A wing removal method and apparatus comprising a conveyor (31) which a poultry carcass (9) is placed for processing the wings (7) extending downwardly below the conveyors. The back of the carcass (9) is placed upon a pair of cradles (32) and engaged by a mandrel (33) in the opening created by the prior removal of the neck of the bird from the carcass.

Automated processing machines have been developed which utilize varied types of rotating and pivoting cutting blades which move into contact with and through the shoulder joints of poultry carcasses as the carcasses move in series along a processing path, to remove the wings from the carcasses. A problem with these early processing machines was the hazard of forming bone chips and other loose fragments of bone with the cutting blades and the bone chips and fragments becoming caught in the meat of the poultry carcass that was to be shipped to the consumer.
More recent poultry processing systems, as illustrated by U. S. Pat. Nos. 4,016,624, 4,503,587, and 4,536,919, have been disclosed which tend to reduce this risk of bone fragments being dislodged by the cutting blades. For the operation of these machines, a poultry carcass is placed on a conveyor for movement through the cutting area of the machine Stationary rotary cutting blades straddling the conveyor sever the main tendon at each shoulder joint between the wings and the breast of the poultry carcass Guide rods on either side of the conveyor support the wings and exert a frictional drag on the wings as the carcass is moved forward by the conveyor toward the cutting blades. This dragging force causes the shoulder joints between the wings and the poultry breast to partially open for passage of the cutting blades through the shoulder with minimal contact with the bones of the joint.
The design and operation of these current processing machines have reduced the risk of bone fragments in cut-up poultry. However, in doing so, these devices have a tendency to pull meat pieces away from the breast portions of the poultry carcasses and remove these pieces with the less valuable wings Further, the processing speed of these machines is slow as each carcass must be carefully positioned on the conveyor for cutting and later with some machines and carcasses must be manually removed by the operator before another carcass can take its place on the conveyor.
Thus, it would be a distinct improvement in the art if a poultry processing method and apparatus were devised for rapidly separating the wings from the breasts of poultry carcasses without substantial hazard of creating bone fragments from the severing of the shoulder joints, and retaining as much meat from the wing with the breast as possible.
Accordingly, it is the provision of such a method and apparatus to which the present invention is primarily directed.


An add-side laser in an optical device, such as an add/drop multiplexer OADM, provides not only a source for an add-side wavelength to be added to an output of the device, but also a reference for a receive-side coherent receiver that is included in the optical device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of optical telecommunications, and, more specifically, to optical devices such as optical add/drop multiplexers (OADMs).
2. Description of the Related Art
In state-of-the-art, optical wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) communication systems, multiple, individually-data-modulated wavelengths of light are multiplexed into an optical fiber and routed to a remote location via ring or mesh optical networks. Along the path from source to destination, optical devices, such as OADMs, are commonly employed to modify the contents, and in some cases the quality, of the multiplex. Such modification includes grooming the multiplex by adding, dropping, replacing, and/or frequency-translating data-carrying wavelengths of light within the multiplex.
At the input or "drop" side of an OADM, an input WDM signal is typically split (e.g., using a power splitter) into a pass leg and a drop leg. The drop leg typically feeds a receiver that is configured to receive, detect, and demodulate one of the data-modulated wavelengths λd of the input multiplex. The pass leg is typically fed to a wavelength blocker that is configured to block the dropped wavelength λd, and pass the rest of the wavelengths in the multiplex to the "add" side of the OADM. Alternatively, the functionality of power splitting and wavelength blocking can be integrated into a WDM demultiplexing filter.
At the add side of the OADM, an optical transmitter is configured to modulate a locally supplied data stream onto an optical carrier of the same wavelength λd that was dropped from the drop side of the OADM. This modulated wavelength from the transmitter is then combined with the wavelengths of the multiplex that were passed to the add side from the drop side to form a new multiplex that is output from the OADM.
The transmitter in the OADM is commonly of the externally modulated laser variety. Such a transmitter includes a fixed-wavelength or a tunable laser coupled to a modulator (e.g., a Mach-Zehnder modulator) whose modulation is controlled by a properly coded version of the locally supplied data stream.
The receiver is typically of the direct-detection variety. Such receivers generally include a pin-type or avalanche-type photodiode coupled to an amplifier, filtering electronics, and a sampling/decision circuit.

Optical device with tunable coherent receiver


A method for fabricating a dual-gate semiconductor device. A preferred embodiment comprises forming a gate stack having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion and the second portion including a different composition of layers, forming photoresist structures on the gate stack to protect the material to be used for the gate structures, etching away a portion of the unprotected material, forming recesses adjacent to at least one of the gate structures in the substrate upon which the gate structures are disposed, and forming a source region and the drained region in the respective recesses. The remaining portions of the gate stack layers that are not a part of a gate structure are then removed. In a particularly preferred embodiment, an oxide is formed on the vertical sides of the gate structures prior to etching to create the source and drain regions.

Semiconductor devices are typically fabricated using a process that involves a number of sequential process steps. Each step in the sequence represents an additional expense for the overall manufacturing process, and therefore there is consistently a need for new methods that can make the fabrication of the semiconductor devices more efficient, without sacrificing the quality and reliability of the resulting devices. This is especially the case in the recent past, as market demands have pushed for smaller and more compact components that nevertheless have more functionality than previous designs.
A semiconductor device, generally speaking, is an electrical component, or set of components, fabricated onto a substrate that is made of a semiconductor material such as silicon. Examples of such devices include diodes, capacitors, transistors, and combinations of these basic components. In most modern semiconductor devices, a great many very small components are fabricated onto a wafer. A wafer is a thin, usually circular slice of semiconductor material that is used as a substrate for fabrication. The wafer in most cases is divided up into a number of dice, which after fabrication will be separated and packaged for individual use. Each die, after packaging, will form a component part of an electrical appliance such as a personal computer, a cellular telephone, or a personal digital assistant. These individual component parts are often called chips. Many recently-developed chips may even contain multiple dice, with each die performing its own function either independently or in cooperation with the others. In order to accomplish these functions, the individual semiconductor devices formed on each chip are interconnected to form integrated circuits (ICs). Access points such as bond pads are available on each die for terminating the leads or wires to connect the ICs on the chip with other, external components of the electrical appliance where the chip is installed.
To begin the manufacture of a semiconductor device, a thin slice of silicon or other suitable material is formed from an ingot. Selectively implanting areas on the surface of this wafer substrate with impurities such as boron or phosphorous ions give portions of the silicon wafer their semiconducting properties. These properties are, of course, very important to the operation of the device. In a transistor, for example, a source region and a drain region are formed in a spaced apart relationship at the surface of the substrate in this manner. The space between the source region and the drain region is called a channel, and an electrical current may flow through the channel under certain conditions. In the case of a transistor, a gate placed over the channel is electrically charged in order to start the flow of electrical current.
The gate, generally speaking, is formed of a conductive gate electrode that is separated from the channel region by a thin layer of dielectric material, often referred to as the gate dielectric. An example is shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a side (elevation) view illustrating in cross-section an exemplary transistor 10. Transistor 10 includes a gate structure 11, which is formed on substrate 12. Gate structure 11 includes gate electrode 15, which is separated from substrate 12 by gate dielectric 14. Disposed above the gate electrode 15 is a contact region 16, through which reliable electrical connections may be made. In many applications, gate electrode 15 is made of a poly (polycrystalline silicon) material and contact region 16 is formed of a metal such as gold or copper. On either side of the gate structure 11 is a spacer 17 to protect the gate electrode physically and electrically, and also to aid in the proper creation of the source and drain regions. On one side and adjacent to the gate structure 11, a source region 18 has been formed in the substrate 12. On the other side and adjacent to the gate structure 11 a drain region 19 has also been formed in substrate 12. Channel 20 is the substrate region disposed between source region 18 and drain region 19. Electrical contacts 21 and 22 have been formed on source region 18 and drain region 19, respectively.
To form a semiconductor device such as transistor 10 illustrated in FIG. 1, layers of insulating and conductive material are sequentially formed on either the substrate or previously-formed layers. Each layer may be selectively etched away to form the structures needed for the fabrication of each separate component. Naturally, a large number of such components may be fabricated at the same time. Selective etching, or other types of material removal, may be performed by exposing certain regions of the wafer to an appropriate solvent or other removal mechanism for a predetermined amount of time. During etching, regions that are to remain may be protected by a structure that is resistant to the removal process being implemented at that stage. This protective process is often called photolithography, and the resistant structure is made of a material called photoresist. The photoresist is normally formed into a single layer that is then patterned into individual structures. This may be achieved by selectively exposing the photoresist to light energy at certain frequency and intensity. This exposure causes a physical change in either the exposed or unexposed portions of the photoresist (depending on the type used), and the undesired photoresist regions may then be washed away by a solvent. After the etching process is complete, the remaining photoresist may be removed by another solvent selected for its capability to perform this function. The photoresist structures may also be removed by a process called ashing, which involves dissolving the photoresist by oxidation.
An example fabrication process is shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method 30 of fabricating a semiconductor device, in this case the transistor 10 shown in FIG. 1. At START it is assumed that all materials and equipment necessary for performing the method are available and operational. The method begins with forming an oxide layer on the substrate (step 32). A poly layer for the gate electrode is then formed (step 34) as well. A photoresist layer is then formed (step 36) and patterned (step 38) so that a photoresist structure protects the region where the gate structure will be formed. An etching step is now performed (step 40), leaving the gate structure of the substrate, and the remaining photoresist removed (step 42). The source region and the drain region may now be partially formed by ion implantation (step 44), sometimes called doping, in many cases after adding additional temporary or permanent protective structures (step not shown).
In this exemplary method, a dielectric layer is then deposited (step 46) and selectively etched (step 48) to form the spacers for the gate structure. An additional ion implantation (step 50) forms the deeper part of the source region and drain region according to the process this example (see FIG. 1). An electrical contact region may then be formed on top of the gate electrode at this time (step 52), although the individual steps that may be involved are not separately shown in FIG. 2. At this point the transistor 10 has been formed and fabrication may continue with the addition of additional material layers and the formation of additional devices.
Naturally, FIG. 2 represents only one of many ways of forming transistors and similar devices. Fabrication techniques and materials have increased in sophistication in recent years. These advances have often been made necessary by the drive for making ever-smaller devices. At times these more sophisticated techniques and new materials are needed to make fabrication of such tiny devices feasible, and at other times they are necessary to make the devices function as intended. Expense is also an issue, and improvements are needed so that even more capable devices can be made at a lower cost.
New components have also been developed for these reasons, that is, to aid in the fabrication process, to reduce expense, and to improve the capabilities of the device for which they are ultimately to be a component part. One such innovation is a CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) device. A CMOS device includes two types of transistors that work together. Although similar in structure, the NMOS transistor and the PMOS transistor that make up a CMOS device are slightly different in composition. This can pose a challenge during fabrication, where identical or nearly identical devices contribute to manufacturing efficiencies that are lost when the differentiation between neighboring components must be achieved.
One such device is illustrated in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating in cross-section an exemplary CMOS semiconductor device 100. Semiconductor device 100 has two gates, including one associated with NMOS device 110 and one associated with PMOS device 150. Exemplary CMOS device 100 is formed on a substrate 101, which in this case is a p-doped silicon substrate. For this reason an n-well 102 has been formed in substrate 101 to accommodate the PMOS device 150. Isolation structure 104 separates the PMOS device 150 from the NMOS device 110, and isolation structures 103 and 105 separate a respective one of these devices from others (not shown) adjacent to them. Note that although only a single CMOS device is shown in FIG. 3, there are likely to be a great many of them disposed on the substrate, usually in addition to other types of devices as well.
In this example, NMOS device 110 includes a gate structure 120 formed on the substrate 101. Adjacent to and on respective opposing sides of gate structure 120 are source region 112 and drain region 114, also formed in the substrate 101, defining channel 113. The NMOS gate structure 120, disposed over channel 113, includes a gate electrode 124 that is physically separated from the substrate 101 by a gate oxide 122 (sometimes referred to as an oxide layer within the gate structure 120). Spacers 126 and 127 are formed on either side of the gate structure 120, are frequently formed of an oxide material but could include a nitride as well. Contact 129 is formed atop gate electrode 124 and facilitates electrical connections to it.
Similarly, PMOS device 150 of CMOS device 100 features a PMOS gate structure 160 disposed over n-well 102 of substrate 101. On either side of gate structure 160 is disposed, respectively; source 152 and drain 154, which together define channel 153. The gate structure 160 includes a gate electrode 164 that is physically separated from n-well 102 by an oxide layer 162. Spacers 166 and 167 are formed on either side of gate structure 160, and contact 169 is formed atop gate electrode 164. The source and drain regions of CMOS device 100 are also accessed electrically through contacts of metal or some other conductor. Contact 130 is formed over the source region 112 of NMOS device 110, and in this example is connected to ground. Contact 170 similarly is disposed over drain region 154 of PMOS device 150, and connects it to a positive voltage source. Contact 180, disposed above isolation structure 104 is in contact with both the drain region 114 of NMOS device 110 and with the source region 152 of PMOS device 150, enabling device 100 to function as a CMOS device.
The fabrication process for CMOS device 100 is similar though not identical to that described above in reference to FIG. 2. Note that both of the gates structures 120 and 160 appear in FIG. 3 to be nearly identical, which may in fact be the case in some applications. In many recent applications, however, it has been found that overall improvement may be obtained by modifying only one of the two devices (from the configuration shown in FIG. 3), or by modifying both of them, but in different ways. As should be apparent, this may pose additional challenges in the fabrication process. Some modifications, for example, may be beneficial when used in PMOS devices, but detrimental in NMOS devices. Similar considerations arise in other applications where two (or more) different structures must be formed. The challenge arises to manufacture both devices in a dual-gate semiconductor device to accommodate these differences without having to make each of the different devices in a completely separate sequence of steps. Needed then is a method for creating dual-gate semiconductor devices efficiently. The present invention provides just such a solution.

Method for fabricating dual-gate semiconductor device

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


A tank wheel includes a main body, rollers and an object supporting member. The main body includes a containing groove concavely formed at the main body and having an opening facing downward, and a rail installed at the top of the main body. The rollers, parallel to one another, are axially coupled into the containing groove of the main body and slightly protruded out from the opening of the containing groove. The object supporting member includes a rail corresponding seat and an object support platform. The rail corresponding seat is movably installed in the rail of the main body, and the top of the rail corresponding seat has an assembling part, and the bottom of the object support platform has a hemispherical base corresponding to the assembling part, the object support platform can be disposed on the rail corresponding seat, and the object support platform can be tilted.

In general, a conventional tank wheel is installed at the bottom of an object for transporting the object, and a crawler belt is used for driving the tank wheel to move forward.
However, the crawler belt comes with a complicated structure, and thus the crawler belt may be damaged easily by a rough ground surface or places with too many sand and gravel. As a result, the tank wheel cannot be used.
Since the top of the tank wheel has a fixed object support platform to support the object, therefore the object support platform of the tank wheel cannot fit the bottom of various types of objects. If the edge of the bottom of the object is very narrow, the object support platform of the tank wheel may not be able to fit the bottom of the object. More specifically, the center of gravity of the object cannot be situated at a position of the tank wheel, so that the object may be turned over during the transportation, and the safety of users may be jeopardized.
In addition, the object support platform is fixed to the top of the tank wheel, so that when the bottom of the object is a bevel, the object support platform of the tank wheel also does not fit the bottom of the object.
In summation, the conventional tank wheel cannot be applied to various types of objects, and the conventional tank wheel may be damaged easily when it is used on a rough ground.
Therefore, it is a main subject of the present invention to provide a durable tank wheel that fits the bottom of various types of objects.


Apparatus for feeding a fiber batt to a needle loom, in which a gusset gap between an upper reversing roller of a pre-compression means and an upper supply roller is filled by an upper slim transmission roller rotatably suspended at its end portions by bracket means. The transmission roller is made from a carbon fiber reinforced resin material. The bracket means are composed each of two parts which may be released from each other. One part of each bracket means is mounted on the axis of the supply roller, whereas the other part is suspended in a stationary frame of the apparatus. By realeasing the parts of each other, an easy disassembly of the supply roller is enabled.

Such feed devices for needle looms are to feed a batt of staple fibers or endless fibers coming from a batt laying device in a possibly draft-reduced manner to the first needle row of a needle loom for the subsequent needling operation. Drafts have harmful effects on the batt uniformity and thus on the batt quality. Each draft increases the variation in the mass distribution within the batt. Thick areas remain thick, thin areas are drawn even thinner.
A well known batt feed apparatus consists of an endless base conveyor band, by which the fiber batt is supported, an endless pre-compression conveyor band arranged above the base conveyor band and approaching same in downstream direction and two so-called finger rollers, i.e. supply rollers arranged downstream of said bands and having a plurality of circumferential grooves distributed in longitudinal direction of the rollers, in which resilient rings from plastic material are slidably arranged at which fingers are formed, which extend in tangential direction of the rings in the direction towards the needle loom and thus bridge over the gusset gaps between the roller nip of the pair of finger rollers and the needle loom, more precisely the holding-down appliance of the needle loom and the needle board of the needle loom, so that the fiber batt slides through these fingers in a compressed condition without suffering considerable drafts. A similar gusset gap bridge-over formed by wires which extend through circumferential grooves in the supply rollers is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,621,540.
These devices for feeding a fiber batt, however, have the disadvantage, that between the pre-compression device, which is usually formed of said two approaching endless conveyor bands, which are running over reversing rollers, as described above, and the finger rollers, upper and lower gusset gaps remain which have an essentially triangular cross-section and which are not bridged-over and into which the bulky fiber batt bulges in and thereby affect the fiber batt advance to the needle loom. The fiber batt elastically widened into said gusset gaps must be drawn out of them, which results in the known adverse drafts.
To overcome this situation, it is already known to bridge-over the lower gusset gap between the base conveyor band running around a respective reversing roller, and the lower finger roller, by a transmission roller of a smaller diameter which is disposed in said lower gusset gap and essentially fills it. This transmission roller simply leans on the base conveyor band and the lower finger roller under friction and is supported thereby at its total length, so that it cannot bend through. Said transmission roller is preferably driven individually, in order to release the fiber batt from the base conveyor band on its path from the base conveyor band to the lower finger roller and to transmit it to the latter. My co-pending patent application mentioned above offers a solution for bridging-over the upper gusset gap between the pre-compression conveyor band and the upper finger roller.


Described herein are a system and method for remote mirroring/copying data and metadata sets from a local node to a remote node that reduces the number of metadata sets that are mirrored. In some embodiments, the local node may coalesce metadata sets into metadata chains, each metadata chain comprising a grouping of two or more metadata sets. In some instances, a “representative” metadata set of a metadata chain may be selected for sending to the remote node for storing, wherein the other metadata sets of the metadata chain are not sent to the remote node. In these embodiments, the selected metadata set may represent all the metadata sets in the chain and be the only metadata set in the chain that is transmitted and stored to the remote node. As such, the network congestion between the local and remote nodes may be reduced.

A storage system typically comprises one or more storage devices into which information may be entered, and from which information may be obtained, as desired. The storage system includes a storage operating system that functionally organizes the system by, inter alia, invoking storage operations in support of a storage service implemented by the system. The storage system may be implemented in accordance with a variety of storage architectures including, but not limited to, a network-attached storage environment, a storage area network and a disk assembly directly attached to a client or host computer. The storage devices are typically disk drives organized as a disk array, wherein the term "disk" commonly describes a self-contained rotating magnetic media storage device. The term disk in this context is synonymous with hard disk drive (HDD) or direct access storage device (DASD). The storage operating system of the storage system may implement a high-level module, such as a file system, to logically organize the information stored on volumes as a hierarchical structure of data containers, such as files and logical units (LUs). For example, each "on-disk" file may be implemented as set of data structures, i.e., disk blocks, configured to store information, such as the actual data for the file. These data blocks are organized within a volume block number (vbn) space that is maintained by the file system. The file system may also assign each data block in the file a corresponding "file offset" or file block number (fbn). The file system typically assigns sequences of fbns on a per-file basis, whereas vbns are assigned over a larger volume address space. The file system organizes the data blocks within the vbn space as a "logical volume"; each logical volume may be, although is not necessarily, associated with its own file system.
A known type of file system is a write-anywhere file system that does not overwrite data on disks. If a data block is retrieved (read) from disk into a memory of the storage system and "dirtied" (i.e., updated or modified) with new data, the data block is thereafter stored (written) to a new location on disk to optimize write performance. A write-anywhere file system may initially assume an optimal layout such that the data is substantially contiguously arranged on disks. The optimal disk layout results in efficient access operations, particularly for sequential read operations, directed to the disks. An example of a write-anywhere file system that is configured to operate on a storage system is the Write Anywhere File Layout (WAFL®) file system available from NetApp, Inc. Sunnyvale, Calif.
The storage system may be further configured to operate according to a client/server model of information delivery to thereby allow many clients to access data containers stored on the system. In this model, the client may comprise an application, such as a database application, executing on a computer that "connects" to the storage system over a computer network, such as a point-to-point link, shared local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), or virtual private network (VPN) implemented over a public network such as the Internet. Each client may request the services of the storage system by issuing access requests (read/write requests) as file-based and block-based protocol messages (in the form of packets) to the system over the network.
A plurality of storage systems may be interconnected to provide a storage system architecture configured to service many clients. In some embodiments, the storage system architecture provides one or more aggregates and one or more volumes distributed across a plurality of nodes interconnected as a cluster. The aggregates may be configured to contain one or more volumes. The volumes may be configured to store content of data containers, such as files and logical units, served by the cluster in response to multi-protocol data access requests issued by clients.
Each node of the cluster may include (i) a storage server (referred to as a "D-blade") adapted to service a particular aggregate or volume and (ii) a multi-protocol engine (referred to as an "N-blade") adapted to redirect the data access requests to any storage server of the cluster. In the illustrative embodiment, the storage server of each node is embodied as a disk element (D-blade) and the multi-protocol engine is embodied as a network element (N-blade). The N-blade receives a multi-protocol data access request from a client, converts that access request into a cluster fabric (CF) message and redirects the message to an appropriate D-blade of the cluster.
The nodes of the cluster may be configured to communicate with one another to act collectively to increase performance or to offset any single node failure within the cluster. Each node in the cluster may have a predetermined failover "partner" node that may take over/resume storage functions of the node upon failure of the node. When a node failure occurs (where the failed node is no longer capable of processing access requests for clients), the access requests sent to the failed node may be re-directed to the partner node for processing. As such, the cluster may be configured such that a partner node may take over the work load of a failed node. As used herein, a local/source node may have data and metadata that is mirrored/copied to a remote/destination node in the cluster storage system (as discussed below). The remote node may comprise a predetermined failover partner node of the local node. As used herein, various components residing on the local node may likewise be referred to as a local component (e.g., local memory, local de-staging layer, etc.) and various components residing on a remote node may likewise be referred to as a remote component (e.g., remote memory, remote de-staging layer, etc.).
A cluster provides data-access service to clients by providing access to shared storage (comprising a set of storage devices). Typically, clients will connect with a node of the cluster for data-access sessions with the node. During a data-access session with a node, a client may submit access requests (read/write requests) that are received and performed by the node. For the received write requests, the node may produce write logs that represent the write requests and locally store the write logs to a volatile storage device (from which, the node may at a later time perform the write logs on the storage devices).
To ensure data consistency and provide high data availability, the write logs may also be stored to two non-volatile storage devices. Typically, the write logs of the node may be locally stored to a non-volatile storage device and also be stored remotely to a non-volatile storage device at a partner node (sometimes referred to herein as mirroring data to a remote node). As such, if the local node fails, the remote partner node will have a copy of the write logs and will still be able to perform the write logs on the storage devices. Also, if the write logs stored at the partner node is corrupted or lost, the write logs stored locally in the non-volatile storage device at the local node can be extracted/retrieved and used to perform the write logs on the storage devices.
As such, data in a local non-volatile storage device at a local node may be mirrored to a remote non-volatile storage device of a remote node to provide failover protection (e.g., in case the local node crashes) and high availability of data in the cluster storage system. The mirrored data may comprise write logs, or any other data that is to be stored to the non-volatile storage devices.
Typically, for a group of related data sets (e.g., data sets X, Y), there may also be a metadata set (e.g., metadata set Z) that describes each of the related data sets (e.g., metadata set Z describes data sets X, Y), the metadata set to also be stored to the local and remote non-volatile storage devices. As used herein, a "related group" of data and metadata sets may comprise one or more data sets and one metadata set that describes and is associated with each of the one or more data sets. For example, the data sets of a related group may comprise data sets X, Y and metadata set Z, where metadata set Z specifies that there are 2 valid data sets. A "valid" data set may comprise user/client data that is pending to be stored to the local and remote non-volatile storage devices. The ratio of data sets to a metadata set produced may vary depending on the mirroring client. For example, a particular mirroring client may continually produce and send one metadata set for every two data sets, whereby each related group comprises two data sets and one metadata set.
Metadata sets may be produced at the local node to assist in the processing of the data sets, the metadata sets also being mirrored to the remote node. However, additional software and hardware resources are expended to process the metadata sets and the metadata sets cause additional network congestion between the local and remote nodes, consuming the network connection's valuable data bandwidth. Since metadata sets do not comprise user/client data, the metadata sets may be considered overhead that should be limited as much as possible.

Coalescing metadata for mirroring to a remote node in a cluster storage system


A hand operable bipolar combination scissors and forceps instrument. The instrument comprises two interfacing blade members wherein at least one blade member is pivotable in relation to the other blade member and wherein each blade member is an electrode to which current can flow. Each blade member is shaped to cooperate with the other blade member to thereby form a distal forceps portion and a proximal scissors portion wherein the respective scissors portions are electrically insulated from each other along their interfacing surfaces. Preferably, each blade member is individually pivotable in relation to the other blade member, and the instrument is dimensioned to have utility in endoscopic or other similar procedures.

I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to surgical scissors and forceps, and in particular to a combination bipolar scissors and forceps instrument comprising two blade members which pivot in relation to each other and which are formed and cooperate with each other to provide an instrument having a forceps at its distal end and a scissors immediately proximal to the forceps. The forceps can be employed to grasp and cauterize tissue before or after cutting, while the scissors can provide cauterization during a cutting procedure.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art
Electrocauterization is a process whereby blood vessels (commonly called "bleeders") in tissue or alone which are cut during a surgical procedure are sealed closed by applying electrical energy at the site to, essentially, fuse by heat the vessel opening. In order to provide electrical energy at the site of bleeding, an instrument capable of conducting electricity must be placed at that site. The conductive instrument may be comprised of one electrode (monopolar) which cooperates with a remote conductive body plate electrode, or the instrument may be comprised of two closely spaced electrodes (bipolar). Current passing from one electrode to the other produces the heat sufficient to seal blood vessels or to coagulate blood and other fluids so coagulable. A bipolar instrument is generally preferred by a physician since current travel is over a short distance. A monopolar instrument usually requires electric current to travel a relatively long distance to the body plate electrode, with current directability and effect being unpredictable and possibly harmful to a patient.
Surgical scissors and surgical forceps individually are known in the art. Those available for use in endoscopically performed surgeries or other similar scope procedures are of a size to fit distally through the scope while having operating handles proximally of the scope. Generally, the scissors include a proximal scissors type handle, a central hollow tube through which a linkage from the handle passes, and a distal blade pair to which the linkage connects. Monopolar scissors, wherein both of the scissor blades form one pole and a remote body plate is the second pole, are available. Co-pending and commonly assigned Patent application Ser. No. 887,212, filed May 21, 1992 and incorporated herein by reference, teaches a bipolar scissors instrument where each blade thereof is a pole and wherein only one of the scissors blades pivots in relation to the other blade. A ceramic layer is present on each of the respective inner surfaces of each blade member, and insulation means at strategic sites throughout the instrument maintained bipolar capability for the separate blade members. Co-pending and commonly assigned U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 08/013,869, filed Feb. 5, 1993, and entitled " Bipolar Electrosurgical Scissors," teaches a bipolar scissors instrument wherein both of the blades thereof pivot in relation to each other. Additionally, co-pending and commonly assigned U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 08/013,852, filed Feb. 5, 1993, entitled "Bipolar Electrosurgical Forceps" teaches a bipolar forceps instrument with blades that pivot in relation to each other.
It is, of course, evident that a physician performing a procedure must presently change instruments if both bipolar scissors activity and bipolar forceps activity are desired. Because of this, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a combination bipolar scissors and forceps instrument having two blade members which cooperate to function as both a scissors and a forceps.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a combination bipolar scissors and forceps instrument usable in endoscopic or similar scope or cannular procedures.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a combination bipolar scissors and forceps instrument wherein operation thereof is achieved by a scissors type handle member.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent in the description of the invention which follows.

Combination bipolar scissors and forceps instrument


A fluid heater has a fluid pipe through which a fluid flows. A radiant heating element is enclosed in a quartz mantle. The fluid pipe is concentrically arranged about the quartz mantle. A first temperature sensor is positioned at a section of the outer circumference of the fluid pipe opposite the heating element.

The present invention relates to a fluid heater including a pipe through which a fluid flows.
It is known to heat liquid and gasses in order to vaporize them or to pressurize them. The known devices, however, have a slow response time. It takes a relatively long time to heat the fluid to be heated after switching on the heater, and after switching off the heater heating of the fluid is not immediately ended.
From German Patent Application 44 20 493 a fluid heater of the aforementioned kind is known in which the heating elements are electric resistance bands applied to the outer circumference of the fluid pipe. Due to the indirect heating of the fluid through the pipe wall, a fast switching on and off of the heater without delay of the heating action and of the shutdown of the heating action for the fluid is not possible.
From the documents German Gebrauchsmuster 19 06 191, German Gebrauchsmuster 89 13 683, German Patent 38 41 448 and German published document 12 69 748, heating elements and radiant heaters are known which, however, are not designed for heating a fluid flowing through a pipe and are also not suitable for this purpose.
The object of the present invention is to provide a fluid heater which can be manufactured inexpensively and which provides for a fast switching on and switching off of the heater.


One embodiment is a method for tracking data correspondences in a computer system including a host hardware platform, virtualization software running on the host hardware platform, and a virtual machine running on the virtualization software, the method including: (a) monitoring one or more data movement operations of the computer system; and (b) storing information regarding the one or more data movement operations in a data correspondence structure, which information provides a correspondence between data before one of the one or more data movement operations and data after the one of the one or more data movement operations. The “monitoring” may comprise monitoring data movement at one or more of an interface between the host hardware platform and the virtualization software, and an interface between the virtual machine and the virtualization software.

There are many reasons for migrating a running virtual machine (VM) from one system to another in a network or cluster of processing nodes. These reasons may include: (a) balancing computing load across nodes—if one node is out of resources while other nodes have free resources, then VMs can be moved among nodes to balance the computing load; (b) individual nodes of a cluster can be shut down for maintenance without shutting down VMs running on the node—the VMs can be migrated to other nodes in the cluster; and (c) new nodes can be immediately utilized as they are added to the cluster—currently running VMs can be migrated from nodes that are over-utilized to newly added nodes that have free resources. In addition, it may be necessary to add or remove resources from a server—this need not be related to requirements of the hardware itself, but rather it may be needed to meet the requirements of a particular user/customer. A particular user, for example, may request (and perhaps pay for) more memory, more CPU time, etc., all of which may necessitate migration of a VM to a different server.
During migration of a VM, the time the migrated VM is unavailable should be minimized. If the VM is unavailable for more than a relatively short time, service level agreements with clients that depend on services exported by the VM may be unmet. In addition, the migration should be transparent to clients of the VM. In further addition, the time the VM is dependent on a state stored on a source machine should also be minimized because, as long as the VM is dependent on the source machine, the VM is less fault-tolerant than before it was migrated.
The ESX Server product from VMware, Inc. of Palo Alto, Calif., provides a mechanism for checkpointing an entire state of a VM. When a VM is suspended, all of its state (including its memory) is written to a file on disk. A VM can then be migrated by suspending the VM on one server, and resuming it via shared storage on another server. Writing out the saved state, especially the memory, to disk and then reading it back in again on the new server can take a relatively large amount of time, especially for VMs with large memories. A 512 Mbyte VM, for example, takes about 20-30 seconds to suspend and then resume again. This may be an issue as a delay as short as ten seconds may be noticeable to a user or in violation of a service level agreement.
Nelson et al., in "Fast Transparent Migration for Virtual Machines," published April 2005, proposed a system for transferring a VM from one physical machine to another physical machine by "pre-copying" virtual machine memory. Further, Sapuntzakis et al., in "Optimizing the Migration of Virtual Computers," published December, 2002, proposed a mechanism, referred to as a "capsule," for moving the state of a running computer across a network, including the state of its disks, memory, CPU registers, and I/O devices. As the capsule state is a hardware state, according to Sapuntzakis et al., it includes the entire operating system as well as applications and running processes. Each of these proposals for migrating a virtual machine intends to do so quickly and efficiently while minimizing any perceived disruption to a user.
Some VM migration techniques consume large amounts of disk bandwidth, especially if the suspend-and-resume operations must be done quickly. This can be problematic if the reason a VM is being migrated is because the machine (server) that it is running on is low on available disk bandwidth. Powering down, checkpointing, and restoring are time-intensive operations, in the context of a running system, due to the large amounts of data that must be stored, transferred, and reinitiated.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and system for tracking data correspondences


A system for simultaneously treating multiple workpieces is configured with sites, configured to hold respective workpieces, affixed on a rotatable base. Each site has a shelf accommodating an interior space and may be positioned by base rotation in alignment with a station of fixed location. Each station is equipped with an active component. The active components are movable simultaneously within respective stations into the respective interior spaces of respective aligned sites.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to systems for treating workpieces at multiple sites simultaneously. In particular this invention relates to apparatus and methods for bonding and/or exfoliating a plurality of workpieces.
2. Background Information
A layered assembly incorporating a semiconductor wafer is a structure useful for forming devices such as transistors, displays, photovoltaic devices, and microelectromechanical systems. A basic step of manufacturing the layered assembly includes bonding a semiconductor wafer to a substrate by, for example, thermocompression, fusion, or anodic bonding.
In one approach, structures comprising a thin silicon lamina bonded to a substrate have been made by first implanting a silicon wafer with concentrated atoms defining a cleave plane. The implanted wafer is then bonded to a substrate. Upon annealing, a lamina, bonded to the substrate exfoliates from the wafer at the cleave plane. The usefulness of the product layered assemblies notwithstanding, they are cost-prohibitive for some applications.
There is, accordingly, a need for a more cost-effective way to form bonded layered assemblies.

Apparatus and method for simultaneous treatment of multiple workpieces


The present invention relates to a drawer-type washing machine and a locking method thereof. The washing machine includes a housing having one open side and partitioned into a plurality of compartments; cabinets which can be drawn out forward through the open side of the housing, each of the cabinets being positioned in each of the compartments; washing baths for washing the laundry, each of the washing baths being positioned within each of the cabinets; and locking mechanism provided between the housing and the cabinets for restraining the cabinet from being drawn out forward from the housing. The cabinets are automatically drawn out by only operating a switch installed in an outside wall of the housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drawer-type washing machine and a locking method thereof. The drawer-type washing machine comprises a housing having one open side and is partitioned into a plurality of compartments, cabinets positioned within the compartments and washing baths positioned within the cabinets, in which the cabinets are automatically drawn out by only operating a switch installed in an outside wall of the housing. It is prevented that the washing machine falls down as all of the cabinets are drawn out biasing the center of gravity forward.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an upright washing machine of the related art.
In the upright washing machine of the related art, a housing 104 defines a contour of the washing machine and has a cover 102 mounted to the upper surface of the housing 104 and switchable between open and closed positions, a washing bath 106 and 108 has an outer bath of tub 106 installed within the housing 104 for containing washing water and an inner bath or basket 108 installed within the tub 106 for doubling as a washing basket and a dryer basket, a driving unit 110 is installed under the tub 106 for rotating the basket 108, and a damper 112 supports the tub 106 to suspend from the housing 104 while performing a damping function.
In the upright washing machine configured as above, it is inconvenient to take out the laundry from the upper part of the washing machine with the cover opened. In washing the laundry consisting of different kinds of textures, the laundry should be sorted according to the textures. So, the washing machine should be operated at least two times thereby extending washing time and increasing the amount of used water. The laundry is taken out from the upper part thereby restricting utilization of the upper part so that selection of installation space is limited due to difficult space utilization.
Therefore, to improve the problems of the upright washing machine, necessity has been prominent for a drawer-type washing machine in which a housing is opened to a side, a washing bath is opened/closed in the open side of the housing and the sorted laundry can be washed at the same time.
However, since the cabinets accommodating the washing baths are manually drawn out as described hereinbefore, inconvenience is incurred in putting a large amount of the laundry or repeatedly putting the laundry. Also, since the number of cabinets are opened and closed in the side of the housing, the washing machine may fall down when all of the cabinets are drawn out biasing the center of gravity forward.
The present invention is proposed to solve the foregoing problems of the related art, and it is therefore an object of the invention to provide a washing machine having a cabinet provided with a washing bath, in which the cabinet can be automatically drawn out.
It is another object of the invention to provide a drawer-type washing machine having a housing partitioned into a plurality of compartments and a locking method thereof, by which it is prevented that the washing machine is biased forward and falls down as all of the cabinets are drawn out.
According to an embodiment of the invention to obtain the object, it is provided a drawer-type washing machine comprising: a housing having one open side; a cabinet which can be drawn out forward through the open side of the housing, the cabinet being positioned within the housing; a washing bath positioned within the cabinet for washing the laundry; and drawing means provided between the housing and the cabinet for automatically drawing out the cabinet.
Here, the drawing means comprises: guide panels provided in a side of the cabinet for guiding the cabinet to be drawn out forward; a driving roller provided within the housing, the driving roller being rotational in the guide panel while contacting therewith; and a driving motor for rotating the driving roller to shift the cabinet forward and backward.
Also, in the drawer-type washing machine of the invention where the housing is partitioned into a plurality of compartments and a cabinet for accommodating the washing bath is positioned in each of the compartments; locking means are provided between the housing and the cabinets for restraining the cabinet from being drawn out forward from the housing.
Here, the locking means comprises: solenoids having actuating rods for linearly moving upon being powered, each of the solenoids being provided within each of the compartments for receiving each of the cabinets; and fitting members for performing a fitting functions upon movement of the actuating rods, each of the fitting members being provided in each of the cabinets.
According to another embodiment of the invention to solve the object, it is provided a locking method of a drawer-type washing machine comprising the following steps of: judging if a first cabinet is opened when the washing machine is powered on; if the first cabinet is judged as opened, powering a second locking means to locking a second cabinet; if the first cabinet is judged as closed, judging if a second cabinet is opened; and if the second cabinet is judged as opened, powering the first locking means to lock the first cabinet.

Drawer-type washing machine and locking method thereof


The present invention relates to a novel peptide of a glucagon derivative and a composition for preventing or treating obesity comprising the peptide as an active ingredient. The glucagon derivative according to the present invention shows a more excellent activating effect with regard to both glucagon-like peptide-1 receptors and glucagon receptors compared to native glucagon, and thus can be widely used as an effective agent for treating obesity.

Recent economic advances and lifestyle changes have been accompanied by great changes in dietary habit. In particular, busy people of today are becoming overweight and obese due to high-calorie diets and insufficient exercise. According to a report of the World Health Organization (WHO), more than one billion adults are overweight worldwide, among them over three million are clinically diagnosed with severe obesity, and 250,000 people in Europe and 2.5 million people worldwide died of overweight- or obesity-related diseases every year (World Health Organization, Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, 2004).
Overweight and obesity increase blood pressure and blood cholesterol level, thus becoming a cause of various diseases including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, etc., or aggravating the diseases. Further, overweight and obesity are some of the main causes that increase the risk of diseases such as arteriosclerosis, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and heart disease in children and adolescents as well as in adults.
As such, obesity is now recognized as a serious disease prevalent all over the world and is a cause of various diseases. However, since obesity is believed to be overcome by self-help efforts, obesity patients are being evaluated as people with low self-control. Nevertheless, obesity is not readily curable because it is a complicated disease closely associated with appetite control and a mechanism of action for energy metabolism. Accordingly, for obesity treatment, it is required that both an individual effort for appetite control and treatment of an abnormal mechanism of action for energy metabolism be conducted concurrently. In this regard, there has been a need for the development of a drug capable of treating the abnormal mechanism of action.
As a result of the above effort, anti-obesity drugs such as Rimonabant® (Sanofi-Aventis), Sibutramin® (Abbott), Contrave® (Takeda), Orlistat® (Roche), etc., have been developed. However, these drugs had drawbacks such as fatal adverse reactions or little efficacy in treating obesity. For example, Rimonabant® shows an adverse reaction of central nervous system disorder, Sibutramin® and Contrave® show adverse cardiovascular effects, and Orlistat® shows an effect of body weight decrease of only about 4 kg after one year of administration. Accordingly, there appears to be no sure anti-obesity drug to be safely prescribed to obesity patients.
As such, active research has been conducted to develop a new pharmaceutical drug to resolve the problems in the conventional anti-obesity drugs, and recently, keen attention has been paid to glucagon derivatives. Glucagon is secreted by the pancreas when the blood glucose level falls low due to, for example, drug treatment, diseases, hormones, or enzyme deficiency. Glucagon signals the liver to break down glycogen to glucose and raise the blood glucose level to return to its normal level. Furthermore, glucagon has been reported to have an anti-obesity effect, in addition to the effect of raising the blood glucose level, by suppressing appetite and activating hormone-sensitive lipase in fat cells, thereby promoting fat decomposition.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (hereinafter, referred to as 'GLP-1'), a glucagon derivative, is a substance under development as a drug to improve hyperglycemia in diabetic patients. GLP-1 has the functions of increasing insulin synthesis and promoting its secretion, inhibiting glucagon secretion, inhibiting gastric emptying, enhancing the use of glucose, and inhibiting food intake. Also, exendin-4, which is secreted by lizard venom and shows about 50% homology in amino acid sequence with GLP-1 is known to alleviate hyperglycemia in diabetes patients by activating the GLP-1 receptor. However, anti-obesity drugs containing GLP-1 or exendin-4 have been reported to have adverse effects of causing vomiting and nausea.
In this regard, as a GLP-1 alternative, oxyntomodulin, which can bind to both GLP-1 and glucagon peptides, has been highlighted. Oxyntomodulin is a peptide made from pre-glucagon, the precursor of glucagon, and has the same effects of GLP-1 such as inhibiting food intake, promoting satiety, and fat decomposition, thus raising its potential as an anti-obesity agent.
However, oxyntomodulin or its derivatives have a drawback in that they should be administered daily at a high dose due to their short in vivo half-lives and low efficacies.


Disclosed is herein a method of developing an exposed resist film formed over a major surface of a substrate, the method comprising: holding the substrate carrying the resist film in contact with the supporting surface of a supporting member, having an area smaller than the surface area of the substrate, and supplying a developer onto the resist film so that the developer is retained in a developer puddle by surface tension on the surface of the resist film to develop the resist film, wherein the substrate carrying the resist film is separated from the supporting member during the progress of the development of the resist film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a resist film developing method and, more particularly, to a method of developing a resist film in a desired pattern in fabricating an electronic device by a photolithographic process, and an apparatus for carrying out the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is generally known, photolithography employing a resist film is applied to fabricating an electronic device, such as a semiconductor device. A puddle developing process is employed in developing an exposed resist film by photolithography. As shown in FIG. 1a and 1b, in developing an exposed resist film 1a formed on a work 1, such as a semiconductor wafer, by a photolithographic process, the work 1 is mounted on a support 2, such as a wafer chuck, supported in a developing cup 11, a developer 3 is spread by a nozzle 30 or the like over the surface of the resist film 1a so that the developer 3 is retained in a puddle by surface tension over the surface of the resist film 1a as shown in FIG. 1b to develop the resist film 1a. In this specification, retaining a developer in a puddle by surface tension over the surface of a work will be designated as "puddling" and a developing process using a developer puddle formed by puddling will be designated as "a puddle developing process".
It is well known that developing speed is dependent on the temperature of the developer, and developing speed affects the width of the component lines of the resist film. (Proceedings of Oyo Butsuri Gakkai, Spring, 1989, 2a-K-2, Proceedings of Oyo Butsuri Gakkai, Autumn, 1989, 29-p-L-10).
The prior art photolithography assumes that the temperature of the developer does not change during development because the developer is retained in a puddle of a thickness on the order of several millimeters on the work and hence the .heat capacity of the puddle of the developer is large. Accordingly, the prior art photolithography regulates only the temperature of the developer to be sprayed over the work. However, it was found that the temperature of the developer drops about 6.degree. C. during practical development, which is considered to be due mainly to the evaporation of the developer. It was also found that there is difference between the temperature of the developer in the central area of the work and that of the same in the peripheral area of the work. FIG. 2 shows the variation of the temperature of the developer with time in the central area of the work (solid circles) and in the peripheral area of the work (blank circles). As is obvious from FIG. 2, the temperature of the developer drops about 4.degree. C. in 100 sec in both the central and peripheral areas of the work and about 6.degree. C. in 300 to 600 sec in both the central and peripheral areas of the work, the temperature of the developer in the central area of the work and that of the same in the peripheral area of the work are different, and the mode of temperature variation of the developer in the central area of the work and that of the developer in the peripheral area of the work are different. The temperature difference between the developer in the central area of the work and developer in the peripheral area of the work is considered to be attributable to the following reasons that the temperature of the developer in the central area of the work does not drop rapidly because the central area of the work is in contact with the support 2, whereas the temperature of the developer in the peripheral area of the work drops rapidly because there is nothing around the peripheral area of the work. This temperature difference is unavoidable because the area of the work 1 is greater than that of the supporting surface of the support 2 as shown in FIG. 1b. The support 2 must be smaller than the work 1 to avoid interference between the support 2 and the wafer transporting mechanism to and to suppress wetting the support 2 with the developer to the least extent.
The width of a line of a resist film sensitive to temperature variation is smaller when the temperature of the developer is lower. FIG. 3a shows the width of a line of a resist film formed on a work at measuring points 1 to 7 (FIG. 3b) on the surface of the work. In FIG. 3a, curves IIa, IIb and IIc indicate the dependence of the width of lines on position on the work for resist films (FH-EX, Fuji Hunt Co.) developed by prior art developing processes, respectively. There is a tendency for the width to decrease from a portion of the line in the central area of the work toward a portion of the same in the peripheral area of the work. The difference in width between a portion of the line in the central area of the work and a portion of the same in the peripheral area of the work is in the range of about 0.04 .mu.m to about 0.05 .mu.m.
A resist for excimer laser lithography, which is capable of effectively coping with the miniaturization of semiconductor devices and with the increase of degree of integration large-scale integrated circuits, is one of the resists sensitive to the temperature variation of the developer. Therefore, it is important to solve the foregoing problems in developing a resist film.
The foregoing problems may be solved by supporting a work 1 on a support 2 of a size equal to or greater than that of the work 1 so that the work is entirely in contact with the support 2 as shown in FIG. 4. However, this resist film developing method is not necessarily able to eliminate the influence of the support 2 on the temperature variation of the developer retained on the work 1 and local temperature difference in the developer retained on the work 1 and is not a drastic means for solving such problems. Furthermore, such a large support, as compared with the work, places restrictions on the design of the work transporting system and is liable to be wetted with the developer, and hence the employment of such a large support is not practically disadvantageous.

Resist film developing method and an apparatus for carrying out the same


An improved respiratory face mask is provided for filtering inhaled and exhaled air, while discharging exhaled gases in a manner reducing undesired re-inhalation, and reducing capture and retention of exhaled air within the mask and against the face of the wearer. The face mask comprises a mask base adapted to fit in close conformance over a person's nose and mouth, in combination with a generally cup-shaped receiver formed from a porous filter material and carried by the mask base to define a rearwardly open chamber for receiving exhaled gases. In use, exhaled gases flow with minimal resistance to the receiver chamber, at a location spaced forwardly from the person's face, for discharge through the substantial surface area of the receiver material to the surrounding environment.

This invention relates generally to improvements in respiratory face masks of the type worn over a person's nose and mouth to filter inhaled and exhaled air. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved face mask designed for substantially minimizing re-inhalation of exhaled gases.
A wide variety of respiratory face mask constructions are known in the art. In general terms, such face masks comprise a finely porous filter material adapted to be worn over a person's nose and mouth to filter inhaled and exhaled air, particularly for purposes of removing airborne particulate and contaminants. Available face masks are constructed from a variety of controlled porosity filter materials including, for example, paper based and/or plastic fiber materials, foam materials and the like. In some designs, the filter material is provided in a contoured, generally shell-shaped configuration for mounting over the person's nose and mouth by means of an elastic strap. In another form, the filter material is wrapped over the nose and mouth in a manner similar to a scarf.
Respiratory face masks of the general type described above are used extensively in a wide variety of different applications. For example, face masks have been used for many years by medical and dental personnel to minimize or eliminate transfer of infectious disease from or to the patient during treatment. These types of face masks are also used in a wide range of industrial applications to prevent inhalation of harmful substances such as paint particles and other particulate contaminants. In recent years, face masks have been used with increasing frequency by individuals suffering from respiratory allergies and/or other respiratory disfunction to reduce inhalation of plant pollens.
In the past, a preferred face mask construction has generally required a close anatomical fit between the filter material and the facial contours of the person's nose and mouth to minimize leakage around the edges of the mask during inhalation and exhalation. As a result, a widely used prior art face mask has typically provided a close-fitting construction as exemplified by a disposable contoured mask of the type marketed by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, of St. Paul, Minn., under the model designation 1942F. Unfortunately, in close-fitting masks of this type, the small pore size and resultant reduced porosity of the filter material tends to both reflect the exhaled gas onto the face of the wearer, and reduce the velocity of the exhaled gases sufficiently that the interior of the face mask is often enveloped by the exhaled gas, which includes a high proportion of relatively warm carbon dioxide and water vapor under pressure. This warm moisture saturated air is thereupon held in close proximity to the facial skin of the mask wearer, and is directly re-inhaled through the nose and mouth. As a result, a high proportion of the exhaled gasses are simply re-inhaled, resulting in significant impairment of breathing comfort. In addition, the high content of water vapor present in the exhaled gas also results in repeated and continued fogging of any protective or corrective eyeglasses that may be worn, thereby effectively obscuring vision.
The present invention provides a significant improvement in the construction of a simple respiratory face mask, particularly with respect to a relatively simple yet highly effective face mask construction which substantially reduces re-inhalation of exhaled gases, and further which relieves the wearer of the discomfort of warm moist exhaled air trapped against the facial skin.


Beveling tools having a variety of features are described. The tools can utilize a combination of handles, a protective external frame, guide rollers that are positionally adjusted by swing arms with timing lobes, or by an alternative guide bar mounting system, a helical knurled drive roller, guide rollers that have a convex or crowned face, skewed guide rollers, a positive clutch assembly for governing force applied to the guide rollers, a hand crank assembly for moving the tool when mounted on a workpiece, position adjustment provisions for varying the position of a milling head, and indicators providing visual feedback to an operator.

Powered beveling tools are known in the art. Such tools typically include one or more rotary driven milling or grinding heads. The milling head is typically powered by an electric motor housed within the tool.
Beveling tools typically include engagement assemblies that enable the tool to be mounted or affixed to a workpiece such as a pipe end or sheet edge which allow the tool and workpiece to be displaced relative to one another while maintaining a desired orientation between the milling head and the workpiece.
Although a variety of such tools are known, many if not all tools suffer from one or more disadvantages. A significant disadvantage associated with many known tools is that the tools cannot be readily transported. In many instances, tools may be cumbersome or awkward to grasp, lack handles along certain regions of the tool, and be relatively heavy. Furthermore, in an attempt to reduce the weight of the tool, some manufacturers omit features and provisions that result in reduced operability of the tool.
Accordingly, a need remains for an improved beveling tool that can be easily and conveniently transported and which avoids many or all of the disadvantages of previous tools.


A thin film actuator having transversely oriented structural stiffeners that serve to increase actuation stroke that results from longitudinal curvature. The thin film actuator may be deployed within electromechanical devices such that an actuatable deflection of a tip of the actuator plate produces the actuation stroke. The thin film actuator may include an actuator plate affixed to a substantially rigid frame structure. The actuator plate protrudes along a longitudinal axis away from the frame structure such that the actuator plate is cantilevered from the frame structure by some distance along this longitudinal axis. The thin film actuator includes a piezoelectric film on a surface of the actuator plate. Activation of the piezoelectric film generates tensile stress or compressive stress at the surface, thereby inducing a bending moment that causes the actuator plate to undergo longitudinal curvature and some lesser degree of transverse curvature.

Thin film actuators are widely used in electromechanical devices to cause controlled movements of a component by applying a drive signal to a piezoelectric material. For example, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) scanning devices modulate the angular position of a scanning mirror with extremely high accuracy by applying external electric fields to piezoelectric films that have been deposited over top and/or bottom surfaces of actuator plates that are mechanically coupled to the scanning mirror. As a piezoelectric film expands or contracts, mechanical stress is induced at whichever surface of the actuator plate the piezoelectric film is attached. This mechanical stress generates a bending moment within the actuator plate which causes longitudinal curvature that results in an actuator stroke (e.g., tip deflection in a vertical direction). The amount of actuator stroke is inversely related to both the planar second moment of area (also referred to herein as "moment of inertia" or "area moment of inertia" or "bending stiffness") for planar cross sections taken along a longitudinal axis and Young's modulus of the actuator plate material, and proportional to the square of the actuator length in a longitudinal direction. The longitudinal direction refers specifically to the direction which the actuator plate extends cantilevered from a frame. Furthermore, a transverse direction refers to a direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and on plane with a top surface of the actuator plate. Finally, a vertical direction is orthogonal to both of the longitudinal and transverse directions.
Importantly, the smaller the moments of inertia of the actuator plate at various planar cross-sections along the longitudinal axis, the greater the actuator stroke that will result from any particular bending moment within that actuator plate. Depending on the device design, high enough actuation force is also needed. Producing sufficient actuator stroke and force is a challenge in many thin film actuator applications. Therefore, actuator plates are often designed to be thin and flat in terms of height because these geometric characteristics minimize the moment of inertia along the longitudinal axis, thereby increasing the longitudinal curvature of the actuator plate for any particular bending moment.
Unfortunately, the mechanical actuation that is induced into a typical actuator plate via activation of a piezoelectric film results in some degree of transverse curvature which increases rapidly the moment of inertia, of the actuator plate, along the longitudinal axis. Since actuator stroke is inversely related to this moment of inertia, this transverse curvature has the performance impeding effect of decreasing the actuator stroke and force. That is, increased transverse curvature tends to increase the stiffness of the actuator plate along the longitudinal axis, which in turn decreases the mode of longitudinal curvature which is specifically desired so as to produce actuator stroke.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosure made herein is presented.

Thin film actuator having transversely oriented structural stiffeners to increase actuator stroke


A protection member for preventing the contact of an objective lens with an optical disk is a thin plate member composed of an elastic material softer than a cover layer of the optical disk and has a plurality of convex-shaped parts formed on a surface thereof, which is opposed to the optical disk, so as to surround the objective lens.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical disk apparatus for performing recording or reproduction of an information signal by focusing a light beam on an information signal recording layer of an optical disk using an objective lens.
2. Related Background Art
Up to now, an optical disk apparatus for recording an information signal on the information signal recording layer by focusing laser light as a very small light spot on an information signal recording layer of an optical disk through an objective lens, or reproducing a recorded information signal from light reflected therefrom has been put to practical use. In recent years, a numerical aperture (NA) of the objective lens in the optical disk apparatus can be increased to 0.8 or more by improvements in design and manufacturing technique of the objective lens. When the objective lens having the high NA is used, a smaller light spot can be formed. As a result, resolutions of recording and reproduction are improved, and therefore the capacity of the optical disk can be increased.
A conventional normal optical disk typically includes an information signal recording layer located on a substrate which is made of a transparent resin material and has a thickness of 0.6 mm to 1.2 mm. The information signal recording layer is irradiated with laser light through the substrate. However, a focal length, that is, a distance between the objective lens and the information signal recording layer becomes shorter as the NA of the objective lens increases. Therefore, it is difficult to focus the laser light on the information signal recording layer through the substrate having a thickness of 0.6 mm to 1.2 mm. In order to solve such the problem, it has been proposed that the NA of an objective lens is increased and an optical disk in which a transparent cover layer thinner than the substrate is formed on the information signal recording layer are used to irradiate the information signal recording layer with laser light through the cover layer.
FIG. 5 shows a schematic structure of an optical disk apparatus as described above. Reference numeral 1 denotes an optical disk, 2 denotes an optical head, and 3 denotes a spindle motor for driving and rotating the optical disk 1. The optical head 2 includes a laser light source 6, a collimator lens 7, a beam splitter 8, a focusing lens 9 having NA of about 0.85, a light-receiving element 10, an objective lens 20, and an actuator 11 for controlling the focusing and tracking of the objective lens 20.
The optical disk 1 includes a substrate 12, an information signal recording layer 13 which is formed on the substrate 12 and made of a phase changing material a phase state of which can be reversibly changed, and a cover layer 14 which is made of a transparent resin material and has a thickness of approximately 0.1 mm. The information signal recording layer 13 has spiral or concentric circular recording tracks formed thereon. The information signal recording layer 13 may be made of a magneto-optical recording material or may be a metallic reflective film on which pits (concaves and convexes) are formed. The optical head 2 is located on a side of the optical disk 1 and is opposed to the cover layer 14.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a structure of the actuator 11. The actuator 11 includes a fixed part 15 and a movable part 16. The fixed part 15 is composed of permanent magnets 17a and 17b, a yoke 18, and a supporting base 19. The movable part 16 is composed of the objective lens 20, a focus coil 21, a tracking coil 22, and a lens supporting member 23 for supporting the objective lens 20, the focus coil 21, and the tracking coil 22. Elastic supporting members 24a, 24b, 24c and 24d are linear and have elasticity and high conductivity. One end of each of the elastic supporting members is fixed to the supporting base 19. The other end of each of the elastic supporting members is supported on a side surface of the lens supporting member 23 such that the movable part 16 can be freely moved in a perpendicular direction and a radial direction relative to the optical disk 1. The elastic supporting members 24a, 24b, 24c and 24d are electrically connected with the focus coil 21 and the tracking coil 22 on the lens supporting member 23.
As shown in FIG. 5, the optical disk apparatus further includes an error signal generating circuit 4 and a control circuit 5 which are used to perform focusing control and tracking control with respect to the actuator 11. The control circuit 5 supplies control currents to the focus coil 21 and the tracking coil 22 through the elastic supporting members 24a, 24b, 24c and 24d.
When an information signal is to be recorded, the optical disk 1 is rotated and driven by the spindle motor 3. In such the state, laser light which is generated from the laser light source 6 and pulse-modulated based on the information signal is converted into parallel light by the collimator lens 7. The parallel light passes through the beam splitter 8 and is converged by the objective lens 20, so that the converged light is focused as a very small light spot on the information signal recording layer 13 through the cover layer 14 of the optical disk 1.
The information signal recording layer 13 of the optical disk 1 is repeatedly heated and cooled by irradiation with the pulse-modulated laser light. A recording mark having a phase state changed to an amorphous phase or a crystalline phase according to a change in process is recorded as the information signal.
Even when the information signal is to be reproduced, the optical disk 1 is rotated and driven by the spindle motor 3. With such the state, laser light having a predetermined intensity which is generated from the laser light source 6 is focused as a very small light spot on the information signal recording layer 13 through the cover layer 14 of the optical disk 1. At this time, an intensity of light reflected on the information signal recording layer 13 is changed corresponding to the recording mark, thereby reproducing the information signal.
During operations of recording and reproducing the information signal, a light beam reflected on optical disk 1 is reflected by the beam splitter 8, focused by the focusing lens 9, and detected by the light-receiving element 10. The light-receiving element 10 has a plurality of divided light-receiving surfaces. A focus error signal and a tracking error signal are generated from signals detected on the respective light-receiving surfaces by the error signal generating circuit 4.
The control circuit 5 supplies control currents based on the focus error signal and the tracking error signal to the focus coil 21 and the tracking coil 22 through the elastic supporting members 24a, 24b, 24c, and 24d. The actuator 11 drives the movable part 16 in a direction in which the movable part 16 moves toward or away from the optical disk 1 in a direction perpendicular to the optical disk 1 or in a radial direction orthogonal to recording tracks by an electromagnetic force caused by interaction of the control currents and magnetic fluxes generated from the permanent magnets 17a and 17b.
Therefore, even when the optical disk 1 is displaced in the perpendicular direction with respect thereto by a side-runout thereof, the focusing is controlled such that a light spot follows the displaced optical disk 1 and the light spot is precisely focused on the recording track. Even when the recording track is displaced in the radial direction by decentering, the tracking is controlled such that the recording track is scanned with the light spot following the recording track.
In the above-mentioned optical disk apparatus, a gap (working distance) between the objective lens 20 and the surface of the cover layer 14 is as very small as 0.2 mm to 0.6 mm. When the actuator 11 is performing the normal focusing control operation, the gap between the objective lens 20 and the surface of the cover layer 14 is continuously maintained to be equal to the working distance.
However, when an external shock or vibration is applied to the optical disk apparatus during non-operation in which the actuator 11 does not perform the control operation, or when the actuator 11 is out of control because a normal error signal is not obtained during the control operation by the influence of the external shock or vibration or the influence of contamination or scratch on the optical disk 1, the movable part 16 excessively moves to approach the optical disk 1 or may be in contact with the optical disk 1. Further, in view of the practical assembly precision of the optical disk apparatus, it is difficult to provide a mechanism such as a stopper for limiting the excessive movement of the movable part 16 at a position within the working distance.
Therefore, it is difficult to completely prevent the contact of the movable part 16 with the optical disk 1 which is caused by the excessive movement of the movable part 16. Thus, it is necessary to take measures for preventing the surface of the objective lens 20 and the surface of the optical disk 1 from being damaged so as not to degrade the recording and reproduction performances of the information signal even when the contact occurs.
With respect to examples of the measures, an apparatus in which a circular protection member is provided around the objective lens to protrude closer to the optical disk side than the objective lens is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-320802. In addition, an apparatus in which a coating layer made of a soft material is provided as a protection member for the objective lens on the lens supporting member to protrude closer to the optical disk side than the objective lens is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-222535.
According to the above-mentioned apparatuses, even when the movable part including the objective lens excessively moves toward the optical disk, the protection member is in contact with the optical disk, thereby preventing at least direct contact between the objective lens and the optical disk.
In the conventional apparatus in which the protection member is provided as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-320802 or 2002-222535, the direct contact of the object lens with the optical disk is avoided, so that the damage to the objective lens can be prevented. However, the protection member is brought into contact with the optical disk, so that the damage to the cover layer of the optical disk cannot be completely prevented. In particular, linear sliding scratch generated on the surface of the cover layer by the contact with the optical disk during the rotation thereof causes, for example, a reduction in intensity of the light spot focused on the information signal recording layer or a change in intensity distribution thereof. Therefore, the recording and reproduction performance of the information signal is reduced. This is not desirable.
When the working distance is shortened with an increase in NA of the objective lens, the contact frequency between protection member and the optical disk increases. Therefore, the number of sliding scratches and a size thereof are increased by the repetition of contact. At the same time, a diameter of a light beam incident on the surface of the cover layer is shortened with a reduction in a thickness of the cover layer, so that the sliding scratch generated on the surface of the cover layer more significantly influences the light spot. Further, rotating speed of the optical disk, that is, relative moving speed thereof increases with an increase in recording and reproduction speed of the information signal, larger scratch is produced.
For reasons as described above, even when the protection member for the conventional apparatus is applied to an optical disk apparatus which is provided with an objective lens having a higher NA and used for recording and reproducing an information signal on and from an optical disk including a thin cover layer at high speed, sufficient performance for protecting the optical disk cannot be obtained.

Optical disk apparatus with protection member for objective lens


A terminal for simply selecting one of menus in multitasking operation and displaying the selected menu as an entire image on a screen in consideration of user convenience, and its control method are disclosed. The terminal includes a display module; a user input unit configured to detect a touch input; and a controller configured to slide currently executed menus according to a pre-set method if the input touch continues by longer than a particular time, selecting one of executed screen image of the slid menu, and display it as an entirely magnified image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a terminal for simply selecting one of menus in multitasking operation and displaying the selected menu as an entire image on a screen in consideration of user convenience, and its control method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Terminals may be divided into a mobile terminal (portable terminal) and a stationary terminal according to whether the terminal is portable or not. The mobile terminals may be divided into a handheld terminal that can be directly carried around and a vehicle mount terminal.
According to diversification of functions, the terminals are implemented in the form of multimedia players having complex functions such as capturing images or video, reproducing music or video files, playing games, receiving broadcasts, etc. In order to support or increase the functions of the terminals, modifications of structural parts and/or software parts of the terminals may be taken into consideration.
Recently, users increasingly want to simultaneously use one or more supplementary functions in a terminal. For example, users tend to want to read a document or send a text message while enjoying music. To satisfy the desire, the number of terminals including a multitasking function increases, and a method for allowing users to conveniently use the multitasking function is required. In particular, a method for minimizing a key input or a menu manipulation while performing multitasking to allow simply selecting one of menus in the multitasking operation.

Mobile terminal and control method slidably displaying multiple menu screens


A receiver for acquiring a signal through a propagation channel, the receiver comprising channel estimating means (200) for producing stream of CIR estimates for the channel, a plurality of doppler filtering means (201) for filtering the CIR stream in parallel and selecting means (202) for selecting the output of one of the doppler filtering means for use in recovering said signal.

In a typical radio system, information is modulated onto a radio carrier by a transmitter. This signal then travels via an unknown and changing environment to the receiver. The ability to estimate the characteristics of this propagation environment and to mitigate the impact on the received signal is often key to the performance of a receiver.
FIG. 1 depicts various processing stages that form part of such an approach. It should be noted that the blocks shown in FIG. 1 represent processing operations performed on a received signal but do not necessarily correspond directly to physical units that may appear within a practical implementation of a receiver. The first stage 101 corresponds to the radio frequency processing. During the radio frequency processing, the received signal is down-converted to base-band using a mixer 103. The reference frequency used to drive the mixer is generated by an oscillator 104. Following this carrier down-conversion, the signal is low-pass filtered 102 and then passed to the mixed-signal processing stage 108. The mixed signal processing includes Analogue-to-Digital Conversion (ADC) 105, sampling 106 and low pass filtering 107. The resulting signal, which is now digital, is supplied to the digital signal processing stage 111 where it is processed such that the transmitted information can be recovered. The received signal is first processed by the channel estimation unit 109 where an estimate of the Channel Impulse Response (CIR) is generated. This estimated CIR is processed in combination with the received signal by the demodulation unit 110 such that the sequence of transmitted bits can be recovered.
In the downlink of cellular communication systems, a pilot signal is usually transmitted in combination with the information bearing signals such that the receiver can estimate the propagation channel. For Wideband Code-Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA) schemes, this pilot signal is typically code-multiplexed with the transmitted signal. For example, in the 3GPP standard, the Common Pilot Channel (CPICH) is a sequence of known bits which are modulated, spread and added to the downlink signal (3GPP TS 25.211; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; Physical channels and mapping of transport channels onto physical channels (FDD)). At the receiver, it is possible to generate an estimate of the CIR by correlating the received signal with the known CPICH pilot sequence.
The accuracy of the channel estimation process is crucial in determining the quality of the demodulation process. For W-CDMA systems, it is typical to use a Rake architecture at the receiver (CDMA—Principles of Spread Spectrum Communication, Andrew J Viterbi, Addison-Wesley Wireless Communications Series). In the Rake receiver, the weights associated with the different fingers correspond to the estimated CIR taps at the finger delay locations. The noise affecting these finger weights increases the likelihood of errors in the demodulation process. More recently, new receiver architectures have been introduced where the demodulation accuracy is improved at the expense of the implementation complexity. The Linear Minimum Mean Square Error (LMMSE) equaliser is an example of such an architecture (Chip-Level Channel Equalization in WCDMA Downlink, K Hooli, M. Juntti, M. J Heikkila, P. Komulainen, M. Latva-aho, J. Lilleberg, EURASIP Journal on Applied Signal Processing, August 2002). The LMMSE equaliser improves the performance of the demodulation unit by mitigating the distortions introduced by the propagation channel. The LMMSE equaliser can be implemented using a pre-filter Rake architecture (Equalization in WCDMA terminals, Kari Hooli, PhD thesis, 2003) where the conventional Rake receiver is preceded by a linear filter which aims at removing the Inter-Symbol Interference (ISI) introduced by the channel. In the pre-filter Rake receiver, the channel estimates are used both to set the weights of the Rake receiver as well as to derive the coefficients of the linear pre-filter. Hence, noise in the channel estimation process will significantly degrade the receiver performance.
High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) is an evolution of the Release 99 version of the 3GPP standard aimed at providing improved user experience through increased data rates and reduced end-to-end latency. These improvements are delivered through a combination of Incremental Redundancy (IR) and the use of higher-order modulation schemes. HSDPA extends the capabilities of 3GPP by introducing the use of the 16QAM modulation for the data bearing channels. Compared to the QPSK modulation scheme used in 3GPP, 16QAM is more sensitive to errors in the estimation of the amplitude of the channel. Hence, accurate channel estimation is important to the performance of an HSDPA receiver.
As indicated earlier, it is possible in a W-CDMA system for the receiver to estimate the CIR by correlating the received signal with the known pilot signal. It should however be stressed that the estimated CIR will be degraded by noise and interference. The signals transmitted to the different users in the system, both in the same cell as the user of interest and adjacent cells, will generate an increased level of noise in the channel estimates. The noise level in the channel estimates is determined by the properties of the cross-correlation between the pilot signal and the other user signals. Even in the absence of interfering signals from other users present in the system, the channel estimation process will suffer from self-interference generated by the non-perfect properties of the pilot signal auto-correlation.
The present application presents a number of techniques that can be used to improve the accuracy of the channel estimates.
The period at which channel estimates can be generated depends on the format of the pilot signal being used. For example, in the 3GPP standard, it is possible to generate a new set of channel estimates for every new 512 chips. It should however be noted that variations in the channel estimates generated at each update period will depend on the propagation environment, specifically the Doppler frequency of the channel. When the User Equipment (UE) is moving slowly in the system, successive channel estimates are heavily correlated. It is therefore possible to improve the channel estimates by filtering them across multiple update periods. Such an approach has already been proposed in 'Adaptive Filtering for Fading Channel Estimation in WCDMA Downlink, Petri Komulainen and Ville Haikola'. In order to achieve good performance, it is important to match the characteristics of the filter applied to the channel estimates to that of the propagation environment. In 'Adaptive Filtering for Fading Channel Estimation in WCDMA Downlink, Petri Komulainen and Ville Haikola', this is achieved by using a filter where coefficients are adapted to the channel characteristics using the Least Mean Square (LMS) algorithm.

Refinement of channel estimation with a bank of filters