A method and system updates individualized calibrated tone-reproduction curves. A plurality of predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves are used, each predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curve corresponding to a distinct media type and halftone type combination along with a plurality of predetermined relationships between each stored calibrated tone-reproduction curve and a reference media type and reference halftone type combination. A new tone-reproduction curve corresponding to a reference media type and reference halftone type combination calibration operation is generated, and each predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves based on the newly generated tone-reproduction curve corresponding to the reference media type and reference halftone type combination and the plurality of predetermined relationships between each stored calibrated tone-reproduction curve and the reference media type and reference halftone type combination is updated. The TRCs can be applied upon a page basis. Moreover, generated TRCs can be mapped to existing TRCs to save memory.

The present invention relates to calibrating and operating an electronic printer output device. It finds particular application in conjunction with calibrating an electronic printer output device using a tone reproduction curve (xe2x80x9cTRCxe2x80x9d) and will be described with particular reference thereto. Moreover, the present invention also relates to applying a TRC from a plurality of TRCs on a media basis within the printing of a single job. Furthermore, the present invention is directed to calibrating a plurality of TRCs based the calibration of a single media/halftone combination TRC based on a plurality of relationships between the single media/halftone combination TRC and the plurality of TRCs. It will be appreciated, however, that the present invention is also amenable to other like applications.
An electronic printer output device (xe2x80x9cprinting devicexe2x80x9d), also referred to as an image output terminal (xe2x80x9cIOTxe2x80x9d), is generally capable of producing color and standard black-and-white tones to produce images. Such a printing device may be a xerographic print engine, a thermal inkjet device, an acoustic ink print engine, piezo-electric print engine, etc. The printing device accepts color level specifications (typically for each of four (4) colors including cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (xe2x80x9cCMYKxe2x80x9d) or more colors in a high fidelity print engine) as input and produces corresponding color areas on a printed page. This production of the corresponding color areas is often performed by a screening operation (also referred to as a halftoning operation) wherein a fine pattern of color spots is printed. The spots are grouped together to form dots. The dots appear as varying color tones in accordance with the number of color spots used when viewed from a distance. The allowed color level specifications for each of the CMYK color spaces generally vary over some finite range such as 0 to 1 or 0 to 255. The colors at the extremes (i.e., 0 and 1 or 0 and 255) are white and saturated CMYK colors, and numbers between the extremes yield intermediate color tones. However, while the color level specifications may vary linearly, a linear change in color levels typically does not result. Instead, there may be a particular threshold before lighter toned colors become visible. Similarly, darker toned colors may prematurely appear saturated.
A printing device is designed to operate under certain conditions. More specifically, a printing device is calibrated to operate at an ideal set-point, for producing relatively consistent output when used within an environment having specific desired operating parameters such as, for example, a specific humidity, temperature, and dust count, etc. If one or more of the operating parameters deviate from the desired operating parameters, the printing device may drift away from the ideal set point. To some extent, the drift can be corrected with controlled feedback mechanisms within the printing device itself, but typically the printing device requires further corrective action to maintain color consistency in the printed output. The present invention relates to this corrective action.
One way to compensate for the drift within the printing device includes modifying data within a printing device output device controller (xe2x80x9ccontrollerxe2x80x9d). The controller converts image data (e.g., PostScript(copyright) data, PCL data, or PDF data) into raster data, which is transmitted to the printing device where it is printed. More specifically, a TRC modifies the raster data before it is sent to the printing device. A TRC is an electronic map (a graphic representation of the relationship of input v. output) that converts an input image value to a desired image out value. During calibration of a black and white print engine, a test suite of grey patches may be printed out from known image values (grey levels) and the resulting test patches are measured to determine their actual printed image value. A perfect black and white printer would have a TRC that is a linear relationship between the input and the output. In calibration, the actual output of the printing device is measured and a relationship between the input and output is established. The calibration TRC is generated by determining the difference between the ideal and the actual, thereby allowing the TRC to modify the raster data to correct for drift. The resulting image produced by the printing device using the corrected raster data is printed correctly (i.e., as if the printing device had not drifted from the ideal set point and the data was not corrected by the TRC). Both linear and nonlinear drifts within a printing device may be compensated by using calibration TRCs.
In order to accurately produce a desired color level, the correspondence between the color level specification of the printing device and the actual color level produced by the printing device must be known. The TRC provides an illustration of the corresponding relationship.
In order to determine the TRC, a sample set of color level specifications is printed and a device such as a calorimeter or spectrophotometer measures the color levels actually produced by the printing device. The measured points are then used as raw data to calculate a set of curves. The set of curves produced is referred to as the calibration TRCs, or simply as TRCs. Various methods exist for creating TRCs. One such method is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,696,889, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Although TRCs can be created and applied to correct for drifts in a printing device output, there is currently no method or system that permits a user to specify a specific TRC based on media-type. Moreover, there is currently no method or system that permits a user to specify a specific TRC based on a media/halftone combination. Thirdly, there is currently no method or system that permits a user to specify a specific TRC on a page basis within a single print job. Lastly, there is currently no method or system that permits a user to readjust a plurality of TRCs based the calibration of a single TRC using a reference media and a reference halftone or plurality of reference halftones.
The present invention provides a new and improved apparatus and method that overcomes the above-referenced problems and others.
One aspect of the present invention is directed to a method for applying individualized calibrated tone-reproduction curves to enable printing of image data. This method provides a plurality of calibrated tone-reproduction curves, each calibrated tone-reproduction curve corresponding to a distinct media type; determines a media type to be used in printing the image data; selects a calibrated tone-reproduction curve based on the determined media type; and applies the selected calibrated tone-reproduction curve to print the image data.
Another aspect of the present invention is a system for applying individualized calibrated tone-reproduction curves to enable printing of image data. The system includes a storage device to store and provide a plurality of calibrated tone-reproduction curves, each calibrated tone-reproduction curve corresponding to a distinct halftone type and media type combination; an input device to select a media type to be used in printing the image data and to select a halftone to be used in printing the image data; and a processor to select a calibrated tone-reproduction curve based on the selected media type and determined halftone type and to apply the selected calibrated tone-reproduction curve to print the image data.
A further aspect of the present invention is a system for applying individualized calibrated tone-reproduction curves to enable printing of image data. The system includes storage means for storing and providing a plurality of calibrated tone-reproduction curves, each calibrated tone-reproduction curve corresponding to a distinct halftone type and media type combination; first means for determining a media type to be used in printing the image data; second means for determining a halftone to be used in printing the image data; and third means for selecting a calibrated tone-reproduction curve based on the determined media type and determined halftone type and applying the selected calibrated tone-reproduction curve to print the image data.
A fourth aspect of the present invention is a method for applying individualized calibrated tone-reproduction curves on a single page basis to enable printing of image data associated with a job having a plurality of pages. The method provides a plurality of calibrated tone-reproduction curves, each calibrated tone-reproduction curve corresponding to a distinct media type; assigns a first media type to a first group of pages in the job; assigns a second media type to a second group of pages in the job; receives a page of image data to be printed; selects a calibrated tone-reproduction curve for the received page of image data based on the assigned media type; and applies the selected calibrated tone-reproduction curve to print the page of image data.
A fifth aspect of the present invention is a system for applying individualized calibrated tone-reproduction curves on a single page basis to enable printing of image data associated with a job having a plurality of pages. The system includes a storage device to store and provide a plurality of calibrated tone-reproduction curves, each calibrated tone-reproduction curve corresponding to a distinct media type; an input device to assign a first media type to a first group of pages in the job and to assign a second media type to a second group of pages in the job; and a processor to receiving a page of image data to be printed, to select a calibrated tone-reproduction curve for the received page of image data based on the assigned media type, and to apply the selected calibrated tone-reproduction curve to print the page of image data.
A sixth aspect of the present invention is a method for applying individualized calibrated tone-reproduction curves on a single page basis to enable printing of image data associated with a job having a plurality of pages. The method performs a plurality of calibration operations, each calibration operation using a distinct media type; generates a tone-reproduction curve for each media type; stores the generated the tone-reproduction curves; assigns a first media type to a first group of pages in the job; assigns a second media type to a second group of pages in the job; receives a page of image data to be printed; selects a calibrated tone-reproduction curve for the received page of image data based on the assigned media type; and applies the selected calibrated tone-reproduction curve to print the page of image data.
A seventh aspect of the present invention is a method for applying a calibrated tone-reproduction curve to enable printing of image data. The method provides a plurality of predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves and a map providing links between calibrated tone-reproduction curves and distinct media type, a stored calibrated tone-reproduction curve being capable of being mapped to more than one media type; generates a tone-reproduction curve corresponding to a new media type calibration operation; displays the generated tone-reproduction curve; displays each of the predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves; selects from either the displayed generated tone-reproduction curve or one of the displayed predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves to be associated with the new media type; stores the displayed generated tone-reproduction curve when the displayed generated tone-reproduction curve is selected to be associated with the new media type and updating the map to reflect a link between the new media type and the stored generated tone-reproduction curve; and updates the map to reflect a link between the new media type and the selected one of the displayed predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves when one of the displayed predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves is selected to be associated with the new media type.
An eighth aspect of the present invention is a system for applying a calibrated tone-reproduction curve to enable printing of image data. The system includes a storage device to store and provide a plurality of predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves and a map providing links between calibrated tone-reproduction curves and distinct media type, a stored calibrated tone-reproduction curve being capable of being mapped to more than one media type; a calibration circuit to generate a tone-reproduction curve corresponding to a new media type calibration operation; a display to display the generated tone-reproduction curve and each of the predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves; a user interface to enable selecting of either the displayed generated tone-reproduction curve or one of the displayed predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves to be associated with the new media type; and a processor to cause the storage device to store the displayed generated tone-reproduction curve when the displayed generated tone-reproduction curve is selected to be associated with the new media type and to update the stored map to reflect a link between the new media type and the stored generated tone-reproduction curve. The processor updates the stored map to reflect a link between the new media type and the selected one of the displayed predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves when one of the displayed predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves is selected to be associated with the new media type.
A ninth aspect of the present invention is a method for applying a calibrated tone-reproduction curve to enable printing of image data. The method provides a plurality of predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves and a map providing links between calibrated tone-reproduction curves and distinct media type, a stored calibrated tone-reproduction curve being capable of being mapped to more than one media type; generates a tone-reproduction curve corresponding to a new media type calibration operation; compares the generated tone-reproduction curve with each of the plurality of predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves to determine if one of the plurality of predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves has similar characteristics; selects, automatically, the generated tone-reproduction curve to be associated with the new media type when the generated tone-reproduction curve has non-similar characteristics with each of the plurality of predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves; selects, automatically, a predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curve to be associated with the new media type, the selected predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curve having similar characteristics to the generated tone-reproduction curve; stores the generated tone-reproduction curve and updating the stored map to reflect a link between the new media type and the stored generated tone-reproduction curve when the generated tone-reproduction curve is selected to be associated with the new media type; and updates the stored map to reflect a link between the new media type and the selected one of the predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves when one of the predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves is selected to be associated with the new media type.
A tenth aspect of the present invention is a system for applying a calibrated tone-reproduction curve to enable printing of image data. The system includes a storage device to store and provide a plurality of predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves and a map providing links between calibrated tone-reproduction curves and distinct media type, a stored calibrated tone-reproduction curve being capable of being mapped to more than one media type; calibration means for generating a tone-reproduction curve corresponding to a new media type calibration operation wherein the calibration means compares the generated tone-reproduction curve with each of the plurality of predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves to determine if one of the plurality of predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves has similar characteristics and selects, automatically, the generated tone-reproduction curve to be associated with the new media type when the generated tone-reproduction curve has non-similar characteristics with each of the plurality of predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves or selects, automatically, a predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curve to be associated with the new media type, the selected predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curve having similar characteristics to the generated tone-reproduction curve; and a processor to cause the storage device to store the generated tone-reproduction curve and to update the stored map to reflect a link between the new media type and the stored generated tone-reproduction curve when the calibration means selects the generated tone-reproduction curve to be associated with the new media type. The processor updates the stored map to reflect a link between the new media type and the selected one of the predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves when the calibration means selects one of the predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves to be associated with the new media type.
An eleventh aspect of the present invention is a method for updating individualized calibrated tone-reproduction curves. The method provides a plurality of predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves, each predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curve corresponding to a distinct media type and halftone type combination; provides a plurality of predetermined relationships between each stored calibrated tone-reproduction curve and a reference media type and reference halftone type combination; generates a new tone-reproduction curve corresponding to a reference media type and reference halftone type combination calibration operation; and updates each predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves based on the newly generated tone-reproduction curve corresponding to the reference media type and reference halftone type combination and the plurality of predetermined relationships between each stored calibrated tone-reproduction curve and the reference media type and reference halftone type combination.
A twelfth aspect of the present invention is a method for updating individualized calibrated tone-reproduction curves. The method provides a plurality of predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves, each predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curve corresponding to a distinct media type and halftone type combination; provides a plurality of predetermined relationships between each stored calibrated tone-reproduction curve corresponding to a first halftone type and a reference media type and first halftone type combination; provides a plurality of predetermined relationships between each stored calibrated tone-reproduction curve corresponding to a second halftone type and a reference media type and second halftone type combination; generates a new tone-reproduction curve corresponding to a reference media type and first halftone type combination calibration operation; and updates each predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves corresponding to the first halftone type based on the newly generated tone-reproduction curve corresponding to the reference media type and first halftone type combination and the plurality of predetermined relationships between each stored calibrated tone-reproduction curve corresponding to the first halftone type and the reference media type and first halftone type combination.
A thirteenth aspect of the present invention is a system for updating individualized calibrated tone-reproduction curves. The system includes a storage device to store and provide a plurality of predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves, each predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curve corresponding to a distinct media type and halftone type combination wherein the storage device storing and providing a plurality of predetermined relationships between each stored calibrated tone-reproduction curve and a reference media type and first halftone type combination; tone-reproduction curve means for generating a new tone-reproduction curve corresponding to a reference media type and first halftone type combination calibration operation; and a processor to update each predetermined stored calibrated tone-reproduction curves based on the newly generated tone-reproduction curve corresponding to the reference media type and first halftone type combination and the plurality of predetermined relationships between each stored calibrated tone-reproduction curve and the reference media type and first halftone type combination.

Method and system of individualizing tone-reproduction curves calibration and applying thereof


Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to method and device for data read/write. The method comprises: in response to receiving a first read/write request for a first target area, determining whether there is a second read/write request under execution in conflict with the first read/write request, a second target area for the second read/write request at least partially overlapping with the first target area, and at least one of the first read/write request and the second read/write request being a write request; and in response to determining there being the second read/write request in conflict, suspending the first read/write request while maintaining a sub-area of the first target area in an unlocked state, the sub-area not overlapping with the second target area.

In conventional storage systems, the storage system typically can receive a plurality of read/write requests. The target area for the executed read/write request will be locked, thereby avoiding conflicts between a plurality of read/write requests. Meanwhile, the total target area of the read/write requests which are suspended due to partial lock of the target area will also be locked. Therefore, the storage space which is in fact not accessed cannot be read and written due to the lockup, thereby decreasing the overall response speed of the storage system.
Thus, it has become the focus of attention that how to improve concurrency level of a plurality of read/write requests for the storage system without any read/write request conflict.

Method and device for data read and write


A method of searching for information includes receiving a query, providing the query to a first search engine that searches a set of data sources, the data sources having relationships to an ontology, receiving search results from the search engine, analyzing the search results to determine at least one statistic corresponding to the search results and the query, wherein the statistic is based upon a relevance score that is calculated based upon a first weighting function related to a concept, a second weighting function related to a data source item, a set of items related to the concept, and a set of items related to the search results, and providing at least one concept to a user, wherein said at least one concept correspond to said at least one statistic.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of information processing and to information modeling systems. More particularly, this invention relates to a method, process, apparatus, and system for advertisement publisher identification and selection.
2. Description of the Related Art
When applied to specific domains and industries (for example healthcare, finance, law, science) traditional search systems are handicapped by approaches to storing, searching, transmitting, and publishing data and/or services that lack domain or industry specificity. Users (e.g., the people or computer system executing a search or publishing information) are frequently unable to obtain satisfying results using traditional search systems. For example, a search engine ranking documents based on a popularity measure but without domain knowledge may not be able to rank documents at the top of the list when they are relevant rather than popular. To be successful, such engines increasingly require that the user have knowledge about the domain in question to an extent that is both prohibitive and unreasonable.
Platforms for publishing (e.g., websites, etc.) have used techniques such as indexing and meta-tagging with meta-data to increase the descriptive power and indexation of documents to increase the likelihood that they are retrieved easily. However, these and other techniques have issues such as naming inconsistencies, inadequate or arguable choices of descriptive fields and difficulty in the maintenance of large vocabularies. Issues such as these have plagued the field of information extraction, search and distribution.
Using an ontology system is one approach to help manage these challenges. However, one limitation of a traditional ontology is that the concepts and relationships in many domains is dynamic and evolving so that the creation and ongoing maintenance of an ontology is time-consuming and labor-intensive. As a result, the practical application of a traditional ontology is limited.
As an example, to create a traditional ontology to a search system in the sports domain, one might model basic concepts and relationships such as 1) the type of sport, 2) the teams within each sport, and 3) the players and coaches for each team. Even in this example, the creation and maintenance of this ontology across a small number of sports may require the modeling of hundreds of teams and thousands of players and coaches. A complete and up-to-date ontology may require historical information and the models would need to be updated whenever the teams within a sport expanded or contracted or whenever a player or coach was drafted or hired, changed teams, or retired.
In order to increase the efficiency of search and publishing, new approaches and techniques are needed to enhance domain knowledge. In addition, it would be useful to apply such approaches and techniques to identify advertising opportunities in the on-line world. For example, it would be useful to have an automated advertisement publisher identification and selection systems and methods to identify web-sites on which advertisements would be effectively placed.
The identification of online advertising sites for advertisers is made difficult by the lack of automated technology to help search for such sites. Much of this process is done manually. In order to increase the efficiency of site identification and selection, new approaches and techniques are needed that leverage search and domain knowledge techniques.

Automated advertisement publisher identification and selection


A sintered alloy for a valve seat may be manufactured using a method including: mixing MnS with an alloy powder for a valve seat including C at 0.8-1.2 wt %, Ni at 2.0-4.5 wt %, Cr at 3.0-5.0 wt %, Mo at 16.0-20.0 wt %, Co at 9.0-13.0 wt %, V at 0.05-0.15 wt %, S at 0.2-0.8 wt %, Fe, and additional inevitable impurities; making a first shape by forming the mixed materials; pre-sintering the first formed shape; making a secondary shape by re-pressing the first pre-sintered shape; main-sintering the secondary shape; and tempering the main-sintered secondary shape.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to valve seats. More particularly, the present invention relates to a sintered alloy for valve seats in which MnS is added for improving machinability and tempering, and a manufacturing method valve seat using the same.
2. Description of Related Art
A valve seat of engine components for vehicles is a component that contacts a valve surface and maintains an airtight seal in a combustion chamber. The valve seat is repeatedly impacted so it needs to be manufactured so it cannot be damaged by the repeated impacts.
A traditional wear-resistant sintered alloy for a valve seat has iron (Fe) as its main component, and contains carbon (C) at 0.4-1.0 wt %, silicon (Si) at 0.1-1.0 wt %, chromium (Cr) at 0.5-2.0 wt %, molybdenum (Mo) at 6.0-10.0 wt %, cobalt (Co) at 6.0-15.0 wt %, and lead (Pb) at 6.0-18.0 wt %. The manufacturing process thereof is as follows.
Firstly, a metal powder except lead of the components is mixed, and it is formed by surface pressure of 4-8 ton/cm2.
It is pre-sintered in the range of 750-800° C. for 40 minutes in a reduction atmosphere, and forged by surface pressure of 7-10 ton/cm2.
Main sintering is then performed in a hydrogen atmosphere in the range of 1110-1140° C. for 30-50 minutes, a resin is impregnated to improve workability, and a barrel process is performed to manufacture a wear-resistant sintered alloy for valve seat.
However, the sintered alloy for the valve seat manufactured by the components and content induces excessive abrasion of tools and tearing, and the workability is not good. Therefore, improvement is needed.
The information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

Sintered alloy for valve seat and manufacturing method of exhaust valve seat using the same


The present invention relates to a method for producing patient specific anti-cancer antibodies using a novel paradigm of screening. By segregating the anti-cancer antibodies using cancer cell cytotoxicity as an end point, the process makes possible the production of anti-cancer antibodies customized for the individual patient that can be used for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. The invention further relates to the process by which the antibodies are made and to their methods of use. The antibodies can be made specifically for one tumor derived from a particular patient and are selected on the basis of their cancer cell cytotoxicity and simultaneous lack of toxicity for non-cancerous cells. The antibodies can be used in aid of staging and diagnosis of a cancer, and can be used to treat tumor metastases. The anti-cancer antibodies can be conjugated to red blood cells obtained from that patient and re-infused for treatment of metastases based upon the recognition that metastatic cancers are usually well vascularized and the delivery of anti-cancer antibodies by red blood cells can have the effect of concentrating the antibodies at the site of the tumor.

Each individual who presents with cancer is unique and has a cancer that is as different from other cancers as that person's identity. Despite this, current therapy treats all patients with the same type of cancer, at the same stage, in the same way. At least 30% of these patients will fail the first line therapy, thus leading to further rounds of treatment and the increased probability of treatment failure, metastases, and ultimately, death. A superior approach to treatment would be the customization of therapy for the particular individual. The only current therapy which lends itself to customization is surgery. Chemotherapy and radiation treatment can not be tailored to the patient, and surgery by itself, in most cases is inadequate for producing cures.
With the advent of monoclonal antibodies, the possibility of developing methods for customized therapy became more realistic since each antibody can be directed to a single epitope. Furthermore, it is possible to produce a combination of antibodies that are directed to the constellation of epitopes that uniquely define a particular individual's tumor.
Having recognized that a significant difference between cancerous and normal cells is that cancerous cells contain antigens that are specific to transformed cells, the scientific community has long held that monoclonal antibodies can be designed to specifically target transformed cells by binding specifically to these cancer antigens; thus giving rise to the belief that monoclonal antibodies can serve as "Magic Bullets" to eliminate cancer cells.
At the present time, however, the cancer patient usually has few options of treatment. The regimented approach to cancer therapy has produced improvements in global survival and morbidity rates. However, to the particular individual, these improved statistics do not necessarily correlate with an improvement in their personal situation.
Thus, if a methodology was put forth which enabled the practitioner to treat each tumor independently of other patients in the same cohort, this would permit the unique approach of tailoring therapy to just that one person. Such a course of therapy would, ideally, increase the rate of cures, and produce better outcomes, thereby satisfying a long felt need.
Historically, the use of polyclonal antibodies has been used with limited success in the treatment of human cancers. Lymphomas and leukemias have been treated with human plasma, but there were few prolonged remission or responses. Furthermore, there was a lack of reproducibility and there was no additional benefit compared to chemotherapy. Solid tumors such as breast cancers, melanomas and renal cell carcinomas have also been treated with human blood, chimpanzee serum, human plasma and horse serum with correspondingly unpredictable and ineffective results.
There have been many clinical trials of monoclonal antibodies for solid tumors. In the 1980s there were at least four clinical trials for human breast cancer which produced only one responder from at least 47 patients using antibodies against specific antigens or based on tissue selectivity. It was not until 1998 that there was a successful clinical trial using a humanized anti-her 2 antibody in combination with Cisplatin. In this trial 37 patients were accessed for responses of which about a quarter had a partial response rate and another half had minor or stable disease progression.
The clinical trials investigating colorectal cancer involve antibodies against both glycoprotein and glycolipid targets. Antibodies such as 17-1A, which has some specificity for adenocarcinomas, had undergone Phase 2 clinical trials in over 60 patients with only one patient having a partial response. In other trials, use of 17-1A produced only one complete response and two minor responses among 52 patients in protocols using additional cyclophosphamide. Other trials involving 17-1A yielded results that were similar. The use of a humanized murine monoclonal antibody initially approved for imaging also did not produce tumor regression. To date there has not been an antibody that has been effective for colorectal cancer. Likewise there have been equally poor results for lung cancer, brain cancers, ovarian cancers, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, and stomach cancer. There has been some limited success in the use of anti-GD3 monoclonal antibody for melanoma. Thus, it can be seen that despite successful small animal studies that are a prerequisite for human clinical trials, the antibodies that have been tested have been for the most part ineffective.


This method of determination of a distribution of energy to a plurality of electrical loads (121, 122, . . . , 12n) during a modulation period (T), the energy coming from at least one generator (14), the supply of a predetermined quantity of energy to any one of the electrical loads during this modulation period being effected by the generator emitting during a predetermined fraction of the modulation period an electrical signal the power whereof corresponds to that demanded by that electrical load, includes a temporal distribution of the electrical signals emitted by the generator in the modulation period in accordance with a distribution criterion determined as a function of the electrical signals and applied successively to each electrical signal in the same modulation period.

If the supply of a predetermined quantity of electrical energy to any one of the electrical loads during this modulation period is effected by the generator emitting during a predetermined fraction of the modulation period an electrical signal the power whereof corresponds to that of this electrical load, it is known to use a method including a temporal distribution of the electrical signals sent by the generator in the modulation period in accordance with a predetermined distribution criterion.
For an alternating current energy distribution application, the electrical signals emitted by the generator are more particularly wave streams. In direct current, they may take any other form.
For example, in the European patent granted under the number EP 0 710 051, there is provision for using a method which, by successive slippages of wave streams relative to each other, enables, at the end of a certain number of modulation periods, convergence toward a more regular distribution of the instantaneous power emitted by the generator to supply the electrical loads.
According to the above patent, the calculations to be effected to converge toward this best temporal distribution of the wave streams are simple, but at the cost of a convergence that is slow.
Thus it is preferable to use methods the convergence whereof is fast, or even instantaneous. This is for example the case of the method used by the energy distribution system marketed by the company Eurotherm Automation for more than twenty years under the name "483". That system effects a temporal distribution of the electrical signals emitted by the generator in a modulation period in accordance with a distribution criterion determined as a function of the electrical signals and applied successively to each electrical signal in this same modulation period. More precisely, the distribution criterion is linked to the number of electrical signals to be distributed in the modulation period, that is to say to the number of electrical loads that have to be supplied with energy during that modulation period. According to this criterion, the modulation period is divided into as many time intervals of the same length as there are electrical signals to be transmitted and the rising edge of an electrical signal is transmitted at the beginning of each interval. The consequence of this is a regular temporal distribution of the rising edges of the electrical signals to be emitted.
As a result of this, a relatively good temporal distribution of the electrical signals emitted by the generator is obtained instantaneously, that is to say in a single modulation period. Nevertheless this distribution is not the optimum distribution.
The invention aims to remedy the limitations of the existing methods, and in particular to improve the method implemented by the "483" system, by providing a method of determination of an energy distribution using a more refined distribution criterion.

Method of determination of a distribution of energy to a plurality of electrical loads and corresponding system

Abstract: The temporal distribution criterion for the electrical signals is determined as a function of the temporal length and the power of the electrical signals.


A processor includes a memory port for accessing a physical memory under control of an address. A processing unit executing instructions stored in the memory and/or operates on data stored in the memory. An address generation unit (“AGU”) generates address for controlling access to the memory; the AGU being associated with a plurality of N registers enabling the AGU to generate the address under control of an address generation mechanism. A memory unit is operative to save/load k of the N registers, where 2<=k<=N, triggered by one operation. To this end, the memory unit includes a concatenator for concatenating the k registers to one memory word to be written to the memory through the memory port and a splitter for separating a word read from the memory through the memory port into the k registers.

In signal processing a high percentage of the algorithms use loops, usually with high iteration counts and consisting of relatively few instructions and/or operating on relatively few data, such as a line of pixel blocks. To improve the speed of processing, DSPs have been equipped with so-called address generation units (AGUs). These units generate from a current address the next address. Some units support several addressing modes. The units calculate the addresses using a number of registers, depending on the addressing mode. Address generation units are known for generating data addresses (sometimes also referred to as address computation units (ACUs)) as well as for generating instruction addresses (sometimes also referred to as loop control units).
WO 01/04765 describes a VLIW processor for signal processing. The processor includes four the same processing elements, each with a number of functional units. Each of the processing elements includes as a functional unit an address generation unit (AGU). The AGU supports seven addressing modes, being direct addressing, base plus offset addressing, indirect/indexed addressing, base plus index addressing, circular indexed addressing and processing element relative addressing. For each of the addressing modes registers are used to calculate the addresses. For details on the addressing modes, the algorithms for calculating the next address, the registers used by the algorithm and exemplary hardware implementations, the reader is referred to WO 01/04765. The VLIW instruction includes an instruction slot for each of the processing elements. The addressing mode is indicated as part of the instruction. The registers are part of the processor's context and can be loaded, saved, and restored as other registers that are part of the context. The VLIW processor is used in combination with a wide memory for storing the VLIWs. Each memory line stores one VLIW instruction. The memory is accessed for each instruction fetched and fed directly to the decode logic to control the execution of multiple execution units in parallel.
The processing elements of the known VLIW processor are single instruction multiple data stream (SIMD) processors, also known as vector processors. A VLIW vector processor potentially has a very high performance for signal processing. Signal processing tasks that would require such a performance, like a software modem for 3G mobile communication standards, are usually composed of many sub-tasks that can be vectorized. The vector processing does result in such sub-tasks being completed relatively fast. Completed in this context also covers the situation wherein al block of data has been processed and processing will be resumed at a later moment for a new data block (usually in fixed cycles). Consequently, switching between sub-tasks also occurs relatively frequently. A context switch requires that the current registers of one or more ACUs that are used for the currently halted task are saved and the saved registers for the newly activated or re-activated task are loaded into the relevant registers of the involved ACUs. For each ACU, for example, four registers may be involved. For one ACU the context switch may thus include saving/restoring a total of 8 registers.


In a converter for converting energy from a generator to a power network, wherein the converter comprises multiple power modules, wherein each power module includes at least two power cells and a transformer for connecting the power cells to the power network, wherein each power cell includes a phase input, a phase output, a transformer output connected to the transformer, a rectifier circuit and an inverter, the transformer (T) of a power module (4.1, . . . , 4.n) includes one generator-side winding (10) for each of the power cells (5) and exactly one common grid-side winding for balancing an energy flow through the power cells (5) of a power module (4.1, . . . , 4.n).

Especially due to the rapid technological development in the field of wind power applications, there is currently a high demand for sophisticated converter applications. In particular, power converters, which are able to transfer electric energy from generators with variable frequency and variable output voltage to medium-voltage grids with quasi-constant frequency and voltage in an efficient and reliable way are needed. To achieve these goals, converters with multiple power levels—so-called multi-level converters—can be used.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,301,130 describes a modular multi-level adjustable supply with parallel connected active inputs. This topology is designed to transfer energy from a power network to an electric machine.


An image forming apparatus includes a cassette chamber, a paper feed cassette, a sheet size sensor, a lift-up sensor, and an arithmetic control unit. The paper feed cassette can be mounted in the cassette chamber, and lifts up a recording sheet placed in the paper feed cassette upon being mounted in the cassette chamber. The arithmetic control unit is configured to decide that the paper feed cassette is mounted when the lift-up sensor detects that the recording sheet is lifted up, despite the sheet size sensor having detected that the paper feed cassette is not mounted.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus.
2. Related Art
Some of existing image forming apparatuses are configured to avoid erroneously deciding that the recording medium identifier has failed, by restricting, when the built-in CPU decides that the recording medium or the paper feed cassette is absent on the basis of a detection result from the paper sensor, the recording medium identifier from performing a self-diagnosis function for identifying the type of the recording medium according to the level of gloss. In addition, in some image forming apparatuses the paper feed cassette includes a plurality of projecting portions and the main body of the apparatus includes a plurality of switches to be pressed by the respective projecting portions, so that the image forming apparatus can decide whether the paper feed cassette is mounted by detecting a pressed state of the switches, and identify the type of the recording medium placed in the paper feed cassette according to the position of the switch that has been pressed. In the image forming apparatus thus configured, the signal line on one of the sides of the switches is used in common and connected to the ground of the apparatus main body, and the switches do not output a detection signal until the paper feed cassette is mounted in the apparatus main body so that the frame ground of the apparatus main body and the frame ground of the paper feed cassette are brought into contact with each other. Such a configuration prevents erroneous detection of the type of the recording medium originating from irregularity of the timing that each of the switches is pressed.
In the mentioned image forming apparatus, the sensor for detecting whether the paper feed cassette is mounted is located inside a cassette chamber provided in the apparatus main body for mounting the paper feed cassette, so as to detect whether the paper feed cassette is mounted according to whether the paper feed cassette is in contact with the sensor.


A method and system for a folding microfluidic device comprises creating at least one folding line in a material, forming a plurality of layers of a microfluidic device in said material, and folding the material at the fold lines to create a self-aligned multilayered microfluidic device. The material can comprise a carrier material with an adhesive layer on the top and bottom surfaces.

The field of Microfluidics has created a demand for micrometer-sized devices that can be used in a variety of applications from medicine to ink jet printing.
However, fabrication of such devices can be time consuming, complicated, and expensive. Therefore, a need exists for improved methods and systems for fabricating microfluidic devices.

Foldable microfluidic devices using double-sided tape

The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Commerce

The National Institute of Standards and Technology


A Multi-Code (MC) Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) receiver receives N (where N.gtoreq.1) encoded signal channels over multiple air signal paths. The N signal channels are encoded using a properly chosen subset of Walsh codes based on a Walsh-Matrix, W.sup.M, where M is a power of two. In the disclosed MC-CDMA receiver, a timing correlator means recovers the timing and control signal for the N signal channels received over any particular signal path; a FWHT circuit together with a second correlator means decodes all of the N signal channels.

Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) has gained significant attention in recent years as the up and coming technology for wireless networks. In spite of a multitude of advantages this technology offers, conventional CDMA systems have very limited user throughput and are not well suited to "bandwidth on demand" multimedia applications. To accommodate such greater bandwidth applications, a Multi-Code CDMA (MC-CDMA) system was proposed and is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,625, entitled "Code Division Multiple Access System Providing Variable Data Rate Access To A User," issued on Aug. 15, 1995. A straightforward implementation of a receiver for the MC-CDMA system may be significantly more complex than a receiver for a conventional CDMA system. Care must be taken to avoid increasing the complexity of the receiver by a factor of N in order to support N channels.
A patent application entitled "AN IMPROVED MULTI-CODE CODE DIVISION MULTIPLE ACCESS RECEIVER," by C. -L. I, C. Webb, and A. Partyka, U.S. Ser. No. 08/678,834, filed on Jul. 12, 1996, described an MC-CDMA receiver which exploits U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,326 inherent timing and synchronization characteristics of any MC-CDMA system. Specifically, the receiver design tracks and acquires multiple code channels with a single timing and synchronization unit.
Notwithstanding the improvements provided in that application, there is a continuing need to further reduce the cost and power consumption at both the transmitter and receiver locations. Increases in cost and power consumption are of particular concern for mobile terminals.

Method and apparatus of a multi-code code division multiple access receiver having a shared accumulator circuits


One embodiment of the present invention relates to a memory cell. The memory cell includes a multi-gate field effect transistor associated with a first region of a semiconductor fin. The memory cell also includes a fin capacitor coupled to a drain of the multi-gate field effect transistor and associated with a second region of the semiconductor fin, where the fin capacitor has an approximately degenerate doping concentration in the second region. Other devices and methods are also disclosed.

Several trends presently exist in the semiconductor and electronics industry. One of these trends is that recent generations of portable electronic devices are using more memory than previous generations. This increase in memory allows these new devices to store more data, such as music or images, and also provides the devices with more computational power and speed.
Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is one type of random access memory where individual bits of data are stored in separate capacitors. Because the capacitors leak charge, any data stored in a capacitor will fade unless it is refreshed periodically. Because of this characteristic, a DRAM is a dynamic memory, as opposed to SRAM and other types of static memory. When compared to SRAM, one advantage of DRAM is that it can have very high densities because of its simplistic memory cell structure.
In many arenas, DRAM is often a relatively affordable solution when large amounts of data storage are desired. This is because DRAMs is often relatively dense compared to other types of memory, such as static random access memory (SRAM). In other words, the capacitive elements that make up a DRAM array can be packed together tightly, such that many cells can be squeezed into a small area.
While DRAM is relatively dense, it suffers from a drawback in that it may not be compatible with manufacturing flows. For example, one type of DRAM is a trench capacitor DRAM, where trench capacitors that act as memory elements are etched into a silicon substrate. Generally, these trench capacitors would add extra mask steps in a manufacturing flow, and as such, are not typically included in these flows. In addition, if DRAM is to continue to be an attractive technology (i.e., dense), designers will likely want it to remain dense in comparison to other types of memory.
Therefore, a need has arisen to provide systems and methods relating to relatively dense memory devices that can be integrated into manufacturing flows.

Memory device with memory cell including MuGFET and FIN capacitor


A semiconductor component having test pads and a method and apparatus for testing the same is described. In an example, an un-bumped substrate is obtained having a pattern of bond pads configured to support bumped contacts and a plurality of test pads. Each of the plurality of test pads is in electrical communication with a respective one of the bond pads. The substrate is tested using the plurality of test pads. In another example, a substrate is fabricated having a pattern of bond pads configured to support bumped contacts and a plurality of test pads. Each of the plurality of test pads is in electrical communication with a respective one of the bond pads. The substrate is tested using the plurality of test pads. An insulating layer is formed over the plurality of test pads.

Semiconductor dice are typically produced by creating several identical devices on a semiconductor substrate, using known techniques of photolithography, deposition, and the like. One type of semiconductor die includes bond pads distributed across the entire surface of the die for supporting bumped contacts. The bond pads are in electrical communication with metal layers disposed on the die and with transistors, resistors, and other electronic circuits integrated within the die. After fabrication, the substrate may be "bumped" by forming bumped contacts on each of the bond pads. The bumped contacts are typically formed of solderable material, such as lead-tin alloy. Bumped dies are often used for flip chip bonding, where the die is mounted face down on a supporting substrate, such as a circuit board or lead-frame, by welding or soldering. The mounted die may then be encapsulated or "packaged" to form an integrated circuit.
In practice, certain physical defects in the substrate, as well as certain defects in the processing of the substrate, inevitably lead to some of the dice being "good" (i.e., fully-functional) and some of the dice being "bad" (i.e., not-fully-functional). Thus, the dice are typically tested before being mounted on the supporting substrate. One type of conventional testing process involves using a testing device to make a plurality of discrete pressure connections to the bond pads on the substrate and provide signals (e.g., power and data signals) to the dice. However, such physical contact may damage the bond pads, which may ruin an entire die or even the entire substrate.
Another type of conventional testing process involves testing the die or substrate subsequent to being bumped by making discrete pressure connections to the bumped contacts. However, such physical contact may damage the bumped contacts, which may also ruin the bumped die/substrate. Specifically, the bumped contacts can become deformed during testing such that they are unusable to attach the die to the supporting substrate. Moreover, testing bumped substrate or die results in additional expense and undue delay in the manufacturing process if the substrate was bad after fabrication.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for semiconductor components capable of being more easily tested without causing damage thereto, as well as for improved test procedures for such semiconductor devices.

Semiconductor component having test pads and method and apparatus for testing same


An apparatus and a method for generating same provides a pulley sheave inner face profile for a variable pulley of a continuously variable transmission allowing the crowned face chain-belt centerline to remain in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of the pulleys at all times and at all drive ratios. Given a primary pulley sheave inner face profile, a corresponding secondary pulley sheave inner face profile can be developed to achieve substantially perfect belt alignment. The pulley sheave inner face profiles may be designed to be identical or congruent. Congruent pulley sheave inner face profiles can be developed according to an algebraic solution allowing numerically controlled design and manufacturing techniques in the fabrication of the sheave inner faces.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to profiles of pulley sheaves for the variable pulleys of a continuously variable transmission. More specifically, this invention relates to a variable pulley sheave profile and a method for generating the same providing a substantially error-free alignment at all drive ratios.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, significant research and development has been devoted to a practical continuously variable transmission (CVT) for automotive applications. A CVT provides a portion of the mechanical link between the vehicle engine and the drive wheels used to control the torque output of the engine.
A CVT generally operates by the use of multiple variable pulleys mounted on parallel axes, connected by an endless chain-belt of metal or elastomeric material. A first variable pulley is situated on an input shaft and is mechanically driven by the vehicle engine. A second variable pulley is mounted on an output shaft and is driven by the first pulley through the chain-belt. The second pulley acts through additional drive components to transmit torque to the vehicle drive wheels. Each pulley rotates about an independent shaft and is formed by the cooperation of two pulley sheaves, one of which is axially movable in a direction opposite from the other. The sheave pairs, mounted on the pulley axis, form the inner faces of the pulley. The profiles of the inner faces are generally inclined, such that the two sheave inner faces tend to converge toward the pulley axis. When at least one of the sheaves is movable axially relative to the other sheave, variation in the distance separating the opposing inner faces can be obtained.
The chain-belt which mechanically links the pulleys is generally a conventional chain-belt having a plurality of interconnected chain blocks, and may have a variety of link and block configurations, e.g. pin or rocker chains, link belts, etc. . . . The contact surface of the chain blocks engages the inner faces of the pulley sheaves and transmits torque by friction. Most conventional chain block configurations include chain blocks having contact surfaces which is a plane surface or very lightly crowned contact surfaces. In such configurations, the contacts with conventional conical sheaves are line contacts (i.e., where the contacted area is a band) and not point contacts. As the chain belt passes over the pulley, the point where the chain block or link articulates is defined as the pitch-line. The pitch (p) is the distance between successive articulations.
During the operation of the CVT, a movable sheave on the first pulley may be translated axially along the pulley axis so as to increase or decrease the distance separating the sheave inner faces. Similarly, a movable sheave on the second pulley decreases or increases the distance separating the sheave inner faces. Accordingly, as the distance separating the primary pulley inner faces is increased, the distance separating the secondary pulley inner faces is caused to be decreased in order to provide mechanical and hydraulic balance.
As the sheave members are translated along the axis of the pulley, the effective pulley radius is increased or decreased due to the inclined inner face of the sheave. The location of the chain-belt articulation or neutral axis (i.e., the pitch-line) around the intermediate circumference of the pulley inner faces defines the effective radius of the pulley. As the sheave inner face separation distance of the first pulley decreases, the chain-belt is forced to adopt its contact at a larger radial distance as it rises up along the inclined sheave inner face and the pitch-line is changed. Simultaneously, the effective radius of the second pulley is proportionately decreased by the separation of the pulley sheaves therein. Similar to the first pulley, the chain-belt is forced to adopt its contact at a smaller radial distance and the pitch-line is changed. Thus, the ratio of the pulley radii may be varied continuously to obtain the desired final drive ratio for the specific vehicle operating conditions.
In existing pulley sheaves, the inclined inner sheave faces are generally linear (conical). However, curved profile inner sheave faces are desirable to reduce the overall profile of the CVT pulleys. For CVT pulleys, the chain-belt centerlines on the drive and driven pulley translate along the axis of the pulleys from an initial centerline position. The difference between these translations causes an offset, while the chain-belt portion in each pulley remains in a plane perpendicular to the axes of the pulleys. Consequently, the chain-belt centerlines at the span between the pulleys tilt, or become inclined, relative to the centerline planes of the pulleys. This tilt or chain-belt misalignment, can cause uneven load distribution on the chain-belt, with associated wear and fatigue effects, and contribute to undesirable noise generation.

Apparatus and method for generating a variable pulley sheave profile


A memory system having a memory controller, interface device and plurality of memory elements. The interface device is coupled to the memory controller via a first high-speed signal path. The plurality of memory elements are removably coupled to the interface device via respective second signal paths, each of the second signal paths having a lower signaling bandwidth than the first signaling path.

The inexorable increase of CPU speed during the past two decades has pushed memory systems into faster and wider implementations. It is clear that increased CPU clocking speed alone cannot provide for quicker software execution times. Memory systems should be designed to deliver data to the CPUs at their native rates or risk forfeiting the benefit of the CPU's increased performance capabilities.
There are two fundamental system approaches to increasing memory system performance. First, increasing the internal access speed of memories has been an ongoing activity for the past decade, particularly in regard to dynamic random access memories (DRAMs), the memory technology most often used to implement the main operating storage in computers and other consumer electronics devices. Second, increasing the width of the data bus to the memory system also provides extra bandwidth.
In today's environment, both approaches of increasing DRAM speed and bus widths are being implemented. The Double-Data-Rate 2 (DDR-2) specification, for example, is a follow-on specification to DDR-1 and provides for data delivery rates up to 800 megabits per second (Mb/s) per pin. DDR-2 is projected to double the performance of memory systems and imposes modest modifications to both the DRAMs and the DRAM controllers. Alternatively, some system designers have resorted to dual memory controllers to double the bandwidth, as in the prior-art system of FIG. 1. With multiple controllers, each can operate independently thereby providing additional bandwidth. However, the use of multiple controllers, while allowing for higher bandwidth, also requires many more I/O signals and PCB board space.
FIG. 2 illustrates a prior-art multi-drop memory system that is prevalent in modern processing systems In essence, memory elements are tied into a common bus which terminates at a memory controller. The signal routing allows for stubs, or signal paths which are tapped off from the main signal path. These stubs make it very convenient to design and implement removable memory modules such as single inline memory modules (SIMMs) or dual inline memory modules (DIMMs). However these stubs also create signal transmission problems especially at higher frequencies. In fact, as frequencies have progressed into the multiple of 100s of Megahertz, the signal degradations become very pronounced due to these stubs.
In modern multi-drop memory systems, the length of stubs are reduced to minimal proportions and enhanced I/O (input/output) electronics are provided in both the controller and the memory elements to achieve higher signal frequencies. FIG. 3, for example, illustrates a prior-art memory system that includes sophisticated timing and control circuitry in both the memory controller and DIMM-mounted memory devices. As shown, a CPU 20, connects to a memory controller 22 via a front side bus 21 (i.e., having address and data paths as shown). The memory controller 22 contains a data channel, an address decoder and multiplexer as well as generators for clocks and memory timing. The resulting memory interface signals 23, 24 and 25 connect to DRAM chips on DIMM modules 26 via electrical paths typically routed through printed circuit board traces, DIMM sockets and DIMM PCB substrates. In this implementation, signals 23, 24, 25 generated/received by the memory controller 22 are directly connected to individual memory chips. In order to boost signaling rates and thereby achieve higher memory bandwidth, relatively complex timing circuits (e.g., delay locked loops) are typically provided in both the memory controller and each of the memory chips to recover timing information from source-synchronous strobe signals (e.g., BYTE Strobe). Even with such timing circuitry and the cost penalty they impose, multiple instances of the memory controller and DIMMs are often required to satisfy bandwidth requirements of modern data processing applications.
FIG. 4 illustrates a view of a prior-art memory system showing a memory controller, a channel and a memory element. For most systems utilizing a memory system, such as a desktop computer, the distance between the controller and the memory is kept to a minimum thereby allowing for the least amount of signal distortion on the signal channel. For a typical desktop computer, this distance ranges between 6 and 8 inches. For earlier computer systems (circa the early 1990s), where the frequency of signals was less than 100 MHz, primitive signal path structures (vias, through-hole connectors and single ended transmission) did not seriously degrade the communication between the controller and memory. The memory controller and memory elements could utilized straight-forward and simple I/O drivers. As semiconductor improvements became available, it was possible to increase both the density and speed of both the controller and memory elements, shifting the performance bottleneck to the interconnecting channel. That is, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the physical channel that allowed signal transmission with simple I/O in the hundred megahertz range exhibits relatively poor high-frequency response (e.g., due to the more pronounced effects of capacitance, inductance, loss, impedance mismatch, etc.) and therefore became inadequate as on-chip frequencies entered the gigahertz range. Consequently, taking advantage of the added transistors made available by shrinking process technologies, engineers designed more sophisticated I/O drivers and receivers. These I/O cells, in the form of SERDES (SERializers/DESerializers), Clock Data Recovery (CDRs) circuits, pre-emphasizers, encoders, deskewers, and so forth have made it possible to push the speed of signaling up into the Gigahertz range and still utilize conventional channel structures. Unfortunately, such sophisticated I/O cells add significant design and manufacturing expense and therefore drive up system cost. Such I/O cells also tend to consume substantial additional power, reducing thermal overhead within the memory devices and controller and driving up operational cost.
Another problem facing designers of modern memory systems is that the reduced supply voltages necessitated by shrinking process technologies are increasingly insufficient to drive signals across the lossy channel. That is, due to the losses incurred in the channel at higher frequencies, I/O drivers have been forced to stay at higher voltages (and therefore slower speeds) in order to maintain signal margins. Designers of memory system components are increasingly faced with this dilemma of difference between the voltage needs of the internal core logic in a semiconductor versus the more demanding voltage requirements of I/O circuitry.

Memory system having a multiplexed high-speed channel


The present invention is generally directed to copolymers of fluorene. It further relates to devices that are made with the copolymers.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electroactive fluorene copolymers. The invention further relates to electronic devices in which the active layer includes such polymeric materials.
2. Description of the Related Art
Organic electronic devices such as devices that emit light, such as light-emitting diodes that make up displays, are present in many different kinds of electronic equipment. In all such devices, a photoactive layer is sandwiched between two electrical contact layers. At least one of the electrical contact layers is light-transmitting so that light can pass through the electrical contact layer. The photoactive layer emits light through the light-transmitting electrical contact layer upon application of electricity across the electrical contact layers.
It is well known to use organic electroluminescent compounds as the active component in light-emitting diodes. Simple organic molecules such as anthracene, thiadiazole derivatives, and coumarin derivatives are known to show electroluminescence. Several classes of luminescent polymers have also been disclosed. These include, for example, poly(1,4-phenylene vinylene) and derivatives; polythiophenes, especially, poly(3-alkylthiophenes); and poly(p-phenylenes). Alkyl and dialkyl derivatives of polyfluorene have also been disclosed, as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,708,130 and 5,900,327.
There is a continuing need for photoactive compounds having improved efficiency and processes for preparing them.

Electroactive fluorene copolymers and devices made with such polymers


A polysilicon emitter of a bipolar device is formed utilizing a self-aligned Damascene technique. An oxide mask is patterned over epitaxial silicon implanted to form the intrinsic base. The oxide mask is then etched to form a window. Polysilicon is uniformly deposited over the oxide mask and into the window. The polysilicon is then polished to remove polysilicon outside of the window. Etching of the oxide mask follows, with good selectivity of oxide over silicon. This selectivity produces a polysilicon emitter atop an intrinsic base, the base flush with the silicon surface rather than recessed because of overetching associated with conventional processes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for forming an emitter of a bipolar transistor, and in particular, to a self-aligned process of forming a polysilicon emitter of a bipolar transistor that does not result in etching of the base upon which the emitter is formed.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 1A-1F show cross-sectional views of the conventional process steps for forming an NPN bipolar transistor having a polysilicon emitter.
FIG. 1A shows the starting point for the process. A high dose of N type dopant is implanted into silicon substrate 100 to create N+ region 102. Epitaxial silicon 101 is then grown from substrate 100 with adequate doping and thickness to meet the necessary collector requirements (BV.sub.ceo, BV.sub.cbo, etc.) of the particular device. Isolation structures 104 are formed using conventional techniques such as LOCOS or shallow trench isolation. Finally, sink 103 enabling electrical contact with the collector is formed by implantation of high doses of n type dopant at relatively low energy.
FIG. 1B shows the implant of p type dopant into epitaxial silicon 101 to form intrinsic base 106, followed by formation of polysilicon layer 108 on top of epitaxial silicon 101, sink 103, and isolation structures 104.
FIG. 1C shows the formation of a patterned photoresist mask 110 over the polysilicon layer 108. Photoresist mask 110 is present over the region in which the emitter will be formed.
FIG. 1D shows etching of unmasked polysilicon 108 to define polysilicon emitter structure 112. Here, the difficulty in selectively etching polysilicon versus underlying epitaxial silicon causes overetching of epitaxial silicon 101. This overetching produces recesses 114 in epitaxial silicon 100 between isolation structures 104. Sink 103 is also partially degraded by this overetching.
FIG. 1E shows implant of medium level doses (typically 1.times.10.sup.18 atoms/cm.sup.3) of p type dopant into epitaxial silicon adjacent to emitter 112, forming link base 118.
FIG. 1F shows the formation of emitter spacer structures 119, followed by the implant of high level doses (typically 1.times.10.sup.19 -1.times.10.sup.20 atoms/cm.sup.3) of p type dopant into the link base 118, forming extrinsic base 121.
Fabrication of the bipolar transistor 116 is finalized by creating silicided emitter, sink, and extrinsic base contacts, and an overlying interconnect metallization structure.
The conventional process flow shown in FIGS. 1A-1F can be successfully implemented to fabricate bipolar transistors. However, the conventional process suffers from several disadvantages.
Overetching of epitaxial silicon in the base discussed above in connection with FIG. 1D occurs because no plasma etching technology has yet been discovered which is selective to polysilicon over epitaxial silicon. Thus, all conventional fabrication processes must trade off polysilicon overetch in the base with product yield.
Specifically, too little polysilicon overetch results in possible shorting between the polysilicon emitter and the link base due to the presence of residual polysilicon on top of the link base.
Too much polysilicon overetch risks degradation of device characteristics. Specifically, overetching reduces the electronic connection between the intrinsic base and the link base, resulting in excessively high overall base resistance. Overetching also results in positioning of the link and extrinsic bases closer to the underlying silicon substrate, enhancing the possibility of leakage or breakdown between base and substrate. Moreover, overetching also results in loss of a portion of the sink region.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a process of forming a bipolar transistor structure that eliminates overetching of silicon upon which the polysilicon emitter is formed, minimizing base resistance and allowing for creation of shallow base regions.

Self aligned poly emitter bipolar technology using damascene technique


A touch pad includes a touch sensor, a touch detection unit, an atmospheric pressure detection unit, and an atmospheric pressure compensation unit. The touch sensor detects a touch input from users, and generates analog signals. The touch detection unit amplifies the analog signals by a controllable gain to generate amplified analog signals, converts the amplified analog signals to digital signals, and sends the digital signals to the processor to determine a touch location. The atmospheric pressure detection unit measures ambient atmospheric pressure, and generates an atmospheric pressure level. The atmospheric pressure compensation unit generates a gain regulation signal corresponding to the atmospheric pressure level to control the touch detection unit to regulate the controllable gain. A related method for regulating sensitivity of the touch pad is also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to input devices, and especially to a touch pad and a method for regulating sensitivity of the touch pad.
2. Description of Related Art
Touch pads are becoming increasingly popular because of their ease of use, versatility, and low price. A touch pad is often incorporated in electronic devices, such as portable computers, and used as a pointing. The touch pad allows a user to make selections and move a cursor by simply touching an input surface of the touch pad with a finger or a stylus. The touch pad is connected to a processor via a communication link. In general, the touch pad recognizes a location of the touch on the input surface and sends a signal to the processor. The processor performs actions to accept the selections or move the cursor based on the signal. They are different types of touch pads, such as capacitive touch pads, resistive touch pads, surface acoustic wave touch pads, infrared touch pads, etc.
However, changes in atmospheric pressure can affect sensitivity of the touch pad, thus reducing a stability of the touch pad. Take the capacitive touch pad for example, the capacitive touch pad comprises of rows of a first set of conductive traces, and of columns of a second set of conductive traces, and a dielectric insulator. The first set of conductive traces and the second set of conductive traces are insulated by the dielectric insulator to form a grid with an array of capacitors. When a point on the touch pad is touched, the capacitance of the capacitors at that point changes. A subsequent circuit then generates a signal according to the change of capacitance, and the signal can be used to identify the point.
As atmospheric pressure changes, the conductivity of the human body changes. As atmospheric pressure reduces, a coupling capacitance between the human body and the touch pad decreases, and the sensitivity of the touch pad decreases. Similarly, as atmospheric pressure increases, the coupling capacitance between the human body and the touch pad increases, therefore the sensitivity of the touch pad increases. Thus, changes in atmospheric pressure may affect the stability of the touch pad.
Therefore, a touch pad and a method for regulating sensitivity of the touch pad are desired.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Touch pad and method for regulating sensitivity of the touch pad


There is provided an electronic package where the package components define a cavity. A semiconductor device and a portion of a leadframe occupy part of the cavity. Substantially the remainder of the cavity is filled with a compliant polymer, such as a silicone gel. Since the cavity is no longer susceptible to gross leak failure, the seal width of adhesives used to assemble the package may be reduced, thereby increasing the area available for mounting the semiconductor device.

Integrated circuit devices, such as silicon based semiconductor circuits, are encased within a package to protect the device from mechanical shock. The packages are manufactured from a variety of materials, such as plastics, ceramics and metals.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,316 to Mahulikar et al discloses a metallic package. The patent, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein, discloses an anodized aluminum alloy base and cover defining a cavity. A leadframe is disposed between the base and cover and bonded to both by an adhesive seal ring. An integrated circuit device is electrically interconnected to the leadframe and encased within the cavity. The assembled package is light weight, durable and efficiently dissipates heat generated by the device.
The aluminum alloy package components have a coefficient of thermal expansion significantly lower than the adhesive sealants, typically an epoxy, used to seal the package. When the packages are heated, thermally generated mechanical stresses can cause delamination between the leadframe and the adhesive. As the packages are heated or cooled, air trapped within the package cavity expands and contracts. The cavity has a fixed volume so the expansion and contraction of the trapped air is compensated as changes in air pressure. The pressure changes apply a stress on the seal ring which could eventually lead to delamination.
Seal ring delamination results in a gross leak failure. One way to identify gross leak failure is by immersing the package in an inert liquid fluorocarbon heated to 125.degree. C. typically for about 1 minute. A stream of bubbles emanating from the package indicates seal delamination and a passageway to the package cavity. Water vapor and other contaminants can enter the package cavity leading to corrosion of the device or electric circuitry.
One method to prevent seal delamination is to increase the width of the seal path. This solution is contrary to a primary electronic package manufacturing objective, namely to maximize the area available within the package cavity for housing the electronic device. One continuing goal of electronic packaging is to encapsulate the largest device possible within a given package outline.
As discussed below, Applicants increase the area available for the semiconductor device by filling the package cavity with a compliant polymer, such as a silicone gel. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,106 to Butt et al a package cavity is filled with a fluid or gel having good thermal conductivity, such as helium or hydrogen gas and silicone or silicate gels.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,114 to Feinberg et al discloses a conformable gel pad inserted within the cavity of a package. The gel pad has a compressible matrix made from silicone or polyurethane with a thermally conductive material dispersed throughout.
"Glop topping" is utilized in molded plastic packages as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,227 to Chang et al. The package cavity is filled with a soft gel, for example silicone, to provide environmental protection. The glop top is used in molded packages because the molding resin is permeable to moisture. The glop top prevents corrosion of package components by inhibiting moisture diffusion.
While the addition of a compliant polymer to a package cavity has been disclosed for improving thermal conductivity and for providing a moisture barrier, compliant polymers have not, until now, been used to reduce the seal path width thereby increasing the size of the electronic device which can be encapsulated within a fixed package outline.

Metal electronic package with reduced seal width


The present invention discloses a power bank circuit. The power bank circuit includes a charger circuit, a battery circuit, a power conversion circuit, a temperature detecting circuit and a current distribution circuit. The charger circuit receives an input voltage and provides a charging current to the battery circuit. The power conversion circuit converts a battery voltage to an output voltage and provides an output current. The temperature detecting circuit detects the temperature of the packaged structure. When the temperature of the packaged structure exceeds a first predetermined temperature, the current distribution circuit first reduces the output current. When the temperature of the packaged structure exceeds a second predetermined temperature, the current distribution circuit then reduces the charging current.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a power bank circuit; particularly, it relates to such power bank circuit possessing high-temperature resistant capability.
2. Description of Related Art
A power bank circuit has a charger circuit and a battery circuit. The charger circuit can charge the battery in the battery circuit. The battery circuit has a charging path and a discharging path. Generally, the charger circuit is capable of detecting its temperature. When the detected temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature, the charging current supplied from the charger circuit to the battery is reduced, thus preventing the circuit from being damaged by high temperature.
In the above-mentioned prior art, reducing the charging current will prolong the charging time, which is a drawback. If the charger circuit fails to lower down its temperature, the charging time will be prolonged longer.
In view of the above, to overcome the drawbacks in the prior art, the present invention proposes a power bank circuit capable of continuing charging even though the temperature rises up to a predetermined temperature, thereby saving the charging time while still providing protection against high temperature.

High-temperature resistant power bank circuit


The present invention provides water soluble fullerene formulations and methods of use thereof.

The unique physical and chemical properties of fullerene (e.g., C60) have elicited broad research interest from different areas since it was discovered in 1985 (Kroto et al. (1985) Nature 318:162-3; Kroto et al. (1991) Chem. Rev., 91:1213-35). Over the past 20 years, fullerene has been investigated as a radical scavenger, due to its highly unsaturated structure and excellent electron-receptor properties (Bosi et al. (2003) Eur. J. Med. Chem., 38:913-23; Krusic et al. (1991) Science 254:1183-5; McEwen et al. (1992) J. Am. Chem. Soc., 114:4412-4; Markovic et al. (2008) Biomaterials 29:3561-73; Nakamura et al. (2003) Acc. Chem. Res., 36:807-15). It has been reported that one fullerene molecule can readily react with at least 15 benzyl radicals or 34 methyl radicals to form stable radical or non-radical adducts (Krusic et al. (1991) Science 254:1183-5). Many detrimental biological free radicals, such as superoxide (O2−), hydroxyl radical (OH), singlet oxygen (1O2) and nitrogen-based radicals can be efficiently scavenged by fullerene and fullerene derivatives (Yin et al. (2009) Biomaterials 30:611-21; Misirkic et al. (2009) Biomaterials 30:2319-28; Lin et al. (2001) Appl. Magn. Reson., 20:583-4; Dugan et al. (1997) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 94:9434-9; Wang et al. (1999) J. Med. Chem., 42:4614-20). However, the extreme hydrophobicity and potential toxicity of fullerene limit its application as a therapeutic antioxidant (Nakamura et al. (2003) Acc. Chem. Res., 36:807-15). To overcome these barriers, two major categories of strategies have been developed in the last two decades: (1) synthesis of water-soluble fullerene derivatives which maintain the radical scavenging capability, such as carboxyfullerene (C3) (Dugan et al. (1997) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 94:9434-9; Lamparth et al. (1994) J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Commun., 14:1727-8.) and poly-hydroxyfullerene (fullerenol) (Dugan et al. (1997) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 94:9434-9; Chiang et al. (1994) J. Org. Chem., 59:3960-8); and (2) solubilization of pristine fullerene using polymer, surfactant, cyclodextrin, liposome, solvent exchange or nanomilling (Misirkic et al. (2009) Biomaterials 30:2319-28; Kato S, Kikuchi et al. (2010) J. Photochem. Photobiol. B., 98:144-51; Andrievsky et al. (1995) J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Commun., 12:1281-2; Ungurenasu et al. (2000) J. Med. Chem., 43:3186-8; Samal et al. (2000) Chem. Commun., 13:1101-2; Yamakoshi et al. (1994) J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Commun., 4:517-8; Shinohara et al. (2009) Toxicol. Lett., 191:289-96; Xiao et al. (2010) Biomaterials 31:5976-85). For example, a carboxylated fullerene derivative (C60 tris-malonic acid) was reported to be able to protect neurons from apoptosis induced by glutamate receptor-mediated excitotoxicity, and is now being commercially developed as a therapy for neurodegenerative diseases (Dugan et al. (1997) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 94:9434-9; All et al. (2008) Nanomedicine 4:283-94; Ali et al. (2004) Free Radic. Biol. Med., 37:1191-202). Several pristine fullerene formulations, such as fullerene-poly (N-vinyl pyrrolidine) (PVP) complex (Radical Sponge®) or fullerene-containing vegetable squalane (LipoFullerene®), have been approved as the antioxidant ingredients in cosmetic products and are sold in some countries (Xiao et al. (2010) Biomaterials 31:5976-85; Xiao et al. (2005) Biomed. Pharmacother., 59:3518; Xiao et al. (2006) Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett., 16:1590-5; Lens et al. (2009) Recent Pat. Biotechnol., 3:118-23).

Water soluble fullerene formulations and methods of use thereof

BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA


Multi-type air conditioner including an outdoor unit installed in an outdoor, including a compressor, a refrigerant flow controlling part connected to a discharge end of the compressor for guiding the refrigerant proper to operation conditions selectively, and an outdoor heat exchanger connected to the refrigerant flow controlling part, a plurality of indoor units each installed in a room and having an indoor heat exchanger and an electronic expansion valve having one end connected to one end of the indoor heat exchanger, a plurality of, at least two, distributors between the outdoor unit and the plurality of indoor units for improving installation freedom of the plurality of indoor units, selectively guiding refrigerant from the outdoor unit to the plurality of indoor units proper to operation conditions, and guiding the refrigerant passed through the indoor units to the outdoor unit again, and a device for shutting off introduction of the refrigerant into the distributors connected to inoperative indoor units.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to multi-type air conditioners, and more particularly, to a multi-type air conditioner with a plurality of distributors refrigerant thereto can be shutoff.
2. Background of the Related Art
In general, the air conditioner, an appliance for cooling or heating room spaces, such as living spaces, restaurants, and offices, cools or heats the room space by circulating refrigerant with a compressor and heat exchangers.
The air conditioner succeeds to development of a multi-type air conditioner which can cool or heat rooms at the same time without being influenced from an external temperature or environment for maintaining more comfortable room environments, resulting to cool or heat entire rooms under the same operation mode.
A related art multi-type air conditioner is provided with one or more than one outdoor unit connected to a plurality of indoor units installed in respective rooms, and operative only in one mode of cooling or heating for controlling room temperatures.
However, nowadays, as the room space becomes larger, a room structure becomes complex, and positions and services of rooms are diversified, room environments of the rooms differ from one another. Particularly, a room equipped with machinery or computer has a room temperature higher than other rooms due to heat from operation of the equipment.
Consequently, even though some of the rooms require cooling, while other rooms require heating, the related art multi-type air conditioner can not deal with the requirements.
When the room structure is complex, there are not only a limitation in distribution of the refrigerant to the rooms with only one distributor, but also difficulty in installation.
Moreover, the long pipeline coming from the complex room structure causes pressure drop of the refrigerant introduced into the indoor units, to drop a refrigerating efficiency.
According to above requirements, development of a multi-type air conditioner of concurrent cooling and heating type is required, which is operative in an optimal operation mode pertinent to room environments, i.e., rooms that require cooling are operated in a cooling mode, and rooms that require heating are operated in a heating mode.
Moreover, there are ceaseless requirements for development of a multi-type air conditioner which can secure freedom of installation, and sustain a supercooled state of the refrigerant despite of pressure drop occurred in pipelines connected to the indoor units.

Multi-type air conditioner with plurality of distributor able to be shutoff


A semiconductor package structure and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor package structure comprises a substrate, a first chip, a first dielectric layer, a dielectric encapsulation layer and at least one first via. The first chip is disposed on the substrate. The first chip has a first landing area. The first dielectric layer is disposed on the first chip. The dielectric encapsulation layer encapsulates the first chip and the first dielectric layer. The at least one first via penetrates through the dielectric encapsulation layer and the first dielectric layer. The at least one first via connects to the first landing area of the first chip.

Wire bonding is a typical method providing interconnections for a semiconductor package structure. However, since the wire is a relative long conductive path, the power consumption and the capacitance become problems. In addition, the wires, the bumps and the pads are space-occupying, and thereby the number and the density of the wires are limited. Further, the cost will become higher as the number of the wires increases.
Through silicon via (TSV), which has been developed in recent years, is another method providing interconnections for a semiconductor package structure. TSV provides interconnections by a silicon substrate with a plurality holes penetrating therethrough. Such a conductive path is shorter, and the density of the conductive path can be very high. However, the manufacturing process is complex, the cost is high, and the yield is a problem.

Semiconductor package structure and method for manufacturing the same


The present application relates to a method for operating sensing signals and the circuit thereof. An analog-to-digital converter first processes the input signal having the most significant bit (MSB DATA) data at least once. Afterwards, the analog-to-digital converter processes the input signal having the least significant bit (LSB) data and the MSB data and sums all the input signals. Thereby, the process steps of the analog-to-digital converter can be simplified and the processing time can be shortened.

Proximity sensors (PS) and ambient light sensors (ALS) have been widely applied to electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, or portable mobile devices everyone owns. The typical application is when a user is making a call using a smartphone, a proximity sensor will be used to detect the distance between the user and the panel of the smartphone so that the control unit therein can judge whether to shut down the touch or display functions on the panel according to the sensing result of the proximity sensor.
As shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, according to the prior art, the proximity sensor 1′ uses a light source 2′ to generate a light beam L1 (for example, the infrared generated by a light-emitting diode), which is reflected by a reflective object O (for example, a human body or another object capable of reflecting light) and generating a reflective light beam L2. The reflective light beam L2 is received by a photosensor 3′ and hence providing the result of distance sensing. The sensing result of the photosensor 3′ includes the component of ambient light A. To avoid the influence by the ambient light A, the photosensor 3′ can sense when the light source 2′ is on and off, respectively. Then the component of the ambient light A can be subtracted for eliminating the influence form the ambient light. Nonetheless, as shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, once the ambient light A comes from a fluorescent lamp powered by an AC power source, the luminance of the ambient light A is undulated. If the sensing duration between an ON state and an OFF state of the light source 2′ is too long, the luminance sensed by the photosensor 3′ will differ significantly, as the first sensing duration gap1 shown in FIG. 2A. The significant difference will result in larger sensing error because the proximity sensor 1′ cannot eliminate the component of the ambient light A effectively. To prevent excessive error caused by the ambient light, the sensing duration between an ON state and an OFF state of the light source 2′ will generally be shortened for reducing the difference in luminance between two measurements for the ambient light A, as the second sensing duration gap2 shown in FIG. 2B. In addition, multiple measurements will be performed for calibrating the sensing results.
Unfortunately, when the photosensor 3′ uses an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to convert each sensing result to digital values, most-significant-bit (MSB) operations and least-significant-bit (LSB) operations, will be involved. Due to the resolution limitation of the analog-to-digital converter on the LSB operations, quantization errors will occur. In other words, each sensing result includes quantization errors. Consequently, when the proximity sensor 1′ acquires the final sensing result after calibration using multiple sensing results of the ON and OFF states of the light source 2′, the final sensing result will include the sum of multiple quantization errors, which will deteriorate the accuracy of the proximity sensor 1′.
Accordingly, the present application provides a method for operating sensing signals for reducing quantization errors. Furthermore, by reducing merge operations for LSB, the operating time of the analog-to-digital converter will be shortened.

Operation method with reducing quantization error and circuit thereof