This application discloses a reference signal transmission method and apparatus. The method includes: generating one or more OFDM symbols, where at least one OFDM symbol includes a PTRS resource block, the PTRS resource block includes at least two of three sequences: a PTRS sequence of Y elements, X elements after the PTRS sequence, and Z elements before the PTRS sequence, and the PTRS resource block occupies a plurality of consecutive resource elements REs, where X, Y, and Z are all integers; and sending the one or more OFDM symbols. According to the foregoing method and apparatus, inter-carrier interference is reduced, thereby improving spectral efficiency.

With development of network systems, requirements on a communication rate and a capacity increase, and therefore a requirement on high-frequency resources also increases. A next-generation wireless communications network whose operating frequency band is above 6 GHz, for example, the 5th generation (5G) network, can provide an ultrahigh-speed data communication service. Within a frequency range above 6 GHz, frequency bands that can be used for the next-generation wireless communications network include frequency bands at 28 GHz, 39 GHz, 60 GHz, 73 GHz, and the like. A high-frequency communications system whose operating frequency band is above 6 GHz has significant features such as high bandwidth and a highly-integrated antenna array. Therefore, a relatively high throughput is easily implemented. However, an increase in a frequency results in an increase in phase noise (PHN) generated by random jitter of a frequency component, namely, a local oscillator. Therefore, impact of phase noise in high-frequency wireless communication cannot be ignored. As a frequency band increases, a higher phase noise level indicates greater impact on a received signal. Usually, a transmit end device may add a phase tracking reference signal (PTRS), and a receive end may estimate the phase noise based on the received PTRS.
A higher frequency band supported by a radio frequency component indicates greater impact of the phase noise. In the 5G standard, a carrier frequency band supported by a new radio (NR) network may be greater than 60 GHz, and impact of phase noise cannot be ignored in some cases. The PTRS has been allowed to be introduced in NR to measure and compensate for the phase noise.
Compared with an existing wireless communications network, the high-frequency communications system suffers more serious intermediate radio frequency distortion, especially impact caused by phase noise. In addition, impact of the Doppler effect and carrier frequency offset (CFO) on performance of the high-frequency communications system also increases as a position of a frequency band becomes higher. A common feature of the phase noise, the Doppler effect, and the CFO is that, a phase error, or referred to as phase offset, is brought to data reception of the high-frequency communications system. Consequently, the high-frequency communications system is deteriorated in performance, or even cannot operate.
In addition, in the next-generation wireless communications network, to meet an increasing communication requirement, an increasingly high requirement is imposed on higher order modulation such as 256 QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) or even 1024 QAM. In this case, in addition to a common phase error (CPE), inter-carrier interference (ICI) caused by the phase offset cannot be ignored either.
In the prior art, during PTRS configuration, impact, of inter-carrier interference caused by phase offset, on performance of a high-frequency communications system is almost not considered. Especially, when a modulation order is relatively high, the inter-carrier interference of the high-frequency communications system cannot be accurately estimated, and a bit error rate is high, resulting in relatively low spectral efficiency.

Reference signal transmission method and apparatus


A mounting unit (2) for fastening an injection member to an exhaust gas tract has a retaining region (12) for receiving the injection member, and an edge region (28). At least one opening (30) for receiving a fastening element is provided in the edge region (28). The mounting unit (2) is designed in such a manner that there is an air gap (13) between the fastening element and the retaining region (12) when the mounting unit (2) is fastened to the exhaust gas tract by the fastening element.

The present invention relates to a mounting unit for fastening an injection member for dosing a fluid into an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine on an exhaust tract, and to an exhaust-gas aftertreatment arrangement having a mounting unit of said type.
It is known to install a particle filter in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle. If the internal combustion engine is a diesel engine, the particle filter acts for example as a soot filter and, owing to its filtering action, reduces the emissions of fine dust. To prevent the filter becoming blocked after a certain operating duration, it is necessary for the filter to be regenerated from time to time. The regeneration takes place by means of a temperature increase to for example approximately 600 degrees Celsius, as a result of which the particles, in particular soot particles, are burned. Since this is not possible by engine-internal measures in all operating situations, the temperature increase is realized by means of fuel, for example diesel, which is injected into the drivetrain via an injection member. The injected fuel passes to an oxidation catalytic converter arranged upstream of the particle filter. The fuel which passes into the oxidation catalytic converter is oxidized or burned and leads to an increase in the exhaust-gas temperature, such that correspondingly hot gases pass to the downstream particle filter and, there, effect the regeneration.
In another method, a urea solution is injected into the exhaust tract for the selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides in exhaust gases in an SCR catalytic converter.
There is therefore a need for a device which makes it possible to inject liquid into an exhaust tract.
A device for introducing a liquid substance into the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine is described in DE 10 2007 003 120 A1. DE 10 2006 049 531 A1 describes a connecting unit having a port for a dosing module for mounting in an exhaust tract of an internal combustion engine.
During operation, the exhaust line is heated to a high temperature by the hot exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine. The high temperature of the exhaust line is transferred to the injection member. A high temperature at the injection member causes aging of the liquid to be injected, and can thus adversely affect the action of said liquid.

Mounting unit for fastening an injection member to an exhaust gas tract


A brassiere includes an article of underwear, two bra cups, and a cup edging enhancement substantially attaching the bra cups to the underwear. Each bra cup includes an outer layer and an inner lining overlapped thereto that a lining brim of the inner lining is misaligned with a layer brim of the outer layer to form a seaming portion at the inner lining. The seaming portion of each of the bra cups is overlappedly attached on the respective edge portion of the underwear while the layer brim of the outer layer is alignedly affixed to the respective bordering edge of the underwear in an edge-to-edge manner for substantially reducing a thickness of a seam between the bra cup and the underwear so as to avoid the visibility of the contour of the seam of the brassiere especially when the brassiere is worn underneath the clingy clothes.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an underwear garment, and more particularly to a brassiere with a cup edge enhancing structure to provide improved comfort when worn while proving an adequate natural appearance.
2. Description of Related Arts
The design of the brassiere underwear garment, serves a sense of intimacy and provides a breast enclosure and support. The brassiere generally comprises an article of under wear with a brasserie body portion including a body encircling band, and two bra cups spacedly attached thereto for enclosing and supporting the breasts of the wearer. Accordingly, in order to attach the bra cup to the bra body and bra body encircling band, an edge of the bra body and bra body encircling band is overlappedly stitched along a brim of the bra cup to form a stitching seam. However, such stitching structure of the brassiere will thicken the stitching seam so that the wearer may feel uncomfortable when she wears the brassiere. In addition, such brassieres are unattractive since the stitching seam is visibly exposed when the brassiere is worn underneath a clingy outerwear. In other words, such brassiere will detract from the smooth, since the contours of the bra cups are inevitably visible underneath.

Brassiere with cup edge enhancing structure


A drilling guide or jig for guiding an elongated drill bit for drilling a long hole through a panel such as a door from one edge to a point adjacent another edge thereof. The guide is formed by a rigid, elongated, rectangular base plate defining an elongated slot and positionable along one edge of the door. A pair of arms are mounted one on each long side edge of the plate at about the midpoint thereof and extend generally perpendicularly to the plate. The arms define at one end a pair of spaced apart jaws extending from said plate and adapted to hold the plate on the door or panel. The arms further define a pair of spaced apart support members extending from the plate opposite to the jaws. A drill guide block is pivotally mounted between the free ends of the support members in spaced relation to the plate, and adjustably supports a drill guide tube extending between the arms. The tube supports and guides an elongated drill bit for drilling at a selected angle through the elongated slot in the plate and the panel for producing a long hole extending generally transversely through the panel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to drilling tools and more particularly to drill guides or jigs. More specifically, the present invention relates to a drilling jig for guiding an elongated drill bit when drilling a hole through a panel such as a door from one edge thereof to the opposite edge.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A fixture for use in drilling a hole through a door from one edge to an opposite edge is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,834, issued Aug. 11, 1998, to Raymond E. Zehrung for "Fixture for Drilling a Longitudinal Hole in a Door".
A long drill bit which is capable of maintaining a desired penetration angle and path when drilling long holes is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,146, issued Mar. 6, 1990, to Roy E. Bowling for "Axially Self-Aligning Drill Bit". The drill bit has a stiffly flexible shank with a unique drilling tip that maintains the desired path and does not walk or deflect therefrom.

Drill guide for drilling long holes in doors


The present invention concerns an antioxidant combination of at least tocopherols, carnosic acid and hydrolysable gallotannins, wherein: —the amount of tocopherols is less than about 500 ppm, and—the ratio of carnosic acid:hydrolysable gallotannins ranges from about 1:4 to about 3:1. The present invention also concerns an antioxidated fat-containing composition comprising this antioxidant combination. The present invention also concerns a method for enhancing the antioxidant effect of tocopherols in a fat-containing composition, as well as the use of the antioxidant combination for enhancing the antioxidant effect of tocopherols in a fat-containing composition.

Fats and oils are a major constituent of cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and foods, in particular pet foods. For the two former, fats and oils contribute to their texture, odor and/or flavor as well as proper activities of the active ingredients contained therein. In the latter, fats and oils contribute to their texture, odor and/or flavor, nutritional value, texture and palatability.
However, lipids are highly susceptible to oxidation during processing or storage, which can lead to rancidity and/or reduce the nutritional value of the product that is finally used. In particular, this results in a food, such as a pet food, being unpalatable, and nutritionally unsatisfying for the subject, such as the pet.
As a consequence, antioxidants are commonly added to fat-containing compositions, such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals or foods, such as pet foods, to delay the unavoidable fat oxidation process and to extend the shelf life of the fat-containing composition, for example the food product, such as the pet food product.
In order to evaluate the efficacy of antioxidants in fat-containing compositions, several indicators are used such as the period of protection, i.e. the period of time before oxidation of fat starts, or the quantification of primary fat-oxidation products, such as the peroxide value (PV) or secondary fat-oxidation products, such as the hexanal value (HV).
Synthetic antioxidants are widely used to protect oils and fats in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food/pet food industries. Due to the possible adverse effects of synthetic preservatives on health, the consumer's demand for natural antioxidants has tremendously increased in the past decades. Various vegetable extracts have been investigated and hundreds of molecules with different chemical structures have been identified as effective natural antioxidants (Brewer, 2011; Pokorny et al., 2001).
The patent application JP19880240514 mentions an agent containing (a) an extract of green tea leaves and (b) tocopherols and/or extract of rosemary, optionally with (c) gallic acid. However, this patent application is silent about the amounts and/or ratios of these compounds. As well known by the skilled person, green tea leaves mainly comprise polyphenols (catechins, epicatechins etc.) but only contain traces of quercetin. In a review, Namal Senanayake (2013) reports an amount of 25 to 35% of polyphenols by dry weight of green tea leaves, predominantly catechins. The publication "Effect of dietary rosemary and α-tocopherols acetate on the oxidative stability of raw and cooked pork following oxidized linseed oil administration", L. Haak et al., Meat Science 78 (2008) 239-247, studies the effect on the oxidative stability of raw and cooked pork of a 2% dietary administration to pigs of oxidized linseed oil either or not in combination with antioxidants, containing for example α-tocopheryl acetate and/or rosemary extract and/or gallic acid. However, these compounds did not protect the feed against oxidation as they were encapsulated so as to be released only during digestion of pigs. Moreover, a significant lipid pro-oxidant effect of the combination of rosemary extract and gallic acid was observed.
Tocopherols are currently one of the most commercialized natural antioxidants. They exist in most of vegetable oils and have been extensively studied. Tocopherols are widely used in the field of cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food/pet food industries, in particular because these natural antioxidants do not negatively impact the essential functional properties of the products to be obtained (for example, palatability of pet foods).
However, a major issue to the use of tocopherols lies in a relatively short period of protection, the fat-oxidation in a fat-containing composition being frequently less delayed over time than when using other antioxidants, such as synthetic antioxidants.
Furthermore, high peroxide value and hexanal value have been observed when using tocopherols as the sole antioxidant in a fat-containing composition.
Moreover, it has been found that a high amount of tocopherols is lost when added to a fat-containing composition further subjected to a physical and/or thermal treatment, such as during extrusion.
It is recognized that there is a need for an antioxidant combination of natural antioxidants, said combination being useful for enhancing the antioxidant effect of tocopherols in a fat-containing composition.
An object of the invention is thus to provide a combination of natural antioxidants that significantly enhances the antioxidant effect of tocopherols in a fat-containing composition.
Another object of the invention is to provide a combination of natural antioxidants that can be used for significantly delaying fat-oxidation over time in a fat-containing composition and/or for decreasing the loss of tocopherols under a physical and/or thermal treatment of a fat-containing composition.
Another object of the invention is to provide a combination of natural antioxidants having the ability to at least preserve the palatability compared to a product that does not contain a combination of natural antioxidants of the invention.


A portable insulated cooling container comprising a first compartment, a second compartment, and a handle, the first compartment being separate from the second compartment, the first compartment adapted to receive a plurality of beverage containers and the second compartment adapted to receive a coolant, with the beverage containers being directly accessible from the first compartment.

A variety of portable containers which keep beverages cool are known. These portable containers include a device for maintaining a desired low temperature for the beverages. However, it has been discovered that while such portable containers are popular, there are problems associated with their use, including inadequate cooling mechanisms, inaccessibility of the contained beverages, and awkward, bulky designs of the containers.
One such presently available portable container for keeping beverages cool is shown in Gibson patent No. 4,266,407, which illustrates a portable cooler having a coolant and a container with indentations for holding cans. However, this cooler does not include a structure having two separate compartments, one in which the cans are readily accessible and may be removed directly from the one compartment of the bag without opening the entire container, or the other compartment of the container holding the coolant device. Moreover, the Gibson cooler does not show cans which are cooled along their entire length by a coolant device.
Other portable containers include lids that insulate beverages in containers, such as the portable containers disclosed in Atkinson patent No. 4,295,345, Rhodes patent No. 4,459,827 and Pitchford patent No. 4,620,426. However, these containers do not teach the use of two separate compartments, one from which the cans are readily accessible without opening the entire container, and the other which holds a coolant.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an insulated cooling container for canned liquids having two separate compartments, with cans stored in one of the two compartments, separate from the coolant which is stored in the other compartment.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an insulated cooling container for canned liquids having a coolant with individual recesses that individually nest and cool each can over a relatively large surface area.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an insulated cooling container for canned liquids where the cans are directly accessible for removal without disturbing the coolant in a separate, adjacent compartment.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an insulated cooling container for canned liquids which is adapted to fit into the shoe compartment of a golf bag.

Insulated cooling container for canned liquids


A conveyor and fixing unit are provided for fitting in a printing machine, which can be used to apply solder paste to a substrate, for example, a printed circuit board, at predetermined points. The substrate may also be a ceramic object, a flexible tape, a wafer, or other body suitable for the material to be applied. The material may also be an adhesive, silicone or epoxy resin. In order to execute a printing process for the application of solder paste, the substrate to be printed is conveyed by the conveyor unit from a substrate stack to the printing machine, where the substrate is aligned relative to a mask there provided, and solder paste is then applied to the areas of the printed circuit board to be printed by means of a doctor blade.

The present invention relates to a device for the conveying and releasable fixing of substrates to be printed.
A conveyor and fixing unit are provided in particular for fitting in a printing machine which is to be used to apply solder paste to a substrate in the form, for example, of a printed circuit board, at predetermined points (pads). The substrate may also be a ceramic object, a flexible tape, a wafer or any other body suitable for the material application. Besides solder paste, the material to be applied may also be an adhesive, silicone or epoxy resin. In order to execute a printing process for the application of, for example, solder paste, the substrate to be printed is conveyed by the conveyor unit for example from a substrate stack to the printing machine, where the substrate is aligned relative to a mask provided there, and solder paste is then applied to the areas of the printed circuit board to be printed by means of a doctor blade.
During the printing process it is necessary for the substrate to be fixed, in order to prevent it from slipping from the position In which it is aligned relative to the mask, since this would lead to an undesired printed image, as for example a wetting of pad intermediate spaces with solder paste or insufficient coverage of the pads with solder paste.
For timed and localized fixing of the substrate it is already known that the substrate may be fixed by a clamping process at the substrate side edges, wherein the substrate is clamped by a movable guide cheek against a stationary guide cheek. This clamping leads to a clamping pressure force in the plane of the substrate, referred to below as the fixing plane.
During the actual printing process the substrate is supported from below by supports, since the doctor blade exerts a compressive force on the substrate. This compressive force leads to warpage of the substrate from the fixing plane defined above, since there is no support in the edge zone (conveyance zone). Because of this lack of support, thin substrates in particular are unable to absorb these doctor blade forces in the edge zone, leading to downwards movement of the substrate and leading in turn to the upwards warpage of the substrate in the center described above. Due to the bending of the substrate, positioning inaccuracies occur over the surface of the substrate between the substrate and the mask, or the substrate top to be printed and the mask bottom, so that the desired coverage of the pads on the substrate with solder paste does not occur. The problem described above occurs especially with very thin substrates, which have an increased tendency to bend.
It is an aspect of the present invention to eliminate the problem described, by creating a conveyor and fixing unit for a printing machine which avoids bending of the substrate and thereby facilitates the most even possible coverage of the pads over the whole of the substrate surface to be printed.
The invention creates a unit for the conveyance and releasable fixing of substrates to be printed during a printing process, wherein the unit has a conveyor device which conveys the substrate to a fixing device which in turn fixes the substrate by means of contact with side edge areas of the substrate arranged in the direction of conveyance, and has support means on which the substrate lies in the area of the side edges. This enables the substrate to lie on the support means during fixing and printing, and specifically in the area of the edge areas of the substrate which are at the side in the direction of conveyance, so that the substrate in the form for example of a printed circuit board is supported from below, thereby avoiding warpage of the printed circuit board.
Consequently when the printed circuit board is releasably fixed for the printing process by the conveyor and fixing unit according to the invention, then the printed circuit board is supported not only in its center, i.e. within the side edges, but also directly at the side edges, thereby avoiding any downwards bending of the side edges relative to the longitudinal center axis of the printed circuit board in the direction of conveyance in the side edge area. The device according to the invention therefore provides a largely plane-parallel alignment of the printed circuit board in the plane in which the doctor blade is guided over the mask during the printing process, resulting in an even coverage of the printed circuit board pads with solder paste.
According to an advantageous development of the invention it is provided that the support means are in the form of tongue-shaped support elements spaced apart, which support from below the side edge areas running in the direction of conveyance of the printed circuit board.
The tongue-shaped support elements may be an integral part of a support bar, with conveyor rollers in the area between the individual support elements on which the substrate may be conveyed into, and also away from, the area of the fixing device. By this means the substrate to be printed may be placed via a feeder device on to the conveyor device, which then conveys the substrate into the area of the support bar with the tongue-shaped supports, which have conveyor rollers arranged between them. The substrate is then fixed for the printing process by means of the fixing device so that the top of the printed circuit board to be printed with the pads to be printed is aligned with the mask cut-outs, resulting in the printable substrate top side lying plane-parallel on the mask underside.
If the inventive conveyor and fixing unit is used to hold very thin substrates in place for the printing process, then it is also possible to provide the fixing device with hold-down strips which act on the side edge areas of the substrate from above, pressing them against the support elements so that the thin substrate is pressed against the support elements, thereby providing additional fixing. For good contact, these hold-down strips are therefore able to give additional reinforcement to the linear contact between the bottom of the substrate and the top of the support elements.
The substrate is therefore conveyed by the conveyor device into the area of the fixing device which, according to an embodiment of the invention, may be lowered relative to the conveyor device, with the support elements and the hold-down strips moving together to clamp the substrate during the lowering process. The lowering of the fixing device thus causes the support elements and the hold-down strips to move towards one another so as to clamp the substrate between them in the manner according to the invention.
The conveyor rollers already referred to above are able to move the substrate, via a drive provided on the fixing device, into the intended clamping position after handover of the substrate from the conveyor device. On completion of the printing process they are able to transfer the substrate from the area of the fixing device back to the conveyor device for movement away from the area of coverage of the printing machine. This enables a printing machine provided with the device according to the invention to automatically accept and print substrates and to convey them onwards.
For this purpose the conveyor device may have conveyor belts on which the substrate lies during conveyance and by which the substrate is conveyed into the area of the fixing device, from which it is removed after the printing process has taken place.


A twin-Vee-type dual band antenna includes interconnected first and second conductor arms and interconnected first and second mirroring conductor arms disposed on a substrate. The second conductor arm has a radiator section extending parallel to the first conductor arm. The first mirroring conductor arm is symmetrical to the first conductor arm, and forms an angle (θ) of less than 180 degrees with the first conductor arm. The second mirroring conductor arm is symmetrical to the second conductor arm, and has a radiator section extending parallel to the first mirroring conductor arm.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dual band antenna, more particularly to an external twin-Vee-type dual band antenna.
2. Description of the Related Art
External antennas are designed for high gain since they are mainly used to improve reception of wireless signals by wireless devices. However, omni-directionality of radiation pattern of the external antenna is compromised in achieving the high gain of the antenna. Therefore, the external antennas generally have high gain and low omni-directionality.
FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are schematic diagrams illustrating opposite sides of a conventional omnidirectional antenna 100 that has open-loop dipole antennas cascaded for boosting gain. The conventional omnidirectional antenna 100 includes an antenna substrate 1 having a front surface and a rear surface opposite to the front surface. A first feed-in portion 10a, a first metal line 11 and a first radiator unit 20 are disposed on the front surface of the antenna substrate 1. A second feed-in portion 10b, a second metal line 12 and a second radiator unit 30 are disposed on the rear surface of the antenna substrate 1.
Each of the first metal line 11 and the second metal line 12 is increased in width for improving impedance matching of a corresponding one of the cascaded first and second radiator units 20, 30. Nevertheless, increasing the widths of the first and second metal lines 11, 12 will result in reduced spacing between the first metal line 11 and the first radiator unit 20, and between the second metal line 12 and the second radiator unit 30. Correspondingly, signals transmitted through the metal lines 11, 12 may be coupled electromagnetically to the first and second radiator units 20, 30, which in turn affects impedance matching between the first and second radiator units 20, 30, and limits bandwidth of the conventional omnidirectional antenna 100. However, if spacings between the first metal line 11 and the first radiator unit 20 and between the second metal line 12 and the second radiator unit 30 are increased to result in reduced coupling thereamong, directionality of the antenna 100 will be increased.


A method of determining disturbances when discharging molten metal from a metallurgical container having an outlet into a receiving container. In the first step of this process, one directly or indirectly detects mechanical vibrations caused by the discharge of molten metal through the outlet. Thereafter, a second property is measured; the second property so measured varies during the discharge of molten metal from the first metallurgical container to the receiving container. Then, one calculates a sensitivity constant based upon the measuring of the second property. Thereafter, a comparison is made between the vibrations detected by the measuring device with a desired vibrational characteristic, wherein the desired vibrational characteristic is defined in part by the sensitivity constant; the comparison is analyzed to determine the existence of the disturbances within the outlet, and actions are then taken to cause the disturbance(s) to cease.

This patent application claims priority based upon United Kingdom patent application No. 0006609.2, filed Mar. 17, 2000.
A process for determining the presence of a slag phase in molten steel.
Steel making is considered a batch process. A unit of steel is melted or made with oxygen in a primary steelmaking vessel. The steel is then transferred to a ladle where it is alloyed and refined. Then the steel is transferred to a distribution vessel called a tundish from which it is distributed to one or more molds for solidification. In each of the batch vessels, a slag is present on the steel, comprised of liquid and solid oxides. The properties of the slag are quite different in each batch operation and it is not desirable to allow the transfer of the slag from one vessel to the next in the production sequence.
Slag from the primary steelmaking vessel should not be carried into the ladle, slag formed in the ladle should not be carried into the tundish, and slag from the tundish should not be carried into the molds. At the same time, it is desirable to maximize the yield of metal during transfer operations. Ideally, all the steel and none of the slag should be transferred from one batch operation to the next. Practically, this is not possible since slag and steel tend to form an emulsion or mixture, particularly near the end of a transfer operation. In that case, either some steel must be left untransferred, or some slag must be transferred to the next operation. An object of the present invention is to provide the operator with a tool that will minimize the duration of two phase flow, and to help him to choose by grade the optimum condition for steel retention and slag transfer.
It is known that the degree of mixing of slag and steel during a transfer operation increases with the rate of steel flow. At high flow rates, a vortex may develop well before the end of the transfer operation. In that case, steel and slag may flow together for some time, causing an unacceptable amount of slag transfer. It is the object of steel transfer operations to maintain flow conditions that prevent the mixing and co-transfer of steel and slag. An object of the present invention is to indicate the onset of a vortex and to cause a change in the transfer operation to dissipate the vortex, either automatically or by informing the operator of a recommended course of action.
In the prevention of slag transfer from one vessel to the next, detection of slag flow is important. In many cases, the detection of slag flow is visual and after the fact. For example, in the tapping of steel from an oxygen steel making vessel, the operator will watch the tap stream and the surface of steel in the ladle for indications of slag flow. A significant amount of slag flow causes the stream to brighten and flare due to the higher emissivity and lower surface tension of slag in relation to steel. Also, the lower density of slag causes it to flow across the surface of the steel in the ladle whereas the steel stream penetrates the surface. These indications cause the operator to stop the transfer operation to prevent the further flow of slag into the ladle, but this is usually after significant slag volume has transferred from the steel making vessel into the ladle. The operators vary in level of skill, experience, and attention to detail, causing the amount of slag carry-over to be quite variable from heat to heat. It is therefore desirable to have an operator independent system that can detect the onset of slag flow during the furnace tapping sequence and cause the modification or end of the tapping sequence to minimize the inflow of slag to the ladle.
In another example, when teeming steel from the ladle to the tundish, the operator may watch the pour box area of the tundish for signs of slag flow, such as a brightening of the slag surface around the pouring tube, or a welling up of slag around the pouring tube. Upon seeing these signs, the operator will cause the end of the teeming operation to prevent further flow of slag. Once again, significant slag flow from ladle to tundish may have occurred by that time.
Several aids have been developed to detect slag flow from the ladle. One is based on the difference in conductivity between slag and steel and a resistance is continuously measured between two contact points within the nozzle. This method cannot detect vortexing which often precedes slag flow. Also this method fails if the steel fails to contact one of the probes. Additionally, this method fails if the slag flow is in the center of the stream, allowing the steel to contact both probes and the slag to go undetected.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,300 of Gruner et al teaches a method of slag detection that monitors the radiation intensity of the stream of steel flowing through a discharge tube. A lateral side duct is inserted in the ladle shroud, or discharge tube, through which the steel stream can be observed. A change in radiation intensity signals the onset of slag flow. This method is intrusive and requires side duct modification for each shroud, so it has not found acceptance. Additionally, slag flow through the center of the steel stream would go undetected.
Another method of slag detection relies on an indirect method of conductivity measurement using a magnetic field. An electromagnetic coil is placed around the flowing stream of steel. When slag begins to flow, the field properties are changed by the lower conductivity of the stream. The percentage of high conductivity to low conductivity stream area is set at a predetermined rate; and, when this falls below a given threshold, then an alarm signals the operator to shut the ladle stream. Alternatively, the ladle stream can be caused to automatically shut off when the given threshold value is reached. A disadvantage of this method is that vortical flow is not detected. Slag may form only a small percentage of the area of a vortexing stream, and this may not be enough to trigger the alarm to shut the ladle. A further disadvantage of this method is that the electromagnetic coils must be embedded into the refractory bottom of each ladle. These coils require periodic replacement and are a costly maintenance item. Replacement of a damaged coil is usually done when a ladle is scheduled to be relined with new refractory. Until that time, a ladle may go without slag detection ability for several batches of steel.
Yet another method of slag detection relies on the operator""s ability to detect a difference in the vibration of a ladle shroud as slag flow begins. Steel has about twice the density of slag, and it causes the ladle shroud to vibrate significantly as it flows from the ladle into the tundish. This vibration tends to increase in strength during vortexing and decrease in strength during slag flow. Thus, a skilled operator can place a hand on the ladle shroud manipulator arm and sense the vibration during the latter part of a ladle pouring operation. The vibration will abruptly diminish as slag begins to flow through the shroud, at which time the operator causes the termination of the ladle draining operation. A vortex is more difficult to detect by hand, but a skilled operator may also sometimes detect the onset of vortexing flow and may cause the termination of the ladle draining operation at that point. While this method of slag detection is somewhat effective, it relies greatly on the skill and attentiveness of the operator and is thus inconsistent. Also, the operator does not have the ability to discern the various vibration frequencies associated with operations and activities around the casting machine. Some of these may influence his ability to accurately detect slag. In addition, the operator is influenced by his knowledge of approximate weight of steel left in the ladle. His level of sensitivity in slag detection may be low if he perceives that a significant amount of steel remains, and he may miss the early onset of slag. Conversely, his level of sensitivity may be heightened if he perceives that the ladle is almost empty, and he may terminate the pouring operation leaving a significant amount of steel in the ladle.
Instrumentation of the above method of vibration slag detection has been reported in the technical literature in papers from the BHP and NKK steel companies and in the patent literature. In each reported case, an accelerometer was used as a vibration transducer to continuously measure the vibration of the ladle shroud, the shroud manipulator arm or the tundish. In Japanese patent document 58-13455 (January, 1983), there is disclosed monitored vibration of the tundish during steel teeming. The amplified and filtered signal was monitored for a sudden increase and then drop in the amplitude, which signified the onset of slag flow and caused the steel teeming operation to be terminated. The sensitivity of the instrument was increased by also monitoring the rate of change of vibration amplitude with time. K. Yamamoto (Japan 58-13464, January 1983) teaches monitoring the vibration of the ladle shroud to determine the onset of slag flow and automatically terminate teeming. As is the case with the tundish, the shroud vibration amplitude increases with vortexing and decreases with slag flow. In another patent document (Japan Kokai 60-148652, August 1985), there is taught the use of a microphone to monitor the sound of steel flowing through the shroud. The onset of slag flow is marked by a decrease in the sound amplitude. One skilled in the art will realize that sound is, in fact, vibration and the concept is the same as that described in the previously mentioned prior art. The transducer to measure sound may be a piezoelectric accelerometer, a microphone, a Doppler laser device, or any other means that can quantify vibration intensity as a function of time.
BHP Steel in Australia reported using analog signal conditioning to filter out low frequency noise associated with crane movements and other background vibrations. The signal to noise ratio was also improved with analog signal conditioning. They measured vibration amplitude and output the signal using an analog meter. The onset of slag due to vortexing was noted by a marked increase in vibration amplitude. The signal dropped off dramatically after slag flowed through the nozzle. The system sounded a threshold alarm when vortexing reached a critical level, but the operators actually learned to read the analog output and take action based on the vibration pattern observed just before the alarm. The system was reported to be better than visual slag detection or manual vibration detection. It also required less maintenance than electromagnetic methods and was considerably less expensive. However, several disadvantages were noted. Firstly, the flow control slide gate had to be set to a low flow level near the end of a transfer operation which caused reduced metal level in the tundish. Secondly, the slide gate could not be moved after it was set in detection mode. Finally, in conditions where a vortex did not form prior to slag flow, the operator reaction was too slow in closing the teeming stream and significant slag flow into the tundish could occur.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,700 teaches the use of a piezoelectric accelerometer to monitor the vibration of the ladle shroud that is caused by steel flowing through it. It is disclosed that vortexing flow causes an increase in vibration amplitude and that the onset of slag flow causes a decrease in vibration amplitude. The vibration signal is continuously compared to a desired signal and action is taken when the vortexing or slag is indicated by the deviation from the desired signal. Additionally, Ardell teaches that a gradual decrease in vibration amplitude over time without adjustment of any flow control device indicates a blockage of the flow channel, such as might occur with the accretion of aluminum oxide particles within the nozzle. The inventors then address the means to clear such a blockage, such as by a burst of argon through the shroud.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,633,462, it is disclosed that a background vibration signature should be recorded as a comparative signal against which a real time signal is continuously compared. When the real time signal deviates significantly from the background signal, the teeming is caused to stop either by feedback to the flow control device or by alarming the operator. In fact, real time monitoring of vibration, as taught by the prior art, is a continuous comparison of a new amplitude signal to a previous amplitude signal.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved process for detecting slag.
In accordance with this invention, there is provided a method, for determining the presence of a slag phase in molten steel being transferred in a teeming operation between originating and receiving metallurgical vessels, of the type wherein vibration transferred to structure involved in the transfer is monitored to detect the presence of a slag phase, or conditions conducive to the presence of such a phase, in steel being transferred, the monitored vibrations being processed to provide data used to assess actual or incipient passage of slag, and means operable to control the rate of and termination of teeming is controlled responsive to the data to terminate teeming; wherein parameters of data generated representing characteristics of the vibration are compared with threshold values to generate at least one signal indicative of actual or incipient passage of slag, and the threshold values are progressively adjusted responsive to data collected by monitoring plural parameters of the teeming operation selected from weight of the originating vessel, weight of the receiving vessel, condition of the means controlling teeming, and temperature of the molten steel.

Slag detector for molten steel transfer operations


A honeycomb filter includes partition walls forming a plurality of cells extending in one direction, and plugging sections alternately plugging the cells at the ends of the honeycomb filter, the partition walls being formed of a porous base material having a porosity of 45 to 70%. When the average pore size of the base material measured by mercury porosimetry is (A) μm and the average pore size of the base material measured by a bubble point method is (B) μm, the average pore size differential rate expressed by “{(A−B)/B}*100” is 35% or less, and the maximum pore size of the base material measured by the bubble point method is 150 μm or less.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a honeycomb filter and a method of manufacturing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a honeycomb filter which may be suitably used as a filter for purifying exhaust gas discharged from diesel engines, and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of Related Art
It is necessary to remove particulate matter and toxic substances (hereinafter may be collectively called "PM") from exhaust gas discharged from internal combustion engines, boilers, or the like, taking environmental effects into consideration. In particular, regulations concerning removal of particulate matter discharged from diesel engines have been tightened in Europe, the USA, and Japan. As a diesel particulate filter (hereinafter may be called "DPF") for removing PM, a honeycomb filter has attracted attention.
As shown in FIG. 5, a honeycomb filter generally includes porous partition walls 2 forming a plurality of cells 3 extending in one direction, and plugging sections 4 alternately plugging the cells 3 at ends 42 and 44. In a honeycomb filter 1 configured as shown in FIG. 5, a fluid flows into the cells 3 through inflow openings (e.g. cell openings at the end 42), passes through the partition walls 2, and is discharged from the adjacent cells 3. In this case, the partition walls 2 serve as a filter so that PM is deposited on the partition walls 2.
Since the pressure loss is increased along with deposition of PM on the partition walls, it is necessary to remove such deposited substances. For example, a DPF has been developed in which a catalyst is supported on the partition walls in order to assist burning and removal of PM deposited on the partition walls. A method of continuously burning and removing PM by utilizing an increase in exhaust gas temperature has also been proposed. In another method, mechanical impact is applied to the surfaces of the partition walls of the honeycomb filter to increase the number of pores in the surface area. This increases the contact area between the catalyst supported on the partition walls of the honeycomb structure and PM deposited on the partition walls to increase the oxidation performance (see patent document 1, for example).
[Patent document 1] JP-A-2002-355511

Honeycomb filter and method of manufacturing the same


A light emitting diode includes a substrate, an un-doped GaN layer, a plurality of carbon nanotubes, an N-type GaN layer, an active layer formed on the N-type GaN layer, and a P-type GaN layer formed on the active layer. The substrate includes a first surface and a second surface opposite and parallel to the first surface. A plurality of convexes is formed on the first surface of the substrate. The un-doped GaN layer is formed on the first surface of the substrate. The plurality of carbon nanotubes is formed on an upper surface of the un-doped GaN layer. The plurality of carbon nanotubes is spaced from each other to expose a portion of the upper surface of the un-doped GaN layer. The N-type GaN layer is formed on the exposed portion of the upper surface of the un-doped GaN layer and covering the carbon nanotubes therein.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure generally relates to light sources, and particularly to a light emitting diode (LED) having carbon nanotubes therein and a method for manufacturing the light emitting diode.
2. Description of Related Art
A typical light emitting diode includes a sapphire substrate with a flat growing surface, an N-type semiconductor layer formed on the growing surface of the sapphire substrate, an active layer formed on the N-type semiconductor layer, and a P-type semiconductor layer formed on the active layer. Because the growing surface of the sapphire substrate is flat, when the N-type semiconductor grows on the sapphire substrate, a growth defect occurs, resulting in a low quality of the light emitting diode.
What is needed, therefore, is a light emitting diode and a method for manufacturing the light emitting diode which can overcome the forgoing drawback.

Light emitting diode having carbon nanotubes therein and method for manufacturing the same

ADVANCED OPTOELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY, INC.


A method for forming photomasks includes the following steps. A first photomask including a first target pattern and a first unprintable dummy pattern is provided. A second photomask including a second target pattern and a second printable dummy pattern are provided, wherein at least part of the second printable dummy pattern overlapping the first unprintable dummy pattern exposure limit, such that the second printable dummy pattern can not be printed in a wafer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method for forming photomasks, and more specifically to a method for forming photomasks that applies to photomasks having a sacrificial pattern with a dimension larger than the exposure limit, and that is paired with a self-aligned via process to prevent the sacrificial pattern from being printed on the wafer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the semiconductor fabrication process, lithography processes are important steps to transfer integrated circuit layouts to semiconductor wafers. Generally, a wafer manufacturing company designs a mask layout according to an integrated circuit layout; and then fabricates a mask having the designed mask layout. Afterwards, by way of lithography processes, the pattern on the mask (i.e. the mask pattern) is transferred to a photoresist layer on the surface of a semiconductor wafer with a specific scale.
As the complexity and integration of integrated circuit continue to progress, the size of every segment of a mask pattern is designed to be smaller. However, the exposure limit of every segment fabricated by exposure is limited to the resolution limit of the optical exposure tool used during the transfer step of the mask pattern. One problem that easily arises during the exposure of a mask pattern with high-density arranged segments to form a pattern on a photoresist is the optical proximity effect. Therefore, resolution losses occur because of overexposure or underexposure, which brings deviations of the original pattern on the photoresist. Many saving methods have been used to improve the deviation caused by the optical proximity effect in order to improve the quality of the transferred pattern. The most popular method is the optical proximity correction (OPC). And there has been a variety of commercial optical proximity correction softwares that can theoretically correct the mask pattern in order to acquire more accurate pattern on a wafer.


A portable data carrier (1) includes a carrier (2) which has a first graphical representation (3) and a second graphical representation (4). The second graphical representation (4) is better protected against tampering than the first graphical representation (3). In addition, the second graphical representation (4) is configured as a reference for detecting tampering with the first graphical representation (3). Only a partial area (5) of the first graphical representation (3) laterally overlaps with the second graphical representation (4) and there is no lateral overlap between the first graphical representation (3) and the second graphical representation (4) outside the partial area (5).

Portable data carriers are used for example in cashless payments, in access controls, as identification documents, etc. Many applications use portable data carriers having graphical representations. Insofar as the graphical representations are security-relevant, they should be protected against tampering. The graphical representations may be for example a photograph of the owner of the portable data carrier.
From U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,619 it is known to apply a strip of recording material for laser inscription to an identification card having a photograph of an authorized user. An image determined by processing of the photograph is inscribed by a laser beam in the recording material in proximity to the photograph.
In the known identification card the photograph and the image derived therefrom are perceived as separate graphical elements.
From DE 41 34 539 A1 there is known a recording medium with colored image information. The image information is divided up into at least two information portions which are congruently superimposed and complement each other to form the total information. The information portions are applied in separate working steps. At least one of the information portions is present so as to be inaccessible from outside. In particular, the image information is divided up into a black and white component and a color component. The black and white component is burnt into a transparent film layer of the recording medium as a grayscale image for example by a laser scriber.
The congruent superimposition of the information portions is relatively elaborate and limits the design options in representing the image information.


An enclosure for a television receiver is composed of a base member, a cover member and a bezel member which are joined into a stiff triangular enclosure which supports the receiver tube and protects the tube from implosion because of impacts.

This invention relates generally to television enclosures and particularly to an enclosure which is easy to manufacture, easy to assemble using automatic equipment and which maximizes impact protection to the tube.
An optimum television enclosure is low in manufacturing and assembly cost, is easily assembled, preferably using automatic equipment, and gives the picture tube substantial protection against implosion due to impact caused by dropping or being struck by other objects. The inventive television enclosure meets all of these criteria.


A method for inhibiting the corrosion of metals exposed to aqueous mixtures of sulfuric acid and hydrocyanic acid by the use of iron salts.

Replacement of corroded equipment can be a major expense in an industrial process, both from the standpoint of equipment cost and from the standpoint of lost production during the replacement process, as well as costs for removal and disposal of the corroded equipment. In addition, maintenance costs for equipment in a corrosive environment may be high.
A number of approaches are utilized to reduce the effects of corrosive substances on metal equipment. These include fabricating the equipment from corrosion resistant materials such as titanium, zirconium or tantalum; coating or lining the equipment with corrosion resistant materials such as glass; and adding corrosion inhibiting substances to the corrosive materials. Use of corrosion resistant metals and coating of equipment with inert materials can be expensive.
When corrosion inhibiting substances are employed care must be taken to fully evaluate any proposed metal/corrosion inhibitor system, that is, the metal, the corrosive material, the inhibitor, and other components which may be present, in order to avoid unexpected results, the most important being failure to inhibit corrosion. For example, fluoride ions accelerate the dissolution of titanium oxide. Therefore, whenever fluoride ions are present, oxidizing agents generally do not work well as titanium corrosion inhibitors. In some cases low concentrations of corrosion inhibitors actually increase the corrosion rate. They only function as inhibitors at concentrations above what is known as the critical value.
In highly corrosive environments, such as occur in the presence of sulfuric/hydrocyanic acid mixtures, corrosion resistant metals are often used. Unfortunately, such acid mixtures are sufficiently corrosive that even when corrosion resistant metals are used unacceptable corrosion often occurs, especially at elevated temperatures which occur, for example, in distillation columns during distillation. For that reason, corrosion inhibitors are typically added to such mixtures.
Corrosion resistance of many of the common metals, including aluminum, iron and steel, titanium, and zirconium, is through formation of a metal oxide layer on the metal's surface. In environments where water or oxygen are present, such metals regenerate metal oxide layers spontaneously. In more aggressive environments, such as in the presence of acidic mixtures, the metal oxide layer may be depleted faster than the metal can oxidize to spontaneously regenerate it. In those cases, oxidizing agents are good choices for corrosion inhibitors because they increase the rate of oxide layer regeneration.
The most commonly used oxidizing agent inhibitors are copper salts such as copper sulfate. These salts have the advantages of having good activity as corrosion inhibitors, ready availability, solubility in aqueous solutions, and reasonable cost. Unfortunately, they also have a significant drawback. They are considered environmentally detrimental and, therefore, are difficult to dispose of in an environmentally acceptable manner. Thus, there is a need for environmentally acceptable alternatives to copper salts as corrosion inhibitors in metal vessels exposed to acidic mixtures.
I. P. Anoshchenko et al., in Werkstoffe und Korrosion 25. Jahrg. Heft 10/1974 reports that in addition to copper salts, iron salts are known to inhibit corrosion of titanium by acidic solutions such as sulfuric, hydrochloric, and phosphoric acids. However, we expected that iron salts would be ineffective for inhibiting metal corrosion in the presence of sulfuric acid/hydrocyanic acid mixtures due to the formation of Prussian blue or other iron cyano complexes. Such complexes are produced by the precipitation of ferrous ferrocyanide from a soluble ferrocyanide and ferrous sulfate at acidic pH. Iron cyano complexes are known to be insoluble in water and, therefore, would be expected to be unavailable to act as oxidizing agents on the metal surfaces in aqueous environments.

Use of iron salts as corrosion inhibitors in titanium vessels


An interface that provides priority access to a network is disclosed. The interface includes several ports. Preferably the ports are Ethernet compliant ports. At least one of the ports transmits high priority frames in advance of lower priority frames. High priority frames are preferably buffered. Buffered high priority frames pre-empt transmission of lower priority frames at the port. If the port is operating half duplex using CSMA/CD, transmission of high priority frames pre-empts re-transmission of lower priority frames for which a collision has been detected. Additionally, in the case of frames to be broadcast to multiple ports, buffered frames may be transmitted at varying times at the ports at which the frame is to be broadcast. The interface may further buffer frames received at each port. As the buffer fills, flow of frames into the interface is preferably limited on a per-port basis, based on the number of frames already buffered for a particular port. The interface is particularly well suited for providing priority access to a shared access network to a high priority appliance such as an Ethernet phone. As such the interface may be integrated with such a phone.

The present invention relates to computer networks, and more particularly to a method and device for providing priority access to a shared access network such as an Ethernet network, preferably using a multi-port interface.
Ethernet is a widely-installed local area network technology. Ethernet uses carrier sense, multiple access, collision detect (xe2x80x9cCSMA/CDxe2x80x9d) to provide shared access to a physical network by many interconnected devices. As is understood by those of ordinary skill, an Ethernet compliant device using CSMA/CD shares the physical resource by first detecting or sensing the presence or absence of transmission signals originating with other competing network devices (xe2x80x9ccarrier sensexe2x80x9d). While such transmission signals are detected, the device refrains from transmitting its own data, usually in the form of a frame. Upon detecting that a competing device has completed its current transmission, the device transmits its own data. In the presence of a collision between data from the device and a competing device, the transmitting device re-transmits its frame after a random delay (xe2x80x9ccollision detectxe2x80x9d). This is attempted multiple times, until finally the frame is successfully transmitted without collision or discarded. Accordingly, in the face of wide competition from several devices, data transmission time from a device may be subject to significant and often unpredictable delay or even loss.
This is not a problem where real-time performance is not critical. However, in recent years, new network connected appliances are being proposed whose main applications are highly time-sensitive. One example of such an appliance is a telephone.
As is appreciated, delay in an audio conversation is annoying and unacceptable. On a shared network, frames containing audio data may be delayed or may experience multiple collisions with other frames until ultimately an unusable telephone connection results.
One network enhancement that addresses congestion uses bridges or switches to effectively divide a network into two or more sub-networks. Such bridges or switches examine frame destination addresses (typically by examining Ethernet media access control (xe2x80x9cMACxe2x80x9d) addresses) and prevent frames not destined for a sub-network from propagating on the sub network, thereby reducing sub-network traffic and collisions.
Optimally, bridges or switches should be used with a separate physical connection coupling a high priority appliance to a bridge or switch. This is clearly inconvenient. Moreover, the installation of additional Ethernet bridges or switches may involve substantial expense.
Most existing networks provide each user with only a single Ethernet cable to the user""s desktop, which is typically in use by the user""s PC. Therefore, installing a high priority network appliance such as a telephone on this existing Ethernet cable is very attractive. Bridges or switches may divide the network into several sub-networks. However, even on such sub-networks collisions are likely to occur between high priority appliance data and low priority PC data. Typically, PC applications are not as time critical as real-time audio processing applications used in telephony. Moreover, the protocols used for PC applications are tolerant to delayed and lost frames of data. Audio processing applications may not be and, therefore, priority-based access to network bandwidth, favouring the telephone, is preferred.
Existing Ethernet switches, as for example available from Vertex Networks of Irvine, Calif. allow priority access to a network by way of a high priority port. However, such existing switches do not provide efficient flow control, and cannot provide priority during re-transmission of low priority frames in accordance with existing Ethernet protocols.
Accordingly, improved methods and interfaces providing prioritized access to a shared access data network is desired.
In accordance with the present invention, an interface provides priority access to a network. At least one port of the interface transmits high priority frames in advance of lower priority frames. High priority frames are preferably buffered. In accordance with one aspect, buffered high priority frames, pre-empt transmission of low priority frames at the port. If the port is operating half duplex using CSMA/CD, transmission of high priority frames pre-empts re-transmission of lower priority frames for which a collision has been detected. Additionally, in the case of frames to be broadcast to multiple ports, buffered frames may be transmitted at varying times at the ports at which the frame is to be broadcast.
In a further aspect, a multi-port interface buffers frames received at each port. As the buffer fills, flow of frames into the interface is limited on a per-port basis, based on the number of frames already buffered for a particular port.
In a further embodiment, old buffered high priority frames may be discarded at an interface in favour of newer high priority frames. This may be particularly useful in the case of buffer overflow, when flow from an interconnected appliance cannot be controlled.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention there is provided a network interface including a high priority port for interconnecting the interface to a high priority network appliance; a lower priority port for interconnecting the interface to a lower priority network appliance; a network port for connecting the interface to a data network; and a buffer in communication with the high lower and network ports, to buffer frames from the high priority port until these frames are transmitted. The device is operable to receive frames at the high priority port and the lower priority port and to transmit frames from the high priority port at the network port in advance of frames from the lower priority port. Any buffered frames from the high priority port for the network port, pre-empt transmission of frames from the low priority port at the network port.
In accordance with another aspect, a network interface includes first, second and third network ports; a controller in communication with these ports; and buffer memory in communication with the controller. The controller is adapted to transfer frames between the first, second and third ports by way of the buffer memory. The controller is further adapted to order transmission of frames at these ports so that any frames from the first port to be transmitted at both the second and the third port, may be transmitted at different times at the second and third port.
In accordance with yet another aspect, a network interface includes first, second and third network ports; a controller in communication with these ports; and buffer memory in communication with the controller. The controller is adapted to receive frames from these ports and buffer these frames within the buffer memory, until these frames are transmitted from the interface; and prioritize frames received at the interface so that frames received at the first port are transmitted in advance of frames received at the second and third port at at least one of the second and third ports. The controller further limits flow from each of the first, second, and third ports, independently, in response to the number of frames already buffered at the interface from the first, second and third ports.
In accordance with another aspect, a method of transmitting high priority frames-and lower priority frames from a network port at an interface using carrier sense multiple access, collision detect (xe2x80x9cCSMA/CDxe2x80x9d) to transmit the frames, the method includes: (a) transmitting lower priority and higher priority frames from the port using CSMA/CD with high priority frames transmitted in advance of lower priority frames; and (b) in the presence of a detected collision at the port pre-empting re-transmission of a lower priority frame in favour of any high priority frames to be transmitted from the interface.
In accordance with another aspect, a network interface includes: a high priority port for connection to a network appliance; at least one other port; a controller in communication with these ports; and buffer memory in communication with the controller. The controller is adapted to receive frames from the high priority port, buffer the received frames within the buffer memory, and transmit the received frames at another port of the interface. Each of the received frames is buffered until no longer required at the interface. Incoming frames from the high priority port may be buffered to replace older received frames from the high priority port so that older frames are discarded in advance of newer frames at the interface, in the event of a buffer overflow.
Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

Method and device for providing priority access to a shared access network


An adjustable investment mold positioner includes a resilient band bent into a partial cylinder. Opposite ends of the band bound an opening at the side of the cylinder. A mold receiving member made of bent metal has side walls with bent connectors that are attached to the opposite ends of the band. A recess is formed between the side walls for receiving an oval investment mold. The outer cylindrical configuration of the positioner is readily engageable within the cradle of a conventional casting machine which is designed for normally receiving cylindrical investment molds. In this way, oval investment molds can be received in a secure manner within the conventional casting machines.

The present invention relates in general to dental and jewelry casting equipment, and in particular to a new and useful positioner designed to position oval or other non-cylindrical investment molds into a casting machine designed to receive cylindrical investment molds only.
A wide variety of casting machines used in the jewelry and dental industry, include cradles for receiving cylindrical investment molds. Investment molds are formed of refractory material containing a mold recess shaped by a lost wax process, for casting metal jewelry and dental parts.
In about 1971, the assignee of the present application introduced oval-shaped casting rings which were used to form oval investment molds. These molds have superior cooling properties while using approximately 40% less investment material than conventional cylindrical molds.
Since dental bridges are generally straight in the posterior (back) of the mouth, dental restorations casted in round rings transverse various zones of expansion. Round rings expand more in the center than they do toward the sides of the ring. Round rings heat at a slower rate in the center than on the outer edges and they cool at a slower rate. The dynamics and advantages of using non-cylindrical, and in particular, oval rings is fully disclosed in an article authored by the co-inventors, "The Effects of Shape and Size on Investment Heating and Cooling Rates", Berger and Benson, J. of the Nat. Assoc. of Dental Laboratories, Volume 8, No. 3.
The dental industry has recognized the advantages of the oval-shaped rings but has had difficulty in the past adapting the unusually shaped molds to conventional casting machines. All casting machines manufactured world-wide are designed for various sizes of cylindrical rings. These rings vary from 2.75 to 3.25 inches in diameter. The various casting machines use supportive cradles for positioning these large cylindrical or round rings. Since the oval shape is so different from the round, a supporting ring positioner for the oval-shaped mold is either custom fit for each casting machine or else the oval mold is simply placed in the casting machine cradle in an unsecure position. This often results in unsuccessful casting operations. Examples of commonly used casting machines are the Kerr Centrifico Casting Machine, manufactured by the Kerr Company, Division of Syboron of Romulus, Michigan and the MODULAR 3 Casting Machine manufactured by Nobilium Company of Albany, N.Y.
An object of the present invention is to avoid the problems of securing a non-cylindrical mold in a casting machine designed for cylindrical molds only.


A method and apparatus for downhole coring while receiving logging-while-drilling tool data. The apparatus includes core collar and a retrievable core barrel. The retrievable core barrel receives core from a borehole which is sent to the surface for analysis via wireline and latching tool The core collar includes logging-while-drilling tools for the simultaneous measurement of formation properties during the core excavation process. Examples of logging-while-drilling tools include nuclear sensors, resistivity sensors, gamma ray sensors, and bit resistivity sensors. The disclosed method allows for precise core-log depth calibration and core orientation within a single borehole, and without at pipe trip, providing both time saving and unique scientific advantages.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for wellbore coring and logging. More particularly, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for collecting data regarding geological properties of underground or undersea formations during coring operations.
2. Discussion of Related Art
The desirability of a system which is able to measure downhole formation properties while simultaneously coring a geological sample has long been recognized. Until now it has not been possible to continuously collect large diameter core and in situ logging data simultaneously.
Geologists and geophysicists collect data regarding underground formations in order to predict the location of hydrocarbons (e.g., oil and gas). Traditionally, such information is gathered during an exploration phase. In recent years, however, the art has advanced to allow the collection of geophysical and geological data as a well is being drilled. These logging-while-drilling (LWD) measurements are typically made following coring in a separate borehole. Logging data are correlated to the core sample. Correlation accuracy depends on the yield recovery of the core and sample/data match-up. There is a pressing need in the industry for more accurate formation property data, such as provided by correlation of the core to a downhole data set.
Known systems (e.g., logging-while-drilling) use a series of tubes, referred to as drill pipe and collars, to drill a hole into the formation. The lower end of the drill string, called the bottomhole assembly, is provided with a cutting mechanism, referred to as drill bit, which has a concentric hole. A drill collar, disposed proximally to the drill bit, includes several formation properties sensors, referred to as an LWD tool. Formation property measurements are recorded in this LWD tool.
When a sample of the formation is required, a coring device is lowered inside the drill string and secured at the bottom end. By resuming drilling and/or pumping fluid down the drill string, the coring process is effected. The coring device is retrieved by a latching mechanism attached to a wireline.
Continuous wireline-retrievable coring, for example, is routine in nearly all Ocean Drilling program (ODP) drill holes, whereas industry coring programs are often limited in key intervals due to time and cost constraints. The ODP routinely drills holes up to 2000 m deep without a riser in water depths ranging from 300 m to 6000 m. Sea water is utilized at high pressure to clear the hole of cuttings. Conventional wireline logging tools are typically deployed if hole conditions are good. In cases where drilling is expected to be difficult, LWD technologies are employed in another hole in close proximity to the core hole. A dedicated LWD hole is often the only alternative to collect in situ log data in such difficult drilling environments.
In order to obtain logging-while-drilling data and a closely correlated core sample, the prior art requires two holes to be drilled. A first hole is drilled to collect a core sample. A coring bottomhole assembly is used to simultaneously drill a hole and core out a core column. A second hole, laterally spaced from the first hole, is drilled using a traditional logging-while-drilling bottomhole assembly. Logging-while-drilling tools measure formation properties of borehole that are, in theory, supposed to be closely correlated to the previously extracted core sample.
The prior art exhibits two significant disadvantages. The above described method is time consuming because it requires two separate drill holes: a first hole for obtaining core samples and a second hole for obtaining logging-while-drilling data. Specifically, a downhole coring assembly must be lowered to the ocean floor, in order to drill/core the first hole. Subsequently, the downhole coring assembly is raised to the surface so that a retooling can be executed. A logging-while-drilling downhole assembly is then lowered back down to the ocean floor in the area of the first hole. Following the positioning of the logging-while-drilling downhole assembly, the assembly drills the second hole while performing logging-while-drilling measurements. The time required in refitting the drillstring with the logging-while-drilling assembly and in drill the second hole adds to the total operating costs and time duration of this coring and logging operation.
The second disadvantage is the possible detrimental effect on the data correlation. Correlating a core sample with formation property data assumes that the data and sample are obtained from same location or even the same hole. When the logging data and core sample are obtained from different holes that are often located some distance from each other, one's ability to correlate the logging data with the core sample to obtain accurate result can be adversely affected.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Logging-while-coring method and apparatus


A speech recognition engine is provided. The speech recognition engine combines multiple, different statistical language models to allow a single instance of a speech recognition engine to recognize words applicable to a first group of users and a second group of users where the second group of users is a subset of the first group of users. At least one of the multiple, different statistical language models comprises words specific to the second group of users.

In the last few years Large Vocabulary Continuous Speech Recognition (LVCSR) has improved to the point where it is more or less speaker independent. For example, Apple, Google and Microsoft have deployed speech recognition systems to transcribe voice mail, provide driving directions, act as personal assistants, and such like. The focus has been to create systems which work acceptably for a large number of users (consumers), who are willing to tolerate some errors in exchange for the convenience of speaking rather than manual entry via keyboards and touch screens.
Due to the requirement that systems work "well enough" for millions of users, the focus has been on raising the average accuracy across many users, rather than the accuracy for one particular user. Well enough in the context of the present application means an acceptable level of accuracy (typically below 100%) for a majority of the consumers. For example, well enough may in certain instances include an accuracy of 85% word/sentence recognition which is acceptable for 90% of the consumers. To capture 80% of the consumers, for example, an accuracy of 80% may be sufficient and to capture 95% of the consumers, an accuracy of 97% may be required. The percentages are exemplary only and not intended to be limiting.
Consumer grade systems do not work so well for professionals, since they lack domain specific vocabulary and phraseology, and thus would either have too high an error rate, or not return text with the requisite formatting (capitalization, abbreviations, symbols, and the like). In certain aspects, consumer grade systems do not have the appropriate lexicon or words that the professionals use as the corpus of material used to generate the models do not exist. Professionals usually have very high unit labor costs, and it does not make economic sense for them to fix recognition and formatting errors—they would be better off sending the whole job to an offshore transcriptionist, whose labor rate is (typically) a small fraction of the professional's. Professionals tend to have specialized phraseology and vocabulary, which is important to them, but is of limited or no utility to a wider audience. Thus, it would be desirable to provide speech recognition which has been customized to recognize their specific vocabulary and phraseology, without deploying it to other users where it may create confusion if unexpected words/phrases appear in their recognition results.
An example of specialized vocabulary is a medical professional who wishes to use the terminology of the International Classification of Disease from the World Health Organization, of which the tenth edition is currently being implemented, (hereinafter ICD10 terminology) when documenting her patient consultations, so that she can be compensated for the services actually rendered. In similar vein, a customer care agent may wish to use product or service specific language when documenting a particular customer's issues during a call, chat, or e-mail. Similarly, accountants may have standard vocabulary of recording generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) or the like. Other industries that have user specific language may include lawyers (such as for example this patent application), mechanics for particular car models, etc.
Previous generations of speech recognition, such as those developed by Microsoft, Nuance, SRI, BBN, and others, have had their own proprietary ways to allow users to include new words (and their pronunciation) and to extend the language modeling to reinforce recognition of particular phrases or combinations of words. An oft repeated cycle in technology is that innovations which begin as proprietary implementations later emerge as open source distributions. Speech recognition is no exception. In the last few years we have seen the emergence of open source systems using neural nets and finite state transducers. For instance, the Kaldi open source speech recognition project can be found at kaldi-asr.org. Similarly, Carnegie Mellon University has maintained an open source recognizer "Sphinx" (cmusphinx.sourceforge.net) for many years. These newer systems are superior to their predecessors in both public and proprietary domains, although they have been aimed mainly at researchers and not so much at commercial applications. Although the technology components have changed over the years, the basic order of operations ("phases") in recognition remains the same: there is an initial acoustic analysis, followed by a first pass decoding to produce a list of candidate transcriptions, followed by second pass of rescoring to determine the best transcription.
Based on the above, it is desirable to be able to combine a general purpose recognizer with a domain specific one on a user-by-user basis. The technology of the present application focuses on how to customize a recognition system which uses Finite State Transducers (FSTs) in its decoding and/or rescoring phases by combining separate FSTs, each of which handles a different recognition and/or rescoring scenario. One application is to enable an end user (or customer as described above) to leverage the benefits of both a general purpose recognition system catering to a group of similarly situated users, as well as user specific vocabulary and phraseology which may only be of value to that one user and no one else or a limited number of end users.

System and methods for combining finite state transducer based speech recognizers


A uretero-renoscope includes a shaft, on whose distal end an instrument head is arranged. The instrument head tapers continuously in the distal direction.

The present invention relates to a uretero-renoscope.
Uretero-renoscopes serve for the transurethral diagnosis and therapy in the region of the ureter and renal pelvis. Often, these instruments are applied for removing urinary stones from the ureter or from the renal calix group. For this, the hollow shaft of the uretero-renoscope, which is mostly designed in a flexible manner proceeding from the mouth of the ureter, is introduced up to the urinary stone in the urethra, where the urinary stone may either be directly removed with a stone gripper receptacle led through the hollow shaft, or in the case of larger stones, is reduced in size prior to this, for example, by way of a laser probe (laser tube). It is particularly with very narrow-lumen ureters or with narrowings in the urethra, e.g. ureter strictures, that the danger exists of the mucous membrane tissue surrounding the ureter being traumatized or even perforated on introducing the uretero-renoscope.
Against this background, it is the object of the invention to provide a uretero-renoscope, which may be moved in the ureter such that it is gentler to tissue.


A non-volatile semiconductor memory device in which one I/O line is provided corresponding to one block region. 2N (four, for example) memory cells are provided in one block region. The adjacent memory cells are connected by a connect line. A bit line is connected to each connect line. Four bit lines are provided in one block region. The four bit lines in one block region are commonly connected to the I/O line through first select gates. A second select gate is provided between the bit line which is located at the boundary between the i-th and (i+1)th block regions which are adjacent to each other in a row direction and the I/O line corresponding to the i-th block region.

Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-261778 filed on Aug. 30, 2001, is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The present invention relates to a non-volatile semiconductor memory device including memory cells each of which has two non-volatile memory elements controlled by one word gate and two control gates, and a method of driving the same.
A known type of non-volatile semiconductor device is a metal-oxide-nitride-oxide semiconductor or substrate (MONOS), wherein a gate insulating layer between the channel and the gate is formed of a multi-layer stack of a silicon oxide film, a silicon nitride film, and a silicon oxide film, and charge is trapped in the silicon nitride film.
This MONOS type of non-volatile semiconductor memory device was disclosed by Y. Hayashi, et al, in 2000 Symposium on VLSI Technology Digest of Technical Papers, pp. 122-123. This document disclosed a MONOS flash memory cell provided with two non-volatile memory elements (MONOS memory elements or cells) controlled by one word gate and two control gates. In other words, each flash memory cell has two charge-trapping sites.
A plurality of MONOS flash memory cells of this configuration are arranged in both a row direction and a column direction, to form a memory cell array region.
Two bit lines, one word line, and two control gate lines are connected to this MONOS flash memory cell.
The operations of this type of flash memory include data erasing, data programming, and data reading. Programming and reading of data are generally performed in 8-bit or 16-bit selected cells (selected non-volatile memory elements) at the same time. Each bit signal is input or output through an I/O line.
Therefore, each of the bit lines connected with each of an appropriate number of memory cells is connected in common with one I/O line through one of a plurality of select gates. One bit line is connected with one I/O line through one of the select gates. Data is read or programmed in an 8-bit or 16-bit unit by performing this operation for eight or sixteen I/O lines at the same time.
A plurality of memory cells arranged in the row direction are divided into an appropriate number of block regions, and each block region corresponds to one I/O line.
Dummy cells having only one of first and second control gates and a word gate are disposed on opposite ends of each block region in a row direction.
Therefore, the number of dummy cells is increased as the number of block regions is increased. This gives rise to a problem in which an effective area of the memory cell array is decreased.
The present invention may provide a non-volatile semiconductor memory device which can be highly integrated by reducing the number of dummy cells, and a method of driving the same.
One aspect of the present invention provides a non-volatile semiconductor memory device comprising:
a memory cell array region in which are arranged a plurality of memory cells at least in a row direction, each of the memory cells having first and second non-volatile memory elements that are controlled by one word gate and first and second control gates;
a plurality of bit lines extending in a column direction, each of the bit lines being connected to a connect line which connects a pair of memory cells adjacent to each other in the row direction;
a plurality of first select gates, each of which is connected to one of the bit lines; and
a plurality of I/O lines, each of which is provided for each 2N (N is an integer of 2 or more) first select gates and connected in common to 2N bit lines through 2N first select gates,
wherein the memory cell array region is divided into a plurality of block regions in the row direction corresponding to the I/O lines, each of the block regions including 2N memory cells in the row direction; and
wherein a second select gate is provided between one of the I/O lines corresponding to the i-th block region (i is an integer) and one of the bit lines, the bit line being located at a boundary between the block regions and connected to the connect line connecting two of the memory cells respectively disposed in the i-th and (i+1)th block regions that are adjacent to each other in the row direction in the block regions.
According to this aspect of the invention, the bit line located at the boundary between the i-th and (i+1)th block regions can be connected to the I/O line corresponding to the i-th block region with the interposed second select gate. This eliminates the need to provide a dummy cell between the block regions, whereby the degree of integration can be increased.
The second select gate may be driven on condition that the memory cell located in an end portion of the i-th block region and connected to one of the bit lines located at the boundary between the block regions is selected and that the bit line located at the boundary between the block regions is connected to one of the I/O lines corresponding to the i-th block region.
The bit line located at the boundary between the block regions may be set at a bit line voltage for programming through the second select gate when programming is performed for the second non-volatile memory element of the memory cell located in an end portion of the i-th block region.
Data reading from the first non-volatile memory element of the memory cell located at an end portion of the i-th block region may be performed in reverse mode by sensing a current flowing into the I/O line through the second select gate and the bit line located at the boundary between the block regions.
Data reading from the second non-volatile memory element of the memory cell located at an end portion of the i-th block region may be performed in forward mode by sensing a current flowing into the I/O line through the second select gate and the bit line located at the boundary between the block regions.
The memory cell array region may be divided into a plurality of sector regions in a row direction; and a plurality of independent control gate driver sections may be provided for each of the sector regions. In this case, each of the control gate driver sections can set the potential of the first and second control gates of the memory cells in a corresponding sector region independently of other sector regions. This prevents occurrence of disturbance in non-selected cells when programming or erasing data.
A dummy cell having one of the first and second control gates and the word gate may be disposed at both ends of each of the sector regions in a row direction. This is because when three memory cells are respectively disposed in adjacent two sectors, the first or second non-volatile memory element of the memory cell in one of the two sectors cannot be driven by using the three memory cells.
The bit lines respectively connected to the connect lines could be sub bit lines and the sub bit lines may be commonly connected to a main bit line extending in a column direction with bit line select switching elements interposed. In this case, the first and second select gates are connected to the main bit line.
Each of the first and second non-volatile memory elements may include an ONO film formed of an oxide film (O), a nitride film (N), and an oxide film (O) as a charge-trapping site, but other configuration could also be used.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a non-volatile semiconductor memory device which has: a memory cell array region in which are arranged a plurality of memory cells at least in a row direction, each of the memory cells having first and second non-volatile memory elements that are controlled by one word gate and first and second control gates; a plurality of bit lines extending in a column direction, each of the bit lines being connected to a connect line which connects two of the memory cells adjacent to each other in the row direction; a word line which is connected to the word gates of the memory cells arranged in the row direction; and a plurality of control gate lines each of which is connected to the first and second control gates respectively provided in adjacent two memory cells with the connect line interposed, the memory cell array region being divided into a plurality of block regions in the row direction corresponding to the I/O lines, and each of the block regions including 2N memory cells.
In driving this non-volatile semiconductor memory device, a data reading or programming operation is performed for one of the first and second non-volatile memory elements in the i-th memory cell in the row direction by using the word line, four of the bit lines, and four of the control gate lines connected to the (ixe2x88x921)th, the i-th and the (i+1)th memory cells.
When the i-th memory cell is in an end portion of the block region, this operation is done by using the bit line and the control gate line connected to the (i+1)th memory cell in the block region which is different from the block region in which the i-th memory cell is located.
According to this aspect of the present invention, when three memory cells are respectively disposed in adjacent block regions, the data reading or programming operation can be performed for the first or second non-volatile memory element of one memory cell located at the center of the three memory cells in a row direction by using the three memory cells. Since dummy cells are not present at the boundary between two adjacent block regions, such operation can be achieved.
In this case, the memory cell array region may be divided into a plurality of sector regions in a row direction, each of the sector regions having a plurality of the block regions. In each of the sector regions, a data reading or programming operation can be performed by using the word line, four of the bit lines, and four of the control gate lines connected to the (ixe2x88x921)th, the i-th and the (i+1)th memory cells respectively disposed in adjacent two block regions. In other words, the memory cells respectively disposed in different sector regions will not be driven at the same time.
In this aspect of the present invention, a dummy cell having one of the first and second control gates and the word gate may be disposed at both ends of each of the sector regions in a row direction; and a data reading or programming operation may be performed for the i-th memory cell by using the bit line and the control gate line connected to the (ixe2x88x921)th or (i+1)th dummy cell, when the i-th memory cell is in an end portion of the sector region.

Non-volatile semiconductor memory device and method of driving the same