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1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wrench used for tightening and loosening a fastening member such as a bolt, a nut, or a fastening sleeve for a tool holder, and more particularly, to a wrench which includes a wrench body having a ring portion to be engaged with an outer circumferential surface of the fastening member, and wedge members disposed on the inner circumferential surface of the ring portion and adapted to be caught between the inner circumferential surface of the ring portion and the outer circumferential surface of the fastening member. 2. Description of the Related Art A fastening member, such as a bolt, a nut, or a fastening sleeve for a tool holder, is configured to be rotated in a tightening direction or a loosening direction; and such a fastening member is tightened or loosened through an operation of rotating, in the tightening or loosening direction, a wrench that is engaged with the outer circumference of the fastening member. A conventional wrench of such a type is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 3155888. FIGS. 1 and 2 shows such a conventional wrench. The wrench 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a wrench body 3 having a ring portion 3a and a handle portion 3b formed integrally with the ring portion 3a. The ring portion 3a has a diameter suitable for disengagable engagement with the outer circumference of a fastening member 2. A plurality of grooves 5 are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the ring portion 3a at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction so as to extend in the circumferential direction. A roller-shaped wedge member 4 is movably received in each of the grooves 5. As shown in FIG. 2, each of the grooves 5 has a free region 5a having a relatively large depth and a wedge region 5b located on either side of the free region 5a and shallower than the free region 5a. Further, spring accommodation spaces 6 are formed in the ring portion 3a at circumferential locations corresponding to those of the grooves 5. A guide hole 7 is formed in a partition wall 6a between each of the spring accommodation spaces 6 and the corresponding groove 5 at a location facing the free region 5a. A cylindrical member 8 is disposed in the guide hole 7 to be projectable toward the corresponding groove 5. Moreover, a plate spring 9 is disposed within each of the spring accommodation spaces 6 in order to urge the corresponding cylindrical member 8 to project toward the corresponding groove 5. Therefore, before the ring portion 3a of the wrench 1 is engaged with the fastening member 2, as illustrated by a solid line in FIG. 2, each wedge member 4 is located in the left-hand or right-hand wedge region 5b, because of pressing force applied from the cylindrical member 8. The conventional wrench 1 having the above-described configuration is used as follows. When the fastening member 2 is to be tightened by use of the wrench 1, the ring portion 3a of the wrench 1 is engaged with the fastening member 2, and then the wrench 1 is rotated in a direction of arrow A in FIG. 2. As result, as indicated by a solid line in FIG. 2, each wedge member 4 is pushed into the right-hand wedge region 5b, whereby the wedge member 4 is caught between the wall surface of the wedge region 5b and the outer circumferential surface of the fastening member 2, and thus the wrench 1 and the fastening member 2 are united. Therefore, the fastening member 2 is tightened through an operation of rotating the wrench 1 in the same direction. When the fastening member 2 is to be loosened by use of the wrench 1, the ring portion 3a of the wrench 1 is engaged with the fastening member 2, and then the wrench 1 is rotated in a direction of arrow B in FIG. 2. As result, as indicated by an imaginary line in FIG. 2, each wedge member 4 is pushed into the left-hand wedge region 5b, whereby the wedge member 4 is caught between the wall surface of the wedge region 5b and the outer circumferential surface of the fastening member 2, and thus the wrench 1 and the fastening member 2 are united. Therefore, the fastening member 2 is loosened through an operation of rotating the wrench 1 in the same direction. In such a conventional wrench 1, in a state in which the ring portion 3a of the wrench 1 is not engaged with the fastening member 2, as shown in FIG. 2, each wedge member 4 is located in the left-hand or right-hand wedge region 5b, because of pressing force applied from the corresponding plate spring 9 via the corresponding cylindrical member 8, and a portion of the wedge member 5 projects outward from the inner circumferential surface of the ring portion 3a. Therefore, when the ring portion 3a of the wrench body 3 is engaged with the fastening member 2, the above-mentioned projecting portion of the wedge member 4 interferes with the fastening member 2 and hinders smooth engagement of the ring portion 3a with the fastening member 2. Moreover, the conventional wrench 1 is configured in such a manner that within each groove 5 the wedge member 4 is restrained in the left-hand or right-hand wedge region 5b by means of the corresponding plate spring 9 and the corresponding cylindrical member 8. This hinders smooth movement of the wedge member 4 within the groove 5 from one wedge region 5b to the other wedge region 5b and thus renders the movement unstable. Moreover, attainment of a state where all the wedge members 4 are located in the wedge regions 5b of the same side is not guaranteed; and, in some cases, some wedge members 4 are located in the left-hand wedge regions 5b, whereas the remaining wedge members 4 are located in the right-hand wedge regions 5b. In such a case, some wedge members 4 fail to operate properly, and thus hinder the operation of tightening or loosening the fastening member 2. In order to avoid such a problem, the positions of some wedge members 4 must be corrected such that all the wedge members 4 are located in the wedge regions 5b of the same side. Such position correction operation lowers the efficiency of work for tightening or loosening the fastening member 2.

The design and production of unidirectional graphic articles is known and described, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,711 entitled “Method for Making Unidirectional Graphic Article” and assigned to the same assignee as the instant application. While unidirectional graphic articles are useful in a number of display environments, these articles typically provide only one display option, for example a reflected image in a first lighting condition. That is, an image can be seen (from the viewing side of the article) in high brightness conditions such as daylight, and the image is not visible (from the viewing side of the article) in low brightness conditions such as nighttime. Dual display films and systems are also described in the art, to provide multiple display options. That is, a film capable of showing a reflected image in a first lighting condition and a transmitted image or series of images in a second lighting condition. Examples of such films are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,888,029; 5,962,109; 6,226,906; 6,577,355; and publication numbers WO 2004042684, WO9747481, and US 20040090399.

The specification relates to sending a notification to a user in a social network. Technology makes the sharing of information easy and fast. For example, people can share pictures taken by their families or friends that are posted on a social network. However, social network users can easily miss or forget about all the photos in the social network.

Long distance telephone facilities usually comprise four-wire transmission circuits between switching offices in different local exchange areas, and two-wire circuits within each area connecting individual subscribers with the switching office. A call between subscribers in different exchange areas is carried over a two-wire circuit in each of the areas and a four-wire circuit between the areas, with conversion of speech energy between the two and four-wire circuits being effected by hybrid circuits. Ideally, the hybrid circuit input ports perfectly match the impedances of the two and four-wire circuits, and its balanced network impedance perfectly matches the impedance of the two-wire circuit. In this manner, the signals transmitted from one exchange area to the other will not be reflected or returned to the one area as echo. Unfortunately, due to impedance differences which inherently exist between different two and four-wire circuits, and because impedances must be matched at each frequency in the voice band, it is virtually impossible for a given hybrid circuit to perfectly match the impedances of any particular two and four-wire transmission circuit. Echo is, therefore, characteristically part of a long distance telephone system. Although undesirable, echo is tolerable in a telephone system so long as the time delay in the echo path is relatively short, for example, shorter than about 40 milliseconds. However, longer echo delays can be distracting or utterly confusing to a far end speaker, and to reduce the same to a tolerable level an echo canceller may be used toward each end of the path to cancel echo which otherwise would return to the far end speaker. As is known, echo cancellers monitor the signals on the receive channel of a four-wire circuit and generate estimates of the actual echoes expected to return over the transmit channel. The echo estimates are then applied to a subtractor circuit in the transmit channel to remove or at least reduce the actual echo. In simplest form, generation of an echo estimate comprises obtaining individual samples of the signal on the receive channel, convolving the samples with the impulse response of the system and then subtracting, at the appropriate time, the resulting products or echo estimates from the actual echo on the transmit channel. In actual practice generation of an echo estimate is not nearly so straightforward. Transmission circuits, except those which are purely resistive, exhibit an impulse response that has amplitude and phase dispersive characteristics that are frequency dependent, since phase shift and amplitude attenuation vary with frequency. To this end, a suitable known technique for generating an echo estimate contemplates manipulating representations of a plurality of samples of signals which cause the echo and samples of impulse responses of the system through a convolution process to obtain an echo estimate which reasonably represents the actual echo expected on the echo path. One such system is illustrated in FIG. 1. In the system illustrated in FIG. 1, a far end signal x from a remote telephone system is received locally at line 10. As a result of the previously noted imperfections in the local system, a portion of the signal x is echoed back to the remote site at line 15 along with the signal v from the local telephone system. The echo response is illustrated here as a signal s corresponding to the following equation:s=x*h where h is the impulse response of the echo characteristics. As such, the signal sent from the near end to the far end, absent echo cancellation, is the signal y, which is the sum of the telephone signal v and the echo signal s. This signal is illustrated as y at line 15 of FIG. 1. To reduce and/or eliminate the echo signal component s from the signal y, the system of FIG. 1 uses an echo canceller having an impulse response filter h that is the estimate of the impulse echo response h. As such, a further signal s representing an estimate of echo signal s is generated by the echo canceller in accordance with the following equation: s= h*x The echo canceller subtracts the echo estimate signal s from the signal y to generate a signal e at line 20 that is returned to the far end telephone system. The signal e thus corresponds to the following equation:e=s+v− s≈v As such, the signal returned to the far end station is dominated by the signal v of the near end telephone system. As the echo impulse response h more closely correlates to the actual echo response h, then s more closely approximates s and thus the magnitude of the echo signal component s on the signal e is more substantially reduced. The echo impulse response model h may be replaced by an adaptive digital filter having an impulse response ĥ. Generally, the tap coefficients for such an adaptive response filter are found using a technique known as Normalized Least Mean Squares adaptation. Although such an adaptive echo canceller architecture provides the echo canceller with the ability to readily adapt to changes in the echo path response h, it is highly susceptible to generating sub-optimal echo cancellation responses in the presence of “double talk” (a condition that occurs when both the speaker at the far end and the speaker at the near end are speaking concurrently as determined from the viewpoint of the echo canceller). To reduce this sensitivity to double-talk conditions, it has been suggested to use both a non-adaptive response and an adaptive response filter in a single echo canceller. One such echo canceller is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,787,645, issued to Ochiai et al on Jan. 22, 1974. Such an echo canceller is now commonly referred to as a dual-H echo canceller. Another problem confronting echo canceller circuits is the possibility that the echo path response is non-linear. Such non-linear echo paths are often present in, for example, cellular telephone systems. The echo canceller must not only respond to the non-linear echo response to cancel the echo in an appropriate fashion, it must also be able to detect the presence of a non-linear response in the first place. The present inventors have recognized that the dual-H architecture may itself be employed to assist in detecting a non-linear echo path to thereby signal the echo canceller of the condition so that the echo canceller may respond in the appropriate manner.

To date, a variety of methodologies have been intensively investigated for the processes of synthesizing optically active β-hydroxyethylamine compounds, in particular, optically active β-hydroxyethylamine compounds having a desired steric configuration, or their equivalents (i.e. oxazolidinone derivatives of the β-hydroxyethylamine compounds). A process of converting optically active β-hydroxyethylamine compounds into their enantiomers or diastereomers may be mentioned as one of the methodologies [JP-A-09/169,744; JP-A-55/145650; Adv.Carbohydr. Chem.Biochem., vol. 22, p. 109 (1967)]. As one example of the production by this methodology, a process of converting N-alkoxycarbonyl-ethylamine compounds having a leaving group at the β-position, which are obtained by converting a hydroxyl group of optically active β-hydroxyethylamine compounds into a leaving group, into oxazolidinone derivatives of β-hydroxyethylamine compounds having an inverted steric configuration at the β-position carbon is known [Adv.Carbohydr.Chem.Biochem., vol. 22, p. 139 (1967)]. If the oxazolidinone derivatives of β-hydroxyethylamine compounds obtained by this process are contacted with a base, without isolation and purification up to a pure or almost pure form from the operational and/or economical viewpoint in the industrial production, for example, if the derivatives are supplied to a further derivatization under basic conditions, however, there arise problems such as the secondary production of impurities as a side reaction and the decrease of the yield. More particularly, for example, if the derivatives are derivatized into β-hydroxyethylamine compounds by contacting with water under basic conditions, impurities are apt to be produced secondarily and the yield tends to decrease. Accordingly, there is a strong need for establishment of a production process of oxazolidinone derivatives of β-hydroxyethylamine compounds suitable for contact with a base, which process is economically advantageous and is suitable for an industrial production. In view of the above circumstances, the object of the present invention was to provide a process for preparing oxazolidinone derivatives of β-hydroxyethylamine compounds which is economically advantageous and is suitable for an industrial production, and thereby, to provide a process for preparing β-hydroxyethylamine compounds in a high quality and a high yield which is economically advantageous and is suitable for an industrial production.

1. Field of Invention The present invention relates to a parking lock device for an automatic transmission for a vehicle. The parking lock device causes a pawl of a parking lock pole to latch onto a parking gear, which is externally fixed to an output shaft of an automatic transmission, to lock and prevent rotation of the output shaft, and disengages the pawl from the parking gear to unlock and allow rotation of the output shaft. 2. Description of Related Art In an automatic transmission for a vehicle, generally, a parking range (P), a reverse range (R), a neutral range (N), a drive range (D), and the like are set as the selectable shift ranges. For instance, such an automatic transmission has a parking lock device for bringing the output shaft of the automatic transmission into a non-rotatable locked state when the parking range P is selected with a shift lever installed near the driver's seat of the vehicle (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 62-218261 (JP-A-62-218261), Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-267726 (JP-A-9-267726), and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-240442 (JP-A-9-240442)). This parking lock device includes a parking gear, a parking rod, a parking lock pole, and a drive lever. Operation of the parking lock device will be described. First, when the parking rod is pushed to one side in its axial direction to tilt the parking lock pole, and the pawl of this parking lock pole is latched onto the parking gear externally fixed to the output shaft, the output shaft is brought into a non-rotatable locked state. Further, when the parking rod is pulled to the other side in its axial direction to tilt the parking lock pole in a direction opposite to the above-mentioned direction, and the pawl of the parking lock pole is disengaged from the parking gear, the output shaft is brought into a rotatable unlocked state. It should be noted that the parking rod is pushed or pulled in the axial direction by the drive lever that is tilted in response to an operation of placing the shift lever into the parking range or an operation of releasing the shift lever from the parking range. This parking rod is directly connected to a predetermined portion of the drive lever. As the drive lever of this parking lock device, some related art devices use, for example, the manual valve lever of a range selector (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-267726 (JP-A-9-267726)). The range selector is generally configured as follows. That is, when the shift lever installed near the driver's seat of the vehicle is operated by the driver, the manual valve lever is tilted. The state of a manual valve, which is a constituent element of a hydraulic controller for switching shift ranges, is changed in accordance with this tilting movement of the manual valve lever, thereby establishing the shift range selected by the above-mentioned shift change operation. It should be noted that as the mode of power transmission between the manual valve lever and the shift lever, there is a type in which power is directly transmitted by mechanically coupling and connecting the manual valve lever and the shift lever by using a power transmission member such as a shift rod or shift cable, or the like, and a type in which the shift lever and the manual valve lever are not connected together by the power transmission member but are detached from each other, and when the shift lever is operated by the driver of the vehicle, the position of the selected shift range is detected by a sensor or the like, and the manual valve lever is driven by an actuator such as a motor so as to establish the detected shift range. The above-mentioned related art still leaves room for improvements in the following respects. As a general tendency, when a vehicle is stopped on a downhill slope, the same forward rotation torque as that at the time of forward movement is input to the output shaft from the driving wheels, whereas when the vehicle is stopped on an uphill slope, reverse rotation torque is input to the output shaft from the driving wheels. When, in a state with the parking lock device locked, the above-mentioned forward rotation torque is input to the output shaft, this makes the pawl of the parking lock pole prone to disengage from the parking gear. In this case, the driving force of the manual valve lever (drive lever) required for bringing the parking lock device into an unlocked state can be made relatively small. On the other hand, when, in a state with the parking lock device locked, the above-mentioned reverse rotation torque is input to the output shaft, the pawl of the parking lock pole bites into the parking gear. In this case, the driving force of the manual valve lever (drive lever) required for bringing the parking lock device into an unlocked state needs to be made relatively large. However, since this phenomenon is established on the basis of the positional arrangement of the tilting axis of the parking lock pole with respect to the parking gear, if this positional arrangement differs, a phenomenon reverse to that mentioned above is established. In view of the phenomenon as described above, generally, the engaging force or the like of a latch lever with each position groove of the manual valve lever is adjusted to allow suitable setting of the driving force of the manual valve lever required for achieving the above-mentioned unlocked state. From the viewpoint of safety, this setting is desired to ensure that unlocking does not easily occur. However, in that case, the driving force to be applied by the drive lever at the time of unlocking needs to be set large, resulting in an increase in the requisite operation force of the shift lever. In contrast, although it may be possible to use assist means such as a motor for facilitating the unlocking operation, this leads to an increase in equipment cost.

The emergence of portable electronic computing platforms allows functions and services to be enjoyed wherever necessary. Palmtop computers, Personal Digital Assistants, mobile telephones, portable game consoles, biometric/health monitors, and digital cameras are some everyday examples of portable electronic computing platforms. The desire for portability has driven these computing platforms to become smaller and thus have a longer battery life. It is difficult to efficiently collect user input on these ever-smaller devices. Portable electronic computing platforms need these user inputs for multiple purposes including, but not limited to, navigation: moving a cursor or a pointer to a certain location on a display; selection: choosing, or not choosing, an item or an action; and orientation: changing direction with or without visual feedback. Prior art systems have borrowed concepts for user input from much larger personal computers. Micro joysticks, navigation bars, scroll wheels, touch pads, steering wheels and buttons have all been adopted, with limited success, in today's portable electronic computing platforms. All of these devices consume substantial amounts of valuable surface real estate on a portable device. Mechanical devices such as joysticks, navigation bars and scroll wheels can wear out and become unreliable. Because they are physically designed for a single task, they typically do not provide functions of other navigation devices. Their sizes and required movements often preclude optimal ergonomic placement on portable computing platforms. Moreover, these smaller versions of their popular personal computer counterparts usually do not offer accurate or high-resolution position information, since the movement information they sense is too coarsely grained. A finger image sensor detects and measures features (e.g., valleys, ridges, and minutiae) on the surface of a finger through capacitive, thermal, optical, or other sensing technologies. Most commercially available finger image sensors fall into two categories: (1) full-size placement sensors and (2) typically smaller so-called swipe sensors. Placement sensors have an active sensing surface that is large enough to accommodate most of the interesting part of a finger at the same time. Generally, they are rectangular in shape with a sensing surface area of at least 100 mm2. The finger is held stationary while being imaged on the full-placement sensor. The other type of finger image sensor, called a swipe sensor, is characterized by a strip-like imaging area that is fully sized in one direction (typically in length) but abbreviated in the other (typically width). An example is the Atrua Wings ATW100 sensor, as described by Andrade in US Patent Application 20030016849 and PCT patent application WO 02/095349. A finger is swiped across the sensor until all parts of it are imaged, analogous to how a feedthrough paper document scanner operates. A sequence of slices or frames of the finger image is captured and processed to construct a composite image of the finger. Several prior art devices use a touchpad for authenticating a user and moving a cursor on a display device. A touchpad, which operates similarly to a finger image sensor, does not provide enough image resolution or capability to distinguish ridges and valleys on the fingerprint. Instead, the touchpad perceives a finger as a blob and tracks the blob location to determine movement. Therefore, a touchpad cannot follow miniscule movements, nor can it feasibly detect rotational movement. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/0054695A1, titled “Configurable Multi-Function Touchpad Device,” to Bjorn et al. discloses a touchpad that can be configured to authenticate a user or to control a cursor. The touchpad attempts to enhance the function of a touchpad to include fingerprint capability. It merely absorbs the hardware of a capacitive finger image sensor into the much-larger size touchpad to achieve cost-savings. It does not disclose using the finger image data for navigation control. Undoubtedly, its large size still precludes the touchpad from being used in most portable electronic computing platforms. U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,087, titled “Capacitive Semiconductor User Input Device,” to Kramer discloses a system that uses a fingerprint sensor to control a cursor on the display screen of a computer. The system controls the position of a pointer on a display according to detected motion of the ridges and pores of the fingerprint. The system has a number of limitations. It uses image-based correlation algorithms and, unlike a system using a swipe sensor, requires fingerprint images with multiple ridges, typical for capacitive placement sensors. To detect a motion parallel to the direction of a ridge, the system requires the sensor to detect pores, a requirement restricting its use to high-resolution sensors of at least 500 dpi. The system detects changes in ridge width to sense changes of finger pressure. However, ridge width measurement requires a very high-resolution sensor to provide low-resolution of changes of finger pressure. The algorithm is unique to emulating a mouse and is not suitable for emulating other types of input devices, such as a joystick or a steering wheel, where screen movements are not always proportional to finger movements. For example, a joystick requires a returning to home position when there is no input and a steering wheel requires rotational movement. The system is unique to capacitive sensors where inverted amplifiers are associated with every sensor cell.

Corrosion is a redox process by which metals are oxidized by oxygen in the presence of moisture. The corrosion of iron may be characterized by the half-reaction: EQU Fe.fwdarw.Fe.sup.2+ +2e.sup.-. The two electrons so produced may flow to a point which acts as a cathode where oxygen is reduced to OH.sup.- as follows: EQU 1/2O.sub.2 +H.sub.2 O+2e.sup.- .fwdarw.2OH. Adding the two half-reactions: ##EQU1## The ferrous hydroxide, Fe(OH).sub.2, may then be oxidized to ferric hydroxide, FeO(OH), which may lose water to form ferric oxide, Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3. One method of inhibiting the corrosion of steel is galvanization, wherein the steel is coated with elemental zinc, a more active metal. Zinc, being a better reducing agent than iron, protects the iron by reversing the reaction for the formation of Fe.sup.2+ : ##EQU2## Hence, the zinc coating corrodes sacrificially but the structural iron in contact with the zinc is unaffected as long as the zinc lasts. Small gaps in the zinc exposing the underlying iron are protected by the galvanic action of the zinc. Where the corrosion of zinc leaves large gaps (or where defects otherwise exist in the galvanic coating) the corrosion of iron can occur normally. One prior art method of evaluating corrosion resistance is to perform accelerated corrosion testing such as a salt fog or salt spray test wherein the component is placed in a corrosive environment having predefined conditions and using predetermined procedures. One drawback of such tests is that they are generally time consuming, often requiring weeks or months to complete. Another drawback to the prior art salt fog tests is that they do not take into account fatigue or cyclic deformation of the metals. It has been found in accordance with the present invention that corrosion is accelerated at points undergoing mechanical fatigue. One method of predicting cable life under fatigue conditions might be to subject cable to repeated fatigue stresses or strains until the cable fails due to fatigue/corrosion interaction, i.e., until the cable breaks. Such testing may be performed under conditions at which corrosion is accelerated, such as conditions similar to salt fog conditions. However, testing until failure would be a very time consuming process. Therefore, it would be highly desirable to provide an apparatus and method for testing cable that may be used to accurately predict cable life, but that can be performed in a period of time significantly shorter than the time required to test until cable failure.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cushion structure for a nursing equipment such as a child seat and, more specifically, to a cushion structure for a nursing equipment capable of fully protecting the brain of an infant. 2. Description of the Background Art Healthy and sound growth of infants and babies is a common wish of parents worldwide. The first to third years, especially the second year for a baby is a critical period when the baby comes to be aware of his or her self. Therefore, it is recognized that protection of the head (brain) of the infant of this age is of importance for sound and healthy growth of the infant. The head (brain) may be protected by "proper nursing method" and "use of proper nursing equipment." Here, "proper nursing method" means proper parental care of the infant as described in detail in, for example, IKUJI NO GENRI (Principle of Child Bearing), by Dr. Jushichiro Naito. "Proper nursing equipment" refers to a nursing equipment having such a structure that is capable of sufficiently protecting the head (brain) of an infant, as already described. More specifically, the equipment must have a structure for protecting the brain of an infant sufficiently against external shock. Though various and many nursing equipments have been developed to this date, unfortunately, a nursing equipment having such a structure that can sufficiently protect the head (brain) of an infant cannot be found at present. Cushion structures employed in a chair, a vehicular seat, sandals and the like are disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laying-Open Nos. 56-101065, 60-95051, 63-93859 and 3-78405. The structures disclosed in these references, however, are all proposed for improved air ventilation. Therefore, such structures cannot be used as a structure for protecting the head (brain) of an infant sufficiently against an external shock.

Currently, with development of an electronic communication industry, User Equipment (UE) such as a cellular phone, an electronic scheduler, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a laptop computer, and the like has become a necessity of a modern society, and plays an important role of transferring information changing fast. This UE provides a convenient operation environment to a user via a Graphic User Interface (GUI) and provides various multimedia based on a web environment. Recently, a user prefers a slimmer UE meeting portability and an appearance design. However, the UE applies various functions and receives a plurality of electronic parts, such that there is a difficulty in manufacturing the UE in a slim profile.

This invention relates to a method for reassuring a nursing mother that her baby is receiving sufficient breast milk and therefore sufficient nutrition. The method uses an objective measurement indicative of the amount of breast milk swallowed by the baby. Mothers of newborn babies have a strong need to understand how much their baby has breast fed. There were 4.1 million births in the United States alone in 2003 and about 70% of all new moms breast feed. The first two weeks of breast feeding show the largest declines in breast feeding with 10% drop off each week. There is a significant opportunity to reassure (especially first-time) mothers that their babies are breast feeding appropriately, particularly during the first weeks when mom is unsure and not confident in her breast feeding ability. The mother does not know the state of her baby's stomach and may question whether her baby's stomach is sufficiently full. Prior devices have attempted to quantify breast feeding by interposing a flow meter between mother and baby. Such devices can lead to obvious problems with delivery, intimacy, and bonding between mother and baby. While particular embodiments and/or individual features of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, it should be apparent that all combinations of such embodiments and features are possible and can result in preferred executions of the invention.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wide lock range phase locked loop (PLL) type frequency synthesizer including a plurality of voltage controlled oscillators and its method for selecting an oscillation frequency. 2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in a mobile telephone apparatus, a wide lock range PLL type frequency synthesizer having a plurality of voltage controlled oscillators is mounted as a local oscillator to cope with different frequencies. In a prior art wide lock range PLL type frequency synthesizer (see: JP-A-10-200406) including a PLL circuit having a phase/frequency comparator, a charge pump circuit, a loop filter, a voltage controlled oscillator block formed by a plurality of voltage controlled oscillators and a plurality of switches connected to the voltage controlled oscillators, and a 1/N frequency divider where N is a positive integer, an unlock control circuit is provided. The unlock control circuit has an unlocked state detecting circuit, an up/down counter, and a selector for selecting one of the switches in accordance with the output signals of the up/down counter. In this case, the up/down counter is connected to the phase/frequency comparator. That is, in an unlocked state, the unlocked state detecting circuit passes the output signals of the phase/frequency comparator to the up/down counter. As a result, when the phase/frequency comparator generates a leading signal, the up/down counter is counted up. Therefore, when the value of the up/down counter reaches its maximum value, the up/down counter generates an overflow carry signal, so that the selector selects another switch. Contrary to this, when the phase/frequency comparator generates a lagging signal, the up/down counter is counted down. Therefore, when the value of the up/down counter reaches its minimum value, the up/down counter generates an underflow carry signal, so that the selector selects another switch. Thus, as the oscillation frequency of the voltage control oscillator block fluctuates due to a temperature fluctuation or power supply voltage fluctuation, the up/down counter and the selector and are operated to quickly move a phase unlocked state to a phase locked loop stage. This will be explained later in detail. In the above-described prior art PLL type frequency synthesizer, however, since the up/down counter is operated by the output signals of the phase/frequency comparator, when the precision of the phase/frequency comparator is enhanced, the precision of the up/down counter also has to be enhanced. As a result, the switching from a phase unlocked state to a phase locked state is delayed which increases the lockup time. Also, in the above-described prior art PLL type frequency synthesizer, since all the voltage controlled oscillators are always operated, the power consumption would be increased.

In a conventional automotive alternator rectifying apparatus that is described in Patent Literature 1, a plurality of positive-side cooling fins and negative-side cooling fins are respectively disposed so as to overlap in a direction that is perpendicular to a rotating shaft direction so as to be spaced apart from each other, or so as to be in partial contact with each other, and area of the plurality of cooling fins is such that rear fins that are at positions that are distant from a cooling fan are narrower than front fins at closer positions, and the number of positive-side rectifying elements that are disposed on rear fins of positive-side cooling fins are fewer than the number of positive-side rectifying elements that are disposed on front fins. Using this configuration, more cooling airflow can be led to the cooling fins that are positioned downwind, and the number of positive-side rectifying elements that are disposed on the rear fins, which have smaller area, is also reduced, enabling the positive-side rectifying elements to be cooled in a well-balanced manner, thereby improving reliability of the rectifying apparatus. In a conventional rectifying apparatus that is described in Patent Literature 2, a terminal assembly (a circuit board) is disposed between a first heatsink and a second heatsink and is configured so as to have a circular arc shape, first diodes are held on the first heatsink by press-fitting so as to line up in a circular arc shape, second diodes are held on the second heatsink by press-fitting so as to line up in a circular arc shape, and the first and second diodes are disposed so as to face each other such that leading wires face each other. The leading wires of the first and second diodes that are disposed so as to face each other are bent so as to be led out radially outward, and are connected to terminals of the terminal assembly radially outside the press-fitted positions of the first and second diodes.

The present disclosure relates to a dispenser of hand hygiene maintenance material. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a dispenser of hand hygiene maintenance material that provides reminders and tracking of use of the dispenser and the relation of that use compared to a desired use pattern. Healthcare-associated infections remain one of the most significant sources of morbidity and mortality among hospital patients worldwide. In the United States there are an estimated 1.7 million healthcare-associated infections in hospitals resulting in approximately 80-100,000 deaths each year adding $4.5 to $5.7 billion to patient care costs. (Jarvis W R. Selected aspects of the socioeconomic impact of nosocomial infections: morbidity, mortality, cost and prevention. Infect Control Hospital Epidemiology, 1996:August 17(8):552-557). Transmission of healthcare-associated pathogens most often occurs via the contaminated hands of health care workers due to failure to use proper hand washing technique or failure to hand wash altogether before every patient contact. Compliance rates for basic hand washing techniques have been cited between about 25-50%. Failure to remember to comply with hand washing protocol prior to every patient contact is probably the most significant factor for low compliance rates. Other factors including understaffing and overcrowding further exacerbate this problem. Recognizing a worldwide need to improve hand washing in health care facilities the World Health Organization (WHO) launched its “Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care (Advanced Draft) in October 2005. These global consensus guidelines reinforce the need for multidimensional strategies as the most effective approach to promote hand hygiene. Key elements include adoption of alcohol-based hand rub as the primary method for hand hygiene and the use of performance indicators to assess the compliance with hand washing policies. Presently, the only routine monitoring of compliance involves direct visual observation of hand hygiene by hospital personnel. In the CDC's monograph (MMWR. Oct. 25, 2002. 51(RR16); 1-44) many recommendations are indicated. These include: 1) to develop a device to facilitate the use and optimal application of hand hygiene agents, 2) to monitor hand hygiene adherence by ward or service staff and 3) to provide feedback to personnel regarding staff performance using the new device. One study by Pittet et al (Pittet D, Hugonnet S et al. Effectiveness of a hospital-wide program to improve compliance with hand hygiene. Lancet, 2000; 356:1307-1312) showed a definite association between improved hand hygiene compliance and a decreased incidence of hospital acquired nosocomial infections, including methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. Another study by Pittet et al (Pittet D, Simon A et al. Hand hygiene among physicians: performance, beliefs and perceptions. Ann Intern Med 2004; 148w) found that easy access to alcohol-based hand rub was an independent predictor of improved hand hygiene compliance. In addition, 8 out of 9 hospital-based studies from 1977-2000 clearly demonstrate a temporal relationship between improved hand hygiene and reduced nosocomial infection rates, especially MRSA. Another very recent incentive to reduce hospital-acquired infections was a new rule imposed by Medicare on Oct. 1, 2008 which stated their refusal to pay hospitals for catheter-associated urinary tract and vascular catheter-associated infections. It is likely that private insurance companies will soon put this same rule into effect. Both types of infections could be reduced by adequate hand washing technique. (O'Grady N P, Alexander M et al. Guidelines for the prevention of intravascular catheter-related infections. Pediatr 2002:ppe51) and could save hospitals millions of dollars in reimbursements. Visitors who do not use adequate hand washing techniques and then have direct contact with patients are another possible source of hospital acquired infections. This potential problem needs to be addressed and resolved as well. The device of the present disclosure records hand hygiene compliance for all individuals who enter a monitored room. The recorded data can then be utilized to track compliance of a particular unit/ward to allow targeted training to improve compliance on that unit/ward. Immediate follow up data can then be supplied about the efficiency of the training. It can also track data at night and on weekends, when the presently used visual observation is not routinely used. According to a first embodiment, the present disclosure includes a hygiene compliance device including a housing; a hygiene maintenance material holder located within the housing; an interface member coupled to the housing that, when activated by a user, causes distribution of hygiene maintenance material from within the hygiene maintenance material holder to the user; an interface member sensor coupled to the housing that detects activation of the interface member; a signal emitter coupled to the housing; a signal sensor coupled to the housing that cooperates with the signal emitter to detect the presence of a person in a detection zone; a circuit board located within the housing and coupled to the signal emitter, the signal sensor, and the interface member sensor, the circuit board including a processor; and a data storage unit located within the housing and electrically coupled to the processor. The data storage unit has instructions thereon that, when interpreted by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of: issuing commands to the signal emitter to emit a signal; receiving data from the signal sensor; processing the data received from the signal sensor to determine if an individual is located within a detection zone of the sensor; detecting activation of the interface member sensor; determining if the interface member sensor is activated within a first preset time of a detection of an individual within the detection zone; and choosing between and executing one of: logging a compliant event by saving a record to the data storage unit if the interface member is activated within the first preset time of the detection of the individual in the detection zone; and issuing an alert detectable by the individual if the interface member is not activated within the first preset time of the detection of the individual in the detection zone. According to a second embodiment, a method of monitoring hygiene compliance including the steps of: providing a hygiene compliance device to a hygiene sensitive location; providing for communication between the hygiene compliance device and a network; providing an adjustable signal emitter in the hygiene compliance device to monitor an ingress/egress point to the hygiene sensitive location; the hygiene compliance device further having a processor and a data storage unit. The data storage unit has instructions thereon, that when interpreted by the processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of: issuing commands to the signal emitter to emit a signal; receiving data indicative of the presence or lack of presence of an individual proximate the monitored ingress/egress point; processing the data received to determine if an individual is located within a detection zone of the sensor; detecting dispensing of hygiene compliance material from the hygiene compliance device; determining if the hygiene maintenance material is dispensed within a first preset time of a detection of an individual proximate the detection zone; and choosing between and executing one of: logging a compliant event by saving a record to the data storage unit if the interface member is activated within the first preset time of the detection of the individual in the detection zone; and issuing an alert detectable by the individual if the interface member is not activated within the first preset time of the detection of the individual in the detection zone. Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment exemplifying the best mode as presently perceived.

(1) Field of the Invention: The present invention relates to heavy duty pneumatic tires, and more particularly the invention relates to attainment of both a block-chipping resistance and a traction performance of tires for rough road running, more specifically tires for wheel type loaders (hereinafter referred to as "wheel loader tires"). (2) Related Art Statement: When wheel loader tires run on rough terrain, particularly on a rocky places, there often occur troubles called block-chipping in the case of laterally symmetrical tires shown in FIG. 2, that is. That a rubber is partially chipped at the tire surface from a tread portion to a shoulder portion on the surface outer side of the tire surface when the tire is mounted on a wheel (hereinafter referred to as "wheel-mounted outer side"). In order to prevent the block-chipping mentioned above, the rigidity of the tread on the wheel-mounted outer side has been increased by adopting a so-called semi-slick pattern. As shown in FIG. 3, grooves from the tread portion to the shoulder portion on the wheel-mounted outer side (on the left in FIG. 3) are diminished or the rigidity of the whole tread has been increased by adopting a so-called slick pattern in which all the grooves are diminished. In the conventional countermeasures, the block-chipping resistance is largely improved by increasing the rigidity between the tread portion and the shoulder portion on the wheel-mounted outer side. However, since wheel loader tires run not only on hard and rough roads such as rocky places but also on relatively soft rough roads, traction performance, which is a force by which the tire grasps the road and drags a vehicle is required. In the case of tires having a semi-slick pattern or a slick pattern, the traction performance originating from the shearing resistance due to the pattern is greatly deteriorated so that a problem occurs that the tire is difficult to run on soft roads. Further, since the one side surface or the whole surface of the tread is designed as "slick", a greater amount of rubber is required for the tread and manufacturing cost unfavorably increases.

A wide variety of multispecific recombinant antibody formats have been developed in the recent past, e.g. tetravalent bispecific antibodies by fusion of, e.g., an IgG antibody format and single chain domains (see e.g. Coloma, M. J., et al., Nature Biotech 15 (1997) 159-163; WO 2001/077342; and Morrison, S. L., Nature Biotech 25 (2007) 1233-1234). Also several other new formats wherein the antibody core structure (IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG or IgM) is no longer retained such as dia-, tria- or tetrabodies, minibodies, several single chain formats (scFv, Bis-scFv), which are capable of binding two or more antigens, have been developed (Holliger, P., et al, Nature Biotech 23 (2005) 1126-1136; Fischer, N., and Léger, O., Pathobiology 74 (2007) 3-14; Shen, J., et al., Journal of Immunological Methods 318 (2007) 65-74; Wu, C., et al., Nature Biotech. 25 (2007) 1290-1297). All such formats use linkers either to fuse the antibody core (IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG or IgM) to a further binding protein (e.g. scFv) or to fuse e.g. two Fab fragments or scFvs (Fischer, N., and Léger, O., Pathobiology 74 (2007) 3-14). It has to be kept in mind that one may want to retain effector functions, such as e.g. complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) or antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), which are mediated through the Fc receptor binding, by maintaining a high degree of similarity to naturally occurring antibodies. In WO 2007/024715 are reported dual variable domain immunoglobulins as engineered multivalent and multispecific binding proteins. A process for the preparation of biologically active antibody dimers is reported in U.S. Pat. No. 6,897,044. Multivalent FV antibody construct having at least four variable domains which are linked with each over via peptide linkers are reported in U.S. Pat. No. 7,129,330. Dimeric and multimeric antigen binding structures are reported in US 2005/0079170. Tri- or tetra-valent monospecific antigen-binding protein comprising three or four Fab fragments bound to each other covalently by a connecting structure, which protein is not a natural immunoglobulin are reported in U.S. Pat. No. 6,511,663. In WO 2006/020258 tetravalent bispecific antibodies are reported that can be efficiently expressed in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, and are useful in therapeutic and diagnostic methods. A method of separating or preferentially synthesizing dimers which are linked via at least one interchain disulfide linkage from dimers which are not linked via at least one interchain disulfide linkage from a mixture comprising the two types of polypeptide dimers is reported in US 2005/0163782. Bispecific tetravalent receptors are reported in U.S. Pat. No. 5,959,083. Engineered antibodies with three or more functional antigen binding sites are reported in WO 2001/077342. Multispecific and multivalent antigen-binding polypeptides are reported in WO 1997/001580. WO 1992/004053 reports homoconjugates, typically prepared from monoclonal antibodies of the IgG class which bind to the same antigenic determinant are covalently linked by synthetic cross-linking. Oligomeric monoclonal antibodies with high avidity for antigen are reported in WO 1991/06305 whereby the oligomers, typically of the IgG class, are secreted having two or more immunoglobulin monomers associated together to form tetravalent or hexavalent IgG molecules. Sheep-derived antibodies and engineered antibody constructs are reported in U.S. Pat. No. 6,350,860, which can be used to treat diseases wherein interferon gamma activity is pathogenic. In US 2005/0100543 are reported targetable constructs that are multivalent carriers of bi-specific antibodies, i.e., each molecule of a targetable construct can serve as a carrier of two or more bi-specific antibodies. Genetically engineered bispecific tetravalent antibodies are reported in WO 1995/009917. In WO 2007/109254 stabilized binding molecules that consist of or comprise a stabilized scFv are reported.

A number of methods for treating wounds are available on the market today. Specifically, Blue Sky Medical, believed to now be a division of Smith & Nephew, sells equipment utilized to perform the Chariker-Jeter™ method of wound treatment. However, there are not any specific disclosures in the instructions for utilizing that technology for bringing the wound edges towards closure, i.e., bringing the formerly cut edges back together to contain the internal cavity therein. Louis Argenta and others, working at Wake Forest, have developed a number of wound treatment devices which have subsequently been licensed to a company known as KCI. Argenta, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,636,643, 5,645,081, and 7,198,046 are incorporated herein by reference. In KCI's commercial embodiment, a foam sponge is utilized atop a wound which is then covered and suction applied thereto. While this method works well to treat wounds, a perceived problem with this technology is that the sponge is compressed significantly in all directions. The applicant believes the sponge can actually work act against itself as it relates to bringing the edges of a cut opening together for wound closure. Specifically, while the wound edges are pulled toward one another by the sponge along one axes, the sponge is also significantly compressed in a perpendicular direction thereby potentially hindering the edges from coming together. Accordingly, there is believed to exist a need for an improved wound enclosure device and method of its use.

The basic structure of a printing machine such as a sheet-fed offset printing press includes a main drive and an electronic control mechanism. Such a main drive and control mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,567, which is hereby incorporated by reference. The main drive typically contains three components: (1) an electric main drive; (2) an electromechanically operable brake; and (3) a tachometer generator. The three components of the main drive perform two primary functions, namely, driving and braking. To this end, the electric main drive typically contains a D.C. motor for driving the printing machine. The electromechanically actuable brake is assigned to this D.C. motor and is controlled by the control mechanism. The tachometer generator monitors the D.C. motor and feeds the value of the actual speed of the motor to the electric main drive. The electric main drive subsequently supplies the motor with current in such a way that the actual speed of the motor agrees with a desired value prescribed by the control mechanism of the printing machine. In other words, the tachometer and the electric main drive are typically connected in a feedback loop to control the operation of the D.C. motor. The second component of the printing press, the electronic control mechanism, can be designed as one or more computers. The typical control mechanism has three components: (1) input sensors; (2) processing electronics; and (3) output electronics. Input sensors are used in the control mechanism to monitor the state of the printing machine. The processing electronics are used to determine whether the machine is operating in an acceptable fashion and to generate appropriate control signals if corrective actions are required. The output electronics relay the control signals generated by the processing electronics to the appropriate components of the printing machine. In the normal course of operation it is sometimes necessary to bring a printing press to a stop. For example, it may be necessary to stop the machine to perform maintenance procedures or the like. Under such circumstances, the printing machine can be brought to a standstill at a relatively gradual rate. In certain emergency circumstances, however, it may become necessary to stop the printing press very rapidly such that the machine reaches a standstill within a predetermined maximum time period. This braking can be performed purely electrically by applying a braking armature current having a polarity opposite to the armature current which drives the D.C. motor or mechanically by actuating the electromechanical brake. Purely electrical braking is preferably when possible because it is generally less stressful on the components of the printing machine than mechanical braking. Printing presses such as sheet-fed offset printing machines are often provided with multiple electrically secured guards and a plurality of emergency STOP pushbuttons positioned at various easily accessible locations on the machine. The electrically secured guards prevent an operator from coming into contact with moving or rotating machine parts. If such a guard is opened while the printing machine is running, a signal indicating the existence of an emergency condition is generated and the printing machine is quickly brought to a standstill. Similarly, if an operator or other personnel actuates one or more of the emergency STOP pushbuttons, the printing machine is rapidly brought to a stop. For this purpose, safety conditions exist which prescribe that, after an emergency STOP pushbutton is actuated or after a guard is opened when the machine is operating, the machine must have reached a standstill within a specific maximum time period. In order to be able to carry out a multiplicity of movement processes both at lower and at higher rotational speeds, modern sheet-fed offset printing machines include, as a rule, D.C. drives with line-commutated power converters (e.g. 4-quadrant drives). This drive structure enables these presses to achieve a wide range of rotational speed settings, high power, and electrical braking. Thus, it is possible for these machines to respond to these emergency conditions (i.e., the opening of a guard with the machine running or the actuation of an emergency STOP pushbutton) by electrically decreasing the rotational speed of the D.C. drives. However, additional security measures have proven necessary so that sheet-fed offset printing machines which include such a drive can fulfil the above-mentioned safety conditions for emergency stops, namely, bringing the press to a standstill within the prescribed maximum time period. Thus, for example, EP O 243 728 B1 provides a security system for a printing machine which is not only capable of controlling the actual rotational speed of the drive, but which also monitors and compares the desired and actual values of the rotational speed of the drive during braking and actuates an electromechanical brake if an impermissibly high deviation between these values is detected. This system, thus, first responds to an emergency STOP command by electrically braking the press and, if the actual value of the rotational speed does not reduce rapidly enough, by actuating the mechanical brake. The system uses a tachogenerator or tachometer to detect the actual value of the rotational speed of the drive. This system is disadvantageous because, in the final analysis, the reliability of the safety system depends on the reliability of the rotational speed detection which is to say, on the reliability of the tachometer. A further disadvantage results from the fact that printing machines represent a different load for the drive under different operational conditions and have different levels of freeness in their bearings. As a result, the predetermined rotational speed/time curve is monitored and matched to the minimum possible load torque in the case of an emergency STOP. EP 0 187 247 B1 discloses another method for monitoring the braking of a printing machine. In this method, a device is used to detect movement of the motor and, the braking torque of the electromagnetic brake is determined based on these readings. However, it is not possible to monitor a purely electrical braking with this method. EP 0 572 805 A2 discloses a method for monitoring the rotational speed of the drives in a printing machine operating at a creep speed and having a D.C. shunt motor. This method ensures that in specific operating states such as the creep speed state no impermissibly high rotational speed deviation occurs. For this purpose, the armature voltage of the motor is monitored and, in the event of an impermissibly high deviation, a control circuit is interrupted. Thus, a pure rotational speed monitoring of the drive is performed in this method, so that the observance of a required braking process can only be determined by means of additional measures.

The present invention relates to a micro-channel plate (MCP) detector system, a modified fast gain MCP-detector and a method of operating the same. More specifically, the invention relates to a micro-channel plate detector system with fast variable gain and a method of operating the same, such that an improved dynamic range is achieved. Analyzing all proteins from cells is impossible by today""s techniques since the amount of each expressed protein varies over a huge dynamic range. Mass spectrometry, together with other techniques, has shown a lack of the necessary dynamic range, largely due to lack of a detection technique that can detect both the abundant and the very rare proteins within the same mixture. Noteworthy is, that also a separated (LC, gel, etc) sample will display mixtures with overlapping protein species, so the problem with complex mixtures remains also after separation. An ideal mass spectrometer should therefore have single particle sensitivity and a high dynamic range. FIG. 3a shows a fabricated example of a mass spectrometer spectrum, wherein these large variations in amount of each expressed protein are illustrated. In this document ionization efficiency and transmission from ion source to detector will not be discussed. Designing a mass spectrometric detection is a trade off. Today, a perfect system can only be designed to one of the two extremes: either tailoring the detection for single-ion detection or for high dynamic range. The extreme sensitivity can be achieved by using a high detector gain and digital single-particle pulse counting electronics. High dynamic range can be achieved by using lower gain and analog detection electronics. The problem is that, ideally, both the high sensitivity and the high dynamic range are wanted. FIG. 1 shows a micro-channel plate (MCP) detector system 10 for a mass spectrometer. A micro channel plate multiplier 12, 14 consists of a large number of individual electron multiplier channels positioned in parallel typically in the shape of a perforated thin dish. Such a detector system typically comprises two MCP electron multipliers 12, 14, each having a gain of approximately 1000. This means that the first MCP 12 converts the incident ion 18 to a number of secondary electrons, which are then further multiplied to give of the order of 1000 electrons at the exit of this first detector. These 1000 electrons are transported to the second MCP 14 situated of the order of millimeters away. The 1000 electrons will impinge on the surface of the second MCP 14, and a new multiplication process with an amplification of approximately 1000 takes place. The amplification of the MCP will be temporary degraded (or lost) if too many secondary electrons are drawn from the output of a channel. The degraded gain results in lowered signal-to-noise ratio in the recorded spectrum when using analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) or a dead time after a large peak when using time-to-digital conversion (TDC). Temporary degradation of the gain occurs under two circumstances, either when the gain is high (which is needed for high sensitivity) or when too many ions reaches the MCP within a short period of time (which may be the case for certain ion species in high dynamic range mode). Therefore it is obvious that trying to detect a sample with large variations of protein concentrations will give rise to just these conditions. In the high gain mode, the rare proteins will be lost since they drown in the highly attenuated signal from the abundant proteins. In the low gain mode, the signal from the rare proteins will be lost since it is too close to the dark current (signal with ion beam turned off) of the MCP. Hence, there is needed a method that combines the best sides of the low gain and the high gain mode of operating the MCP detector system. There have been shown several ways to provide detector systems having an extended dynamic range. A detector of this type which has two modes of operation to extend its dynamic range is disclosed by Kristo and Enke in Rev. Sci. Instrum. 1988 vol 59 (3) pp 438-442. This detector comprises two channel type electron multipliers in series together with an intermediate anode. The intermediate anode was arranged to intercept approximately 90% of the electrons leaving the first multiplier and to allow the remainder to enter the second multiplier. An analogue amplifier was connected to the intermediate anode and a discriminator and pulse counter connected to an electrode disposed to receive electrons leaving the second multiplier. The outputs of the analogue amplifier and the pulse counter were electronically combined. A protection grid was also disposed between the multipliers. At high incident ion fluxes, the output signal comprised the output of the analogue amplifier connected to the intermediate anode. Under these conditions a potential was applied to the protection grid to prevent electrons entering the second multiplier (which might otherwise cause damage to the second multiplier). At low ion fluxes, the potential on the protection grid was turned off and the output signal comprised the output of the pulse counter. In this mode the detector was operable in a low sensitivity analogue mode using the intermediate anode and a high sensitivity ion counting mode using both multipliers and the pulse counter, so that the dynamic range was considerably wider than a conventional detector which only use one of these modes. The switching between the two sensitivity levels is in this case performed as a response to the detected signal, i.e. direct feed back. WO 99/38190 disclose a dual gain detector having two collection electrodes with different areas, whereby the larger electrode is used for detecting at low ion flux and the smaller at high ion flux. In a special embodiment the smaller collection electrode is provided as a grid that is placed between the first and the second MCP. Soviet Inventors Certificate SU 851549 teaches the disposition of a control grid between two micro channel plate electron multipliers, the potential of which can be adjusted to control the gain of the assembly. This detector is further incorporated in a direct feed back detection system. However, none of these detector systems represent a system that has the ability to cover the complete ion flux spectra of the proteins in a cell with high accuracy. More specifically, Kristo et al only detects approx. 10% of the ions at low ion fluxes, and both this system and the system disclosed in WO 99/38190 represent static two level systems, which results in lower over all sensitivity. Obviously an improved detector system is needed, which provides detection over an improved dynamic range, such that analysis of samples with large variations of protein concentrations, e.g. a cell, may be performed with a mass spectrometer. The object of the present invention therefore is to provide a new high sensitivity detector system and a method of controlling the same, which overcome the limitations with the prior art devices. This is achieved by the detector system of claim 5 by the method as defined in claim 1 and by the detector of claim 3. An advantage with the detector system according to the invention is that a new detector system with fast variable gain and a method of operating the same are achieved. Embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

From the standpoint of comfort, durability and optical performance, an ideal contact lens should be soft, very wettable yet low in bulk water content, clear and have an oxygen permeability greater than 50 [barrers]. In present day soft contact lenses comfort and wettability are achieved by using hydrogels with 30-80% water content, but at the expense of limited oxygen-permeability, physical strength and formation of protein-deposits. High oxygen permeability is achieved in contact lenses made entirely from silicone rubber, as described for instance in U.S. Pat. No. 3,996,187, but at the expense of wettability. In addition, silicone rubber, because of its great inherent hydrophobicity and chain mobility, rapidly and tenaciously interacts with lipids in the tear liquid, resulting in quick dewetting and potential adhesion to the cornea. It would be highly desirable to produce a contact lens composed entirely of silicone rubber since it offers the highest oxygen permeability of all presently available materials. The enhancement of eye comfort and long wear capability would represent a significant improvement in contact lens development. Silicone rubber lenses, although possessing high oxygen permeability, suffer from poor comfort characteristics because they are not soft enough to conform to the cornea in the same way a typical hydrogel lens does. On the other hand, silicone-free polyurethane rubbers are known for their excellent bio-compatibility, as examplified by the use of BIOMER--a linear polyurethane rubber--to coat artificial hearts to reduce blood clotting. Silicone rubbers are made by crosslinking liquid polysiloxanes. These rubbers are thermoset polymers which can be made to varying degrees of hardness and elasticity by controlling the degree of crosslinking and the molecular weight of the silicone fluid. Silicone rubber is usually made by vulcanizing polydimethylsiloxane fluids with organic peroxides at elevated temperatures. Another approach to crosslinking employs hydrosilation in which poly(vinylalkyl siloxanes) are cured with poly(hydridoalkylsiloxanes) in the presence of transition metal catalysts. Silicone rubber has also been formed by chemically reacting, .alpha.,.omega.-difunctional poly(diorganosiloxanes) with polyfunctional silanes and siloxanes. Typically the crosslinking reaction is a condensation which forms a siloxane bond and a volatile by product. Common examples of this type of cure reaction are silanol-alkoxylsilane (French Pat. 1,042,019), silanol-acetoxysilane (German Appl. 1,121,803), silanol-silane (Brit. Pat. 804,199), and silanol-silanol (via the corresponding acetone oxime) (Belg. Pat. 614,394). Suitable catalysts for these reactions are amines and carboxylic acid salts of Sn, Pb, Zn, Sb, Fe, Cd, Ba, Ca and Mn. Organosiloxane isocyanates have been prepared (U.S. Pat. No. 3,179,622) which vulcanize when exposed to moisture. In these cases the isocyanate group is joined to the siloxane through an alkyl group, rendering it unhydrolyzable. Besides moisture cured polyurethanes, silicone rubber, which are 2-component polyurethanes are conveniently prepared by reaction of di-, tri- or tetra hydroxyalkyl-substituted polysiloxanes with di-isocyanates, using the well known techniques of conventional polyurethane synthesis. Most commonly these poly-hydroxyalkyl-polysiloxanes are used as additives to conventional polyurethane formulations, for instance to regulate pore size in polyurethane foams, to impart lubricity or gloss to polyurethane coatings or achieve water repellency. The silicone rubbers, which are described for use as soft, oxygen permeable contact lenses, are obtained by hydrosilation reaction between poly-(vinyl-alkyl siloxanes) and poly-(hydridoalkyl siloxanes), as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,996,187. Silicone rubber like materials for use as soft contact lenses which are free-radical polymerized copolymers of methacrylate-functionalized polydimethylsiloxanes have also been described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,712. It has now been found that polysiloxane-polyurethane rubbers also make excellent soft contact lens material, combining clarity, high elongation and softness with exceptional oxygen-permeability. Such contact lenses, which are entirely based on poly(dialkylsiloxane) di- or tri-alkanols and diisocyanates have not been described before. All silicone containing contact lens materials, be they conventional silicone rubbers or the polysiloxane-polyurethanes of this invention are extremely hydrophobic and attract lipid deposits when worn in the eye. In order to overcome the hydrophobic nature of silicone rubber, silicone rubber lenses, such as SILSOFT (DOW-CORNING) have to be surface treated to render them wettable. Numerous such surface treatments have been described: Relevant United States patents in this area include: U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,178 describes surface treatment by water-vapor subjected to an electrical discharge. U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,859 describes grafting a hydrophilic polymer onto a silicone-rubber contact lens by coating the lens with a hydrophilic monomer followed by exposure to UV. U.S. Pat. No. 4,229,273 describes grafting of a acrylic polymer onto a silicone rubber lens pre-irradiated in the presence of oxygen. U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,112 describes the formation of a poly-electrolyte complex on the surface of a contact lens in order to render it more hydrophilic and comfortable to wear. U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,038 describes the formation of a glass-coating on a silicone contact lens to improve wettability. U.S. Pat. No. 4,409,258 describes a hydrophilizing treatment of contact lenses by bombardment with nitrogen and oxygen ions. U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,164 describes coating the surface of a silicone rubber with a thin metal film by vacuum decomposition in the stretched state. U.S. Pat. No. 4,332,922 describes hydrophilization of silicone contact lenses by a gas-discharge. U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,949 describes putting a hydrophilic coating onto a hydrophobic contact lens by radiation induced polymerization. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,311,573 and 4,589,964 describe hydrophilization of a hydrophobic polymer by ozone treatment, followed by a grafting of vinyl monomers through decomposition of the formed peroxy groups. Although these methods allow fabrications of wettable silicone rubber lenses, most of them have major drawbacks; for instance polymerizations can occur not only on the surface, but also in the liquid polymerization medium. Also, because the graft-polymerization depends on active centers, which decompose at different times, inhomogeneous surfaces result because of preferential absorption of monomer into already modified surface regions. In cases where exact depth-control and uniformity of the grafted region is important, such as for example in the surface modification of contact lenses, such uncontrollable grafting reactions are not acceptable. On the other hand, if to reduce inhomogeneities grafting is carried out for a short time only, the grafted surface regions are too thin and in many applications the desired effect soon wears off. Exact control over reaction conditions is therefore very important. It has now also been discovered, that polysiloxane-polyurethane rubbers are especially well suited to make soft contact lenses not only with excellent oxygen permeability, but excellent wettability and hydrogel-like softness as well, when they are prepared in contact lens molds which have previously been coated with a reactive hydrophilic polymer, which is transfer-grafted during cure. It has been further discovered, that polysiloxane-polyurethane rubbers can be made in form of an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) with a free-radical polymerized vinyl polymer; these IPN's are often clear and besides being highly oxygen permeable, allow the physical properties of the polysiloxane-polyurethane rubber to be varied over a wide range; they include water swellable compositions and compositions bearing polar groups which are otherwise difficult to incorporate into a polyurethane.

Phase-locked loop (PLL) circuits are useful in many electronic systems. For example, PLL circuits may be used for master clock generation for a microprocessor system, clock generation for a sampling clock in an analog-to-digital conversion system, clock generation for data recovery in a low-voltage differential signal (LVDS) driver/receiver system, cathode ray tube (CRT) displays, as well as numerous other applications. PLL applications typically provide an output clock signal by comparing the output clock signal to a reference clock signal. A phase-frequency detector (PFD) circuit is often employed to provide a raw control signal to a loop filter. The phase-frequency detector circuit provides the raw control signal in response to comparing the phase and frequency of the output clock signal to the reference clock signal. The loop filter often is a low-pass filter (LPF) that is arranged to provide a smoothed or averaged control signal in response to raw control signal. Typically, a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) is arranged to receive the control signal from the loop filter. The VCO produces the clock signal in response to the control signal such that the frequency of the clock is varied until the phase and frequency of the clock signal are matched to the reference clock signal. A PLL circuit may include a PFD circuit that provides UP and DOWN signals in response to the comparison between the output clock signal and the reference clock signal. The UP and DOWN signals are dependent on both the phase and frequency of the output and reference clock signals. The UP signal is active when the frequency of the output clock signal is lower than the reference signal, while the DOWN signal is active when the frequency of the output clock signal is determined to be higher than the reference signal. Similarly, the UP signal is active when the phase of the output clock is lagging behind the phase of the reference clock, and the DOWN signal is active when the phase of the output clock is leading the phase of the reference clock.

It is generally well known that the life of a battery can be drastically reduced by failure to maintain the proper water level in the battery cell. This maintenance oversight is generally the result of an inability of the serviceman to readily observe the level of the electrolyte in the battery without removal of the cap. Overfilling of the battery cell can also cut cell capacity and cause corrosion of the battery. On the other hand, underfilling reduces the cell capacity, causes excessive heating and charging and can permanently damage a battery cell. Since each cell is independent proper maintenance requires removal of each cap in order to observe the electrolyte level within the cell.

The present invention relates to a closure for a missile launching tube and more particularly to a frangible missile tube closure. Launch tube closures may be used as a sealing means in conjunction with an outer hatch for the launching of missiles from a submerged or underground missile launcher. The closures may also be used as an environmental closure on launch tubes of surface, ground or air launched missiles. In either case, the closure is designed to be removed prior to launching of the missile. Prior art launch tube closures include flat plastic diaphragms with explosive cord arranged along a predetermined pattern, Mechlin, Jr. et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,135,163. The explosive cord is detonated to rupture the diaphragm into several pieces prior to missile launch. A similar type of launch closure employs a thin frangible plastic diaphgram placed over the launch tube so as to be ruptured by the missile as the missile exits the launch tube, Kroh, U.S. Pat. No. 3,742,814. One drawback of these types of closure is that the thin nature of the diaphragm prevents the closure from being used with submerged or underground launch tubes due to the high differential pressures encountered. Another launch tube closure, Schenk, U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,951, is a dome shaped closure formed of asbestoes reinforced phenolic plastic with plastic foam or other strengthening material between the phenolic plastic dome and the missile. A linear shaped charge is again provided to cut the plastic dome. The disadvantage of this type closure is that the missile must cam back the reinforced phenolic plastic and strengthening material as the missile exits the launch tube. The camming action places a front end load on the missile which may later affect the missile trajectory.

The field of this invention lies in the glazing of a window frame and a glass pane, in particular, a double glass pane, which pane is inserted into a window frame groove. In the known glazing process which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,179, double glass panes are glazed by inserting them into the groove of a horizontally arranged frame member and the groove or slot is filled with a heat-hardenable sealing mass of the polysulfide type, after which such mass is hardened. In this process, the double glass pane thus rests directly on the groove bottom, and the sealing mass thus can only fill up the open groove space situated between the adjacent edge portions of the glass pane and the groove wall. After the heat-hardenable sealing mass is hardened, the open side of the groove is then, in this method, covered with a glass retention strip or bar on whose edge facing toward the pane surface but facing away from the groove bottom there is located an elastic sealing layer. This known technique has the disadvantage that the connection between the glass pane and frame is produced exclusively by the adhesive connection effectuated by means of the sealing mass, which connection naturally, after the sealing mass is hardened, can exert no elastic pressure on the groove bottom or on the groove wall. on the one hand, and, on the other hand, on the glass pane. Accordingly, the danger exists that, as a consequence of the forces acting on the pane in the use thereof, such as wind pressures, and the like, such connection between frame and glass pane comes somewhat undone, so that moisture, dirt and biological agents can penetrate into the groove space particularly from the pane surface adjacent to the groove. The result is that the sealing mass is attacked, and such connection is finally completely loosened. On the side facing away from the groove bottom, the sealing profile provided on the glass retention strip is, to be sure, capable of preventing the occurrence of this kind of phenomena, but only when the glass retention strip is successfully attached to the frame with such a lasting pressure that the elastic sealing layer retains a permanent elastic deformation during the duration of use of the pane; that is, such layer rests against the glass retention strip and the pane surface facing away from the groove bottom with considerable contact pressure. Such pressures can be achieved only with difficulty, so that, in the course of time, the same creeping loosening phenomena must be feared on the pane surface portions located adjacent the bottom as occur on the pane surface portions facing toward the groove bottom, which same surface portions are usually always exposed to weather influences. The above described disadvantage of the glazing according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,179 cannot be avoided by a process such as described in German O S No. 1,704,450, in which a glass pane is cast into a frame profile. Here as well, an adhesive connection with the frame is effectuated only by means of the casting mass and no provision is made for a permanent elastic pressing of the sealing mass against the pane, on the one hand, and the frame, on the other hand. Such disadvantage is also no overcome by the technique disclosed in German O S No. 1,683,661 when the casting of an elastic polyurethane edge jacketing is shown. Such jacketing is pressed after assembly. However, in this case also the permanent pressure exerted on the connection surface between the sealing mass and the glass pane depends decisively on the glass retention strip being connected to the frame in the clamped position reliably and without yielding. Above and beyond that, a problem exists here in that the sealing mass cannot be optimized with respect to its ability to guarantee a dependable adhesive connection between the frame and the pane. Because of considerations of process-technology, a compromise must be sought between the necessary elastic characteristics of the sealing mass and its adhesive characteristics, among other factors. German O S No. 1,759,962 teaches the use of prefabricated elastic rubber strips fitted onto the pane edges, by means of which, in a per se advantageous manner, an elastically compressable sealing profile thus rests against the pane edges, but this technique provides no adhesive connection whatsoever between the glass pane and the frame, so that, with the characteristic fatigue phenomena associated with elastic rubber strips, creeping phenomena, and the like, can easily ensue. Similar disadvantages exist for the glazing technique according to German A S No. 1,659,744, in which a plastic or malleable intermediate layer is elastically positioned between the frame profile parts and the adjacent pane, just as, in the case of glazing according to German A S No. 1,683,156, and German Utility Model Nos. 1,969,281 and 6,949,025, only elastic, mechanically pressed on sealing profiles are provided, without adhesive connection. The use of hardenable sealing masses without permanent contact pressure on the pane surfaces is shown, finally, as well, by Austrian Pat. No. 218,187, U.S. Pat. No. 3,415,701 and by the glazing process for all-glass double panes described in the publication "Glaswelt 1960", pp. 128 to 130.

This invention is concerned generally with digital information storage devices, and particularly with random access memories (RAM's) in which logic "1" or "0" bits are represented by charge stored in an array of individual memory cells. In prior art RAM's, each cell typically includes an MOS capacitor as a storage element and a transistor to gate the storage capacitor to an input-output (I-O) line, commonly referred to as a "bit-line". The memory cells are configured in an x-y (two-dimensional) array in which the storage capacitors of the elements in any column are all connected in parallel to the same bit-line, while the gates of all transistors of the memory elements of any row are connected in parallel to a "word-line". To access any particular memory element in the x-y array, the word-line corresponding to the desired row is brought high, permitting charge from the storage capacitors of each element in that row to pass through the gating transistor of that element and be shared with the associated bit-line. The resulting voltage swing of each bit-line is detected by a sense amplifier associated with that bit-line. A reading of the particular sense amplifier corresponding to the desired column gives an indication of the logic state of the selected memory cell. The operation described above is a "destructive read" in that the charge stored in all of the memory cells of the selected row has now been lost. Thus, the data in the sense amplifiers must be rewritten back into these memory cells to restore each memory element to its original state. This "rewrite" operation, as well as the memory "write" operation itself is accomplished as follows: the sense amplifier for each column drives the associated bit-line to a "high" or "low" state which concomitantly charges the storage capacitor of the cells whose word lines are high. In RAM's of the type discussed above the use of one sense amplifier for each bit-line is required to "read" the state of the memory cells, to restore the memory elements to their original state after the "read" operation and to "write" into the memory cells generally. However, the use of large numbers of sense amplifiers results in excessive power dissipation requirements for the semi conductor chip on which the memory is fabricated. This problem has become more severe as technology has made possible the fabrication of larger RAM's on smaller chips.

This invention relates to novel security articles comprising fibers, threads and fiber sections (“dots”) possessing multiple verification characteristics. The fibers possess unique and difficulty duplicated combinations of complex cross-sections, components, and multiple luminescent responses. The many verifiable characteristics of the security fibers, threads, and dots provide high levels of protection against fraudulent duplication of articles in which they are incorporated. The manifold security features provide means of tailoring specific identity characteristics for specific use and users.

This invention relates to semiconductor memory devices and more particularly to an improved high-density MOS random access, dynamic read/write memory. One of the most widely used memory devices for computers is the MOS dynamic RAM of the 64K-bit size, such as the device illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,993, issued to McAlexander, White and Rao, assigned to Texas Instruments. As memory density in RAM devices of this type increases to the 256K-bit and 1-Megabit sizes, however, power dissipation in the integrated circuit becomes more of a problem. Power dissipation may be reduced by avoiding activation of circuits when not necessary; the active pull-up function is one example of such a circuit. In the dynamic RAM of U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,993, the initial sensing voltage for the differential sense amplifier is established by connecting the storage capacitance to one bit line and a dummy capacitance to the other bit line. The sense amplifier is then activated, and the bit line with the lower voltage will be pulled to ground level by the sense amplifier. For reading a `1`, the storage cell bit line remains high, and for reading a `0` the dummy cell side stays high. The high side does, however, lose some charge during sensing, so that it is not at the full Vdd potential. Thus, after sensing is complete, active pull-up circuits on the bit lines are activated to bring the high bit lines back up to a full Vdd level, so that the storage cells will be left with a full Vdd level for a stored `1`. Power is wasted in this step, however, in sense amplifiers that sensed a `0` level, since the active pull-up is activated on the dummy cell side of the sense amplifier and the bit-sense line is brought to a full Vdd. Any charge spent charging the dummy cell is wasted since all of the dummy cells are discharged to ground in the precharge cycle. It is the principal object of this invention to provide improved sense amplifier circuitry for high-speed, high-density, low-power dynamic random access memory devices, particularly for reducing the power needed for the active pull-up function. Another object is to provide sense amplifier circuitry for a semiconductor dynamic memory device which uses active pull-up circcuits that are not operated when not needed. A further object is to provide an improved sense amplifier for a dynamic RAM circuit which conserves power in restoring or writing a full supply level into the selected storage cell.

The invention relates to a vacuum valve comprising a valve housing which has a vacuum region in the interior, a closure unit which is arranged in the vacuum region of the valve housing and by which at least one valve opening is closable in a closed state of the vacuum valve, a longitudinal drive by which the closure unit is adjustable in a longitudinal direction for adjusting the closure unit between a position opening up the valve opening and a position covering the valve opening, a longitudinal guide for the displaceable guiding of the closure unit parallel to the longitudinal direction, said longitudinal guide having a guide rod extending parallel to the longitudinal direction, and at least one guide part, wherein the guide rod is attached to the valve housing, and the guide part to which the closure unit is attached is guided displaceably parallel to the longitudinal direction by the guide rod, or the at least one guide part is attached to the valve housing, and the guide rod to which the closure unit is attached is guided displaceably parallel to the longitudinal direction by the at least one guide part, and wherein the at least one guide part has at least one bearing element for the mounting of the guide part in relation to the guide rod so as to be displaceable parallel to the longitudinal direction or for the mounting of the guide rod in relation to the guide part so as to be displaceable parallel to the longitudinal direction. U.S. Pat. No. 9,086,173 B2 reveals a vacuum valve, the closure unit of which has first and second valve plates which close opposite first and second valve openings in a valve housing in a closed state of the vacuum valve. The valve plates are supported by a supporting unit of the closure unit. The supporting unit is attached to a valve rod which is led out of the vacuum region of the valve housing. The valve openings are opened up in the open state of the vacuum valve. In order to close the vacuum valve, the supporting unit is displaced by a longitudinal drive, which is arranged outside the vacuum region, in front of the valve opening by axial displacement of the valve rod, wherein the valve plates are still raised from the valve seats. The supporting unit is here guided displaceably in relation to the valve housing parallel to the longitudinal direction by longitudinal guides on opposite sides. The closure unit has transverse drive elements, by which the valve plates are consequently pressed against the valve seats. Instead of transverse drive elements, spreading elements, such as wedge elements, rollers, etc., could also be present in order to press the two valve plates against the valve seats. This would then be brought about by the longitudinal drive after the supporting unit has run against an end stop during closing of the vacuum valve. Closure mechanisms of this type are known in diverse embodiments in the prior art. Such vacuum valves are used in particular in vacuum systems for carrying out vacuum processes, especially in semiconductor technology or in coating technology, for example for producing screens. Substrates to be processed are guided here through such vacuum valves in order to transfer the substrates from one vacuum chamber into an adjacent vacuum chamber. In the case of relatively large plate-like substrates, the valve openings are of slot-shaped design, i.e. have a substantially greater length than width. With an increasing size of the substrates to be processed, transport of the substrates in a horizontal orientation becomes increasingly more difficult or no longer possible because of the risk of buckling. A vertical (upright or hanging) or approximately vertical transport of such substrates is therefore already known. For this purpose, the slot-shaped valve openings are oriented vertically or approximately vertically. The closure unit is oriented correspondingly for this purpose. A vacuum valve of this type is revealed, for example, in AT 14814 U. In order to be able to carry out servicing of the valve in a simple manner, it is described in this document that the closure unit has at least one rail, by which the closure unit, hanging on the rail or standing on the rail, can be pulled out of the valve housing into a servicing position. For this purpose, either additional rails, along which the closure unit can be moved out of the valve housing, are fitted after removal of a housing part of the valve housing, or, for the longitudinal guidance of the closure unit in relation to the valve housing, there are telescopic rails, by which the closure unit can be pulled out of the valve housing. A similar vacuum valve is also revealed in JP-3241456 B2. U.S. Pat. No. 6,899,316 B2 reveals a vacuum valve in which the closure unit has only one valve plate in order to close a valve opening in the valve housing in the closed state of the vacuum valve. Analogously as in the case of the valve known from U.S. Pat. No. 9,086,173 B2, a longitudinal drive arranged outside the vacuum region, and transverse drive elements arranged on the closure unit are present. The closure unit is guided displaceably in the longitudinal direction in relation to the valve housing on opposite sides. A closure of a valve opening of a valve housing could also be carried out merely by a linear movement of the closure member, in particular by a three-dimensional sealing surface, as is revealed, for example, in DE 37 17 724 A1 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,213 A.

Computing systems have bottoms that are supported by distinct feet which elevate the bottom for cooling and noise suppression. The distinct feet increase the complexity and cost of such computing systems.

This invention relates generally to sensors for monitoring extremely small mechanical displacements, and in particular to an improvement in a Fiber Optic Bragg Grating (FOBG) sensor consisting of a unique demodulator for detecting changes in an optical signal induced by the sensed mechanical displacement. The invention has broad utility in applications in which small mechanical displacements are to be detected, for example in monitoring stresses in advanced materials used in aircraft components and detecting the onset of corrosion. A typical FOBG consists of a Bragg grating formed within the core of an optical fiber. The grating consists of a region within the core, having a periodic spatial variation in its refractive index along the direction of the axis of the fiber core. Because of the spatial variations in the refractive index, the core of the optical fiber effectively has "lines," i.e. subregions of alternating higher and lower refractive index. These gratings may be formed by exposing a doped optical fiber to an interference pattern formed by two laser beams. The varying energy density in the interference pattern induces permanent changes in the index of refraction of the core of the optical fiber. In practice, a coherent, but relatively broad band, light source is coupled to an optical fiber having one or more Bragg gratings. Each of the Bragg gratings reflects light in a narrow band of wavelengths which depends on the spacing of the lines of the grating. The reflected light beam is transmitted through a two-way optical coupler to a spectrum analyzer which, in effect "demodulates" the light beam modulated by the gratings. The spectrum analyzer is able to extract useful information concerning the condition of the gratings. The optical fiber may be coupled to an article under mechanical stress so that strain in the article effects changes in the spacing of the grating elements. The resulting changes in the spectrum of the returning light beam are detected and interpreted to obtain information on the strain in the article under stress. A single optical fiber can incorporate several Bragg gratings, and the gratings can have different line spacings so that they reflect different bands of wavelengths. This makes it possible to distinguish between the optical signals returned by several gratings in a single optical fiber. Previously known demodulation schemes include broadband optical filtering, and interferometry using a Fabry Perot cavity. These have various deficiencies such as high cost, bulkiness and sensitivity to thermal fluctuations and/or mechanical vibrations.

Some surgical procedures utilize small fasteners having limited torque applied thereto, such as those used to install pacemakers in patients. Torquing such small fasteners is problematic in that there are few if any tools that are adjustable to limit torques to very small values, in a tool which itself is quite small and delicate. Moreover, because of the surgical environment, a torque tool must be sterilized. Reuse of such tools is objectionable since a used torque tool must be carefully sterilized for a reuse, which requires valuable time of medical personnel. A sterilized tool must also be suitably repackaged, and tracked as part of inventory. These ancillary tasks make reuse of surgical torque tools unfeasible economically. There exists a need for a better way of providing small surgical torque tools.

Mud flaps are commonly located behind the rear wheels of trucks or other large vehicles. They are utilized to prevent the spraying out of mud, sand, and other road debris which may be located behind or along the side of a moving vehicle. Standard mud flaps simply extend straight down from the back of a vehicle. They are likely to wear, tear, rot, and generally sustain damage over time. Mud flap damage is an especially serious problem for dump trucks, during their unloading operations. As the body of a dump truck is raised into dumping position, the mud flaps at the rear of the vehicle are extended further downward, into contact with the rear wheels of the truck. This often results in bending or breakage of the mud flaps, rendering them ineffective. Failure to operate such vehicles without having the required, in tact mud flaps could subject the vehicle owner to legal penalties. There have been a number of proposed solutions to these problems, most of which involve the use of retractable mud flap systems, designed to retract or lift the mud flaps during unloading operations and then extend them down when the vehicle is in transit. Such systems, while sometimes effective, often breakdown due to the number of components involved and the rough and grimy nature of the work being done. Moreover, these mud flap retraction systems are not only an expensive add-on to vehicles, but also expensive to maintain. As a result, in many cases, broken, inoperable systems are left unrepaired, thus defeating their necessary and important purpose. An example of one of many such systems is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,864,176. Here, an elaborate system of components is utilized to retract a hinged mud flap by partially folding and maintaining the flap in this retracted partially folded position. The system includes all the inherent problems of similar flap retraction systems, previously discussed.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor laser such as a laser diode and a method of manufacturing such a semiconductor laser, and more particularly to a semiconductor laser suitable for use as a light source in an optical system such as an optical pickup for reading information recorded on a magnetooptical disk or the like and a method of manufacturing such a semiconductor laser. 2. Description of the Prior Art Optical systems such as optical pickups for reading information recorded on a magnetooptical disk or the like incorporate a semiconductor laser such as a laser diode as a light source. Generally, the semiconductor lasers have a mirror surface formed in a cleavage plane. It is known in the art that light returning from the optical system combined with a semiconductor laser is reflected by a front end surface of the mirror surface and reenters the optical system, causing a variety of noise-induced problems. If the reentry of light from the optical system into the semiconductor laser occurs in a three-spot optical disk pickup, then tracking control is adversely affected. In order to alleviate the above drawback, it has been proposed to reduce the thickness of the pellet itself of the semiconductor laser for thereby allowing as much of the reentrant light from the optical system as possible to pass behind the semiconductor laser pellet. However, since a wafer from which semiconductor laser pellets are cut out is also reduced in thickness, the mechanical strength of the wafer is lowered. While semiconductor lasers are being fabricated, they have to be handled with utmost care as they tend to be easily damaged. Therefore, the fabrication process is low in efficiency and suffers a high rate of defective semiconductor lasers in the yield. According to another proposal, the front end surface of the mirror surface of the semiconductor laser, except for a laser emission area, is coated with a material having a low reflectance or a material having a high absorptance. The process of coating such a material is, however, practically complex and difficult to carry out.

Mechanical fasteners, which are also called hook and loop fasteners, typically include a plurality of closely spaced upstanding projections with loop-engaging heads useful as hook members, and loop members typically include a plurality of woven, nonwoven, or knitted loops. Mechanical fasteners are useful for providing releasable attachment in numerous applications. For example, mechanical fasteners are widely used in wearable disposable absorbent articles to fasten such articles around the body of a person. In typical configurations, a hook strip or patch on a fastening tab attached to the rear waist portion of a diaper or incontinence garment, for example, can fasten to a landing zone of loop material on the front waist region, or the hook strip or patch can fasten to the backsheet (e.g., nonwoven backsheet) of the diaper or incontinence garment in the front waist region. Mechanical fasteners are also useful for disposable articles such as sanitary napkins. A sanitary napkin typically includes a back sheet that is intended to be placed adjacent to the wearer's undergarment. The back sheet may comprise hook fastener elements to securely attach the sanitary napkin to the undergarment, which mechanically engages with the hook fastener elements. Hook and loop fastening systems can include at least two engagement strength characteristics: peel strength and shear strength. Peel strength corresponds to the force required to disengage the fastening members from one another by peeling one fastening member upward and away from the other fastening member. Shear strength corresponds to the force required to disengage the fastening members from one another by pulling at least one of the fastening members away from the other in a plane that is parallel to the fastening members. Typically, the engagement strength of the fastening members is higher in shear than in peel. While the peel strength may be a factor when the fastening members are intentionally separated, typically, the shear strength is responsible for holding the fastening members together during normal use.

Performance standards for plumbing products in general and faucet systems in particular are being required by more and more communities for both residential and commercial construction. The standards which are being adopted include standards relating to maintaining mixed water temperature as well as standards relating to high temperature limits for the mixed water supply for the faucet systems. A pressure balancer is used in a hot/cold water supply system to meet the first standard noted above and maintain mixed water temperature in response to pressure fluctuations in the hot or cold water supply lines. The pressure balancer is designed to operate in a commercial system where the hot water pressurization system is separate from the cold water pressurization system and in a residential system where the pressurization of the hot and cold water systems is common. When water is demanded by a user for showering, the user adjusts the mixing valve to attain a desired temperature of the mixed hot and cold water. If, during the course of showering, the cold water pressure fails or drops significantly, the user is then subjected instantaneously and unexpectedly to an increase in the temperature of the mixed hot and cold water. This could result in serious scalding of the user. Similarly, if the hot water pressure fails or drops significantly, the user is subjected instantaneously and unexpectedly to a decrease in the temperature of the mixed hot and cold water. While this situation is not as potentially harmful to the user's well being as a reduction in the cold water pressure, the reduction of the hot water pressure can still be startling and extremely unpleasant. The pressure balancer is incorporated into the hot and cold water supply systems to eliminate the unexpected reaction to the reduction of either the hot or cold water supply pressure. The pressure balancer operates to shut off the supply of hot or cold water upon a failure of the pressurized supply of the other. The pressure balancer also responds to changes in the pressure of the hot and cold water supplies where the changes in pressure are sufficient to alter the mix ratio of the hot and cold water and thus the temperature of the mixed water. The pressure balancer responds to the pressure fluctuations by balancing or equalizing the water flow on the hot water side and the cold water side of the pressure balancer to maintain the mix ratio of the hot and cold water and thus maintain the temperature of the mixed water. The second standard which is being adopted is a high temperature limit control for faucet systems. The high temperature limit control is designed to limit the hot water temperature which is available from the hot water supply system to a level which will prevent scalding of an individual. The high temperature limit control can be accomplished by placing a stop on a single handle faucet which prohibits the movement of the handle to a position which provides full hot water flow with no cold water flow. Thus, a combination of hot and cold water will always be supplied to the mixing valve thereby limiting the temperature of the mixed water. The stop for the single handle faucet is preferably designed with adjustability in order to compensate for varying supply temperatures of the hot and cold water systems. Another method for accomplishing the high temperature limit control is to mechanically link the hot and cold water control valves with a lost motion device in an two/three handle faucet in order to provide the mixing of cold water with the hot water to limit the temperature of the supplied water. While this approach is feasible, the intricacies of the mechanism, the potential high cost of the mechanism and the durability of the mechanism prohibit the development of faucet systems using this concept. Thus, there is a need for a two/three faucet system which incorporates a pressure balancer and a high temperature limit control in a simplified and cost effective manner. The faucet system should incorporate both of these controls while still maintaining convenience to the user for adjustability as well as accessibility to the inner working of the faucet system for maintenance purposes.

(a) Technical Field The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method for charging a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) fuel vehicle, and more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for charging an LPG fuel vehicle capable of more easily charging an LPG tank with LPG fuel by decreasing part of pressure in the LPG tank when pressure in the LPG tank, which stores the LPG fuel, is greater than charging pressure. (b) Background Art In general, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a process of charging an LPG fuel vehicle includes operating a charging pump 2 of an LPG fuel station, supplying LPG fuel through a charger 3 from an LPG reservoir 1 of the LPG fuel station by operating the charging pump 2, and charging an LPG tank of a vehicle with the LPG fuel by LPG charging pressure of the charger 3. However, the LPG fuel may not be charged since pressure in the LPG tank of the vehicle is greater than the LPG charging pressure when an outside temperature is rapidly increased during warmer weather temperatures. For example, when an atmospheric temperature is about 40° C. or greater during a hot weather season, pressure (e.g., about 16.5 bar) in the LPG tank of the vehicle is increased to be equal to or greater than LPG charging pressure of the charger (e.g., 16.3 bar=pressure of 8.3 bar in the LPG reservoir of the LPG fuel station+LPG pumping pressure of 8.0 bar caused by an operation of the charging pump), and as a result, the LPG tank may not be capable of being charged with the LPG fuel from the charger. The above information disclosed in this section is merely for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

The present invention relates to receiver equalizers used in television broadcasting to provide signal delays compensating for complementary delays in television receivers. Government established broadcasting standards for color television service set forth a uniform format for the color television signal which are transmitted by licensed television stations. In this format the color television signal is amplitude modulated onto the station carrier, with the resulting double sideband signal being filtered by a vestigial sideband filter so as to eliminate a large portion of the lower sideband thereof. The upper sideband, however, remains intact and extends out to more than 4.2 MHz above the carrier frequency. The sound, or aural signal is transmitted on a subcarrier located 4.5 MHz above the picture carrier. In order to eliminate interference between the sound carrier and the higher frequency video information, receivers must include filters with high roll-off rates in the vicinity of 4.5 MHz. When the composite video signal is passed through these filters, the upper frequencies of the color signal experience a time delay which must be corrected. This was recognized at the time that the format was adopted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of the United States government, and, to simplified the manufacture of television receivers, it was decided that the correction would be provided at the transmitter, rather than at the receiver. The FCC therefore now mandates that each transmitter include a time delay versus frequency characteristic selected to be the complement of the time delay versus frequency characteristic produced by the sound filter in subsequent receivers. In TV transmitters currently in use, the receiver equalizer is implemented as a separate functional block including plural discrete components which are designed and adjusted such that the amplitude versus frequency characteristic of the filter is substantially flat over the frequency range of the video signal, but that its time delay versus frequency characteristic is such as to provide the receiver equalization set by FCC standards. The receiver equalizer adds somewhat to the size of the visual exciter with which it is employed, and includes plural adjustable components which must be calibrated by the manufacturer during the manufacturing process, and which are thereafter susceptible to aging and failure. The receiver equalizer also, obviously, adds to the cost of the visual exciter. For these reasons, then, it would be desirable if the receiver equalizer could be done away with. Receiver equalization is, however, required by law in all transmitters.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for determining the oscillation parameters of a longitudinally oscillating band, for example a tape or ribbon, excited by a piezoelectric oscillator and whose oscillations are to be received and evaluated. The apparatus is used for measuring dust concentration in a fluid. In the course of research work, discussed in a report entitled "Measurement of Emissions from Power Stations" by Theodor Gast and Karl Ulrich Kramm submitted to Bundesministerium fur Forschung und Technologie published October, 1984, tests have been made to determine to what extent the natural frequencies of a longitudinally oscillating band change when its inert mass changes. In an experimental arrangement employed for this purpose, a transmitter and a receiver are provided which are piezoelectric oscillators and which are arranged opposite one another at a defined distance. A band is held between the oscillators by means of first and second collet chucks which are each clamped in between the piezoelectric oscillators by way of a disc-shaped thickened portion. The oscillations of the transmitter are transferred through the band and the second chuck to the oppositely disposed piezoelectric oscillator operating as the receiver, which thereby produces an output signal. In this experimental arrangement, the frequency of the transmitter is controlled in such a manner that a phase shift of 90.degree. exists between the phases of the excited and received waves, causing a standing wave to be formed having nodes at the clamping points (e.g., the first and second collet chucks). Experiments have shown that, for example, an increase in mass in the center region of the band results in a decrease in amplitude of the standing wave, and this change in amplitude could be used as a measuring value. In addition, it was found that the frequency is influenced, and this change in frequency could also represent a measuring variable. A chamber plunger structure and a pressure plate of this kind is described by Theodor Gast and Karl Ulrich Kramm in more detail in the European Patent Application No. 0 214 366 A2 and in the figure therein. However, this "chamber-plunger structure" has considerable drawbacks. For example, the force generated by means of the piezoelectric element and acting on the plunger must be opposed by a counterforce produced by the enclosing chamber itself (i.e., by the corresponding front or rear pressure plate). Furthermore, in this device, synchronism of the piezoelectric element, which is necessary for conversion of input electrical energy to mechanical energy of the band, is not ensured. Therefore, it may be possible that not only the plunger--as is assumed in the ideal case--but the entire system of the chamber, the plunger, and the piezoelectric element oscillates, i.e. only part of the mechanically-produced energy is ultimately transferred to the band and detected at the receiver as a band signal. Consequently, bands having high material attenuation or a long length are not usable to produce a signal that can be evaluated. Due to its complex mechanical structure, the foregoing system necessarily includes a plurality of "spring to mass" couplings, which all produce undesirable individual mechanical resonances. As a result of the external dimensions and material constants of the foregoing system, these undesirable individual mechanical resonances all lie in the intended useful frequency range of the measurements. However, an unequivocal evaluation of the resultant measurements can be made only if no natural resonance occurs in the transmitter or receiver below the uppermost measuring frequency. The prior art system exhibits these subordinate resonance phenomena beginning at 7 KHz, and therefore the measuring frequency has to be less than 7 KHz. A practical embodiment of the apparatus with changed dimensions (larger plunger, chamber, and piezoelectric element) exhibits resonances over the entire frequency range (1 KHz to 40 KHz) measured, so that accurate and reliable results cannot be ensured. The resonant frequencies (e.g., subordinate resonances) of the undesirable "spring to mass" couplings are not frequency stable. They are subject to a great extent to extraneous influences such as, for example, tightening moments from the clamping screws, ambient temperature, mechanical shocks occurring during transport, and so on. The "tuning" of such systems is extremely difficult since there are interacting factors. That is, the effect of a change in one parameter can be evaluated only by observation of the total frequency spectrum of the system, e.g. a Fourier analysis, which, however, is possible in relatively few cases. For the above reasons, the aforementioned prior art device is not suitable for use in practice (especially for use in the rough surroundings of a power plant where this invention could be used). Although piezoceramic high power transducers are known ("Technologie und Anwendungen von Ferroelektrika" [Technology and Uses of Ferroelectric Elements], published by VAG Leipzig, 1976, pages 360 et seq.), these serve to generate the acoustic output power of ultrasound transducers employed, for example, for cleaning purposes (in water as a prerequisite) or for underwater signal transmission (page 360, second paragraph, lines 4 and 5). Their use as elements for transferring forces to bands or the like that are mechanically coupled to them, for example under environmental conditions or in flue gas chimneys, is neither mentioned nor suggested.

1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to an an apparatus for opening and closing a folding bed of an overlapping type. 2. Description of the Prior Art There have been two types of conventional folding beds. An overlapping folding bed type in which a front panel attached to a bed body is superposed on a cabinet at the time of foldably containing the bed body therein, and the other being a recessed type of a folding bed in which a front panel is foldably contained inside a cabinet. In both types, it is preferable to have one front panel since a simple external appearance is obtained when the bed body is foldably contained i the cabinet. In order to use one front panel in the folding bed of an overlapping type, there is known a means for separately providing the rotational shafts of a bed body and a front panel, means for providing the rotational shaft of a bed body at the lower portion of a front panel outside a cabinet, etc. However, according to the former means, since the rotational shafts of the bed body and the front panel are different, the bed body and the front panel are deviated at a difference between the axes of both the rotational shafts. On the other hand, according to the latter means, since the rotational shaft of the bed body is projected forward of the cabinet, there arises a problem that the bed body and a front panel rotating force energizing mechanism cannot be arranged with springs, etc., around the shaft. There is know to eliminate the problems described above by a means for dividing a front panel into upper and lower panels, and utilizing the upper panel as a side panel at the time of using the bed body as a bed. However, since both the upper and lower panels are coupled to the bed body via a link in this means, it is always cooperated with upon opening or closing of the bed body. Therefore, it cannot be used as a maintenance panel which can be freely opened or closed. In order to eliminate the above problem, the following folding bed is already known. In this folding bed, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a front panel is divided into an upper panel a and a lower panel b, the upper panel is fixed to a bed body d rotatably openably supported by a cabinet c, the lower panel b is clamped at the cabinet c with wooden screws, etc., (not shown), and the lower panel b can be removed for maintenance. However, in the conventional folding bed as described above, since the lower panel b is always fixed to the cabinet c, a relief g for the lower panel b must be cut out at the frame e of the bed body d and the base of a mattress f as shown in FIG. 8. Further, when the bed body d is used as a bed, the upper surface of the mattress f becomes higher, and the bed body d is arranged at a place considerably spaced from a floor surface. As a result, folding legs h must be provided underneath the bed body d. Accordingly, when the bed body d is drawn out from the cabinet c or contained in the cabinet c, the legs h must be extended or retracted, or must be disposed in a containing state or state of use by means of rotation. Thus, the operation is not only complicated, but its aesthetic appearance is lessened. In FIG. 9, a rotating force energizing mechanism i for the bed body d and the upper panel a is provided.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to tool chuck assemblies, such as in particular those adapted to rigidly clamp workpieces exhibiting thin wall cross sections. More specifically, the present invention discloses an improved tool part locking chuck exhibiting a plurality of independent and circumferentially arrayed wedge clamps for gripping selected locations of an irregular and often thin walled workpiece. The chuck holder may incorporate multiple spring, pneumatic or hydraulic clamping pressure, uniformly spread across all of the circumferentially arrayed wedge clamps, and with the effect of both increasing the amount of contact points (and corresponding clamping pressure) concurrent with reducing or eliminating part deformation. 2. Description of the Prior Art The prior art is well documented with varying types of lathe chuck holding assemblies, such as which are associated with a rotary driven and spindle supported assembly for permitting a stationary positioned tool to machine given surfaces associated with a clamped workpiece. A first example is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 6,464,235, issued to Rohm, and which teaches a latch chuck having a chuck body centered on and rotatable about a main axis. The chuck is formed with a plurality of radially extending jaw-guide grooves and, transverse to the grooves, with respective guide passages each in turn formed with an abutment. Respective jaws are displaceable in the grooves with each having at least one tooth exposed in the respective guide passage and respective control rods displaceable along the passages each having at least one tooth meshing with the tooth of the respective jaw. A control pin is axially displaceable in each rod between an extended position projecting into the respective jaw-guide groove and a retracted position. A latch pin is axially displaceable in each rod between an extended latching position engaging the respective rod in the respective passage and a retracted position permitting such movement. A spring urges the pins into their extended positions, and a coupling member engaged between the pins displaces the respective latch pin into the respective retracted position on displacement of the control pin into its retracted position. Thus, when there is no jaw in the guide groove, the latch pin of the respective control rod latches the same against movement in the respective passage. U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,566, also issued to Rohm, teaches a chuck for latches and other machine tools having a chuck body provided with axially shiftable wedging members to actuate the jaws, a rotatable guard ring prevents full axial withdrawal of these members from sockets in the jaws in one angular position of the ring. In another angular position of the ring, recesses in the latter are aligned with the wedging members to allow the latter to clear the jaws for radial withdrawal and replacement thereof. Japanese Patent Publication JP2001/038510 teaches a machine tool chuck exhibiting a pair of movable wedge bars driving a plurality of clamp jaws arranged inside a guide notch of radial direction of a chuck body and intersecting the guide notch inside a wedge bar picket inside the chuck body to form worm gears with rows of gear teeth meshing with corresponding gear cut groove parts of the clamp jaws. A lock slider is incorporated in each wedge bar with a lock pin rod movably guided in parallel to a chuck axis arranged therein. A plurality of lock sliders are capable of moving the lock pin rods having the rows of gear teeth from a lock position maintaining an engaged state with the clamp jaws to an exchange position enabling exchange of the clamp jaws. In such a case, securing pin rods are movable in the axial direction, receiving the force of the springs and being pressed toward the clamp jaws arranged inside the lock pin rods. U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,307, issued to Toyano et al., teaches a machine tool chuck in which a wedge member is provided to cause radial displacement or workpiece clamping pawls for replacement. The replacement can be made with minimum variations in radial position at which the clamping pawls are relocated. To this end, the clamping pawls and slide blocks are slidably guided radially through a chuck body independently of each other. Each clamping pawl and each slide block are in slidable engagement with a sloping wedge action portion of an axial slidable wedge bar in such a way that the clamping pawl and slide block move radially independently of each other while maintaining a geometric relationship there between. For replacement of the clamping pawl, the wedge bar is moved backward to cause its wedge action portion to be disengaged from the clamping pawl whereby the clamping pawl can be slid radially outwardly for replacement. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,837, issued to Vollmer, teaches a multi-component chucking system, in particular for concentric or true rotation tools, and having a receiving body optionally having a chucking shaft, with an engagement surface extending at right angles to the axis of rotation and a coaxial retention bore as well as a tool element, preferably embodied as a tool holder. On its end face, the tool element also has an engagement surface at right angles to the axis of rotation and is formed with a coaxial retention stub fitting into the retention bore, by means of which stub the tool element can be centered with respect to the receiving body. A chucking pin is associated with the retention stub and coaxial with the axis of rotation, along with chucking means actuable from outside the receiving body, allowing the clamping together of the tool element and the receiving body. The chucking means have two radially movably supported locking elements which have locking surfaces by which, in a chucking position, wedge-like surface regions of the chucking pin that are inclined with respect to the axis of rotation are engaged from below. These wedge-like surface regions of the chucking pin are located on a single common conical surface region that is coaxial with the axis of rotation and forms an acute angle with it.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to personalization of content. More particularly, the present invention relates to user interface techniques and active and passive personalization techniques to enhance a user's personalization experience. 2. Background With more and more content being continually added to the world wide information infrastructure, the volume of information accessible via the Internet, can easily overwhelm someone wishing to locate items of interest. Although such a large source pool of information is desirable, only a small amount is usually relevant to a given person. Personalization techniques are developing to provide intelligent filtering systems to ‘understand’ a user's need for specific types of information. Personalization typically requires some aspect of user modeling. Ideally, a perfect computer model of a user's brain would determine the user's preferences exactly and track them as the user's tastes, context, or location change. Such a model would allow a personal newspaper, for example, to contain Sonly articles in which the user has interest, and no article in which the user is not interested. The perfect model would also display advertisements with 100% user activity rates (i.e., a viewer would peruse and/or click-through every ad displayed) and would display only products that a user would buy. Therefore, personalization requires modeling the user's mind with as many of the attendant subtleties as possible. Unfortunately, user modeling to date (such as information filtering agents) has been relatively unsophisticated. However, personalization content as well as profiles can be difficult for users to digest, especially where such content is dispersed through a web page that often requires a large amount of scrolling. Furthermore, developing a personalization profile can be cumbersome and time consuming. Fill-in profiles represent the simplest form of user modeling for personalization technology. A fill-in profile may ask for user demographic information such as income, education, children, zip code, sex and age. The form may further ask for interest information such as sports, hobbies, entertainment, fashion, technology or news about a particular region, personality, or institution. The fill-in profile type of user model misses much of the richness desired in user modeling because user interests typically do not fall into neat categories. Feature-based recommendation is a form of user modeling that considers multiple aspects of a product. For example, a person may like movies that have the features of action-adventure, rated R (but not G), and have a good critic review of B+ or higher (or 3 stars or higher). Such a multiple-feature classifier such as a neural network can capture the complexity of user preferences if the interest is rich enough. Text-based recommendation is a rich form of feature-based recommendation. Text-based documents can be characterized using, for example, vector-space methods. Thus, documents containing the same frequencies of words can be grouped together or clustered. Presumably, if a user selects one document in a particular cluster, the user is likely to want to read other documents in that same cluster. However, it would be advantageous to provide a user with a personalization experience that generates positive perceptions and responses that encourage users to want to use the personalization service, while avoiding those negative perceptions that would discourage users from using the system, in an unintrusive manner so that the user can view content in a manner with which they are already familiar. Positive perceptions from the point of view of a user include, easily developing a profile, easily viewing third party profiles, and easily viewing potentially interesting content.

Spas and hot tubs have long been utilized by people for relaxation and physical therapy. To allow for optimal enjoyment and utilization of a spa or hot tub it is desirable that dirt, leaves and other types of debris be prevented from falling into the water to the greatest extent possible. Additionally, since spas and hot tubs are heated in normal use, it is desirable to reduce as much as possible the heat loss from the heated water to the surrounding atmosphere. A reduction of heat loss results in a reduction of the spa owner's energy bill to heat the spa. To address the problems of debris in the water and heat loss, spa owners have long utilized covers for their spas. The spa covers are generally sized and configured to completely cover the spa. To prevent or reduce heat loss, they are typically formed of an insulating material, such as foam, encased within a waterproof cover. Commonly, the covers are formed of two half sections connected by a folding seam or joint formed in the waterproof cover. This construction allows one half of the cover to be folded back on the other half when removing the cover from the spa. Although, satisfactorily dealing with the problems of debris and heat loss, the spa covers created a new problem due to their size and bulkiness. Spas and hot tubs commonly have diameters of up to eight (8) feet or more. Covers large enough to cover spas of this size create problems in terms of removal of the cover to allow access to the spa and storage or placement of the cover once it is removed. Due to their size and weight, it frequently requires two individuals to remove the spa cover without it dragging on the ground. When the spa covers come into contact with the ground they potentially can pick up debris and their useful life span can be severely shortened due to undesired wear and tear on the cover. Prior attempts to deal with the problem of handling of the spa covers have been directed towards devices which still require excessive effort on the part of the individual user or designs limited in application to a specific spa cover. Prior devices are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,238 to Forrest and U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,374 to Perry. The Forrest patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,238 is directed to a device which is mounted on the side of the spa enclosure. This device requires that an open space equal to at least one half the diameter of the spa cover be provided on the side of the spa upon which the device is mounted. It also requires that the spa user push or pull the spa cover off of the spa and onto the device. In addition to problems of space constraint, the Forrest device also presents problems to the elderly or to small individuals who are unable to handle the spa cover without the assistance of another individual. The Perry patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,374 is directed to a spa/hot tub cover which is utilized in connection with a gas spring apparatus to assist in the lifting of the spa cover. The device of the Perry patent is not adjustable and can only be used in connection with a particular spa cover. As illustrated in Perry, the spa cover is hinged to the spa frame and the gas spring assembly is rigidly fastened to the side of the spa cover. This type of construction requires a special plastic cover or layer on the waterproof cover to provide the rigidity necessary for a durable connection. Given the shortcomings of these prior devices, a need exists for a spa cover lifting apparatus which can be mounted on the spa or spa frame without regard to external space available about the spa. A need also exists for a spa cover lifting apparatus which can be utilized with a variety of spa covers and does not require any external connections between the spa cover and the spa frame or rigid connections between the apparatus and the cover.

Since the advent of emissions standards for internal combustion engines for cars, trucks, and other vehicles, emissions of hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen oxides (NO.sub.x) have markedly declined. This decline has been brought about through the use of a variety of techniques including electronic fuel injection (EFI), electronic (computerized) engine control (EEC), and the use of a variety of catalytic converters to oxidize hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide, and to reduce NO.sub.x to nitrogen. However, increasingly more stringent emissions standards, particularly those promulgated by the California Air Control Board, require still further emissions reductions over extended periods of engine operation. For example, California's ULEV emissions levels of 0.04 g/mile HC, 1.7 g/mile CO, and 0.2 g/mile NO.sub.x ; or the European Stage III requirements of 0.1 g/Km HC, 1.5 g/Km CO, and 0.1 g/Km NO.sub.x are difficult to meet with current equipment, and yet more difficult to sustain over 50,000 mile and 100,000 mile use periods. During emissions testing, a considerable amount of total emissions occur during engine warm-up after a room temperature soak. During this time period, the emissions-reducing catalysts located in the catalytic converter(s) are largely ineffectual due to the fact that they have not reached a temperature at which significant catalytic activity can be maintained (light-off). Thus, particular attempts have been made to decrease emissions during engine warm-up. Among the devices used to decrease cold-start emissions are electrically heated catalysts to ensure rapid light-off; exhaust system burners, either EGI or fuel burners; close-coupled catalysts, and cold start spark retard and enleanment (CSSRE) or hydrocarbon traps. The first four of these are means of more rapidly heating the exhaust catalyst, thus reducing the light-off time and resultant cold-start emissions. The last are means of collecting hydrocarbons prior to exiting the system, and reusing them as fuel. In general, the above devices require additional hardware, packaging space, and cost. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,349,816 discloses an internal combustion engine having a closely coupled catalyst to reduce HC and further downstream catalysts for reducing NO.sub.x. The first catalyst is active during warm-up, following which a flapper valve bypasses the first catalyst, directing the exhaust exclusively to the downstream catalysts. The use of the electronically controlled flapper valve adds to component cost as well as introducing additional components capable of failure into the vehicle. The closely coupled catalyst is used during cold-start only, representing a non-economical application of expensive catalyst components. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,554, a two-stage catalytic converter is disclosed, the first converter containing an unspecified pretreatment catalyst, the second converter having multiple monolithic catalyst elements, a first element having deposited on its upstream end a multi-layer platinum/palladium catalyst containing 0.35 g/l to 1.0 g/l (9.9 g/ft.sup.3 to 28.3 g/ft.sup.3) of palladium. Located further downstream is a further oxidizing catalyst. The necessity for a pretreatment catalyst increases the cost and complexity of the system. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,554 system is not believed capable of meeting upcoming, more stringent emissions standards. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,059 are disclosed catalysts having improved light-off behavior prepared by impregnating active aluminum oxide, containing customary promoters, with platinum, palladium, and rhodium, followed by associating the precious metal catalysts with up to five times their mass of base metal. Amounts of palladium of c.a. 6.5 g/ft.sup.3 are disclosed. It has also been proposed to further lower hydrocarbon emissions by injection of air into the exhaust stream by engine-driven or electrically driven air pump. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,872 discloses supplying air to maintain a stoichiometric increase in oxygen in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 volume percent excess oxygen. However, addition of air during cold-start conditions has the effect of reducing the temperature of the exhaust gases, thus increasing the time for catalyst light-off. It would be desirable to provide a catalyst system which is capable of meeting ultra-low emissions levels by lowering cold-start emissions without the use of active components such as electrical heaters, fuel burners, flapper valves, and the like. It would be desirable, also, to minimize the light-off of such catalyst systems by employing a cold-start, light-off-assisting engine strategy. It would be further desirable to lower emissions through the optional use of air injection without significantly delaying catalyst light-off. It would be yet further desirable to maintain lowered emissions during warmed-up engine operation by eliminating spikes and break-through of CO and HC during this phase of engine operation.

The present disclosure relates generally to a system and a method for enhancing security printing. Product labeling and security packaging are important components of brand protection, product tracking and authenticating, as well as of anti-counterfeiting initiatives. Such labels/packages must be authorized (i.e., access to them should be privileged), authenticable (e.g., containing encoded/encrypted information that can be decoded/decrypted for security purposes), and unique (i.e., differentiable from any other printed material). In an effort to create such labels/packages, a unique ID, in the form of, for example, a deterrent or mark may be added. Furthermore, measures are often taken to enhance the probability that the product cannot be counterfeited, for example, by making the packaging or labels difficult and/or time consuming to replicate and/or by using variable data printing (VDP).

Retailers routinely display articles of merchandise, such as telephones, portable computers (e.g. notebooks, laptops, tablets, etc.), e-readers, media players, and the like for customers to evaluate before making a purchase. These articles of merchandise are continually being made smaller and lighter in weight due to advances in technology and materials. As a result, such merchandise is increasingly vulnerable and susceptible to theft. At the same time, the retail price, and hence the profit margin, for such merchandise continues to decline. Accordingly, these articles of merchandise need to be secured by a security device that effectively and cost efficiently protects the merchandise from theft. It is common in the field of retail merchandise security to tether electronic devices to a store fixture to prevent theft, yet still allowing a customer to interact with the device. The retailers and their customers want these tethers to be as unobtrusive as possible, making smaller diameter tethers desirable. One problem with keeping tether size small is the number of conductors needed to supply power and sensing signals. Typically, a plurality of conductors is needed to provide both power and security. As a result, reducing the number of conductors while maintaining necessary functionality and security can be challenging.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates in general to stringed musical instruments, and pertains more particularly, to an improved light-weight stringed instrument, particularly a light-weight guitar. Moreover, the present invention relates to the construction and associated method of fabrication of a light-weight stringed musical instrument. Furthermore, the present invention is directed to improved transducer systems for stringed musical instruments. 2. Background Discussion Although attempts have been made at constructing light-weight musical instruments, particularly light-weight guitars, these efforts have not been totally successful, particularly in constructing guitars of weights on the order of 5 pounds or less. Fabrication techniques have tended to be complex and time consuming and in some instances the costs have been prohibitive. Also, similar problems are encountered in connection with transducers for such stringed instruments. They have tended to be complex, cumbersome, difficult to fabricate and relatively costly. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved, and in particular a light-weight, stringed musical instrument. The construction of the present invention is in particular adapted for fabrication of guitars. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of fabrication of stringed musical instruments. This method of manufacture is also adapted to in particular provide for the construction of a light-weight instrument. A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved transducer system for use with stringed musical instruments and in particular for use in conjunction with the fabrication of a light-weight guitar. Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved piezoelectric-type transducer for stringed musical instruments, and one that is in particular of simple and light-weight construction while at the same time having substantially improved response. Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved fret construction for a stringed musical instrument. Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved neck construction for a stringed musical instrument, and one in which signal coupling is attainable from individual frets supported on the neck.

The invention relates to a cooling body having an upper part, a lower part and lugs that are attached with material-to-material binding to at least one inside surface of the upper and lower parts, project into the cooling medium and are separated by channels. German patent DE 40 17 749 discloses a cooling body assembled from an upper and a lower half, and in which lugs are disposed, with material-to-material bonding, on the inside surface of such a half, perpendicularly in the flow path of the cooling medium. The problem of an arrangement of this type is that the heat dissipation of some components on the outside surfaces of the cooling body is inhomogeneous. The flow path is short-circuited between the cooling-medium inlet and the cooling-medium outlet. Therefore, hot zones form on the outside surfaces. The heat resistance of the arrangement of DE 40 17 749 is also high, approximately 30 K/kW, which leads to overheating of the cooling medium.

Hierarchical structures of fine fibrils on insect's feet induce strong molecular forces and provide extraordinary adhesive strength, enabling them to support large loads. Such dry adhesion allows, for example, the gecko's locomotion on slippery surfaces against gravity as well as firmly attach onto and detach with ease from rough substrates. Presently, polymer micro/nano fibrillar dry adhesives are known to be made using micro/nano fabrication processes. These techniques are common in microfabrication and often require expensive equipment and are costly to implement on a commercial scale. This invention makes use of a drastically different approach to manufacture flexible, fibrillar, and adhesive microprotrusion and adhesive laid-flat membranes by scalable nozzle-free electrospinning, which presents novel approaches to fabricating dry, removable, reusable adhesives on substrates. The invention differs drastically from other disclosed technologies, which are based on the use of aligned carbon nanotubes, photolithography, chemical etching, and time-consuming batch micro/nano molding processes. The new methodology offers advantages of significantly lower costs and easier scale-up, which will replace the more expensive approaches such as micro/nano fabrication process. Introduction of nozzleless electrospinning polymer blending and equal-channel angular pressing will combine processing stages such as solution preparation, spinning and spin-finish in one production line, significantly reducing processing time and costs. Although some of these spinning methodologies are known in the art, one of the inventors, Shing-Chung Wong, led the first group to examine electrospun nanofibers and membranes for their adhesion strength and energy and thus their applications as dry adhesives. Measurement of Adhesion Work of Electrospun Polymer Membrane by Shaft-Loaded Blister Test, Langmuir Vol. 28 (2012) 6677-6683; A Nano-Cheese-Cutter to Directly Measure Interfacial Adhesion of Freestanding Nano-Fibers, Journal of Applied Physics Vol. 111, (2012); Mechanism of Adhesion Between Polymer Fibers at Nanoscale Contacts, Langmuir Vol. 28 (2012) 4663-4671; and Do Electrospun Polymer Fibers Stick?, Langmuir, Vol. 26 (2010) 14188-14193. An adhesive is a kind of material that can bond items together. Adhesives are typically liquid or semi-liquid, with the earliest adhesives being made of natural materials, such as tree sap, beeswax, tar and etc. Advances in the science and understanding of adhesive mechanisms have led to more and more adhesive formulations. Today's adhesives can be classified in many different ways, generally by their bonding mechanism, with three major categories including: physically hardening adhesives, chemically curing adhesives and pressure sensitive adhesives. Physically hardening adhesives are non-reactive adhesives, and they are in their final chemical state before applying to surface. Only polymers that can be liquefied, either melt or dissolved, can be used for physical hardening adhesives. Physically hardening adhesives provide a wide range of adhesive properties, generally good bond flexibility, and are used in a variety of applications. There are three major types of hardening adhesives: (i) hot melts, (ii) solvent based adhesives and (iii) polymer dispersion adhesives. Most of the hot melt adhesives are thermoplastics, which can be applied in molten form in the range of 65° C.-180° C. They can be solidified in room temperature to form strong bonding with various materials. Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) is a particularly common hot melt adhesive. EVA possesses good physical properties, such as good clarity, low-temperature toughness, stress-crack resistance, water resistance, UV resistance etc. Solvent based adhesives build strength through the evaporation of the solvent. The performance of solvent-based adhesives is largely determined by the polymer system in the formulation. The choice of adhesive type depends on the specific substrates and environmental resistance needed—temperature resistance, oil and plasticizer resistance, etc. Polymer dispersion adhesives are typically formulated from compounds including vinyl acetate polymers and copolymers (PVAC), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), acrylics, styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), natural rubber latex and synthetic elastomers, and polyurethane (PUR). These adhesives are heterogeneous systems comprising a solid polymer phase dispersed in an aqueous phase. One of the major advantages is the absence of VOC's. For many water based adhesives, it is a requirement that at least one of the substrates be permeable to allow water to escape from the system. It is not surprising, then, that these materials have found wide use in bonding wood, paper, fabrics, leather and other porous substrates. Chemically curing adhesives are reactive materials that require chemical reaction to convert them from liquid to solid. Generally they can be classified in to single component adhesives and two component adhesives. Single component adhesives have pre-mixed adhesive components which are blocked normally. Only when the required condition was met, they will activate the hardener. These conditions could be heat, moisture, radiation, etc. Two component adhesives have two reactive components which can form solid systems after mixing them. The most widely used two component adhesives include epoxies, methyl methacrylates (MMA), silicones, etc. Cyanoacrylates are known for their “instant” bonding to most surfaces. When a drop of cyanoacrylate adhesive is put on the surface of a part, the acid stabilizer molecules react with the water molecules present on the surface of the part from the relative humidity in the air. The reaction of the water and acid causes the acid stabilizer to be neutralized. The cyanoacrylate molecules then react with each other and form polymer chains without cross-linking. Cyanoacrylates can bond most types of glass, plastics and metals, and has broad application in optics, microelectronics, transportations and medical industries, etc. Single-component epoxy adhesives include solvent-free liquid resins, solutions in solvent, liquid resin pastes, fusible powders, sticks, pellets and paste, supported and unsupported films, and preformed shapes to fit a particular joint. Two-component epoxy adhesives are usually composed of the resin and the curing agent, which are mixed just prior to use. The components may be liquids, putties, or liquid and hardener powder. They may also contain plasticizers, reactive diluents, fillers, and resinous modifiers. The processing conditions are determined by the curing agent employed. Typical cure conditions range from 3 h at 60° C. to 20 min at 100° C. Epoxy adhesives form strong bonds to most materials, in addition to excellent cohesive strength, but are not reusable and irremovable, and residue is left on cohesively fractured surfaces. Epoxies yield good to excellent bonds to steel, aluminum, brass, copper, and most other metals but are brittle and fracture usually with cohesive failure mode. Pressure sensitive adhesives (PSA's) are most used in tape and label industry. PSA's are typically formulated from natural rubber, certain synthetic rubbers, and polyacrylates. PSA's form a bond simply by the application of pressure to marry the adhesive with the adherend. Once the adhesive and the adherend are in proximity, there are also molecular interactions such as van der Waals forces involved in the bond, which contribute significantly to the ultimate bond strength. PSA's exhibit viscoelastic (viscous and elastic) properties, both of which are used for proper bonding. Pressure sensitive adhesives are designed with a balance between flow and resistance to flow. The bond forms because the adhesive is soft enough to flow the adherend. The bond has strength because the adhesive is hard enough to resist flow when stress is applied to the bond. Since these adhesives are not true solids, the strength of pressure sensitive adhesives decreases when the temperature is increased. PSA's also exhibit a tendency to undergo creep when subjected to loads. There is a growing demand in the art of removable, reusable and dry adhesives. Typically, dry reusable adhesives produce substantial shear adhesion strengths but significantly lower normal lifting forces, giving rise to high anisotropic adhesion properties. Dry adhesives with anisotropic force distribution may find potential use in several applications such as tapes, fasteners, treads of wall-climbing robots, wall-climbing suits, microelectronics, and medical and space applications. Dry adhesives have been fabricated using polymers, which has resulted in high shear adhesion strength, by forming tens of millions of contact points between adhesive and adherend. Carbon nanotube (CNT) based arrays possess a shear adhesion strength as high as 100 N/cm2 on a glass slide. These arrays have high aspect ratios and mechanical strengths. However, a significant normal preload of 50 N/cm2 is required to achieve this shear adhesion force. CNT arrays have considerable limitations including being electrically conductive for applications necessitating electrically insulating adhesives. These arrays also possess a low ratio of shear adhesion strength to normal detachment strength (V) which limits their range of applications. Hierarchical pillars have been fabricated in polydimethysiloxane where the top rounded pillars are 10 μm in diameter with aspect ratios ranging between 0.5 and 2. The base pillars are 200 μm in length and 50 μm in diameter. Hierarchical nanofiber-based structures have been developed using polymethylmethacrylate by chronologically employing two porous alumina templates. The adhesion strength in this hierarchical structure is also severely low. The heavily packed pillars cause clumping in the structure, which is suggested to lead to this deteriorated adhesion. None of the prior art made use of fiber spinning methodologies to form the adhesives. High aspect ratio (AR) structures exhibit significant shear adhesion strength compared to ones with low AR's. Various techniques have been employed to fabricate moderate AR structures including nanomolding, e-beam lithography, and replication of nanoporous membranes with polymers. The methodologies are costly to be scaled up for mass production. Thus, there is a need in the art for improved methods of forming dry adhesives from electrospinning spinnable materials. There is also a need in the art for dry adhesives with high shear adhesion strength and low normal detachment.

Inasmuch as fast room temperature curing, single component sealants and adhesives are desirable and useful, particularly in original equipment manufacturing, it is not surprising that a number of one component elastomeric sealants are now available in the marketplace. Such sealants include various polymer bases such as polysulfides, mercaptan terminated polyethers, polysiloxames and polyurethanes. Certain industries need elastomeric adhesives or sealants which cure by exposure to ambient conditions and which will develop a high tensile strength. Applications of this type include sealing automobile windshields which are often intended as structural components in design. For these applications the elastomeric sealant or adhesive must not only have high tensile strength but should achieve such strength in a matter of a few hours so that the automobile may be safely driven shortly after installation of the windshield. Of the various liquid elastomers available today, cured polyurethanes, in general, have the highest mechanical strength and therefore are the polymers of choice as a windshield sealant or adhesive provided that the adhesive or sealant can cure rapidly under ambient conditions without exhibiting other problems such as foaming, storage instability, depolymerization, etc.. An example of a one component, room temperature, moisture curing polyurethane sealant is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,779,794 wherein a polyurethane sealant in combination with a particular type of silane primer is disclosed. In that patent, the polyurethane sealant is an isocyanate terminated polyethylene ether diol-polypropylene ether triol combination having from 1.2 to 1.5% free isocyanate terminals. These terminals are blocked with a volatile blocking agent which, when exposed to air, evaporates and the moisture in the air cures the polyurethane. The polyurethane sealant disclosed in this patent in combination with the silane primer cures, according to the patent, to a tensile strength of 40-60 pounds per square inch (psi) after 6 hours exposure at 77.degree. F. and 30% relative humidity. Although such sealants are satisfactory in terms of ultimate elongation characteristics and the like, nevertheless, there is a need for the development of a sealant having higher early strength, i.e. 100 psi or more in a six hour period of time, with equivalent ultimate elongation.

The present invention relates to a logical volume administration method and, more particularly, a method of administrating a logical unit in a disk memory apparatus. In recent years, electronic commerce has been being rapidly spread in association with the penetration of the Internet into the market. In the electronic commerce, the user accesses a Web site of a company through the Internet to do shopping. When a physical store is newly open, people in the neighborhood notice it. In these days of a large number of Web pages in the world reaching one billion, even if a Web site is established, the possibility that no one notices it and nothing is sold is high. On the other hand, when the user uses the Web sites, there are no restrictions from a geometrical and time viewpoints. Companies can regard the people all over the world as potential customers, so that there is a big business chance. In order to improve CRM (Customer Relationship Management), some companies providing Web pages try to know their customers well even by tracing mouse clicks of the customers. FIG. 15 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the relation between the users and a data center for collecting data of trace of user's mouse clicks to conduct CRM analysis. A number of users indicated by user 1, user 2, . . . and user N access Web serves in the data center via the Internet 1. The data center has a number of Web servers indicated by Web server 1, Web server 2, . . . and Web server M. The Web servers are connected to a disk apparatus via a disk server by using a LAN of the data center. In the disk apparatus, a Web page repository, a Web access history repository, and CRM analyzing data are distributed to proper disks and stored. To the LAN of the data center, further, CRM analyzing servers 1 and 2 are connected, a tape apparatus is connected via a tape server, and also a manager for monitoring and controlling these components is also connected. Web pages of companies providing the Web sites are stored in the Web page repository. When the user accesses a Web server in the data center via the Internet 1, the Web server reads the Web page from the Web page repository and sends it to the user. Simultaneously, the history of the access to the Web site by the user is written to the Web access history repository. When the amount of the Web access history data exceeds a specific value, the manager transfers the Web access history data to the tape apparatus and records the data to a tape for backup. In the case of performing CRM analysis on the Web access history data, the backup data recorded on the tape is transferred from the tape apparatus to the Web access history repository. The CRM analysis is made by the CRM analyzing server by using the transferred data. The result of analysis is stored as CRM analyzing data of the disk apparatus. Referring to FIG. 14, an example of the form of business done via a Web page will be described. As already stated with reference to FIG. 15, a number of users access Web sites to purchase products or to get service. Each of the Web sites is administered by a Web site operator who enters into a contract with each of a number of companies providing Web pages to run and maintain their Web sites. Although it is possible that the Web site operator has a storage to perform operations, usually, the Web site operator enters into a contract with a storage operator for operating a storage in order to fulfill the contract with the Web page providing companies. Further, although it is possible that the storage operator has a storage to perform operations, usually, the storage operator enters into a contract with a storage provider for providing a storage to fulfill the contract with the Web site operator. With such a configuration, a number of users can access an arbitrary Web site. Many companies providing Web pages and Web site operator think about obtaining CRM analyzing data as information to make their Web sites utilized more effectively. A CRM analyzer for periodically providing CRM analyzing data under contract with the companies and Web site operators consequently exists. Although FIG. 15 shows those organizations as one data center, in the industry of storage dealing with an enormous amount of data, the business form in which the functions are distributed as described above is being fixed. The amount of data stored for CRM analysis is enormous. In some companies, data increases by 1T bytes per month. A storage system is requested to provide a support function by which the operator can make capacity planning. For example, there is American storage administration software for disk arrays, by which I/O throughput of each port or each disk can be measured. By the software, for example, when I/O requests are concentrated on a certain disk, the data is reallocated to distribute the load, thereby enabling improved performance to be achieved. When it is predicted from data capacity increasing rate that a disk will become full in two months, addition of a disk can be planned. Similarly, there is another storage administration software for disk arrays, having the function of displaying disk operation information. In recent years, the price of the disk memory apparatus has been being lowered. However, with respect to data increasing at a rate of 1T bytes per month, the disk memory apparatus is still expensive as a total. As described above, therefore, log data as stated above is stored in a cheaper memory device such as a magnetic tape. It is to be noted here that the purpose is not to store log data but to understand the users more by analyzing the log data to thereby improve the CRM. That is, the stored log data has to be analyzed. At the time of analysis, the log data has to be stored on a magnetic disk memory apparatus and has to be processed into a database record. When log data is stored into a normal relational database, the size increases by a few times. In the case where logs are stored, it is sufficient to store the log onto a magnetic tape when a disk becomes full. As a result, however, a magnetic disk of a large capacity capable of storing log data is necessary for analysis. One of the advantages of Internet shopping for the user is low price. If the CRM cost is high, it is difficult for a company to maintain a low price. Reduction in the CRM cost is one of big subjects of E-commerce companies.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to integrated nonvolatile memory circuits (preferably integrated flash memory circuits) which apply high voltage to selected transistors during one or more operating modes (e.g., during various stages of a memory erase operation), monitor one or more selected nodes to detect an illegal condition, and generate a halt signal (for causing the halting or aborting of circuit operation) in response to detection of an illegal condition. The nonvolatile memory circuit of the invention includes logic means for asserting a halt signal in response to an illegal condition, but only following application of a high voltage to components of the circuit (if the illegal condition occurs during application of the high voltage to such components). 2. Description of Related Art Throughout the specification, including in the claims, the term "connected" is used (in the context of an electronic component being "connected" to another electronic component) in a broad sense to denote that the components are electrically or electromagnetically coupled with sufficient strength under the circumstances. It is not used in a narrow sense requiring that an electrically conducting element is physically connected between the two components. Nonvolatile memory chips (integrated circuits) are becoming increasingly commercially important. The present invention pertains to a method and apparatus for halting operation of a nonvolatile memory chip in response to detection of an undesired ("illegal") operating condition of the chip. In order to appreciate the invention, it will be helpful initially to describe the structure and normal operating modes of a typical nonvolatile memory chip. A typical nonvolatile memory chip includes an array of nonvolatile memory cells, each cell comprising a transistor having a floating gate capable of semipermanent charge storage. The current drawn by each cell depends on the amount of charge stored on the corresponding floating gate. Thus, the charge stored on each floating gate determines a data value that is stored "semipermanently" in the corresponding cell. One particularly useful type of nonvolatile memory chip includes an array of flash memory cells, with each cell comprising a flash memory device (a transistor). The charge stored on the floating gate of each flash memory device (and thus the data value stored by each cell) is erasable by appropriately changing the voltage applied to the gate and source (in a well known manner). FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a conventional nonvolatile memory chip. Integrated circuit 3 of FIG. 1 includes at least one I/O pad 30 (for asserting output data to an external device or receiving input data from an external device), input/output buffer circuit 10 for I/O pad 30, address buffers A0 through Ap for receiving memory address bits from an external device, row decoder circuit (X address decoder) 12, column multiplexer circuit (Y multiplexer) 14, and memory array 16 (comprising columns of nonvolatile memory cells, such as column 16A). Each of address buffers A0 through Ap includes an address bit pad for receiving (from an external device) a different one of address bit signals X0 through Xn and Y0 through Ym. I/O buffer circuit 10 includes a "write" branch and a "read" branch. The write branch comprises input buffer 18. The read branch comprises sense amplifier 19 and output buffer 20. Chip 3 executes a write operation by receiving data (to be written to memory array 16) from an external device at I/O pad 30, buffering the data in the write branch, and then writing the data to the appropriate memory cell. Chip 3 can also be controlled to execute a read operation in which it amplifies and buffers data (that has been read from array 16) in the read branch, and then assert this data to I/O pad 30. Although only one I/O pad (pad 30) is shown in FIG. 1, typical implementations of the FIG. 1 circuit include a plurality of I/O pads, and each I/O pad is buffered by an I/O buffer circuit similar or identical to circuit 10. For example, one implementation of the FIG. 1 circuit includes eight I/O pads, eight buffer circuits identical to circuit 10, one line connected between the output of the output buffer 20 of each buffer circuit and one of the I/O pads (so that eight data bits can be read in parallel from buffers 20 to the pads), and one line connected between the input of the input buffer 18 of each buffer circuit and one of the I/O pads (so that eight data bits can be written in parallel from the pads to buffers 18). Each I/O pad (including I/O pad 30) typically has high impedance when the output buffer is not enabled. Each of the cells (storage locations) of memory array circuit 16 is indexed by a row index (an "X" index determined by decoder circuit 12) and a column index (a "Y" index output determined by decoder circuit 14). FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic diagram of two columns of cells of memory array 16 (with one column, e.g., the column on the right, corresponding to column 16A of FIG. 1). The column on the left side of FIG. 2 comprises "n" memory cells, each cell implemented by one of floating-gate N-channel transistors N1, N3, . . . , Nn. The drain of each of transistors N1-Nn is connected to bitline 13, and the gate of each is connected to a different wordline (a different one of wordline 0 through wordline n). The column on the right side of FIG. 2 also comprises "n" memory cells, each cell implemented by one of floating-gate N-channel transistors N2, N4, . . . , Nm. The drain of each of transistors N2-Nm is connected to bitline 15, and the gate of each is connected to a different wordline (a different one of wordline 0 through wordline n). The source of each of transistors N1, N3, . . . , Nn, and N2, N4, . . . , Nm is held at a source potential (which is usually ground potential for the chip during a program or read operation). In the case that each memory cell is a nonvolatile memory cell, each of transistors N1, N3, . . . , Nn, and N2, N4, . . . , Nm has a floating gate capable of semipermanent charge storage. The current drawn by each cell (i.e., by each of transistors N1, N3, . . . , Nn, and N2, N4, . . . , Nm) depends on the amount of charge stored on the corresponding floating gate. Thus, the charge stored on each floating gate determines a data value that is stored "semipermanently" in the corresponding cell. In cases in which each of transistors N1, N3, . . . , Nn, N2, N4, . . . , and Nm is a flash memory device (as indicated in FIG. 2 by the symbol employed to denote each of transistors N1, N3, . . . , Nn, N2, N4, . . . , and Nm), the charge stored on the floating gate of each is erasable (and thus the data value stored by each cell is erasable) by appropriately changing the voltage applied to the gate and source (in a well known manner). In response to address bits Y0-Ym, circuit 14 (of FIG. 1) determines a column address which selects one of the columns of memory cells of array 16 (connecting the bitline of the selected column to Node 1 of FIG. 1), and in response to address bits X0-Xn, circuit 12 (of FIG. 1) determines a row address which selects one cell in the selected column. Consider an example in which the column address selects the column on the right side of FIG. 2 (the column including bitline 15) and the row address selects the cell connected along wordline 0 (the cell comprising transistor N2). To read the data value stored in the selected cell, a signal (a current signal) indicative of such value is provided from the cell's drain (the drain of transistor N2, in the example), through bitline 15 and circuit 14, to node 1 of FIG. 1. To write a data value to the selected cell, a signal indicative of such value is provided to the cell's gate and drain (the gate and drain of transistor N2, in the example). More specifically, the FIG. 1 circuit executes a write operation as follows. Each of address buffers A0 through An asserts one of bits X0-Xn to decoder circuit 12, and each of address buffers An+1 through Ap asserts one of bits Y0-Ym to decoder circuit 14. In response to these address bits, circuit 14 determines a column address (which selects one of the columns of memory cells of array 16, such as column 6A), and circuit 12 determines a row address (which selects one cell in the selected column). In response to a write command (which can be supplied from control unit 29, or other circuitry not shown in FIG. 1), a signal (indicative of data) present at the output of input buffer 18 is asserted through circuit 14 to the cell of array 16 determined by the row and column address (e.g., to the drain of such cell). During such write operation, output buffer 20 may be disabled. A data latch (not shown) is typically provided between input buffer 18 and I/O pad 30 for storing data (to be written to a memory cell) received from I/O pad 30. When the latched data is sent to input buffer 18, input buffer 18 produces a voltage at Node 1 which is applied to the selected memory cell. Input buffer 18 is typically implemented as a tri-statable driver having an output which can be placed in a high impedance mode (and thus disabled) during a read operation. In some implementations, the functions of the latch and input buffer 18 are combined into a single device. The FIG. 1 circuit executes a read operation as follows. Each of address buffers A0 through An asserts one of bits X0-Xn to address decoder circuit 12, and each of address buffers An+1 through Ap asserts one of bits Y0-Ym to address decoder circuit 14. In response to these address bits, circuit 14 asserts a column address to memory array 16 (which selects one of the columns of memory cells, such as column 16A), and circuit 12 asserts a row address to memory array 16 (which selects one cell in the selected column). In response to a read command (supplied from control unit 29, or from other circuitry not shown in FIG. 1), a current signal indicative of a data value stored in the cell of array 16 (a "data signal") determined by the row and column address is supplied from the drain of the selected cell through the bitline of the selected cell and then through circuit 14 to sense amplifier 19. This data signal is processed in amplifier 19 (in a manner to be described below), and the output of amplifier 19 is buffered in output buffer 20 and finally asserted at I/O pad 30. When reading a selected cell of array 16, if the cell is in an erased state, the cell will conduct a first current which is converted to a first voltage in sense amplifier 19. If the cell is in a programmed state, it will conduct a second current which is converted to a second voltage in sense amplifier 19 (the "second current" flowing through a programmed cell is negligibly small when the cell is read by a typical, conventional read operation). Sense amplifier 19 determines the state of a cell (i.e., whether it is programmed or erased corresponding to a binary value of 0 or 1, respectively) by comparing the voltage indicative of the cell state to a reference voltage. The outcome of this comparison is an output which is either high or low (corresponding to a binary value of one or zero) which sense amplifier 19 sends to output buffer 20, which in turn asserts a corresponding data signal to I/O pad 30 (from which it can be accessed by an external device). Nonvolatile memory chip 3 of FIG. 1 can also execute an erase operation in which all or selected ones of the cells of memory array 16 are erased in response to a sequence of one or more commands (e.g., an "Erase Setup" command followed by an "Erase Confirm" command), by discharging a quantity of charge stored on the floating gate of each cell. Typically, all cells of array 16 or large blocks of such cells are erased at the same or substantially the same time during an erase operation. Each erase operation comprises a sequence of steps, including "verification" steps for verifying that the cells have desired threshold voltages at each of one or more stages of the erase operation. More specifically, if cells of memory array 16 of FIG. 1 are to be erased, an "Erase Setup" command and then an "Erase Confirm" command are sent from an external device to I/O pad 30. Where each such command comprises parallel bits, the different bits are sent in parallel to I/O pad 30 and to additional I/O pads identical to I/O pad 30. The command is transferred from I/O pad 30 (or from I/O pad 30 and additional I/O pads) to input buffer 18 (or input buffer 18 and input buffers connected to the other I/O pads), and then to control unit 29. Control unit 29, which typically includes command execution logic and a state machine, processes the command to generate instruction data, and supplies the instruction data to circuit 14 and sense amplifier 19 (and to other components of memory chip 3 of FIG. 1) to cause chip 3 to execute a sequence of steps required for erasing the specified cells of array 16. These steps include verification steps (e.g., the verification step discussed below with reference to FIG. 5) for verifying that one or more of the cells have desired threshold voltages at each of one or more stages of the erase operation. During each verification step, verification data (denoted as "RAW VERIFY OK" in FIG. 1) is output from AND gate 22 (in response to the output of sense amplifier 19). This verification data can be fed back to control unit 29. Typically, an external device polls output pads of chip 3 in order to determine whether the erase operation has been completed and whether the erase operation was successful. More specifically, during verification, the output of sense amplifier 19 is "Anded" with a verification enable signal. I.e., the output of sense amplifier 19 is supplied to one input of AND gate 22, verification enable signal "VERIFY ENABLE" is supplied to the other input of AND gate 22, and the AND gate 22 outputs the signal "RAW VERIFY OK". The signal RAW VERIFY OK is asserted to a state machine (e.g., a state machine within control unit 29) to trigger execution of the next chip operation. The level of signal VERIFY ENABLE is a logical "1" only during each verification cycle. Thus, if the sense amplifier output becomes valid (i.e., a logical "1") at any instant during a verification operation, the signal RAW VERIFY OK is a logical "1" at a corresponding instant (and this instantaneous value of RAW VERIFY OK can cause the state machine to trigger execution of the appropriate chip operation. A conventional memory erase operation is next described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a conventional flash memory integrated circuit 103 (also referred to herein as "system" 103) which is a variation on memory chip 3 of FIG. 1 which performs the same functions as does chip 3. The components of flash memory system 103 which correspond to components of memory chip 3 of FIG. 1 are identified by the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1. Memory array 16 of system 103 consists of flash memory cells arranged in rows and columns with there being a total of 256K of eight bit words in the array. The individual cells (not depicted) are addressed by eighteen address bits (A0-A17), with nine bits being used by X decoder circuit 14 to select the row of array 16 in which the target cell is located and the remaining nine bits being used by Y decoder circuit 14A (of Y-multiplexer 14) to select the appropriate columns of array 16. Internal state machine 120 (a component of control unit 29 of system 103) controls detailed operations of system 103 such as the various individual steps necessary for carrying out cell programming, reading and erasing operations. State machine 120 thus functions to reduce the overhead required of the processor (not depicted) typically used in association with system 103. In order for memory array 16 to be erased (typically, all or large blocks of the cells are erased at the same time), the processor must cause Output Enable (OE) pin to be inactive (high), and Chip Enable (CE) pin and Write Enable (WE or "-WE") pin to be active (low). The processor can then issue an 8 bit command 20H (0010 0000) on data I/O pins DQ0-DQ7, typically called an Erase Setup command (one of I/O pins DQ0-DQ7 corresponds to I/O pad 30 of FIG. 1). This is followed by issuance of a second eight bit command D0H (1101 0000), typically called an Erase Confirm command. Two separate commands are used so as to minimize the possibility of an inadvertent erase operation. The commands are transferred to data input buffer 122 (input buffer 18 of FIG. 1 corresponds to a component of buffer 122 which receives one bit of each command) and the commands are then transferred to command execution logic unit 124. Logic unit 124 then instructs state machine 120 to perform all of the numerous and well known steps for erasing array 16. Once the erase sequence is completed, state machine 120 updates an 8 bit status register 126, the contents of which are transferred to data output buffer 128 which is connected to data I/O pins DQ0-DQ7 of the memory system (output buffer 20 of FIG. 1 corresponds to a component of buffer 128 which receives one bit from register 126). The processor will periodically poll the data I/O pins to read the contents of status register 126 in order to determine whether the erase sequence has been completed and whether it has been completed successfully. FIGS. 4A and 4B are a flow chart showing a typical erase sequence as it is carried out by state machine 120. It should be noted that during any erase operation, there is a possibility that one or more cells of array 16 will become what is termed "overerased". The objective of the erase sequence is to erase all the cells of array 16 so that the threshold voltages are all within a specified voltage range. That range is typically a small positive voltage range such as +1.5 to +3.0 volts. If the erased cells fall within this range, the cell to be read (the "selected" or "target" cell) will produce a cell current in a read operation. The presence of cell current flow indicates that the cell is in an erased state (logic "1") rather than a programmed state (logic "0"). Cell current is produced in an erased cell because the voltage applied to the control gate of the cell, by way of the word line from the array connected to X decoder 12, will exceed the threshold voltage of the erased cell by a substantial amount. In addition, cells which are not being read ("deselected" cells) are prevented from producing a cell current even if such cells have been erased to a low threshold voltage state. By way of example, for cells located in the same row as the selected cell, by definition, share the same word line as the selected cell. However, the drains of the deselected cells will be floating thereby preventing a cell current from being generated. Deselected cells in the same column will not conduct cell current because the word lines of such deselected cells are typically grounded. Thus, the gate-source voltage of these cells will be insufficient to turn on these deselected cells even if they are in an erased state. Once array 16 has been erased, the vast majority of its cells will have a proper erased threshold voltage. However, it is possible that a few (or even one) of the cells may have responded differently to the erase sequence and such cell(s) have become overerased. If a cell has been overerased, the net charge on the floating gate will be positive. The result will be that the threshold voltage will be negative to some extent. Thus, when the word line connected to such overerased deselected cell is grounded, the deselected cell will nevertheless conduct current. This current will interfere with the reading of the selected cell thereby preventing proper memory operation. A principal objective of the erase sequence of FIGS. 4A and 4B is to prevent the overerase condition from occurring. With reference again to the FIG. 4A and 4B flow chart, the erase sequence is initiated (step 28) by the issuance of the two above-noted erase commands. Once the commands have been received by command execution logic 124 (shown in FIG. 3), state machine 120 will first cause all cells of array 16 to be programmed. This is done so that all cells are in essentially the same condition when they are subsequently erased, which reduces the likelihood that one or more of the cells will become overerased since all of the cells will have an increased tendency to respond to the subsequent erase sequence in the same manner. After step 28, an address counter (component 118 of FIG. 3) is initialized (as indicated by block 30) to the first address of the memory. Next, as indicated by block 32, the voltages used for programming are set to the proper level (including by providing high voltage Vpp, e.g. equal to +12 volts, from Vpp switch 121 of FIG. 3 to X and Y decoders 12 and 14A and other components of FIG. 3). When switch 121 is in a state in which it provides high voltage Vpp to X decoder 12, Y decoder 14A, and other components of FIG. 3, the signal "High V" output from switch 121 is at a high (logical "one") level. Otherwise, the signal "High V" output from switch 121 is at a low (logical "zero") level. Once the voltages are set, an internal program pulse counter (not depicted) is initialized as shown by block 34 of FIG. 4A. This counter will keep track of the number of programming pulses that have been applied to the cells of the word (byte) being programmed. Next, a programming pulse is applied to the cells of the word located at the first address of the memory, as indicated by block 36. The pulse counter is then incremented (block 38) and a determination is made as to whether a predetermined maximum number of pulses have been applied to the cells (block 40). If that is the case, the cells are read to determine whether the cells have, in fact, been programmed (verification operation 42). This is accomplished using sense amplifiers and associated components represented by block 100 of FIG. 3. If the cells are still not programmed at this point, there has been a failure since he maximum number of programming pulses has been exceeded. Depending upon the particular memory, the sequence will be terminated or a record of the failed word will be made and the sequence continued. This information will then be transferred to status register 126 (FIG. 3) so that it can be read by the processor. One potential cause of such a failure is that the memory endurance may have been exceeded. In other words, the memory has been cycled too many times. Assuming that the maximum count has not been exceeded, the byte is verified as indicated by operation 44. If the byte has not been programmed, a further programming pulse is applied (block 36) and the counter is incremented (block 38). Assuming that the maximum count has still not been exceeded, the byte is again verified (operation 44). This sequence will continue until the byte finally passes the verification test or until the pulse counter is at the maximum. Assuming that the first byte is eventually successfully programmed, a determination is made as to whether the last address of array 16 has been programmed (step 46). If that is not the case, address counter 118 (of FIG. 3) is incremented to the second address (block 48) and the internal pulse counter reset (block 34). A first programming pulse is applied to the byte of the second address (block 36) and the sequence is repeated. This process will continue until all cells of array 16 have either been programmed or until a determination is made that there is a programming failure. Assuming that all of the cells have been successfully programmed and verified, state machine 120 will continue the erase sequence by setting the appropriate voltages used for erasing, including the initialization of the address counter 118 (block 49 of FIG. 4B) and the setup of the appropriate voltages for erasing, including voltage Vpp (block 50). Next, an internal erase pulse counter is reset (block 52) and a single erase pulse is applied (block 54) to all of the cells of array 16 (or to the block of the array being erased in the event that capability is provided). The cells of array 16 will then be sequentially read (erase verification step 58) in order to determine whether all cells have been successfully erased. Before step 58, the conditions necessary for erase verification, namely those for cell reading, are set up (block 56) and the first cell of array 16 is read. A single erase pulse is almost never sufficient to accomplish an erasure so that the test (step 58) will almost always fail. The state of the erase pulse counter is then examined (step 60) and a determination is made that the maximum count has not been exceeded. Accordingly, a second erase pulse is applied to the entire array 16 (step 54) and the first byte is again tested (step 58). Once the byte has received a sufficient number of erase pulses and has passed the verification test (step 58), the address is incremented (block 60) and the second byte is tested (steps 56 and 58) to determine whether the second byte has been successfully erased. Since the cells are not always uniform, it is possible that the second byte has not be erased even though it has received the same number of erase pulses received by the first byte. In that event, a further erase pulse is applied to the entire array 16 and the second byte is again tested for a proper erase. Note that the address is not reset at this point since it is not necessary to retest those bytes that have already been erased. However, there is a possibility that those earlier erased bytes will become overerased, as will be explained. Once it has been established that the second byte has been properly erased, a determination is made as to whether the last address of array 16 has been verified (step 62). If that is not the case, address counter 118 is incremented (step 64) and the third byte is tested. Additional erase pulses will be applied if necessary. The internal erase pulse counter (step 60) will monitor the total number of erase pulses applied in the erase sequence. If a maximum number has been exceeded, the sequence will be terminated and one of the bits of status register 126 will be set to reflect that an erase error has occurred. Assuming that the second byte of cells has been properly erased, the remaining bytes will be verified and any necessary additional erase pulses will be applied. Once the last address has been verified, the erase sequence is ended and status register 126 is updated to indicate that the erase sequence has been successfully completed. With reference again to FIG. 3 (and to FIG. 5), memory chip 103 includes a conventional circuit 130 (shown in FIG. 3) for monitoring the status of one or more nodes of the chip. In response to detecting a condition which requires that the normal operational flow of the state machine be stopped (denoted below as an "illegal" condition), monitoring circuit 130 asserts a signal (labeled "ILLEGAL" in FIG. 3) having a high level (a logical "one") to command execution logic 124. In the absence of an illegal condition, the signal "ILLEGAL" is at a low level (a logical "zero"). In response to a high level of the signal "ILLEGAL," logic unit 124 (and in particular, logic circuitry 124A shown in FIG. 5 within unit 124) generates a halt signal (labeled "HALT" in FIG. 5) for causing the halting of circuit operation). Conventional logic circuitry 124A is typically implemented using combinational logic. Logic unit 124 asserts the halt signal to state machine 120 and optionally also to other components of chip 103. In response to the halt signal, state machine 120 halts (aborts or otherwise stops) any ongoing memory erase operation. However, a problem can arise as a result of the described conventional technique for halt signal generation. This problem occurs when the halt signal is generated at a time when high voltage (e.g., voltage V.sub.pp) is applied across the source and drain of one or more transistors of the FIG. 3 chip. It is well known that many typical transistors (e.g., most MOSFET transistors) can withstand high voltage (e.g., 12 volts) across their terminals. However, when a circuit attempts to switch a typical transistor (e.g., a typical NMOS or PMOS transistor) which is a component thereof by changing the voltage on the transistor's gate while a high voltage is applied across its source and drain, the well-known (and undesirable) phenomenon known as the "snap back bipolar" effect can disrupt operation of the circuit, and can also damage the transistor being switched. For convenience, the phrase "high voltage mode" is used below to denote an operating mode of a nonvolatile memory chip in which high voltage is applied across source and drain terminals of one or more transistors of the chip (where such "high voltage" is sufficiently high to subject the transistors to the snap back bipolar effect if gates of such transistors are switched with the high voltage across their source and drain terminals). An example of such a "high voltage" is the below-discussed voltage V.sub.pp (equal to 12 volts) which is sometimes applied across PMOS or NMOS transistors within X decoder circuit 12 of FIG. 3, which voltage is much greater than the supply voltage (V.sub.cc =5.0 volts or V.sub.cc =5.5 volts) applied across the terminals of the same transistors during reads of data from memory cells of the same chip. Also for convenience, the phrase "low voltage mode" (with reference to the same nonvolatile memory chip and the same transistors as in the definition of "high voltage mode") is used below to denote an operating mode of the chip in which "low voltage" is applied across the same terminals of the same transistors (where "low voltage" denotes a voltage, substantially lower than a "high voltage" applied across the terminals in a high voltage mode, and thus sufficiently low so as not to subject the transistors significantly to the snap back bipolar effect if the transistors are switched with the low voltage across their terminals). A typical value of "low voltage" is a supply voltage, V.sub.cc =5.5 volts, applied across the terminals of the transistors during reads of data from memory cells of the chip (where a high voltage of 12 volts is applied across the terminals of the transistors during a high voltage mode). In the example of the previous sentence, the operation of reading data from the memory cells (with V.sub.cc =5.5 volts applied across the terminals of the transistors) is a "low voltage mode" of the chip. The above-mentioned snap back bipolar effect occurs because of a bipolar effect on a MOS device. This effect is an avalanche hole generated phenomenon which can occur in relatively short channel devices. As source-to-drain separation is reduced, some hole current can flow to the source. If the drain voltage is low, most hole current flows out the substrate terminal. However, with large drain voltages, a substantial hole current can flow to the source, and the product of current flow and substrate resistance becomes large enough (e.g., 0.6 volts) to forward bias the source-substrate junction, thereby causing electron injection into the substrate from the source. This injection leads to an "n-p-n" (source-substrate-drain) bipolar transistor action or a snap back phenomenon. The emitter-base junction of the transistor is self biased. Any current across the reverse-biased collector-base junction is multiplied by current gain .beta. of the bipolar transistor. With reference to FIG. 8 (which shows a family of "drain current" v. "drain voltage" curves, each curve for a different indicated value of gate voltage), this current multiplication results in both a negative resistance characteristic and lower voltage of the BV.sub.CEO. If a halt signal of the type described above is generated during a high voltage mode of the FIG. 3 chip, at least some NMOS or PMOS transistors (having high voltage across their sources and drains) will be switched in the course of the chip's response to the halt signal. As a result, the snap back bipolar effect will not only disrupt operation of the chip, but may also damage each transistor that is switched during the high voltage mode with high voltage applied across its terminals. One possible solution to this problem (the problem of damage and disruption due to switching one or more transistors during a high voltage mode) is to ignore any illegal condition and avoid generating any halt signal during a high voltage mode. However, it is impractical to implement this "solution" in a nonvolatile memory chip for the following reason. During almost the entire duration of a memory erase operation of a nonvolatile memory chip (in which memory array cells of the chip are erased), the chip is in a high voltage mode. More specifically, as described above with reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B, an erase operation includes setup steps (such as steps 30, 32, and 34 of FIG. 4A and steps 49, 50, and 52 of FIG. 4B), programming and erasing steps (step 36 of FIG. 4A and step 54 of FIG. 4B), and verification steps (such as steps 42 and 44 of FIG. 4A and steps 56 and 58 of FIG. 4B). The chip is in a high voltage mode during the programming and erasing steps, and these steps typically consume almost the entire duration of an overall erase operation (programming step 36 typically requires on the order of ten microseconds while the setup and verification steps of FIG. 4A typically consume a total of about one microsecond, and erase step 54 typically requires on the order of tens of milliseconds while the setup and verification steps of FIG. 4B typically consume a total of about one microsecond). Thus, an undesirable consequence of operating a nonvolatile memory chip while ignoring any illegal condition that occurs (and without generating any halt signal) during a high voltage mode is that the chip could not generate a halt signal during almost the entire duration of an erase operation.-As a result, the chip would almost always fail to halt an erase operation despite the occurrence of an illegal condition during the erase operation, and it would thus be impractical to operate the chip in this manner. Until the present invention, it had not been known to design or operate a nonvolatile memory chip so that the chip generates a halt signal (and responds to the halt signal) each time an illegal condition has occurred (whether or not the illegal condition has occurred during a high voltage mode) while also avoiding the described snap back bipolar effect problem.

The present invention relates generally to a reference voltage source and more particularly to a reference voltage source that provides a plurality of reference voltages with equal step size between voltages despite loads connected to the reference voltage source. A plurality of reference voltages with equal step size between voltages are often used in analog-to-digital converters (ADC) where an input voltage is compared to the reference voltages through comparators. Typically generated by passing a current I.sub.r through many serially connected resistors R.sub.r, as shown in FIG. 1, these reference voltages are produced at nodes or junctions between the resistors. Unfortunately, with comparators or other loads connected to the nodes, load currents I.sub.L are drawn from the nodes and these load currents in turn change the values of the reference voltages at the nodes. One method of preventing variations in the reference voltages due to load currents is to connect an extra voltage source V.sub.o to one of the nodes, as shown in FIG. 2. However, in a typical monolithic analog-to-digital converter, a reference source that provides 64 or more different reference voltages would require many extra voltage sources to hold all the reference voltages constant. This would undesirably increase the power consumption and the cost and complexity of the circuit. FIG. 3 shows a method of providing constant reference voltages by means of unequal resistor values. The value of each resistor is determined according to the amount of load current which the circuit designer expects to be drawn through that resistor. As a first order approximation, the value of a given resistor is equal to EQU R.sub.r *(1-n*(I.sub.L /I.sub.r)) where n represents the location of the resistor with respect to the current source. This method fails if the load current I.sub.L is different from the expected value, for example due to fluctuations in the manufacturing process, or if the load current changes with time, for example due to temperature variations. Another drawback of this method is that resistors, with values different from each other, having the required precision are much more difficult to implement, especially in integrated circuit technologies, than resistors with values equal to each other. To reduce the reference voltage error due to the load currents, FIG. 4 shows another method which feeds in compensation currents, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,941, issued to Yoji Yoshii on Feb. 14, 1989. This method simulates and offsets the load currents I.sub.L by a complex active compensation circuit CC that is made of three current mirrors, each current mirror replicating the input currents of 64 comparators. This approach is complex and difficult to implement economically. Various devices using the above methods have been known for a number of years, and by way of examples, forms of such devices can be found in IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, Vol SC-17, No. 6, Dec. 1982, page 1133 to 1138. It is apparent from the foregoing that there is still a need for an efficient reference voltage source that can provide a plurality of reference voltages with equal step size between voltages despite loads connected to the reference voltage source and that can be effectively and economically implemented with various fabrication technologies.

Proteases are among the technically most important of all enzymes. For washing and cleaning agents they are the longest-established enzymes, contained in practically all modern high-performance washing and cleaning agents. They cause the breakdown of protein-containing stains on the material to be cleaned. Among these in turn, proteases of the subtilisin type (subtilases, subtilopeptidases, EC 3.4.21.62), which are categorized among the serine proteases because of the catalytically effective amino acids, are particularly important. They act as nonspecific endopeptidases and hydrolyze any acid-amide bonds that are located within peptides or proteins. Their optimum pH is usually in the markedly alkaline range. An overview of this family is offered, for example, by the article “Subtilases: subtilisin-like proteases” by R. Siezen, in “Subtilisin enzymes” pp. 75-95, edited by R. Bott and C. Betzel, New York, 1996. Subtilases are formed naturally by microorganisms; among them, the subtilisins formed and secreted by Bacillus species are to be mentioned in particular as the most significant group within the subtilases. Examples of proteases of the subtilisin type used with preference in washing and cleaning agents are the subtilisins BPN′ and Carlsberg, protease PB92, subtilisins 147 and 309, the protease from Bacillus lentus, in particular from Bacillus lentus DSM 5483, subtilisin DY, and the enzymes (to be classified, however, as subtilases and no longer as subtilisins in the strict sense) thermitase, proteinase K, and the proteases TW3 and TW7, as well as variants of the aforesaid proteases that exhibit an amino acid sequence modified as compared with the initial protease. Proteases are modified, in controlled or random fashion, using methods known from the existing art, and are thereby optimized, for example, for use in washing and cleaning agents. These include point mutagenesis, deletion or insertion mutagenesis, or fusion with other proteins or protein parts. Correspondingly optimized variants are thus known for most proteases known from the existing art. The International Patent Application WO 03/054185 discloses alkaline proteases from Bacillus gibsonii (DSM 14391), including for use thereof in washing or cleaning agents. This strain was deposited on Mar. 1, 2001, in accordance with the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms of Apr. 28, 1977, at the German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures [Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen and Zellkulturen GmbH], Inhoffenstrasse 7B, D-38124 Braunschweig under the designation ID 01-192 and entry number DSM 14391. These proteases exhibit considerable differences in amino acid sequence as compared with the proteases recited above, so that an identity comparison of the amino acid sequences yields identity values that are below 80% identity. For the alkaline proteases from Bacillus gibsonii (DSM 14391), only a few protease variants optimized for use in washing and cleaning agents are so far known in the existing art.

A complex problem arises in connection with enhanced video: where a trigger comes through while an enhancement is already being displayed, how should that trigger (and its associated enhancement) be handled? This problem could arise, for instance, where a show is enhanced, and an embedded ad is also enhanced; a show is enhanced in two places, and a viewer is still in the first enhancement when the second trigger arrives; two ads are enhanced, and a viewer is still in the first ad's enhancements when the second trigger arrives. Conventionally, when one encodes triggers, client systems—for instance set-top boxes manufactured under license from WEBTV Networks, or Liberate Technologies—provide no effective control of overlapping enhancements. Some conventional client systems completely ignore the second trigger; this is undesirable for the sponsor of the second trigger as well as the programmer who sold that trigger spot. In other conventional client systems, if the new trigger does not contain the same URL as the currently displayed screen (which is not necessarily the URL in the old trigger), the new trigger pops up and the viewer has 10 seconds to choose the new trigger over the old enhancement. While this approach may better accommodate sponsors, it is inflexibly disruptive to the viewers. Still further, it also has problems where copies of the same trigger can disrupt subsequent screens of the first trigger's enhancements. It would be desirable for a solution to exist which allowed for flexible control of overlapping enhancements. Still further it would be desirable for such a solution to be able to flexibly allow for overlapping enhancement control to be varied based on broadcast context. For instance, it would be desirable for a solution to exist for different broadcasters to specify how overlapping enhancements would be handled, and a similar pair of overlapping enhancements handled in accordance with the broadcasters' specifications.

Active lifestyles are mobile lifestyles, and water remains an essential part of life, so portable and safe liquid vessels are a part of modern life. Renewable and reusable water vessels offer and environmentally friendly alternative to the ubiquitous disposable plastic bottle. While convenient when introduced, the plastic bottle is now recognized as wasteful. Simple water can now be transformed into sports drinks and energy supplements by the introduction of concentrated additives. Another problem with conventional plastic bottles is the health risk posed by the various chemical ingredients used in creating the bottles. Some of the chemical components can pass into the contained liquids by a leaching process, placing the health of the consumer at risk. This can be particularly troublesome to the health conscious consumer. A glass bottle is refillable, reusable and can be cleaned as needed. Glass vessels are not prone to contaminating the contents by leaching. Glass containers, which are predominantly silicon-dioxide structures, are stable and relatively free from contamination of their contents. However, glass bottles can be slippery to hold and are prone to breakage if dropped. Users of (reusable) glass bottles can find themselves with dry lips. Lip glosses and lip balms are conventional remedies for dry lips. However, water bottle use can remove lip gloss. Women who use the bottle can find themselves needing more lip gloss or another cosmetic to maintain their appearance. Examples of cosmetics are base creams, eye shadow, eye liners, blushes and the like. Moreover compounds, such as lip glosses, balms, etc. can be consumed relatively quickly and replacement of such compounds in a cost effective and efficient manner is highly desirable.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the description provided in this section is not itself prior art to the claims and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section. A typical wireless communication system includes a plurality of cell sites, each configured to provide one or more respective wireless coverage areas such as a cell or cell sectors in which to serve wireless communication devices (WCD) such as cell phones or wirelessly equipped computers. In practice, each cell site may include a respective antenna configuration, as well as respective supporting cell site equipment, which may be coupled in turn with network infrastructure such as routers, switches, gateways, and the like. With this arrangement, when the supporting cell site equipment receives from the network infrastructure data that is to be transmitted in a wireless coverage area, or the supporting cell site equipment itself generates such data for transmission, the supporting equipment may convert the data into a form suitable for transmission by the antenna configuration, and the antenna configuration may then output the data over the air in the wireless coverage area. For instance, the supporting equipment may encode the data and modulate the encoded data on a radio frequency (RF) carrier, the supporting equipment may then pass the modulated carrier to the antenna configuration for RF transmission, and the antenna configuration may then wirelessly output the modulated carrier. Likewise, when the antenna configuration wirelessly receives from within such a coverage area a modulated RF carrier representing data, the antenna configuration may pass that modulated RF carrier to the supporting cell site equipment, and the supporting equipment may then process that communication to uncover the underlying data. For instance, the supporting equipment may demodulate the RF carrier to uncover encoded data and may then decode the encoded data to uncover the underlying data. The supporting equipment may then handle the data locally or pass the data along to the network infrastructure for handling, as appropriate.

This invention relates to a drum type washing machine including a rotating tub inclined rearwardly downward. FIG. 17 illustrates one of conventional drum type washing machines. The illustrated washing machine comprises an outer cabinet 201 and a water tub 202 elastically supported by a plurality of suspension mechanisms 203 in the cabinet. A rotating tub 204 is rotatably mounted in the water tub 202. A bearing housing 206 is mounted on the rear of the water tub 202. The rotating tub 204 has a rotational shaft 205 supported on a bearing 207 housed in the bearing housing 206. An electric motor 209 is provided below the water tub 202. A driven pulley 208 is mounted on the rotational shaft 205 of the rotating tub 204. A driving pulley 210 is mounted on a rotational shaft 209a of the motor 209. A transmission belt 212 extends between the pulleys 208 and 210. The driven pulley 208, the driving pulley 210 and the transmission belt 212 constitute a belt transmission mechanism 211. In this construction, torque developed by the motor 209 is transmitted via the belt transmission mechanism 211 to the rotating tub 204, whereby the rotating tub is rotated. Household drum type washing machines are usually installed on a floor. A user bends his or her knees to put and take laundry into and out of the rotating tub. The prior art has proposed a drum type washing machine with a rotating tub inclined rearwardly downward so that the interior of the rotating tub can easily be viewed when laundry is put into and taken out of the rotating tub. However, the following problems result from this construction. That is, laundry moves to a deep interior of the rotating tub when it is rotated. As a result, an amount of vibration or oscillation produced during rotation of the rotating tub is increased. The belt transmission mechanism particularly tends to produce vibration for the reason that the driving pulley slips during high-speed rotation or for other reasons. Accordingly, when the rotating tub is inclined rearwardly downward, the vibration produced by the rotating tub is further increased. Further, the water tub swings upon vibration of the rotating tub. To prevent collision of the water tub against the outer cabinet, a sufficient distance needs to be ensured between the water tub and the cabinet. For this purpose, the size of the cabinet needs to be increased when a large amount of vibration is produced from the rotating tub. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a drum type washing machine which includes a rotating tub inclined rearwardly downward for improvement in the easiness of access to the rotating tub and can yet reduce an amount of vibration. The present invention provides a drum type washing machine comprising an outer cabinet including a front further including a front panel having a laundry access opening and a door provided on the front panel to close and open the access opening, the front of the cabinet being inclined at an angle relative to a vertical axis, a water tub provided in the cabinet, a rotating tub provided in the water tub so as to be inclined rearwardly downward so that the inclination angle of the front of the cabinet is smaller than an inclination angle of a front of the rotating tub relative to the vertical axis and an electric motor provided on a rear wall of the water tub for directly driving the rotating tub. According to the above-described construction, the efficiency in the access to the rotating tub or in putting or taking laundry into and out of the rotating tub can be improved since the rotating tub is inclined rearwardly downward can be restrained. Further, the inclination of the front of the rotating tub can be set so that the laundry is readily put into and taken out of the rotating tub, and the inclination of the front of the cabinet can be set so that an increase in the size of the cabinet is prevented. Additionally, the door can be prevented from being inadvertently closed in the open state. Further, since the rotating tub is directly driven by the motor, an increase in the amount of vibration or noise produced during rotation of the rotating tub due to the provision of the rotating tub inclined rearwardly downward. The motor is preferably of an outer rotor type. An outer rotor type motor has a smaller axial dimension and develops a higher torque than an inner rotor type motor. Accordingly, an increase in a back-and-forth dimension of the outer cabinet can be limited when the outer rotor type motor is provided on the rear wall of the water tub. The rotating tub preferably has an axis of rotation inclined in an angular range between 10 and 20 degrees relative to a horizontal axis. Consequently, since the interior of the rotating tub can be viewed widely from the front area to the deep interior, the efficiency in the access to the rotating tub can further be improved. The outer cabinet preferably has an access opening formed in a front wall thereof. The drum type washing machine further comprises a door for closing and opening the access opening of the cabinet, a door-opening operation detecting element detecting an operation for opening the door and a control element stopping the motor by means of electric braking, the control element stopping the motor when a detecting operation has been carried out by the door-opening operation detecting element. The motor is braked on the basis of any door-opening operation effected by another previously performed operation. Consequently, since the rotating tub is stopped in a short time from the time of an actual opening of the door, the safety can be improved. Particularly when the rotating tub is directly driven by the motor, the motor can be stopped in a shorter time by the electrical braking than by the mechanical braking. This further improves the safety. The outer cabinet preferably has an access opening formed in a front wall thereof. The drum type washing machine further comprises an operation control element controlling a washing operation, and a switch indicative of execution of the washing operation. The operation control element prohibits the washing operation until the switch is operated when the door has been opened after start of the washing operation. When the door is opened after start of the washing operation, it is not restarted until the switch is operated and execution of the washing operation is instructed. Consequently, an inadvertent rotation of the rotating tub can be prevented and accordingly, the safety can be improved. The invention also provides a drum type washing machine comprising an outer cabinet, a water tub provided in the cabinet so as to be inclined rearwardly downward, the water tub having a rear wall, a rotating tub provided in the water tub so as to be inclined rearwardly downward, an electric motor provided on the rear wall of the water tub for directly driving the rotating tub, and a dryer provided for drying laundry in the rotating tub and including a blower disposed at a back of the upper rear wall of the water tub in the cabinet. In this construction, the water tub is inclined rearwardly downward and the blower is disposed at the back of an upper rear wall of the water tub in the cabinet. When the water tub is inclined rearwardly downward as well as the rotating tub, a dead space results from the construction at the back of the upper rear wall of the water tub in the cabinet. Since the blower is disposed at the back of the upper rear wall of the water tub, the dead space can effectively be used. The water tub is preferably inclined rearwardly downward. In this construction, the drum type washing machine further comprises a drain pump for draining the water tub, the drain pump being disposed below a front lower portion of the water tub in the cabinet. When the water tub is inclined rearwardly downward as well as the rotating tub, a dead space results from the construction at the back of the lower rear wall of the water tub in the cabinet. Since the drain pump is disposed at the back of the lower rear wall of the water tub, the dead space can effectively be used. The front panel of the cabinet has a smaller inclination than the front of the rotating tub relative to a vertical axis. Consequently, the outer cabinet can be prevented from an increase in the back-and-forth dimension thereof. The front of the rotating tub has an inclination ranging between 5 and 20 degrees and the front of the cabinet has an inclination set so as to be smaller than an inclination of the rotating tub by or above 2 degrees and so as to range between 3 and 15 degrees. Consequently, the outer cabinet can be prevented from an increase in the back-and-forth dimension thereof with an efficiency in the work for putting and taking the laundry into and taking out of the rotating tub. The front panel of the cabinet preferably includes a portion located lower than the access opening and formed into a vertical face. Consequently, an increase in the back-and-forth dimension of the lower portion of the outer cabinet can particularly be prevented. The invention further provides a drum type washing machine comprising an outer cabinet having a front including a front panel having a laundry access opening and a door provided on the front panel to close and open the access opening, the front of the cabinet being inclined at an angle relative to a vertical axis, a water tub provided in the cabinet, a rotating tub provided in the water tub so as to be inclined rearwardly downward so that the inclination angle of the front of the cabinet is smaller than an inclination angle of a front of the rotating tub relative to the vertical axis, and an electric motor driving the rotating tub. Since no special parts are required for the air supply port, the construction of the washing machine can be simplified. The drum type washing machine preferably further comprises bellows connecting laundry access opening and an opening of the water tub and a dryer for drying laundry in the rotating tub, the dryer including a hot air generator for generating hot air. In this construction, the water tub is inclined rearwardly downward and the bellows have an air supply port through which the hot air is supplied from the hot air generator into the rotating tub. Consequently, since no special parts are required for the air supply port, the construction of the washing machine can be simplified.

Neutron detectors are used in a variety of applications, such as particle physics experiments, instrumentation at nuclear reactors, radiation safety, cosmic ray detection, and border security. Accurate detection of neutrons and their corresponding kinetic energy can be difficult since neutrons have no charge. This makes it difficult to direct neutrons toward a detector to facilitate detection. Neutrons also do not ionize atoms directly, so gaseous ionization detectors are usually ineffective. Additionally, there is typically a relatively high level of background noise. The main component of background noise in neutron detection is high-energy photons. It can be difficult to determine in certain types of detectors whether neutrons or photons are being detected. Both register similar signals after interacting in the detector. Homogenous capture-gated neutron spectrometers have been utilized for several years. Homogeneous detectors are composed of a single, uniform mixture of appropriate chemicals that include a hydrogenous scintillator and a high-capture-cross-section component that provides the neutron-capture signal. A typical capture material consists of boron enriched in the B-10 isotope. Heterogeneous capture-gated neutron spectrometers offer several advantages over the homogeneous class of spectrometers. However, heterogeneous detectors are typically composed of relatively expensive materials. A typical heterogeneous detector contains two or more separate materials placed in intimate contact with each other, forming a single, optically transparent body. Characteristic capturing materials may include Li-6, B-10, or both types of nuclei. For example, current detectors can include thick sheets of plastic scintillator interspersed with relatively thin sheets of lithium-glass scintillator, with the lithium enriched in the Li-6 isotope. This type of heterogeneous detector requires an efficient scintillator that incorporates the capturing nuclei, since the capture byproducts of the Li-6 or B-10 isotopes are heavy, short-range charged particles such as tritons and alpha particles that do not escape the capturing scintillator. This type of scintillator can be quite expensive, thereby increasing the overall cost of the detector. The above factors have limited the use of neutron detectors to small, niche markets. A relatively small, inexpensive neutron detector can create new markets for neutron detectors in medicine, nuclear science, and homeland security. Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended.

The trend in mobile wireless devices has been to provide faster access, improved processors, more memory, brighter and higher resolution screens, additional connectivity with Wi-Fi, GPS, 3G and 4G world access—all with longer battery life in thinner more sleek packages. Compound this with the desire of mobile operators to expand their available band allocations, and what results is a difficult industrial design arena, where suppliers are vying for physical space within the confines of a smartphone or similar device to accommodate necessary components. One such component is the antenna—essentially a transducer that converts time varying electrical current to radiated energy, and often considered a last minute addition to the physical structure.

1. Field of Invention The disclosure relates to a light emitting device for converting a current into light. 2. Discussion of the Related Art A light emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor light emitting device used to convert a current into light. The wavelength of light emitted from the LED depends on a semiconductor material used to manufacture the LED. This is because the wavelength of the emitted light depends on a band-gap of the semiconductor material representing an energy difference between electrons of a valence band and electrons of a conduction band. Recently, the brightness of the conventional LED has increased, so that the conventional LED has been employed as a light source for a display device, a vehicle, or an illumination device. In addition, the conventional LED can represent a white color having superior light efficiency by employing phosphors or combining LEDs having various colors. Meanwhile, the brightness of the conventional LED is changed according to various conditions such as an active-layer structure, a light extraction structure for extracting light to the outside, a chip size, and the type of molding materials surrounding the LED.

(a) Field of the Invention The invention relates to a new “gene-switch” (cumate-inducible switch) for mammalian cells. This switch is as useful in the development of expression systems and cell-based assays for functional genomics as in the generation of viral vectors for gene therapy. (b) Description of Prior Art Tightly controlled inducible expression of foreign proteins would greatly aid functional studies in heterologous systems. The ability to regulate both the level and the duration of expression would allow the study of proteins whose constitutive expression might not be tolerated by the cell. A number of inducible systems endogenous to mammalian cells involving regulation by heavy-metals (Brinster, R. L., et al. Nature (London) 296: 39-42, 1982; Mayo, E. K., et al. Cell 29: 99-108, 1982; and Searle, P. F., et al. Molecular and Cellular Biology 5: 1480-1489, 1985), steroid hormones (Hynes, N. E., N. Kennedy, et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78:2038-2042, 1981; Lee, F., et al. Nature (London) 294: 228-232, 1981; and Klock, G., et al. Nature (London) 329: 734-736, 1987), heat shock ((Nouer, L. p.-., Heat Shock Response. Boca Raton, Fla., Ed. CRC, 1991) (reviewed in Mullick, A. and B. Massie Encyclopedia of Cell Technology pp. 1140-1164, 2000)) are widely used. However, a major limitation of these inducible mammalian promoters is the pleitropic effects of the inducers (heat shock, glucocorticoids etc.). To overcome these problems, prokaryotic (Gossen, M., et al. TIBS 18: 471-475, 1993) and insect regulatory systems (No, D., et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93: 3346-3351, 1996) have been adapted to construct gene switches that function in mammalian cells. Since inducer molecules are not expected to have targets in mammalian cells, the possibility of interference with cellular processes is reduced. Of the prokaryotic proteins, two have proved particularly useful, the repressors from the lac (Brown, M., et al. Cell 49: 603-612, 1987; and Hu, M. C.-T. and N. Davidson Cell 48: 555-566, 1987) and the tet operons (Blau, H. M. and F. M. V. Rossi, Proc. Natl. acad. sci. USA 96: 797-799, 1999). Both have been incorporated in eukaryotic inducible expression systems using different strategies to control activation and repression of expression. Activation of expression is mediated by a chimaeric transactivator protein formed by the fusion of the bacterial repressor with an activation domain (Gossen, M. and H. Bujard, Proc. Natl. acad. sci. USA 89: 5547-5551, 1992; and Gossen, M., et al. Science 268: 1766-1769, 1995). The transactivator is able to activate transcription when bound to its DNA recognition sequence placed upstream of the minimal promoter. The ability of the activator to bind DNA is dependent on the presence/absence of the inducer molecule. Repression of expression is mediated by the repressor bound to operator sites placed downstream of the minimal promoter in the absence of inducer and repression is relieved on the addition of the inducer (Brown, M., et al. Cell 49: 603-612, 1987). It would be highly desirable to be provided with an alternate activation/repression switch for expression of eukaryotic proteins.

1. Technical Field The present invention relates to a semiconductor device that includes a multilayer interconnect structure. 2. Related Art To cope with the recent growing demand for higher operating speed for semiconductor chips, various studies are being aggressively made on employing a material having a lower dielectric constant to form an interlayer dielectric in place of a silicon oxide film (dielectric constant K=approx. 4.3), to thereby reduce parasitic capacitance between interconnect lines. Examples of applicable low dielectric constant (hereinafter abbreviated as low-k) insulating material include HSQ, MSQ, and aromatic-containing organic resins, which have a dielectric constant of approx. 3. Besides, for achieving a still lower dielectric constant, porous materials that include minute pores are lately being developed. Employing such low-k materials to form the interlayer dielectric allows reducing crosstalk between the interconnect lines, thus achieving higher operating speed of the chips. The low-k films, however, generally have low film strength, and insufficient adhesion properties. Besides, because of the lack of strength, the low-k film is prone to be scraped off during a CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) process, in a region where interconnect lines are not densely distributed. Now, when fabricating semiconductor chips, a plurality of circuit chips are first formed on a wafer, and then the wafer is diced into individual chips. By the dicing process, dicing sections of the semiconductor chips are exposed. Accordingly, a seal ring region is provided along the periphery of each circuit chip, so as to prevent intrusion of water or moisture through the dicing sections. JP-A 2004-297022 discloses a structure of a semiconductor chip provided with a seal ring constituted of vias and interconnects disposed along the outer periphery. In this structure, the seal ring is continuously disposed so as to be connected to all layers, including the lower layers and upper layers of the semiconductor chip, to thereby prevent the intrusion of water or moisture through the dicing sections (FIG. 2 of JP-A 2004-297022). Generally, in a semiconductor device, upper layers are formed in an insulating layer constituted of silicon oxide film, which is sufficiently rigid, serving as the interlayer dielectric, while lower layers are formed in an interlayer dielectric constituted of a low-k film, for reducing the interconnect capacitance. The low-k film lacks in mechanical strength and adhesion properties, as stated above. Besides, the low-k film is prone to absorb moisture. Therefore, improvement in mechanical strength and moisture resistance with respect to the lower layers of the semiconductor device is an important issue to be addressed. On the other hand, since the upper layers include the wider interconnects and the larger vias in general, the size of the seal ring region is determined according to the size of the interconnects and vias in the upper layers. Therefore, it is desirable to have the interconnects and vias in the upper layers disposed so as to prevent the seal ring region from excessively expanding.

This invention relates to a method of producing inked-ribbon cartridges. Recently, there has been a trend in the typewriter and business machine arts to incorporate an inked ribbon in a disposable cartridge or cassette which can be readily installed and/or replaced in such printing machines. The operator of one such machine merely removes the old cartridge when the ink in the ribbon is used up or the ribbon becomes frayed from use, and he installs a new cartridge without ever having to soil his hands by touching the ribbon itself. The cartridge usually has a feed means therein which cooperates with a driving member on the machine on which the cartridge is installed so as to transport the ribbon in the cartridge, and thereby present a fresh supply of inked ribbon to a print station located in the machine. Some of the prior art ribbon cartridges employ two reels therein on which the ribbon is alternately wound and unwound as used. Other cartridges employ only one special reel on which an endless inked ribbon is wound, and as the reel rotates, the ribbon winds up on the "outer turn" of ribbon on the reel, and the ribbon is withdrawn therefrom by withdrawing the "innermost turn" of the ribbon from the reel. A third type of cartridge employs a length of about 15 yards of inked ribbon which is formed into an endless loop of ribbon which is not stored on any reel or reels within the cartridge, but is simply stuffed therein to produce many folds or convolutions in the ribbon. In this latter type of cartridge, the ribbon is simply fed into or "stuffed" into the cartridge by a feed means located at an entrance area thereof, and is pulled out of an exit area of the cartridge by the feed means as the ribbon is stuffed into the cartridge. Some representative prior art, inked-ribbon cartridges and inking methods are shown in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 2,755,905; 2,878,751; 3,241,522; 3,643,779; 3,804,227; and 3,814,231. One of the problems with producing the prior art ribbon cartridges is that the ribbon is inked prior to installing it in its associated cartridge. As a result, the cartridge itself and the hands of the operator who is installing the ribbon in the cartridge become smeared with ink, requiring extensive clean-up time for cleaning both the assembled cartridge and the operator's hands. Another problem with producing prior art ribbon cartridges relates to producing cartridges including a length of inked ribbon which is formed into an endless loop. Because of the ink being in the ribbon at the time of forming an endless loop, an effective or lasting bond joining the ends of the length of ribbon is difficult to obtain, thereby subjecting the ribbon to potential failure at the bond. The utilization of pre-inked ribbon fabric also limits the number of bonding techniques which may be utilized to join the ends of a ribbon.

Technology for tracking physical layer information (among other information) relating to wired communication media, components, devices, systems, and/or networks is described in the following United States Patent Applications, all of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference: United States Patent Publication 2011/0115494 published on May 19, 2011, titled “ELECTRICAL PLUG FOR MANAGED CONNECTIVITY SYSTEMS”; United States Patent Publication 2011/0115494 published on May 19, 2011, titled “MANAGED ELECTRICAL CONNECTIVITY SYSTEMS”; United States Patent Publication No. 2011/0115494 published on May 19, 2011, titled “MANAGED ELECTRICAL CONNECTIVITY SYSTEMS”; United States Patent Publication No. 2011/0228473 published on Sep. 22, 2011, titled “COMMUNICATIONS BLADED PANEL SYSTEMS”; United States Patent Publication No. 2012/0133524 published on May 31, 2012, titled “COMMUNICATIONS BLADED PANEL SYSTEMS”; United States Patent Publication No. 2012/0113613 published on May 10, 2012, titled “COMMUNICATIONS BLADED PANEL SYSTEMS”; United States Patent Publication No. 2011/0267794 published on Nov. 3, 2011, titled “COMMUNICATIONS BLADED PANEL SYSTEMS”; United States Patent Publication No. 2011/0222819 published on Sep. 15, 2011, titled “Managed Fiber Connectivity Systems”; United States Patent Publication No. 2011/0255829 published on Oct. 20, 2011, titled “Managed Fiber Connectivity Systems”; United States Patent Publication No. 2011/0235979 published on Sep. 29, 2011, titled “Managed Fiber Connectivity Systems”; U.S. Pat. No. 8,690,593 Issued on Apr. 8, 2014, titled “Managed Fiber Connectivity Systems”; United States Publication No. 2012/0234778 published on Sep. 20, 2012, titled “CABLE MANAGEMENT IN RACK SYSTEMS”; United States Patent Publication No. 2011/0092100 published on Apr. 21, 2011, titled “MANAGED CONNECTIVITY IN ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS”; U.S. Pat. No. 8,596,882 Issued on Dec. 13, 2013, titled “MANAGED CONNECTIVITY IN FIBER OPTIC SYSTEMS”; United States Publication No. 2012/0246347 published on Sep. 27, 2012, titled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR UTILIZING VARIABLE LENGTH DATA FIELD STORAGE SCHEMES ON PHYSICAL COMMUNICATION MEDIA SEGMENTS”; United States Publication No. 2012/0246523 published on Sep. 27, 2012, titled “DYNAMICALLY DETECTING A DEFECTIVE CONNECTOR AT A PORT”; United States Publication No. 2012/0246362 published on Sep. 27, 2012, titled “DOUBLE-BUFFER INSERTION COUNT STORED IN A DEVICE ATTACHED TO A PHYSICAL LAYER MEDIUM”; and United States Publication No. 2012/0243554 published on Sep. 27, 2012, titled “EVENT-MONITORING IN A SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY OBTAINING AND MANAGING PHYSICAL LAYER INFORMATION USING A RELIABLE PACKET-BASED COMMUNICATION PROTOCOL”. The technology described in the applications noted in the previous paragraph makes use of an EEPROM or other storage device that is integrated with a connector on a cable, fiber, or other segment of communication media. The storage device is used to store information about the connector or segment of communication media along with other information. The EEPROM or other storage device can be read after the associated connected is inserted into a corresponding jack or other port. In this way, information about wired communication media, devices, systems, and/or networks can be captured in an automated manner. Another type of technology for tracking information about the physical layer of a wired network (along with other information) is so-called “ninth wire” technology. Ninth wire technology makes use of special cables that include an extra conductor or signal path (also referred to here as the “ninth wire” conductor or signal path) that is used for determining which port each end of the cables is inserted into. One example of ninth wire technology is the AMPTRAC family of connectivity management products that are commercially available from TE Connectivity Ltd. Also, examples of ninth wire technology are described in the following United States Patent Applications, all of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 7,160,143, titled “SYSTEM FOR MONITORING CONNECTION PATTERN OF DATA PORTS”, U.S. Pat. No. 6,961,675, titled “SYSTEM FOR MONITORING CONNECTION PATTERN OF DATA PORTS”, U.S. Pat. No. 6,725,177, titled “SYSTEM FOR MONITORING CONNECTION PATTERN OF DATA PORTS”, U.S. Pat. No. 6,684,179, titled “SYSTEM FOR MONITORING CONNECTION PATTERN OF DATA PORTS”, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,574,586, titled “SYSTEM FOR MONITORING CONNECTION PATTERN OF DATA PORTS”. Another type of technology for tracking information about the physical layer of a wired network (along with other information) makes use of RFID tags and readers. With this type of technology, an RFID tag is attached to or integrated with a connector on a cable, fiber, or other segment of communication media. The RFID tag is used to store information about the connector or segment of communication media along with other information. The RFID tag can be read after the associated connected is inserted into a corresponding jack or other port using a RFID reader. In this way, information about wired communication media, devices, systems, and/or networks can be captured in an automated and contactless manner. One example of such RFID technology is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,002,331, titled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IDENTIFYING AND TRACKING CONNECTIONS OF COMMUNICATION LINES”, which is incorporated herein by reference.

There are work machines (e.g., construction, agricultural, forestry) which can operate the hydraulic actuator(s) of an auxiliary tool attached to the work machine. Auxiliary tools are commonly referred to as an auxiliary attachment, or just attachment. Examples of such an auxiliary tool include a multi-function bucket (“clamshell bucket”), rotary broom, auger, hammer, vibratory compactor, snow blower, grapple, shear felling head, and disk saw felling head, to name just a few. As indicated, the auxiliary tool has its own hydraulic actuator(s) onboard the auxiliary tool. Such a hydraulic actuator may be, for example, a hydraulic cylinder that provides a linear output, as for a clamshell bucket, and/or a hydraulic motor that provides a rotary output, as for a broom or hammer.

There are many entities which produce information in databases that is then used to produce booklets which are mailed or otherwise distributed to end users. Generically these entities may be referred to as database publishing companies, which companies do not have the incentive to invest in the imaging computer systems and print engines that are necessary to produce booklets, or other documentation, therefore the data must be transmitted to another site for actual imaging. In efficient modern installations, the data from the database publishers is taken by the imaging organization, the data is significantly reformulated, and then imaging is practiced. While some time--depending upon the raw data received--final print streams may be produced within several hours after receipt of the raw data, more often the time frame is on the order of days. However in many situations it is highly desirable to be able to turn an entire print job around within twenty-four hours, which is not universally feasible with present technology. In the present specification and claims, various jargon will be utilized which is specifically identified here for ease of reference: ______________________________________ TERMINOLOGY DETAILED DESCRIPTION ______________________________________ Background An image or graphic over which other graphics and text may be imaged. Booklet A collection of documents to be produced in response to an end user inquiry or need. Document A collection of hard copy pages logically related to each other through their content, typically formed by a number of signatures, and formulated into a booklet. EPS Encapsulated postscript files, which are typically converted especially by proprietary imaging systems for use therein. Fixed Data Graphics and text which are shared among substantially all documents in a print stream. .GEN File All the information relating to a specific production run are captured in a generic job file. This file is initially developed when a job is configured. Job Formatting A table which provides a translation Table mechanism to map variable data fields provided by a database publisher to the actual data stream read by the print system. The data stream is of a format which is specific to a given printer, reflecting engine specific parameters such as resolution and imposition, and serving to "hide" production specific information from the database publisher. Object Association A table which identifies print ready Table documents which are appropriate for getting jobs. Included are descriptions of the documents and certain production information such as the number of signatures, target markets, etc. When utilized by a database publisher, substantially only the file names included in the table may be utilized. Print Image Stream The final variable stream provided to the XLC "Digital ColorQuick"! imaging system. The print image stream is specific to the individual type of printer and the production method (imposition). RIP A raster image processor, comprising electronics which assemble individual bitmaps and images into a document which is printed. Selectable Criteria Combination of text, graphics and images which can be printed on a document with an imaging systems' receipt of a single data code. Selectable criteria codes are defined in a ".GEN file" and passed to an imaging system with a variable data stream. Signature A sheet of paper which is folded into a collection of pages to be included in a document. Signatures may include imaging on both sides. Variable Data Unique text information compared to other documents in the same print stream, which almost always originates from the database publisher and may include name, address, telephone, and like information. VBI Variable bit image codes, a single image being associated with a data code utilizing variable bit image codes. Unlike selectable criteria VBIs refer to only one set of spatial data (such as position, size, etc.). VBIs are passed to the system in the variable data stream. VCC Station A variable color configuration station. Takes care of pre-screening all imaged data in its final "print ready" form; that is images are sized and rotated for the final appearance as required by the print job, and the images are then stored on a file server where they reside until required by an imaging run. XLC Data System Electronics and software available from Moore Business Forms, Inc. of Lake Forest, Illinois which preprocess job information prior to imaging of individual documents. The processing includes the preloading of images, the reading of variable data, web synchronization, and other functions. Its official commercial name is "Digital ColorQuick". .XLF File An XLC proprietary file comprising a prescreened (rasterized) graphic element which is ready to be printed on a resolution specific device. ______________________________________ According to the present invention, a method and system are provided which significantly enhance the present ability to turn around entire print jobs. According to the present invention data is provided to a database publisher in the form of the object association table so that elements necessary to facilitate the production of a final print stream are greatly expanded. The database tables, which comprise a standard programming interface, enhance system flexibility and enhance data handling throughput, allowing an entire print job to be turned around within twenty-four hours of data closeout by the database publisher, something heretofore possible only on an irregular basis for specific small jobs. According to one aspect of the present invention a method of producing documents at a first site from database information produced at a second site remote from the first site is provided, utilizing a specific print engine (which may be of any conventional type, such as a MIDAX printer available from Moore Business Forms, Inc., or a Xeikon printer). The method comprises the following steps: (a) Providing the object association table, which associates document production jobs with specific documents and appropriate object descriptions, so that it is accessible at the second site. (b) Accessing the object association table at the second site, and utilizing substantially only file names in the object association table, producing database information at the second site. (c) Supplying the database information from the second site to a translation site, and translating the database information from the second site so that it may be utilized by the specific print engine at the first site, utilizing a job formatting table to build an engine specific print image stream. And, (d) utilizing the engine specific print image stream to electronically control the specific print engine at the first site to image documents having variable information from the database information supplied in step (c). Step (A) may be practiced in alternative manners. For example it may be practiced on-line through a communications network, or by supplying the object association table in machine readable form to the second site (e.g. via disc, tape, or the like) for incorporation into a computer system at the second site. Typically the object association table is provided at the first site and accessible from the second site, and step (c) is typically practiced so that the database information is supplied to and translated at the first site. The engine specific print stream typically has all variable information for control of the print engine, BI coded and selectable criteria codes. Step (b) may be practiced by document sorting according to a predetermined delivery mechanism, providing document references for all documents to be produced at the first site using the object association table, and adding variable data to the documents. Steps (c) and (d) may be practiced to image on the fly directly from the data source the character data for the print engine, typically only the font data being pre-rasterized, or an XLC system may pre-rasterize only the font and character data; with all variable data being provided from steps (b) and (c) in the engine specific print image stream, so that the print engine can print with substantially no limitations related to the number of different text combinations. A plurality of different specific print engines may be provided at the first site. Step (c) is then practiced to build a different engine specific print stream depending upon which print engine is utilized. The invention also relates to a system for producing documents at a first site from database information produced at a second site remote from the first site. The system may comprise the following components: A first computer remote from the second site containing an object association table which associates document production jobs with specific documents and appropriate object descriptions. A specific print engine at the first site for imaging documents, and electronically controlled by a specific variable print image stream. A second computer at the second site capable of using the object association table to produce database information containing specific file names. A third computer remote from the second site for using the database information supplied by the second computer and a job formatting table contained within the third computer for translating the database information containing specific file names from the second computer to produce a print image stream specifically for controlling the specific print engine. And, a fourth computer at the first site connected to the specific print engine utilizing the print image stream from the third computer, along with other data, to control the specific print engine to print desired documents containing variable information provided from the second computer database information. The first and third computers may be provided within the same computer housing, at the first site, and the fourth computer is typically the electronics part of the XLC data system {Digital ColorQuick! and is distinct from the first and third computers. Telephone lines are typically provided for providing the communication between the first computer and the second computer so that the second computer may access the object association table on-line. A plurality of specific print engines may be provided at the first site each controlled by different specific print image streams, and the third computer, and job formatting table contained therein, may produce different specific print image streams depending upon which specific print engine of the plurality of print engines is to be controlled by the fourth computer to produce desired printed documents. Preferably the fourth computer images on the fly directly from the data source substantially the character data for the print engine, substantially only the font data being pre-rasterized, or substantially only the font and character data is pre-rasterized, with all variable data being provided by the print image stream, so that the print engine can print with substantially no limitations related to the number of different text combinations. According to another aspect of the present invention a method of setting up a system for a data publisher to provide data for a remote imaging system to print and merge the data in signatures which are combined into a document, and where a number of documents are combined to produce a booklet, is provided. The method comprises the following steps: (a) Setting the document standards for construction including the number of documents per booklet. (b) Identifying the variable data fields associated with each document while specifying that the document which will be produced for a given production run have the same number and type of variable fields. (c) Defining the fonts and characters for variable data at the time individual jobs are built. (d) Defining variable data so that is limited to text elements which are very likely to change from document to document or from production run to production run. (e) Identifying the output sorting requirements for the documents. (f) Determining document identifiers and their variable fields in a manner that effects a production cycle. (g) Determining how frequently document changes will be processed. And, (h) converting document data supplied as a result of steps (a) through (g) into imposed, rasterized bitmaps which are built and rotated to reflect the production for a specific combination of production methods. Step (h) may be practiced by the sub-steps of: (h1) Converting data to be supplied to the system into resolution specific bitmaps. (h2) Imposing the data from the resolution specific bitmaps onto a specific signature. And, (h3) positioning and rotating variable text fields as each signature is built. It is the primary object of the present invention to provide for the enhanced flexibility and data handling to produce booklets or documentation for mailings, distributions, or the like. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.

The present invention relates to a helically-shaped intake port of an internal-combustion engine. A helically-shaped intake port normally comprises a helical portion formed around the intake valve of an engine and a substantially straight inlet passage portion tangentially connected to the helical portion. However, if such a helically-shaped intake port is so formed that a strong swirling motion is created in the combustion chamber of an engine when the engine is operating at a low speed under a light load, that is, when the amount of air fed into the cylinder of the engine is small, since air flowing within the helically-shaped intake port is subjected to a great flow resistance, a problem occurs in that the volumetric efficiency is reduced when the engine is operating at a high speed under a heavy load, that is, when the amount of air fed into the cylinder of the engine is large. In order to eliminate such a problem, the present inventor previously proposed a helically-shaped intake port in which a bypass passage, branched off from the inlet passage portion and connected to the helix-terminating portion of the helical portion, is formed in the cylinder head of an engine. A flow control valve is arranged in the bypass passage and is open when the engine is operating under a heavy load at a high speed. In this helically-shaped intake port, when the engine is operating under a heavy load at a high speed, a part of the air introduced into the inlet passage portion is fed into the helical portion of the helically-shaped intake port via the bypass passage. Consquently, since the flow area of the intake port is increased when the engine is operating under a heavy load at a high speed, it is possible to increase the volumetric efficiency. However, in this helically-shaped intake port, since the bypass passage is formed by a tubular passage which is completely separated from the inlet passage portion, the bypass passage has a relatively great flow resistance. In addition, since it is necessary to form the bypass passage adjacent to the inlet passage portion, the cross-sectional area of the bypass passage is restricted by the presence of the inlet passage portion. Consequently, it is difficult to obtain a satisfactory high volumetric efficiency. In addition, the helically-shaped intake port has a complicated construction itself, and, thus, if a bypass passage completely separated from the inlet passage portion is additionally provided, the entire construction of the intake port becomes extremely complicated. Therefore, it is considerably difficult to form a helically-shaped intake port equipped with such a bypass passage in the cylinder head.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to brackets for mounting supports, interconnecting structural components, or supporting articles freestanding. 2. Prior Art Christmas tree supports are shown in various United States patents. The support of U.S. Pat. No. 3,733,040 contains many component parts making the support difficult to assemble and expensive to manufacture. The legs of the support of U.S. Pat. No. 1,319,009 are of a particularly complex shape making it another expensive support. U.S. Pat. No. 3,295,802 shows two pairs of legs held in engagement with opposite sides of the base of a tree by a band. However, the trunks of large trees are engaged only by the edges of leg angles, the band is held on the legs only by tension, and the floor or other supporting surface is engaged only by small feet. In addition, all three of these suppots preclude placing the base of a supported tree in a container of water without placing at least part of the support itself in such container. Hence, either these supports will be subject to corrosion or rot from exposure to water or the supported trees will be denied water, have shortened useful lives, and be more likely to become fire hazards. The support in U.S. Pat. No. 2,327,403 relies on short pins extending into the base of a tree to support the weight of the tree. Such support could support stably only a very small tree. U.S. Pat. No. 2,853,261 shows a "Stabilizer for Containers" using a complicated resilient band holding legs in engagement with a cylinder which is to receive the container to be supported. This device shares with all the above noted christmas tree supports the problem of being designed for a single use.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention is related to a multi-specification read/write signal transmission module for silicon disks, and especially to a signal transmission module for silicon disks (flash memory cards/small memory cards) of various specifications in the markets, it is provided with a structure with a common space for reading and writing on silicon disks of various specifications to thereby satisfy the requirement of customers. 2. Description of the Prior Art The silicon disks developed in the recent years are light, thin and small, they have the superior features of high storage capacity, vibration durability, repeated memorizing for many times etc., and are widely applied in the field of IA (Information Appliance) and many portable digital products. For example, merely all the popular products including personal digital assistants (PDA), digital cameras (DSC), digital walkmans (MP3 Players) etc. in the markets use the silicon disks as storage media. By virtue that IA is a newly rising field, its products are novel and multivariable; thereby, the criteria of the silicon disks form a large market that makes struggles for development as well as competitions among international big manufacturers. There is no uniform standard or specification presently in the art of silicon disks in the whole world. Products that are mutually related include at least PC ATA cards, CF cards (CompactFlash cards), SM cards (Smart Media cards), MMC cards (MultiMedia cards), MS cards (Memory Stick cards) and SD cards (Secure Digital cards) etc.; and not only are multifactorial, but also have their respective predominance in the markets. The multiple specifications of the silicon disks induce market strategies as to manufacturers. For example, if customers find that their neighboring people do not use MS cards or are uneasy to purchase MS cards, he may think about whether he will purchase and use a digital camera for MS cards. On the contrary, a customer who have purchased a digital camera for MS cards may not purchase a PDA of some other brand, rather, he may still want to purchase a PDA still of the kind using MS cards, unless he wants to use another kind of specification of silicon disk. For the large group of customers, however, lacking of uniform standards and specifications for silicon disks is not a good thing. This is because that silicon disks are unable to achieve effective applicability on various portable digital products, computer systems and peripheral equipments of computers, and this makes inconvenience of use of consumers. The computers are quite restrained in selection of using digital products. Therefore, it is an extremely important direction of consideration to make efforts to provide a module compatible with all known specifications for silicon disks and capable of integrating all the electronic transmission modes of these silicon disks, in order that the module can be built in or externally connected to computers and other digital products to thereby increase the convenience for consumers in using silicon disks of different specifications. The Prior Art During study and development of the present invention, the inventor had designed a primary structure for reading and writing on silicon disks for the purpose of achieving the above stated objects. The structure of the module in practicing is shown in FIG. 1: Wherein, a xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped base 1 is provided on the upper and the lower sides thereof respectively with an electric circuit board 2, the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped base 1 is formed in the center thereof a receiving space 3. A plurality of guide recesses 4 are provided on the lateral arms at the two lateral sides of the receiving space 3. Each of the guide recesses 4 has the sizes of length and width thereof in coincidence with a kind of silicon disk 5; thereby, several kinds of silicon disks 5 can be inserted in the receiving space 3. And the upper and the lower electric circuit boards 2 are provided on the surfaces thereof confronting the receiving space 3 with a plurality of protruding contact pin sets 6, each pin set 6 is positioned in corresponding to that of the signal pin set 7 of a silicon disk 5. When the silicon disk 5 is inserted into the receiving space 3, the pin sets 6 of the upper and the lower electric circuit boards 2 can be connected with the signal pin set 7 of a silicon disk 5 for reading the data in the silicon disk 5. The primary structure designed by the inventor of the present invention can surely achieve the object of reading on several kinds of silicon disks; however, it cannot suit all kinds of silicon disks. This is mainly because that the contact pin sets 6 provided on the upper and the lower electric circuit boards 2 and protruding into the receiving space 3 is vertically contact with the silicon disk 5; but the signal pin sets of some silicon disks 5 are provided on the front end face of the silicon disks 5 (such as PC ATA cards or CF cards as shown in FIG. 5 depicting a silicon disk Axe2x80x2), thereby, the contact pin sets 6 provided on the upper and the lower electric circuit boards 2 can not contact or connect with such a silicon disk 5, they do not suit all kinds of silicon disks. To solve the above stated problems and to render a read/write signal transmission module for silicon disks to suit all kinds of silicon disks, the inventor of the present invention reconsider the above stated primary structure concentrating on designing of the different specifications, and developed the multi-specification read/write signal transmission module for silicon disks of the present invention after nonstop study and tests, with the module, all known silicon disks with different specifications can be inserted and read/written. In particular, the present invention is provided on the center of a xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped base with a partitioning plate, an upper and a lower lid, so that the base is formed therein a first and a second receiving chamber. The base is provided respectively on the lateral arms at the lateral sides of the first and the second receiving chambers with a plurality of guide recesses, thereby, different kinds of silicon disks with different specifications can be inserted therein. The first receiving chamber is provided therein at least with a vertically contacting pin set, and the second receiving chamber is provided therein at least with a horizontally contacting pin set, in order that when silicon disks with different specifications are individually inserted into the first or the second receiving chamber, they can contact respectively with the vertically contacting pin set or the horizontally contacting pin set. In this way, the module of the present invention can suit all the silicon disks with different specifications in the markets. The primary object of the present invention is that, by the fact that the above stated vertically and the horizontally contacting pin sets are allocated at different orientations, when a silicon disk is inserted into the module, it can be connected with one of the vertically and the horizontally contacting pin sets to proceed to transmit signals for and read/write on the silicon disk. Thereby, the module of the present invention can meet module of the present invention can of multiple silicon disks. Another object of the present invention is that, after the base is divided into the upper first and the lower second receiving chambers by means of the partitioning plate, the first and the second receiving chambers can respectively receive a silicon disk of its own specification. This makes customers convenient in use. The present invention will be apparent in its structural characteristics after reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof in reference to the accompanying drawings.

A channel subsystem (CSS) is a conventional part of a data processing system and is well known in the art of data processing systems. A CSS directs the flow of information between I/O devices and main storage and is mainly comprised of one or more I/O processors (IOPs) and I/O channel paths (channels) with some participation of the central processors (CPs). IOPs are also synonymously referred to as SAPs (system assist processors). In a simple system, I/O instructions are initiated by a CP that might execute a sequence of instructions that partly use only the resources of the CP and that partly directly control the resources and the operations of the CSS. In a CSS of the type that will use this invention, IOPs perform a portion of an I/O operation, and one or more channels handle other parts of the I/O operation. The IOPs determine which channel to select for an I/O operation. The channels handle the actual data transfers into and out of processor memory and they execute commands by forming orders that are sent to the I/O device controllers. The IOP also handles general parts of the I/O operation such as communicating with the CPs through interfaces such as control blocks in reserved memory called hardware system area (HSA), scheduling the I/O operations, and reporting status conditions to a CP. A single IOP can handle requests from multiple CPs and report status to different CPs. The IOPs and the channels also communicate with each other, and the present invention provides an improvement in these communications. The IOP signals a particular channel when an I/O operation is to be performed and the channel signals the IOP when the operation has been completed and whenever some other general operation is to be performed by the IOP. In the known prior art, these communications are carried out over signal wires that run between the IOP and the channels or over the existing data paths that connect the IOP and the channels. In IBM mainframe systems from the 3090 to the z990, an integral part of the communication mechanism used in the Channel Subsystem (CSS) between the I/O Processors (IOPs) and the Channels for signaling and passing messages to each other is a hardware array called the Channel Communication Array (CCA) as illustrated in FIG. 1. Messages directed to the channel (TO_CHN) typically contain commands to instruct the Channel to perform the necessary steps to initiate I/O operations, such as Start Subchannels (SSCH) to I/O devices. Messages directed to an IOP typically contain the status of these I/O operations as well as unsolicited status from devices connected to the channel. The SSCH instruction and the resulting status is described in the zSeries Principle of Operations, IBM Corporation, May 2004, Fourth Edition, SA22-7832-03. There is one eight byte CCA slot (“CCA”) for each prior art Channel as shown in FIG. 1. It is bidirectional, but half-duplex in nature. It can only contain a message from either the Channel directed to the IOP (TO_IOP CCA) or from the IOP directed to the Channel (TO_CHN CCA). There may be hundreds or thousands of channels in a large mainframe system. The mechanism provides a set of command primitives the IOPs and Channels use to write, read and reset the CCA. To provide serialization and to avoid overwriting a CCA message that has not been processed yet, the mechanism provides for a “compare and swap like” form of write CCA called a “Conditional Write CCA”. When the CMD/STATUS byte of the CCA is nonzero, a “Conditional Write CCA” will return a “CCA Busy” response to the sender who attempted to issue the “Conditional Write CCA”. If there is an unprocessed TO_IOP or TO_CHN message sitting in the CCA, this Conditional Write primitive returns a “CCA busy” response to the sender rather than allowing the new message to overwrite the unprocessed message in the CCA. To read this message and free up the CCA, the sender who received the “CCA Busy” message will issue a “Read and Reset CCA”. The Reset portion of the command primitive will zero out the CMD/STATUS byte thereby giving the sender another opportunity to reissue the “Conditional Write CCA”. There is also a signaling mechanism to give initiative to the receiver of the CCA message, when it's successfully sent with the “Conditional Write CCA” command, to process the contents of this CCA message. The IOP, as a sender of a CCA message, can signal a specified channel to process the CCA via the Tap Channel primitive. And a Channel, as a sender, can signal an unspecified IOP to process the CCA via setting that channels interrupt vector (IV) bit using the Set IV primitive. Table A shows a typical format of a TO_CHN or TO_IOP CCA Message 8 byte message: TABLE AFormat of the 8 byte CCA Message As an example, when the IOP needs to process a SSCH instruction that was issued by a program running on a CP, as part of that processing, the IOP will need to send a CCA message to a selected channel to process the SSCH for the subchannel (SCB) specified by the program. Note that an SCB is a control block in HSA that contains the controls for managing an I/O operation for a specific device. The IOP would set up a TO_CHN message as follows: The D bit (Direction Bit) would be set to ‘0’ indicating that this message was a TO_CHN message. The CCA Command Code would be set to ‘01’ to indicate to the channel that this is a “SSCH Initiative CCA Message”. And the Subchannel Identifier would contain addressing information pointing to the specific SCB in HSA describing the device that this SSCH is targeted to. The IOP would then issue a “Conditional Write CCA and Tap Channel” to send the TO_CHN message. Continuing with this example, the channel hardware would interrupt the channel as the result of the Tap Channel which would cause the channel to issue a Read and Reset CCA. Upon receipt of “SSCH Initiative CCA Message”, the channel would verify that this message is a TO_CHN message by reading the Direction bit in the CCA Message. It would then examine the CCA Command Code in the message and recognize it to be a “SSCH Initiative CCA Message”. It would then process the SSCH. Upon completion of the SSCH, device status will need to be presented to the program. Upon receipt of ending device status such as channel end, the channel will present this status to the IOP in the SCB. To let the IOP know that it has ending status to present and in which subchannel the status is, the channel will build a TO_CHN message containing: the D bit set to 1 indicating a TO_IOP message, the CCA Command Code set to ‘80’× to indicate “SCB Work Pending message”, and the Subchannel Identifier will contain addressing information pointing to the specific SCB in HSA containing the ending device status. The channel would then issue a “Conditional Write CCA and Set IV bit to send the TO_IOP message and signal the IOP. Continuing with this example, the IOP hardware would interrupt the IOP as the result of the Set IV which would cause the IOP to issue a Read and Reset CCA. Upon receipt of “SCB Work Pending message”, the IOP would verify that this message is a TO_IOP message by reading the Direction bit in the CCA Message. It would then examine the CCA Command Code in the message and recognize it to be a “SCB Work Pending message”. It would then examine the SCB in HSA addressed by the Subchannel Identifier and present the status of the SSCH to the CP. At system initialization time, each channel is assigned to one of several IOPs. It is this IOP that will service that channel's CCA and IV bit as well as be the only IOP to write the CCAs and Tap its channel. The channel is said to have “affinity” to that IOP. Note that an IOP can service multiple channels. As the IOPs and channels have become faster and faster and more efficient at managing multiple concurrent operations, the single message, half-duplex nature of the CCA has become a bottleneck in achieving the desired I/O rates For a FICON channel, it is anticipated that the CCA usage could possibly be 10 to 40 times the rate as it is for an ESCON channel. (FICON stands for Fibre Connection Channel which is an IBM adaptation of the Fibre Channel Standard. ESCON stands for Enterprise System Connection Channel, and is otherwise known as a “serial” channel.) The ratio of CCA Busy responses to the actually successful CCA writes is increasing to the point of diminishing returns. To add to the performance degradation, as mainframes become bigger and more nodal in design—whereby groups of CPs, IOPs and CCA arrays are located on different physical “books”, the path length from IOPs on one book to the CCAs on another book has increased thereby increasing access time to the CCA. With increased market pressures to use more common, industry standard hardware, the motivation to incrementally improve the existing CCA hardware has waned. Having a solution that uses more industry standard hardware increases the connectivity options available. With these goals and objectives, a new and innovative solution that makes use of commonly available hardware is needed.

A cholesteric liquid crystal will adopt a helical structure with the director rotating around an axis perpendicular to the substrate surfaces in an electro-optical cell with homogeneous alignment. Because of the self-assembled helical structure of cholesteric liquid crystal, in the planar texture where cholesteric helix is aligned vertically, the incident light is decomposed into its right and left circular components with one component reflected and the other transmitted. The unique ability of a cholesteric liquid crystal to reflect light comes from their helical superstructure. The central reflected wavelength (λo) in a direction normal to the surface can be described as λ0= n·p= n·(C·HTP)−1, where p is the helical pitch, in which the director rotates 360 degree, n is the average refractive index of the liquid crystal, C is the concentration of chiral dopant and HTP is the helical twisting power of the chiral material. The bandwidth (Δλ) of the reflected light equals Δnλ/ n, where Δn is the birefringence of liquid crystal and n is average of refractive index. A continuous tunable and electrically programmable optical filter based on cholesteric liquid crystal can be fabricated for filtering different spatial wavelength. The bandpass filters can achieve 100% transmission or reflection when a combination of two cholesteric filters with the same reflection wavelength and opposite handedness are stacked. When the helical pitch of a cholesteric liquid crystal is adjusted to Bragg reflect in the visible spectrum, it reflects an iridescent color. Depending on the magnitude of an applied voltage, the cholesteric liquid crystal in an electro-optical cell can be switched to different optical states such as the planar to focal conic and planar to homeotropic in which the incident light is weakly scatted or totally transmitted, respectively. The cholesteric cell displays an image which can remain on a display permanently without an applied voltage. This memory phenomenon can be achieved either by using surface treatment or polymer stabilization, as detailed, e.g. in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,437,811, 5,691,795 and 5,695,682 For example, in responding to an applied low voltage, a liquid crystal with positive dielectric anisotropy initially with a planar texture is transformed into the focal conic texture. The focal conic state is stable at zero voltage. Even the gray levels can be stable such that a display which has a combination of planar and focal conic will maintain that particular combination and hence level of reflectivity over an indefinite period of time. When the applied voltage is above the threshold necessary for unwinding the helix, the cholesteric liquid crystal is transformed into one with a homeotropic texture where ambient light is totally transmitted and the cells appears transparent. The homeotropic state reverts back to the initial planar state upon the quick removal of the applied voltage. When the surface of the back panel is painted black, both the focal conic texture and homeotropic states appear black. The color reflective planar texture and the transparent focal conic texture can be stable over a sufficiently long period of time such that an image can be addressed on a high resolution matrix display and the image will remain on the display after the voltage is removed. A multicolor cholesteric display was first introduced by using a color pixelation technique with a combination of photo illumination tuned chiral material to adjust the helical pitch in the exposed regions to produce red, green and blue colors as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,614. While the feasibility has been demonstrated, there is a loss in reflective brightness. Another color reflective display technology was introduced shortly using vertical stacked RGB panels to achieve the multicolor and enhance the reflectivity. The brightness of the color panel is maximized by using a combination of left and right-handed circularly polarized cholesteric material in different panels. A full color cholesteric display with reflectivity exceeds 50% of the ambient incident light was reported in U.S. Pat. No. 6,654,080. The bottleneck for the full color cholesteric displays to be realized commercially resides in the production yield and cost. For example, to display a full color image it requires three color cholesteric films and electronic drivers which increase the cost of the display. Furthermore, the shift register of pixels from separate panels causes parallax problem. Parallax demands that the thickness of the stacked layers be thinner than the pixel size. As a result, the yield in producing full color displays is low because of complexity in manufacturing process. An alternative method to produce full color reflective cholesteric display involves the use of electrically tunable color technology. It is not anticipated that the focal conic state be used in which the switched color requires the voltage to remain on to display the desired color. The electric-field induced color change in cholesteric liquid crystals color can be traced back to the 1960's. Because the relationship of λo= n p cos θ, the increase in tilt angle of cholesteric helix observed 15° from normal to the surface in response to applied voltage results in a smaller cholesteric pitch and thus, the spectral wavelength is blue shifted. Pitch dilation in cholesteric liquid crystal in which the color changes from blue to red with an increase in an applied field has been noted. In general, the cholesteric liquid crystal response to applied voltage by the rotation of the cholesteric helix away from normal direction of substrate surface. Without strong surface anchoring, there are insufficient cholesteric pitches to reflect incoming light in the normal direction. Consequently, these methods yield low reflectivity and short spectrum tuning range. Another electrically-tuned color technology utilizes a display with in-plane inter-digitized electrodes configured on one surface and only LC alignment layer on the other surface without electrode as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,630,982. The device enables an inhomogeneous distribution of electric field across the cell thickness and unwinds and elongates the cholesteric helix when an appropriate voltage is applied to the inter-digitized electrodes. Using a positive dielectric anisotropy cholesteric, the cholesteric pitch is extended with the increase in applied voltage. To achieve high reflectivity for each switched color, this display requires a thick cell. As a consequence, high switching voltage and slow response time are major challenges associated with the in-plane switched color technique. The use of gel to preserve the polymer structure and uniform distribution of polymer within the cell has been reported. With a polymer consisting of mesogenic diacrylate and monoacrylate, the gel enables a shift in reflection band to low wavelength with increasing voltage, which was associated with the tilting of the cholesteric helix. In a second case, with a chiral monoacrylate additive, the reflection band is not shifted but reduces the reflectivity with increasing voltage, which is associated with Helfrich deformation following unwinding the helices. The negative aspects include broadening of reflective bandwidth and low reflectivity. The use electrical-field induced color change in cholesteric liquid crystal has been described using Helfrich deformation. The field-induced change in optical property of the cholesteric reactive mesogen is photopolymerized and fixed on a polymer film by masked curing the cholesteric reactive mesogen at different voltages. The negative aspects of this approach are a multicolor static film with loss of reflectivity at normal direction and broadening of spectral wavelength. It would therefore desirable to provide a technique for fabricating cholesteric liquid crystal light modulating devices in which the spectral wavelength can be electrically switched, and for displays with all of the mentioned benefits, which can be practically implemented.

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the field of preparing and handling doses of liquids, thereby of very small doses down to, e.g., some hundreds nano-liters with accurately predetermined volumes. Such liquid handling techniques are especially used in context with medical, chemical or biochemical analyses, e.g., in pharmaceutical, medical or food industry laboratories. The Prior Art Thereby, it is of utmost importance to aspire, as probes, e.g., to be analyzed, small samples of liquids of accurately known volumes and often at a high rate. Latter may be important, e.g., in context with blood analyses of large populations, as become necessary to rapidly track out-braking contagious illnesses, It is known to aspirate liquids from multiple receptacles by pipettes. The pipettes are thereby conveyed to and aligned with receptacles, lowered so as to he dipped in the respective liquids in the receptacles. To each pipette there is associated a valve- and a pumping-arrangement. By respective control of the valves and of the pumping arrangements, each pipette aspirates the respective dose of liquid from the receptacle. So as to ascertain that the volumes of the aspirated doses—the samples—accurately accord with the predetermined, rated volumes, with deviations of only few percentages, high demands must be fulfilled by the pumping arrangement, by the valves and by the respective controls. We understand under a “rated” volume of a dose, the volume of a dose which is desired. A dose as produced should, ideally, have a volume equal to the rated volume. The doses of liquids once aspirated into the pipettes are customarily conveyed within the pipettes to a destination location where they are released from the pipettes by respective controls of the valves and pumping arrangements. Subsequently the pipettes can be rinsed with a rinsing solution, if necessary. The aspiration steps are performed in that all valves and pumping arrangements, each associated to one pipette, are operated simultaneously or staggered in time. It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative pipetting arrangement and an alternative method of controlling a pipetting arrangement or of producing liquid product doses.

The present invention relates to a gantry for acquiring projection data, which is an important component of an X-ray computer tomography apparatus. FIG. 1 shows external appearance of a conventional gantry. The gantry 100 has a box-like shape having a cylindrical hole (hereinafter referred to as a view field) 121 in the central portion thereof. A subject is inserted in the view field 121, when photographed. The cover 111 of the gantry 100 has an air intake 115 and an air outlet 116 to cool the interior of the gantry. FIGS. 2 and 3 are front and side views of the interior of the gantry, respectively. The gantry has a rotation ring 101, on which an X-ray tube and an X-ray detector are mounted in an arrangement such that they are opposite to each other with the subject lying therebetween. The rotation ring 101 is rotatably supported by a ring frame 103. A motor 104 for rotating the rotation ring 101 is mounted on the ring frame 103. The ring frame 103 is supported by two main posts 106 via tilt mechanisms 110. The main post 106 is mounted on a stand base 107 at right angles, as shown in FIG. 4. The gantry 100 contains electric members 105, for example, a control board and a power source. As well known, the standard scan time at present is a second for a rotation. In the near future, a direct drive system, which directly drives the rotation ring (rotor) 101 by a stator coil, will be the mainstream of the driver of a gantry. Such high-speed rotations of the unbalanced rotation ring 101 cause the main posts 106 to vibrate violently. To suppress the vibration, the main posts 106 must be thick. For this reason, the gantry is inevitably large and heavy. Further, if the top end of the main post 106 is displaced 0.5 mm, a tumor or a bone smaller than 0.5 mm cannot be observed, and a ring-like artifact may be produced. An object of the present invention is to provide a gantry of a compact X-ray computer tomography apparatus having a high damping property. A gantry of an X-ray computer tomography apparatus comprises a base, two main posts mounted on the base at right angles, a ring frame tiltably supported by the two main posts, a rotation ring rotatably supported by the ring frame, an X-ray tube mounted on the rotation ring, and an X-ray detector mounted on the rotation ring, opposing to the X-ray tube. The props obliquely abut on the main posts to reinforce them. Since the main posts are reinforced by the props, the vibration due to high-speed rotations of the rotation ring can be effectively suppressed. Moreover, since the main posts need not be thick, the gantry can be compact. Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing device, an image processing method, and a program. Description of the Related Art Recently, technology referred to as augmented reality (AR) has been drawing attention whereby an image obtained by imaging a real space and modified through a specific process is presented to a user. In the AR technology, useful information on an object in a real space shown in an input image may be inserted into the image to be output as an output image, for example. That is, in the AR technology, typically, a large part of the image presented to the user shows the real space, and some part of the image may be processed in accordance with an application purpose. Such a characteristic is in contrast to virtual reality in which an entire (or a large part) of the output image is composed using computer graphics (CG). By using the AR technology, for example, advantages such as easy understanding of a situation of the real space by a user or work support based on the output image may be provided. Further, in the AR technology, in addition to the technique involving inserting useful information on an object in a real space into an image obtained by imaging a real space, there is also a technique of presenting to a user useful information on an object in a real space in a superimposing manner on a visual field of a user who is viewing the real space. In this technique, the useful information on an object in the real space is presented to the user by being optically composited with the visual field of the user who is viewing the real space by using a half mirror and the like. Also in the case of using such AR technology, for example, advantages such as easy understanding of a situation of the real space by a user or work support may be provided. In the AR technology, in order to present really useful information to the user, it is important that a computer accurately understands the situation of the real space. Therefore, technology aimed to understand the situation of the real space, which serves as a basis of the AR technology, has been developed. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-304268 discloses a method of dynamically generating an environment map representing a three-dimensional positions of objects existing in a real space by applying technology referred to as simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) capable of simultaneously estimating a position and posture of a camera and a position of a feature point shown in an image of the camera. Note that, a basic principle of the SLAM technology using a monocular camera is disclosed in “Real-Time Simultaneous Localization and Mapping with a Single Camera” (Andrew J. Davison, Proceedings of the 9th IEEE International Conference on Computer Vision Volume 2, 2003, pp. 1403-1410).

Backpack frames have traditionally been rigid structures to which a pack is secured. Traditional backpack frames distribute the load of the pack to the wearer's hips and bring the pack in contact with the wearer's back. This construction has been unsatisfactory as it is uncomfortable for the wearer to have the pack in contact with his or her back. The close proximity of the pack to the wearer's back prevents air from circulating in the area and cooling the wearer. Additionally, the contents of the pack may exert pressure on the wearer's back causing additional discomfort for the wearer. Another difficulty with these prior backpack frames is that they are generally complex in structure and expensive to manufacture. Since these frames are generally constructed of materials that are permanently secured together, the frame cannot be reduced in size for storage or flattened for easier transport or storage. It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a backpack frame that may be easily assembled and disassembled in the field without special tools, that may be easily flattened for storage or transport, and that, when applied to the back of a wearer, will avoid any hard surface contact with the body while at the same time distributing the weight of the pack to the wearer's hips.

Heretofore, a lot of biodegradable resins and biodegradable compositions, containing, as main components, biodegradable resins such as polylactic acid and fatty acid polyester as well as natural materials such as starch, have hitherto been proposed, and processed biodegradable articles using these biodegradable resins and biodegradable compositions have been provided. For example, JP-A-Hei07-17571 (Patent Document 1) discloses a biodegradable buffer material which contains starch as a main component, and is obtained by adding vegetable fibers and/or protein, followed by blow molding. JP-A-2005-119708 (Patent Document 2) discloses a biodegradable resin composition obtained by blending starch and polyol, monosaccharide or oligosaccharide, and protein. JP-A-Hei05-320401 (Patent Document 3) discloses a biodegradable molded article obtained by blending wheat flour, starch and cellulose, followed by foaming and further firing. However, when natural materials such as starch are used, the resultant product often has poor water resistance and tends to have poor strength. Therefore, JP-A-Hei05-278738 (Patent Document 4) and JP-A-Hei05-57833 (Patent Document 5) and JP-A-2002-355932 (Patent Document 6) each discloses a method of coating the surface of a processed article molded from a biodegradable composition with a water-resistant resin. However, according to this method, coating must be conducted again, resulting in increase of the number of steps. On the other hand, JP-A-Hei06-248040 (Patent Document 7) discloses, as a biodegradable composition having improved impact resistance and improved heat resistance, a composition composed of phenols, sugar and starch. This composition is obtained by applying formation of a resin by the reaction between phenols and sugar. JP-A-2004-137726 (Patent Document 8) discloses a composition for a biodegradable gravel product, which is composed of starch and tannin or polyphenol and, furthermore, protein and a crushed mineral powder, and a divalent metal powder having the chelate mordanting effect with tannin or polyphenol. However, this composition is obtained by supporting a condensation compound of a metal salt and a polyphenol on starch and also contains a divalent metal salt, and therefore it is not suitable for applications such as tablewares. Also, tannins and polyphenols used herein are condensed tannins such as persimmon tannin, tea tannin and bark tannin, and are suitable for use as a substitute of gravel, but are not suitable for processed articles such as tablewares because condensed tannins and divalent metal salts are used and therefore the strength becomes too higher. Furthermore, since the metal salts are used, metals thereof remain after decomposition and thus it is considered that an adverse influence may be exerted on the environment. JP-A-2005-23262 (Patent Document 9) discloses a biodegradable composition using main materials obtained by finely dividing 100% natural materials, for example, grains such as maize, dietary fibers such as weeds, and sugar cane, and natural binders such as persimmon tannin and konjac powder. However, a specific composition ratio is unclear and also it is unclear whether or not the product is actually produced. Since this composition is composed only of natural materials such as cereals, quality of the resultant molded article is not maintained and the molded article is not suitable for use as an industrial product. Furthermore, translation of PCT application No. 9-500924 (Patent Document 10) discloses a biodegradable composition containing starch, protein, cellulose, phenol and tannin, and tall oil or wax. However, this composition contains tall oil or wax, there is a fear of ooze of wax or the like. Therefore, the composition is suitable for production of woodworks. However, when applied to processed articles such as tablewares, there is a possibility that problems for safety may arise. Patent Document 1: JP-A-Hei07-17571 Patent Document 2: JP-A-2005-119708 Patent Document 3: JP-A-Hei05-320401 Patent Document 4: JP-A-Hei05-278738 Patent Document 5: JP-A-Hei05-57833 Patent Document 6: JP-A-2002-355932 Patent Document 7: JP-A-Hei06-248040 Patent Document 8: JP-A-2004-137726 Patent Document 9: JP-A-2005-23262 Patent Document 10: Translation of PCT application No. 9-500924

1. Field One embodiment of the invention relates to a panel attachment assembly and method for fixing, to a housing, a cover panel for covering, for example, a liquid crystal display panel. It also relates to a telephone with a liquid crystal display panel and a cover panel for covering the liquid crystal display panel. 2. Description of the Related Art Office or home telephones incorporate a display for displaying, for example, a telephone number, calendar, time, and dialing/incoming states. Displays have a liquid crystal display panel fitted in a housing, a rectangular opening formed in the upper surface of the housing, and a transparent cover panel held in the opening by a holding frame (see, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2000-305477). The opening is defined by four edges and positioned at an easily viewable position on the upper surface of the housing. The holding frame holds the outer periphery of the cover panel and is fitted in the opening. As a result, the cover panel faces the display surface of the liquid crystal display panel. The display surface can be seen from the outside of the telephone via the cover panel. In the conventional display, the edges defining the opening are provided on the upper surface of the housing, therefore the size of the cover panel may be limited, or the outward design of the telephone may be limited. In view of this, in recent years, it has been attempted to extend the opening of the housing so as to open at a corner defined by the upper surface and a side surface of the housing, and to expose an end face of the cover panel through the extended opening. This structure can enhance the flexibility in design of the display. When the end face of the cover panel is exposed to the outside through the opening, the outer periphery of the cover panel cannot be held by a holding frame. In this case, to fix the cover panel to the housing, it is possible, for example, to adhere an end of the cover panel to the housing by an adhesive, or to provide an engagement claw on the back surface of the cover panel and engage the claw with the housing. However, the fixing method of adhering the cover panel to the housing requires the process of coating an adhesive on the cover panel or housing, which increases the manufacturing cost of the display. Furthermore, once the cover panel is adhered to the housing, it cannot easily be exchanged for another. In addition, since the cover panel is made transparent so that the display surface of the liquid crystal display panel can be seen from the outside of the telephone, the adhesive or engagement claw will be seen from the outside through the transparent cover panel. This is not preferable in outward appearance. Moreover, since the engagement claw projects from the back surface of the cover panel, it is difficult to make the entire back surface flat. As a result, if it has come to be necessary to mask a certain area on the back surface of the cover panel, the back surface cannot be subjected to coating or printing since the engagement claw is in the way. Therefore, to mask the cover panel, it is necessary to interpose a dedicated masking sheet or decoration sheet between the cover panel and housing, which inevitably increases the number of required components and accordingly the manufacturing cost.

This invention relates to a demodulator for a code-division multiple-access (CDMA) communication system of the block-spreading type. CDMA is a spread-spectrum system employed in personal communication systems and other mobile communication systems, in which multiple stations transmit simultaneously over the same frequency band. In a block-spreading CDMA system, data to be transmitted are divided for modulation into P-bit blocks. Each block is converted to a Q-chip codeword, which is then further modulated by a spreading code to generate a baseband transmit signal. (P and Q are positive integers.) The Q-chip codewords are mutually orthogonal and are the same at all transmitting stations, but each station uses a different spreading code. A receiver demodulates the data transmitted from a particular station by, for example, multiplying the incoming baseband signal by that station's spreading code, correlating each resulting block with all possible codewords, and selecting the codeword that gives the highest correlation. It is known that the channel capacity of such a system can be improved if the receiver takes steps to cancel interference between different transmitting stations. One interference-canceling system relies on the fact that signals from different transmitting stations usually arrive with different strengths. The receiver first demodulates the strongest signal, then cancels it out as interference and demodulates the strongest remaining signal, continuing in this way until all signals have been demodulated. Unfortunately, this system does not work well when several signals arrive with substantially the same strength. Another possible system demodulates the signals from all transmitting stations in parallel, subtracting the estimated interference generated by each station from the signals of all the other stations. The process can be iterated to obtain increasingly accurate estimates of the transmitted signals and their interference. This system appears to work well in theory, but when its actual behavior is simulated it performs poorly, because it fails to take maximum advantage of the available interference information. The initial estimates of interference from a given station, for example, are always derived from a signal from which interference has not yet been removed.

1. Field Apparatuses and methods consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to a controlling a peripheral device connected to a display apparatus and, more particularly, to controlling the peripheral device based on the booting time of the peripheral device. 2. Description of the Related Art With development of technology, an electronic apparatus may provide various services and functions including phone call, data transmission, and multitasking functions. The display apparatus may be connected to various peripheral devices such as a set-top box, a DVD player, and a home theater, and may receive and output contents provided by the respective peripheral devices. In order to receive contents from various peripheral devices, a user may control the operation of each peripheral device by using a remote controller for controlling each peripheral device. Recently, an integrated remote controller capable of controlling a display apparatus and a peripheral device in an integrated manner has been developed. Therefore, a user may control operations of a display apparatus and a peripheral device which is connected to the display apparatus through the integrated remote controller. Particularly, it is possible to control power of a display apparatus and a peripheral device connected to the display apparatus through the integrated remote controller. That is, the display apparatus may boot the operating system of the display apparatus according to a turn-on command received from the integrated remote controller, and may transmit a turn-on signal for turning on the peripheral device to the integrated remote controller when the booting is completed. Accordingly, the integrated remote controller transmits, to the peripheral device, an infrared (IR) signal with respect to a control command included in the turn-on signal received from the display apparatus, and the peripheral device can perform the process of booting the operating system of the peripheral device according to the IR signal received from the integrated remote controller However, when the display apparatus and the peripheral device are controlled by the related-art integrated remote controller, the display apparatus may not recognize that the peripheral device is being booted according to the IR signal received from the integrated remote controller. Instead, the display apparatus may determine that the power of the peripheral device is turned off and may provide a user interface (UI) for controlling power of the peripheral device. Since the boot time of all the peripheral devices is not the same, if the peripheral device requires a long boot time, the display apparatus may determine that the power of the peripheral device is turned off even though the peripheral device is booting its operating system, thereby providing a power-related UI of the corresponding peripheral device. Accordingly, upon receiving a user request, the integrated remote controller may retransmit a related IR signal to the peripheral device while the peripheral device is booting its operating system, and therefore the peripheral device may reboot the operating system according to the IR signal retransmitted from the integrated remote controller. Therefore, there may be a problem that, it takes a long time for contents provided by the peripheral device to be output through the display apparatus, and the user may erroneously perceive that the peripheral device is malfunctioning even though the peripheral device is operating normally.

Recently, reduction of a vehicle noise (for example, an airflow noise or machine sound) in a vehicle such as a passenger car has been further developed. However, according to continually increasing of needs for a comfortable riding environment, a necessity for a reduction of tire noise has increased more than before. In order to reduce a noise of tread with respect to a road, various shapes of tread have been developed. A purpose of such a noise reduction technique is for dispersing noise frequencies generated by the tread to wideband frequencies, so as to reduce the noise near to a level of so-called white noise. Further, relatively high temperature heat is generated from the tire mounted on the vehicle due to a high-speed rotation thereof or friction with the road surface. However, rubber which is a major component of the tire has a low heat dissipation performance due to the material characteristics thereof. For this reason, heat generated from the tire is not properly transmitted to an outside, therefore the lifespan of each component may be shortened, and the tire may be separated or ruptured due to a serious deterioration in tire durability. In particular, radial tires for trucks or buses which are used in harsh conditions, or run-flat tires for the purpose of traveling in an emergency situation are greatly influenced by durability due to a temperature. When the run-flat tire travels in an emergency situation (in the case that pressure inside the tire is 0 psi), a periodically fluctuating load is applied to the tire, which causes a bending and stretching motion of the sidewall. When the inside of the tire is filled with air, a degree of bending and stretching motion in the sidewall is relatively small, but when the run-flat tire travels in an emergency situation of 0 psi, the degree thereof becomes large. In this case, heat is generated from the side wall by the continuously repeated large bending and stretching motion and thermal stress is continuously applied to sidewall reinforcing rubber for supporting the tire against load, causing a rupture in the tire. In order to solve the problems, techniques for forming protruded cooling fins on the sidewall have been developed. For example, Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2010-0070796 discloses a pneumatic tire including blade-shaped structures and cooling fins formed on a sidewall for improving heat dissipation performance. However, these techniques have a problem that a resonance phenomenon occurs by an airflow noise generated during high speed air collapsing due to the cooling fins, and thereby the noise is significantly increased. Accordingly, a technique capable of reducing an amount of heat convection in the sidewall from which a lot of heat is generated, as well as decreasing the airflow noise is required for a pneumatic tire. In addition, for a conventional tire, since cooling fins are formed at fixed intervals for reducing heat generation and turbulence regularly generated by the collision of high speed air is insufficient for effectively radiating heat. That is, if sufficient turbulence is not generated, the air resistance does not easily decrease. Accordingly, there is still a need for the pneumatic tire to reduce the amount of heat convection in the sidewall from which a lot of heat is generated, as well as efficiently decrease the air resistance.

This invention relates to the detection of components of the antigen-antibody reaction by solid phase immunoassay techniques, more particularly to enzyme immunoassay. Many immunoassay procedures for detecting antigens, antibodies and haptens in body fluids are known in the immunoassay art. Radio-immunoassay techniques are numerous and have been shown to be highly sensitive. Numerous enzyme-immunoassay techniques are also known, including competitive, double antibody solid phase ("DASP") and sandwich procedures. Both classes of solid phase immunoassays have been performed using various solid supports, including finely divided cellulose, solid beads or discs, polystyrene tubes and microtiter plates. Enzyme immunoassays have included color formation as an indicator of a result. Degree of color formation has been used for quantitative determinations. Colorimeters have been used for automatic quantitative determinations based on color gradations of analytical solutions. Dot enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays using nitrocellulose filters as the solid phase have recently been described by Hawkes et al., "A Dot-Immunobinding Assay for Mono-clonal and Other Antibodies," Anal. Biochem. 119, 142-147 (1982). Hawkes et al. described putting antigen spots on nitrocellulose filters, cutting out areas containing spots, and either placing the cut-out portions in the wells of microtiter plates for enzyme immunoassasy or, where a range of different antigens are to be screened, using nitrocellulose strips. Similarly, Pappas et al., "Dot Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (Dot-ELISA): a Micro Technique for the Rapid Diagnosis of Visceral Leishmaniasis," J. Imm. Meth. 64, 205-214 (1983), have disclosed a dot assay for parasites. Both Hawkes et al. and Pappas et al. asserted advantages of nitrocellulose dot (or spot) assays, including not only a reduced need for bound reagent, but also the almost-whiteness of nitrocellulose as a background for color reading. Pappas et al. also stressed the improved binding of bound reagent to nitrocellulose as compared to microtiter plate wells. Hawkes et al. disclosed a quantitative procedure in which reflectance of spots was determined by a thin layer scanner. Also known in the art are pregnancy tests which utilize dipsticks coated or partially coated with bound antibody to HCG, such as the PREGNASTICK pregnancy test kit sold by Monoclonal Antibodies, Inc. Enzyme immunoassay procedures are used to change the color of the coated portion of the dipstick. The myriad assays in the prior art, while providing in some instances very high sensitivity, suffer from a variety of drawbacks. Radio-immunoassay procedures require the handling of radioactive materials, as well as their disposal, and expensive equipment. Many enzyme-immunoassay procedures produce soluble color solutions, are used with colorimeters, and require incubation periods longer than desired. Enzyme immunoassay pregnancy tests utilize single-use kits, which are thrown away after a single use. The nitrocellulose-based dot tests utilize a solid support which may absorb reactants, which can lead to background color and reduced sensitivity. Further, nitrocellulose is fragile, making it difficult to handle. It is a principal object of this invention to provide an improved immunoassay kit and protocol which eliminates drawbacks, discussed above, of the prior art and is capable of achieving an immunoassay which is sensitive, fast, inexpensive, which does not require expensive and delicate instruments, which is usable for multiple assays, and which can be made for a qualitative or a quantitative test. This and other objects of this invention will be better understood by reference to the description which follows.

1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to electricity power generation, and particularly provides an electrical power generation device (generator) utilizing the oscillating action of the Karman vortex street to generate the induced alternate current. This device converts the energy from fluid motion to useable energy. 2. Description of the Related Art Reynold's number, Re, a non-dimensional number which is defined as the ratio of fluid inertia to viscosity force, is often used to describe fluid flow. The Re for compressible fluid is defined as follows, Re = ρ ⁢ ⁢ V ∞ ⁢ L μ , ( 1 ) where ρ, V∞, μ is respectively the density, velocity, and dynamic viscosity of the fluid, and L is the characteristic length. When fluid passes a non-streamlined body (or called body, or vortex generating body) in a given rang of Re, since the adverse pressure gradient exists in the boundary layer of the fluid on the body, the fluid starts to separate with the time developing. A lot of experimental and theoretical studies had shown that when Re is from 50 to 500, the vortices are continuously and periodically shed from each side of the body and the rotation direction of the paired vortices is alternate. Two stable, regularly spaced rows of vortices with laminar core are formed in the wake behind the body. This fluid motion pattern is called the Karman vortex street, named after the Germany fluid dynamist Theodore Von Karman (1881-1963), owning to his exploring research on this fluid motion. FIG. 1 presents the pattern of the Karman vortex street. The circulation conservation law can explain the formation of the Karman vortex street. It means that when a vortex produces, another vortex with apposite circulation surely exists. In practices, when flows pass the buildings, electrical lines, bridge piles, etc., the Karman vortex street will appear. Another non-dimensional parameter, Strouhal number, also describes the relation between the vortex shedding frequency and fluid velocity in the Karman vortex Street. The Strouhal number, St, is defined as St = fL V ∞ , ( 2 ) where f is the vortex shedding frequency and the other variables are same as before. Under a range of Re, the Strouhal number is fixed, therefore, the fluid velocity can be found by measuring the vortex shedding frequency, which is the basic principle of the widely used Karman vortex flow meters. The vortices in the Karman Vortex Street behind the vortex generating body are conducted to downstream. At the same time, because of the circulation around a vortex, a force along the lateral direction (perpendicular to the fluid direction) acts on the vortex. This force is called lift. In the Karman vortex street, fluid behaviors alternately force along the two rows of vortices. According to the principle of action and opposite action, the alternate shedding of vortices can create periodic lateral force on the body, which induces the body oscillation. In engineering practices, this oscillation could make the body fatigued and damaged. For example, the accident of Tcomn Narrow Bridge was caused by the Karman vortex street. To convert this oscillating energy generated by the Karman Vortex Street to the usable energy, such as electrical power, is the purpose of this invention.

The present invention relates to electronic storage media and, more particularly, to a data card having a retractable handle for use in connection with electronic devices. The utilization of electronic devices has become pervasive in our society. As the need for electronic devices grows, the consuming public demands smaller and more portable devices to promote their convenient utilization. A significant drawback associated with minimizing the size and weight of electronic devices is the countervailing need to provide increasing memory capabilities. The constantly expanding memory requirements of electronic devices often impedes or precludes a manufacturer's ability to reduce the size and weight of the devices. In recent years, though, removable electronic storage media have been developed to expand the functions of electronic devices. Such storage media are small and lightweight. They are adapted to be selectively interchangeable in the device so that the device's memory can be selectively augmented to perform a particular application. Perhaps most common among these media are magnetic tapes, floppy disks and their associated drives, which are often used in connection with personal computers. In other, more portable devices where damage to the electronic storage media is a more significant threat, the media is often placed within a protective shell or housing so that when the storage media is not in use with its associated device, the media is protected from external environmental conditions and physical damage. One increasingly common form of such protective electronic storage devices are data cards. Data cards are well known in the art and typically include a small hard plastic housing for containing the data storage medium. The cards can be interchangeably inserted within the device and easily replaced to provide the device with virtually limitless memory. To add memory, the user need only insert a new data card suited to the particular application. Data cards are particularly useful for hand-held devices where portability is critical, such as with navigation and avionics devices. However, a significant problem has arisen relating to the use of data cards in portable electronic devices. It is inherent in utilization of a data card that it be configured so that the user can grasp the card to insert and remove it from the device when necessary. This configuration necessitates that a portion of the data card extend beyond the device so that it may be grasped. The projection of the data card from the device is not aesthetically pleasing. More importantly, this extension of the data card from the device is likely to be bumped or snagged, thereby damaging the data card and the storage media contained therein. If the device is in use, any physical contact with the data card could impede the functioning of the device or, even worse, cause the device to become nonfunctional. Ironically, the primary utility of the data card--its interchangeability--is also its primary drawback. A variety of current designs for data cards have proved somewhat satisfactory in overcoming this drawback These designs usually entail the substantially complete insertion of the data card into the device so that it presents a relatively flush profile with the outer surface of the device. This flush configuration, however, makes it difficult for the user to manipulate the card to remove it and replace it when necessary. While the flush configuration is desirable for aesthetic reasons and to protect the media contained in the data card, the flush configuration has created significant problems in actually using the data card. If the data card cannot be removed, the practical memory capacity of the device is basically limited to a single card and, thus, the overall utility of the device is substantially reduced.

Assume that the surface of a table on which a workpiece is mounted is flat, and the thickness (plate thickness) of the workpiece is substantially uniform. In this case, a measured height of the top surface of the workpiece at a desired position may be regarded as the height of the top surface of the workpiece. When a hole is machined out in the workpiece, the depth of the hole is generally designated on the basis of the surface of the workpiece. Accordingly, if the position (height) of the top surface of the workpiece is determined, a hole which is superior in depth-direction accuracy can be machined out. There may be a variation in the plate thickness of the workpiece. In this case, the height of the top surface of the workpiece may be measured at every place to be machined. Alternatively the height of the top surface of the workpiece may be measured at a plurality of places, and an average value of the measured values may be regarded as the height of the top surface of the workpiece when the workpiece is machined. When a hole is machined out with a mechanical drill, a surface height Zn of a workpiece at a place to be drilled is detected, and compared with an average value Zm of surface heights at N positions, which have been drilled immediately before the aforementioned place to be drilled. When the absolute value of the difference (Zn−Zm) is smaller than a predetermined value δ, drilling is performed. When the absolute value is not smaller than the value δ, it is decided that swarf or the like is caught between the workpiece surface and a substrate pressure plate, and the machining is suspended. Drilling is resumed after such a cause is removed (Patent Document 1). In recent years, lasers have been used as means for machining small-diameter holes. When a hole is machined by use of a laser beam, the outer shape of the laser beam is shaped into a desired shape by an aperture, and converged by a lens so that an image of the aperture is formed, for example, on the surface of a workpiece. In this case, the allowable value for height variation of the image position is not larger than 30 μm. Patent Document 1: JP-A-9-277140 The time of machining by a laser is an order of milliseconds. It is therefore not practical to measure the height of the surface of a workpiece in every machining time as shown in Patent Document 1. Even when the height of the top surface of the workpiece from the surface of the table is measured only at a plurality of places, the measuring time becomes longer than the machining time. Thus, the total machining time becomes impractically long. The plate thickness of a workpiece where holes will be machined by a laser is generally substantially uniform. It has been therefore believed that the machining quality will be uniform if the height of the top surface of the workpiece is measured at one place. However, there has occurred a variation in machining quality in spite of the uniform plate thickness of the workpiece. The present inventors discovered the following fact. That is, there may be irregularities of about 10-30 μm high in the table surface which has been regarded as flat. The height of those irregularities is close to the allowable value for height variation of the image position. Thus, there occurs a deterioration in machining quality.

1. Field One embodiment of the invention relates to a video content recording apparatus which records copyright-protected video content transferred from a source apparatus, and a video content transfer method. 2. Description of the Related Art Content currently available via digital terrestrial and digital DBS broadcasting is copyright-protected and may not be duplicated. In order to use the content on an apparatus different from the one on which it was recorded, the content must be moved in advance. When moving copyright-protected content between apparatuses through a network or the like, a content moving method defined by various standards is typically used so that unauthorized copies cannot be made. Initially, the destination apparatus issues a transfer request for the content to the source apparatus. In response, the source apparatus transfers the content to the destination apparatus. Here, the destination apparatus records the content but not in a usable state (referred to as the inactive state, the usable state in the source apparatus, on the other hand, being referred to as the active state). The processing so far will be referred to as transfer processing. After the entire content has been transferred, the destination apparatus issues a deactivation request for the content to the source apparatus. In response, the source apparatus deletes the content and reports the deletion to the destination apparatus. The destination apparatus makes the content usable. The processing so far from the end of the transfer processing will be referred to as move confirmation processing. This method eliminates the period where usable content coexists in both apparatuses, and can thus move the content while preventing the creation of unauthorized copies. The content moving method described above will be referred to as a transaction-based move. Since it takes time to move content, it is inconvenient, entailing a long wait, to move content from scratch after a need arises to use the content. Suppose, for example, that one wishes to move content from a DVD recorder or the like to a cellular phone when going out and to view the content with the cellular phone away from home. He/she then needs to wait for the transfer time if the content moving operation is performed from scratch before going out. For example, when an hour's content recorded at 25 Mbps is transmitted through a 100Base network with an effective rate of 50 Mbps, the transfer time to wait up to the end of the transfer is as much as approximately 30 minutes. With copiable content, it is possible to copy all the content to the destination apparatus anyway instead of moving. The content then can be selected anytime to keep the needed for use and delete the unneeded. The content deleted from the destination apparatus will not be completely lost since the same content is still in the source apparatus. Content that can only be moved, on the other hand, will be lost permanently from both the apparatuses if it is moved in advance and then deleted during selection, being determined not to be used this time. To avoid this, if the content is kept undeleted in the destination apparatus, the storage capacity will be wasted. Moving the content back to the original apparatus for this reason eventually takes time. Jpn. Pat. Appln. Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-185473 discloses a technique for reducing the waiting time of move processing in a digital content recording and reproducing apparatus, by moving content under reproduction while maintaining a move condition even during reproduction. The technique disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-185473 is not a fundamental solution, however, since the time from the occurrence of a need to the completion of a move is unchanged.

People are dependent on Internet-connected computers and mobile phones, which in turn are reliant on central infrastructure in the form of the internet (e.g., domain name servers) and cell towers, respectively to operate. If any kind of scenario arises where that central infrastructure is unavailable or suffering degraded performance, the computers and mobile phones are not able to communicate with other computers and mobile phones. Smartphones integrate a broad range of communication functions with general purpose computational capabilities. Further, smartphones can also route and bridge communications between different communication bands and protocols, and thus can provide Internet connectivity and service to other devices. Two distinct types of ubiquitous wireless data communication networks have developed: cellular telephone networks having a maximum range of about 20-50 miles line of sight or 3 miles in hilly terrain, and short-range local-area computer networks (wireless local-area networks or WLANs) having a maximum range of about 0.2 miles (˜1000 feet IEEE-802.11n 2.4 GHz) outdoors line of sight. First, the cellular infrastructure for wireless telephony involves long-distance communication between mobile phones and central basestations, where the basestations are typically linked to tall cell towers, connecting to the public switched telephone network and the Internet. The radio band for these long-range wireless networks is typically a regulated, licensed band, and the network is managed to combine both broad bandwidth (˜5-20 MHz) and many simultaneous users. This should be contrasted with a short-range wireless computer network, which may link multiple users to a central router or hub, which router may itself have a wired connection to the Internet. A key example is Wi-Fi, which is managed according to the IEEE-802.11x communications standards, with a data rate theoretically over 1 gigabit per second (802.11ac) and a range that is typically much less than 100 m. Other known standard examples are known by the terms Bluetooth and ZigBee. The radio band for a WLAN is typically an unlicensed band, such as one of the ISM bands (industrial, scientific, and medical), or more recently, a whitespace band formerly occupied by terrestrial analog television (WSLAN). One implication of such an unlicensed band is the unpredictable presence of significant interference due to other classes of users, which tends to limit either the range, or the bandwidth, or both. For such local area networks, a short range (low power and high modulation rates) becomes advantageous for high rates of spatial band reuse and acceptable levels of interference. Ad hoc networks or mesh networks are also known. These protocols permit peer-to-peer communications between devices over a variety of frequency bands, and a range of capabilities. In a multihop network, communications are passed from one node to another in series between the source and destination. Because of various risks, as the number of hops grows, the reliability of a communication successfully reaching its destination decreases, such that hop counts of more than 10 or 20 in a mobility permissive network are rarely considered feasible. A typical mesh network protocol maintains a routing table at each node, which is then used to control the communication. This routing table may be established proactively or reactively. In proactive routing, the network state information is pushed to the various nodes, often appended to other communications, such that when a communication is to be established, the nodes rely on the then-current routing information to control the communication. This paradigm suffers from the possibility of stale or incorrect routing information or overly burdensome administrative overhead, or both. Reactive routing seeks to determine the network state at the time of, and for the purpose of, a single communication, and therefore may require significant communications possibly far exceeding the amount of data to be communicated in order to establish a link. Because the network state is requested at the time of communication, there is less opportunity to piggyback the administrative information on other communications. There are also various hybrid ad hoc network routing protocols, which seek to compromise between these two strategies, and other paradigms as well. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. 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A much older class of wireless communication technologies comprises voice communication on narrowband analog radio channels, such as paired Walkie-Talkies and Citizens Band (CB) Radio. The set of Citizen's Band services defined by Federal Communications Commission regulations includes the Family Radio Service (FRS) and General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) which operate at 462 and 467 MHz, Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS) which operates at 150 MHz, the original Citizens Band Radio (CB) which operates at 27 MHz and more recently at 49 MHz, Wireless Medical Telemetry Service (WTMS) at 610, 1400 and 1430 MHz, the Low Power Radio Service (LPRS) at 216-217 MHz, and the Medical Implant Communications Service (MICS) at 402 MHz which are in some cases unlicensed, or easy to obtain a license for the Multi-Use Radio Service, or MURS, is a low power, short range, unlicensed personal radio service in the 150 MHz band. MURS is intended for short-range local voice or data communications. Antenna height is limited to 20 feet above structure or 60 feet above ground, whichever is the greater. Narrow bandwidth transmissions (maximum 11.25 kHz channel bandwidth, with +/−2.5 kHz deviation) intended for voice communications are permissible on all five MURS channels. The older +/−5 kHz deviation signals (with a maximum 20 kHz channel bandwidth) are also permitted (but not required) on the two upper channels (in the 154 MHz band). The range at maximum permitted transmit power of 2 watts is 2-8 miles. It is noted that certain restrictions on use may be different across the different channels; for example, the MURS is not permitted to communicate with the telephone network, while a licensee controlled band, generally does not have such restrictions. Therefore, the premium band may have qualitative differences in permitted use. Typically, the highly regulated bands will be geographically licensed, and therefore the transceiver device may require a GPS receiver to determine what bands are available for use. An alternate, however, is to provide a radio frequency scan function to listen for characteristic control channel communications and geographic and/or licensing information, before any communications are sent. Typical rules for band use should not prohibit such automated scanning to determine permissible band usage within the region. A transceiver device may therefore conduct a handshake negotiation with a base station in a particular location to authorize its usage, and to the extent applicable, log usage and charge a prepaid or postpaid user account for the usage. The wireless telephone system was of course initially developed for voice communications, but another form of communication that has become ubiquitous on SmartPhones is the exchange of brief text messages, which are sent in a “push” manner, and routed by telephone number. Another similar technology is “Instant Messaging”, which sends alphanumeric communications typically over the Internet, to a destination defined by an Internet Protocol (IP) address, or routed by identifier (username) through a central server (similar in function to a domain name server [DNS]). These are small data packets that can be transmitted at low data rates, and sent to specific recipients. This is also somewhat similar to electronic mail between computers, though email routing requires, in addition to a DNS, a sendmail server and a receivemail server. As digital data, these messages can also be encrypted before transmitting and decrypted in the receiver SmartPhone or computer. Most of the efforts in wireless technology in recent years have focused on maintaining highly reliable voice and data communication for a large number of simultaneous users over broadband channels, in a way that is largely invisible to the user of the wireless device. A typical SmartPhone may have access to both a long-distance cellular phone network, and a WLAN such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, as indicated in the Prior Art shown in FIG. 4. But what happens when neither network is available? This may be the case, for example, if a user is located in a wilderness location far from cell phone towers, or during an emergency when such towers are not fully functional. While satellite phone systems are commercially available, most mobile units are incapable of taking advantage of such systems, which requires expensive and high-power devices. There are some recent and earlier examples of prior art that address one or more of these issues. For example, see: U.S. Pub. App. Nos. 2010/0203878, 2008/0200165, 2012/0023171, 2010/0029216, 2009/0109898, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,415,158, 8,503,934, 8,165,585, 7,127,250, 8,112,082, 7,512,094, 8,126,473, 2009/0286531, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,400,903, 6,647,426, 8,248,947, and PCT App. Nos. WO2012/116489, WO2012/078565, each of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference. These citations deal with wireless communications systems with two available bands, which may comprise both licensed and unlicensed bands. FRS and/or GMRS has been used for various types of data communications, for example, to communicate GPS coordinates between hand-held compatible receivers, such as various Garmin RINO® models. More generally, it is known to transmit digital data over voice channels in radio communications, though these communications are typically conducted between predetermined members of a network, and therefore typically employ in-channel signaling, i.e., a receiver listens on a single channel for both control information and communicated data. For example, the IDAS Digital radio systems (LMR, DroidCONX) employs licensed spectrum to support radio communications between computerized hosts.

Among vehicles, there are automobiles of the hatchback type including a back door. In a vehicle body rear part of the vehicle of this type, a back door opening section having a round structure opened and closed by the back door is provided. In the past, as a method of securing rigidity of the vehicle body rear part of such a vehicle, a high-rigidity section by a closed cross section of the round structure of the back door opening section and a rear side member section of a rear floor of a vehicle body basic structure are coupled and reinforced However, in the structure of the vehicle body rear part in the past explained above, the high-rigidity section of the round structure of the back door opening section is provided in a position higher than the rear side member section of the rear floor of the vehicle body basic structure. The high-rigidity section of the round structure and the rear side member section of the vehicle body basic structure are laid out apart from each other in a vehicle up-down direction. In this case, it is necessary to add a separate bracket as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-218995 or substantially extend the high-rigidity section of the round structure of the back door opening section downward in the vehicle as shown in Japanese Examined Utility Model Publication No. H3-12621 to couple the high-rigidity section and the rear side member section. Therefore, in the structure of the vehicle-body rear part in the past, an increase in weight and an increase in costs are caused. Furthermore, it is likely that rigidity in the length direction is deteriorated because the high-rigidity section is vertically long. In the structure of the vehicle body rear part in the past, when the rear side member section and a closed cross-sectional section in the vehicle width direction of the round structure of the back door opening section are coupled using a reinforcing member, there is a problem in that a load in the up-down direction from the round structure of the backdoor opening section cannot be efficiently transmitted to the rear side member.

The conventional method for attaching hardware, such as support brackets and rings for alternate path shunt tubes and bladed centralizers, to oilfield sand screen tubulars and other downhole equipment involves welding such components directly to the production tubular. Welding creates residual stresses in the tubular that can eventually lead to stress or corrosion cracking, surface cracks, and other defects that can ultimately result in the failure of the tubular. However, most welding procedures generally include a post-weld heat treatment designed to minimize the residual stresses and increase the strength of the tubular near the weld joint by re-homogenizing the crystalline structure of the tubular material. However, with increasingly sophisticated metallurgy, such as 25CR-125ksi material commonly used in downhole applications, regaining vital strength properties of the tubular is simply not possible through post-weld heat treatments. Consequently, in applications using modem metallurgy, welding directly to the production tubular will ultimately result in the tubular having reduced strength characteristics as a result of the residual stresses on the tubular. Moreover, in order to comply with downhole drilling regulations, the tubular weld must also be thoroughly inspected in an effort to identify any weld defects that could eventually propagate into cracks and lead to tubular failure. This inspection is commonly undertaken via non-destructive weld examination methods, such as liquid penetrant inspection. Like many other non-destructive weld inspection methods, liquid penetrant inspection requires an in-depth system of quality control documents, traceability, and personnel training which are inherently time consuming and cost prohibitive for many applications. There is a need, therefore, for a system and method of attaching downhole equipment hardware to production tubulars without welding such equipment thereto and thereby compromising the structural integrity of the tubular and requiring costly post-weld treatments or inspections.

1. Field This invention relates to chain link fences which have a plurality of decorative, elongate slats woven through the links of the chain link fabric of the fence. More particularly, the present invention relates to improved means for locking and retaining the slats in a uniform position along the fencing. Further, the present invention relates to an improved lower rail element upon which the slats can be supported, with the slats being attachable to the lower rail using novel clip means. 2. State of the Art It is well known to insert slats in chain link fences to provide privacy and to improve the appearance of the fence. Unfortunately, there are two somewhat related serious problems encountered in using slats in chain link fencing, first, the slats have a tendency to shift longitudinally after being inserted in the wire fabric of the chain link fence so as to become disarranged and uneven. Disarranged, uneven slats greatly impairs the appearance of the fence. The second related problem is that the loosely positioned slats are easy prey for vandals. The slats are unfortunately, easily removed from the fence and discarded by the vandals. Several methods have been proposed to alleviate these problems. The slats have been secured to the chain links in the fence by using staples, nails and other fasteners. In addition systems have been proposed for interlocking the slats with channel members or elongate rigid connecting members which run along the length of the fence and which engage the slat members. The installation of such systems is a tedious, time consuming, costly operation. No inexpensive, expedient means have been proposed to effectively cope with the vandalism problem. Some of the more complex systems do alleviate the vandalism problem, but unfortunately as stated previously, these systems generally are costly and require tedious time consuming installation. Representative U.S. patents which have been directed to retaining slats in position in chain link fences are: ______________________________________ 2,760,759 3,037,593 4,085,954 2,802,645 3,069,142 4,512,556 ______________________________________ 3. Objective A principal objective of the present invention is to provide a new and improved slat system comprising novel, unique, inexpensive, easily installed clip means for retaining the slats at a uniform position along the fencing and locking the slats into the fence to thwart vandalism.

Fires within building structures often start in a single room or location and spread from room-to-room traveling through interior doorways and other openings. As fires progress through building structures burning various combustible materials, a substantial amount of smoke is generally produced with such smoke potentially including toxic gases that are generated when certain materials and chemical compounds are oxidized. While the fires can cause significant property damage and destroy or weaken building structures, the smoke and toxic gases can cause substantial physical injury or death to persons who inhale them. Thus, by limiting the spread of fires and smoke within building structures, damage to property and building structures may be minimized and physical injury to, and the potential death of, persons within building structures may be prevented. Many attempts have been made to develop devices that limit the spread of fire and smoke through doorways and other openings in building structures. Unfortunately, many of the devices have been found to become mechanically unstable after a fire. Therefore, a number of jurisdictions have begun requiring such devices to pass a test known as the “Hose Stream Test” in order to be approved for use in their jurisdiction. The Hose Stream Test is generally run on a device for limiting the spread of fire and smoke after it has been exposed to high temperatures over a long period of time during a separate fire test. In the Hose Stream Test, a jet of water such as that produced by a fire hose is directed at the device, generally, from a direction that is normal to the device. To pass the Hose Stream Test, the device must withstand the forces exerted on the device by the water jet and not become mechanically unstable. Typically, the devices that have been developed to limit the spread of fire and smoke fall into two categories. A first type of devices has attempted to limit the spread of fire and smoke by sealing openings with flexible protection members including a plurality of slats. Examples of such devices include fire protection roller shutters, fire doors, and curtains made of metal components that slide over and relative to one another. Advantageously, these devices limit the spread of fire and smoke while being capable of withstanding mechanical loads particularly well, including after exposure to fire. As a consequence, many such devices have passed the Hose Stream Test. Unfortunately, these devices are typically heavy and require a large amount of space. Also, in order to use some of these devices, ceilings in buildings must be designed in a manner that enables the devices to be built into or supported by the ceilings, thereby limiting an architect's design freedom. Additionally, these devices are time-consuming to produce and are, thus, expensive. A second type of devices, commonly known as “fire protection curtains”, have attempted to limit the spread of fire and smoke by sealing openings with a flexible protection member manufactured from a fire resistant material that can be wound around a reel or winding shaft. The fire resistant materials used in such devices typically include woven textile fabrics having warp and weft threads. The flexible protection members are generally stretched by a plurality of wires that extend between rollers moving in guides mounted relative to an opening in a building wall. Beneficially, these devices reduce the spread of fire and smoke, are relatively light in weight, and save space. However, these devices are generally less resistant to mechanical influences and loads than devices of the first type described above. Additionally, after exposure to the heat of a fire, the flexible protection members tend to become brittle and tear when struck with a stream of extinguishing water during a fire. Consequentially, many of these devices cannot pass the Hose Stream Test. There is, therefore, a need in the industry for a system for deploying, retracting and supporting fire protection curtains that is lightweight, requires minimal space, is capable of improving the resistance of fire protection curtains to mechanical loads during and after exposure to fire, enables fire protection curtains to pass the Hose Stream Test, and that solves the difficulties, problems, and shortcomings of existing systems.

A valve mechanism 90A of a conventional example 1 (Patent Document 1) illustrated in FIG. 8 includes a cam 92 formed on a camshaft 91 and a roller arm 95 including a roller 95a and configured to swing to drive a valve 7 when the roller 95a is pressed by the cam 92. A variable valve mechanism 90B of a conventional example 2 (Patent Document 2) illustrated in FIG. 9 and a variable valve mechanism 90C of a conventional example 3 (Patent Document 3) illustrated in FIG. 10 are the same as that of the conventional example 1 in including the cam 92 and the roller arm 95, but are different therefrom in including a variable arm 94 interposed between the cam 92 and the roller 95a. The variable arm 94 is operated by a variable device 96, whereby the drive state (the lift amount and the action angle) of the valve 7 is continuously changed.

In practice dental treatments, teeth extracted from human bodies and animals have conventionally been used so as to experience the grinding sensation of a natural tooth. However, there are hygienic problems associated with extracted teeth and infection may occur if hygiene control is not sufficiently conducted. Thus it was impossible to conduct training freely. Furthermore since extracted teeth comprise a natural living material, there arises a problem of corruption and it is necessary to pay a careful attention to storage. Therefore, there has been a need for a method which enables the experience of the grinding sensation of a tooth without using a natural tooth. Now a tooth for a dental arch model, which is used for practice treatments in the oral cavity, is often produced using an epoxy resin or a melamine resin, and are well known in the art. However, a tooth for a dental arch model formed of an epoxy resin or a melamine resin is in the form of a natural tooth, but exhibits a grinding sensation different from that of a natural tooth. Therefore, even when performing formation trainings such as abutment tooth formation and cavity preparation, grinding sensation and handling properties are different from those of actual dental works in the oral cavity, and thus the training effect could not be obtained. Specifically, an epoxy resin and a melamine resin are soft. Thus there is a tendency to over grind and even when performing training using such a model tooth, the grinding may not be similar to that of a hard natural tooth. Furthermore, a natural tooth is formed of an enamel texture and the dentin texture and an enamel texture and the dentin texture are harder than a resin, and thus the enamel texture, with which a crown portion of the dentin texture is coated, and the dentin texture have different hardnesses. As a result, in case of a transition during grinding from the enamel texture to the dentin texture, the dentin texture may be excessively ground and thus a tooth may not be satisfactorily produced. That is, it is required that a grinding sensation varies similarly to a natural tooth in the transition part from the enamel portion to the dentin portion of a tooth for a dental arch model. Therefore as a matter of course, it is important that the enamel portion reproduces the grinding sensation of the enamel texture, while the dentin portion reproduces the grinding sensation of the dentin texture. As a result of the need for a harder material, a composite type tooth is commercially available. However even in case of a composite type tooth, since the dentin portion and the enamel portion exhibit the same grinding sensation, the grinding sensation of the composite type tooth is different from that of a natural tooth. Therefore, even when performing formation trainings such as abutment tooth formation and cavity preparation, the grinding sensation and handling properties are different from those in case of dental works in the oral cavity in practice, and thus the training effect could not be obtained. To state the matter clearly, the grinding sensation includes slipperiness and is substantially different from a natural tooth. Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication (Kokai) 1-90068 discloses that a the enamel texture layer is formed of glass/ceramics having a Vickers hardness controlled within a range from 350 to 450, comprising a phlogopite crystal [NaMg3(Si3AlO10)F2] and a lithia-alumina-silica-based crystal (Li2O.Al2O3.2SiO2, Li2O.Al2O3.4SiO2) precipitated simultaneously; a tooth root layer is prepared in advance by adding white, red and yellow colorants to a polyol (base resin), mixing with an isocyanate prepolymer (curing agent), injecting the mixture into a silicone rubber mother mold under vacuum conditions and curing the mixture at a normal temperature; and a dentin texture recognition layer, which exists between the enamel texture layer and the tooth root layer thereby bonding both layers, and is formed of an adhesive resin having an opaque color. However, the tooth comprising an enamel texture layer formed of a phlogopite crystal or a lithia-alumina-silica-based crystal is not well adapted for use because it feels too hard when grinding as compared with a natural tooth, and also it is not well adapted for use because the dentin texture recognition layer is formed of an adhesive resin which feels too soft when grinding. Furthermore, the dentin layer is formed of an adhesive layer is disclosed. It is described that an enamel layer portion and a tooth root layer portion are formed and bonded. It is recognized as the dentin layer formed of a thick adhesive layer. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. (hereinafter referred to briefly as “JP-A-”) 5-224591 discloses a tooth model which has a grinding sensation extremely similar to that of a natural tooth, and is suited for the training of practical dental grinding. The tooth model comprises a crown portion whose surface has a Knoop hardness of at least 70 or more and a tooth root portion whose surface has a Knoop hardness of at least 10 to 40. The tooth model contains, as main components, an inorganic matter powder and a crosslinking resin in a weight ratio of 20%:80% to 70%:30%. The above prior art discloses that “a tooth model may be formed of a raw material having any hardness, for example, metal, ceramics or a resin, or may be a cavity in view of the method for producing a tooth model and economic considerations”. However, this is not a tooth model which can exhibit a difference in the grinding sensation between the enamel portion and the dentin portion. JP-A-5-216395 discloses a tooth model which has a grinding sensation extremely similar to that of a natural tooth and is suited for the training of practical dental grinding, and a method for producing the same. The tooth model contains, as main components, a hydroxyapatitte powder having a porosity of 40 to 80% and a (meth)acrylate ester-based resin in a weight ratio of 20%:80% to 50%:50%. However, this is not a tooth model which can exhibit a difference in the grinding sensation between the enamel portion and the dentin portion. JP-A-5-241498, JP-A-5-241499 and JP-A-5-241500 describe an inorganic filler and hydroxyapatitte filler. However, in all tooth models disclosed in these publications, a resin is used as a base material and thus the problem of the grinding sensation is not solved. They are not tooth models which can exhibit a difference in grinding sensation between the enamel portion and the dentin portion. JP-A-2004-94049 describes an invention which provides a model tooth for dental training, which enables an accurate shape measurement with laser beam. The specification discloses that “known materials can be used as a material constituting a surface of a crown portion of the model tooth of the present invention and there can be used porcelain materials such as ceramics; thermoplastic resin materials such as acryl, polystyrene, polycarbonate, an acrylonitrile-styrene-butadiene copolymer (ABS), polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyester; thermosetting resin materials such as melamine, urea, unsaturated polyester, phenol, and epoxy; and materials obtained by adding various organic and inorganic reinforcing fibers (for example, glass fiber, carbon fiber, pulp, synthetic resin fiber, etc.), various fillers (for example, talc, silica, mica, calcium carbonate, barium sulfate, alumina, etc.), colorants (for example, pigment, dye, etc.) and various additives (for example, weathering agents, antistatic agents, etc.) to these main raw materials”. However, there is no description about preferable materials, and thus the problem of grinding sensation is not solved. As a result of a study, the present inventors have found that it is necessary to use a sintered body of an inorganic material so as to exhibit the grinding sensation of a natural tooth. Because of the difficulty in controlling a hardness of an inorganic material, it is difficult to form an enamel portion and a dentin portion while controlling the hardness. It is necessary to control a density and a particle shape of the sintered body and a sintering temperature so as to adjust the grinding sensation of the sintered body. The difference in a shrinkage rate and a thermal expansion coefficient between the enamel portion and the dentin portion upon sintering results in breaking, peeling and cracking. In addition, a gap may be formed between the dentin portion and the enamel portion. Thus, chipping may occur upon grinding and the gap gives a sensation different from the grinding sensation of a natural tooth. Thus the resultant tooth was not well adapted for use. When a natural tooth is ground, a unique tough grinding sensation upon grinding of a living body is obtained. In particular, the dentin portion remarkably exhibits sensation of adhesion of an organic component contained in the dentinal tubule of the tooth to a bar, and sensation of inhibition of grinding. Although various methods have been studied so as to obtain a tough grinding sensation peculiar to a natural tooth, a sufficient grinding sensation cannot be obtained using resin, composite or the like and such a sensation can not be obtained while pouring water on a conventional tooth for a dental arch model. A grinding sensation is required in which users feel a tough grinding sensation than that of an inorganic material even in case of the enamel texture because of a similar phenomenon. However, neither a specific composition of a tooth model capable of realizing a grinding sensation of the enamel texture and the dentin texture of a natural tooth, nor a method for producing the same has been studied or reported. A method of reproducing tooth pulp peculiar to a natural tooth has not been developed heretofore, and thus dental students could not experience exposure to tooth pulp. Dental pulp exposure (grinding down the tooth pulp portion) is the most important technique in a dental treatment. In case where tooth pulp exposure was carried out by mistake, the subsequent treatment method must be learned at the same time. As a dental caries progresses in a natural tooth, the treatment position expands into the enamel layer, the dentin layer and the tooth pulp, and training for a root canal treatment such as a pulpectomy is most important. When a pulpectomy is carried out, since the tooth pulp is removed by a reamer and sensations of rubbing of the dentin wall surface with the reamer completely varies, training of root canal filling could not be carried out. In a treatment of tooth pulp, a tooth designed for training of a root canal treatment is used, and also training of a root canal treatment (root canal cleaning, root canal extension, etc.) is carried out using a tooth with a small hole formed of a box-shaped acryl. However, sufficient training cannot be carried out since it is impossible to mount the tooth on a jaw and the hardness of the dentin texture varies. It is required to develop a tooth for a dental arch model, which enables these experiences. In particular, dental students learn by hand the sensation of whether or not tooth pulp is completely removed upto the apical foramen during root canal cleaning, and thus it is difficult for beginners. Therefore, it is required to perform training using a tooth for a dental arch model in which tooth pulp in a natural tooth is reproduced. Although removal of dental caries is an important procedure in a dental treatment, a carious dental portion is softer than a usual dentin portion and thus it is difficult to grind the carious dental portion. Therefore, it is necessary to perform training using a tooth for a dental arch model in which dental caries in a natural tooth are reproduced. It is also required to develop a method of confirming that a carious dental portion has been accurately removed.

1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to improvements in density check plates for checking the variation of the spectral characteristics of a densitometer. 2. Description of the Prior Art Photographic color densitometers are generally provided with spectral filters for the three colors, red, green, and blue (hereinafter referred to as R, G, and B) of a color photosensitive material, or filters matched in visual density to measure the density of the three colors, R, G, and B, and the transmission density. The density value of te color photosensitive material to be measured greatly depends upon the characteristics of the spectral filters used in the photographic color densitometer. Accordingly, in the routine use of photographic densitometers, it is necessary to always check the density value so as to avoid a variation in the spectral characteristics of all optical systems in a device. This includes measuring the spectral filters. For this reason, a density check plate employing six kinds (for high density and for low density of each color, R, G, and B; i.e., two kinds for each color), with each color, R, G, and B, of color plates which greatly vary in the value of the spectral density in the vicinity of the dominant wavelength of the three-colors, R, G, B spectral filter is generally used. The "Check Plaque" (product name) of the Eastman Kodak Co. is one example of such a density check plate. The principle of the check plate as described above will be described with reference to FIG. 1. First, in the event a dye, for example, cyan, magenta, yellow recording on the photosensitive material, having a spectral density distribution D.sub..lambda. is measured with the use of a photographic color densitometer using a spectral filter having the spectral characteristic A.sub..lambda., a porton (hatched portion) in which both curves overlap is measured as a density value. However, if the characteristic A.sub..lambda. of the spectral filter should be changed into a characteristic as indicated at B.sub..lambda. due to a time variation (the time variation of the spectral filter is generally considered to be where the dominant wave-form is displaced and where more break-through occurs at the high density portion), the measured value greatly varies as may be seen clearly from the difference in the area of the hatched portion. The difference in the measured value becomes greater with the variation in the spectral characteristic of the dye in the vicinity of the dominant wavelength (435.8, 546.1, and 643.8 nm according to ASA Standards) of the three-color spectral filter increases. This makes it easy to check the variation in the spectral charcteristics of the spectral filter. Therefore, it is desirable to select a color plate having great variation in spectral characteristics to serve as a density check plate for the photographic color densitometer. However, in a density check plate manufactured in a manner as described above, when the spectral characteristic of the spectral filter used in the photographic color densitometer varies, the density of the density check plate varies greatly due to the characteristic of the spectral filter, and as a result the same density check plate cannot be used.

1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to the field of quality control of finished painted surfaces and in particular to inspection and evaluation of the quality of a painted surface, such as a painted automobile surface. 2. Description of Prior Art The purchasing decision made with respect to a private automobile is typically heavily influenced by the aesthetic appearance of the automobile. Among the factors that constitute the aesthetic appearance of an automobile is the finished quality of the painted surface. The colors, lusters and finishes that are popular depend in part on fashion, but a deep lustrous finish having a liquid or wet deep mirror-like appearance is generally thought attractive and desirable by the purchaser. In the prior art, a panel of persons representing a random sample of purchasers views and subjectively evaluates the quality of the painted surface. The panel rates the quality of the paint finish based on several criteria as set forth in a questionnaire. Scores from the panel are then averaged to obtain an average evaluation of the quality of the painted surface. The prior process of using human panels for finish evaluation is extremely time consuming and expensive. At best, such evaluation can only be done periodically. There is also a statistical variation among the panels since truly random samples of human subjects cannot always be practically obtained. Although the prior art has devised various types of apparatus by which various aspects of a painted surface can be measured, such as a distinctness of image (DOI) meter or a gloss meter, readings from neither one of these prior art apparatus correlates well with the subjective judgments of human panels evaluating the same painted surface. Therefore, an apparatus and methodology is needed to replace the current paint finish evaluation technique, of periodically using a statistically random group of purchasers or potential purchasers to evaluate quality of the painted finish surface.

Efforts to improve industrial plant efficiency have spawned interest in making industrial plants relatively quickly and easily convertible from one industrial process to another. Convertibility of industrial plants permits plant managers to stay abreast of and provide for the demands of the market. A crucial component of virtually every industrial plant is conveyor systems. Thus, the convertibility of conveyor systems is crucial to the convertibility of industrial plants. In the conveyor system art, convertibility relates to accommodating articles having various sizes, shapes, physical characteristics, and orientations from workstation to workstation. Typically, conveyor systems are designed to be used in a particular way to convey a particular article. Some conveyor systems offer marginal levels of modularity or convertibility. U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,994 to Parlette discloses a pair of frame elements combinable by a coupling member and screws to form a unit frame assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,938 to Stone discloses elongated frame members including an inclined web for close spacing of a transfer disk. U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,108 to Stone discloses side frame members having top and bottom flanges with different horizontal dimensions to support different size conveyor chains. The frame members each have two mounting channels or T-slots, and they may be combined with tubular spacers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,358,010 to Besch discloses a conveyor track having an upwardly open longitudinal slot and a downwardly open T-slot to attach the track to a cross member. U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,031 to Lachonius discloses a conveyor girder having, at one or both sides thereof, two longitudinal open ducts situated one inside the other and which both can be reached from the outside of the girder. U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,808 to Kondo et al. discloses a multi-level rack-type conveyor comprising L-shaped members, each having a pair of rollers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,981 to Johansson discloses a conveyor beam for guiding and supporting a flexible track on sliding ledges.

The existing fleet of general aviation spark ignition piston engines, as well as new engines currently being delivered, and engines which are overhauled for use as replacements on existing aircraft, typically operate using leaded fuels, as allowed in the United States under an exemption provided by the 1990 Federal Clean Air Act Amendments. As that Act banned the use of leaded fuels for over-the-road vehicles in the Unites States, general aviation aircraft engines have become an increasingly visible source of atmospheric lead emissions. Environmental regulations and threatened regulations throughout the world have thus spurred investigations into the development and evaluation of possible alternative aviation fuels. Most of the general aviation spark ignition piston engines in use today have been certified in the United States by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for use with leaded aviation gasoline blends that meet the American National Standard No. ASTM D910 entitled Standard Specification for Aviation Gasolines. Under that standard, for Grade 100 fuel, 1.12 grams of lead per liter are provided in the fuel blend. In the most commonly used fuel, Grade 100LL, known as a “low lead” fuel, 0.56 grams of lead per liter are provided in the fuel blend. Both of those blends provide a minimum “knock value” lean mixture octane number of 99.6 per the ASTM D-2700 Test Method. Also, both of those blends provide a minimum “knock value” rich mixture octane number of 130, per the ASTM D 909 Test Method. Given the regulatory environment, both in the U.S. and internationally, that seeks to require the minimization or elimination of the use of lead in general aviation aircraft reciprocating piston engines, the US FAA has been instrumental in conducting tests on various heretofore proposed formulations for low lead or no lead aviation gasolines. Their reports are publicly available through the US National Technical Information Service (NTIS), Springfield, Va. 22161. Such studies include the following reports: (1) DOT/FAA/AR-04/25, entitled Full-Scale Engine Knock Tests of 30 Unleaded, High-Octane Blends, by David Atwood and Julian Canizales, issued by the Office of Aviation Research, Washington, D.C., in September 2004; (2) DOT/FAA/AR-TN07/5, entitled High-Octane and Mid-Octane Detonation Performance of Leaded and Unleaded Fuels in Naturally Aspirated, Piston Spark Ignition Aircraft Engines, by David Atwood, issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, in March 2007; (3) DOT/FAA/AR-08/40, entitled Full-Scale Engine Detonation Tests of 47 Unleaded High Octane Blends, by David Atwood, issued by the Office of Aviation Research, Washington, D.C., in September 2008; and (4) DOT/FAA/AR-08/53, entitled Full-Scale Detonation and Power Performance Evaluation of Swift Enterprises 702 Fuel, by David Atwood, issued by the Office of Aviation Research, Washington, D.C., in January 2009. The September 2004 FAA report describes how over 200 blends of potential future aviation unleaded fuels were considered. Thirty of those blends, ranging in Motor Octane Number (MON) from 96.2 to 105.6 were sufficiently promising to be blended into batches and knock-tested (as determined by ASTM D-2700 standard) in a Lycoming IO-540-K aircraft engine at the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City, N.J. Components of such blends included ranges of some (or of all) of various ingredients, including super alkylate, toluene, ethyl tertiary butyl ether, meta-toluidine, ethanol, and methylcyclopentiadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT), which were blended into a base fuel of either aviation alkylate or motor alkylate. Importantly, the FAA researcher reported that the performance of many of the tested blends deviated from that suggested by either their MON or by their performance number (PN). The March 2007 FAA report compared detonation performance of mid and high octane leaded and unleaded fuels. The fuels were compared at the onset of light detonation. The fuels were tested in a naturally aspirated Lycoming IO-540-K engine and in a naturally aspirated Lycoming IO-320-B engine. For testing, the motor octane number (MON) of fuels was determined by ASTM International (ASTM) specification D2700. The supercharge rich rating was determined by the ASTM D-909 standard. In general, the testing showed that the Grade 100LL fuel (with values minimally meeting the MON and Supercharge Rating of ASTM D910) significantly outperformed the matrix of tested unleaded fuels of equivalent MON, including even those with much higher ASTM Standard D-909 supercharge rich ratings, particularly as seen when operated on full scale aircraft engines rather than the laboratory test engines used to establish the ASTM Standard D-2700 MON and the D-909 rich rating performance number (PN). The March 2007 report indicates that the supercharge rich ratings do not appear to have the same significance for the matrix of unleaded fuels that were tested as they do for leaded hydrocarbon fuels. Based on the blends tested, the report clearly suggests that development of a better detonation performance unleaded aviation fuel would be desirable. The September 2008 FAA report was a continuation of the research described in the September 2004 report. Based on the results of the 30 potential future aviation unleaded fuel blends earlier tested, another matrix of 47 unleaded fuel blends was developed and detonation tested in a Lycoming IO-540-K aircraft engine at the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City, N.J. Components of such blends included varying ranges of “high octane components” such as aviation alkylate, super alkylate, toluene, ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE), meta-toluidine, tert-butylbenzene. The blends contained iso-pentane for volatility control. Comprehensive blend formulations, by both volume fractions and mass fractions of those fuel blends were reported in Tables 2, 3, 4, and 5 of that report. The blends with a target range of 97.6 to 106.3 MON were tested against a baseline leaded reference fuel that met all specifications of ASTM D910 for Grade 100LL fuel with minimum MON and minimum performance number (PN) per ASTM D-909. The blends were also tested against a 100LL aircraft fuel purchased at the local airport. Here, the FAA researcher reported that none of the unleaded blends of equivalent or lower MON performed as well as the Grade 100LL fuel in the detonation tests, particularly as seen when operated on full scale engines rather than the laboratory test engines used to establish the ASTM D-2700 MON and the ASTM D-909 rich rating performance number. It was also demonstrated that increased fuel flow of the unleaded blends was required above the fuel flow required for 100LL in order to achieve equivalent detonation performance. In short, the tested blends provided less detonation protection than leaded formulations of equivalent MON, and appeared to potentially be less efficient. Importantly, the researcher again reported that using only motor octane number (MON) based on ASTM D-2700 (for knock rating, lean mixture) to predict full scale engine performance of unleaded fuels, is inadequate. The January 2009 report provides results of tests on a high octane, bio-fuel (fermentation based) composition identified as Swift 702 fuel, from Swift Enterprises of Indiana. Swift 702 fuel was separately reported by Swift Enterprises, Inc., assignee of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0244961 A1, published on Oct. 9, 2008, as being eighty three percent (83%) by weight of mesitylene (also known as, and hereinafter identified by the chemical name 1,3,5 trimethylbenzene), and seventeen percent (17%) by weight of iso-pentane. The FAA similarly reported that the Swift 702 fuel consisted of two pure chemical compounds. The Swift 702 fuel was reported by the FAA to have a motor octane number (MON) of 104.4, as determined by ASTM D-2700. The Swift 702 fuel was detonation tested in a Lycoming IO-540-K aircraft engine used in the tests noted in the two reports above. Also, the Swift 702 fuel was tested in a turbocharged non-intercooled Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD aircraft engine. These two engines were reported by the FAA as having been previously determined as having the highest octane requirements of engines in the active general aviation fleet. The Swift 702 fuel provided slightly better detonation performance than Grade 100LL fuel that was purchased from the local airport aviation gasoline fixed base operator. However, it did not meet the 50%, 90%, and end distillation points of the then current ASTM D910 specification. And, the energy content was noted as being only ninety three point six percent (93.6%) of Grade 100LL on a mass basis. Such a reduction in energy content, in conjunction with the higher fuel density, will reduce the available payload of the aircraft for a given trip of a given range. In some cases, such a reduction will be unacceptable to the operator, and may require expensive re-certification of the aircraft. Thus, it would be desirable that any replacement aviation fuel more closely meet the presently existing ASTM minimum specifications with respect to energy content per unit mass of fuel, in order to minimize any potential loss of range or payload for an aircraft using such fuels. And, it would be desirable to provide a replacement aviation fuel that minimizes the quantity of 1,3,5 tri-methylbenzene that must be produced to provide sufficient unleaded fuel to the aviation marketplace, since such compound is not presently produced in commodity quantities for fuel blending, and may be more expensive, even in large scale production, than other possible unleaded aviation gasoline components. In other work, U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,358, entitled Unleaded Aviation Gasoline, was issued Nov. 28, 1995 to Gaughan, and assigned to Exxon Research & Engineering Co.; the disclosure of that patent is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference. The Gaughan patent discloses an unleaded aviation fuel that combines (a) an aviation gasoline base fuel having a motor octane number (MON) of 90-93, with (b) an amount of at least one aromatic amine as that is effective to boost the motor octane number (MON) of the base fuel to at least about 98. However, many high performance aircraft engines require better performing fuels, i.e. fuels that at least have the ability to run at all significant operating conditions in a manner substantially equivalent to that presently provided by at least a fuel that meets the minimum ASTM D910 specification for Grade 100LL, if not more. An unleaded fuel blend that only provides performance equivalent to that of a 98 MON avgas on a full scale engine will likely fail at times to meet necessary engine performance requirements. Thus, it would be desirable that a fuel provide performance that meets or exceeds the minimum ASTM D910 specifications for Grade 100LL fuel. It would be even more desirable to provide a fuel that meets or exceeds in full scale aircraft engine testing the performance of an FBO Grade 100LL fuel having a selected MON. As discussed elsewhere herein, it is common for FBO Grade 100LL fuels to have a selected MON well in excess of the minimum ASTM D910 specifications for Grade 100LL fuel. U.S. Pat. No. 6,258,134 B1, entitled High Octane Unleaded Aviation Gasolines, issued Jul. 10, 2001 to Studzinski et al., and assigned to Texaco, Inc., discloses an unleaded aviation fuel of at least 94 motor octane number (MON). The disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 6,258,134 B1 is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference. In an embodiment, that disclosure provides an unleaded aviation fuel having a motor octane number (MON) of at least 94, made up of the combination of (1) an unleaded alkylate base fuel having a boiling point range that is substantially wider than the range of boiling points in aviation base fuel, and having a motor octane number (MON) of at least 91, (2) an alkyl tertiary butyl ether, and (3) an aromatic amine. Yet, high performance aircraft engines require better performing fuels. Further, it would be desirable to provide an unleaded aviation fuel that avoids the use of oxygenated components, such as alcohols or ethers, especially since use of the latter class of compounds has been eliminated by governmental regulation in many countries. In Europe, Hjelmco Oil AB of Sweden has been selling unleaded avgas of various blends, including a 91/96 motor octane number (MON) unleaded blend that may be used in 91/96 and in 80/97 octane engines. See http://www.hjelmco.com. The 91/96 UL MON blend was first produced in Finland and introduced in 1991, and is now produced in Sweden. Hjelmco now reports on the above noted website that it is considering a Bio-alkylate derived avgas in a possible replacement for existing Grade 100LL avgas. However, in so far as I am aware, they do not yet offer a product that is capable of providing adequate detonation performance in 100/130 octane aviation engines, in spite of their many years of experience in blending and providing unleaded aviation fuels. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,767,372 B2, entitled Aviation Gasoline Containing Reduced Amounts of Tetraethyl Lead, issued Jul. 27, 2004 to Barnes et al, and assigned to Chevron U.S.A. Inc., discloses an unleaded aviation fuel of at least 94 motor octane number (MON). The disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 6,767,372 B2 is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference. In an embodiment, that disclosure provides an unleaded aviation fuel having, measured by volume, (a) about twenty percent (20%) to about eighty percent (80%) of iso-octane, (b) about five percent (5%) to about eighteen percent (18%) of toluene, (c) about one percent (1%) to about twenty percent (20%) of C4 to C5 paraffins, (d) greater than zero (0) to about one (1) ml of tetraethyl lead per gallon of the aviation gasoline composition, and (e) the balance of the composition being light alkylate produced in an alkylation unit using hydrogen fluoride or H2SO4 as a catalyst. In an embodiment, that aviation gasoline is described as being substantially free of ether compounds, such as methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) or ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE) or the like. However, the Barnes et al patent does not describe whether or not there is any possibility within the otherwise described ingredients to completely eliminate the use of tetraethyl lead. And, although it teaches reduced lead compositions in an aviation fuel, it does not provide specific suggestions as to possible formulations using the components described therein that might tend to further minimize or eliminate the use of tetraethyl lead in order to meet or exceed performance standards for presently existing for Grade 100LL aviation fuel. Thus, in spite of the extensive testing and evaluation by the FAA and by others of various candidate unleaded aviation fuel blends, and other work as noted in the above described patent literature, there still remains an as yet unmet need for an unleaded aviation gasoline blend that can be readily used in the existing general aviation piston engine aircraft fleet as a “drop in substitute”. Such an unleaded aviation gasoline, particularly a fuel blend that is essentially transparent in functionality to the aircraft engine during various flight operations as compared with existing Grade 100LL fuels, and which could be mixed in the aircraft fuel tank in a random manner with existing Grade 100LL fuel formulations, would assist in the reduction or phase out of existing lead containing aviation gasolines. That is because rather than requiring a simultaneous wholesale and widespread switch in unleaded aviation gasoline availability, if such a new unleaded aviation gasoline becomes available, then existing fuel systems could accommodate and provide a new unleaded aviation gasoline as it becomes locally available from suppliers. And, aircraft crews would not need to be concerned with whether previously existing 100LL fuel or a new unleaded aviation gasoline blend were available at any particular airfield. Further, it would be advantageous if a new unleaded aviation gasoline were available that could be utilized with little or no mechanical alterations or replacements of existing aircraft engines or aircraft system adjustments, and which could be used with little or no additional certification or other regulatory changes from the aircraft owner or operator standpoint. And, such an unleaded aviation gasoline would be of benefit to aircraft engine manufacturers and to aircraft manufacturing companies, as a fuel having such characteristics should enable them to avoid the need for extensive redesigns of equipment, testing, and recertification that might be required if an unleaded aviation fuel with less desirable performance characteristics were selected for widespread use. It would also be especially advantageous if in an embodiment, such a new unleaded aviation gasoline, rather than having substantially less than existing energy content for use by the aircraft, would provide as much or more energy per unit volume of fuel tank capacity, i.e. British Thermal Units (BTU's) per gallon, as existing Grade 100LL fuels. In such a manner, it would be particularly advantageous if a new unleaded aviation gasoline could be used to take full advantage of the existing mechanical design components with respect to mass flow of air into the engine, and materials of construction utilized in the fuel system, and be capable of operating without knock or detonation at rich and lean air fuel ratio conditions, with existing compression ratios, with full rated power output, in a stable and highly efficient manner in all flight operating conditions, including high power cruise conditions with lean air-fuel mixtures. Moreover, it would be advantageous to provide a new unleaded aviation gasoline that may be produced and distributed as a substitute for, and in the same manner as, existing petroleum feedstock aircraft fuels, using existing refinery production systems and fuel distribution systems. It would be even more useful if such a replacement aircraft fuel were provided that meets the ASTM D910 specification for detonation margins and further, either meets the remaining ASTM D910 Table 1 requirements or which only exhibits deviations from those requirements of a nature and to an extent that are not operationally significant to the pilot and the aircraft while completely eliminating the use of lead additives. It would also be advantageous to accomplish such goals while providing an unleaded aviation gasoline suitable for “drop-in” substitution, fully fungible with existing Grade 100LL aviation gasoline, in order to minimize the extent, complexity, and cost of any recertification efforts of the high performance, high-octane fuel powered engines found in existing general aviation aircraft. As used herein, the term “drop-in” substitution is directed to a fuel that meets aircraft engine performance requirements from an operational standpoint, and can be used transparently, from the operational standpoint (including fueling of and holding in the fuel tank, holding and processing in the fuel systems of an aircraft during storage and during operation, and consumed by combustion during operation of the aircraft engine, and producing environmentally acceptable products of combustion). As such, a “drop-in” fuel as described herein may or may not meet all of the current ASTM D910 specifications requirements (or a future/then current later generation similar fuel specification), except for the absence of lead. Unofficially, in some aviation fuels industry circles, such usage—i.e. meeting performance requirements but not strictly meeting ASTM or other specifications—might otherwise be known as having the capability of a “quasi-drop-in” fuel—i.e. a fuel that meets performance requirements but does not strictly meet all of the applicable ASTM D910 specifications. In any event, it would be very helpful to the general aviation piston engine user community to have available a fuel which could be placed in the aircraft tanks and used without regard to changes in mechanical components or aircraft performance, and which will therefore minimize or eliminate regulatory paperwork. It would be even more helpful, and quite advantageous, for a new unleaded aviation gasoline to be made available that meets such objectives, and that also can be used without alterations to the aircraft or engines and without substantive changes in existing operational manuals, other than to add to the limitations section of such operational manuals the approval of the use of a new grade or description of fuel which is approved and related instructions to the pilot for how the new unleaded aviation gasoline is to be used.

A hybrid vehicle comprises an internal combustion engine, which transmits power to the driving wheels by means of a transmission provided with a gearbox, and at least one electric machine which is electrically connected to an electric storage system and mechanically connected to the driving wheels. The following is possible while traveling: either a thermal working mode, in which the torque is generated only by the combustion engine and the electric machine possibly acts as a generator for recharging the electric storage system; or an electric working mode, in which the internal combustion engine is off and the torque is generated only by the electric machine working as a motor; or by a combined working mode, in which the torque is generated both by the combustion engine and by the electric machine working as a motor. Furthermore, in order to increase the overall energy efficiency during all deceleration steps, the electric machine may be used as a generator for carrying out a regenerative deceleration in which the kinetic energy possessed by the vehicle is partially converted into electric energy, which is stored in the electric storage system, instead of being fully dissipated in frictions. The arrangement of the electric machine within the vehicle and thus the mechanical connection of the electric machine to the driving wheels may be very complex in an existing vehicle, as in an existing vehicle which was not specifically designed for hybrid traction, finding the space required for accommodating the electric machine is generally very difficult. Therefore, modifying an existing vehicle to make the vehicle itself hybrid is often impossible; such a limitation is particularly serious, because it does not allow to produce a hybrid vehicle from an existing vehicle of conventional type, but requires a completely new design of the hybrid vehicle. Therefore, the design and development costs of a hybrid vehicle are often very high, thus making the hybrid vehicle marketing not so profitable. US2005139035A1, US2002033059A1, US2008142283A1, DE102005004207A1 and DE102006059664A1, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, describe a double clutch transmission for a hybrid vehicle, wherein one of the two primary shafts of the double clutch transmission is angularly integral with the rotor of a reversible electric machine. EP1097831A2, which is incorporated herein in its entirety, describes a road vehicle with hybrid propulsion including: a couple of driving wheels; a thermal internal combustion engine; a gearbox provided with a primary shaft, a first clutch interposed between the thermal internal combustion engine and the primary shaft, a secondary shaft constantly meshing with the driving wheels, and a plurality of couples of gears, each of which defines a respective speed and comprises a primary gear mounted to a primary shaft and a secondary gear which is mounted to the secondary shaft and constantly meshes with the primary gear; a reversible electric machine having a shaft, which is connected to the primary shaft of the gearbox; and an auxiliary mechanism provided with a rotatably mounted shaft which takes the movement from the primary shaft.

1. Field of Invention The present invention relates to an Identification (ID) configuration method and particularly to a method of ID configuration for advanced programmable interrupt controller (APIC) in a multiprocessor computer system. 2. Related Art As the coming of the information era, the computer system has become one of the essential instruments of people's life. In order to improve the processing efficiency of the computer system, a symmetrical multiprocessor (SMP) system has been developed in the recent years. When the computer system processes a task, the speed of performing the processing task by two processors in parallel is much faster than that by one single processor, similarly, when the processing task is performed by four processors in parallel, its speed is faster than that by two processors. And even when one processor among them is failed, other processors can take over its task to maintain the stability of the computer system. In view of the above advantages, the multiprocessor architecture is adopted by most of the large workstations or server systems For the system level, the multiprocessor system needs two advanced programmable interrupt controllers (APICs) to process the interrupt request (IRQ), in which one is a local APIC located in the central processor units (CPU), the other is an input/output APIC (I/O APIC) belonging to the I/O system, and the two may be connected to each other through an dedicated APIC bus. The local APIC is in charge of processing the local interrupts for the local processors, and may also accept and produce the interrupt request between the processors through the AIPC bus; and the I/O APIC uses a redirection table to redirect an interrupt request sending from one local APIC to another local APIC through the APIC bus. However, the I/O APIC may also cause the system malfunction, and one of the causes is the ID assignment problem when there are a large number of processors. When the computer system is powered on, the IDs stored in the register of each APIC will be set by a basic input output system (BIOS), and the APIC ID needs to be read from the MP configuration table to provide the information required by the operation to the operating system. The MP configuration table stored in the BIOS has its specific format convection, such as the MP configuration table following the Intel MP1.4 specification, i.e. using a specific multiprocessor and architecture. Previously, in the BIOS, the parameter of the CPU's local APIC in the MP configuration table was set first, and its ID is set from 0, while the I/O APIC ID is arranged behind the last CPU's local APIC ID. For example, when there are 8 dual-core CPUs in the computer system, IDs need to be assigned to 16 (8*2) local APICs, and IDs 0˜15 are occupied by each local APIC sequentially, therefore, the I/O APIC IDs should be arranged from 16, and stored in the register of the I/O APIC chipset. But generally, I/O APIC only support the register with limited bits, e.g. the registers of two I/O APICs in the AMD 8131 bridge chip only support 4 bits respectively, that is, it is only possible to be set to 15 (0˜15) at most. When the ID 16 is to be written into the first I/O APIC register, it will be written as 0000 (binary), the same with the first CPU's local APIC ID, as the entire 10000 (16 in the binary) can not be written into, and in that way, a conflict comes into being. Therefore, how to provide an APIC ID configuration method becomes one of the problems to be solved by the researchers.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,201 (Petrillo, Jr. et. al.) describes certain esters of phosphinylalkanoyl prolines or phosphinylalkanoyl substituted prolines as inhibitors of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE). These enzymes convert angiotensin I into angiotensin II, the latter being a powerful vasoconstrictor causing hypertension. Inhibition of ACE results in reduction of blood pressure, thereby improving the quality of life of the patient susceptible to or suffering from hypertension. Among the phosphinylalkanoyl esters described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,201 is the compound generically known as fosinopril sodium, marketed under the brand name Monopril®. Fosinopril sodium is administrated orally either alone or in combination with diuretics for treatment of hypertension. It is also used as an adjunct in the treatment of congestive heart failure. Fosinopril is an optically active compound having total four centres of asymmetry, three on carbon and one on phosphorous atom. Out of the sixteen isomers possible for this compound, only one of the isomers is a therapeutic i.e. a pharmaceutical. The desired isomer possessing therapeutic value is [1[S*(R*)], 2α,4β]-4-cyclohexyl-1-[[[2-methyl-1-(1-oxopropoxy)propoxy](4-phenylbutyl)phosphinyl]acetyl]-L-proline, mono-sodium salt and accordingly fosinopril sodium is represented by formula (I). The prior art methods for synthesis of fosinopril, essentially consists of the following: (i) Petrillo, Jr. et. al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,201 discloses a process for preparation of phosphinyl alkanoyl proline esters of general formula (3) comprising of reacting a phosphinyl acetic acid of formula (1) with a proline derivative of formula (2), the coupling reaction being accomplished using known amide forming procedures. Alternatively, compound of formula (3) is prepared by alkylation of the hydroxy compound of formula (4) with a halo compound of formula (5), followed by basic hydrolysis. In compounds of formula (1) to (5) mentioned hereinbefore synthesis of fosinopril is achieved and completed when R1 is phenylbutyl; R2 is isobutylpropionate; R3 is hydrogen; R4a is alkyl or arylalkyl, preferably benzyl; R4 is hydrogen; R5 is 4-cyclohexyl proline, n is zero and X is halogen. However, this patent does not: (a) even remotely suggest any method for synthesising to specifically obtain the desired isomer of fosinopril sodium (I), thus making it clear that the product obtained by the methods described in the patent is a mixture of either all possible sixteen isomers or is a mixture of some of the possible isomers, (b) suggest, teach or disclose any method for separating the desired isomer of fosinopril from the mixture of isomers and (c) suggest, teach or disclose any synthesis of esters of phosphinyl alkanoyl prolines with the cycloalkyl group at the 4-position of the proline ring having a (trans) configuration. All examples described in the patent relate to synthesis of such esters with the said cycloalkyl group having a (cis) configuration. The (trans) configuration of the cyclohexyl ring is required in fosinopril sodium. (ii) Petrillo, Jr. et. al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,356 describe a method for synthesis of the desired isomer of fosinopril sodium (I), which is an improvement over the general method described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,201.It addresses the shortcomings associated with the said U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,201. The method disclosed in this patent comprises of alkylating a phosphinyl acetic acid derivative of formula (6) with a haloester of formula (7) in the presence of an organic base selected from triethylamine, pyridine, tripropylamine and DBU to give the corresponding ester of formula (8) as a mixture of two diastereomers. The carboxylic acid ester protective group is removed by hydrogenolysis to give the phosphinyl acetic acid compound of formula (9), which is obtained as mixture of a pair of racemic forms i.e. a mixture of two diastereomers, namely a mixture of compounds of formula (9 A) and its mirror image (9 B); (9 C) and its mirror image (9 D). The racemic mixture of compounds (9 A) and its mirror image (9 B) is separated from the other pair (9 C) and its mirror image (9 D) by recrystallisation from suitable solvents such as isobutyl acetate or methyl isobutyl ketone, which is further resolved by treatment with optically active amines such as L-cinchonidine or other conventional resolving agents to give the resolved salt of enantiomer (9 B). Treatment with a strong acid gives the pure phosphinyl acetic acid isomer (9 B), the desired addendum for further elaboration to fosinopril sodium. Thus, the pure single isomer (9 B) when reacted with trans)-4-cyclohexyl-L-proline gives fosinopril, which is converted to the sodium salt of formula (I) by conventional methods. The chemistry practised in U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,356 is schematically summarised in Scheme-1. U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,356 further claims that compound (8) including all stereomers thereof, compound (9), including all stereomers thereof i.e. compound (9 A) and its mirror image (9 B); compound (9 C) and its mirror image (9 D) and the intermediate salt of compound (9 B) with the resolving agent are all novel compounds. This further substantiates the earlier observation that separation of such racemic mixtures or diastereomeric mixtures formed in the reaction was never meant to be a part of the spirit and scope of the process(es) disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,201. (i) U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,399 (Sedergran et. al.) describes a process which is an improvement over that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,356. The improvement effected comprises carrying out the reaction of compound (6) and compound (7) in the presence of organic bases such as 4-methylmorpholine, diazabicyclooctane, quinuclidine, 1-methylpyrolidine or cinchonidine to give compound (8) as a mixture of four isomers, which on hydrogenolysis gives compound (9) as a mixture of two diastereomeric pairs i.e. a mixture of compounds (9 A) and its mirror image (9 B); (9 C) and its mirror image (9 D). The diastereomeric pair is separated and resolved as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,356 to give the pure isomer (9 B). U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,399 claims that by utilising the organic bases mentioned therein an increase in diastereoselectivity is achieved affording the racemic mixture of compounds (9 A) and its mirror image (9 B) in a ratio of 1.5 over the other racemic mixture i.e. (9 C) and its mirror image (9 D). This is an improvement over a ratio of 1.2 achieved by employing a base such as triethylamine as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,356. An overall increase in efficiency of preparing fosinopril sodium (I) is thus achieved. The processes described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,873,356 and 5,008,399, while leading to the synthesis of fosinopril sodium having the desired optical purity, are associated with the following disadvantages. In particular, the processes of this patent: involves separation of isomers that are mirror images of each other i.e. enantiomers or a racemic mixture (9 A) and its mirror image (9 B) from (9 C) and its mirror image (9 D) requires optical resolution for further separation of the enantiomers (9 A). requires optical resolution for further separation of the enantiomers (9 A) and its mirror image (9 B), involves considerable wastage of the desired isomer (9 B) and utilisation of expensive resolving agents (one to two molar equivalents) and organic bases (about two molar equivalents), in the separation of enantiomers followed by optical resolution thereby resulting in an overall decrease in efficiency and increase in the cost of manufacture of the end product i.e. fosinopril sodium and do not teach or disclose any method for recycling of the unwanted isomers (9 A), (9 C) and (9 D) back to the desired isomer (9 B). (i) Besides the aforementioned process patents, various methods are reported for preparation of key intermediates required for synthesis of fosinopril. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,267 (Petrillo, Jr., et. al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,123 (Petrillo. Jr., et. al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,448,772 (Karanewsky et. al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,199 (Thottathil et. al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,092 (Thottathil et. al.) disclose processes for synthesis of the phosphinyl acetic acid fragment of fosinopril. U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,905 (Krapcho et. al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,901 (Thottathil et. al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,819 (Thottathil et. al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,734,508 (Thottathil et. al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,230 (Anderson et. al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,231 (Kronenthal et. al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,355 (Kloss et. al.) describe processes for synthesis of the optically active (cis/trans)-4-cyclohexyl-L-proline fragment. (ii) In addition, it is known that the sodium salt of fosinopril can exist in two polymorphic forms, designated as Form-A and Form-B. The polymorphic forms differ in their respective solid state IR, 13C NMR and 31P NMR spectra as well as X-ray (powder) diffraction patterns. Of the two forms, Form-A, which is the therapeutic is believed to be thermodynamically more stable. No other polymorphic form for fosninopril sodium has been reported so far. (iii) U.S. Pat. No. 5,162,543 (Grosso et. al.) discloses a selective process for preparation of any one of the two polymorphs of fosinopril sodium as well as a process for inter conversion of one form into the other. Polymorphic Form-A is obtained by crystallisation of fosinopril sodium in a keto or hydroxylic solvent or a mixture thereof in presence of water, the requirement being water should constitute ≧2% or more of the total solvent(s). When the crystallisation is carried out in a keto or hydroxylic solvent or a mixture thereof, wherein the water content is ≦0.2% Form-B is obtained. Rapid evaporation of a methanolic solution of Form-A containing ≦0.2% of water converts it to the other form i.e. Form-B. (iv) The inference one draws from the methods described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,162,543 is that the formation of the respective polymorphs is not only dependent on the solvent employed but also on the amount of water present in the solvents(s). H. G. Brittain et. al. [Journal of Pharmaceutical & Biomedical Analysis, 1993, Vol 11 (No. 11/12), pp 1063–1069] describe methods for preparation of the two polymorphic forms. For instance, Form-A is obtained by crystallisation of fosinopril sodium from various organic solvents such as acetone, acetonitrile, alcohols and the like containing water. The authors claim that formation of this polymorphic form is independent of the solvent used as long as the crystallisation is slow. There is no mention on the amount of water that is necessary for formation of this form. Form-B, on the other hand, is obtained by rapid/flash evaporation of the solvent from a solution of fosinopril sodium in that solvent. There are no reports available on the existence of polymorphic forms for other salts of fosinopril, such as alkali metal salts with lithium, potassium, rubidium and cesium or alkaline earth metal salts with beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium and barium or salts of fosinopril with heavy metals. Thus, to summarise the prior art: a) the general methods described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,201 lead to a mixture of all possible sixteen isomers or mixture of some of the possible isomers of fosinopril. No method for separation and isolation of the pure desired isomer is mentioned, b) the specific methods disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,873,356 and 5,008,399, lead to formation of only four isomers of fosinopril. However, enantiomers, which are mirror images of each other are separated from the mixture, c) separation of the pure desired isomer from the racemic mixture calls for optical resolution, d) optical resolution leads to considerable wastage of the desired isomer leading to low efficiency and increase in cost of manufacture, e) no method is described for recycling of the unwanted isomers back to the desired one, and f) formation of polymorphic Form-A of fosinopril sodium is dependent on the solvent(s) employed and the amount of water present in the solvent(s). A need, therefore, exists for a method for the synthesis of fosinopril sodium, which in addition to eliminating/minimising the disadvantages, specially optical resolution associated with the prior art methods, provides a cost-effective and convenient method for synthesis of the objective compound.

This specification relates to backup power sources. Data center facilities are often used by providers to deliver Internet services to users. A data center, such as a server farm, typically contains thousands of server processing devices. Within the data centers the processing devices are arranged in racks, and each rack may contain dozens of servers. Assuming the power required for a single rack may be in the order of 50 kW, and that there may be hundreds of racks in a data center, it is not uncommon for a data center to have a power requirement on the order of megawatts. Data center facilities range in critical levels according to the cost of down time to a business that utilizes the particular data center, the cost of ownership for the data center, and other factors. Typically, a data center facility includes redundant power systems to provide power to the server in the event of a power anomaly (e.g., blackout from utility provider, unstable utility power, etc.). Data center facilities utilize in-rack batteries and diesel generators to provide back-up power during a power anomaly. In-rack batteries are sized as small as possible to cover short-durations and minimize cost and size of the battery. The diesel generators are designed to provide power for longer—duration power anomalies. The determination of which source provides power during the power anomaly is dependent upon the duration of the power anomaly.