A multi-product fuel dispensing system includes a plurality of reservoir tanks. Each tank has a specific grade of fuel stored therein. Each reservoir tank has a fuel delivery line connected thereto. A fuel delivery conduit has at least two flow channels. One flow channel is connected to receive a first grade of fuel from one of the fuel delivery lines, and another flow channel is connected to receive a second grade of fuel, of a lower grade than the first grade, from another of the fuel delivery lines. A nozzle has a connection to receive fuel from the fuel delivery conduit. A first proportional flow control and blend valve is connected in the system for receiving the first grade of fuel. A second proportional flow control and blend valve is connected in the system for receiving the second grade of fuel. A meter is connected in the system for receiving the second grade of fuel. An ultrasonic flow meter is mounted adjacent the nozzle and fuel delivery conduit connection for measuring the flow of fuel through the nozzle.

This invention relates to a multi-product fuel dispenser and, more particularly, to such a dispenser that feeds more than one product through an ultrasonic metering device and a single hose and nozzle.
Many gasoline service stations require the installation of multi-product fuel dispensers or pumps, each for dispensing a plurality of different grades, or octane levels, of gasoline products at each fueling station. Conventionally, three different products are provided per fueling station, namely a high octane fuel, a medium octane fuel and a low octane fuel. In the past, multi-product dispensers had a separate hose for each product. Now, many such dispensers use the same hose and nozzle to dispense all products. Mixing of these various products can result in the dilution or lowering of the octane level of the high and medium octane fuels which can lower the octane level of the fuel delivered to the customer. Testing procedures have therefore been developed in the United States to certify the octane levels of the fuels dispensed from commercial fuel dispensers; The testing and certification procedures are set forth in the National Conference on Weights and Measures Publication No. 12, entitled "Examination Procedure Outlines for Weighing and Measuring Devices." Pursuant to these testing guidelines, the person conducting the test is required to flush at least 0.3 gallons of fuel from the dispenser before taking the test sample. See page 57, line 1. Thus, in dispensers used at United States gasoline service stations, a slight mixing of the various fuel products of a multi-product fuel dispenser may occur, so long as the contaminated product is flushed from the system during the first 0.3 gallons of discharge, before a test sample is taken.
To avoid the mixing of the various products dispensed from a multi-product fuel dispenser, known dispensers typically include a separate flow path for each product from its reservoir product tank which stores the fuel, to the outlet nozzle which introduces the fuel into the consumer's automobile. These systems therefore require the duplication of the components disposed between the tank and the nozzle for each fuel product, including the flow meter. In this manner, however, no contamination of the octane level of the products can occur. Through the use of such separate hoses, meters, etc., dispensers of the prior art avoid contamination of fuel being dispensed at a particular time, with fuel from a previous use that would otherwise remain in the system at the termination of the last dispensing cycle. Spalding, U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,011, a patent assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses such a dispenser, in which three nozzles, fuel hoses and flow meters, each for a different grade of gasoline, are combined in a single dispenser.
There are many disadvantages in the use of discrete delivery systems for each product fed through a multi-product fuel dispenser. For example, the cost of such dispensers is increased due to the requirement for multiple hoses, nozzles and meters. Also, the overall size and space requirements of such a dispenser are increased due to the requirement to house the multiple components. In addition, and especially with respect to the flow meters, the cost of maintenance and repairs is increased for each discrete delivery system included in such dispensers.
Other multi-product fuel dispensers have been developed in which the supply lines from each reservoir tank are manifolded into a single fuel hose downstream of the flow meter, which hose then leads to a single nozzle. Although this eliminates the cost of the multiplicity of nozzles and hoses, the problems associated with the multiplicity of flow meters, such as complexity, space limitations and repair and maintenance expenses, remain.
In one known device, different grades of fuel from three different storage sources can be delivered through a common meter and then dispensed through a dedicated hose and nozzle for each fuel grade. A specific valving arrangement controls the flow of a specific fuel grade through the meter and to the dedicated hose and nozzle. As an alternative, different grades of fuel from three different storage sources can be delivered through a common meter and then selectively dispensed through a single hose and nozzle. In this arrangement, valving selectively directs a specific fuel grade to the common meter and the meter is connected to the single hose and nozzle.
In another arrangement, fuel delivery of various grades, through a single hose and nozzle, is accomplished from two different grades of fuel (i.e., highest octane and lowest octane) stored separately. Here again, a specific valving arrangement controls the delivery of the selected fuel grade. The separately stored fuels may be blended to deliver one or more intermediate grades of fuel. This may be accomplished by proportional blending or fixed ratio blending. In proportional blending, various intermediate grades are a selectively blended mixture of some proportion of the high and low octane fuels. In fixed ratio blending, a single intermediate grade is produced including a fixed percentage of the high and low octane fuels.
In all blending dispensers there are two separate sets of hydraulics. One set is for controlling the low octane product input and another set is for controlling the high octane product input. In blending dispensers, whether of the proportional or fixed ratio type, the low and high octane hydraulic systems each contain a proportional flow control valve.
When any grade (low, high or blend) is selected, the blend ratio programmed into the dispenser's computer determines the percentage or proportion of high product to be dispensed. When the low grade product is selected, the proportion or percentage of high product is 0%. When the high grade product is selected, the percentage of high product is 100%. When a blended grade is selected, a percentage of high product (less than 100%) is mixed with the remaining percentage of low product, and the combined total (100%) determines the octane rating of the blended grade.
Knowing the percentage or proportion of high, and thus low, product to dispense and by calculating the volume dispensed based on input signals from the pulsers, the computer signals the solenoid drive board which in turn controls the proportional flow control valves. Each proportional flow control valve continuously opens or closes, as directed by the solenoid drive board, to maintain the desired blend ratio and the maximum allowable flow rate.
A complication arises with regard to the allowable 0.3 gallon contamination factor. Some gasoline station operators would prefer to have a dispenser hose provided with a greater than normal length. The normal hose length provided is about 12 feet. The volume of fuel retained in a 12 foot length of hose and the volume of fuel in the flow meter approximates the allowable 0.3 gallon contamination factor. Therefore, extending the hose length to, for example, 13 feet may cause the system to exceed the 0.3 gallons of allowable contamination due to the increased volume of the extended length of the hose.
In Europe, the 0.3 gallon contamination factor is generally not permitted. In fact, only the minimal nozzle volume contamination is permitted. Therefore, separate nozzles and hoses are required for each grade of fuel product. In one attempt to overcome some of the above problems, however, multi-product fuel dispensers have been developed that comprise tri-axial fuel hoses having three concentric passages within a single hose that lead to a single nozzle. Such devices simplify operation for the consumer as there is only a single nozzle, but they do not alleviate the need for separate flow meters for each product or improve the maintenance and repair costs. Moreover, such devices might actually increase the cost of the dispenser due to the complexity of the tri-axial hoses.
The present meters include a mechanical positive displacement meter using technology which is over 50 years old. This meter includes over 100 parts, is cumbersome, not service friendly, and not easily interfaced with modern microprocessor based control systems. Although some electronic flow sensing devices have been recently introduced, present meters are of too large a volume, e.g., in excess of about 0.1 gallons, which is one-third of the permissible 0.3 gallons. Volume of these meters is large to produce the desired system flow rate of 10 gallons per minute (gpm). This means that the other components of the system which contribute to product contamination must be limited to no more than 0.2 gallons.
More recently, a multiple compartment hose has been developed. One compartment carries a low octane product, another compartment carries a high octane product and a third compartment is for vapor recovery. This, permits single hose dispensing using a nozzle with a blend valve. One such nozzle has been developed including an in line flow meter, valve and check valve arrangement. However, the proposed flow meter is described as a turbine flow meter. Adding these features to the nozzle will add size and weight to the nozzle. In addition, a multiple compartment hose may include separate compartments for delivering three grades of fuel and a fourth compartment for vapor recovery in a non-blending system.
Therefore, what is needed is an economically feasible meter of smaller volume, i.e., substantially less than 0.1 gallons, able to operate within a nozzle in combination with a three compartment hose and a blend valve in the nozzle at the system flow rate of 10 gpm, reliable due to few or no moving parts, and capable of almost infinite life.

Fuel nozzle dispenser using ultrasonic metering


A new and distinct cultivar of geranium plant named xe2x80x98Fisrohotxe2x80x99, particularly characterized by the combined features of brilliant purple with white, semi-double flowers, long strong peduncles, large, medium-green leaves with weak zonation, tall, but tight and well-branched plant habit, and medium late flowering response.

Genus and species of the plant claimed: Hybrid of: Pelargonium zonale L""Hxc3xa9ritier.
Variety denomination: xe2x80x98Fisrohotxe2x80x99.
The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of geranium, botanically known as Pelargonium zonale, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name xe2x80x98Fisrohotxe2x80x99.
xe2x80x98Fisrohotxe2x80x99 is a product of a planned breeding program which had the objective of creating new zonal geranium cultivars with semi-double flowers, relatively vigorous, but well-branched growth habit, good outdoor performance, and in various flower colors.
xe2x80x98Fisrohotxe2x80x99 originated from a hybridization made by the inventor, Angelika Utecht, in a controlled breeding program in Hillscheid, Germany, in 1998. The female parent was an unpatented hybrid seedling, no. 97-2191-1, with large, violet, semi-double flowers, dark green foliage with only slight zonation, and medium to vigorous growth habit. The male parent of xe2x80x98Fisrohotxe2x80x99 was the unpatented hybrid seedling No. 97-2001-3, which was derived from self-pollinating variety xe2x80x98Fislypsoxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. no. 11,162), and characterized by deep violet, semi-double flowers, medium to light green foliage without zonation, and low plant habit.
xe2x80x98Fisrohotxe2x80x99 was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross by Angelika Utecht in 1999 in a controlled environment in Moncarapacho, Portugal.
The first act of asexual reproduction of xe2x80x98Fisrohotxe2x80x99 was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in the fall of 1999, in a controlled environment in Moncarapacho, Portugal, by, or under the supervision of, Angelika Utecht.
Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in May 2000, in Hillscheid, Federal Republic of Germany, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for xe2x80x98Fisrohotxe2x80x99 are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
xe2x80x98Fisrohotxe2x80x99 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.
The following observations, measurements, and comparisons describe plants grown in Hillscheid, Germany, under greenhouse conditions which approximate those generally used in commercial practice. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of xe2x80x98Fisrohotxe2x80x99 in combination distinguish this geranium as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Brilliant purple-violet flowers with small, white eyes;
2. Large, round inflorescences, long strong peduncles;
3. Large, medium-green leaves, with weak zonation;
4. Vigorous growth, tall and well-branched plant habit; and
5. Medium to late spring flowering response.
Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the most similar in comparison to xe2x80x98Fisrohotxe2x80x99 are the varieties xe2x80x98Fip 750xe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,011), and xe2x80x98Fisrovioxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,250).
In comparison to xe2x80x98Fip 750xe2x80x99, xe2x80x98Fisrohotxe2x80x99 has a similar main flower color, but medium-green, instead of dark-green, foliage, a much taller plant habit, and later begin of flowering.
In comparison to xe2x80x98Fisrovioxe2x80x99, flowers of xe2x80x98Fisrohotxe2x80x99 have a somewhat more bluish hue, they lack the orange eyes on petals, but show white bases instead, the zonation on leaves is somewhat more distinct, and internodes of branches are longer.

Geranium plant named xe2x80x98Fisrohotxe2x80x99


A method and system for retransmitting messages using an alternate mode of communication when an original mode of communication is determined to be unsuccessful. A message is first transmitted using a connectionless-mode of communication such as by using an Internet electronic mail message. A request for acknowledgment of receipt of the message and/or individual operators within the message is requested. If the acknowledgment of receipt of the message is not received within an appropriate time determined based on an urgency level of the reply, the message is retransmitted using a more reliable mode of communication such as a connection-mode of operation which includes a direct telephone connection over a public telephone network using a modem, using an ISDN line, or a cable with a cable modem.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the remote monitoring, diagnosis and control of machines using connection and connectionless modes of communication and is more particularly related to monitoring, the control and diagnosis of business office machines such as copiers, printers, and facsimile machines.
The invention is further related to assuring that outgoing connectionless communications are received by the appropriate entity and attempting communication using an alternate mode if a connectionless communication is not received.
2. Discussion of the Background
U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,779 discloses the controlling of business office devices by a remote diagnostic station. However, the method of communication in this system and other known systems for controlling machines such as business office machines is to establish a connection between the machine and the diagnostic station and to use a connection-mode of communication.
The use of a dedicated communication connection between the machine and diagnostic station is more expensive as compared to the use of the Internet. On the other hand, the Internet has disadvantages in that some forms of communication over the Internet are slow and may be delayed, and have a problem in that the Internet is not a secure mode of transmission (i.e., communications may be monitored by others). Further, because of the nature of the Internet, electronic mail communications transmitted over the Internet do not always reach their intended destinations. In addition, the connection-mode access to an installed machine from the Internet may not be possible because of a security block by a firewall. However, even with the delays of a connectionless-mode of communication over the Internet, the inventor has found that the Internet can still provide a suitable medium for communication for some applications.

Method and system for diagnosis and control of machines using connectionless modes having delivery monitoring and an alternate communication mode


This document describes a passive thermal-control system that can be integrated into an electronic speaker device and associated electronic speaker devices. The passive thermal-control system uses an architecture that combines heat spreaders and thermal interface materials to transfer heat from heat-generating electronic devices of the electronic speaker device to a housing component of the electronic speaker device. The housing component dissipates the heat to prevent a thermal runaway condition.

Electronic speaker devices have evolved to perform a variety of functions. Such functions may be related to voice commands spoken to a virtual assistant that may be integrated into an electronic speaker device to retrieve information, manage a home automation system, play media, and so on.
When a form factor of the electronic speaker device is reduced, heat generated from electronic devices of the electronic speaker device can result in a thermal runaway condition that damages the electronic devices. To manage the heat generated from the electronic devices, a passive thermal-control system may be used. However, multiple challenges are presented regarding the design and architecture of an efficient and effective passive thermal-control system that prevents the thermal runaway condition while maintaining the reduced form factor.

Passive thermal-control system of an electronic speaker device and associated electronic speaker devices


Provided is a substrate supporting unit, which includes a support plate on which a substrate is placed, and a heating member disposed within the support plate to heat the support plate. The heating member includes a plurality of first heating wires disposed in a first region of the support plate, and a plurality of second heating wires disposed in a second region of the support plate, which is different from the first region. The first heating wires are connected to each other through one of a series connection and a parallel connection, and the second heating wires are connected to each other through the other of the series connection and the parallel connection.

Semiconductor fabrication apparatuses include a support plate in a process chamber to support a substrate. Heating wires are disposed within the support plate to heat the substrate to a certain temperature.
Such heating wires are embedded in a spiral pattern, and are connected in parallel to one another. In this case, since the entire length of the parallel-connected heating wires is greater than that of series-connected heating wires, the parallel-connected heating wires can be arrayed with smaller intervals. However, since the entire length of parallel-connected heating wires is greater than that of series-connected heating wires, parallel-connected heating wires are inappropriate to be embedded in a small area. Furthermore, as parallel-connected heating wires extend toward the edge of a support plate, the length thereof is increased, and the resistance thereof is also increased. Thus, it may be difficult to obtain a desired amount of heat.

Substrate supporting units and substrate treating apparatuses including the same


The present invention relates to novel intrauterine systems and to methods for manufacturing these systems. An intrauterine system according to the invention comprises a reservoir and a continuous, closed and flexible frame. The frame comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer made of a polycarbonate diol, 1,6-hexamethylenediisocyanate, and a chain extender.

A large number of different intrauterine devices have been proposed and applied in practice. The first IUDs that became generally used were large and extended the uterus and caused bleeding and pain, often accompanied by infections. There have been several attempts to overcome the disadvantages related to the intrauterine systems, and devices have been designed with modifications aiming to decrease pain and bleeding, to make insertion and removal easier, to limit the risk of expulsion and especially to minimize the risk of perforation.
Applicant's patent application FI 20085277 relates to an intrauterine delivery system comprising a frame and a reservoir connected to the frame, wherein the frame forms a continuous, closed and flexible system of polygonal, preferably triangular or pentagonal, shape and wherein at least one end of the reservoir is connected to the inner surface of the frame and the reservoir comprises at least one therapeutically active substance.
EP 0873751 by Takeda Chemical Industries discloses a biodegradable IUD wherein an active agent is dispersed in a biodegradable polymer which is mould to a predetermined shape of a ring. Said IUD does not comprise separate frame and reservoir structures. As such systems are usually hard and inflexible, introduction of rings made of such material to the human body is very difficult. If the ring-like structure of the device is broken during the degradation process, it would be extremely difficult to remove the device because it would be deformed and its hard, broken parts would cause tissue damage.
NL 8601570 by Futura Nova relates to an intrauterine device comprising an elongated stem which is combined to a ring of polymeric material. A contraceptive effect is achieved by covering the stem with a contraceptive material, preferably with metal and especially with copper in the form of a ring spiral on the stem. Said device does not comprise a separate reservoir consisting of a polymer matrix or polymer layer capable of controlling the release of the contraceptive material. Therefore the release rate of said contraceptive material could not be controlled but would depend on the solubility characteristics of the contraceptive.
GB 1,318,554 by Michael Reese Hospital & Medical Center describes an intrauterine device comprising at least one capsule containing a progestin contained within a partially permeable wall but not dispersed in any polymer matrix. In one embodiment the device comprises three silicone elastomer tubes containing progestin and joined by polyethylene corner pieces to form a generally ring shaped or triangular device. The device is said to have sufficient rigidity to maintain its shape when not subjected to outside forces, but still be easily flexed as required for insertion. However, although the ends of the silicone tubes need not to be sharp, it is likely that they irritate uterine wall thus impairing wearing comfort.
Many of the devices presented in the literature are bulky and/or rigid and may therefore cause side-effects and a high discontinuation rate. Undesirable complications that have been associated with the use of these intrauterine devices are pain and difficulties in insertion and/or in removal of the device, abdominal pain, infection, irregular bleeding, hormonal side effects, uterine perforation, cervical laceration, septic abortion, ectopic pregnancy, and expulsion of the IUS.
The optimal performance of an intrauterine system has been found to be determined largely by the interaction of the geometric parameters of the uterus and the device. The uterine cavity possesses a single axial and variable transverse and anteroposterior dimensions. Cyclic changes in uterine shape and size occur normally in women during different phases of the menstrual cycle. An ideal intrauterine system should be able to functionally adapt to the cyclic variations of the uterine cavity. Larger size of an IUD has been stated to increase the risk of expulsion and side effects. Abnormalities in uterine geometry as a result of congenital or acquired space-occupying lesions reduce the uterine space available for IUDs and increase further the probability of IUD expulsion and other clinical complications. The devices that are designed to fit to the size of the endometrial cavity are expected to have better performance records than those inserted at random, causing less irritation and less side effects (Kurz, Contraception. 1984 Jun. 29(6):495-510) and producing less endometrial trauma and consequently less bleeding (Randic, Contracept Deliv Syst. 1980; 1(2):87-94). The shape of the IUD should have blunt surfaces and gentle curves, and be devoid of sharp features which may cause uterine injury. Axial stiffness and transverse flexibility of the device appear to improve compliance properties (Hasson, BJOG, 89 (s4), 1-10, 1982).
In addition to dimensions and design characteristics material properties are important for an ideal intrauterine system.
With the devices where during the insertion procedure at least part of the device is outside the inserter tube, insertion pain is related to the outer diameter, design and flexibility of the insertion tube, but also to the size, design and flexibility of the device, especially of the part of the device laying outside the insertion tube. Pain soon after insertion usually occurs in the form of uterine cramps, and is probably related to uterine distention or irritation of the isthmic region caused by the device. The pain or discomfort is rarely present for more than the first weeks after the insertion.
It is also well known that the uterus contracts with a certain frequency continually and the contractions can push the device downward causing partial or complete expulsion. The contraction of the uterus will bring pressure on the inserted device. The transverse composition of forces will deform the device, and the longitudinal composition of forces will expel the device.
Therefore the material should be flexible but have a relatively high degree of stiffness (measured according to DIN 53504), preferably >8 N/mm2 (at 100% elongation), especially more than 10 N/mm2 (at 100% elongation). The material should also have a relatively high hardness (measured according to DIN 5305), preferably Shore D>38 and <60, more preferably Shore D>40 and <55). Moreover the material should have a high rebound (measured according to DIN 53512), preferably >30%, especially more than 35%. The cross section thickness must be sufficiently high to provide wanted resilience in use, and this depends on the material used. However, the stiffness and the thickness must not be so high as to prevent the device, the core, the frame or both from being bent through a substantial angle in use. Furthermore, it is important that the materials have a relatively high elasticity and characteristics which permit the device to be deformed and then again to return to its original configuration upon release of the deforming force.
Correct insertion, with the IUD placed up to the fundus, is thought to reduce the chances of expulsion and proper position of the device is necessary to achieve the optimal contraceptive efficacy.
Despite of the development work done, many intrauterine systems still have drawbacks. To overcome the issues related to various side effects described above and to improve patient compliance, intrauterine systems comprising a new material with excellent performance have been introduced. The intrauterine systems according to present invention can be easily inserted in the stable optimal position in the uterus and are comfortable to use. They are flexible and have a smooth shape to minimize the risk of perforation, but still with low possibility for expulsions, and do not have any pain causing elements or structural features.


The invention provides a method for simple, rapid and inexpensive analysis of drugs such as nicotine and other drugs which are accumulated in biological samples of addictive drugger of tobacco, stimulant drug and the like. The method comprises the steps of introducing the biological sample into an injection needle, inserting the needle into an injector of a chromatograph and injecting a carrier into the needle to conduct chromatography treatment.

There have been known that various drugs are accumulated in biological samples including human body such as hair, nail, body hair, skin, bone and the like. Drugs accumulated in biological samples have conventionally been analyzed by a wet process. Namely, biological samples are finely cut, optionally washed, dissolved by alkaline treatment and extracted with a solvent for extracting drugs. The extracted liquid is then subjected to gas chromatography or liquid chromatography, if necessary to mass spectrometry to identify a target drug. The method generally takes at least one to two days and requires considerable labor and expensive apparatus (non-patent documents 1 to 3).    Non-patent document 1 Journal of Medical Technology, Vol. 39, No. 4 (1995), p. 439-446    Non-patent document 2 Pharmacia, Vol. 34, No. 9 (1998), p. 889-894    Non-patent document 3 Biomedical Chromatography 18:655-661 (2004)

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION TOYOHASHI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY


Disclosed herein are system, apparatus, article of manufacture, method, and/or computer program product embodiments for controlling display of media content. An embodiment operates by receiving a selection of media content for playback, presenting interstitial media content on a first device prior to playing the media content, transmitting an option to skip the interstitial media content to a second device, receiving a request to skip the interstitial media content from the second device, stopping presentation of the interstitial media content on the first device, and presenting the selected media content on the first device.

Field
This disclosure is generally directed to controlling display of media content. More particularly, this disclosure relates to controlling display of media content using separate devices.
Background
Consumer electronics such as, for example, high definition audio and/or video playback devices, can generally enable a user or consumer to watch or listen to their favorite content by receiving or streaming the content for playback on their devices. But often, the user receives additional content beyond the requested content. For example, the user may receive a branding announcement prior to the start or during a stream, a warning, such as a copyright or content warning, public service information, a programming announcement, etc. However, when users select such streaming content, the user typically desires the content to be played as soon as possible, and with minimal interruption. In other words, the user has an incentive to skip the additional content, or prevent the additional content from being delivered. On the other hand, a content provider has a desire to present the additional content to the user. Thus, there can be a tradeoff between a content provider who wants to present the additional content and the desires of a user.
Conventional systems fail to adequately address this trade off. First, a user may be willing or unwilling to view additional content when selecting content for playback. But the decision of whether to view additional content has usually been dictated by the platform itself. For example, a user might be willing to watch broadcast television with the expectation of seeing additional content during shows, or the user may subscribe to a service that presents free content.
Second, a user may be more or less willing to view additional content such as advertisements based on the value of the content selected for playback. For example, a user may be willing to pay more money to skip such additional content while watching a popular television series such as GAME OF THRONES®. Similarly, a content provider may be less interested in charging a user to skip additional content for an unpopular television show such as a historical documentary. But conventional systems do not enable a user to make a decision about whether to view additional content based on the value of the content selected for playback. Instead, conventional systems may, for example, enable a user to pay a flat monthly fee to view content of interest without viewing additional content. Alternatively, conventional systems may enable a user to pay a reduced monthly fee to view content of interest while only viewing a modest amount of additional content. In these conventional systems, there is a disconnect between the particular content selected for playback and the additional content to suppress in view of the fee being charged. In other words, such conventional systems determine whether a user can skip additional content independent of the particular content selected for playback.
Finally, conventional systems do not allow a user to interactively opt-out of additional content as the need arises. Rather the decision to opt-out is dictated in advance of the user selecting particular content for playback. In summary, such conventional systems fail to adequately address the interests of operators, content providers, and users.


The present invention relates to a method and an arrangement for pressure and temperature let down of autoclave discharge slurry, in particular in pressure oxidation or high pressure acid leach of metal containing ore. The method of the invention comprises a step of providing autoclave vent gas obtained from the autoclave to the top-entry flash vessel for inducing overpressure to the top-entry flash vessel and preventing boiling of the slurry during the transfer to next top-entry flash vessel. The invention further relates to an autoclave and pressure let-down arrangement adapted for providing autoclave vent gas to one or more top-entry flash vessels.

In extractive metallurgy autoclaves are used for allowing increased operating temperature in the autoclave. Once an ore or concentrate is leached the discharge of the autoclave is often reduced in temperature and pressure by allowing the autoclave discharge slurry to flash i.e. convert the heat of the slurry at high temperature into a flash steam. To reduce capital cost in base metal autoclave operations the number of flash stages is minimised. However the pressure drop per flash stage is commonly high and the flashing slurry discharges into the flash tank at high velocity. Typically top-entry flash vessel design is used allowing the high pressure and high velocity flashing slurry to discharge into a slurry pool to absorb the kinetic energy of the slurry. This avoids excessive wear in the flash vessel that would occur if a bottom-entry design (used in alumina industry) were to be used.
The slurry flowing from one flash vessel to another flash vessel is at the boiling point of the slurry leaving the upstream vessel and if a pressure drop occurs in the pipeline interconnecting the two flash vessels then the slurry will boil and as steam is generated three-phase flow will occur. Since the volume of the steam is much greater that the equivalent volume of the liquid water, the velocity of the three-phase mixture increases substantially. This increased velocity will lead to excessive pipeline and valve wear.
Typically top-entry multi stage flash vessels are arranged staggered in height to ensure that three-phase flow is avoided in the pipeline connecting the two flash vessels to ensure no loss in pipeline pressure due to a change in static height. However elevating vessels is very expensive as the flash vessels are large and heavy pressure vessels that are brick lined vessels requiring substantial structural steel support and cost for their installation.
However, if top-entry flash vessels are constructed at the same level then a static height difference between the vessels will occur. This will lead to a pressure drop in the interconnecting pipeline and the slurry will boil leading to three phase flow at very high velocities and excessive wear.
To keep the flash vessels all at the same level and to avoid boiling in the pipeline between the flash vessels quench water is commonly used to sub-cool the slurry entering the pipeline in between the flash vessels.
Adding water injection facilities to a flash vessel is expensive and the operation of the circuit becomes more complicated in terms of operability. Furthermore, additional water is required, which may further impact the water balance of the system.


A lens is formed out of semiconductor material. The semiconductor produces light which is coupled to the lens. The lens focuses the light and also minimizes refractive reflection. The lens is formed by a graded aluminum alloy, which is oxidized in a lateral direction. The oxidation changes the effective shape of the device according to the grading.

The present invention relates to techniques for formation of shaped structures on a semiconductor substrate. More particularly, one application of such shaped structures is to form structures which alter some aspect of an electromagnetic beam produced by the semiconductor. One example is a semiconductor lens.
Much interest has been recently placed on formation of optical structures using semiconductors. Semiconductor light emitting diodes ("LEDs") and vertical cavity surface emitting devices ("VCSELs") are known. These devices produce electromagnetic radiation, e.g., Infra Red ("IR") radiation, or light, from a semiconductor device.
The light produced by the semiconductor device must be coupled from the semiconductor device into a light channeling element, as air or a light channeling fiber. However, the actual coupling of the light can cause internal reflection at the interface between the semiconductor light emitting device and the medium such as air. In certain cases, the light can be totally internally reflected, resulting in very low coupling efficiency.
It is known to use a lensing element as part of a semiconductor. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,023,447 explains that it is desirable to use a semispherical lens in a semiconductor. However, the lens is separately formed and glued into place.
The present disclosure describes formation and use of a optical property altering device, e.g., a lens, out of a portion of the semiconductor substrate.
For example, the device as described herein forms a hemispherical cap at the top surface. This hemispherical cap acts as a lens to alter the optical characteristics.

Semiconductor surface lenses and shaped structures


Microspheres, populations of microspheres, and methods for forming microspheres are provided. One microsphere configured to exhibit fluorescent and magnetic properties includes a core microsphere and a magnetic material coupled to a surface of the core microsphere. About 50% or less of the surface of the core microsphere is covered by the magnetic material. The microsphere also includes a polymer layer surrounding the magnetic material and the core microsphere. One population of microspheres configured to exhibit fluorescent and magnetic properties includes two or more subsets of microspheres. The two or more subsets of microspheres are configured to exhibit different fluorescent and/or magnetic properties. Individual microspheres in the two or more subsets are configured as described above.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to magnetic microspheres for use in fluorescence-based applications. Certain embodiments relate to a microsphere that includes a magnetic material coupled to a surface of a core microsphere and a polymer layer surrounding the magnetic material and the core microsphere.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following description and examples are not admitted to be prior art by virtue of their inclusion in this section.
Magnetic microspheres are currently used in a wide variety of applications, including: hyperthermic treatment of tumors; directed delivery of therapeutic substances to target locations in living systems; cell, polynucleotide, and protein isolation; and clinical analysis of biomolecules. Microspheres suitable for such purposes are available from a number of commercial sources in a number of different configurations. These microspheres often include a magnetically susceptible substance and a spherical matrix material such as an organic polymer or silica. The microspheres may have several configurations such as a magnetic core surrounded by a matrix; small magnetic particles dispersed throughout a matrix; and a magnetic coating on the outside of a spherical matrix. Each of these microsphere configurations has advantages and disadvantages, and selection of the appropriate configuration is dependent on the intended use of the microspheres.
For many purposes, appropriate microspheres display paramagnetism or superparamagnetism, rather than ferromagnetism. Such microspheres have negligible magnetism in the absence of a magnetic field, but application of a magnetic field induces alignment of the magnetic domains in the microspheres, resulting in attraction of the microspheres to the field source. When the field is removed, the magnetic domains return to a random orientation so there is no interparticle magnetic attraction or repulsion. In the case of superparamagnetism, this return to random orientation of the domains is nearly instantaneous, while paramagnetic materials will retain domain alignment for some period of time after removal of the magnetic field. This retention of domain alignment may lead to microsphere aggregation in the absence of an external magnetic field, which is often undesirable. Ferromagnetic materials have permanently aligned domains, so microspheres including such magnetic materials will readily aggregate.
The matrix material associated with the magnetic material also varies depending on the intended use of the microspheres, with silica and polymer latex being the most commonly used matrix materials. Both materials can be used to create substantially uniform magnetic microspheres in a wide range of diameters. Magnetic silica microspheres are often more stable over a wider range of temperatures than microspheres made from organic polymers such as polystyrene, and both materials may decompose in certain environments such as acidic or aromatic solvents. Additionally, silica microspheres are often more dense than latex microspheres, which can be an important consideration in the choice of magnetic microsphere matrices.
A significant and growing use of magnetic microspheres is in the field of biological assays. Assays for proteins and oligonucleotides can be performed on the surface of the microspheres, which can then be magnetically separated from the reaction mixture before the characteristics of the microspheres are measured. Isolation of the assay microspheres prior to measurement decreases interference of non-target molecules with the measurements thereby producing more accurate results.
Concurrent with the increasing interest in magnetic microspheres for biological assays is the development of assays conducted on fluorescent microspheres. The use of fluorescent labels or fluorescent material coupled to a surface of the microspheres or incorporated into the microspheres allows preparation of numerous sets of microspheres that are distinguishable based on different dye emission spectra and/or signal intensity. In a biological assay, the fluorescence and light scattering of these microspheres can be measured by a flow cytometer or an imaging system, and the measurement results can be used to determine the size and fluorescence of the microspheres as well as the fluorescence associated with the assay system being studied (e.g., a fluorescently labeled antibody in a "capture sandwich" assay), as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,948,627 to Lee et al., which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. By varying the concentrations of multiple dyes incorporated in the microspheres, hundreds, or even thousands, of distinguishable microsphere sets can be produced. In an assay, each microsphere set can be associated with a different target thereby allowing numerous tests to be conducted for a single sample in a single container as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,981,180 to Chandler et al., which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
Fluorescently distinguishable microspheres may be improved by rendering these microspheres magnetically responsive. Examples of methods for forming fluorescent magnetic microspheres are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,079 to Wang et al., which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. The methods described by Wang et al. include coating a fluorescent core microsphere with magnetite and additional polymer or mixing a core microsphere with magnetite, dye, and polymerizable monomers and initiating polymerization to produce a coated microsphere. These methods are relatively simple approaches to the synthesis of fluorescent magnetic microspheres, but are not suitable for creating the large numbers of precisely dyed microspheres used in relatively large multiplex assays such as those as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,981,180 to Chandler et al.
This limitation of the methods of Wang et al. is due to the fact that most fluorescent dye molecules are extremely sensitive to attack by radical species generated during radical initiation polymerizations. If these radicals inactivate even a relatively small number of dye molecules, precise quantities of dye in the microspheres cannot be achieved. Furthermore, if the methods of Wang et al. are used to synthesize non-fluorescent magnetic microspheres, and dyeing of the microspheres is attempted using the solvent swelling method described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,514,295 to Chandler et al., which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, a relatively large amount of the magnetic material will be released from the microspheres during dyeing since the magnetic material is not chemically bound to the microspheres. In particular, physical entrapment of the magnetic material in the microspheres will be disrupted by the swelling process, and the magnetic material will be released into solution.
Fluorescent magnetic microspheres are also described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,268,222 to Chandler et al., which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. In this method, nanospheres are coupled to a polymeric core microsphere, and the fluorescent and magnetic materials are associated with either the core microsphere or the nanospheres. This method produces microspheres with desirable characteristics, but the nanosphere-microsphere bond may be susceptible to cleavage under severe reaction conditions. A coating surrounding the microsphere and nanospheres bound thereto may be used to improve this association but, again, the use of radical initiators to form this coating can compromise the fluorescent emission profile of the microsphere.
A more desirable configuration for a fluorescent magnetic microsphere is a magnetically responsive microsphere that can be dyed using established techniques, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,514,295 to Chandler et al. In general, this method uses solvents that swell the microsphere thereby allowing migration of the fluorescent material into the microsphere. These dyeing solvents include one or more organic solvents. Therefore, the microspheres must be able to tolerate organic solvents without losing their compositional integrity. Additionally, free magnetite interferes with a number of biological reactions. number of biological reactions. Therefore, microspheres that are susceptible to loss of even a relatively small amount of magnetite are unacceptable. As such, magnetic microspheres should be constructed such that the magnetic material is tightly bound to the microspheres thereby preventing loss of the magnetic material during the swelling process.
Magnetic microspheres are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,091,206 to Wang et al., 5,648,124 to Sutor, and 6,013,531 to Wang et al., which are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. However, the microspheres produced by the methods disclosed in these patents to Wang et al. may lose magnetic material when disposed in organic solvents since the magnetic material is not chemically immobilized. In each of these patents, substantially small particles of magnetic material are coated on a polymeric core microsphere, with a polymeric shell as an outer coating. The magnetic particles are synthesized and processed to minimize particle size. Some magnetic materials, such as Fe3O4, progress from ferromagnetic to paramagnetic to superparamagnetic as particle size decreases. Therefore, magnetite particles having the smallest size possible are used to faun the microspheres such that the product microsphere shows little magnetic retentivity.
However, if the product microsphere is also configured to emit a fluorescent signal from dye substances in the core microsphere, the thickness of the layer of magnetic particles on the surface of the microsphere core becomes an important consideration. For example, since most magnetic substances are optically opaque, a relatively thick coating of magnetic particles on the surface of the microsphere core will cause excessive light scatter or blocking of photon transmission. Using the methods of these patents, in which the magnetic component is designed to have the minimum particle size, magnetic content would have to be limited to allow light transmission through the magnetic component. In fact, to provide a magnetic microsphere having a diameter of 7 μm and 5% magnetic content, the entire surface of the core microsphere would have to be coated with a layer of magnetite having a thickness of 15 nm. This thickness results in a significantly lower fluorescent signal. Even if some of the fluorescent signal. Even if some of the magnetic particles are larger, as described by Sutor, the presence of a relatively large number of smaller magnetic particles will strongly impact the emission profile of the microsphere. One object of the invention of Sutor is to provide magnetically responsive microparticles having more electro magnetic units (EMUs) per gram of material than known microparticles.
The previously used methods also use surfactants and stabilizers in the preparation of the outer coatings. For many purposes, the presence of these molecules on the surface of the microsphere is acceptable. However, when used in bioassays, the surfactants can result in unwanted interference and changes in the binding efficiency of biomolecules to the microsphere surface. Washing procedures may reduce the quantity of surfactants and stabilizers associated with the microsphere surface, but completely removing the surfactants and stabilizers is extremely difficult.
Therefore, it would be a significant improvement over existing technologies to provide methods for forming a microsphere containing greater than about 2% by weight of a magnetically responsive material, without significantly hindering light transmission into and out of the microsphere. It would be a further improvement if this magnetically responsive material is strongly associated with the microsphere thereby reducing loss of the magnetically responsive material during dyeing and is surrounded by a polymer to substantially prevent the magnetically responsive material from interacting with biomolecules of interest. Furthermore, previously used methods can be improved if the outermost polymer layer is formed in the absence of surfactants and stabilizers.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Magnetic microspheres for use in fluorescence-based applications


Coverage analysis may be performed using reverse time. The coverage analysis may be based on last hit data. The last hit data may comprise a timestamp indicating a last time in which a coverage event was covered. Utilizing last hit data instead of first hit data as is known in the art enables distinction between coverage goals that were never covered and coverage goals that were not covered lately.

One technical problem dealt with by the disclosed subject matter is to provide coverage analysis. The coverage analysis may provide information enabling a verification engineer or another QA personnel to determine a verification strategy, such as to re-execute a test, to design a new test or the like.
One technical effect of utilizing the disclosed subject matter is to enable a verification engineer to distinguish between coverage events that were not covered at all and coverage events that were not covered lately. This distinction may be utilized to determine whether a test may be re-executed to cover the coverage event or whether a new test should be design to cover the coverage event. In some exemplary embodiments, re-execution may not achieve coverage as the design may have changed. The disclosed subject matter may enable the verification engineer to identify, based on the aforementioned distinction, a modification made to the DUV that was not handled correctly, such as by modifying pertinent tests, coverage goals or the like. The modification to the DUV may be a modification in the design itself, the environments or the tests. Another technical effect of utilizing the disclosed subject matter is to overcome drawbacks associated with prior art sliding window reports. As opposed to a sliding window report which requires a priori determination of a size of the window, the disclosed subject matter does not require such determination. Determining the "correct" size of the window is a difficult problem. The size of the window may depend on the size and difficulty of the coverage model, the availability of resources, rate of changes to the design, etc.
In some exemplary embodiments, the coverage analysis tool 200 may comprise a coverage status module 210. The coverage status module 210 may be configured to determine the coverage status and provide a report, or another indication thereof.
In some exemplary embodiments, the coverage analysis tool 200 may comprise a window selector 220. The window selector 220 may determine a sliding window based on the report provided by the coverage status module 210. The window selector 220 may utilize a begin time determinator 225 to determine a beginning time of the sliding window based on the report. The beginning time may be, for example, the time in which a predetermined percentage of the coverage tasks were covered, the time in which a predetermined number of coverage tasks were covered, or the like.

Using reverse time for coverage analysis

International Business Machines Corporation


A workpiece holding system includes a connector for mounting a workpiece-holding pallet or upper plate to a workstation with the high degree of accuracy that is necessary for workpiece machining operations. The upper plate connects to the workstation via a pair oppositely directed, extendable/retractable connectors aligned along an axis of connection, with a total of four connectors and two spaced axes of connection. Each connector includes a pin, an actuating knob and a wrap spring. For each connector, extension and retraction along the respective axis occurs by rotation of the actuating knob. The wrap spring interconnects the actuating knob to the pin in a slippable manner. The wrap spring acts as a torque limiting device during rotation of the knob to extend the pin into engagement with the upper plate, and it acts as a clutch during rotation of the knob to retract the pin from engagement with the pallet.

Applicant's co-owned U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,125 discloses a set-up assembly with upper and lower plates hingedly connectable and disconnectable along two spaced parallel axes. Applicant expressly incorporates U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,125 by reference herein, in its entirety. Aligned with each axis, the set-up assembly includes a pair of axially extendable and retractable center pins mounted on one of the plates which may be quickly and easily moved along the axis into and out of engagement with the other plate. The use of extendable and retractable center pins to accurately hold the upper plate to the lower plate simplifies set up operations and reduces the operator's set-up time for those machining operations which require hinged raising of either end of the upper plate.
The extendable and retractable center pins also facilitate machining operations which require simple, fast and effective holding of a pallet to a support plate. With a plurality of pallets, a workpiece mounted to each pallet, and a machining device located adjacent a lower plate in an operating position, the workpiece-holding pallets can be connected and disconnected to the lower plate in assembly line fashion to reduce machining time and expense.
With this set up assembly, the center pins are spring-biased inwardly toward the pallet. To retract the pins, the pins are pulled outwardly against the spring force and then rotated perpendicularly into a latched position. For larger size plates, i.e., ten inches by twelve inches, the spring force is generally much higher, so that the upper plate can be held securely in position for machining operations. Unfortunately, for upper plates of this size, the high spring force makes it difficult to manually retract the pins outwardly from engagement.
Moreover, because of the structural relationship of the pin, the spring and the lower plate, this structure does not lend itself particularly well to automated placement, securement and removal of the upper plate to a workstation. This is due primarily to the susceptibility of pin or pin component breakage if the pin is retracted too far or rotated at the wrong time.


A low fluid sensor for an internal combustion engine. The sensor includes a base with helically threaded post and a float slidably mounted on the post. The float rotates about the post as it moves longitudinally along it. In the preferred embodiment, eccentric mounting of the assembly along with its lobe shape act in concert with the pitch of the screw threads and fluid viscosity to dampen the buoyant movement of the float against fluid turbulence. At a predetermined level a latch spring on the float contacts an ignition circuit terminal and grounds the engine ignition circuit. A catch holds the float at the pre-determined level, preventing engine starting, so that the sensor may only be reset by addition of fluid and re-insertion of the dipstick.

Small internal combustion engines, such as four stroke engines, are frequently found in consumer and light industrial products such as lawnmowers, electrical generators, power-washers, snow throwers and lawn tractors. A common problem associated with consumer or jobsite use of these types of products results from the fact that many operators do not perform the easy, but necessary, periodic inspections of the engine to ensure it contains a sufficient level of oil for operation. In many cases, checking the oil level in an internal combustion engine such as is found on a consumer or jobsite product is as simple as extracting a dipstick from the engine and visually observing how far up the dipstick the oil wet line appears. A typical dipstick is engraved with a mark or marks that indicate the appropriate level of oil. In some cases, the dipstick is marked with the words "ADD" as an instruction to operators to add oil should the observed level of oil be found to be below a certain level mark on the dipstick.
Despite the fact that checking and adding to the oil level in an internal combustion engine is a relatively easy process, operators often fail to adequately maintain the necessary level of oil required by these engines. When an engine operator repeatedly fails to protect against or recognize a low level of oil in the engine, the engine will suffer premature wear. In extreme cases of neglect, catastrophic engine failure can result. It is therefore desirable to have a low-level fluid sensor built into the engine which will alert the operator via a visible or audible signal, or more preferably prevent or shut down operation of the engine, should the lubricant level fall to a dangerously low level.
The prior art discloses a variety of methods for indicating or responding to a low fluid level or condition. Some systems employ an indicator light that turns on when an engine fluid level or pressure drops below a predetermined value. In other systems, an audible alarm may be implemented such that the operator will hear the alarm upon attempting to start the engine. In other cases, the sensing system disrupts the engine ignition circuit and protectively shuts down the engine.
The typical four-cycle internal combustion engine found on a consumer or light industrial product utilizes a splash lubrication system to spread oil throughout the engine. Accordingly, in the past various types of mechanisms have been considered for use with splash lubricated engines to detect a dangerously low lubricating fluid level. Such prior art detecting mechanisms include pressure switches, capacitor switches, thermal switches and float-type sensors. Though pressure sensors have found effective application in industrial and automotive engines, and have even been proposed for use in splash lubricated engines, such sensors have been found not practical for use in consumer product engines. Capacitance, pressure and thermal switches generally are relatively costly and require an external power supply for operation. Additionally, oil capacitance may vary by several orders of magnitude based upon oil temperature and condition and the presence of oil additives and impurities.
A variety of float-type sensors have been proposed in the prior art. The simplest version involves slidably mounting a float on fixed linear guides and having an elongate flexible member pass through the center of the float. When the float moves along the length of the fixed linear guides due to its buoyancy, the flexible member is caused to twist. The top of the central flexible member is connected to a needle on a dial. The twisting action of the central flexible member is translated into a dial readout. In order for this prior art device to function, the float must be restricted from rotating about the central flexible member so that its only motion is vertical. This is accomplished through use of the fixed linear guides. Accordingly, these float-type sensors comprise additional structures, usually fixed linear guides, located at the perimeter of the float, that prevent the float from rotating.
In more recently proposed float-type sensors, the float is provided with a magnet or electrical contact. In one variant of this type of sensor, an electrical contact is attached to a float, which rides on the surface of the lubricant in the engine lubricant reservoir or crankcase. Due to its buoyancy, the float moves up and down directly with the level of the lubricant. As the lubricant volume drops so does the float. At a point in its vertical travel designated to represent a low lubricant level, the float's vertical travel will cause the electrical contact on the float to make contact with a circuit terminal. This terminal contacting action will sound an alarm or ground the engine ignition circuit.
In another variant of a prior art float-type sensor, a magnet is housed in the float. The float rides on the surface of the lubricant in the engine lubricant reservoir or crankcase. Due to its buoyancy, the float moves up and down directly with the level of the lubricant. As the lubricant volume drops so does the float. At a point in its vertical travel designated to represent a low lubricant level, the float's vertical travel will cause the float to pass a switch connected to a circuit. The switch is activated by proximity of the magnet. Activation of the switch will sound an alarm or ground the engine ignition circuit.
Though desirable, prior art float-type sensors systems exhibit several problems. First, they suffer from the fact that they are rather large and difficult to adapt to existing equipment and due to the substantial number of moving parts are not completely failsafe. Additionally, these sensors are susceptible to giving false readings particularly when used in conjunction with a splash lubrication system such as is found in a consumer product internal combustion engine. In a splash lubrication system, a slinger gear or paddle splashes lubricant throughout the engine housing while the engine is running. This can create lubricant level sensing difficulties when starting the engine. Upon engine start-up, much of the lubricating fluid is splashed throughout the engine housing. This may cause a temporary condition wherein the level of pooled lubricant in the reservoir is very low, yet the overall amount of engine lubricant is satisfactory.
The susceptibility of the prior art float-type sensor to register an erroneously low level of lubricant is not limited to situations of engine start up. Due to its buoyancy, the sensor float height varies as the lubricant level in the crankcase fluctuates. Such fluctuations may occur during normal engine operation, for instance in a lawnmower when the lawnmower is used on steep or undulating grade. Operating the lawnmower on such terrain causes the level of pooled lubricant in the reservoir or crankcase to vary substantially within the crankcase. This variance, in turn, causes the lubricant slinger or paddle to move varying and at times excessive amounts of lubricant from the reservoir to the engine housing, which may further exacerbate lubricant turbulence.
An external indicator or automatic shutdown feature on an engine or other mechanical device is desirable in order to avoid damage caused by an insufficiency of a vital fluid. In the case of a consumer product engine, the simple closure of a circuit such as would ground the ignition circuit is a cost effective and reliable way to avoid damage due to fluid insufficiency. However, if a prior art float-type sensor is utilized, fluid level variance may cause the circuit to be alternately closed and opened. This alternate interruption and restoration of ignition will cause the engine to misfire, which is objectionable from an emissions aspect and can also result in damage to the engine. Consequently, one problem with the float-type sensing system of the known prior art is that it may register a dangerously low level of lubricant (and erroneously ground the ignition circuit) even though the amount of lubricant in the engine is sufficient.
In an effort to avoid such errant low-level readings, engine manufacturers have devised various devices such as timer circuits to delay the indication of a low oil condition for a preset period of time due to engine starting or uneven terrain. A significant disadvantage of these time delay devices is that they typically require relatively complicated and expensive circuitry, which may not be feasible for internal combustion engines or other devices intended for consumer or light industrial use. Accordingly, there is the need in the art for a float-type low-level fluid sensor that accurately gauges engine lubricant level under start-up, normal operating conditions, and also during conditions of lubricant turbulence without the use of external electrical latching circuits.


A method of making a mirror for use with extreme ultraviolet (EUV) or X-ray radiation is disclosed. The method includes: a) providing an optical element having a curved mirror surface, wherein the curved mirror surface comprises localized defects that degrade performance of the curved mirror surface; b) spin-coating the curved mirror surface with a material to cover at least some of the defects; and c) curing the spin-coated material on the curved mirror surface to reduce the number of defects and improve the performance of the curved mirror surface. Also disclosed is a mirror made by the method.

Cutting-edge optical systems, such as microlithography system for making semiconductor chips, use electromagnetic radiation in the extreme-ultraviolet ("EUV") and X-ray regions. Such regions have small wavelengths in the range of 1-20 nm, which can enable the design of optical systems that can reproduce patterns with extremely fine resolution. The optical components for such systems involve reflective elements because of the strong absorption of EUV and X-ray radiation in most materials. Accordingly, such reflective elements need to have reflective surfaces of extremely high-quality, including surfaces that conform to precisely optimized curvatures and forms and that are also extremely smooth.
Techniques exist for figuring, polishing, and otherwise finishing such surfaces, including, e.g., ion-beam figuring ("IBF"), magneto-rheological finishing ("MRF"), chemical mechanical polishing ("CMP"), and computer controlled optical surfacing ("CCOS"). However, such techniques are generally expensive and time-consuming for the tolerances required for EUV and X-ray optics. Moreover, the constraints on such techniques are exacerbating by the requirement to process the non-planar surface required for the design of the reflective optical elements currently proposed for cutting-edge EUV lithography systems, including not only aspheric elements, but also non-rotationally symmetric elements such as free-form grazing incidence mirrors.
A measure commonly used to characterize the degree to which an optic surface is sufficiently "smooth" is surface roughness. Surface roughness is the repetitive and/or random deviation from the nominal surface that forms the three-dimensional topology of the surface. Especially relevant for EUV and X-ray optics is high-spatial frequency roughness ("HSFR") corresponding to deviations on the micrometer to nanometer size scale (e.g., spatial periods from about 10 microns to 10 nanometers) because such roughness causes scattering loses that lowers the transmission throughput of EUV and X-ray optical system implementing such optics. Lower spatial frequency deviations such as waviness can generally be corrected during the figuring process (at least, for example, for spatial periods greater than about 1-2 mm). Waviness can be caused by workpiece deflections, vibrations, chatters, heat treatment, or warping strains. HSFR, on the other hand, is typically an intrinsic consequence of the polishing process (e.g., randomized effects of polishing grit). HSFR includes hills (aspherities) (local maxima) and valleys (local minima) of varying amplitudes and spacings that are large compared to molecular dimensions.
Roughness R is usually characterized by one of the two statistical height descriptors advocated by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Standardization Organization (ISO) (Anonymous, 1975, 1985) (see, e.g., ISO 10110-8). These are (1) Ra, CLA (center-line average), or AA (arithmetic average) and (2) the standard deviation or variance (σ), Rq or root mean square (RMS). While not critical to the present invention, for the present application, HSFR be will defined according to the root mean square of the vertical deviation of the three-dimensional surface topography from the nominal three-dimension surface topography corresponding to the design surface for the optic with respect to high spatial frequencies (e.g., spatial periods below 10 microns). For example, for a sampling region extending along a line of length L extending along an x-axis of a surface having an actual surface topography z(x) relative to a nominal surface topography z′(x) for scale lengths L up to 10 microns, the high spatial frequency roughness R is:
   R  =              1     L                       ∫      0      L                                        ❘         "\[LeftBracketingBar]"                                   z                    (          x          )                  -                              z           ′                    (          x          )                                  ❘         "\[RightBracketingBar]"                      2                  dx               HSFR can be measured with an atomic force microscope ("AFM") or an optical interferometer. To make timely measurements of HSFR with nanometer-scale lateral resolutions and because HSFR is understood to result from intrinsic properties of the polishing, HSFR measurements are typically made over areas no larger than 50 microns by 50 microns, and more typically on the order 10 microns by 10 microns.
For normal incidence EUV mirrors, the required tolerances for HSFR can be less than a few Angstroms (e.g., R<0.2 nm) to avoid scattering losses. Although still very strict, the tolerances can be increased somewhat for grazing incidence mirrors because scattering decreases at increased incident angles (e.g., R<0.5 nm). For example, in the publication "Spin-on-glass smoothing of diamond turned optics for use in the extreme ultraviolet regime" by "Salmassi et al., in Proc. SPIE 6683, 66830 F1 (February 2008), HSFR was reduced from 6.6 nm rms to 0.45 nm by spin-coating a thin layer of glass over a substrate figured for use as a grazing-incidence, cylindrical fly-eye for an EUV optical system. An AFM was used over a 50-micron by 50-micron region of the substrate to determine the HSFR.

Method of mitigating defects on an optical surface and mirror formed by same


Systems and methods are provided for designing integrated circuits using configurable delay cell (CDC) circuits that serve to expedite timing closure for an integrated circuit (IC) design by eliminating the need to iteratively repeat various design steps such as placement, signal distribution network synthesis, and routing. CDC circuits include footprint compatible circuits having different delay characteristics, which may be included as part of a standard cell library for designing integrated circuits. A CDC circuit can be used in an IC design to add a desired delay to a given clock path or data path, and then replaced with another footprint compatible CDC circuit to increase or decrease the delay in the given clock or data path to meet one or more timing requirements and achieve timing closure without having to repeat placement, signal distribution network synthesis or routing steps.

In general, the design of digital integrated circuits includes two main design phases such as, for example, an RTL (register transfer level) design phase and a physical design phase. An RTL design phase is performed by converting a user specification of chip function into an RTL description, which specifies how each portion of the chip operates on each clock cycle. In the physical design phase, a chip design is generated using a corresponding RTL file and a library of standard component cells such as basic logic gates (AND gate, OR gates, NAND gates, NOR gates, etc.) and macro cells such as adders, multiplexers, flip-flops, memory, etc. More specifically, a physical design phase includes various phases such as logic synthesis, placement, clock-tree synthesis, and routing.
With present technologies, each of the physical design flow steps of logic synthesis, placement, clock-tree synthesis, and routing need to be timing-aware in order for a given design to properly meet specified timing constraints/requirements. Timing closure is a process by which a chip design is iteratively modified to meet specified timing constraints/requirements. Timing closure requires a balancing of data delays and clock delays with the given timing constraints/requirements. Typically, integrated circuit (IC) chip designers will attempt to close timing at all stages of the physical design process such as placement, clock tree synthesis, and routing. A chip designer may rely on changes in clock latency to close timing without disturbing data paths. For example, if the clock latency to a given macro cell is determined to be unacceptable, the chip designer must rebuild an associated clock-tree network. Once a clock-tree network is built, however, it is very challenging to change clock delays or data delays because any change that is made to the clock-tree network after the routing process is complete can affect other non-related paths. If the latencies are not correct, various design steps such as placement, clock tree synthesis, and routing must be repeatedly performed to meet the required timing constraints/requirements, which can be extremely time consuming and costly in terms of engineering hours.

Circuits and methods for efficient clock and data delay configuration for faster timing closure


Component members of a gas turbine engine are cooled by using an engine having a compressor for introducing air into the engine. A combustor is downstream from the compressor which has a casing, and a liner positioned in the casing. The liner is spaced apart from the casing such that a mixing region is positioned between the liner and the casing. The liner has a combustor inlet at the upstream end of the combustor. A turbine, which typically consist of one or more stages having cooling passages therein, is positioned downstream from the combustor. A steam conduit is connected to a steam inlet and the steam inlet is connected to the casing. The inlet has at least one inlet hole which connects the steam inlet with the mixing region and the inlet hole is downstream from the combustor inlet. A passageway is positioned between the mixing region and the turbine cooling passage and the passageway is downstream of the steam inlet hole. In operation steam is introduced into the mixing region downstream of the combustor inlet such as to form an air and steam mixture and then the air and steam mixture is introduced into the cooling passage.

Gas turbine engines conventionally comprise an axial flow compressor which compresses air to the proper density required for supporting combustion of fuel in a combustion chamber. The combustion gases then pass to a turbine which powers the axial flow compressor. After passing through the turbine, the combustion gases may be employed to drive a power turbine which is connected to an output shaft on which may be mounted a propeller, generator or other device such as for marine or industrial purposes.
The combustion of fuel within the combustion chamber results in intensely heated combustion gases which heat the walls of the combustion chamber and the various turbine components as the gases pass through the turbine. Increasing combustion firing temperatures can improve shaft horsepower, specific fuel consumption and efficiency of the engine. However, the ability to increase these temperatures is limited by the ability of the engine components such as the combustion chamber and the turbine to withstand increased temperatures. Therefore, to avoid overheating, cooling methods have been developed to cool combustors, and turbine vanes and blades.
Conventional cooling techniques provide that some of the air input into the engine through the compressor is diverted and used as a coolant. Typically, the diverted air passes outside the combustion chamber and enters passageways which flow around the combustion chamber and then through cooling passages in the turbine blades.
Other cooling techniques have included the use of steam in which steam is introduced into the interior of the blading and exits tangentially onto the exterior surfaces of the blading such as to thermally insulate the blades from the hot combustion gases. This technique has some advantages since the specific heat of steam is much greater than air and therefore steam is a much better coolant. However, the steam used in cooling reduces overall system performance since this steam bypasses some of the the engine's flowpath turbine stages and, therefore, is not injected in the engine as described by my U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,914 entitled "Gas Turbine Engine of Improved Thermal Efficiency," issued Dec. 30, 1986, and by K. O. Johnson in U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,195 entitled "Fluid Injection Gas Turbine Engine And Method for Operating" issued Feb. 11, 1986. Therefore, it would be desirable to have an improved method of engine cooling which does not significantly inhibit system performance.

Turbine engine with air and steam cooling


Methods to create a cellular-like communication system, such as a Wireless Private Branch Exchange (WPBX), which includes mobile devices such as standard cordless phones (handsets), particularly, mobile devices utilizing the Bluetooth short-range wireless communication protocol. The methods provide seamless and reliable handoff of sessions between Base Stations while the mobile device is moving between picocells, by implementing a high-level of synchronization between the Base Stations and the Switch. Base Stations of picocells having small coverage areas communicate with the handsets. The communication protocol is divided into a low-level protocol performed by the Base Stations and a high-level protocol performed by the Switch connected to all the Base Stations. The methods support mobile computing or telephony devices and communication protocols, which are not specified to handle handoffs of sessions while moving between Base Stations coverage areas in a data, voice or telephony wireless network.

The effective range of a mobile device, such as a cordless handset, from its Base Station is limited by its transmission power and by the receiver sensitivity of the mobile device and the Base Station. Wireless Private Branch Exchange (WPBX) systems address this limitation by using more than one Base Station (BS). The area that a Base Station covers is called a cell. In the main, hereinafter, mobile units (devices) that are cordless (telephone) handsets are discussed.
In a WPBX, the Base Stations are interconnected in order to allow handsets that are in different cells to communicate with one another. When a handset moves from one cell to another during a call, the handoff (or handover) of communication from one Base Station to another Base Station enables uninterrupted communication. A central unit that is usually called the "Switch" is connected to all the Base Stations. The Switch controls the operation of the system, routes the call to Base Stations and to Gateways, which connect the WPBX to external communication systems. The transmission power of a cordless handset in the WPBX is usually lower than the transmission power of the handset of a standard cellular system, which results in a WPBX for cordless handsets having much smaller cells (referred to as mini-cells, or micro-cells or picocells) than the cells of a standard cellular system.
Some cordless handsets use communication protocols that are also used in cellular system, but they transmit in a lower power than a mobile (cellular) handset. For examples protocols in use are GSM and IS-136. According to these protocols the handoff between cells is performed by collaboration of the cordless handset, the Base Stations and the Switch. These handsets can connect to the WPBX when they are in its coverage area, and can also connect to any other cellular system that supports the communication protocol that they are using.
Some handsets use communication protocols that were designed especially to allow communication with WPBX. Some examples are DECT, CT-2, PAC, and PACS. The handset is usually a dedicated handset that is used only in the area covered by the WBPX.
Some handsets have dual mode support. For example a handset may communicate with the WPBX using DECT, and may allow communication with other cellular systems using GSM.
Some WPBXs use standard cordless handsets. These handsets have no special mechanism to support the handoff between cells. In these systems the Switch and the Base Stations perform the handoff, and the handset is not aware of (does not participate actively in) the handoff process. When a standard cordless handset moves from one cell to another the Switch routes the call to another cell. Since cordless phones use "simple" protocols, for example an analog fixed transmission, when the call is routed to the new cell, the cordless phone automatically will receive it.
During the last years short-range communication protocols have become much more complicated. Very low power is used in order to allow many systems to operate in close vicinity. Complex transmissions methods like frequency hopping and spread spectrum are used in order to overcome interference, and improve the communication quality. Digital communication methods are used allowing communication of data and voice on the same system. Error correction encoders are used in order to improve reliability. Security and privacy of the communication is improved with the use of Digital authentication and encryption.
Short-range communication systems are used for many purposes. A growing trend for short-range communication usage is Personal Area Network (PAN) devices and applications, among such is the "all in one handset" and personal data devices. Such type of handset supports standard cellular communication, and also has the ability to communicate with personal area network devices that are in its near vicinity, using short-range communication. Some PAN short-range communication standards were not designed to allow mobility, i.e. they were not designed to allow handoff in between Base Stations in general and during an active session in particular. This limits a session via such device to be linked to a single Base Station and therefore to very limited area.
The "Bluetooth" standard is a short-range wireless communication standard that has many uses for voice applications and telephony (e.g. cordless phone, wireless headsets) and also for data applications (laptop to personal computer communication, wireless local area network Gateways etc.). The Bluetooth wireless technology is implemented using a universal radio interface in the 2.45 GHz frequency band that enables portable electronic devices to connect and communicate wirelessly via short-range, ad hoc networks. Each unit can simultaneously communicate with up to seven other units per piconet. Moreover, each unit can simultaneously belong to several piconets.
Bluetooth connection is planned to be standard feature in future cellular handsets, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), Palmtop and Laptop computers. The Bluetooth standard does not support mobility between Base Stations, since it was primarily designed for short-range communication as a cable replacement. A cellular handset with Bluetooth wireless technology will be able to operate as a cordless phone, but only in the near vicinity of a single Base Station. The same limitation applies to mobile personal data devices such as PDA's and mobile computers.

Wireless private branch exchange (WPBX) and communicating between mobile units and base stations


A magnetic tape cassette which solves the problem of deformation of a guide groove due to a sink mark formed when the neighboring portions of a shaft insertion opening are reduced in thickness to reduce the weight of the cassette case. A tongue-shaped projection is formed adjacent to a central guide groove, the projection including a recessed portion, such as a circular recess or a lateral notch, for reducing the thickness of the projection.

The present invention is directed to a magnetic tape cassette comprised of upper and lower cassette halves and, in particular, to an improved structure of a projection formed internally of and integrally with the lower cassette half and disposed between two reels.
Conventional magnetic tape cassettes, as used in audio equipment, video equipment and the like, include a magnetic tape wound around two reels rotatably supported within the cassette case to achieve recording and reproduction.
In such conventional cassettes, the reels or tape winding members are rotatably supported between upper and lower cassette halves, each of the cassette halves being formed from a synthetic resin such as ABS or the like.
There has been an increasing demand for reductions in the weight of the magnetic tape cassette to improve the handling of the cassette and in manufacturing costs. Since the cassettes are mass produced, even a small reduction in weight would prove advantageous.
In order to reduce the weight of a magnetic tape cassette, it is necessary to employ various thicker portions and thinner portions within the cassette. However, since the fluidity of the fused resin is limited when injected, it is difficult to transmit an injection pressure to create these portions. Thus, with respect to a projection (which will be described in detail later) formed within the cassette, a sink or deformation may result due to increased shrinkage of the resin. Since it is difficult to correct the shrinkage, as compared to remaining portions of the cassette, the deformation or sink will remain, forming a significant defect.
FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of one type of conventional lower cassette half 1 for use in a VHS system, and FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of an internal surface of the same lower cassette half 1. The lower cassette half 1 includes right and left drive shaft insertion openings 7, a sensor insertion hole 10 for insertion of a light source which, when inserted, extends along center line C of the cassette so as to emit light in the right and left directions to detect the end of the magnetic tape, a threaded boss hole 11 for accepting a screw to fasten the upper and lower cassette halves together, and a guide groove 9 for guiding the alignment of the upper and lower half cassettes so that they can easily be connected together.
A tongue-shaped projection 32 is provided on the back side of the guide groove 9, that is, on the inner surface of the lower cassette half 1 in the vicinity of a partition wall 5 disposed in the front portion of the cassette, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The projection 32 extends rearwardly from a boss 31 in which the above-mentioned boss hole 11 is formed. As is clearly illustrated in FIG. 3, which is an enlarged perspective view showing the projection 32 from inside the cassette, the projection 32 functions as a support material for forming the guide groove 9. Structures such as the projection 32 and the boss 31, which can increase the thickness of the case, are localized at a certain position within the cassette so that differences in thickness and mass distribution at the localized areas, as compared to the remaining portions, are increased.
Since it is desirable to reduce the thickness of the portions surrounding the shaft insertion openings 7, in order to reduce the weight of the cassette case, the differences in thickness between the projection 32 and its neighboring portions may be even further exaggerated.
As noted above, a deformation or sink mark may be formed in the vicinity of the projection 32 as a consequence of the reduction in thickness of portions of the cassette. The sink mark impairs the appearance of the surface of the finished product as well as its commercial value. Also, it is difficult to obtain an even mechanical strength in these portions. Further, since such deformations are usually located at or near a portion which forms the guide groove 9, as described above, even a slight deformation can make it difficult to insert the cassette into a bucket of the VCR or other recording/playback device.