In one aspect, the present invention provides a hermetically sealed fiber sensing cable comprising: a core fiber comprising at least one Bragg grating region, an outer surface and a length; a fiber cladding in contact with the core fiber along the entire length of the core fiber, the fiber cladding having an outer surface and a length; a carbon layer disposed upon the outer surface of the fiber cladding along the entire length of the fiber cladding, the carbon layer comprising diamond-like carbon; a hydrogen ion absorption layer in contact with the carbon layer, the hydrogen ion absorption layer being disposed on the outer surface of the carbon layer; and an outer sleeve. Also provided in another aspect of the present invention, is a component for a hermetically sealed fiber sensing cable.

The invention relates generally to an optic fiber sensing cable, and more particularly to a hermetically sealed fiber sensing cable.
Fiber Bragg gratings can be wavelength multiplexed along one fiber, making them attractive for measurements of strain and temperature. The fiber Bragg gratings can also be used as a pressure-temperature sensor by measuring the shift in Bragg wavelength caused by a change in hydrostatic pressure or a change in temperature, thereby providing a simple sensor design with small dimensions and good reproducibility and long-term stability. Fiber optic sensors are widely used in the oil and gas industry for monitoring down-hole parameters such as pressure, temperature, hydrocarbon flow and seismic status. However, when the fiber Bragg grating sensors are operated under conditions of high temperature, such as in oil and gas wells, a considerable drift effect both in fiber Bragg grating and birefringent interferometric sensors may be observed. The drift effect is believed to occur when the fiber is surrounded by a fluid, such as water, oil, or gaseous hydrocarbons. This drift effect is found to increase with increase in temperature.
The drift effect may be due to ingress of a liquid such as water into the fiber cladding resulting in the development of additional tensile stress on the core fiber. Generally, such stress may modify the effective refractive indices in both the fiber cladding and the fiber core resulting in changes in the resonant wavelength of a Bragg grating disposed within the core fiber. In addition, diffusion of gases, such as hydrogen, into the fiber, may cause a change in the refractive index proportional to the hydrogen concentration, and consequently causes a drift in the resonant wavelength. Therefore, there is a need to provide fiber sensing cables which limit the ingress of exogenous materials such as water and hydrogen into the optic fiber, thereby limiting transmission losses and increasing the reliability of the fiber sensing cable.
One solution known in the art is to apply a carbon coating, or other hermetic coating on the outer surface of the cladding surrounding the core fiber of the Bragg grating sensor in order to protect the optical fiber and sensors. Carbon has been shown to provide a good hermetic coating for optical fibers, making them less permeable to both water and hydrogen. However, one of the disadvantages of using a carbon coating is that conventional carbon coatings are thermally stable up to a temperature of only about 300 degrees centigrade. Beyond this temperature, the carbon layer begins to lose its hermeticity.
Thus, conventional carbon coatings have to be protected by an outer polymer coating such as a polyimide coating layer, in order to protect the carbon from losses resulting from high temperature processes such as oxidization. Generally, however, the protective polymer layer is itself subject to decomposition at high temperature, and the level of protection afforded by a protective polymer coating atop the carbon layer is itself limited. This generally limits the use of carbon-coated optic fiber sensing cables to temperatures less than about 300° C. As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, temperatures in hydrocarbon wells or geothermal wells, in which the fiber optic sensing cables might otherwise be used to advantage, may exceed the operating temperature capabilities of the fiber optic sensing cables, thereby marginalizing their utility to monitor conditions within such wells.
Metal coating layers have also employed as an alternative to conventional carbon coatings. However, the use of the metal coating layers may result signal attenuation due micro-bending effects, and field energy leakage from the core fiber to the cladding.
Therefore there remains a need for hermetically sealed fiber sensing cables which resist the ingress of water and hydrogen into the fiber cladding and core fiber even when the sensing cable is used in harsh environments, for example at temperatures in excess of 300° C., in order to avoid signal transmission losses while retaining the adequate mechanical strength.


An undergarment to be worn beneath a protective vest or uniform permits escape of perspiration and heat, and ventilation so that the wearer can remain reasonably comfortable while wearing the vest. The undergarment has vertically elongated ribs or bars space the vest away from the torso to create ventilation channels. Heat and perspiration vapor escape at the neck of the vest. The ribs or bars can each comprise a cloth strip or pocket sewn onto the garment, to contain a lightweight rod of open-cell or closed-cell polyethylene foam. Three or more of these ribs can be sewn onto the front, and two or more sewn onto the back.

The present invention relates to an undergarment to be worn beneath a protective vest, e.g., a bulletproof vest made of Kevlar® or similar material designed to stop bullets shot from a pistol from penetrating and injuring the police officer. These protective vests can be heavy and do not permit much perspiration vapor to escape, and thus can result in overheat, discomfort, and heavy perspiration if worn by the officer for an extended period of time. To date, attempts to overcome the problem of heat and perspiration have involved mechanical blowers to create ventilation beneath the vest. These items have been clumsy and uncomfortable to wear, and require frequent battery changes. There is also a need to ventilate the top or blouse of a uniform, as well as a protective vest.

Undergarment for use with protective vest


The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for encoding or decoding a video signal. The method for processing a video signal according to the present invention determines the type of a block in accordance with the information which indicates whether to partition or merge the current block, acquires predicted values of each sub-block using restored peripheral pixels for each sub-block, and restores the current block using the acquired values. Here, pixels used for acquiring predicted values may include restored pixels for other sub-blocks contained in the current block, and the type of sub-blocks can be taken into account in a prediction mode for acquiring predicted values.

Compression encoding refers to a series of signal processing techniques of transmitting digitized information via a communication line or storing digitized information in a form suitable for a storage medium. In general, video, audio and text are subjected to compression encoding. In particular, a technique of performing compression encoding with respect to video is referred to as video compression. Compression encoding of video is achieved by eliminating redundant information in consideration of spatial correlation, temporal correlation, probabilistic correlation, etc. However, recently, with development of a variety of media and data transfer media, there is a need for a method and apparatus for efficiently processing a video signal.

Method and apparatus for processing a video signal


The present invention is a universal interface allowing a main implant to supply power and receive data from remotely implanted sensor modules through a minimum number of interconnecting lines. The main module can supply a single DC voltage, two sequentially applied DC voltages or an AC voltage to the sensor module. A capacitor means in the sensor module supplies power while the sensor module is transmitting data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is a universal interface allowing a main implant module to supply power to and receive data from remotely implanted sensor modules through a minimum number of interconnecting lines. The remote sensor implants gather useful physiological information from a patient. The main implant could process and telemeter the data to a site remote from the patient or the main module could be an infusion pump or pacemaker that is controlled by the remote sensors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The benefits of using implantable modules to sense physiological parameters in a patient's or animal's body is well known in the art. Various telemetry transmitters are used to transmit the sensed information to a receiver remote from the body. U.S. Pat. No. 3,682,160 teaches such a miniature medical transmitter to detect a physiological variable and transmit a signal to a receiver placed outside the body. The device is an orally swallowable miniature transmitter for measuring pH values that is powered by the remote receiver.
The prior art does not teach multiple implantable sensor modules coupled to a main implant module. However, outside the area of medical arts remote sensors and central processor modules are taught. U.S. Pat. No. 3,603,946 teaches an electrical means that is switched from a high to a low impedance state by a control signal. A capacitor is used to hold the electrical switch means in its low impedance state until switched. U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,372 teaches a two-wire DC signal telemetering system. The receiving station receives signals and provides operating power along two wires from a sensor that measures a variable, such as temperature or flow rate. U.S. Pat. No. 3,501,132 also describes techniques for transmitting power and information over common wires.

Minimum interface biomedical monitoring system


An apparatus comprising a method for providing inverting level shifting, comprising the steps of (A) receiving an input signal having a first predetermined voltage level, (B) controlling a voltage level of said input signal and (C) generating an output signal having a second predetermined voltage level, wherein step (C) provides full scale output voltages between a first supply and a second supply.

The present invention relates to a method and/or architecture for implementing level shifters generally and, more particularly, to a method and/or architecture for implementing inverting level shifters with start-up circuits.
With ever increasing digital clock speeds, faster digital translation circuits are required for multi-voltage designs. Conventional digital translation circuits that level shift digital signals up to higher voltages are generally too slow for high speed operation (i.e., 650 MHz or higher). Slower conventional level shifting circuits (such as 4 transistors with cross coupled PMOS devices) are used in digital, analog, and mixed signal multi-voltage designs. Such conventional level shifting circuits often fail since they do not provide full output swing at high speeds and extreme process corners.
It would be desirable to provide a high speed (e.g., 650 MHz or higher) level shifting function for digital signals to translate lower voltage signals (e.g., 0 to 1.5 v) to higher voltages (e.g., 0 to 3.3 v) while adding a minimal amount of jitter (e.g., less than 2 ps).
The present invention concerns an apparatus comprising a control circuit and a logic circuit. The control circuit may be configured to receive an input signal and an indication signal and present a complement of the input signal. The logic circuit may be configured to receive the complementary input signal and generate an output signal. The output signal may provide a larger full scale output swing than the input signal since the output signal may be on a voltage supply with a higher voltage.
The objects, features and advantages of the present invention include the implementation of an inverting level shifter with a start-up circuit that may (i) be capable of high speed level shifting (e.g., clock speeds greater than 650 Mhz) from lower supply voltages to higher supply voltages, (ii) provide full scale output voltages (e.g., swings from VSS to VDD2), (iii) allow output clocks to charge down to zero volts, (iv) provide output voltage levels from VSS to VDD2, (v) provide low power consumption, (vi) eliminate static power dissipation, (vii) operate from two power supplies (e.g., 1.5V and 3.3V), (viii) implement a startup circuit that may provide correct start up operation, (ix) implement a capacitor as a bootstrap device, and/or (x) allow a capacitor to be charged on a transition of an input.

Inverting level shifter with start-up circuit


A single coil magnetic latching relay drive circuit which utilizes AC power for energizing/deenergizing the relay. To energize the relay, a single full half cycle of the AC power at a first polarity is applied to the relay coil. To deenergize the relay, a portion of a half cycle of the AC power of the other polarity is applied to the relay coil, this portion being chosen so that the effective current at the other polarity is insufficient to reenergize the relay.

This invention relates to single coil magnetic latching relays and, more particularly, to an arrangement for driving such a relay from an AC source.
When electronic circuitry is utilized to control the application of AC power to a load, a single coil magnetic latching relay is often utilized. The use of a relay provides isolation of the AC power from the electronic circuitry and also takes advantage of the higher current carrying capability of the relay contacts. An advantage of a single coil magnetic latching relay is that only a momentary pulse is needed to cause the relay to change state. Such a relay utilizes the remanent magnetic field of the armature to keep the relay in its driven state. Thus, a continuation of power to the relay coil is not required. However, some magnetic latching relays require a reversal of the polarity of current applied to the coil as well as a current reduction in order to release the relay from its energized state. This is because, if only a current polarity reversal were to be effected, the relay would again energize with an opposite polarity of the magnetic field in the relay armature. Utilizing DC power, the circuitry required to reverse polarity and at the same time reduce the current can be complex and expensive.
It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide drive circuitry for controlling a single coil magnetic latching relay.
It is another object of this invention to provide such circuitry which is relatively simple in construction.
Since AC power is available, it is a further object of this invention to drive the relay from the AC source.

Driver circuit for single coil magnetic latching relay


A radiation beam analyzer for measuring the distribution and intensity of radiation produced by a radiation producing device. The analyzer employs a relative small tank of water into which a sensor is placed to maintain a constant SAD (source to axis distance). A first method maintains a fixed position of the sensor, and raises or lowers the small tank of water. A second method moves the sensor up, down or rotationally synchronously in opposite directions with respect to the small tank of water to keep the SAD constant. These methods position the sensor relative to the radiation source to simulate the location of a malady within a patient's body. The present invention enables measurements of substantially larger fields. This is accomplished by rotating a tank of water 90 degrees from a first position to a second position.

Various well known medical techniques for the treatment of malignancies involve the use of radiation. Radiation sources, for example medical linear accelerators, are typically used to generate radiation which is directed to a specific target area of a patient. Proper doses of radiation directed at the malignant area of the patient are of the upmost importance. When properly applied, the radiation produces an ionizing effect on the malignant tissues of the patient, thereby destroying the malignant cells. As long as the dosimetry of the applied radiation is properly monitored, the malignancy can be treated without any detriment to the surrounding healthy body tissue. The goal of these treatments is to focus a high dose of radiation to a tumor or malignant cells while minimizing the exposure of the surrounding healthy tissue to the radiation. Accelerators may be utilized to deliver the radiation. Different accelerators have varying characteristics and output levels. The most common type of accelerator produces pulse radiation. The output beam has a rectangular shape in cross section and a cross sectional area typically between 1 and 1,600 square centimeters (cm2). Preferably, the cross sectional area or field size is between 1×1 square centimeters (cm2) and 40×40 square centimeters (cm2). Rectangular or square cross sectional shapes are often changed to any desired cross sectional shape using molded or cast lead or cerrobend materials. More advanced accelerators use multi-leaf collimators. Other accelerators are continuously or non-pulsed, such as cobalt radiation machines. Some accelerators utilize a swept electron beam, which passes a very narrow electron beam across the treatment field by means of varying electromagnetic fields.
To ensure proper dosimetry, linear accelerators used for the treatment of malignancies must be calibrated. Both the electron and photon radiation must be appropriately measured and correlated to the particular device. The skilled practitioner must insure that both the intensity and duration of the radiation treatment is carefully calculated and administered so as to produce the therapeutic result desired while maintaining the safety of the patient. Parameters such as flatness, symmetry, radiation and light field alignment are typically determined. The use of too much radiation may, in fact, cause side effects and allow destructive effects to occur to the surrounding tissue. Use of an insufficient amount of radiation will not deliver a dose that is effective to eradicate the malignancy. Thus, it is important to be able to determine the exact amount of radiation that will be produced by a particular machine and the manner in which that radiation will be distributed within the patient's body.
In order to produce an accurate assessment of the radiation received by the patient, at the target area, some type of pattern or map of the radiation at varying positions within the patient's body must be produced. These profiles correlate: 1) the variation of dose with depth in water generating percent depth dose profiles, 2) the variation of dose across a plane perpendicular to the radiation source generating the cross beam profiles, and 3) the variation of dose with depth in water generating percent depth dose and TMR/TPR (Tissue Maximum Ratio/Tissue Phantom Ratio) when the SAD (source to axis distance) is constant profiles. These particular measurements of cross beam profiles are of particular concern in the present invention. Although useful for other analyses, the alignment of the cross profiles in both radial and transverse planes are the basis of the present invention.
There are companies that provide the calibration service to hospitals and treatment centers. These physicists must visit the facility and conduct the calibration of the radiation source with their own equipment. This requires lightweight, easily portable, less cumbersome radiation measuring devices that can be quickly assembled and disassembled on site. The actual scanning should also be expeditious with the results available within a short time frame. Such equipment allows a physicist to be more efficient and calibrate more radiation devices in a shorter period of time.
One existing system for measuring the radiation that is produced by medical linear accelerators utilizes a large tank on the order of 50 cm×50 cm×50 cm filled with water. A group of computer controlled motors move the radiation detector through a series of pre-programmed steps along a single axis beneath the water's surface. Since the density of the human body closely approximates that of water, the water-filled tank provides an appropriate medium for creating a simulation of both the distribution and the intensity of radiation which would likely occur within the patient's body. The aforementioned tank is commonly referred to as a water phantom. The radiation produced by the linear accelerator will be directed into the water in the phantom tank, at which point the intensity of the radiation at varying depths and positions within the water can be measured with the radiation detector. As the radiation penetrates the water, the direct or primary beam is scattered by the water, in much the same way as a radiation beam impinging upon the human patient. Both the scattered radiation, as well as the primary radiation, are detected by the ion-chamber, which is part of the radiation detector or by radiation sensitive diodes.
The ion-chamber is essentially an open air capacitor which produces an electrical current that corresponds to the number of ions produced within its volume. The detector is lowered to a measurement point within the phantom tank and measurements are taken over a particular time period. The detector can then be moved to another measurement point where measurements are taken as the detector is held in the second position. At each measuring point a statistically significant number of samples are taken while the detector is held stationary.
In radiation therapy and radiosurgery, for example, a tumor may be non-invasively destroyed by a beam of ionizing radiation that kills the cells in the tumor. It is desirable to direct the radiation beam only to the tumor and not to the healthy tissue which surrounds the tumor. Therefore, accurate aiming of the beam at the tumor is extremely important in these radiation treatments. The goal is to focus a high dose of radiation to the tumor while minimizing the exposure of the surrounding healthy tissue to radiation. For adequate distribution of radiation dosage to the tumor, the direction of the radiation beam is typically adjusted during the treatment to track the tumor.
The most advanced modern radiosurgery systems, such as the Cyberknife® Robotic Radiosurgery System of Accuray, Inc., utilizes stereo online x-ray imaging during treatment to enhance the accuracy of the radiation treatment. The position of a patient's bony landmarks, e.g. their skull, can be determined with high accuracy by using the Cyberknife® stereo x-ray camera system. Thus, this highly accurate x-ray camera system can be used to treat a target region if the position of the target region relative to a bony landmark remains constant. However, the x-ray camera system cannot be used to determine the position of a target region if the position of the target region relative to a bony landmark changes because the target, e.g. a tumor, is generally not visible in x-ray images. For example, a target region in a patient's abdomen or chest cannot be treated with this method alone.
An image guidance system is essential to the proper operation of the Cyberknife® system. The first method developed for controlling the image guidance system was known as 6D or skull based tracking. An X-ray camera produces images which are compared to a library of computer generated images of the patient anatomy Digitally Reconstructed Radiographs (DRR's), and a computer algorithm determines what motion corrections have to be given to the robot because of patient movement. This imaging system allows the Cyberknife® to deliver radiation with an accuracy of 0.5 mm without using mechanical clamps attached to the patient's skull. The use of the image guided technique is referred to as frameless stereotactic radiosurgery. This method is referred to as 6D because corrections are made for the 3 translational motions (X, Y and Z) and three rotational motions.


Methods and apparatus for generating multi-tone signals, e.g., OFDM signals, are described. Analog signals corresponding to individual tones of a multi-tone signal are separately generated and filtered. Different prefixes are generated for each of the multiple tones. The prefixes for all the tones are of the same duration. One signal prefix is generated for each tone during each symbol transmission period. Each prefix may include multiple parts with a first part being generated from a current symbol and the second part being generated from the preceding symbol. By generating each multipart prefix from the periodic signal representing the current symbol and the periodic signal representing the preceding symbol, a smooth signal transition will occur at the point one symbol transmission period stops and the next one begins. Separate antennas are used to transmit signals corresponding to different tones of a multi-tone signal with the signals combining in the communications channel.

The use of multi-tone signals for the communication of information has been proposed for quite some time. In such systems, a plurality of tones are used to communicate symbols in parallel, with the total bandwidth between a transmitter and receiver device being a function of the number of tones being used to communicate the information.
Generally, a multi-tone signal includes N (N>0) complex symbols modulated on N distinct tones simultaneously in a symbol duration T:
            s                    (        t        )              =                  ∑                  k          =          1                N                                    A          k                                  cos                                (                                          2                                π                                                                                f                  k                                                t                            +                              θ                k                                      )                                ,            f                                      o                                      r                                      t        =                  [                  0          ,          T                ]            .      In the above equation, θk and Ak are respectively the phase (in radians) and amplitude of the complex symbol to be transmitted on tone k, and fk is the frequency of tone k. t is the time variable. A multi-tone signal comprises a plurality of single-tone signals, where each single-tone signal is a periodic signal. In a practical system, the periodic signals are transmitted for a symbol duration T, which is a finite time interval.
An OFDM signal is an example of the multi-tone signal with each distinct tone k representing a different subcarrier. In an OFDM signal the distinct tones which are used to form the OFDM signal are orthogonal over the symbol duration.
FIG. 1 illustrates a known OFDM transmission system 1. In the known system, for each period in which a symbol is to be transmitted, a digital complex symbol generator 2 generates a vector of digital complex symbols. The vector includes, e.g., one symbol per OFDM tone to be used. The vector of complex symbols are then transformed into a vector of complex time domain samples corresponding to a symbol period by an Inverse Fourier transform operator 3, e.g., an Inverse discrete or Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) circuit. The time domain samples represent the discrete samples of the baseband signal to be transmitted during a symbol transmission period. This signal is essentially the sum of one or more sinusoid component signals, e.g., the OFDM tones. A single cyclic prefix is generated for the signal to be transmitted during a symbol transmission period. The cyclic prefix is added by the cyclic prefix generator 4 to the vector of time domain samples supplied by the Inverse Fourier transform operator 3. Generally, the cyclic prefix is usually a copy of the last few samples in the vector of the time domain samples and will therefore include all the OFDM signal's sinusoid components, e.g., tones. After the cyclic prefix is appended to the beginning of the samples supplied by the Inverse fourier transform operator 3, the signal samples pass through a filter 5. The filter 5 is used to limit out of band spectral emissions. The filtered samples are then converted to an analog signal by a digital to analog converter 6. The analog signal is then mixed with the carrier frequency by mixer 7 to generate a passband signal. The passband signal is then power amplified by amplifier 8 and transmitted to a communication channel through a single antenna 9.
Accordingly, in the known system shown in FIG. 1, a periodic sinusoidal signal to be transmitted is generated in the baseband, a cyclic prefix is added in the baseband, and then the signal is mixed to the passband prior to OFDM signal transmission.
While the concept of using a multi-tone or OFDM signal to communicate information is relatively well understood, the existing techniques for transmitting such a signal tend to be inefficient in terms of power utilization. The power inefficiency results from the multi-tone signal being a sum of a plurality of single tone signals, which normally leads to a high peak-to-average ratio in the resultant multi-tone signal. As a result, there is a need for improving the transmission techniques of multi-tone signals, e.g., OFDM signals. It is desirable that at least some new transmission techniques increase the power efficiency of multi-tone signals thereby making them better suited for use in systems such as wireless communication networks where long battery life and inexpensive power amplifiers of wireless devices are highly desirable.

Multi–tone signal transmission methods and apparatus


An apparatus setting forth a therapy apparatus for newborn infants, including a cabinet member mounting life monitoring equipment and storage compartments therewithin, including a planar top surface mounting a chamber, with the chamber including transparent side panels and an extensible and contractable cover housing to permit ease of access to the infant, with the housing including slot members hingedly mounted together and securable within opposed lateral tracks, with the tracks further including photo-therapy illumination members extending longitudinally of the slats, and further including a support cushion positionable upon a floor of the cavity.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to life support apparatus, and more partiularly pertains to a new and improved newborn infant therapy apparatus wherein the same accommodates a therapy system to sustain a newborn infant.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Infant incubators and radiation structure is available in the prior art to accommodate premature and newly born infants. Conventional incubators are available, as well as incubators with radiation devices, that are resorted to accommodate inherent physical problems associated with this classification of infants. The instant invention attempts to overcome deficiencies of the prior art by providing an organization accommodating a newborn infant with an array of support and monitoring structure. Examples of the prior art include U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,474 to Dukhan, et al. setting forth an incubator organization providing artificial illumination in association with a heating organization.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,505 to Mercey, et al. sets forth an isolator organization to isolate an individual in a sterile environment and maintaining desired temperatures therewithin.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,793 to Martin sets forth an incubator including a bacterial filter and humidifier.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,938 to Lindley sets forth a resuscitator, respirator, and/or incubator organization to include oxygen admitting structure within a chamber, wherein the chamber is divided by partitions into separate gas-tight head and body compartments.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,090 to Koch provides an incubator structure for premature and newborn infants combining a structure to include an enclosure that communicates with air within the compartment of the incubator to permit thermal disinfecting of such air.
As such, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for a new and improved newborn infant therapy apparatus wherein the same addresses both the problems of ease of use as well as effectiveness in construction in accommodating a system for maintaining and monitoring life support for a newborn infant and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A universal charging dock for charging a mobile device includes a base portion defining an opening, a back support portion connected to the base portion, a connector housing within the opening, and a wall mount module. The base portion has grooved sidewalls adjacent a track within the opening, and the connector housing has a grooved track that locks into the track and allows lateral movement along the track. The grooved track further allows the connector housing to rotate within the opening. A male connector, for connecting to a charging port of the mobile device, extends from the connector housing and may move vertically into or out of the connector housing to adjust an extension of the male connector. The universal charging dock may also be placed on either side, to achieve portrait or landscape orientations.

1. Field
The present invention relates to a universal charging dock with a wall mount for charging devices.
2. Description of Related Art
Mobile devices, such as smartphones, have accessories, such as charging docks, which are specific to each mobile device model. "Universal" charging docks currently available are relatively large in size and are not compatible with every device to be truly "universal." Current charging docks achieve universal compatibility through interchangeable modules which are device-specific. Separate pieces specific to each mobile device must be purchased. When a different mobile device is used, another specific module is required. Under these circumstances, the charging docks are not truly "universal."
Thus, there is a need for true universal compatibility with a wide selection of mobile devices to dock the mobile device and charge its battery at the same time without requiring device-specific modules.

Universal charging dock with a wall mount


A socket adapter includes a main body having a receiving recess and a slide slot, a drive rod slidably mounted in the slide slot of the main body, and a control member movably mounted in the main body. Thus, the drive rod has a plurality of locking grooves, and the control member has a locking portion, so that when the control member is moved relative to the drive rod, the locking portion of the control member is locked in or detached from the respective locking groove of the drive rod, thereby positioning the drive rod on the main body or releasing the drive rod from the main body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a socket adapter, and more particularly to a socket adapter having a positioning effect.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional socket adapter in accordance with the prior art shown in FIGS. 68 and 69 comprises a main body 90 having a peripheral wall formed with a slide slot 901 and having an end formed with a drive head 902 for mounting a socket (not shown), and a drive rod 91 slidably mounted in the slide slot 901 of the main body 90. Thus, when the drive rod 91 is rotated, the main body 90 is rotated to rotate the drive rod 91 so as to rotate the socket. However, the drive rod 91 easily slips in the slide slot 901 of the main body 90 during operation, thereby causing inconvenience to a user when driving the drive rod 91 to rotate the main body 90.
The closest prior art references of which the applicant is aware are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,102,863 and 6,260,452.

Socket adapter having positioning effect


A spacecraft network management system includes five functional entities, namely, attendant, accessor, collector, logic, and logic watchdog in a distributed architecture configured with both in-band and out-of-band data paths. Management data is structured so that it can travel over either in-band or out-of-band and be identified as such; user data travels over in-band paths. These five entities are distributed over the units of the design and then a modified set of otherwise standard elements are assigned to each entity depending on the nature of its function. These elements include managers, management agents, device agents, device management information base, and manager management information base that enable the entities to perform their respective functions.

Computer network management is an extensively studied field. Many architectures, management schemes, communication protocols, and hardware platforms are readily available, but those are largely based on the assumption that the network is terrestrial. Not all networks are and the situs of the network can be very important. While there are many similarities between terrestrial and space-based networks, there are unique features that limit the applicability of a terrestrial network management system (NMS) to a space-based NMS. Specifically, a space-based NMS, being isolated, must maintain a high level of reliability and availability notwithstanding the increased environmental impacts encountered in space. In addition, the space-based NMS must recover quickly and autonomously. Therefore, robustness, redundancy and autonomy are central to the implementation of an effective space-based NMS.
Redundancy is a straightforward matter in design implementation to meet spacecraft reliability requirements. The redundancy may be a 2:1, 3:2, or other ratio, wherein the first number indicates the total number of components or systems and the second is the number required to be active at any one time for normal operation. A much more subtle issue is the state of each back-up component or system, which can run from active-monitoring, to hot-standby, and to cold-standby.
Security is of course another consideration, and an important one for terrestrial networks—a terrestrial NMS could potentially be comprised through the Internet. Security is also an important consideration for space-based networks, but less so, especially for an intra-spacecraft network where access is extremely limited and the space-ground connection is secure. Therefore, security internal to the intra-spacecraft network is not a necessary requirement of every space-based NMS.
In most cases, space-based networks are not accessible by humans. While this limitation increases the need for redundancy, it also adds complexities that are not seen in terrestrial networks but that must be overcome. For example, the space-based NMS must autonomously recover from an unforeseen software failure since a human may not be available to press a reset button, for example.
Component choice is clearly important in any network design but especially so in space-based networks. When compared to a terrestrial network, network components on a spacecraft are constructed with proven technologies, which tend to be older, larger, heavier, and to have power limitations that newer technology has improved. Newer components that would appropriately support a terrestrial NMS are not appropriate for a space-based NMS simply because they have not demonstrated they meet the reliability requirements dictated by the increased environmental impacts that affect space-based NMS.
Network Management systems may have a centralized or a distributed architecture. In a management architecture that is centralized, all of the management tasks are located in one area, but in a distributed architecture, management tasks are spread throughout the network. The lack of human intervention and the need for quick recovery are driving factors for a spacecraft network management system (SNMS) to have a distributed network architecture. In addition, because a network within a satellite is not capable of being repaired by a human like a terrestrial network, the SNMS is also improved if redundant systems are located in different units, boards, or sections of a board. Finally, in the event of a failure of the SNMS, the redundant portion of the SNMS must become active immediately to meet space-based performance requirements and to support spacecraft safety functions.
A network management system that is reliable, has high availability, is robust to the space environment, and is able to function autonomously would be advantageous as a spacecraft network management system.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Spacecraft network management system and method


A cooling system for cooling a CPU 200 mounted on a printed circuit board 100 within a housing thereof, has a heat-receiving jacket 310, being thermally connected with a surface of the CPU generating heat therein, and for evaporating liquid refrigerant stored in a pressure-reduced inner space with heat generation thereof. A condenser 320 receives refrigerant vapor from the heat-receiving jacket for condensing the refrigerant vapor into a liquid by transferring the heat into an outside of the apparatus. A thermo siphon is used for circulating the refrigerant due to phase change thereof, and the condenser has fine grooves on an inner wall surface thereof along a direction of flow of the refrigerant, and is also formed flat in a cross-section thereof, for cooling the refrigerant vapor from the heat-receiving jacket on the inner wall surface thereof, efficiently.

The present invention relates to a cooling system for electronic apparatuses, such as, a server, mounting plural numbers of CPUs, each being a heat generation source, within an inside of a housing thereof, and it relates to a cooling system for enabling to achieve energy-saving and small-sizing of the cooling system, as well as, achieving a silent system with applying thermo-siphon therein, and further, an electronic apparatus being suitable to mount such the cooling system therein.
In recent years, within an electronic apparatus, such as, the server, etc., representatively, for example, accompanying with an increase of processing speed thereof, plural numbers of so-called semiconductor devices, such as, central processing units (i.e., CPUs) are mounted on a printed circuit board or a mother board, and such circuit board or the mother board is mounted within a box-like rack, together with plural numbers of hard disk apparatuses, at high density.
By the way, with such semiconductor devices mentioned above, such as, the CPUs, etc., it cannot only maintain the performances or capacity thereof, in general, but also it results into being broken down, depending on cases, if temperature thereof exceeds a predetermined value. For this reason, it is necessary to provide a temperature control with using a cooling, etc., and there is strongly demanded a technology for cooling the semiconductor devices, each increasing an amount of heat generation thereof, effectively.
Under such technical background, for a cooling device to cool down the semiconductor device (i.e., the CPU, etc.), increasing the amount of heat generation therefrom, it is required to have a cooling capacity with high performance, thereby enabling to cool down such the semiconductor device, effectively. However, conventionally, in such an electronic apparatus, such as, the server, etc., there is adopted a cooling apparatus of air cooling method, in general; but judging from such circumstances as was mentioned above, the cooling capacity thereof already comes close to a limit thereof, and for that, expectation is made upon cooling systems of new methods, and as a one among those, attention is focused on a cooling system with utilizing, such as, a water or the like, as a coolant or refrigerant therein.
However, as the conventional technologies relating to the present invention, for example, in the following Patent Document is disclosed a technology, for cooling the heats in the semiconductor devices of a CPU blade, being detachably mounted within a rack by means of a heat-receiving jacket, directly, by means of a heat-receiving jacket; in more details, connecting that heat-receiving jacket with a liquid cooling system within a blade server, in a removable manner, through a valve automatically open/close.
Also, in the following Patent Document 2 is also disclosed a technology for dealing with problems, such as, occupation of a space and/or installation of a housing for exclusive use, etc., when mounting the liquid cooling system. Further, in the following Patent Document 3 is also disclosed a semiconductor apparatus, being suitable for an extra large-sized computer and a super computer, i.e., a technology for connecting it with an external cooling system, thermally, by means of a conduit for supplying a cooling water thereon.
Also, as a technology applying a heat pipe therein, within the following Patent Document 4 is disclosed a technology for achieving a thermal connected between the external cooling system and the semiconductor devices on the CPU blade, for the purpose of easiness of removal or displacement of the CPU blade, by means of an expander in the structure of a socket.
In addition thereto, within the following Patent Document 5 is disclosed an apparatus for cooling semiconductors for use in a vehicle with utilizing a heat pipe therein, wherein in more details thereof, an evaporating area or portion for evaporating a refrigerant (e.g., flon: CFCs and HCFCs) filled up inside due to heat generation of the semiconductors, and a vapor condensation area or portion for condensing the coolant vapor filled up inside through heat irradiation into an outside are connected with, through insulator pipes.
Further, within the following Patent Document 6 is disclosed the improved structure for increasing a capacity of heat transfer of the heat pipe, and also within the following Patent Document 7 is disclosed a method for machining a flat heat pipe.

Cooling system and electronic apparatus applying the same therein


A waveguide for the extraction of light at low levels of reflection arranged to guide light from an electro-optical component on a chip to a facet on the chip for extraction includes a first part and a second part. The first part (4) is extended, the second part (5) includes a surface (JK) through which the light exits from the waveguide (1). A non-adiabatic longitudinal section (GHLM) is located after the first part (4) but before the surface (JK) in the direction of propagation of the light, and the surface (JK) forms in the plane of the chip a first angle (V1) with the optical axis (A) of the first part (4) that lies between 5 and 80 degrees.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a waveguide for the extraction of light at low levels of reflection.
Description of the Related Art
For certain electro-optical components with waveguides, such as lasers, amplifiers and modulators, it is necessary to achieve very low levels of reflection at the point or points at which the light is extracted from the waveguide after a light-generating crystal. The reflection, seen from inside of the crystal, is typically approximately 30% for a waveguide of, for example, indium phosphide that is abruptly interrupted. Levels of reflection that lie below 0.001% are required for certain applications.
The coating of the sectioned exit surface with dielectrics whose thickness and refractive index are adapted to give low levels of reflection is known. Additional measures, however, are required. If the angle between the waveguide and the section plane is not 90 degrees, only a small part of the light is reflected back into the waveguide. The remainder is reflected into different directions and is lost.
It is, of course, possible for the waveguide to be perpendicular to the facet of the component over a part of the length of the component and then to be bent such that the angle it makes with the facet is no longer a right angle. This is possible in, for example, an SOA (semiconductor optical amplifier).
Another method is the use of a window construction, which involves the waveguide being terminated within the component, the chip, before the waveguide reaches the facet. In this way, the light is spread by diffraction before it reaches the facet. Due to the spreading of the light beam, only a small part of the light reaches back into the waveguide after reflection in the facet. The region of the window, i.e. the region between the end of the waveguide and the facet of the component, may have a length of, for example, 5-50 micrometers, for InP components. The light spreads in this manner in a lobe with an angle of a few degrees.
Even lower levels of reflection can be obtained by combining oblique placement of the waveguide, such that it is not orthogonal with the facet, and a window region. If the obliqueness of the waveguide is greater than the width of the diffracted lobe, the fraction of light that reaches back to the waveguide will be very small.
Placement of the waveguide at a very high obliqueness causes problems, since the chip in this case will be wider. Other problems of a process technical nature may also arise such that anisotropic etching, for example, may give a disadvantageous form of mesas in the direction of obliqueness.

Waveguide for extraction of light at low levels of reflection


A pressure relief valve flap includes an attachment portion, a main portion, and a hinge portion. The attachment portion is configured to be attached to the housing. The main portion has a lip and at least one damping feature. The lip extends around at least a portion of a periphery of the main portion. The hinge portion is disposed between and connects the main portion and the attachment portion. When the attachment portion is attached to the housing, the main portion is configured to move between a closed position and an opened position. When the main portion moves from the opened position to the closed position, the at least one damping feature is configured to engage the housing prior to the lip of the main portion and thereby dampen noise created when the lip of the main portion engages the housing.

Pressure Relief Valve (PRV) flaps have traditionally been manufactured by either die cutting ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM) or injection molding thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV). However, EPDM die cut flaps generally do not allow for the implementation of added contact features, and are generally limited to flat surfaces. Additionally, during the manufacturing process of injection molded flaps, internal molding stress creates a condition in which distortion and warp are inherent. This distortion and warp may be further exacerbated by typical thermal cycles experienced by the flaps during use. Distortion and warp of the flaps may lead to a compromised sealing of the reverse air flow sealing.


An image forming apparatus may include a belt fixing unit and a controller. The belt fixing unit includes a moving fixing belt heated by a heater, a pressure member provided inside the fixing belt, a pressure roller provided opposite to the pressure member through the fixing belt to form a nip portion, a transfer material having a toner image thereon passing the nip portion and thereby the toner image being fixed on the transfer material, and a pressing force change unit capable of changing a pressing force of the pressure member against the pressure roller. The controller controls the pressing force change unit to change the pressing force according to print information for both faces of the transfer material.

The invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, printer, and the like and particularly, to an image forming apparatus which uses a belt fixing unit.
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus forms a toner image on an image carrier, transfers the toner image to a transfer material by a transfer unit, fixes the image on the transfer material at a nip portion which is formed by a heating member and a pressing member in a fixing unit, and delivers the fixed transfer material to the outside of the apparatus.
Recently, image forming apparatus have been requested to process color images at high speed. To meet such a request, the fixing unit in the image forming apparatus must widen the width of the nip portion to take time for transfer materials to pass through the nip portion.
When the fixing unit is of a roller type which uses fixing rollers and pressure rollers, the diameters of the rollers must be greater to prolong the time during which transfer materials pass through the nip portion. However, this will enlarge the fixing unit and consequently make the image forming apparatus greater.
If the elastic surface layer of the fixing roller is made thicker to ensure the width of the nip portion, the rate of heat transfer from the heat source to the surface layer of the fixing roller will be reduced and the warm-up time will become longer. As the result, this will reduce the printing speed and will not be fitted for high-speed printing.
To solve such a problem in the roller type fixing unit, a fixing belt type fixing unit has been proposed which presses a heated fixing belt against a pressure roller to assure a great nip width.
The image forming apparatus has been also requested to satisfy the other demands such as two-sided printing of transfer materials in addition to high-speed color image printing.
In two-sided printing, when unfixed toner on the first face is fixed, the transfer material has a force to be attached to or wound on the fixing belt. When the transfer material is inverted upside down and unfixed toner on the second face is fixed, the transfer material concurrently has a force to be attached to the pressure roller due to the toner on the first face. The direction of this attaching force to or winding on the fixing belt or to the pressure roller depends on the print density of two faces and quantity of toner adhered to two faces.
As explained above, since the direction of the attaching or winding force of the transfer material to the fixing belt or to the pressure roller depends on the print state of the first and second faces of the transfer material, sheet separation claws are provided in contact with the fixing belt and the pressure roller to prevent the transfer material from attaching thereto.
However, the separation claws may possibly cause damages on members with which the claws are in contact and unevenness in image gloss on the image obtained. The following technology (for example, Patent Document 1) without separation claw has been proposed to solve such problems, that is, to perform two-sided printing without unwanted sheet attaching to the fixing belt and the pressure roller.
That is, a belt-type fixing unit has an endless fixing belt which is entrained about a support roller and a heating roller, and a pressure roller which is provided opposite to the support roller through the fixing belt to press against the support roller. A pressure nip portion is formed between the pressure roller and the fixing belt, and a transfer material with an unfixed toner image is conveyed to pass through this nip portion for fixing. This technology is characterized in that the section of the nip portion shows an approximate straight line to prevent a two-sided copying sheet from attaching to the belt and the pressure roller. [Patent Document 1]: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 2004-226815
However, since the technology disclosed by Patent Document 1 limits the sectional shape of the pressure nip portion to an almost straight line shape, this configuration cannot solve the sheet attaching problem if the printed faces have different print densities thereon and toner quantities adhered thereto.
Further, materials, shapes, and other conditions of the fixing belt, the support roller, and the pressure roller must be limited to some extent to make the cross-section of the pressure nip portion almost linear. This may reduce the degrees of freedom of designing of the fixing unit.

Image forming apparatus using a belt fixing unit


An exhaust manifold is provided with a plurality of branch pipe parts and a collecting pipe part. The plurality of branch pipe parts are respectively connected to a plurality of exhaust ports of a multicylinder internal combustion engine. The collecting pipe part is formed by merging the plurality of branch pipe parts. The plurality of branch pipe parts and the collecting pipe part are formed by an upper shell member and a lower shell member superposed on each other. A partition plate is attached to at least one of the upper shell member and the lower shell member. The partition plate separates between exhaust gases flowing into the collecting pipe part from two of the branch pipe parts respectively connected to adjacent two of the plurality of exhaust ports.

A variety of exhaust manifolds have been proposed which are reduced in weight and facilitate early activation of a catalyst by controlling temperature decrease in exhaust air. For example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 10-89064 discloses an exhaust manifold composed of three sheet metal members, that is, a front half body, a partition body and a back half body, superposed on each other. In the exhaust manifold, a second exhaust pipe and a third exhaust pipe communicated with a second exhaust port and a third exhaust port are formed between the front half body and the partition body. A first exhaust pipe and a fourth exhaust pipe communicated with a first exhaust port and a fourth exhaust port are formed between the partition body and the back half body.
Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-248930 discloses an exhaust manifold for use in a four cylinder internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine has first to fourth exhaust ports. The order of exhaustion from the first to the fourth exhaust port is the first to the third to the fourth to the second. The exhaust manifold is provided with an outer case including a first branch pipe part, a second branch pipe part, a third branch pipe part, and a collecting pipe part. The collecting pipe part is formed by merging the first to third branch pipe parts. The first branch pipe part is connected to the first exhaust port, the second branch pipe part is connected to the second and third exhaust ports, and the third branch pipe part is connected to the fourth exhaust port, of the internal combustion engine. A partition pipe communicated with the second and third exhaust ports is also provided to extend from the inside of the second branch pipe part to the inside of the collecting pipe part. The partition pipe is opened inside the collecting pipe part.


This invention relates to improved imaging systems based on the formation of green-yellow colored coordination compounds of transition metals with certain ligands. The formation of colored coordination compounds can be employed to generate images and is important in the manufacture and use of pressure sensitive transfer papers for preparing carbonless copies. In particular, this invention relates to certain 2,5-bis(substituted aryl)thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole compounds, and particularly to certain 2,5-bis(o-hydroxyaryl)thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole compounds, to their coordination compounds with certain transition metals, and to their use in pressure sensitive carbonless copy paper systems. These compounds have been found to provide excellent green-yellow colors when used in pressure sensitive carbonless copy-papers wherein the image is formed by the reaction of a color-forming compound with transition metal salts such as those of nickel, cobalt, iron, copper, and similar materials. These green-yellow color-formers have the advantage of greater solubility in encapsulation solvents and lower volatility than previously used yellow color-formers.. The invention also concerns the admixture of these certain color-formers with N-(monosubstituted)dithiooxamides and/or N,N'-(disubstituted)dithiooxamides to form images of various colors and preferably black images during the application of appropriate pressure to pressure sensitive imaging constructions such as carbonless paper constructions.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to 2,5-bis(substituted aryl)thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole compounds, and particularly to 2,5-bis(o-hydroxyaryl)thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole color-formers, to their reactions with metal salts to form colored coordination compounds, and to imaging systems based thereon. The formation of colored coordination compounds can be employed to generate images and is important in the manufacture and use of pressure-sensitive transfer papers for preparing carbonless copies.
The invention also concerns the admixture of these color-formers with N-(monosubstituted)dithiooxamides and/or N,N'-(disubstituted)dithiooxamides to form images of various colors and preferably black images during the application of appropriate pressure to pressure-sensitive imaging constructions such as carbonless paper constructions.
2. Background of the Art
The use of coordination compounds to form imaging sheets has been important in the field of pressure sensitive transfer papers useful for preparing carbonless copies. The present invention provides color-forming compositions which, when complexed with transition metal ions, can provide compositions that exhibit light absorption characteristics such that they appear as intensely green-yellow colored complexes. This is accomplished in the present invention by the use of certain colorless 2,5-bis(substituted aryl)thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole compounds, and particularly to certain 2,5-bis(o-hydroxyaryl)thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole compounds which provide an intense green-yellow color when individually complexed with cations of certain transition metals as, for example, nickel.sup.2+.
An early preparation of a thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole was reported by Ephraim (see Ephraim, J. Chem. Ber. 1891, 24, 1027) in which benzaldehyde was reacted with dithiooxamide to obtain a crystalline product in 25% yield. Later, Johnson and Ketcham identified the product as 2,5-diphenylthiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole (see Johnson, J. R. and Ketcham, R. J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 1960, 82, 2719). These workers also prepared a number of other derivatives using substituted benzaldehydes such as o-, m-, and p-hydroxy benzaldehyde, o- and p-methoxy benzaldehyde, furfuraldehyde and cinnamaldehyde. Additional substituted benzaldehydes were also used. These workers also prepared unsymmetrical 2,5-bis(aryl)thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazoles in which one of the aryl rings contained an o-hydroxy group and the other contained an o-ethoxy group.
The ultraviolet and fluorescent spectra of several thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole derivatives including those from furfural and cinnamaldehyde have been studied (see Thomas, D. A. J. Hetercycl. Chem. 1970, 7, 457).
Sonnenfeld reacted dithiooxamide with a terephthaldehyde to give a reddish-brown self-extinguishing polymer with very good high temperature properties (see Sonnenfeld, R. J. U.S. Pat. No. 3,457,231).
Sawdey describes the use of 2,5-bis(substituted aryl)thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole compounds in photographic elements as uv light absorbers (see Sawdey, G. W. U.S. Pat. No. 3,250,617.
Dear and coworkers taught the use of 2,5-bis(substituted aryl)thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole compounds as both UV absorbers and fluorescent brighteners of both polymers and photographic elements (see Dear, K. M., et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,630,738).
Dressler and coworkers dyed polypropylene yellow by treating polypropylene containing nickel with 2,5-bis(o-hydroxyphenyl)thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole. The yellow color resulted from the formation of a nickel/2,5-bis(o-hydroxyphenyl)thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole coordination compound (see Dressler, H. et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,326,627).
In none of the above cited literature have 2,5-bis(substituted aryl)thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole compounds been employed as color-forming ligands to form coordination compounds that provide the basis for an image forming process. That these color-formers can be encapsulated and can be used to form images in pressure sensitive carbonless imaging systems and particularly in combination with other ligands to form various colors in an imagewise fashion also appears new.
Carbonless impact marking papers for the transfer of images, (i.e., carbonless copy papers) are papers which are capable of producing an image upon application of pressure. Products employing this chemistry, generally comprise at least two substrates (for example two sheets of paper) and involve coating one reactant, known as a color-former, on one substrate, and the other reactant, known as a developer, on another, mating, substrate. One surface, or side, of each substrate is coated with one of the two primary reactants. The two substrates are often referred to as a donor sheet and a receptor sheet. Means for preventing the reaction of the two until intended, i.e., until activating pressure is applied, are also provided. This is typically accomplished by encapsulation of one of the reactants. Preferably, a fill solution of the color-forming compound(s) in a hydrophobic solvent are encapsulated or contained in microcapsules and is coated on the back side of one sheet of paper to form a donor sheet. This is then mated with a receptor sheet coated with a developer or reactant for the color-forming compound. The microcapsules serve the purpose of isolating the reactants from one another and preventing reaction. Once activating pressure is applied to the untreated surface of the donor sheet, as from a stylus or business-machine key, the two substrates come into contact under sufficient pressure so that the capsules are rupture in a pattern corresponding to the pattern of applied pressure, and the solution of encapsulated color-former is released and transferred from the donor sheet to the receptor sheet. On the receptor sheet, a reaction between the previously separated reactants occurs. Since the color-former and the developer form a deeply colored image when reacted, an image forms on the receptor sheet. In general, the resulting reaction will form a colored image corresponding to the path traveled by the stylus, or the pattern of pressure provided by the stylus or key. Herein the term, "activating pressure" includes, but is not limited to, pressure applied by hand with a stylus or pressure applied by a business machine key, for example a typewriter key; and the term "encapsulation" and "encapsulated compounds" refer to microcapsules enclosing a fill material therewithin.
A preferred construction comprises an encapsulated color-former dissolved in appropriate hydrophobic solvent(s) within microcapsules and coated onto a back side of the donor sheet with a suitable binder. The back side of the donor sheet is sometimes referred to herein as a "coated back" (CB) sheet. A developer, also optionally in a suitable binder, is coated onto the front side of the receptor sheet herein sometimes referred to as a "coated front" (CF) sheet. Herein, the term "suitable binder" refers to a material, such as starch or latex, that allows for dispersion of the reactants in a coating on a substrate, and is readily rupturable under hand-held stylus pressure, or typical business machine key pressure. As stated previously, in imaging, the two sheets are positioned such that the back side of the donor sheet faces the developer coating on the front side of the receptor sheet. In many applications the uncoated surface of the donor (CB) sheet comprises a form of some type and the activating pressure is generated by means of a pen or other writing instrument used in filling out the form. Thus, the image appearing on the receptor (CF) sheet is a copy of the image applied to the top sheet.
Constructions comprising a first substrate surface, on which is coated the encapsulated color-former; and, a second substrate surface, on which is coated a developer; are often prepared. The coated first substrate surface is positioned within the construction in contact with the coated second substrate surfaces. Such a construction is known as a "set" or a "form-set" construction.
Substrates, with one surface on which is coated the encapsulated color-former, and a second, opposite, surface on which is coated a developer can be placed between the CF and CB sheets, in a construction involving a plurality of substrates. Such sheets are generally referred to herein as "CFB" sheets (i.e., coated front and back sheets). Of course, each side including color-former thereon should be placed in juxtaposition with a sheet having developer thereon. CFB sheets are also typically used in form-sets. In some applications, multiple CFB sheets have been used in form-sets. These contain several intermediate sheets, each having a developer coating on one side and a coating with capsules of color-former on the opposite side.
An alternative to the use of CB, CF, and CFB sheet is the self-contained (SC), or autogenous, carbonless paper in which both the color-former and developer applied to the same side of the sheet and/or are incorporated into the fiber lattice of the paper sheet.
There are many stringent requirements for a color-former. In order to be useful in one embodiment of an imaging construction, it is necessary that the color-former be capable of being encapsulated. In addition, the color-former must be soluble and non-reactive with the fill solvent used for the encapsulation, insoluble in the aqueous solution used as the dispersing phase, non-reactive with other color-formers present in the encapsulation medium, and non-reactive with the materials used to form capsule walls.
It is also desirable that the color-former be capable of rapidly forming a stable colored image upon contact with a developer on a receptor sheet. That is, the color should form nearly instantaneously, so that the image is rapidly formed as the stylus pressure is applied to the backside of the donor sheet. This will help ensure formation of an accurate, almost instantly readable copy. The image should also be relatively stable so that it does not substantially fade with time.
One type of carbonless imaging chemistry takes advantage of the fact that dithiooxamide compounds are encapsulable and react readily with many transition metal salts to form coordination complexes. The chemistry and characteristics of certain dithiooxamide materials have been used successfully as color-formers in commercially available carbonless paper products. Generally, these dithiooxamide compounds comprise symmetrically disubstituted dithiooxamide compounds and include N,N'-dibenzyldithiooxamide and N,N'-di(2-octanoyloxyethyl)dithiooxamide.
Transition metal salts used as developers to form coordination complexes with dithiooxamides which have been employed in the preparation of carbonless image transfer products or constructions are generally those comprising cations having a +2 valance state. Compounds with nickel, zinc, palladium, platinum, copper and cobalt all form such complexes with dithiooxamides. Many of these coordination complexes are deeply colored.
Due to the stoichiometry of the system (i.e., the metal salt is usually in excess since relatively little ligand is released), it is generally believed that the image formed on the receptor sheet after stylus pressure is applied to break the capsules and release the ligand, results from the formation of a complex between one molecule of color-forming ligand and 1 or 2 atoms of a metal having a +2 valence (as for example Ni.sup.2+). The counterion of the positively charged transition metal is usually the conjugate base of a weak acid and may facilitate removal of the two protons from the color-forming ligands, necessary for complexation with the M.sup.2+ cation.
In commercial applications nickel salts have been preferred as the transition metal salts. One reason for this is that nickel salts form a deep color when complexed with dithiooxamide ligands. The nickel salts are also substantially colorless, and thus do not alone impart color to the receptor (CF) sheet. A third reason is that nickel salts are relatively low in cost, in comparison to other transition metal salts that can be easily and safely handled and that form highly colored coordination complexes with dithiooxamides.
In some applications it is also desirable that the color of the complex be a deep, strong color that is not only pleasing to the eye, but that will exhibit good contrast with the paper, for purposes of later reading and/or photocopying. This has been one drawback with conventional carbonless paper arrangements, which use nickel salts complexed with disubstituted dithiooxamide ligands. The image imparted by the resulting coordination compound, under such circumstances, is generally referred to as blue/purple (b/p) or magenta. The more "red" character the coordination complex exhibits, generally the less contrasting and pleasing is the appearance. A dark, i.e., preferably black, blue, or blue-black, arrangement would be preferred.
One attempt to prepare a neutral black image using metal coordination chemistry of this type was provided by Yarian (see Yarian, D. R. U.S. Pat. No. 4,334,015). He found that the combination of certain aromatic-substituted hydrazones with dithiooxamides followed by encapsulation of the mixture provides a method of achieving a dark image. These hydrazones react with the metal on the receiving sheet to form intense green-yellow images. The green-yellow coordination compound thus formed, combined with the blue-purple image formed by the dithiooxamide (such as N,N'-di(2-octanoyloxyethyl)dithiooxamide and/or N,N'-(dibenzyl)dithiooxamide), results in an image that appears almost black to the observer.
Although this is a successful approach, Yafian's use of hydrazones still suffers from several drawbacks. The solubility of the hydrazones is not as great in the solvents generally used in the encapsulation process as are dithiooxamides. In addition, the initial image color of the coordination compound formed with N,N'-(disubstituted)dithiooxamides is brown and only after some time does the blue-black to black final image color form. Although much better than the blue-purple coordination compound formed with N,N'-(disubstituted)dithiooxamides, this mixture of green-yellow and blue-purple is a dark blue-black rather than the preferred neutral black.
Yarian also noted that the color of capsules prepared from hydrazone compounds was pH dependent and their color may change from essentially colorless at low pH to yellow at pH greater than 9.5 to 10. Yarian further noted that this color change is rapid and reversible upon lowering of the pH. Papers can be divided into classes depending upon their methods of manufacture, treatment and sizing. Among these classifications are acidic and alkaline papers. Encapsulated hydrazones when coated onto "alkaline paper" can form yellow colors.
In conventional impact imaging constructions, the capsules can be inadvertently raptured in steps such as processing, printing, cutting, packaging, handling, storing, and copying. In these situations inadvertent marking or discoloration (i.e., backgrounding) of the sheets results from inadvertent capsule rupture and transfer of the encapsulated material to the mating sheet where color formation occurs. The mount of inadvertent backgrounding has been reduced in such products by the use of a color control coreactant distributed externally among the capsules. This coreactant is capable of reacting with the contents of the ruptured capsules before transfer of said contents to the receptor sheet and formation of an undesired image (see Ostlie, D. A., U.S. Pat. No. 3,481,759). Ostlie discovered that addition of a small amount of a metal salt such as a zinc salt to the capsule coating prevents the formation of colored background. The zinc metal ion reacts with the accidently released dithiooxamide compound to form colorless coordination compounds and thus deactivates inadvertantly released dithiooxamide materials.
The use of Yarian's invention in combination with that of Ostlie is not possible as zinc forms yellow coordination complexes with the hydrazones of Yarian's invention. Thus, yellow color backgrounding still occurs on the backside of the sheet due to inadvertently ruptured capsules. It would be desirable to have a yellow color-former that could be successfully deactivated by the same method as that described by Ostlie's discovery. Then, the same method of deactivation of the yellow, magenta, and cyan color-formers released by inadvertent capsule rapture would be possible.
Another approach to formation of a black image employs an encapsulated mixture of an acid sensitive green-forming leuco dye and a dithiooxamide color-former. The receptor sheet is formulated to contain phenolic type acids in addition to the transition metal salts. In this system, pressure imaging results in the release of both acid sensitive leuco dyes and dithiooxamide materials. The nickel salt in the receptor sheet reacts with the dithiooxamide to form a purple color and the phenolic acid in the receptor sheet reacts with the acid-sensitive leuco to form a green color. Together they generate a black image. This approach, while successful, has several disadvantages. Heavy coatings to the papers are required as two separate chemistries are involved. Another drawback of this approach is that the rates of reaction for the two chemistries are different and must be balanced by adjustment of the ratios of the two chemistries in the paper construction.
Recently, a blue or blue-black image was achieved by employing encapsulated N-(monosubstituted)dithiooxamides compatible with the transition metal chemistry described above (see copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/483,776, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,124,308, incorporated herein by reference). Preparation of these N-(monosubstituted)dithiooxamides is described in Olson, D. B., et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,041,654 which is incorporated herein by reference for the disclosure and synthesis of these N-(monosubstituted)dithiooxamides. These may be used either alone or in admixture with N,N'-(disubstituted)dithiooxamides and can result in a cyan, blue, or blue-black image. A neutral black image would be preferred.
The ligands generally useful in carbonless paper constructions should also be relatively nonvolatile, so that free ligand, which would result from any inadvertently ruptured capsule, does not readily transfer from the donor sheet to the receptor sheet and form undesired spots of imaged area. That is, so that without the specific assistance of stylus or key pressure, transfer is not readily obtained.
It is also preferred that the ligands should be colorless, since the ligands are often encapsulated and coated onto the backside of a sheet, such as a form, which has printing on one or both sides thereof. This allows for good legibility of printing on the back side of the carbonless copy-paper sheets. This aspect is particularly important if the donor sheet comprises a top sheet for a stack of carbonless papers. Such sheets are often white, so that they can be readily identified as originals, can be readily photocopied, and can be easily read. The presence of color in the coating on the back side of this sheet would detract from the white colored "original" appearance and could make photocopying of this sheet troublesome.
While the above-described preferred characteristics have long been desirable, they have not been satisfactorily achieved with conventional reactants and conventional constructions. What has been needed has been suitable materials and arrangements for achieving the desired features described.

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


A semiconductor wafer (10), a method of providing information on a semiconductor wafer (10), a system of semiconductor wafer (10) and reading means, and a method of reading information from a semiconductor wafer (10) are provided. The invention is characterized by magnetic means (14) as information carrier and the respective magnetic sensors (26) to read such information.

The present invention generally relates to a semiconductor wafer, and more particularly to a semiconductor wafer having a region carrying information for identification. The present invention further relates to a method of providing on a semiconductor wafer a region carrying information for identification. Moreover, the present invention relates to a system and a method for identifying a semiconductor wafer having a region carrying information for identification.
The identification of semiconductor wafers is an important task before, during and after semiconductor wafer processing. For example, an identification of a wafer may be used to teach a process tool of the particular features of the special wafer so that process parameters can be adjusted accordingly.
In order to identify silicon wafers or other substrates in manufacturing or research facilities, the wafers are identified with a special marking. Such marking usually comprises a code, for example alphanumeric, T7, OCR and/or bar code. In this way, an individual wafer may be uniquely identified within a lot or a batch. Also, some raw silicon wafers have supplier marking, which is mostly alphanumeric, that identifies the pull, crystal or batch.
These special markings are usually provided by laser scribing. In order to retrieve the information, the marking is read by optical means.
Unfortunately, the optical information tends to disappear or to become unreadable during the processing of the wafer. In particular, extremely small and shallow markings tend to disappear after various film deposition steps over them. Also a laser scribe done prior to device processing tends to be come unreadable to naked eye, microscope or optical character readers due to this effect.
There are even more problems related to laser scribing. Such technique produces slag and particle defects on the wafer surface as a result of the scribing (pitting) process. Further, nucleation sites for silicon defects are created. The laser scribing allows contamination to collect in and around the scribe during processing. Further, the marking is typically located on the extreme wafer edge where film deposition is less stable and less uniform. The space that is needed for the laser scribing may reduce the usable space on the wafer surface. Markings on the backside of the wafer negatively impact the backside flatness.
Thus, laser scribing is problematic for wafer suppliers and manufactures of integrated circuits due to the techniques used, reading difficulties and the creation of defects and contamination.
The present invention seeks to solve the above mentioned problems by providing new devices, systems and methods by which a wafer may be uniquely identified.


A cost-effective system architecture and apparatus for programmable automatic power supply testing. The system utilizes board level interface between various system testing modules and an Automatic Test Controller (ATC). The ATC receives coded test requests from the software on an industrial PC and control the various testing modules inside ATC to execute the tests. Test results were sent back to the PC and saved in a result file. A single industrial PC can control two or more ATC's and test two or more power supply units simultaneously. The ATC based test system is lower cost than the conventional Automatic Test Equipment which uses device level interface and standardized test devices.

An automatic power supply test system is used to test the performance of a power supply. These test systems automatically measure the parameters such as input voltage, current, power, power factor, output voltage, current, ripple and noise, short-circuit protection, over-voltage protection (OVP) and over-current protection (OCP) of a power supply. An automatic power supply test system is often used in power supply production line to ensure products meet the specifications before they are packed for shipment. An automatic power supply test system usually consists of a central computer with application software to control an automatic power source, a power analyzer, an electronic load, a multi-channel DC voltage/current meter, a ripple/noise measurement device and some special circuitry to tests the protection functions. Furthermore, an automatic power supply test system needs to be user programmable so it can be used to test power supplies of various types and power ratings.
FIG. 1 is the block diagram of a typical automatic power supply test system existing today. The system has an industrial PC as the central computer. The PC communicates to various system components via a standard communication bus, such as IEEE488 bus. From the PC, a user can edit the test requirement through the application software. For instance, if the user wants to test the efficiency of a power supply, he/she would, through the application software, set the Automatic Power Source 12 to the nominal input voltage of that power supply, set the electronic load 16 to draw the rated output current of that power supply, set the Power Analyzer 13 to measure the input power of the power supply, and set the Precision DC meters 15 to measure the output voltage and current of the power supply. He/she also needs to setup the application software to calculate the efficiency using the collected measurement results and output the efficiency to a desired file and in desired format.
While this conventional architecture has the flexibility to allow the user to program each system components freely, its drawback is the relatively high cost. First, to communicate with the PC through IEEE488 bus, every system component needs to have the IEEE488 interface circuitry. Second, the various system components are often standard equipment that has human interface and other features that are not necessary for the automatic test system.
The main objective of the current invention is to achieve lower cost system architecture for the same test functionality. Another objective of the current invention is to have two or more test units operating at the same time, controlled by the same PC, sharing the same programmable power source and operated by a single operator in a power supply production line. This allows higher throughput and better work efficiency for the production line.

System and method for programmable automatic testing of power supplied

Synergistic Technologies Solutions, Inc.


Novel phantoms are provided herein that can accurately mimic the optical and/or acoustic properties of living tissue. The disclosed phantoms are constructed of one or more polyvinyl chloride plastisol (PVCP) gels comprising a PVC and a binary plasticizer. The phantoms can be used, for example, to calibrate or test an optical and/or acoustic detection system, such as a photoacoustic imaging system or an ultrasound imaging system.

Photoacoustic Imaging (PAI) is an imaging modality that combines pulsed laser irradiation with ultrasonic sensing to provide optical absorption information at depths on the order of centimeters. Exemplary PAI applications include vascular imaging, cancer detection, and mammography. Because PAI is an emerging technology, there are no currently recognized standard test methods for conducting device performance assessment, quality control, and inter-comparison. Tissue-simulating phantoms provide useful test objects and are incorporated in image quality standards for medical imaging technologies. Prior PAI phantoms can successfully mimic the optical properties of tissue or the acoustic properties of tissue, but not both.

The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services


A sensor for scanning a surface with an oscillating cantilever (12), made from piezoelectric material that is suitable for a transverse oscillation of the free end of a beam, holding an electrically conductive probe tip (14) on the free end of the beam in transverse direction, a first deflection electrode (26A, 26B) and an inversely phased second electrode (28A, 28B, 28C) being provided to collect charges that are separated within the space of the deflection electrodes (34, 36). The cantilever (12) is provided with at least one electrode (30) in addition to the deflection electrodes (26A, 26B, 28A, 28B, 28C) that provides electrical contact to the tip (14), the at least one additional electrode being located in a region on the deflecting beam where the surface charge density due to the strain caused by beam deflection (34, 36) is smaller than in the region where the deflection electrodes are located.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a sensor for noncontact scanning of a surface with an oscillating beam made from a piezoelectric material, wherein the beam is designed for a transverse vibration of a free end of the beam, with an electrically conductive tip extending in transverse direction at the free end of the beam, wherein the beam is provided with a first deflection electrode and a second deflection electrode, which second deflection electrode is inversely polarized with regard to the first deflection electrode in order to collect charges that are generated when the beam is deflected. Such a sensor is, in particular, suitable for combined atomic force microscopy that is a combination of atomic force microscopy with other scanning probe microscopies. One example is combined scanning tunneling and atomic force microscopy.
2. Description of Related Art
Scanning probe microscopy works by scanning a sharp tip over a surface (in x- and y-direction) while keeping the interaction force between tip and sample constant by means of a feedback circuit that controls the tip height z such that an image z(x,y) is formed. Image contrast is defined by the tip-sample interaction. Two basic methods are distinguished: imaging with repulsive and imaging with attractive interactions. When the tip approaches the sample, the force is initially attractive. Once tip and sample "touch" each other, the force becomes repulsive. Scanning tunneling microscopy relies on a similar principle, but it requires electrically conductive tips and samples. Instead of the force, a current is measured (from about 100 fA to about 1000 nA), that flows once a voltage bias is applied and the distance between tip and sample is sufficiently small (between 0.2 nm and 2 nm).
The force is measured by mounting the probe tip onto a cantilever spring. In quasi-static force microscopy, the static spring deflection is measured. In dynamic force microscopy, the cantilever oscillates and an observable, such as the oscillation amplitude, the frequency or the oscillation phase with respect to a sinusoidal drive signal are measured. In principle, it is possible to simultaneously measure the force (or a quantity derived from it such as the force gradient), by measuring the deflection of the cantilever or a quantity derived from the deflection as well as the tunneling current that flows between tip and sample.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a known sensor for simultaneous tunneling- and force microscopy. The sensor (stiffness k) oscillates at amplitude A. The unperturbed resonance frequency is f0=(k/m*)0.5/2π, and the frequency changes to f=((k+<kts>)/m*)0.5/2π. The influence of a tip-sample force gradient <kts> leads to a frequency shiftΔf=<kts>/(2k)f0,  (G1. 1)where m* is the effective mass of the cantilever. The frequency shift can be used as a feedback signal to control the distance of a probe tip that scans the sample. When both tip and sample are electrically conductive and a bias voltage is applied, a tunneling current flows that is modulated by the oscillation and contains important information about the sample. With metallic tips and samples, the tunneling resistance of the vacuum gap is approximately given by 12.9 kΩ×exp(−2 z/100 pm). A simultaneous measurement of force and current is desirable, because that extends the applicability of scanning probe microscopy.
Piezoelectric sensors, such as the qPlus Sensor (see, e.g., German Patent DE 196 33 546 C2 and F. J. Giessibl, Applied Physics Letters 73, 3956, 1998 and F. J. Giessibl, Applied Physics Letters 76, 1470, 2000) and the so-called needle sensor (see, e.g. K. Bartzke et al., International Journal of Optoelectronics 8, Nos. 5/6, 669-676, 1993; T. An et al. Appl. Phys. Lett. 87, 133114, 2005) are formed of a quartz beam, whose lateral deflection (qPlus) or length extension (needle sensor) is measured by means of the piezoelectric effect. The quartz beam is covered by two pairs of electrodes (qPlus) or two single electrodes (needle sensor), that collect charges for a constant deflection and generate an alternating current when oscillating.
The qPlus sensor 10 shown schematically in FIG. 2 utilizes the beam deflection, where a deflectable beam 12 with a tip 14 is mounted to a base part in rest. The piezoelectric effect transforms mechanical strain caused by deflection to surface charges that are collected by the electrodes that cover the quartz beam. When the beam is deflected upwards as shown in FIG. 2, the upper half of the beam is subject to tensile strain, the lower half to compressive strain.
The emergence of a surface charge density σel with the presence of a mechanical stress σmech is due to the piezoelectric effect, where the surface charge density is given by:σel=d12σmech.  (eq. 1)
The prefactor d12 is the piezoelectric coupling constant with a typical value of about 2.3 pC/m for quartz. The mechanical strain leads to surface charges, that are collected by electrodes and transferred to an amplifier. The geometric arrangement of the electrodes is chosen such that a maximal charge is delivered for a given bending symmetry in order to obtain a maximal signal-to-noise ratio in deflection measurement. The basically sinusoidal deflection transforms into a basically sinusoidal alternating current.
When intending to measure the tunneling current in parallel, the electrically conductive tip needs to be connected to the outside. Prior art (F. J. Giessibl, Applied Physics Letters 76, 1470, 2000) utilizes one electrode of the quartz beam to guide the tunneling bias voltage to the tip. The tunneling current is collected at the sample. One disadvantage of this arrangement is that the tunneling current needs to be collected at the sample and deflection signal and a galvanic separation between deflection signal and tunneling current is not feasible. The sample needs to be electrically isolated from the body of the scanning probe microscope. This is a clear disadvantage, in particular in low-temperature microscopes, because the sample should be thermally connected well to the cooling bath to allow for low sample temperatures. As stated by the Wiedemann-Franz law, a good electrical connection ensures a good thermal connection and vice versa. In addition, the sample and the sample holder are generally much larger than the tunneling tip, therefore they have a larger electrical capacity with respect to ground (typically tens of pico-Farads). Large capacity to ground has the disadvantage of limiting the bandwidth of the tunneling current measurement and increasing its noise figure.
German Patent Application DE 195 13 529 A1 relates to a needle sensor, that contains a drive electrode on opposite faces of the beam to drive the beam into resonant vibration. One of the faces contains an additional electrode that connects to the tip to enable tunneling current measurement.

Sensor for noncontact profiling of a surface


The invention relates to an electrical connection arrangement for producing a detachable electrical connection with one or more plug connectors, wherein the connection arrangement comprises the following: a. a housing which forms at least one housing wall in which there are one or more preferably cylindrical openings; b. one or more plug connectors, each of which has a cylindrical plug connector housing protruding through an opening; c. wherein a contact carrier carrying a contact is arranged in each of the cylindrical plug connector housing(s), the contact connections of which are on a common mounting plane for electrically contacting a circuit board, d. wherein the housing wall of the housing is integrally bonded to the cylindrical plug connector housing(s) via their outer casing.

Connection arrangements are known in the prior art for many applications. The present invention is concerned with sealed connection arrangements such as coupling device for coupling devices such as sensors, actuators or controllers to a bus system.
In many electronic applications today, different devices communicate with each other via a bus system. In this case, a plurality of different bus systems based on different communication protocols is also known in the prior art. In the field of electronic surveillance systems, for example, the distribution of so-called safety bus systems, which are partly based on standard fieldbus protocols, is increasing.
DE 43 44 904 A1, for example, discloses a connection system for connecting both simple sensors or actuators with parallel signal transmission, as well as complex sensors or actuators with serial signal transmission to an fieldbus-specific fieldbus circuit of a respective fieldbus system, which fieldbus circuit precedes a fieldbus-independent interface device to which either simple or complex sensors or actuators can be connected.

Sealed electrical plug connector arrangement