the resources of a subframe, resource allocation information specifying the allocated resources is transmitted in the subframe. The allocated resources include at least one RB and the resource allocation information is delivered in, for example, a MAP message, which will be described with reference to FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 1, it is assumed that one DL subframe is allocated to, for example, four MSs, MS #1 to MS #4. For convenience in description, resources allocated to MS #1 are referred to as MS #1 resources, resources allocated to MS #2 are referred to as MS #2 resources, resources allocated to MS #3 are referred to as MS #3 resources, and resources allocated to MS #4 are referred to as MS #4 resources. Resource allocation information about the MS #1 resources is transmitted in an MS #1 MAP message, resource allocation information about the MS #2 resources is transmitted in an MS #2 MAP message, resource allocation information about the MS #3 resources is transmitted in an MS #3 MAP message, and resource allocation information about the MS #4 resources is transmitted in an MS #4 MAP message. The MS #1 MAP message is a MAP message carrying the resource allocation information about the MS #1 resources, the MS #2 MAP message is a MAP message carrying the resource allocation information about the MS #2 resources, the MS #3 MAP message is a MAP message carrying the resource allocation information about the MS #3 resources, and the MS #4 MAP message is a MAP message carrying the resource allocation information about the MS #4 resources.
To allocate resources as described above, MAP messages are used for resources in a one-to-one correspondence and should carry resource allocation information about the resources. Accordingly, the overhead of transmitting resource allocation information increases with the number of allocated resources, thereby decreasing the overall system performance of the IEEE 802.16m communication system.
Resource allocation can be considered in two ways, individual resource allocation and group resource allocation in the IEEE 802.16m communication system. Depending on individual or group resource allocation, resource allocation information may be represented differently.
In the case of individual resource allocation, four schemes are available to represent resource allocation information, namely a start-end scheme, a start-length scheme, a tree scheme, and a triangle scheme.
The start-end and start-length schemes will first be described below with reference to FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 illustrates start-end and start-length schemes used to represent resource allocation information in an IEEE 802.16m communication system according to the related art.
Referring to FIG. 2, it is assumed that one subframe includes, for example, 48 RBs, RB #0 to RB #47. The start-end scheme specifies resource allocation information using a start position index indicating the start position of allocated resources and an end position index indicating the end position of the allocated resources. For example, if the allocated resources include 9 RBs, RB #20 to RB #28, resource allocation information about the allocated resources is specified using a start position index '000000010100' and a last position index '000000011100'. Given 48 RBs for a subframe, resource allocation information about allocated resources of the subframe may be represented in 24 bits.
The number of bits used to represent resource allocation information about allocated resources in the start-end scheme may be determined by the following equation,Bit Overhead for Start-End Scheme=2┌ log2(NRB)┐(Bits)  (1)where Bit overhead for Start-End Scheme denotes the number of bits used to represent resource allocation information in the start-end scheme and NRB denotes the number of RBs included in a subframe.
The start-length scheme specifies resource allocation information using a start position index indicating the start position of allocated resources and a length index indicating the length of the allocated resources. For example, if the allocated resources include 9 RBs, RB #20 to RB #28, resource allocation information about the allocated resources is specified using a start position index '000000010100' and a length index '000000001001'. Given 48 RBs for a subframe, resource allocation information about allocated resources of the subframe may be represented in 24 bits.
The number of bits used to represent resource allocation information about allocated resources in the start-length scheme may be determined by the following equation,Bit Overhead for Start-Length Scheme=2┌ log2(NRB)┐(Bits)  (2)where Bit Overhead for Start-Length Scheme denotes the number of bits used to represent resource allocation information in the start-length scheme.
With reference to FIG. 3, the tree scheme will be described below.
FIG. 3 illustrates a tree scheme in an IEEE 802.16m communication system according to the related art.
Referring to FIG. 3, it is assumed that a subframe includes, for example, 48 RBs, RB #0 to RB #47. According to the tree scheme, resource allocation information may be represented by node indexes. While the tree scheme reduces bit overhead relative to the start-end scheme and the start-length scheme, it has a decreased freedom of representing resource allocation information. More specifically, resource allocation information can be represented only for resources having a size of a power of 2 and a start position being a multiple of 2 in the tree scheme. For instance, if allocated resources occupy 8 RBs ranging from RB #0 to RB #7, the allocated resources may be indicated by resource allocation information. However, if allocated resources occupy 8 RBs ranging from RB #1 to RB #8, the allocated resources may not be indicated by resource allocation information. Despite the advantage of reduction of bit overhead, therefore, the tree scheme faces a limited resource allocation freedom.
The number of bits used to represent resource allocation information about allocated resources in the tree scheme may be determined by the following equation,Bit Overhead for Tree Scheme=┌ log2(NRB)┐+1(Bits)  (3)where Bit Overhead for Tree Scheme denotes the number of bits used to represent resource allocation information in the tree scheme.
With reference to FIG. 4, the triangle scheme will be described below.
FIG. 4 illustrates a triangle scheme in an IEEE 802.16m communication system according to the related art.
Referring to FIG. 4, it is assumed that a subframe includes, for example, 48 RBs, RB #0 to RB #47. The triangle scheme increases the resource allocation freedom by increasing the number of nodes, relative to the tree scheme. Therefore, the triangle scheme has a higher bit overhead than the tree scheme. In FIG. 4, since one subframe includes 48 RBs, the triangle scheme should be able to express a total of 1176 cases. Hence, 11 bits are used to represent resource allocation information. The number of bits used to represent resource allocation information about allocated resources in the triangle scheme may be determined by the following equation,Bit Overhead for Triangle Scheme=┌ log2(NRB(NRB+1)/2)┐(Bits)  (4)where Bit Overhead for Triangle Scheme denotes the number of bits used to represent resource allocation information in the triangle scheme.
In the case of group resource allocation, resource allocation information may be represented using a bitmap scheme. The bitmap scheme will be described below with reference to FIG. 5.
FIG. 5 illustrates a bitmap scheme in an IEEE 802.16m communication system according to the related art.
Referring to FIG. 5, it is assumed that a subframe includes, for example, 48 RBs, RB #0 to RB #47. Allocated RBs and non-allocated RBs are indicated in a bitmap. The RBs of the subframe are mapped to bits in a one-to-one correspondence. If an RB is allocated, a bit mapped to the RB is set to, for example, '1'. If the RB is not allocated, the bit mapped to the RB is set to, for example, '0'. If one subframe includes 48 RBs as illustrated in FIG. 5, the bitmap scheme uses 48 bits.
The bitmap scheme may indicate whether a specific RB is allocated or not, but may not distinguish between allocated resources. This means that it is not possible to identify the start and end of allocated resources from a bitmap. Accordingly, the bitmap should be transmitted along with information about the positions of allocated resources and information for distinguishing the allocated resources from other resources in the bitmap scheme, thereby increasing bit overhead.
As described above, the methods for representing resource allocation information in the case of individual resource allocation, that is, the start-end scheme, the start-length scheme, the tree scheme, and the triangle scheme increase bit overhead linearly as the number of allocated resources increases. As a consequence, the overall system performance of the IEEE 802.16m communication system is decreased.
In the case of group resource allocation, resource allocation information may be represented in the form of a bitmap. This bitmap scheme does not increase bit overhead with the number of allocated resources but requires additional transmission of information about the positions of allocated resources and information for distinguishing the allocated resources from other resources, thereby eventually increasing bit overhead and thus decreasing the overall system performance of the IEEE 802.16m communication system.

Apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving resource allocation information in a communication system


A lubricating structure for an OHC internal combustion engine including a cam holder, wherein an oil feed path for feeding a lubricant to an upper end of a valve stem is formed integrally with the cam holder so as to project therefrom.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lubricating structure in an OHC internal combustion engine and, more specifically, to a lubricating structure with respect to the periphery of a valve stem.
2. Description of Background Art
In the OHC (Over Head Camshaft) type internal combustion engine provided with a camshaft on a cylinder head above a combustion chamber, pressure oil is supplied to a valve system of the camshaft or the valve stem located above by an oil pump driven by the operation of the internal combustion engine.
In the related art, lubricant for the valve stem is guided to the upper end of the valve stem from an oil path formed in a rocker arm. However, since the rocker arm, being relatively complex in structure, is a pivoting member, there arises a problem in that forming the oil path therein makes the structure further complex, and thus results in increase in production cost.
Accordingly, a method of guiding lubricant to the upper end of the valve stem through a lubricant guide attached to a camshaft holder is proposed (For example, see Patent document JP-UM-B-62-11294).
In JP-UM-B-62-11294, a structure in which the separate lubricant guide and the camshaft holder are secured together by two mounting bolts of the camshaft holder is disclosed.
Mounting bolt holes which the mounting bolts of the camshaft holder pass through are used as lubricant paths, and lubricant guided from the lubricant paths through an oil groove and an oil feed hole to the upper surface of the lubricant guide and accumulated is guided by the lubricant guide and supplied to the upper end of the valve stem.
In the construction described above, since the lubricant guide which is separate from the camshaft holder is secured together with the camshaft holder with the mounting bolt, the number of components increases and the assemblability is lowered and hence the cost is increased.

Lubricating structure of OHC internal combustion engine